Although the “Blue Print of the BM Ministry Development Plan” was passed at the 42nd Annual Conference of SCAC, some of the church leaders raised their concerns particularly on how the BM churches are going to tackle the challenge of becoming financially independent. Usually, people looked at the past crisis in the history of the indigenous church, and thought that it would not be appropriate to upgrade the BM preaching points to church status as most of them would likely be financially inadequate. They would need to seek financial assistance from others, causing problems at the Annual Conference.
For this reason, the SCAC BM Ministry called for a brain-storming seminar in October 2017, focusing on how to avoid the present or future financial crisis among BM churches. The result was that the Blue Print of the BM Ministry Plan passed in 2016 would continue to serve as the direction of development where multiple strategies would be carefully carried out. Even though they might face financial challenges along the way, they believed they could turn the crisis to opportunities with God’s grace.
There are currently 19 BM congregations, each comprising of both Chinese and indigenous people. In other words, when these BM ministries are upgraded to preaching centre or church status, the management teams (either the pastors or LCEC) will continue to be shared by both Chinese and indigenous people. The indigenous congregations will not be battling to survive alone. The joint effort would serve to avoid financial dependency.
During the seminar, several strategies were developed to help the BM congregations to attain financial independence in the future. John Wesley often said, “Earn all you can, save all you can and give all you can.” With this spirit, we encourage every BM Preaching Centre/Church to launch certain projects as sources of their financial income, thereby reducing or avoid raising funds from people.
It was unanimously resolved that the first fully BM Church, Gereja Methodist Tudan (GMT) in Miri, would implement a trial-run of these strategic projects. If successful, others will follow its footsteps. It is hoped that these projects will be brought to district level; the BM Executive Commission at district level will then serve as the coordinator in allocating all the funds generated to each BM congregation for further development.
Hence, since last year, GMT has launched several projects to help the church members to secure jobs and income, and the church can also have enough funds.
1. Women’s cleaning service
Currently there are five women participating in this service with a full-time driver. The most common problem for the indigenous women* when it comes to work is that they have no transport or people to care for their children. To solve these problems, GMT employed a driver to bring them to work while their children would stay and learn at Tudan Learning Centre.
Before they are ready to render their cleaning service, these women will be undergoing some job-related training. Every Saturday morning, they are also obliged to have a joint devotion, so that they are fed spiritually and so improve their effectiveness in the job. The cleaning job has secured their family income and livelihood.
2. Docus Service Centre
In December 2017, GMT established a second-hand clothing and goods centre called Docus Service Centre, setting up a stall at Emart and also mobile stalls at housing areas in Tudan, Permyjaya and Kuala Baram. They are managed by different sisters-in-Christ. Some are full time workers and some work on commission. Thanks to all the generous help from the churches in the district in providing them with re-usable clothing and goods which generate thousands of ringgit each month for GMT.
3. Recycling Services
In June this year (2018) GMT incorporated a new service, that is recycling service. The Church bought a second-hand lorry and hired a driver to collect from different areas in Miri recycling items like newspapers, boxes, plastic bottles, glass bottles, electrical goods, batteries and so on every Monday to Friday. GMT also worked with big companies to have access of these recycling items from them for this purpose. Moreover, the recycling service lorry will come to different church premises on Sundays to collect items from church members. The driver will then deliver all the recycling items to a recycling plant.
4. Setting Up Co-op Store
GMT is planning to send people to the Domestic Trade and Consumer Cooperative to discuss with them setting up a Co-op Store. This is to encourage the indigenous church members to save money and to invest in the Co-op Store and to receive a return.
5. Craftwork
GMT also put effort into training indigenous housewives in making handicrafts so that they can work at home. These craftworks include quilt, bags, baskets, clothing among others. The Church will help them find buyers for their handicrafts.
In order to manage these services well, a full-time worker is needed to monitor and enhance their furtherance. To this end, the Church employed one of its LCEC members, Santi David Anak Banggai to be the Business Management Officer, starting from April this year. Santi was an executive administrator of a big company. She is well-versed in Mandarin, BM and English.
May God bless all these plans so that the BM congregation as a whole can be independent in management and finance in future.
Our God is able to turn obstacles into opportunities. We work hard not because we have seen hope but we work hard to see hope.
By Rev Nicholas Ting,
(Chairman of the BM Ministry, SCAC)
Translated by Christina