GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT AND THEIR SENDING CHURCH WITHOUT ORGANIZATIONAL ENCUMBRANCES.
33
Years
80
Missionaries
15+
Countries
450+
Trips
ABOUT US
HISTORY
Pastor Bernie LaTour and his wife Jean began their missionary work with New Tribes Mission in South America in 1970. They subsequently moved to northern Virginia in 1988 where Pastor LaTour served as Director of Missions for a large nondenominational church that had been supporting them. Y.E.S. was founded in November 1990 out of a need to centrally manage the donations provided for some of the missionaries with whom Pastor LaTour was working at the time.
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY
The Board of Y.E.S. is committed to biblical standards of financial stewardship, sending as much financial support to the field as possible. Y.E.S. operates with a volunteer staff and on the lowest administrative costs possible.
OUR VISION
Our first and primary charge is to “Enable the Saints to Serve” — to be guided by the Spirit and their sending church without organizational encumbrances. Just as Paul was sent by the church at Antioch, our missionaries’ primary accountability and support system is their local church.
Leadership
The Board has in-depth background and experience in the management of ministries, mission work, the preparation of missionaries, accounting, bookkeeping, income taxation for missionaries, and personal financial management. The Board partners with “sending” churches in the oversight of Y.E.S. missionaries.
Bernie Latour
Vice president
Clarette Bernaez
Secretary
Jessica Ale
Treasurer
OUR MISSION
WHAT WE DO
Our mission is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the world by assisting in developing, promoting and monitoring the work of our members and encouraging members and providing cost-effective financial services, training, and support to enable them to focus on their calling.
MINISTRY SERVICES
- Assist in the development and promotion of ministry
- Assist in on-going spiritual training and development leading to ordination
- Assist in communication with other missionaries and donors through web based services
- Provide training to sending churches on the development and support of missions
- Coordinate and promote short-term mission trips to assist and encourage members
FINANCIAL AND PERSONAL SERVICES
- Y.E.S. offers the most cost-effective and quality service possible to our missionaries
- Maintains records of and distributes monthly support payments
- Provides a monthly report of support received from donors
- Prepares annual Form 1099-MISC statements for reporting income to the IRS
- Solicits funds to support ministries and provide emergency relief assistance
- Provides a personal web-page devoted to each ministry
Statement of Faith
“We believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Catholic* Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.” *The word “Catholic” means “relating to the Church universal” and was the word used in the original version of the Creed. It does not mean the Roman Catholic Church but the Church, the Body of Christ, as a universal fellowship.
International Christian Fellowship of Churches
Many churches started in the field lack a strong support system. To support the pastors and to enable these churches to grow, we have been given ICFC. This new arm of Y.E.S. will provide training, conferences, and a means for pastors to communicate with and support one another.