The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) was founded in 1845 with the intention of “combining and directing the energies of the whole denomination in one sacred effort, for the propagation of the Gospel.” From its inception, the heartbeat of the SBC has been about reaching as many people as possible with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and this one sacred effort has fueled millions to collaborate and cooperate so that people will have access to the Gospel all across the globe. Though personalities and programs have changed over time, the foundational commitment to the reality that we can do far more together than could ever be done separately must remain in the DNA of Southern Baptists moving forward.
In 2023, the world population officially exceeded 8 billion people, and the need for Christ will forever continue to grow as the years pass by. There are still thousands of unreached people groups that contain millions of people who have little to no access to the gospel of Jesus Christ, meaning if they were to die today, they would remain separated from God in a Christ-less eternity. And this describes only the reality of those who live in unreached areas of the world. There are millions, if not billions, of others living with direct access to the Gospel and have yet to believe! Friends, the harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few, and we must continue to find ways to combine the energies of all Southern Baptists in one sacred effort to get the Gospel to one and all!
There are many ways Southern Baptists can work together to reach the multitudes. One of the simplest and most effective ways is by supporting the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering during December. One hundred percent of this offering supports the Gospel efforts of the International Mission Board (IMB) across the globe. As a missions pastor, I am privileged to know and serve alongside many Southern Baptist missionaries and I have personally seen how this offering makes an impact around the globe. Over 3,500 fully funded missionaries are sent out through the IMB, and a large portion of this support comes from the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering each year.
Would you consider working alongside the 47,000+ churches in the SBC this year in one sacred effort to reach the lost world with the Gospel by supporting this critical offering? As you give sacrificially, know that you are part of something much bigger than yourself. You have the opportunity to lock arms with millions of others who are all focused on reaching people for Christ. By supporting this offering, you are participating in the sending of thousands of missionaries who provide Gospel access to those who need it the most. We truly can do more together than we could ever do on our own!