The Lord’s Purpose Prevails

Many are the plans in a mans heart, but it is the LORDS purpose that prevails. Prov. 19:21

Financial donations to the Prayer League can be categorized in many different ways. Recently I undertook a study that categorized all operating donations to WMPL into one of four categories.

General funds (general fund and general missionary support fund.)

Designated support funds (All donations to the support fund of a particular missionary.)Work and project funds (Donations designated to missionary work funds or to one of the approved WMPL projects.) All other donations. (Donations to children education funds, travel funds and other misc. funds.)

The results of the study are in the table below.

Note This chart excludes estate gifts and building fund gifts.

I was surprised to see how consistent the giving patterns have been over the years. I was even more surprised to see that 1 out of every 4 dollars donated is given to general funds. This is the hand of God at work in our mission. No one donation is more important than another. All donations, we believe are received from the hand of God and are received at the right place and at the right time. And that is precisely what has happened with our general funds.

WMPL decided long ago not to take administrative fees from donations received. Many missions take a certain amount out of each donation and use it to pay for administrative expenses. It is not a bad idea but WMPL has chosen not to do so. This means that a greater percentage of donations need to be received into our general fund. This has happened throughout the years! In fact, 26% of all donated dollars this decade have been received into the general funds allowing us to pay administrative costs and to help pay allowances to those whose support fund is lacking.

A quick study of given patterns like this is encouraging to me. It gives us another way of seeing how God is in control. When we are attentive to God and allow him to lead he does so. Gods purpose has prevailed at WMPL over the years. His purpose has prevailed as the council makes decisions for the entire mission, it has prevailed as missionaries seek and serve him throughout the world, and it also prevails daily as different individuals and churches take a moment from their day and send a check to WMPL.