ASSEMBLIES OF GOD
BGMC Breaks $7 Million Barrier with Record Giving
For the first time in the history of Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge (BGMC), more than $7 million has been given in a single year to help meet the needs of our missionaries. According to BGMC Coordinator Mary Boyd, the preliminary report for 2015 indicates $7,003,196.12 given — a 10 percent increase ($635,018.05) over 2014 giving!
National BGMC Director David Boyd states, “The great increase has been across the board. Forty districts increased in their giving over 2014 and 21 set all-time records!”
“We are still getting adjustments every day,” Mary Boyd says about the BGMC giving total, “but we wanted to get the preliminary reports out as soon as we could so churches, ministries, and kids across the country could rejoice with us about this wonderful news!”
David Boyd explains that kids aren’t just asking parents and relatives for money, they are also working for the cause of Christ. “They are washing dishes, raking leaves, and shoveling snow. They are finding tasks they can do and sacrificially raising funds for BGMC so their funds can meet critical needs all over the world.”
Some of the highlights from 2015 giving include the Peninsular Florida District leading the nation in BGMC giving with $865,981.73. This is the first time in the history of BGMC that an individual district has given over $800,000 to BGMC.
The top giving church in the nation was First Assembly of God in Fort Myers, Florida, led by Senior Pastor Dan Betzer and Children’s Pastors Sammy and Jan Whaley. The church gave $121,844.22 to BGMC in 2015, which more than doubles what they gave in 2014.
Florida was also the state that had the district with the highest per capita in BGMC giving. The West Florida District gave $12.24 per person last year to BGMC.
“The Assemblies of God got it right in 1949 when they saw the power of what happens when kids get a heart of compassion and work towards a common goal,” states Mark Entzminger, senior director of Children’s Ministries. “We celebrate every BGMC offering received regardless of the size because we know that when kids give their treasure, we are also getting their heart.”
Since 1949, $133,563,962.44 has been given to missions through BGMC. The Boyds express their personal appreciation for the efforts being made to support Assemblies of God missionaries and missions organizations through BGMC, but the work for 2016 is already underway.
“Our 2016/7 theme is ‘Above and Beyond,’” David Boyd says. “It is our desire that every child, every leader, and every church give above and beyond what they have ever done before, so our missionaries can go above and beyond what they have done before.”
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