INTERNATIONAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY - SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST REFORM MOVEMENT

“Highways” Fund Statement*
for the Two Months Ending March 31, 1999

Category	Worker Support	Special Projects	Open	Total

Balance, January 31, 1999	571	7,143	15,362	23,076

Donations from:
Individuals	0	611	499	1,110
Churches	0	0	0	0
Fields and Unions	0	0	0	0
General Conference	0	0	0	0

Total Funds Available	571	7,754	15,861	24,186

Amounts funded for:
Category 1–Worker Support	0	0	8,826	8,826
Category 2–Special Projects	0	611	1,841	2,452

Total Amounts Funded	0	611	10,667	11,278

Balance, March 31, 1999	571	7,143	5,194	12,908

* All figures are given in US Dollars at an exchange rate of DM 1,75 per Dollar.

“Highways” List*
March 31, 1999

Field/Union/GC Department and Project Name	Category	Approved	Previously Funded	Funded This Period	Needed	% Achieved	Disbursed

Kenyan-Ugandan Union Uganda Building	2	5,000	5,000	0	0	-100-	0
Cameroon Field Building	2	20,000	6,870	0	13,130	34	6,870
Indian Field Land for Chapels	2	8,000	1,323	0	6,414	20	1,300
Yugoslavian Field Church	2	5,714	286	286	5,142	10	0
Indian Field Headquarters Building	2	8,000	0	0	8,000	0	0
Rwandan Field Headquarters	2	3,600	1,800	0	1,800	50	1,800
Tanzanian Union Headquarters	2	32,000	0	0	32,000	0	0
Ghana Field Worker Support	1	2,400	1,274	0	1,126	53	0
Ghana Field Land for School	2	2,000	1,428	40	532	73	0
Peruvian Union Remodeling of Chapel	2	4,520	4,250	270	0	-100-	4,520
GC Finance Committee Worldwide Building Repair and Maintenance	2	30,000	6,286	0	23,714	21	0
GC Youth Department Youth Manual and Youth Leaders' Training	2	7,500	7,013	0	487	94	1,500
GC Education Department Educational Materials for Children	2	5,000	0	1,570	3,430	31	0
GC Education Department Women's Mobilization Project	2	30,000	0	0	30,000	0	0
Indian Field Worker Support	1	12,000	3,000	3,000	6,000	50	1,771
Tanzanian Union Worker Support	1	10,000	2,500	2,506	4,994	50	1,500
Kenyan-Ugandan Union Worker Support in Kenya	1	13,250	3,313	3,320	6,617	50	6,625
Kenyan-Ugandan Union Worker Support in Uganda	1	1,200	603	0	597	50	400

Categories:	1- Worker Support
	2- Special Projects
	3- Open
* All figures are given in US Dollars

“Highways” contributors may send personal checks, bank checks, or money orders made payable to International Missionary Society with a notation that they are for "Highways" to the General Conference, Postfach 1310, 74803 Mosbach/Baden, Germany. Please indicate how you wish your “Highways” contributions to be used by specifying Open (decision to be made by the “Highways” Committee) or giving the Field/Union/ Department and Project Name from the above list. In Europe, funds may be sent to Sparkasse Mosbach, Bank No. 67450048, Acct. No. 3081783, or Postbank Account No. 33654756 (Bank No. 66010075) in Karlsruhe. For further information about “Highways,” write and ask for the brochure, “A Full House.”

New “Highways” Request Forms

“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57.

The victory belongs to God. At best, anything we do can only be a very small part of what is needed for God to finish His work on earth. But if that small part is done with faith that works by love, it can have a profound impact. If it is not done in faith, it will have a negative result.

In relation to the work of the church throughout the world, “Highways” has a role that has been clearly defined: To accept and analyze Requests for the furthering of the gospel work submitted by the union committees and the field committees under the General Conference. There is also an important educational side to the “Highways” process. The committees of the unions and fields are really the ones responsible for their territory–not the General Conference. However, the General Conference is responsible to provide education and training to the union and field committees, helping them to analyze their work, make good plans, and, when necessary, submit Requests to “Highways” for assistance with worthy projects which contributors may wish to support.

