You may be aware the Southern Baptist International Mission Board, despite
a record Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, had to make some serious cuts recently.
You may be aware the Southern Baptist International Mission Board, despite
a record Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, had to make some serious cuts recently.
About 100 missionary candidates have had their service put on hold – and the
number of short-term personnel is being reduced 30 percent.
Facing a $10 million shortfall, the board also has eliminated 61 stateside
staff positions and the Commission magazine. Your heart may have been as burdened
as mine upon reading this news. What can we do?
Baptist Press recently featured an article on some “missionary kids”
who suggested that $1 from each of the 16 million Southern Baptists would more
than make up for the shortfall. (See article on Page Nine)
From the mouth of babes!”
Is there any reason why every Southern Baptist church could not receive a
special offering that would total at least ONE DOLLAR for every church member
and forward it to the board for the purpose of sending missionaries? We have
prayed for our mission force to grow, and record numbers are responding. God
forbid this flood of workers would be halted because of a lack of funds!
This is not a good time for a special offering in our church. We just kicked
off a building program, and we are in the summer “giving slump” that
most churches experience. But we must act. It should be absolutely unacceptable
that 100-plus missionaries are not sent to the mission field due to the lack
of ONE DOLLAR per SBC church member! Is our commitment so low, and our priorities
so skewed, that we cannot raise a dollar per member for this need?
Please join me by leading your church to send at least a dollar per member
to the IMB as soon as possible. Encourage other pastors and churches to join
you.
The world is waiting.
Shawn Thomas, pastor
First Baptist Church, Moss Bluff, La.