“It is the Prayer League way to pray. Do we feel the need for financial support? We pray. Do we anticipate the need for goods or equipment, travel or training, project support or other material supplies? We pray again. We believe ourselves called to pray for the needs of the Mission and its workers, and to trust in God to provide as he designs.” (Handbook, ¶127)
The World Mission Prayer League has practiced non-indebtedness since its very beginning. We do not consider it a rigid “law” or unmovable tenet, but rather a natural result of our commitment to prayer. It is not our position that debt is wrong or sinful, but it is usually not the right way forward for us. We see deeper and greater benefits from non-indebtedness.
New missionaries, for example, depart for service under the Prayer League without a guaranteed salary. A commitment to debt back at home could result in their inability to continue in missionary service, when allowance payments are low. Worry over debt could distract them from the service that God has called them to. Departing for their service without debt has helped our missionaries avoid these avoidable pitfalls.
Organizationally, there are benefits also. Without guaranteed income, debt payments could significantly hamper our operations. On the other hand, the practice of spending only those funds that are presently available has sometimes resulted in balances carried forward from month to month as we wait for the appropriate time to expend them. Last year these balances produced nearly $80,000 in dividend and interest income – while we paid $0 in interest expenses.
We are committed always to pray. Lack of finances occasionally forces us to pause for a while and pray a little more, before moving forward on certain purchases. We have discovered that waiting on the Lord in times like these often results in additional blessings, as you have experienced as well, I am sure. At the end of a period of praying and waiting, we may witness a miraculous and faith-building provision of resources – or contrarily, we may realize that we were moving in the wrong direction and that God has a different way planned for us. One way or another, pausing to pray allows us to move forward at the right time and with greater confidence that God is leading us. Does the Prayer League have a commitment to non-indebtedness? Yes, we do. It is more accurate to say, however, that we have a commitment to prayer – which results in the practice of non-indebtedness, and a commitment to “trust in God to provide as he designs.”
In January donations to missionary support funds paid for 72.1 percent of all support expenses; $35,056 was used from the General Fund to supplement missionary allowances and $8,449 was used from the Estate Fund to supplement benefit expenses for the month.
Thank you for your ongoing support!