Jason and Genée Duckett have never let an Easter pass that their gift to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO) didn’t make it into the offering plate.
"We’ve always given to it because it’s so important even though we didn’t know the exact circumstances of the people it would support," Genée said.
But now that Jason, who recently served as associate pastor of Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Birmingham, and Genée are preparing to serve as North American Mission Board (NAMB) missionaries, "it brings new meaning" to the sacrificial act, she said.
"We couldn’t do it without the funding," Genée said of the couple’s coming work as church planters in DuBois, Pa.
"Now that we’re missionaries and that we’ve gotten to meet more missionaries through the process, we have a greater understanding that the recipients are real human beings."
The national mission offering, established in 1895 by national Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU), was named in honor of Annie Armstrong, WMU’s founder and a tireless champion of missions.
One hundred percent of the AAEO goes to support the work of the Ducketts and other Southern Baptist missionaries in North America; 38 of whom are completely NAMB-supported, and 2,904 of whom are funded jointly through partnerships between NAMB and state conventions.
"We really feel like North America more and more is a place where the nations are coming. We have the opportunity to reach people who are then going to impact their home nations and have an impact far beyond our borders," said NAMB spokesman Mike Ebert. "We feel like one of the best ways Southern Baptists can invest in home missions and have an impact throughout the world is by giving to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering."
As a result of the AAEO, NAMB missionaries are able to:
– start new churches,
– evangelize students on college campuses,
– serve the physical and spiritual needs of people through evangelism ministries,
– serve in Baptist associations,
– provide training and ministry in interfaith witness evangelism and
– minister in resort settings such as lakes, campgrounds and ski areas.
Last year, giving to the AAEO topped $58 million for the first time ever, exceeding the goal by more than $2 million.
According to Carlos Ferrer, NAMB interim executive vice president for missionary services, the increased offering in 2006 will allow NAMB to consult with state convention partners about putting additional missions resources on the field in 2007.
And NAMB leaders are hoping that the response to this year’s national goal of $57 million (Alabama’s is $5 million) will be similarly generous.
Forty-four percent of NAMB’s budget comes from the offering.
"If we didn’t have the support from all these churches (that give to AAEO), it would really be tough on us," said Stephen Eddleman, a NAMB missionary based in Cullman.
Stephen, formerly on staff at NAMB headquarters in Alpharetta, Ga., manages World Changers teams out west in states such as Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico.
"The support that we get through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering helps to keep guys like me out there on the road," he said. "There aren’t a lot of Southern Baptist churches out there, and for us to go in and do a World Changers project helps them establish credibility in the community and show their neighbors they care.
"For them to know that they’ve got the support of a multitude of other churches (that give to AAEO) helps them to focus on ministry instead of wondering how they’ll survive financially," Stephen said. (NAMB, TAB)
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