Living up to the Name

By Michael G. Loftis, President Elect

I still remember my father's words as I left home for college: "Son, whatever you do, live up to the family name." Occasionally I pause to reflect on how well I have kept his charge. As ABWE prepares for transition to new leadership in a new era, perhaps it is time to reflect on the past three decades of Wendell Kempton's leadership. How well have we lived up to our name, The Association of Baptists for World Evangelism?

One indicator, particularly for an organization dedicated to worldwide impact for Christ, must be growth. While only God gives the increase in any endeavor, success rarely happens by accident. God has so designed our world that every worthwhile achievement requires planning, prayer, and strenuous labor in order to realize a fruitful harvest. God has also established that faithful leaders ensure His work is done in His way. For ABWE, that leader since 1971 has been Wendell W. Kempton.

When Wendell Kempton became president in June 1971, ABWE had 338 missionaries serving in 11 countries, and an annual budget of just over $2.5 million. By the spring of 2000, the mission had grown to 1,102 missionaries in over 50 countries with an annual budget above $31 million. The missionary family tripled in size while the number of supporting churches multiplied over ten-fold! However, more important growth has taken place around the world in the hundreds of churches and thousands of new believers and Christian workers trained for gospel ministry.

In addition to increasing in size, ABWE has matured. We have developed from a ministry operating under a single model into an entrepreneurial family of ministries using various paradigms to penetrate every corner of the globe with the message of the gospel.

In 1971 our mission family was mostly comprised of Anglo-Saxon missionaries from the USA and Canada. Today ABWE missionaries have begun to reflect the diversity of the body of Christ with co-workers of Indian, Chinese, Hispanic, Laotian, Filipino, African-American, Brazilian, and European descent. We are living up to the "world" in our name.

Wendell Kempton's leadership carried the mission through the tumultuous upheavals of the past three decades as the world became a radically different place than it was in 1971. During these years the church in North America passed the torch of leadership to a new generation. This presented enormous challenges to ABWE, yet we have grown steadily and are positioned for the formidable responsibilities posed by our 21st century world.

Have we lived up to our name? With distinction! As we move into the transition that lies before us, let us celebrate the victories with joy and thank God for the leader who directed ABWE to boldly live up to its name.