History

Summary

Evangelical Baptist Missions was founded in 1928 under the name of Africa Christian Missions to sponsor the pioneer work of Rev. Joseph McCaba in what was then French West Africa. Pastor Edward Drew, a co-founder of the China Boat Mission, and then pastor of the Madison Avenue Baptist Church of Paterson, New Jersey, was instrumental in encouraging Mr. McCaba to continue with the work in West Africa and sponsored the organization of the original Mission board at a meeting in his own home. The founder, Dr. Joseph McCaba, was called home to Glory in 1973.

The Mission is chartered under the laws for non-profit corporations of the State of New Jersey. The charter is issued to a Board of Trustees who govern its affairs from its Home Office in Kokomo, Indiana, where it is registered as a foreign corporation in the State of Indiana.

In 1946 as the work of the Mission extended beyond the field of Africa, the Mission was incorporated as Christian Missions, Inc. Later in 1957, to better identify its ministry as independent Baptist, the charter was revised and the name changed to Evangelical Baptist Missions. Mr. David Marshall became General Director in 1972, and in 1973 the Mission moved to Kokomo, Indiana.  In 2004, the home office moved one more time to Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Mission was on the approved list of agencies of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches from 1938 until that system was abandoned by the GARBC. We maintain a strong partnering relationship with churches in that fellowship.

The purpose of the Mission is to take part in the evangelizing of the world in fulfillment of the Great Commission. The Mission serves independent Baptist churches in the sending forth of missionaries into all the world to preach the Gospel and in assisting churches and individuals in supporting missionaries and mission work. It provides a home base which is cognizant of laws and regulations governing missionary activities at home and abroad. It stimulates missionary interest in churches and schools and renders assistance to missionaries and churches in every possible way consistent with Biblical principles.

The financial policy of Evangelical Baptist Missions is that of a faith mission. It depends upon the freewill offerings of God's people to support its missionaries and projects While the missionaries are paid regular monthly allowances, there is no guarantee of the same The allowances are met as the Lord provides the funds through churches and individuals that commit themselves to the financial and prayer support of specific missionaries. The Lord has always supplied!

Each mission field is administered by its own Field Council under the direction of a Field Director and an Executive Committee. The Field Directors are appointed by the Board of Evangelical Baptist Missions. The other officers of the Field Councils axe elected by vote of the missionaries The missionaries serving with Evangelical Baptist Missions are regarded as members of the mission.

Leadership

The first General Director was appointed in 1947 by the Board of Trustees. The appointed Rev. Joseph McCaba, who was the first missionary sent out by the Mission in 1930. Rev. McCaba was a gifted Bible teacher, diplomat and linguist. He retired in 1965.

Rev. Robert Richards, who served as Field Director in Niger far a number of years, was named to succeed Dr. McCaba, and he served, in his position until June, 1970, when he resigned to go on the faculty of Baptist Bible College of Pennsylvania.

In August of 1972 the Board of Trustees called Mr. David Marshall to be General Director. Mr. Marshall had 22 years of missionary experience with EBM and was the Mali Field Director for a number of years He had also served as Promotional Secretary of the Mission for a period of one year.

The Board named Rev. W. Paul Jackson to be the successor of David Marshall. He had served for seven years on the EBM Board. Mr. Jackson assumed his responsibilities as General Director in March, 1993.

In 2004, the Board renamed the position of General Director to President. On April 1, Dr. Jackson retired as President of EBM and  Dr, Dave Culver became EBM's fifth President. He was formally installed at the annual Enrichment Conference of the entire missionary family on August 2, 2010.

Location

The Mission was founded at a meeting held in the home of Pastor Drew in Ramsey, New Jersey. Brother Drew pastored the Madison Avenue Baptist Church in Paterson, New Jersey. The Missions' Home Office was located in Paterson and then in Hawthorne, New Jersey, until September 1, 1973, when it was moved to Kokomo, Indiana.

The Mission's first Home Office building in Kokomo was located on Highway 31 just south of the city. This building contained approximately 3,400 square feet of office space. In 1981 the Mission purchased a large building located on Alto Road in Kokomo.

During the early morning hours of July 11, 1986, a fire caused by lightning completely destroyed the Home Office building. With the exception of some administrative files, everything (building and contents) was a total loss.

The operations of the Mission were temporarily transferred back to the original building on Highway 31. As this building had never sold and was at the time being used by Harvest Productions, God had an answer to our temporary housing needs.

Construction started in December, 1986, on the new 10,000 square foot Home Office building and a 1,000 square foot print shop. Since the building had not sold, God provided for the mission while the home office was being constructed.. Through insurance funds and the sacrificial giving of God's people (churches and individuals), ashes have been turned into a building of beauty by a sovereign God. Dedication of this new building took place on July 26, 1987.

On April 10, 2004, the EBM home office moved from its Kokomo location to 3307 W. 96th St. in Indianapolis IN.  Currently the offices are in the front of the building.  Dedication and Open House for the Indy location was July  26, 2004 at 7 p.m.