Dear MMB supporter:
This letter is to
inform you that as of December 31, 2001, Mainstream Missouri Baptists
is closing its doors. With some sadness, but with a great deal of
gratitude to God and our supporters, we are celebrating our victories.
~A
new Missouri Baptist Convention is on the horizon, free from
Fundamentalist domination.
~Many
of our beloved Missouri Baptist institutions have become free from
Fundamentalist control. One of those autonomous institutions is
“Word and Way”, thus guaranteeing a free Baptist press for all
Missouri Baptists.
~Missouri
Baptists now have new giving options, including plans through the
Baptist
Foundation and through CBF of Missouri (these new, expanded
options offer nearly
everything MMB has offered in our three plans).
In short, we’ve
accomplished our goal—a climate of freedom in Missouri Baptist
life. So, we are stepping aside so that more permanent options in
Missouri Baptist life may come to the forefront without confusion or
duplication.
I am sorry that I am
not able to sit down with each of you personally, to thank you for
your faithful support over the last three and a half years. Together,
we have told the wonderful story of our rich Baptist heritage.
I apologize, too, if
you had to hear this news of our closing through means other than this
letter. We mailed it as soon as humanly possible following the board
action of Saturday, Dec. 8.
What next for you,
our faithful MMB donors? In terms of giving, we encourage you to look
carefully at the giving routes afforded through the Missouri Baptist
Foundation. This was mentioned in the Dec. 6, 2001, issue of “Word
and Way”. You may learn more about that plan by contacting Dr. Drew
Hill at 660.826.2160 or at ajhill@iland.net.
We also urge consideration of CBF of Missouri’s new giving routes.
Contact Harold Phillips at 1.800.873.2950 or at hap@cbfmo.org.
Please consider
subscribing to AND donating to TWO PUBLICATIONS: 1) The “Word and
Way” (at 573.635.7931, ext. 550 and wordandway@wordandway.org.)
and, 2) The Mainstream Baptist national
network newsletter (915.659.4102 and cowboy@wcc.net).
We will close our
office on Dec. 31, 2001. We will return mail and gifts after March 31
(this is an acknowledgement that it will take some time and money to
close out the operation). May God continue to bless our Missouri
Baptist life, as we carry out the work necessary to guard our liberty
and heritage. God bless you and thank you!
Grace,
Doyle Sager
President
