I was reading this blog entry today on the church/missionary detachment. It gives me a chance to tell part of the reason I am a Southern Baptist. From the article:
Lately, I had a chance to think about a problem that most churches face relating to the missionaries they support: most missionaries feel distant from the churches that support them. The problem is made worse by the fact that most missionaries are supported by dozens or even hundreds of churches and often must spend the little time they have away from the mission field traveling from church to church in the hope of increasing their support. In response to this problem some churches such as Park Street Church in Boston have committed themselves to providing most or all of the support for a smaller number of missionaries.
Clearly, a situation in which missionaries must spend the better part of their furlough visiting church after church, thus depriving them of the ability to rest during their short time away from the mission field is far from ideal. If for no other reason than this, the model embraced by Park Street Church, in which a smaller number of missionaries receive all or nearly all of their support from a single church, seems a far better option.
Southern Baptist missionaries supported by the International Mission Board are fully supported. They don't have to worry about raising money. The Cooperative Program (combined with the Lottie Moon offering) provide 100% of the support SBC missionaries need in the field. When they are home on furlow (not really a vacation), they spend time with churches talking about the IMB, what is happening on the field, etc… When they are on vacation–yes, they get vacation too–they are on vacation.
This means that the missionaries don't have to worry about funding for next year, next month, or tomorrow. Southern Baptists cooperate together to support them.