The Southern Baptist Convention is deeply in the red, coming in $21 million under budget. That means they will have to lay off 600-800 people from its International Mission Board.

What’s striking is how they’re trying to let everyone down gently by saying this is all part of God’s Plan:

… God is not surprised by these financial realities. He has reigned sovereign over the IMB for 170 years, and He will continue to reign sovereign over the IMB for years to come. God has reigned sovereign over the direction of each personnel’s life to this point, and He will reign sovereign over these lives in the days to come. Because He is sovereign, IMB leadership encourages all of its personnel to seek Him, and ask Him how and where He is guiding each of them for the sake of His name. IMB leadership believes that, without question, God will continue to lead every one of its personnel on mission. It is expected that the 600-800 people who step aside from the IMB in the next six months will not be stepping “onto the sidelines of mission,” but instead will be moving into a new phase of involvement in mission.

That’s one way to put it.

You’re fired! But don’t take it personally. God just wants you to work from home now… without pay. Even though we might have been able to prevent this by not spending $210 million more than we had over the past six years. But Jesus didn’t come by to say no, so we figured it was cool.

I’m sure God will also wipe away the tears of everyone who’s about to be let go.

Where’s that seed money when you need it, right?

(Image via Shutterstock. Thanks to Susan for the link)