In this latter area, the “Highways” Committee has seen the need to make the Request forms more specific and also more educational. For this purpose, new forms have been created. Instead of just one Request form, there are now three different ones. The union or field committee needs to select the appropriate form, depending on the Request type, as follows:
   •Form 1–Workers’ Support
   •Form 2–Land/Building Project
   •Form 3–Special Project (for any Request that is neither for Workers’ Support nor for a Land/Building Project)

The new forms have already been sent to the union and field offices.

Accompanying each Request form is an instruction sheet explaining how to complete the form and the general management principles which should characterize the work. These principles may already be applied in part or in full in some places around the world. They are basic but very important for the success of God’s work everywhere, and the “Highways” Committee wishes to inform the readers of The Sabbath Watchman about them. Through the Regional Representatives (see article in this issue titled “General Conference Committee Decisions”), the General Conference will also be helping each union and field implement these principles.

Management principles

The principles which apply to a particular area of management appear on that specific “Highways” Request form. However, on all three forms, the Number 1 management principle is the same and reads as follows:

Every member who accepts the gospel–whether rich or poor–is under exactly the same sacred obligation as every other to show his loyalty to God by returning the 10% tithe to Him for the support of the gospel ministry and to show his love for God by giving offerings as the Lord has blessed him or her. Tithes and offerings may be given in cash, goods, or natural products. According to Malachi 3:8-12, blessings are showered upon God's people in consequence of loving faithfulness; and God's miracle-working power (for individuals, families, and churches) is hindered if members are not careful and faithful in this area. The teachers and leaders among God's people bear the solemn obligation to help the members learn these practical lessons of faith so they do not remove themselves from His blessings. When each person is faithful with his little, God is faithful with His much.

Workers. The additional principles which should be included in the management of paid workers in the church are as follows:

2.	“Highways” projects to assist fields or unions in paying their workers are granted for a limited time (up to a maximum of three years) for a few workers until the field/union has gained enough members so it can pay its workers from its own tithe income. True believers rejoice when they are able to support their own workers, for they thus make it possible for the gospel to be carried to those who have not yet heard it.
3.	Generally one worker can be supported by about 50 members. A spirit of humble, mutual sacrifice on the part of both members and workers will make it possible for God to pour out His rich blessings.
4.	Full-time paid workers should receive an adequate living wage (neither lower nor much higher than that of the average members), should not be employed in any other work besides the gospel work, should devote their full time to the gospel work, and should accept no additional income except that from canvassing.
5.	All workers (paid or unpaid, full time or part time) serve the Lord under the direction of the duly elected field/union committee in charge of God’s cause where they work. The committee bears the responsibility for giving each worker training and work responsibilities and for helping the worker carry out those responsibilities.
6.	Every member should see himself as a worker for God. Paid workers should be taught that their primary responsibility is to put the churches to work, making each group a missionary outreach center–to teach the believers how to reach out to and teach others. Among the different systems for contacting people, the most important is canvassing; and for instruction of others, the presentation of systematic Bible studies.
7.	No worker is employed for life; the field/union committee has the obligation carefully to plan its work so that (1) it has no more workers than it can afford; (2) it pays those workers a reasonable wage and travel expenses from its own tithe income; (3) the workers know exactly what their responsibilities are and how to carry them out; (4) after the stipulated number of years of faithful service, a worker receives a pension (either from the field/union or from a state fund to which contributions have been paid); and (5) unaffordable, unproductive, or unfaithful workers are removed from the work.
8.	In addition to its human resources (workers and laymembers), the field/union committee bears the responsibility for carefully managing the physical, monetary, and spiritual resources under its jurisdiction. The members of the committee may not make decisions granting themselves benefits which are not available to other church members. The committee is required to limit its plans and spending to the means available to it and to maintain a reserve for emergencies. It may make no commitments to spend means it has not received or which belong to other individuals, churches, fields, unions, or the General Conference without prior approval from such individuals or the responsible committee or individuals.

