Six billion people. That figure is almost beyond comprehension. But that is the number of people estimated to be alive in the world today. In fact, the world population clock sets the exact number at 6,112,526,910 as of Dec. 1, 2000. The population grows each month by about 6.5 million people. That means every month, the world’s population increases by 50 percent more than the total population of Alabama.
Two-thirds of that number are not Christians. That is more than four billion people — another number that is almost beyond comprehension. Almost half of that four billion, 1.7 billion people, have not had access to the saving gospel of Jesus Christ, according to the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.
That figure, 1.7 billion, is about seven times the population of the United States which stood at 276,158,694 at this writing. Most of those who have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ are located in North Africa, the Middle East, Asia and some of the South Pacific islands. But there are people across the globe, even in the United States, who have not heard of God’s saving grace expressed in Jesus.
A few years ago the International Mission Board began focusing on “people groups” instead of on geographical areas. Mission strategists recognized that within national boundaries could live several groups of people with their own history, culture and religion. Effective proclamation of the gospel meant identifying with these people groups, the strategists concluded, rather than working along geographical boundaries.
At that time 2,161 different unreached people groups were identified. IMB reorganized its missions efforts to focus on people groups. Today, IMB missionaries work with 1,015 different people groups around the world. Not all of the groups with which the missionaries work are classified as “unreached peoples.” Many missionaries work in established areas. Still, the latest information shows that 161 people groups remain unclaimed by any evangelical group.
The result, according to IMB reports, has been significant upturns in response to the gospel. In 1996, for example, SBC missionaries and their overseas partners started 2,304 new churches. In 1999, that number had doubled to 4,748. Baptisms increased by almost 25 percent, from 283,247 to 363,703. Mission points, formerly called preaching points, jumped by about 40 percent, from 23,002 to 38,703.
In that same time frame the number of missionaries appointed annually has risen dramatically. In 1999, 902 long-term missionary personnel, including 317 career missionaries, were appointed. That figure is up from 1996 when 590 individuals were appointed. The IMB and other missions sending agencies generally count persons with assignments of at least two years among their overseas personnel.
The growth of the overseas missions enterprise accentuates the importance of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. The special offering provides about 46 percent of the $230 million IMB budget. It is the largest single source of income for the IMB. The Cooperative Program provides about 36 percent of the annual budget. Investments produce about 11 percent of the budget. The remaining funds come from the world hunger offering and other miscellaneous incomes.
A unique feature of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is that all receipts go directly to foreign fields. None are used for administration, promotion or other programs. The ongoing infrastructure of the missions effort is funded by the Cooperative Program.
This year’s national goal for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is $115 million. That is an increase of 9 percent over the 1999 receipts of $105,443,787. To reach that goal will mean Alabama Baptists and other Baptists in sister state conventions will have to increase their giving by a greater percentage than any time during the past decade. In 1998, offering receipts jumped 7.49 percent, the highest percentage increase of the decade. That was the first year receipts topped the $100 million mark. Last year, offering receipts increased 3.67 percent.
The size of an individual’s offering does not matter. All are important to help reach the $115 million goal. If one can give $100,000, it will provide everything needed to set up and operate for one year an entity to enable personnel to enter an unreached people group in Asia. A $10,000 gift will provide seven TV programs for broadcast by satellite to an audience of 60 million Arab people in North Africa and the Middle East.
A $1,000 gift will fund a metropolitan multimedia blitz in Israel. A $100 gift will pay for two shortwave radio broadcasts of “Chronological Bible Storying” to help equip new believers for outreach in the Last Frontier nation in Southeast Asia. A $10 gift will provide a church-starter literature kit for a new preaching point in Africa. A $1 gift will furnish one year of Sunday School material for a class in Mozambique.
Most Alabama Baptist churches will observe the Week of Prayer for International Missions and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering during the week of Dec. 3–10. It will be a time when each of us is reminded about our opportunity to be a part of “dispelling the darkness” with the light of Christ.
What will be your part in such a worthy effort?
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