JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Baptists raised the bar in their financial support of state missions projects in 2017, contributing $759,920 to the Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering (MMO).
Receipts for 2017, which are disbursed in 2018, surpassed the goal of $710,000 by 7 percent, and far outpaced 2016 gifts of $705,506, thus reaching a level not seen since 2001. Further, this marks the fifth straight year of MMO giving above $700,000.
Seven hundred seventy-eight Missouri Baptist congregations contributed to MMO in 2017, up from 757 the previous year.
Missouri Baptists responded well to the MMO theme of 1 Cor. 3:9a, “For we are labourers together with God” (KJV).
“I am so grateful to Missouri Baptists for their sacrificial giving to state missions,” said John Yeats, executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention. “Not only did they outpace last year’s offering; they exceeded our ambitious goal by 7 percent. This enables our state missionaries and our Missouri Baptist entities to rescue even more women from human trafficking, engage more unreached people groups in our cities, counties, and on our college campuses, start new churches, and so much more. In all of these ways, Missouri Baptists are investing in the transformation of lives and communities with the gospel.”
MMO supports statewide missions projects that help fulfill the Great Commission. The annual offering in 2017 focused on three ministries that define the MBC’s mission: making disciples, multiplying churches, and developing leaders.
Examples of the 18 MMO projects that the missions offering has funded for 2018 include:
- The Missouri Baptist Children’s Home; 17 percent of the offering goes to support its ministries
- Training and field experience for nearly 100 collegiate summer missionaries
- Sports camps to engage Missouri’s inner cities
- Ministry to international students on Missouri campuses
- Disaster relief training, equipment for large-scale deployment, and assistance for associational DR teams
- WMU ministries across the state
- Missouri partnership missions
- Financial assistance for church multipliers
- Training and resources to assess and assist unhealthy or declining churches
- Associational partnerships; 10 percent of the offering from each of the state’s 61 associations is sent back to that association
“Without MMO, these vital missions projects that advance the kingdom of God in Missouri would be severely limited,” said Yeats. “Thanks to the generous financial support of Missouri Baptists, these ministries are strengthened.”
Missouri Baptists approved a 2018 MMO goal of $710,000. This summer, the MBC announces the 2018 theme and provides churches with MMO resources.