The Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering supports 18 ministries in Missouri. This year’s theme is taken from 1 Chronicles 29:14b: “Everything comes from You, and we have given You only what comes from Your hand.”
Following are two short stories of how the gifts of Missouri Baptists support missions projects throughout the Show Me State.
Walking Together
Student missionaries and their mentors throughout Missouri are encouraging each other in their journey of faith. The collegiate summer missions mentoring initiative places college students in churches and associations across the state, pairing them with mentors. “We believe that to walk alongside someone who is a little further along, even for a season, is valuable on the spiritual journey,” says program coordinator David Hendrick.
Student missionaries infuse energy into ministries across the state. Each summer, they serve in Vacation Bible Schools, sports camps, and hunger ministries. They reach minorities, underprivileged neighborhoods, refugees, and marginalized people groups. They conduct surveys, prayer walk college campuses, and start Bible studies.
Through the Missouri Missions Offering, the program provides much-needed boosts to areas in need of help – and in need of the gospel.
Missions for the Generations
Stocking shelves in a food pantry. Making bracelets to share the gospel in Mexico. Learning from a missionary serving in the Middle East. Missions is not just a concept, it’s a hands-on experience for Missouri Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU).
“WMU is about missions education and helping Christians live a missional lifestyle,” says Laura Wells, Missouri WMU Executive Director. “We have resources for all ages to equip the church to pray for missions, give to support missionaries, and go to be missionaries themselves.”
Each year, the WMU Missions Celebration brings women together to hear directly from missionaries and to participate in missions projects. In 2018, the Missions Celebration combined with Pursuit, a biennial event for teen girls. The joint event, supported through MMO, inspired long-term WMU members and enabled a new generation to capture a vision of the Great Commission.
The MMO week of prayer is Sept. 16-23, and the statewide goal is $710,000. Learn more at mobaptist.org/mmo.