JEFFERSON CITY – Despite an economy that still sags, Missouri Baptists have been generous in their giving through the Missouri Missions Offering (MMO). To-date, Missouri Baptists have given $628,000.
“That’s ahead of last year’s pace, which was $586,000,” said Rob Phillips, MBC director of communications.
Being that far ahead of pace bodes well for meeting the offering’s annual goal of $675,000 for the first time since 2000. 2011’s offering finished just $10,000 short of that goal, so with a strong December, the offering that directly funds many ministry projects in Missouri will be able to fund even more.
“We’re hopeful,” Phillips said. “The number of churches giving this year is up too, so that’s encouraging. We are grateful to Missouri Baptists for their support of the Missouri Missions Offering. Missouri Baptists continue to be generous. Through their sacrificial giving, people’s lives are being changed to the glory of God.”
The number of churches giving to MMO has been declining since 2008, but 2012 saw a jump from 758 to 800 churches.
The emphasis this year has been three-fold: Sharing Christ’s love throughout Missouri; sending Missouri missionaries; and starting more Missouri churches. Along those lines, MMO funds: Sports evangelism, two weeks of Super Summer, Christian Women’s Job Corps, Disaster Relief, Missourians partnering with new believers and churches in Mexico, Northern Ontario and western Africa, the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home and church plants
Ten percent of the offerings given return to the local association to fund missions there.