The Heart of Southern Baptists

If you want to see the heart of Southern Baptists just look at the amount of money raised annually by the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO) for International Missions. In one week — Dec. 2–9 this year — Southern Baptists will attempt to raise $175 million for international missions. 

The goal is the same as in 2011 when offerings totaled $146.8 million. And while some may see missing the goal as a disappointment, no other Christian group comes close to raising that much money for a single cause in such a short time frame. 

Southern Baptists give generously to the LMCO because we believe every person deserves the opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ. One’s relationship to God through faith in Christ makes a difference in the address of one’s eternal destination. That makes one’s relationship to Christ the most important issue ever decided.

The world’s population now stands at nearly 7 billion people and reaching every one of them with the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ is a costly task. It costs money and it costs lives. About two-thirds of the total budget for Southern Baptists’ International Mission Board (IMB) is annually spent on missionary support. Only about 15 percent of the budget funds stateside work that undergirds the international missions efforts.

To be sure, Southern Baptists are not in this work alone. National Christians across the globe share the good news of Jesus with family and friends. So do believers from other Christian groups. Many denominations send international missionaries. Yet despite the efforts of Christians for more than 2,000 years, there are still 3,133 people groups considered unreached and unengaged by any Christian group. That is 27.6 percent of the world’s 11,342 recognized people groups. 

When two-thirds of the world’s population lives in geographical areas with restricted access to the gospel, there is no escaping the conclusion that much is yet to be done. 

Because Southern Baptists care, Southern Baptists give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.

IMB anticipates the annual offering will bring in about 54 percent of its $324 million budget for 2012. Do not miss the fact that more than half the money to support Southern Baptists’ international missions program is raised in this special freewill offering. The offering comes in above the tithes of Southern Baptists and above their regularly scheduled giving. That is how much Southern Baptists care about reaching a lost world for Jesus Christ. 

The Cooperative Program (CP), the primary channel of missions support for Southern Baptists, provides about 29 percent of IMB’s budget. The other 17 percent comes from the World Hunger Offering, funds raised on missions fields and investments. 

For the last fiscal year, CP receipts were about $191.5 million. That is the amount of regular missions giving from the more than 40,000-SBC related churches across the nation for SBC causes. That means in one special emphasis, Southern Baptists will give about 75 percent as much to international missions as they do through their primary missions giving channel. 

Occasionally someone will ask why more CP funds are not going to international missions. The best answer is an analogy of the local church. If a church put most of its money in evangelism, it might not have a ministries program to the human hurts of those it serves. If a church put most of its funds in a music program, it might not have a vibrant youth program. If a church put most of its funds into facilities, it might not have a competent staff. 

Just as a church must have a total program, Southern Baptists must have an evangelism program to reach the lost of this nation as well as overseas. We must provide Christian colleges and Baptist seminaries to educate and train young people for ministry. We must minister to the hungry and hurting in Jesus’ name. The CP provides the framework that allows Southern Baptists to provide a balanced program of missions, ministries, education and more. Then special offerings like the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions allow Southern Baptists to provide extra financial support for their passions. 

Still, international missions is the priority of the CP funds. Of that $191 million, 51 percent, about $98 million, went to the IMB. Said another way, international missions receives slightly more than half of all CP dollars reaching the SBC. Again, that is how important Southern Baptists consider reaching the world for Christ. 

Alabama Baptists have a rich heritage in financially supporting international missions through both the CP and LMCO. For the last SBC fiscal year Alabama was second to Georgia in CP giving — $18.8 million to $17.7 million. That is not bad considering Georgia has almost 400,000 more members than does Alabama. 

Last year Alabama Baptists gave slightly more than $10.8 million through the LMCO, placing them second behind North Carolina in total gifts. When CP and LMCO totals are added together, Alabama was again in second place among all SBC state conventions. That is not bad for a state convention whose membership places it eighth among state conventions. 

This year Alabama Baptists seek to raise $11.6 million through the offering. It will be a challenge but it can be done. Our passion is international missions. We do want every person to have an opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel. Through gifts to this special offering we put ourselves into the efforts to make it happen. 

Use this special emphasis to learn more about what God is doing through Baptists around the world. With that expanded knowledge, pray earnestly for Southern Baptist representatives serving overseas, for national Christians and for efforts to sharing of the gospel. Then give a special offering above your tithe to help provide the opportunity for people to hear about God’s love made known through Jesus Christ. 

For more information, visit www.imb.org.