International Mission Board trustees rejoiced during their March 19-21 meeting in Memphis, Tenn., that the 2006 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is projected to exceed the goal of $150 million, which would be a record.
Forty-nine new international missionaries were presented during their appointment service by the Southern Baptist International Mission Board March 21 Kirby Woods Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn.Trustees appointed 49 missionaries, affirmed evidence of greater Southern Baptist involvement in the West Africa region, and heard a challenge to embrace change to reach the world’s unengaged peoples.
David Steverson, vice president of finance and treasurer for the International Mission Board, reported the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering is projected to exceed the $150 million national goal for 2006. A final report will be released after the May 31 close-out date for the offering receipts.
Steverson expressed thanks to Southern Baptists for their sacrificial giving and growing passion for sharing the gospel with unreached people groups through the offering.
In 1888, the first offering of $3,315.26 funded three missionaries’ work alongside Lottie Moon, he recalled. Today, the offering – named for Moon – continues to help send and support missionaries to reach all people for Christ.
Trustees appointed 49 new missionaries March 21 during a service at Kirby Woods Baptist Church in Memphis. The latest addition of missionaries brings the total number of overseas personnel to 5,160, including more than 4,000 long-term missionaries on the field.
West Africa rejoices over progress
IMB trustees pray for SBC president Frank Page during their meeting in Memphis, Tenn., March 19-21. Page said he’s asking Southern Baptists to join him in praying for revival and a renewed sense of urgency in impacting the world.Following a yearlong campaign to highlight mission efforts in West Africa, regional associate Roger Haun reported how God is moving in the region.
Through regional mobilization summits, stories and various promotional materials, the region now has 300,000 prayer partners. More than 200 churches attended West Africa summits in Florida and Missouri. In the process, about 20 churches adopted people groups. More than 120 other churches made some type of commitment to help the region.
“The response has been phenomenal,” Haun said. “We’ve been very pleased by the number of Southern Baptists who have responded. It’s been beyond our wildest expectations.”
Trustees appointed three missionary couples to the region during the Memphis meeting. By the end of this year, the region expects to receive more new missionaries than in the last three years combined, Haun said.
The region has the world’s largest number of unreached people groups of fewer than 100,000 people. IMB personnel are giving priority to reaching all people groups of 100,000 and more throughout the world and, therefore, need church partners to step up and engage many of those smaller groups still unreached, such as in West Africa.
‘We must embrace change’
In order to reach more unengaged people groups, IMB president Jerry Rankin contended Southern Baptists must be willing to embrace change.
“The changes in our churches, our denomination and American society are apparent,” Rankin said. “It is obvious we are living in an era of global change that is continuing to open many unprecedented doors of opportunity to share the gospel.”
By the end of the decade, Rankin hopes to see 10,000 Southern Baptist churches involved in strategic partnerships overseas. Other goals include expanding the missionary force from a little more than 5,000 to 8,000 and engaging unreached people groups.
SBC president stresses urgency for revival
In a meeting filled with prayer and emotional pleas for a widespread spiritual revival, SBC president Frank Page challenged Southern Baptists to hone their focus on God’s work with a renewed sense of urgency. Page said efforts to impact the world for Jesus Christ are encountering resistance and spiritual attacks.
“In our convention, in our work we have been fighting the wrong enemy,” he told trustees, referencing Ephesians 6: “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood.”
A revival, Page contended, is needed among Southern Baptists to reawaken God’s people.
“I’m asking every entity, every church, every associational meeting, every state convention in which I speak to join with me in begging God for a Holy Spirit movement,” he said.
“I do believe we are at a crossroads moment, an irrecoverable moment and we cannot miss another opportunity. – God is a God of victory. God wants to see the nations come unto him.”