Numbers. Sometimes we tend to dismiss numbers as being insignificant, but each of the numbers on this page tell a very important story. Take a look at them.
Nearly 2.8 billion people in the world still have no realistic access to the Gospel. That figure seems a little overwhelming, and even though the darkness seems overpowering, we are still called to light the darkness.
Last year, missionaries with our International Mission Board reported that 1.75 million people heard a Gospel witness through their efforts.
As a result, 275,000 became followers of Jesus.
To assist in their growth, 14,000 new churches were formed.
How is all this accomplished? Such an undertaking requires a lot of people, and a lot of money. That’s where you and I come in. Our Cooperative Program, as we work with other Southern Baptist Churches, provides only 31% of the funds necessary to do this great work. The bulk of the resources (58%) comes from the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions (LMCO).
The next figure in our list above is $12,352. That’s the number of dollars we at Utica Baptist Church gave last year to the cause of Christ through the LMCO.
That translates to $77.20 per person. That might not sound like much, but here is where I want to brag on you a little bit. There are more than 50,000 Southern Baptist churches across our country. Of that number, only two percent gave over $16.4 million to this offering.
We were one of them!
But that’s last year’s news. And while it is quite an accomplishment, that money has already been spent to support our missionaries, build hospitals and churches, dig water wells, provide security and survival training, distribute Bibles (print and audio), job training and refugee assistance. The work is ongoing, and that is why we must continue to give–and give sacrificially–to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
Our goal this year is again $12,000. Please pray about how God wants you to participate in this so that someone you will never meet here on earth can have the opportunity of knowing Christ–the way you do.
--Rocky Henriques, www.uticabc.com