FBMI Updates
Friday Financial Tip #30: 2025 EOM Form
Dear Friend,
We are so glad to be able to serve with you. We pray that God will bring blessings to each and every one of you throughout this new year. We are excited to announce that we now have the new 2025 EOM form available for download from the FBMI website. You will begin using this new form in February as you report on January. If you still need the EOM form for last year, you can download it here: 2024 EOM.
On another exciting note, some of our missionaries are beginning to use our online EOM. This form will be updated after January 25 to be used seamlessly in February. You may begin using this form anytime as an alternative to the Excel spreadsheet. After completion, you will receive a PDF form that is also automatically sent to our office. If you have any questions about either form, please contact your FSC or Joe Palmer.
Thank you for everything you do for our Lord Jesus Christ. You all are in our prayers, and we are happy to see the work that God is doing through you.
May God bless you all!
2025 EOM Report Form
Select the link below to download the correct 2025 EOM form.
Missionaries still on deputation should not use Box E in the form because they do not yet have a fixed salary. Please complete and email this form to finance@fbmi.org. Direct any questions you have to your Field Service Coordinator (FSC) or call FBMI at 219.228.2850.
Friday Financial Tip #29: Homeschooling
Dear Friend,
If you would like to educate your children with the A.C.E. program, Operation Lighthouse (OPL) is a nonprofit outreach for U.S.-based missionaries serving in a foreign country. OPL assists missionaries with A.C.E. curriculum (PACEs) and offers a substantial discount to enroll in Lighthouse Christian Academy’s accredited program.
If you or someone you know needs a Christian curriculum and program with a full-service, distance-educational school, please contact Accelerated Christian Education by email at LCAed@acem.org or by phone toll-free at 1-866-746-6534 for more information on how to qualify.
Thank you!
Friday Financial Tip #28: Medical Reimbursements
What happens if I have a medical reimbursement?
Many missionaries enjoy the benefit of being involved in the Health Care Sharing Ministry provided by First Baptist Church. As part of this ministry, a missionary may be reimbursed for medical expenses he initially paid. If this reimbursement comes through the FBMI business account, a missionary must be careful to handle this money correctly to avoid paying taxes on this amount. Please keep the following things in mind for a medical reimbursement paid to your FBMI business account:
1. Do not add the amount of a medical reimbursement anywhere on the End of Month Report (EOM).
2. Withdraw or transfer the amount of the medical reimbursement from your business account the same month in which the reimbursement was received. (You should withdraw at least that much above your personal salary and other withdrawals to ensure there are no tax implications.)
If you have any questions about the Health Care Sharing Ministry and your benefits, please feel to reach out to our office or to contact Laura Goodall at First Baptist Church (laura.goodall@fbchammond.com).
Friday Financial Tip #27: Proofreading
We are grateful for Mrs. Kim Marsack and her love for missions and for missionaries. We are especially appreciative of her hard work in proofreading our missionary prayer letters each month.
Although Mrs. Marsack is both skilled and eager to help in the many aspects of proofreading and minor editing, she is neither able nor expected to design a missionary’s prayer letter. Please be conscious of this as you work to prepare your letter. If you send her your prayer letter as plain text to be proofread, plan to design the prayer letter document yourself before sending it back to her for final approval. This would include the placement of any pictures or other graphic elements. Any pictures to be included in your document should be chosen and placed by you. You should never send a group of pictures unless they are simply to be added to your online post. Of course, you may also include a link in your document to an online picture folder, if desired.
If you send her an already designed prayer-letter document, the proofreading adjustments may affect the visual design of the letter inadvertently. You should always plan to reevaluate the look of the prayer letter before you give the final approval.
Please reach out to Joe Palmer or our office at contact@fbmi.org for any related questions about the proofreading process.
Thank you for your time! Have a great day!
Friday Financial Tip #26: Christmas Updates
Dear Friend,
Thank you for your love for Jesus and your service for Him!
As Christmas nears, many of you are beginning to think about mailing a special Christmas prayer letter. Please plan to submit these letters no later than November 30 this year to ensure that there is enough time before Christmas for them to be:
- Proofread by Mrs. Kim Marsack.
- Posted and emailed through fbmi.org.
- Processed and printed through Grace to Grow Publications.
- Folded and mailed by our Prayer Letter Services.
- Received by your supporters, friends, and family.
Friday Financial Tip #25: EOM Tips
Dear Friend,
Your End of Month Report (EOM) is an important part of your work. If completed correctly, it can successfully designate the support money that was used for ministry and keep much of the support God gives your ministry free from income taxes. If done incorrectly, it can add headaches, stress, and irritation to your already busy schedule. Here are a few basic reminders to help you this month, and each month, as you prepare your EOM.
The EOM is a report of money that you received as support and then used for ministry. For a given month, you are reporting three things:
(1) You are reporting all the money that was available to your ministry. This is why you enter the opening balance from your First Financial Bank business account and your payroll voucher numbers. (2) You are reporting all the money that was and was not used. This is why you enter the ending balance from your First Financial Bank business account. (3) You are reporting how much of the money used was for ministry. This is why you enter your ministry expenses and submit receipts, when required.
Using the correct numbers is very important. On the EOM, you are reporting, from the previous month, the money that came in and how it was used. Because of this, you must be careful to report the correct month’s balance and income. Here are some things to bear in mind:
1. Use the opening balance from before the report month started. This balance should be the last posted balance from just before the payroll deposit was made at the end of the preceding month. For September’s report, use the last posted balance from your First Financial Bank business account just before the August deposit was made.
