RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – The International Mission Board is reporting a 2019-20 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering total of $159.5 million, the second highest offering in history. This total exceeds by $4.5 million the 175-year-old organization’s budgeted goal of $155 million. IMB also received $97.2 million from the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program for 2019-20.
“I’m thrilled to report that the Lottie offering is growing again,” said IMB President Paul Chitwood. “A growing Lottie offering means that more lost people, not fewer, will hear the Gospel and be saved. A growing Lottie offering means that more hurting people, not fewer, will be helped and offered hope. A growing Lottie offering means more missionaries, not fewer, will go to the ends of the earth to carry the Good News. Thank you, Southern Baptists, for growing the Lottie offering!”
The offering reflects the commitment of Southern Baptist churches to support international missionaries and reach every language, people, tribe and nation with the Gospel. One hundred percent of gifts given to the offering is used for the support of missionaries.
This year’s generous gift is all the more celebrated during a year in which many families worldwide experienced significant loss of income due to COVID-19.
“Everything we thought COVID-19 would take away from us, God gave back – and more – through the Lottie Moon offering and the generosity of the Southern Baptist family,” said Price Jett, IMB vice president of finance, logistics, travel and technology. “God has blessed IMB the past year, just as He has for 175 years. I have to believe He has big plans in store for Southern Baptist missions.”
Sandy Wisdom-Martin, executive director of national Woman’s Mission Union, also celebrated the faithfulness of churches and the way God led people to give sacrificially.
“The sacrificial gifts offered by faithful Southern Baptists this giving cycle are substantial enough to tip the scales of eternity in favor of the Kingdom,” Wisdom-Martin said. “Names will be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life as a result of what was stewarded well. What a privilege to join God in His redemptive work in the world.”
The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering supports more than 3,500 full-time missionaries and their families.