Thanks to the thoughtfulness of several Christian laymen, there is now a welfare foundation to help Christians serving in full-time capacity in churches and Christian organisations.

Come next February, NECF Malaysia will launch the NECF Malaysia Foundation which will provide financial assistance to pastors, full-time workers and their families who are burdened with expenses due to unforeseen circumstances, such as accidents and sudden deaths.

"The foundation is a complementary ministry to what churches are currently doing to care for their pastors and full-time workers," said Davy Woo, the foundation chairman.

"Some churches, especially the bigger ones, have well-structured programmes that look after the welfare of their full-time workers and their families. But we believe there are many smaller churches which do not have welfare programmes or whose programmes are not adequate. This is where the foundation steps in to help," Davy explained.

The foundation is in line with NECF’s ethos to provide a platform for Christians to wholeheartedly serve in full-time capacity. It also enhances the NECF Malaysia Pastors Prayer Shield Campaign initiated two years ago to encourage prayer and assistance for pastors, leaders and full-time workers.

NECF has appointed a committee to manage the foundation. The committee, comprising 13 members, reports to the NECF Council. A welfare sub-committee is responsible to identify the people who merit financial assistance. Examples of typical needs which warrant the foundation’s consideration are education loans for full-time workers’ children, medical expenses for surgeries or treatment for various ailments at government hospitals, and unexpected death and/or permanent disability.

Assistance from the foundation is not restricted to NECF members only. Applicants, however, must be attached to local churches and para-church organisations.