March 15th the CMBA Mission House was sold in favor of beginning a grant program for temporary housing for ministers and missionaries. In 2016 this Mission House was transferred from Park Street Baptist Church to the Columbia Metro Baptist Association.
The Visionary Leadership Community decided this past fall that when the current missionary family moved out of the Mission House that CMBA would seek to sell it. The desire was to get out of the real estate business and invest in providing assistance with temporary housing for ministers and missionaries.
This move fulfills the intended purpose of the Mission House without engaging the association in a landlord relationship and having to handle the repairs and maintenance of the house. CMBA is seeking to focus sharply on services that help congregations be more vital and vibrant.
At the April meeting of the Visionary Leadership Community consideration will be given to policies for providing grants for temporary housing for church staff and providing housing for missionaries on furlough. As and when appropriate grants will be made to assist contributing member and network churches in CMBA to provide housing for ministers and missionaries.
The Mission House ministry in the Midlands of South Carolina, and perhaps other places, no longer focuses on furloughing missionaries. Many available houses provide temporary housing for church staff and even state convention staff transitioning into our area. During the slightly less than three years CMBA owned the house no Baptist missionary family occupied it, but church staff ministers and independent missionaries used it.
For information about available grants, please contact George Bullard after May 1st at GeorgeBullard@ColumbiaMetro.org.