$58.4 million offering is record for North American missions

by Mike Ebert                                                                                                    Vol. XX, No. 4, April 2007

Giving to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions topped $58 million for the first time ever in 2006, exceeding last year’s goal by more than $2 million.

Carlos Ferrer, North American Mission Board interim executive vice president for missionary services, shared the news with national and state leaders of Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU), gathered for their board meeting at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega, AL.

“Today, we want to express our gratitude to all Southern Baptists who so generously shared their resources with us so even more can go to missions in North America,” Ferrer told the group Jan.15. “In addition, I want to tell our friends at WMU a special thank you for everything you do each year to promote the offering. We know your support is critical to our success.”

Ferrer reported that because of the increased offering NAMB will be consulting with state convention partners to put additional missions resources on the field in 2007.

“We want you to know that every bit of this blessing will go directly to do the missions work so needed here on our continent,” he said.

The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering accounts for 45% of NAMB’s annual budget, with 36% provided by church gifts through the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program. One hundred percent of AAEO gifts are used to jointly support more than 5,000 missionaries and their ministries with state Baptist convention partners. Most of the missionary force is involved in starting new churches and various evangelistic endeavors.

The 2007 offering goal is $57 million. The offering is promoted in Southern Baptist churches in March beginning with the Week of Prayer for North American Missions, March 4-11. [BP]

[For more information about the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering and the Week of Prayer for North American Missions, visit www.anniearmstrong.com. Week of Prayer missionaries will be highlighted in the March issue of Missions Mosaic, a publication of WMU.]