ROB PHILLIPS/MBC dir. of communications
JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Baptists are outpacing last year’s generous giving to state missions.
As of Nov. 20, funds received for the Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering (MMO) totaled $664,010, or 95 percent of the goal of $700,000.
A year ago at this time, MMO giving totaled $623,805 but eventually surpassed the goal of $675,000, marking the first time in more than a decade that gifts exceeded the target.
“Overflow” is the theme of this year’s MMO, taken from 2 Cor. 9:12, “For the ministry of this service is … overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God.”
“This year we have set the bar higher, and Missouri Baptists are responding with great enthusiasm to the challenge,” said John Yeats, Missouri Baptist Convention’s (MBC) executive director. “There are powerful, impacting Missouri mission projects that are dependent on our churches’ faithful giving to MMO.”
In June, the MBC mailed promotional packets to church leaders throughout the state and for the first time offered virtually all resources online at mobaptist.org/mmo.
The move toward electronic resources enabled the MBC to cut printing and postage fees in half and thereby invest more in MMO mission projects like summer missionaries and church planting resources. Resources also were mailed on request to ensure that all churches were well equipped to share the story of Missouri missions.
“Missouri Baptists are living testimonies of God’s overflowing goodness,” said Yeats. “His goodness overflows when we see the people who are impacted by our financial support of the four key project ministries of our state mission offering: Sharing Christ’s Love, Sending Missionaries, Starting Churches, and Strengthening Churches.”