Land and buildings. The following are the additional principles for property management:

2.	Properties donated to or purchased by the church belong to the Lord. They are the management responsibility of the committee of the field or union in which they are located. They may not be used for personal matters, business or advantage.
3.	The purchase, operating, and maintenance costs of buildings may be paid only from offerings designated for such purposes. The tithe may not be used for such purposes, for it is reserved solely for the wages and travel expenses of the gospel workers. In setting goals and making its working plan, the field/ union committee should make it its first priority to fully support its workers from the tithes generated in the field/ union; the burden of sustaining lands and buildings should be undertaken only when this first priority is functioning, but never with resources coming from the tithe.
4.	In the event that workers or members occupy church properties, they are to pay a fair rent to the field/union treasury, as decided by the field/union committee, with consideration given for any services they render in maintaining the property.
5.	Buildings should be used for as many different missionary activities as possible, trying to reduce to a minimum the time they are not in use. Although the sanctuary should be reserved for sacred services, other rooms should if possible be used for publishing/printing functions, training classes, Bible studies, community outreach, schools, daycare, cooking or health classes, health clinics, parenting classes, religious book center, health food center, etc.
6.	In addition to its human resources (workers and laymembers), the field/ union committee bears the responsibility for carefully managing the properties, money, and spiritual resources under its responsibility and within its jurisdiction. It should be sure the properties are kept clean and maintained in good condition. The members of the committee may not make decisions for their personal benefit that are not available to every other church member. The committee is required to limit its plans and spending to the means available to it and to maintain a reserve for emergencies. It may make no commitments to spend means it has not received or which belong to other individuals, churches, fields, unions, or the General Conference without prior approval from such individuals or the responsible committee or individuals.

Other projects. Finally, the additional principles for other types of projects are as follows:

2.	A Special Project includes any activity that is neither Worker Support nor a Land/Building Project. A Special Project may not be for the personal benefit of any individual or family. Requests for assistance for the poor (if more funds are needed than the field/union can generate from its own activities) should be sent by the field/union Dorcas department to the General Conference Dorcas department (The Samaritan’s Good Work).
3.	Projects to secure literature for individual use should be organized to make materials available to a broad group of people and should be for the purpose of education and to advance the gospel work. The costs should be shared by the individual, the local church, and/or the union/field. Write to the General Conference Publishing Department for suggestions.
4.	Self-help projects should have a spiritual foundation–be related to missionary outreach. In general, once the project is established, it should be able to operate without financial assistance from outside the field/union.
5.	In addition to its human resources (workers and laymembers), the field/union committee bears the responsibility for carefully managing the properties, money, and spiritual resources under its jurisdiction. The members of the committee may not make decisions for their personal benefit that are not available to every other church member. The committee is required to limit its plans and spending to the means available to it and to maintain a reserve for emergencies. It may make no commitments to spend means it has not received or which belong to other individuals, churches, fields, unions, or the General Conference without prior approval from such individuals or the responsible committee or individuals.

Of central importance in the new “Highways” Request forms is the presentation by the requesting union or field committee of its Working Plan, which will inform the “Highways” Committee about the goals and activities of the union or field committee.

The purpose of these procedures is to give clearer guidelines and instruction to help the unions and fields become strong spiritually, intellectually, and financially. The General Conference Committee has placed a high priority on this, because the signs in the religious, political, and economic world around us show that the day is fast approaching when our dependence on human means will be curtailed and we will only be able to depend on God. Bringing the church’s activities and management into harmony with good principles–Biblical principles–now will help God’s people be ready when those days come. May He grant us the infilling of His Holy Spirit in every area!

–Rudi Guldemeester, Holland, “Highways” Director