God’s Calling:
God has called our family to the unique ministry of building churches with Continental Baptist Missions. One of the great things about this ministry is that it truly is a family ministry. We are able to actively serve together as a family in this great work of construction. As our children get older and spend more time serving with us on building projects, they continue to help in greater capacities and are excited to be serving God with us!
As a family we all strive to build personal relationships with those we meet. Through these relationships we are able to share the gospel and disciple believers. We need to remind ourselves regularly that the church building is just a tool to help make disciples of Jesus Christ. Our first priority is to glorify God in everything we do.
Who is Continental Baptist Missions?
CBM exists to provide support services for planting, revitalizing, and building biblically sound and spiritually healthy Baptist churches in North America. CBM’s North American focus advances the world-wide progress of the gospel by investing in churches that then contribute prayer, financial support, and personnel to the cause of Christ around the world!
CBM was founded in 1942 as a service agency to meet the needs of a small group of missionaries working in the remote outpost of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Since that time, the ministry has grown to include the continental United State and Canada. The CBM Building Ministries were started in the early 1960’s to complement the work of church planting. Since its founding, CBM has seen 104 churches planted, 74 churches revitalized, and over 80 buildings constructed. Today, there are currently over twenty church plants in progress.
What is CBM’s Building Ministries?
The CBM Building Ministries support the work of church planting by the timely construction of adequate and attractive houses of worship. This ministry helps in every aspect of the construction, whether it be the building design, finding materials, hiring sub-contractors, or pouring the foundation and attaching the steeple! Through all of this, we can save churches between 30 to 40% in construction costs!
Building a church is a massive task and that’s why CBM sends out a team of workers to each project. A normal team consists of:
- The CBM Building Ministries has a dedicated group of Supported Missionary Church Builders.
- A Lead Builder who has managerial and administrative responsibilities and oversees the entirety of the project
- Builders, like us, who are trained and experienced workers that construct the building, from the foundation to the steeple and everything in between
- The CBM Building Ministries also has a dedicated group of individuals, couples, families, youth groups or churches who give of themselves freely to work on these projects.
- Long Term Volunteers who work regularly with the Missionary Church Builders
- Short Term Volunteers that come to work for as much time as they can. (You are always welcome to come and help on a building project!)
Many people serve together, but the task of building a church from the ground up is still a great one. Finishing a building can take between 6-18 months per project. Due to the time it takes to finish a church building, it can be hard to clearly explain the ministry. The time lapse video below is of a recently completed church building in Fort Ashby, WV which took almost exactly a year to build.
The building ministry consists of so much more than simply building church facilities. Our real goal is not just to minister by way of construction of the “external” church building, but to also minister by building the “internal” church. We desire to come alongside local churches by assisting in the ministry, teaching, serving, investing in lives and helping wherever and however we can. Additionally, we have unique opportunities to minister by sharing the gospel and holding Bible-studies with sub-contractors, suppliers, neighbors and many others.
Join us!
Whether as an approved church planter or missionary builder, a volunteer helping for a week at a church plant or building project, a prayer warrior, or a financial supporter, there is a place for you in the planting, revitalizing, and building ministry of Continental Baptist Missions. Will you join us?