The following letter has been released by the Board of Directors of Grace Brethren North American Missions (GBNAM):
Grace Brethren North American Missions (GBNAM) has had the privilege of serving the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches for seventy years. During that time many lives have been changed and many Grace Brethren churches started as a result of GBNAM, formerly known as the Brethren Home Missions Council.
Circumstances and events in recent years have forced the agency to make difficult management decisions and have placed great strain on the organization. While wonderful church planting opportunities are available, the incessant nature of present events, and the accompanying rumor of these events is draining the agency of energy and marginalizing its abilities to raise funds and to start and establish new Bible-teaching congregations in North America.
As a result, we the Board of Directors of GBNAM have encouraged our staff to find new opportunities within other church planting agencies that will serve the FGBC. This staff will be communicating to you about these other agencies soon and we would encourage our Grace Brethren churches and supporters to direct funds toward these ministries in order to accomplish North American church planting.
As a result of the foregoing, it is with mixed emotions that we announce that GBNAM will be ceasing operations effective December 31, 2007. Your offerings to us through that date will allow us to honor all our obligations, pay all of our creditors, and finish well. Any excess assets will be utilized to further the goals and purposes of GBNAM, either directly, or through a different organization that has among its goals ones similar to those of GBNAM.
The missionaries you support are employees of the GBNAM family until the end of 2007 and need your year-end offerings to finish their support status without deficit. While this is a sad ending, it is also joyous because we know that others who are just as inspired but less burdened, will lead the cause and further the goals that GBNAM has for so long cherished, honored, and nurtured.
It has been a wonderful privilege to serve the FGBC and we know God will provide other means to carry out the Grace Brethren effort to plant churches in North America.
signed, Confused and worried.
We need to remember who our first love is...Christ & that is to be our mission.