JEFFERSON CITY – For the second straight year, Missouri Baptists gave more than $900,000 to state missions through the Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering (MMO), continuing a decade-long trend of rising financial support to statewide projects ranging from foster care to prison ministry.
MMO receipts in 2023, which are disbursed in 2024, totaled $926,010, far outpacing the goal of $750,000.
Further, 2023 marked the 11th straight year of MMO receipts above $700,000. The number of churches contributing to MMO rose slightly to 692, up from 679 the previous year.
Missouri Baptists responded enthusiastically to the MMO theme of Romans 10:15, in which the apostle Paul exclaims, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”
MBC Executive Director-Treasurer Wes Fowler expressed profound gratitude for Missouri Baptists’ commitment to sacrificial giving: “In a year of lingering inflation, high interest rates, and a roller-coaster stock market ride, Missouri Baptists kept the Great Commission in focus, giving steadfastly, trusting in the providence of God, and sacrificially supporting the Lord’s work across our state.”
Great Commission support
MMO supports statewide missions projects that help fulfill the Great Commission. The annual offering in 2023 focused on five areas of ministry that define the MBC’s mission:
(1) Making disciples – sports evangelism; VBS ministry training and resource development; youth evangelism and missions; and the state fair ministry of the Missouri DOM Fellowship.
(2) Collegiate ministries – a summer missions mentoring initiative; and ministry to international students studying on Missouri campuses.
(3) Multiplying churches – next-step requests for church multipliers; partnership missions in Mexico, Italy, Minnesota/Wisconsin, and Montana; strategic missionary development; and Missouri WMU.
(4) Developing leaders – disaster relief readiness, including collegiate DR internships; Resound Network training and development; the Leader Care Network; a conference for new pastors; hunger relief; Baptist Builders; and a Pathway journalism retreat.
(5) Synergy (MBC-affiliated institutions) – moral injury training, a workshop for senior citizens, recreational discipleship for seniors, and a Certified Nursing Assistants Program (Baptist Homes); a four-year biblical studies degree for inmates (HLGU); the Center for Global Connections, and church-and-state pastoral reading groups (SBU); and the Center for Global Engagement (MBU).
In addition, 17 percent of MMO receipts go to the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home, which provides spiritual guidance, counseling, and a safe haven from abuse and neglect at five state campuses.
And 10 percent of MMO gifts go back to the associations of contributing churches, where the funds support regional mission projects.
Funds raised in excess of the MMO goal are placed in reserve for future missions opportunities. At the same time, 10 percent of gifts above the goal is given to Missouri WMU, which promotes state, national, and international missions in MBC-affiliated churches. And this year, a gift of $25,000 is being given to Baptist Homes to assist with their ministries to the aged.
Missouri Baptists have approved a 2024 MMO goal of $760,000. This June, the MBC announces the 2024 theme and provides churches with MMO resources.