Frances Brown State Mission Offering

and Week of Prayer for State Missions

September 13-20, 2020

This year's offering will assist Michigan Baptist pastors and their families who are struggling as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.

Offering Goal:

$100,000

First Baptist Church Swartz Creek

"A Comeback Story"

When Jimmie Nelson came to First Baptist Church Swartz Creek, it was the force for the gospel in their part of Michigan. A few years later, people started leaving to the point where the church almost couldn’t keep the doors open. At the same time, Jimmie’s personal life was taking off. Larry Gatlin wanted him to come to Nashville and write music for him. That moment is when God called Jimmie to pastor his dying church. In this story of the Frances Brown State Mission Offering, hear how your gifts helped create a comeback story.

This is an audio podcast produced by the BSCM to promote the Frances Brown State Mission Offering.

The Frances Brown State Mission Offering is a annual offering taken by Michigan Baptist Churches to fund special missions projects for starting, strengthening, and sending churches within the state of Michigan.

Who was Frances Brown?

Born in Carbondale, Illinois, and the oldest of thirteen children, Frances Brown came to Michigan in November of 1958 as the Executive Secretary of Michigan Woman's Missionary Union.

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Frances Brown used her influence as a leader to lead Michigan Baptist women to minister to the many number of persons in the state who did not know Christ as their Lord. She was missions!

Her countenance was an icon that called the women into action! The mention of her name is an inspiration for all to be all that God intends for us to be.

She was and is "Miss Frances Brown". The woman whose motto has echoed in the ears of thousands of men, women, and children: "If I can help you, just let me know.” These words were not just simple words to Frances Brown, they came from her heart as she visited in associations and churches while serving Michigan Baptists.

Frances Brown gave encouragement and challenged Michigan Baptists to reach out and touch the lives of people in the state, as well as around the world. She was born in Illinois, but Michigan was her mission field!

She gave twenty years of superior leadership and furthered the cause of missions in Michigan. Upon her retirement in April of 1978, the Baptist State Convention of Michigan honored her by naming the state missions offering the Frances Brown State Mission Offering.

Frances Brown died in 1979, but her challenge to Michigan Baptists to be willing to give of their time, money, and selves to the cause of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with the vast mission field called Michigan lives today.