As you have read in the others articles of the Spring 2020 Advance, churches, missionaries, and Council members play key roles in the work of Baptist Mid-Missions. Behind the scenes, sometimes anonymously, donors play a vital part as well: giving to fund the work of the Great Commission. Like a missionary who must act strategically in presenting the gospel, donors also act strategically to maximize gifts in an environment full of costly options. One type of gift that has become more popular due to the high valuation of the stock market is the gift of shares of stock.

Perhaps the following conversation is similar to your story:

BMM: I noticed that you have made gifts to the ministry in the past, always by giving a gift of cash. This time you did something different.

A: Yes, we had some shares of stock my husband and I purchased years ago. We invested $1,000 in a publicly traded company, and over the years, the company has done very well. When we decided to make a $5,000 gift, we had a decision: sell some shares of it to make a $5,000 cash gift or just transfer those shares directly to Baptist Mid-Missions.

BMM: You chose to give the stock to Baptist Mid-Missions. What led to that decision?

A: We transferred the shares directly to avoid possible adverse tax consequences. Because BMM Foundation is a qualified charity, the stock can be sold without tax implications.

BMM: So, by transferring the shares directly to Baptist Mid-Missions, you avoided the possibility of capital gains taxes, and more money could go into the Lord’s work?

A: Exactly!

We are thankful for the many members of BMM Foundation’s Enduring Grace Society. Have you remembered BMM and its ministries in your will? We would like to extend to you membership in the Enduring Grace Society, which is committed to promoting the spread of the gospel beyond this generation. Contact Stewardship Ministries for more information.

As we look back over our first 100 years, we also look forward to the work that remains undone. This would be a good year to remember a loved one by making a gift in his or her honor to BMM Foundation’s Memorial Fund. The Memorial Fund helps provide for the ongoing work of the Great Commission.

In Memory of

Al Casto
Mrs. Sharon Casto

Douglas Couch
Mrs. Sally Couch

Frank and Lillian Crumb
Kinsman Crumb Charitable Trust

Ruth Martin
Mrs. Dorothy Crowder

Doris Smallman
Dr. William Smallman

Valerie Grace Shepherd
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Young

In the past, most gifts were made by mailing in a check. Although many ways are available to make a gift of cash, consider other tax-advantaged ways to support Baptist Mid-Missions’s ministries.

To discover how and what you can give, visit our planned giving website at giftplanning.www.bmm.org.