Lottie Moon offering nearly matches 2003 record amount

by Shawn Hendricks                                                                               Vol. XVIII, No. 6, June/July 2005

Following a year when Lottie Moon Christmas Offering giving shattered old records and removed appointment restrictions, Southern Baptists raised nearly that amount again by giving almost $134 million to overseas missions. When the books closed on the 2004 offering May 31, Southern Baptists had given $133,886,221.58. The amount fell just short of the previous year's $136 million total and short of the $150 million goal.

Despite the shortfall, it was the offering's second-largest total in its 115-year history to support more than 5,200 missionaries on the field. On the heels of the Lottie Moon emphasis and in the months following, Southern Baptists also gave more than $16.3 million to relief efforts after a tsunami struck parts of southern Asia and the Pacific Rim regions Dec. 26, 2004.

"We are overwhelmed with this testimony of Southern Baptists' heart for missions and desire to reach our world for Jesus Christ," said Jerry Rankin, president of the International Mission Board. "We were able to remove restrictions on the number of missionaries being appointed after the record offering [in 2003] but were concerned about whether or not that level of support would be sustained.

With more missionary candidates than ever before seeking appointment, Rankin challenged Southern Baptists to reach this year's $150 million goal.

"Opportunities to literally touch the whole world are unprecedented," he said. "Whether or not we are able to seize these open doors and increase our numbers of missionaries is contingent on Southern Baptists meeting our goal this year."

In 2003, Southern Baptists learned that some missionaries were not able to go to the field because there were not enough funds to send them. That year, churches responded to the need by increasing their Lottie Moon Christmas Offering amount by 18% -- the largest dollar increase in the offering's history.

That response has helped remove restrictions and slowly increased the number of missionaries to 5,225 as of the end of May. David Steverson, IMB treasurer, said Southern Baptists again showed their desire to spread the Gospel throughout the world.

The tsunami disaster that sparked massive relief efforts throughout the world, is another example of Southern Baptist's heart for the world. Southern Baptists responded by not only giving nearly $134 million to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering but also more than $16 million to disaster relief. [BP]