The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma

R.A. Lemen: Impacting Missions More Than 50 Years After His Death

I recently returned from a 10 day visit to a South East Asian country. On my visit I was blessed to meet with numerous local Christian business leaders who are using their companies as a platform to spread the Good News in the face of scrutiny, occasional harassment and backlash on their businesses. I was humbled and encouraged by the commitment and dedication of these dear brothers who are the arms and feet of Jesus in their country.

You may not know that the first gift received by the Foundation was from rancher R.A. Lemen who gave a gift of land in the Texas Panhandle which sold for $32,400 in 1944. The gift was given in memory of his late wife to fund mission in the Orient. Today that gift is valued at $170,168 and has distributed $363,845 since its inception to fund mission efforts in South East Asia. Mr. Lemen died in 1958, but distributions over the last three years from the endowment he established are more than the original gift.

II Chronicles 9:11 reads “… through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." I believe that through us, The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma, the generosity of R. A Lemen has resulted in thanksgiving to God by the Asian believers who have come to faith as a result of this gift. What a privilege it is to facilitate a donor’s wishes to impact the Kingdom.

You too can impact the Kingdom by providing future financing for missions and ministry through a charitable gift in your estate plan. For more information contact the Baptist Foundation at www.bfok.org.

If you want to learn more about what we do as a Foundation that would help you individually, as a church or association you may follow us on Twitter @BaptistFdnOkla, friend us on Facebook, or watch video testimonies on YouTube.

Robert K. Kellogg
President & CEO