North American Missions 2002
Vol. XVI, No. 4, April 2003
Introduction: Sadly, many, perhaps most, Southern Baptists have little knowledge of the wide-ranging activities of our convention. This time of year, when we are engaged in the annual Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions, is a great time to bring you information about some of the activities sponsored by the SBC North American Mission board.
The total number of missions personnel serving through the North American Mission Board is at an all time high of 5,204. The majority of these are jointly supported by NAMB and their state conventions. This includes career and short-term missionaries (who receive support from the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering), as well as 1,924 Mission Service Corps missionaries who have served at least two years.
More than 29,500 professions of faith were recorded as a result of church and community ministry evangelism efforts (e.g., Baptist centers, hunger ministry, medical and dental missions, literacy missions, pregnancy care ministry, refugee ministries). Many of these ministries receive support through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.
1,457 high school and college students "answered His call" to serve as summer, sojourner, or semester missionaries, supported by the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. They presented the gospel almost 4,000 times and recorded 325 professions of faith.
Crossover St. Louis, held prior to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, and coordinated by the North American Mission Board, resulted in 2,812 professions of faith.
There are an estimated 2,500 student Christian clubs using FiSH!, a campus evangelism strategy. Through these dynamic, student-led clubs, more than 8,500 students are being led to Christ each year.
More than 2,400 Southern Baptist chaplains endorsed through the North American Mission Board were faithful to share the gospel in settings such as prison, military, institutional, corporate, and healthcare. Last year these chaplains recorded 13,844 professions of faith.
9/11 Disaster Relief response concluded July 27, 2002. In partnership with 32 state Baptist conventions, final statistics show 20,852 volunteer days and almost 1.3 million meals served.
In 2002 World Changers mobilized a total of 23,735 participants, a 17% increase over the previous year. More than 14,000 gospel presentations were made, and 1,345 professions of faith were recorded. During the week participants gave over $230,000 to missions.
Strategic Focus Cities (SFC) emphasis in Seattle and Philadelphia resulted in a combined total of more than 6,700 professions of faith. In Seattle, there were more than 5,500 volunteers participating in the efforts. A total of 51 church plants occurred in Seattle in 2001-2002, representing a 38% increase in those two years as compared to the entire decade of the 1990s. In Philadelphia, 26 churches were planted, and more than 4,000 volunteers participated.
Footnote: The above is just a snapshot of some Southern Baptist mission activities. The Internet makes easily available up to date information on all sorts of topics, some very helpful to Christians, some spiritually lethal. Among the most helpful sites are those where you can learn about Southern Baptist matters: our statement of faith, the work of our North American Mission Board, International Mission Board, our six seminaries, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, and our affiliate – the WMU. The easiest way is to go to www.sbc.net. There you find handy links to all our other entities such as the NAMB. Or you can go direct to NAMB at www.namb.net or to the International Mission Board www.imb.net.
Besides learning more general information about our mission boards’ activities, each site has specifics on many of the mission activities planned for the year ahead. Take a look. Shouldn’t your church be participating in bringing the Gospel to North America and the world? TCP