Go therefore and make disciples of all nations
Matthew 28:19
First Christian Carmi supports many local & international mission efforts with a percentage of our overall giving. Each one is listed on this page, and we encourage you to join us in prayer for each one. Should you feel led to donate, you can designate a gift to our mission fund below. If you'd like to donate to a specific mission, click on the logo of your desired mission below and it will take you to their specific website where you can donate directly.
First Christian Carmi supports the following missionary organizations:
ARM Prison Ministries
American Rehabilitation Ministries (ARM) is located in Joplin, MO. Its primary mission is to bring the good news of salvation to those in prison.
CRAM
In 1997, the Lord placed a burning desire within the hearts of C. Y. and Patricia Kim to evangelize and meet the physical needs of people living in the communist countries of Asia. Through God’s amazing grace and guidance, He has expanded those opportunities and Christ Reaching Asia Mission (CRAM) Worldwide now shares through benevolent works in China, North and South Korea, Cambodia, and the Philippines. Established in 1998, CRAM is an active accredited member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, ensuring our supporters that we follow the highest standards of accountability.
Eastern Dominican Christian Mission
Eastern Dominican Christian Mission (EDCM) exists to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ by making disciples and forming those disciples into congregations. Since the founding of the mission in 2003, EDCM has had a goal of planting churches in the eastern part of the Dominican Republic and helping lead those churches to self-sufficiency. This goal is accomplished primarily by two words: Equip and Empower.
FCC Adoption Grant
FCC reserves funds to help families within the church who are seeking adoption.
The Guardian Center
The Guardian Center, Inc. is committed to the protection and healing of abused children and their families.
IDES (International Disaster & Emergency Services)
IDES exists to meet physical and spiritual needs of suffering people throughout the world in the name of Jesus Christ.
Johnson University
Located in Knoxville, Tennessee, Johnson University's Mission is to educate students for Christian ministries and other strategic vocations framed by the Great Commission in order to extend the Kingdom of God among all nations.
Niños de Mexico
Niños exists to share the Gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ with as many people as possible by raising at-risk children in Mexico to love God and grow to be mature educated Spirit-filled Christians with the ability and passion to evangelize their culture.
Oil Belt Christian Service Camp
Oil Belt Christian Service Camp is a religious organization that was started in 1946 with a few tents and a desire to impact young people for Jesus Christ. The board of directors are comprised of people from the area's Christian Church / Church of Christ Congregations. We are affiliated with the Restoration Movement, in following the directives from God in the New Testament for His people, the Church. Currently, there are 108 supporting churches from 14 counties across South Central Illinois.
William and Robin Butler (Pioneer Bible Translators)
When Al Hamilton was founding Pioneer Bible Translators in the early 1970s, William and Robin Butler were among the first missionaries he recruited. Al had heard William explaining a Greek assignment to a friend in the campus bookstore and, on his way out the door, tapped William on the shoulder and whispered in his ear, “Sounds like you would make a good Bible translator.” That comment planted an enduring seed.
In 1975, at a snowy National Missionary Convention in St. Louis, William and his fiancée, Robin True, went forward to give their lives to the work of Bible translation. In 1976, Pioneer Bible Translators officially became an organization at about the same time the Butlers were married. By 1979, the Butlers finished preparing and raising support and went to Papua New Guinea to begin helping the Waran people translate the Bible into their language.
To reach their new home, the Butlers flew to a remote airstrip and then took a canoe out to live among the 3,000 Waran people. The language had no alphabet back then. For 40 years, they strove to see the day the Waran people would have the Word of God in their language. To be clear, it doesn’t always take 40 years. In other settings, translation of the New Testament might take 5, 10, or 20 years. William invested a lot of time training translation teams for other languages; he also served the Papua New Guinea branch in the area of finance. William and Robin’s servant hearts stretched out the time frame quite a bit.
Then, at last, after four decades of painstaking effort, the Waran people finally celebrated the dedication of the New Testament in their language on June 23, 2019. I don’t remember William ever talking about the work of Bible translation among the Waran without tears of passion and a tightened voice, evidence of the deep emotional zeal that fueled and sustained four decades of energetic, meticulous labor for the Lord. When I think about William and Robin, this Scripture springs to mind: “The world was not worthy of them” (Hebrews 11:38).
In 1975, at a snowy National Missionary Convention in St. Louis, William and his fiancée, Robin True, went forward to give their lives to the work of Bible translation. In 1976, Pioneer Bible Translators officially became an organization at about the same time the Butlers were married. By 1979, the Butlers finished preparing and raising support and went to Papua New Guinea to begin helping the Waran people translate the Bible into their language.
To reach their new home, the Butlers flew to a remote airstrip and then took a canoe out to live among the 3,000 Waran people. The language had no alphabet back then. For 40 years, they strove to see the day the Waran people would have the Word of God in their language. To be clear, it doesn’t always take 40 years. In other settings, translation of the New Testament might take 5, 10, or 20 years. William invested a lot of time training translation teams for other languages; he also served the Papua New Guinea branch in the area of finance. William and Robin’s servant hearts stretched out the time frame quite a bit.
Then, at last, after four decades of painstaking effort, the Waran people finally celebrated the dedication of the New Testament in their language on June 23, 2019. I don’t remember William ever talking about the work of Bible translation among the Waran without tears of passion and a tightened voice, evidence of the deep emotional zeal that fueled and sustained four decades of energetic, meticulous labor for the Lord. When I think about William and Robin, this Scripture springs to mind: “The world was not worthy of them” (Hebrews 11:38).
Polish Christian Mission
We assist Polish Christians in becoming healthy, growing, self-supporting, and reproducing congregations. We do this by planting churches, providing resources and building friendships.
Pregnancy Help Center
Located in Carmi, the Pregnancy Help Center seeks to honor God and the sanctity of life by serving women and families.
Rapha International
In 2003, Rapha International began an aftercare program for underage female survivors who had been rescued from slavery and sexual exploitation in Battambang, Cambodia. Nineteen years later, Rapha is an international organization that has won the favor of the governments in the countries in which it works. The Rapha International model is to recruit and equip local staff who are qualified and passionate about combatting child slavery, sexual exploitation, and abuse in their own countries. Each of Rapha’s aftercare programs implement a holistic approach to healing.
We Love White County
We Love White County is 503(c) nonprofit with the vision and mission to transform White County, Illinois into a thriving community by cultivating relationships. Since our conception in March of 2020, it has been our desire to not only meet the needs of our neighbors, but more importantly, foster relationships and strengthen bonds that offer hope and community to people of all ages, demographics, and backgrounds
It is our hope that as our community is revitalized by way of relationship. Our home place, The 404 SEED Station, is a symbol of this revitalization. Vision and generosity gave way to transform an old seed store on 404 5th Street in Carmi into a beautiful hub of life and light in the heart of our county and home to our Arrows program.
It is our hope that as our community is revitalized by way of relationship. Our home place, The 404 SEED Station, is a symbol of this revitalization. Vision and generosity gave way to transform an old seed store on 404 5th Street in Carmi into a beautiful hub of life and light in the heart of our county and home to our Arrows program.