By Mitch Shiffer
Contributing Writer
KANSAS CITY—Northland Baptist Church is trying something different this year in an attempt to reach and exceed its Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goal of $5,250.
The church is using Skype.com, a free service that allows video conferencing, to do video interviews each week with missionaries.
“This is a simple, yet powerful tool for providing support to our brothers and sisters serving around the world,” said Northland Pastor Matt Marrs.
The Lottie Moon funds help the International Mission Board to support more than 5,500 Southern Baptist missionaries throughout the world. All of the money goes for missionary support. This year’s goal has been set at $175 million.
Marrs said he sees more reason to promote this year because of the tough economy.
“In a struggling economy, there’s a risk that our giving is going to be scaled back. We want to do our part to ramp up the Lottie Moon offering,” he said.
By using Skype.com, anyone can talk live with any missionary anywhere in the world at no charge. A webcam, a way to transmit sound, and an Internet service are needed to take advantage of this opportunity. By doing this, missionaries may come into a church service and explain how the offering helps their ministry.
In order to participate, go to Skype.com and set up an account. A missionary will need to be identified to talk over Skype, and then times will need to be arranged to speak with them.
Three different missionaries from Africa, India, and Russia will be speaking to Northland this month. Marrs said that the online tool at Skype.com is a good way to show how missionaries reap the benefits of those giving to Lottie Moon.
“I just ask them to share a bit about their ministries, and how the Lottie Moon offering benefits them,” Marrs said. “Then we pray for the missionary family and sign off.”