The following is designed to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about The Barnabas Group…
What is The Barnabas Group?
The Barnabas Group (TGB) was founded with the goal of allowing graduates of The Master’s Program (TMP) to use their collective talents, as God would lead, in helping advance His Kingdom. In short, it’s a ministry whose members have a passion to serve other ministries and thier diverse. As it has evolved, TGB has opened its membership to other business and community leaders who share its vision and who may not have been through The Masters Program. The Barnabas Group is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization.
What is the mission statement of The Barnabas Group?
Our mission statement is: Connecting leaders, changing lives. We are committed to see the time, talent, touch and treasure of marketplace leaders helping ministries transform lives worldwide.
What are the goals of The Barnabas Group?
Besides our primary goal of using our talents and treasures actively in God’s Kingdom, we also look forward to continued fellowship and growth in new and old friendships. Examples include group dinners hosted by TBG and missions trips or spiritual retreats for couples. In addition, Bob Shank and other top speakers will keep members challenged and on relevant issues. Members are introduced to various ministries and other opportunities where they can consider how God might use them.
Does The Barnabas Group do anything other than the four quarterly meetings?
We will host several fellowship-based dinners for TBG members and their spouses. TBG also plans to host a luncheon with speakers addressing current events of great interest to members and their guests. There will be no charge for these events, but attendees are encouraged to bring donations that will benefit TBG ministries. Opportunities for short-term mission trips will be made available to TBG members. The calendar may also include golf outings.
We will invite members to serve on a “SWOT Team” that comes together two to three times each year for a couple of hours to brainstorm an issue or problem with a ministry. We will occasionally conduct a seminar for local ministries on subjects that will bless, encourage and educate them. For example, a TBG member recently conducted a seminar on “How to Give a 30-Second Elevator Speech.”
Ministries are brought to the TBG Steering Committee and may be recommended to come under The Barnabas Group’s 501(c)(3) for a one-year period as an Incubator Ministry while they apply for their own non-profit status.
These are just a few of the many activities The Barnabas Group is involved in during the year!
Who directs The Barnabas Group?
TBG is guided by a board made up of at least eight members. This number may increase as needed. View the current Board here.
What is the time commitment?
The Barnabas Group meets quarterly for a Continental Breakfast and Fellowship. We will have several ministries present during the day with opportunities for TBG members to come alongside them and help with their time, talents and touch (network). We will have breakout “brainstorming” sessions to help the ministries with a specific questions or issues. A guest speaker will challenge us on subjects relevant to our lives. We will also have one dinner meeting per year and three morning meetings followed by lunch.
What is the financial commitment?
Members of The Barnabas Group contribute $2,500 annually. The first $1,500 (when given monthly or quarterly) goes towards The Barnabas Group ministry. The remaining $1,000, along with any additional amounts desired by the member, goes into that specific individual’s Giving Fund. These funds can be used in many ways including support of Barnabas Group ministries. When you consider that $1,000 of the annual commitment is directed by you to be put to work in God’s kingdom, The Barnabas Group offers tremendous value and benefit. For example, year-end giving can be placed into your TBG Giving Fund (at the Foundation for Christian Stewardship) and then used any time during the following calendar year, while gaining the full tax benefit in the year deposited. Giving can be directed by the member through FCS to any number of ministry opportunities without needing to write checks and with the advantage of not being added to that ministry’s mailing list. Members have often taken advantage of these benefits by contributing more than the annual minimum and then using TBG to manage their stewardship responsibilities.
What about pastors who want to join TBG?
Pastors can join TBG as Associate members for a reduced donation to cover event costs. Full TBG members may decide to pay their pastor’s Associate dues and fees. The benefit to the pastors is to see ministries they might never discover and possibly take them back to their churches, to receive interesting teaching, and to introduce their church and its members to TMP. Pastors also meet and fellowship with business people from outside their churches and have a time to “get away”. The benefit to TBG is to gain fellowship and to give the ministries that present a greater audience of members who can further their ministry.
Membership has its privileges. Ours is the privilege to serve.
The Barnabas Group was founded to honor God and expand his Kingdom. Members contribute to and experience Kingdom impact!
As a Barnabas Group Member you can expect to receive ongoing exposure to prescreened ministries, opportunities to deploy your talents and resources to maximize your ministry effectiveness. You’ll also find ongoing encouragement through fellowship with like-minded peers and their spouses.