Soon, specialists will help military veterans cope with post-traumatic stress disorder at our renovated Baptist Home in Smithville – and even plant a church on campus that ministers to those who have faithfully served our country.
Meanwhile, at this very moment, the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home is helping “Lisa,” a 13-year-old, overcome the trauma of human trafficking through the ministry of Freedom 43:19. And more than 100 college students are serving in Missouri Baptist churches as they answer God’s call to missions.
This week, the Disaster Relief collegiate team was at the Baptist Building for debriefing. I saw them standing in the lobby waiting to catch the elevator up to the meeting room. I asked if they had a great experience this summer. Big smiles crossed their faces, and their heads bobbed up and down with enthusiasm. I think some of them are anxious to share with their colleagues about the value of their summer.
The reason these powerful ministries exist is because of your church’s faithful giving to the Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering (MMO). Our annual state missions offering supports more than two dozen ministries like the ones identified in the previous paragraphs. And the offering includes Christian foster care, church revitalization, and other projects that help transform lives and communities with the gospel.
The theme of this year’s offering is taken from Romans 12:10. Near the end of this letter, Paul instructs his readers in Christian ethics, urging them to love without hypocrisy, detest evil, and cling to what is good. He continues, “Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another.”
What a privilege Missouri Baptists have to honor one another by contributing to God’s work of grace in the hearts of people across our state. The promotional videos in this year’s packet are extraordinary.
While there are many organizations promoting offerings in our churches, very few have the gospel impact on the lives of children, youth, collegiates, women in crisis, veterans and many other groups as our state missions offering. Last year, 744 Missouri Baptist churches supported MMO and gave an all-time record amount.
That means, however, that 1,000 affiliated churches gave nothing through MMO. We are asking the Lord to encourage every MBC church to give something to MMO. Our hope is that they catch the vision of what a state missions offering does and contribute to His collective work in our communities.
We anticipate more testimonies from collegiates who work all summer in Vacation Bible Schools, camps, evangelism/discipleship events, and disaster relief ministries in order to encourage other students to join in the work. If they catch the vision of making a difference in the lives of others, we could easily double the number of summer missionaries we send out to around 200. Impossible?
We serve the Lord God who loves to demonstrate His glory in the realm of the impossible. And He uses people like us who live on mission with Him to demonstrate what faith can do.
If your church hasn’t been receiving an MMO offering, please review the resources sent to your church last month – or go online at mobaptist.org/mmo and bless the people of God with an opportunity to give willingly to the Lord’s work across our state.
All promotional materials are provided free of charge – whether you download or order them from the MBC. Our goal this year is $740,000. You can make a difference. We are trusting God to provide – and to receive the glory as a result of your church’s gift of support through MMO.