SBCV helps increase Lottie Moon

by Natalie Kaspar                                                                                Vol. XIX, No. 7, September 2006

The Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia have stepped up and given more to meet the growing needs of those sharing Christ’s love overseas. SBCV Baptists contributed $2,607,533.08 to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions in 2005, increasing their giving by 256.02 percent and $1,875,128.76 from 2004.

Gifts from Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia, combined with other states’ offerings, helped boost the nationwide total to an all-time record. Across the country, Southern Baptists gave $137,939,677.59 toward the annual offering.

“Our churches are 100 percent convinced the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering … is going to be used in a great way,” said Doyle Chauncey, SBCV executive director/treasurer. “Our churches are sold on the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.”

Chauncey also pointed out that SBCV churches are multiplying as Southern Baptists act out the desire to grow their convention through church plants. “We are committed to starting new churches,” he said.

The $137.9 million national total – collected from June 1, 2005, through May 31, 2006 – marks a 3.03 percent increase over 2004’s $133.9 million Lottie Moon offering. More than 5,100 International Mission Board missionaries depend on the annual offering, of which every penny is used to support their work sharing the Gospel around the world.

“This historic level of giving will enable us to send an increasing number of God-called missionary candidates toward appointment,” said IMB President Jerry Rankin. “It will enable us to push forward in fulfilling the vision of bringing all peoples to saving faith in Jesus Christ. At a time of economic uncertainty, and a year in which massive amounts of funding have been directed toward hurricane relief and recovery, it is gratifying to see God prove His faithfulness through Southern Baptists.”

Clyde Meador, IMB executive vice president, echoed Rankin’s sentiments and acknowledged the critical role of the WMU in the offering’s success.

“The IMB wouldn’t be able to do any of this without the faithful support of our state and national Woman’s Missionary Union partners,” Meador said. “Long ago, WMU laid the foundation for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering because they understood the eternal significance of sharing Christ with a lost world.

“Today, they remain committed to international missions as they promote the Lottie Moon offering on a grassroots level to more than 42,000 Southern Baptist churches.”

“We are grateful that Southern Baptists continue to give sacrificially to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering as evidenced in the record offering totals for 2005,” said Wanda Lee, executive director/treasurer of national WMU. “In partnership with state WMU offices, WMU leaders in churches and the International Mission Board, it is a joy to see our churches embrace the Great Commission.”