Scratch a Southern Baptist and he or she will bleed missions and evangelism. That is part of who we are. Our national convention was born out of a desire for all Baptists to be involved in missions — at home and abroad — and that desire is still there.
The reason for this commitment to missions? Because Baptists understand that the Bible teaches that each person deserves the opportunity to hear and respond to the good news that through faith in Jesus Christ, one’s sins can be forgiven and one can become a child of God.
That decision is the difference between an eternity in the presence of God and an eternity cast away from Him.
This season of the year, Southern Baptists evidence their commitment to taking the gospel to the ends of the earth in a remarkable way. In a matter of days, 16 million Southern Baptists will contribute about $150 million to be used for international missions. Of course, we’re talking about the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO) for International Missions. It has been called the largest offering of its type in Christendom.
The offering goal for 2010 is $175 million. Like all supporting Southern Baptists, we pray it will be received. Last year, Southern Baptists used the same goal but receipts closed at $148.9 million. That was $7.6 million more than 2008’s receipts for an increase of 5.3 percent. Such growth in the midst of an economic recession was a blessing from God.
In 2009, Alabama Baptists gave $11,352,272 to international missions through the LMCO. That amounted to 7.6 percent of the total given by all Southern Baptists. It was another demonstration of Alabama Baptists’ commitment to international missions since our membership equals only 6.4 percent of Southern Baptist Convention membership. Had Alabama Baptists’ average LMCO gift been true of all Southern Baptists, total receipts would have been nearly $173 million.
While praying to receive the $175 million offering goal, International Mission Board (IMB) leaders are budgeting their funds carefully. Built into the operating budget for 2010–11 is $146 million through the LMCO. The other $29 million is marked for capital needs and will not be spent until the amount for the operating budget has been received.
Some may remember when the LMCO went primarily to capital needs on the field. But as the missions ranks swelled to more than 5,000 missionaries, financial resources became strained. Today IMB officials say every penny of the LMCO goes to the overseas budget, which is, primarily, missions support.
The overseas budget totals about $270 million, or 85.3 percent of the IMB’s $317 million budget. The importance of the offering to missions work around the world is obvious. The LMCO makes up about 55 percent of the IMB’s total budget. The other major source of funding — the Cooperative Program — makes up about 32 percent (just more than $100 million) of the budget.
The cost of keeping a missionary on the field for a year is $43,845.86, according to IMB sources. That breaks down to a cost of $843.19 a week or $120.13 a day or $5.01 an hour.
These missionaries are making a difference. In November, the IMB released its 2009 report. IMB officials noted the numbers reflected a new approach to reporting results that concentrates more on the work of missionaries and their closest partners. This new approach should help ease tensions with several national Baptist groups that developed as a result of the IMB’s previous practices.
But the results are still impressive — 360,867 baptisms; 29,237 new churches; 96 newly engaged people groups.
God is moving in a wondrous way. Missionaries report indigenous church-planting movements springing up in many parts of the world — North Africa, China, India, Central Europe and South America.
It was especially encouraging to this writer to read reports about a country where we worked in partnership missions in past years. What was a mostly unresponsive country now reports a rapid spread of new indigenous churches and a rush of new believers. Years of planting gospel seeds are now resulting in a great spiritual harvest there.
Sunni and Shiite Muslims are both coming to Christ in several nations. Buddhists and Hindus are coming to Christ. Traditional Christians are experiencing a personal relationship with God through faith in Christ.
It is no wonder Christians in some parts of the world are suffering new levels of persecution. God is at work and Satan is striking back.
About 25 percent of the world’s population lives in areas where less than 2 percent of the people would be considered evangelical Christians. That is 1.7 billion people. Researchers say there are 562 people groups with a population of 100,000 or more that have not been engaged with the gospel. About 3,000 smaller people groups also have not heard the good news that Jesus saves.
For the first time, missions strategists say it is possible to reach all these people groups with the gospel in the current generation. Research tools are available to identify the groups. Methods are available to share the gospel. God is calling people to go. All of the unreached people may not believe, but all can have the opportunity to hear and respond to the claims of Christ.
“Are We There Yet?” asks the theme of this year’s Week of Prayer for International Missions. The answer is “no” but we are well on the way. Southern Baptists are researching. Southern Baptists are learning. Southern Baptists are praying. Southern Baptists are going. And this week, Southern Baptists are giving to international missions through the LMCO.
Every Alabama Baptist can be a part of this annual expression of missions support. As God leads, each one can help make it possible to share the gospel with all who have not heard with a generous gift to the LMCO. We can be a part of reaching every people group in this generation.
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