American Baptist Foundation
Board Meetings, October 19-20, 2026, King of Prussia, PA
Morning Devotion
ABF Disciples
Matthew 28:16-20
For our board that has been in existence for over 40 years, led by a number of chairpersons, I am sure you have heard many opening devotions about “not burying your treasures or what may be the equivalence of a talent is in today’s dollars or even the multiplying of loaves of bread and fish.” This organization has heard it all before and much more.
I also thought that all of this multiplying and compounding interest and estate planning are really the responsibilities of Merrill Lynch and our field representatives. Therefore, what is the role of this board, I asked?
On my morning walk last week, I came to the last few verses in the Gospel of Matthew 28:16-20. It reads,
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Not only do our three mission partners have been commissioned by these verses to do ministries in the US and in countries and nations around the world, but we as the AB Foundation also accept this commissioning.
Jesus had an intimate and trusting relationship with his disciples when they heard him teach and heal the sick. The disciples now have the confidence to go into the world to proclaim Good News. Only when our field representatives develop trusting and sometimes lengthy relationships with donors, might these relationships lead to a legacy gift.
Some of the disciples doubted that Jesus was really Jesus. We will have cynics, skeptics, questioners, doubters about the mission of the Foundation. But it’s the integrity of this board, comprising of Members and Managers to dispel mistrust and collaborate with one another in Jesus’ name would we have no longer doubters but believers.
Clearly, Christ who had authority passed this authority onto his disciples. Today, we are no less disciples than those eleven. Therefore, we have authority to advance God’s reign on earth by inviting and baptizing people in churches and in mission areas in the world. What we do in the Foundation is not only in the “by and by” or sometime in the far future beyond our lifetimes, but for today. We have this “authority in heaven and on earth” now.
Finally, our work in the time we have here is not only to fulfill our constitutional and fiduciary responsibilities as we will. But the last words of Jesus before he left his disciples, were, “Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” We believe in a Living God in Christ. We do this work with humility in Christ’s name to go into this world with hope and joy and love and peace. May God sees us, all __ of us as disciples of Christ in the American Baptist Foundation.
Let us pray.
Gracious Lord God, enable us to hear and feel your presence among us today as we conduct the important work of the Foundation. We have been given significant resources from those who always believed in your reign on earth; so today, we have received the authority to steward these powerful resources to support and strengthen ministries and missions around the world. Guide our discussions, lead us to build upon each other’s ideas, and inspire us to corroborate in unity just as you, O God are unified as the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit. In the name of the Trinity, we pray. Amen.