JEFFERSON CITY – For the second year in a row, Missouri Baptists have outstripped their goals for the Cooperative Program (CP), Lottie Moon, Annie Armstrong and the Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering (MMO).
In 2013, Missouri Baptists exceeded their CP goal for the first time in 13 years, giving approximately $11,000 more than a goal of approximately $14.6 million. In 2014, they exceeded a $14.5 million goal by approximately $300,000—an excess in giving that the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) has not seen since 1998.
In 2014, Missouri Baptists gave a total of $170,000 more—through all of its channels for giving to cooperative ministries—than they did in the previous year.
“The response of our churches to the cooperative mission we have of sharing the gospel both at home and to the ends of the earth for generations is amazing,” MBC Executive Director John Yeats said. “Sharon and I are so glad to be part of Missouri Baptists at this moment in history. Our state and international missionaries, seminary and college students, the recipients of our Children’s Home ministries and our 36 church planters that are currently supported are grateful to the Lord for the great generosity of Missouri Baptists. Such generosity calls for tremendous sacrifice, and the Lord honors the stewardship of His people.
“As we planned, half of the CP offering above the budget will go to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), and then we will use the allocation formula to send the rest of the overage to the other ministries that are part of the MBC ministries.”
In 2013, Missouri Baptists exceeded their goal of $4 million to the Lottie Moon Offering for international missions by nearly $22,000. In 2014, they exceeded their goal of $3.5 million by $290,000.
In 2013, Missouri Baptists exceeded their goal of approximately $1.8 million to the Annie Armstrong Offering for North American missions by $252,000. In 2014, they exceeded their goal of $2 million by $60,000.
In 2013, Missouri Baptists exceeded their MMO goal of $675,000 by $19,000. In 2014, they exceeded their $700,000 goal by $1,000.
The World Hunger Fund is the only avenue of giving through the Missouri Baptist Convention that fell short in 2014: Missouri Baptists gave approximately $9,000 less than the $250,000 goal.
Last fall, Missouri Baptists set the following goals for 2015 during the MBC annual meeting: CP goal of $14.5 million; Lottie Moon goal of $4 million; Annie Armstrong goal of $2 million; MMO goal of $710,000; and a World Hunger Fund goal of $250,000.