I could tell that he cared. That’s what I remember most about the call. When we were missionaries in Mexico, my wife had become critically ill.

It was a time of uncertainty, and in the age before WhatsApp and easy international smart phone calling, it felt like our network of supporting churches was a million miles away.  And then Steve Bender from the Missions Office managed to reach us at the hospital. It meant the world to us, and we were delighted to share the good news with Steve and the rest of the Mission Office team when God intervened and Charise recovered.

When we returned to the United States a year later, I saw the Mission Office from a different perspective – that of the senior pastor.

The relationship changed, but the care did not.  They were always ready to serve. Whether dealing with prospective missionaries, veteran missionaries with ambitious ministry projects or those enduring a crisis on the field, the care, integrity, and professionalism of the Mission Office has never changed.  They are always ready.

All of this, with the knowledge that every dollar our church gives to missionaries goes directly to the missionaries. The Mission Office does not take a penny. Instead, it relies on the generosity of local churches just as our missionaries do.

It’s an extraordinary relationship, and I am so glad to be part of it. The Mission Office has been serving all of us since 1950. It still is.  They are always ready.

-by Bruce Garner, pastor of CrossPoint Church | Huntington Beach, CA