One of the most exciting aspects of being part of the Louisiana and Southern
Baptist Conventions is the opportunity to extend the work of the local church around the world. When Social Springs Baptist Church,
Ringgold and First Baptist Church, New Orleans meet Sunday, their ministries
can reach to Iraq and Liberia and France and Peru and thousands of places in
between.
Where do missions start?
One of the most exciting aspects of being part of the Louisiana and Southern
Baptist Conventions is the opportunity to extend the work of the local church around the world. When Social Springs Baptist Church,
Ringgold and First Baptist Church, New Orleans meet Sunday, their ministries
can reach to Iraq and Liberia and France and Peru and thousands of places in
between.
Every local Louisiana Baptist church has the opportunity to strive toward fulfilling
the Great Commission (perhaps better called The Great Command). Nothing excites
true Baptists more than knowing they are part of a work that brings people to
know Christ Jesus as Savior around the world, including places they will never
be able to see.
There is another important part of missions missions in our own state.
Understandably, when the Holy Spirit moved among the first disciples to evangelize
their world, the work began at home Jerusalem, Judea. The stronger
the work at home, the stronger the outreach could be to “the uttermost
parts of the earth.”
Louisiana Baptists must take seriously doing missions at home and in our home
state. This is one reason Louisiana Baptists take seriously the 2003 Georgia
Barnette State Missions Offering.
The missions needs are great in our state. Missions in South Louisiana struggle
in the midst of a culture that is not always conducive to Baptist work. Multitudes
of housing developments are springing up all along Interstate 10. New bedroom
communities are popping up along Interstate 20. The city of New Orleans is in
transition. Other areas of the state are experiencing transition creating new
mission opportunities every year.
The Louisiana Baptist Womans Missionary Union accepts the noble challenge
each year of encouraging Louisiana Baptists to pray for and support the mission
efforts across our state. They mobilize to pray for these mission efforts every
day. They communicate the mission needs which in turn help local volunteers
to engage personally in state mission work. They become personally involved.
And, each year, they promote giving to the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering.
They know missions start at home.
This years goal for the offering is only $1,250,000, or an average of
$2 per member of Louisiana Baptist churches. Two weeks ago, an editorial encouraged
Louisiana Baptists to give $1 per member to take up the slack in the International
Mission Board receipts, and that is a worthy cause. But we must remember that
missions start at home and these mission efforts must have support and participation
enough to make a difference.
Anyone who has attended Sunday school for any time at all knows that the birth
of Christianity was in Jerusalem. The early church spawned the mission movement
that reached around the known world. But, cultural and governmental conditions
changed and the center of the church was forced from Jerusalem. Later, and until
this day, Jerusalem is a mission field.
A casual observer of American culture sees that our own state has not been
evangelized. Much work needs to be done. We cannot be slack in our efforts to
reach every geographical, sociological, ethnic segment of our state. We cannot
do it all ourselves, but we can join together through our gifts to the 2003
Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering.
Support international missions? Certainly. Support North American missions?
For sure. And, support missions here in our own state to the point that it can
be used of God to make a positive difference, at home.