2. Report on your ministry spending throughout the month in question. For September’s report, report on any ministry expenses from September.
3. Use the closing balance from just before the report month ended. This balance should be the last posted balance from just before the payroll deposit was made at the end of the month. For September’s report, use the last posted balance from your First Financial Bank business account just before the September deposit was made.
Please Note: If this is not the way you have been doing things, please change immediately to ensure the most accurate reporting and the most beneficial results. Thank you!
Friday Financial Tip #24: SPAM
Dear Missionaries,
This morning, we had a missionary reach out and ask us to block a specific sender from being able to send emails to him. We were able to help him, but I don’t envy you. Your email addresses are posted all over the internet, daring scammers the world over to take a crack at you. We, the IT Department, take your security very seriously. This list does not include everything, but here are some options for reducing your spam load:
1. Attempt to allow only one address to be posted on the internet. Having to manage rules or spam on one account is hard enough; don’t double your workload if you can help it.
2. Do not use any publicly posted email accounts for personal or financial matters, such as personal retirement accounts, banking, etc. Be very select on who you give this email to.
3. Every email account brand has an abuse@_____ that you can forward emails to report them. Forward the whole email from example@gmail.com to abuse@gmail.com, and example@icloud.com to abuse@icloud.com, etc.
4. Many of the scam emails you receive are being received by other missionaries. Please forward them to the office so we can block them for everyone.
5. In Office 365, you can manage your own personal allow and block list. The steps are circled in the picture below:
Friday Financial Tip #23: Steps to Login to Your FBMI (Microsoft 365) Account
Dear Friend,
This is a step-by-step instruction guide for the basic way to login to your fbmi.org email account. We hope that, when it comes to this resource, you will be able to “USE IT” effectively!
1. Understand. This is a Microsoft 365 work account (also known as Microsoft Office). First Baptist Church pays Microsoft for each of us to have an account. This account allows us to use many of Microsoft’s online applications, such as Outlook (for email), OneDrive (for file storage), etc. Despite the fact that this email account ends in “fbmi.org,” these accounts are still accessed through Microsoft’s website and apps.
2. Sign in.
a. Go to microsoft365.com. On most devices and browsers, simply type this in. If you are not already logged in, you should see a
button that invites you to sign in.
b. Enter your full email address (firstname.lastname@fbmi.org).
c. Enter your password.
d. Complete two-step verification, when prompted.
i. Enter the two-digit code shown on your screen into the Microsoft Authenticator app on your phone.
ii. If you have never yet connected with the app, follow the onscreen prompts to download the app and add your account.
1. Using a computer and a mobile device together will be best.
2. Ensure that you download the official Microsoft Authenticator app to your mobile device.
3. Scan the QR code on your computer screen when prompted to add the account to the Microsoft Authenticator app.
iii. If you do not currently have access to Microsoft Authenticator, choose that option and select a different option for two-step
verification.
iv. If given the option, you may want to choose to remember your device to reduce the frequency of two-step verification requests.
3. Explore. If you sign in on a browser, you will see a welcome screen. Choose the menu
button at the top left to see all of the apps available. Choose “Outlook” to view your email.
4. Increase. There are many ways to stay connected to your Microsoft 365 account. Here
are some examples:
a. Add this email account to your phone or tablet’s standard email app.
b. You can download the Outlook app and follow the steps to add this email account to your device. The Outlook app automatically
integrates your calendar as well.
c. OneDrive may be a great place to save photos and videos you will share with your updates.
d. The Teams, Planner, OneNote, and To Do apps can be used to stay efficient and connected.
5. Take care. Remember that this email account still requires each user’s diligence to
maintain safe and effective use. Use strong passwords, and consider using a password manager on your device. If you are using a shared
device or are in a location with less secure or inconsistent Internet access, you should take extra steps to follow wise practices of
Internet and password safety. Never allow a shared computer or internet browser to remember your user name or password.
If you have learned something that would benefit others, please share. If you have any questions, please let us know. Thank you!
Friday Financial Tip #22: Support and Love Offerings
Dear Friend,
Using your First Financial Bank business account wisely and ethically is very important. When also using the Accountable Reimbursement Plan by way of the End of Month (EOM) Report, you can simply and accurately report on all income received and money spent for the ‘business’ of being a missionary.
Much of your missionary income comes through FBMI, but what happens when you have other income that is given because you are a missionary?
Any ministry funds you receive that does not go through the FBMI office can generally be considered “Support & Love Offerings Given Directly to You” and should be entered into Box C on the EOM. Below are some specific examples of ministry funds given directly to you:
1. Cash or checks given to you for preaching/presenting the ministry in churches
2. Any checks or cash you deposit directly into your First Financial Bank business account
3. Any money you receive into your business account from third-party vendors, such as PayPal, GoFundMe, Zelle, or other cash-transfer apps.
4. Any money deposited into your First Financial Bank business account from other financial institutions.
If you receive ministry money that is NOT deposited into your First Financial Bank business account, you may need to work with your accountant or tax professional to ensure accurate management and reporting of these funds. One common example is that if you receive more than $600 directly from a church, you may be asked to complete a W-9 to allow the church to send you a 1099 the following January. If you receive ministry money for which you will receive a 1099, you should not enter this on your EOM, as you will account for this money separately.
Please note: Money given to you as gifts for personal use from family or friends (for birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) does not need to be deposited into your business account or reported on the EOM.
Thank you for serving our Lord Jesus Christ!