October 2002 - Finishers Project

The FINISHERS PROJECT is a service organization designed to provide information and pathways for a second-half career somewhere in the missions infrastructure. The materials are tuned to the boomer generation. As a generation the Lord has put it in their hearts to do something different, something more lasting, something eternally significant. They are the healthiest and best-educated generation of evangelical early retirees in history. Boomers will challenge conventional retirement thinking and use their unique giftedness for the Kingdom of God.

Finishers Project originated out of the local church to stand in the gap between evangelicals in the pew and sending organizations. Finishers Project provides

• a national Finishers Forum July, 2003.
• regional conferences designed by Global Resources, a ministry division of Campus Crusade for Christ
• video training tools assembled by Operation Mobilization
• personal assessment tools
• information and immediate world-wide contacts with real opportunities with mission agencies that best fit your goals.

The Finishers Project also services local churches by providing tools to assist their adults in finding a place to join God in His passion for His glory among the nations. For example, a powerful and challenging motivational video-based training series is available to churches.

The Finishers Project is not a sending agency. It provides the service of bringing you to the "front door" of organizations that are looking for more people resources. It provides a link with real opportunities in missions. It is a safe place to explore. There is no obligation, except to the Lord. It is still true after 2000 years that the harvest is plentiful and the laborers are few.

The Finishers Project has united many leading mission agencies that work hard to meet the needs of mature, skilled people. In many cases they have repackaged missions in a way that you can relate to and more easily plug into.

STRUCTURE
The Finishers Project is a ministry of Walnut Hill Community Church (WHCC), Bethel, CT. The church provides the accounting function. Funding for the movement is provided by donations from churches, including a $7000 annual stipend from the mission committee of the host church, private individuals, member mission fees and conference fees. For complete financial reporting on Finishers simply email the Finishers office at office@finishers.org.

HISTORY
The vision for the Finishers sprang from Walnut Hill Community Church in Connecticut. It was founded by Nelson Malwitz, one of Walnut Hill's founding elders. He defines himself as the "generic evangelical baby boomer", having left full-time employment in corporate America March 2000. He discovered that, not only was there no number to call to get into missions as a second career, but there were unexpected barriers to entry that ought not to exist. With persistent effort he assembled the mission community and brought together the brightest minds in missions in order to bring Finishers Project to fruition. The Leadership Team has broad ranging skills and backgrounds with a passion for this vision.

God's timing and direction have been clearly seen as this vision has gained momentum. The movement was launched with the full support of more than 70 leading mission agencies and many churches across the country. The ideas and methods of this movement have also attracted the attention of other Western sending countries.