By Staff
JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) has set a statewide goal of $4 million for the 2009 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions. That works out to about $8 per Missouri Baptist.
The Southern Baptist Convention’s nationwide goal is $175 million, $5 million more than last year’s and $10 million more than in 2007. After a record-breaking 2007 total, the 2008 offering fell to $141 million, due in large part to the national economy. Every penny of the offering goes to the International Mission Board’s overseas budget, thus supporting our missionaries and their work. Lottie Moon funds represent 53 percent of the International Mission Board’s (IMB) budget, the rest coming from the Cooperative Program and other gifts.
As of press time, roughly 50 Missouri churches had set individual goals totaling just under $334,000 (according to information obtained via the IMB’s website, imb.org). Last year, MBC churches exceeded the $4 million goal, giving $4,206,721.
The 2009 theme is “Who’s Missing? Whose Mission?” According to the IMB, more than 1.5 billion people are missing out on the opportunity to hear the Gospel. For the first time in several years, IMB is not focusing on a particular region but instead is concentrating on heavy concentrations of lostness across the globe. The national “Week of Prayer” leading into Lottie Moon “season” was Nov. 29-Dec. 6.
Churches can order or download promotional materials at www.imbresources.org.