The Bergmans, who have served as NAB missionaries in Romania, will be returning to North America in March of 2024 and finishing their time as NAB missionaries at the end of June 2024. I remember the first time I met the entire Bergman family in person. It was after their pre-field training at Mission Training International in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in May of 2021. A few short days later, they would make their journey to Romania to join the team at Camp Falcon Rock. We met at an outdoor playground in order that their four children could play while we talked “business,” signing contracts and going over paperwork. The spirit of joy in the entire family was infectious that day, and every other day I have had the privilege of being with them in person since then.
It is hard to overestimate the cost to a family who answers God’s call to go to the mission field, but it is even more difficult to overestimate the impact a family can make in missions. In the time they have spent on the field, they have made connections, built relationships, and invested in their neighbors, coworkers, and students – all this with a deep desire and passion that God would be glorified and made known in the work they did, whether ministering to youth, working on construction projects at the camp, or investing in the lives of their neighbors.
For this commitment and passion, I want to say thank you to the Bergman family for their service over the course of the last two and half years. Please join me in prayer for their family as they transition back to life in Canada; we trust God has places for each of them to use their passion and commitment to Christ and his Kingdom. Because they will be on salary during this season of transition, we would ask that those of you who are prayerfully and financially supporting them to continue to do so through June. We will be writing to donors in May in the hopes that some of you will be able to transfer your support to another NAB missionary. If you have any questions, please reach out to me at kbender@nabconf.org or to Caryn Young at cyoung@nabconf.org. Thank you again for supporting the Bergmans and the NAB through your prayers and gifts!
Faith, Hope, and Love
Kerry Bender
NAB VP of International Missions
Lyndell Campbell-Réquia, an NAB missionary in Brazil, is excited for the upcoming Triennial 2024! Check out the short video above to find out why. It’s also short enough to fit into your Sunday announcements or share on social media.
In case you have not yet registered, we have good news for you! The $345 registration fee has been been extended through February 29! But that means starting March 1, the cost increases to $420 per person, so you have less than a month to register and still save money.
Taking place in St. Paul, Minnesota, July 11–14, 2024, the theme of this Triennial is Becoming a People of Peace. You won’t want to miss out as we gather together to celebrate what God has done and is doing and look ahead to what he will do.
If you are curious about Triennial 2024 but still want more information, you can check out the digital version of our registration brochure. Inside, you will find ample information about our speakers, special events, breakouts, and more, giving you everything you need as you prepare to register online.
We look forward to seeing you in St. Paul in July!
This Wednesday, February 14, is the first day of Lent, a period of prayer and fasting for many followers of Jesus that is designed to help prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday.
For a number of years, the NAB has shared devotionals specific to this season to serve those who desire to come together as a conference of churches as we all collectively join God on mission where he has placed us.
During this upcoming season of Lent, we invite you to join us in examining what biblical peace means for us today – peace between us and God, among individuals, within ourselves, and in our interactions with creation. Not only will we look at what Scripture says about peace, every Saturday will feature a story or profile of peace in action: people of God who are acting as shalom-bearers in a world increasingly in need of God’s peace.
This is sure to be an excellent primer for the upcoming Triennial conference in July. But more importantly, these devotionals will help guide your thoughts toward the Prince of Peace and challenge you to be a shalom-maker for God.
“Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
The following guides contain practical pointers and easy-to-understand explanations to assist US churches and US ministers in cutting through the complexity of taxes and finance. The guides are published by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), of which the North American Baptist Conference is a member.
The 2024 Minister’s Tax and Financial Guide (for 2023 Taxes), which includes:
- The latest legislative updates
- Clarity on ministerial tax status
- Housing exclusion worksheets
- Sound retirement planning ideas
- Compensation planning guidance
- Sample tax return
The 2024 Church & Nonprofit Tax and Financial Guide (for 2023 Taxes), which includes:
- The latest legislative updates
- Tips on handling charitable gifts
- Tried-and-true steps for reporting financial information
- Key steps in sound compensation planning
- Examples of required IRS filings
If you have any questions about either of these, please feel free to reach out to us at communications@nabconf.org.