Home Mission

It all started in 1912 to provide assistance to needy Baptist Churches though out this country. These were church buildings badly in need of repairs, other churches without a minister and congregations who were unable to provide a living wage for their minister.

Over the past 90 years this practice of churches sharing with churches has continued. Some time ago our church at Barton was assisted financially by Home Mission all through 14 difficult years. However, the ministry of churches sharing with churches is by no means new, we read in the Bible of the early churches sharing and caring for each other:

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms" (1 Peter chapter 4 verse 10).

Each year, Barton is privileged, together with many other churches to help provide millions of pounds to enable, encourage and resource some 400 different situations. In addition to the support, encouragement and prayer for churches; evangelists and chaplains working in industry, education, city centres and sport are also enabled to continue and extend their work.

Our support for Home Mission is achieved through gifts from box holders, other donations and a portion of our annual church income.

Home Mission news updates regularly appears in our church magazine and on our internal notice board. Every second month an audio tape is available and three times a year the National Mission's magazine is distributed.

Each year a Home Mission weekend is held during which we hear first-hand from a church in the Westcountry which has benefited from the help received from Home Mission. A new video showing the many aspects of the Mission's work is presented and throughout the weekend this vital work is highlighted.