12 minute read
Gospel Ministry
from 2020-10-22
IMB celebrates $159.5m Lottie Moon Christmas O ering total, exceeds goal SPORTS & ENTERTAINMEMISSIONS & MINISTRY NT
>> by Leslie Peacock Caldwell IMB SENIOR EDITOR
RICHMOND—The International Mission Board (IMB) is reporting a 2019-20 Lottie Moon Christmas O ering total of $159.5 million, the second highest o ering in history. This total exceeds by $4.5 million the 175-year-old organization’s budgeted goal of $155 million. IMB also received $97.2 million from the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program for 2019-20.
Oklahoma Baptists gave nearly $4.9 million to the 2019-20 Lottie Moon Christmas O ering.
“I’m thrilled to report that the Lottie o ering is growing again,” IMB President Paul Chitwood OBU Announces Details,
pjones@oklahomabaptists.org for more information said. “A growing Lottie o ering means that more lost people, not fewer, will hear the Gospel and be saved. A growing Lottie o ering means that more hurting people, not fewer, will be helped and offered hope. A growing Lottie o ering means more missionaries, not fewer, will go to the ends of the earth to carry the Good News. Thank you, Southern Baptists, for growing the Lottie o ering!”
The o ering re ects the commitment of Southern Baptist churches to support international missionaries and reach every language, people, tribe and nation with the Gospel. One hundred percent of gifts given to this o ering are used for the support of missionaries. This year’s generous gift is all the more celebrated during a year in which many families worldwide experienced signi cant loss of income due to NEW ONLINE WEB-EXCLUSIVE CONTENT COVID-19.
“Everything we thought COVID-19 would take away from us, God gave back—and more—through the Lottie Moon o ering and the generosity of the Southern Baptist family,” said Price Jett, IMB vice president of nance, logistics, travel and technology. PUBLICATION INFO
CHURCH TOOLBOX
CLASSIFIEDS>> PHOTO: IMB.ORG IMB missionaries Charlie and Shannon Worthy hold evangelistic camps in Italy to build relationships and share the Gospel.
“God has blessed IMB the past year, just as He has for 175 years. I have to believe He has big plans in store for Southern Baptist missions,” Jett said. Sandy Wisdom-Martin, executive director of national Woman’s Mission Union, also celebrated the faithfulness of churches and the way God led peoVOICES ple to give sacri cially.
“The sacri cial gifts o ered by faithful Southern Baptists this giving cycle are substantial enough to tip the scales of eternity in favor of the Kingdom,” Wisdom-Martin said. “Names will be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life as a result of what was stewarded well. What a privilege to join God in His redemptive work in the world.”
The Lottie Moon Christmas O ering supports more than 3,500 full-time missionaries and their families. These personnel live among the lost in order to reach the nations with the Gospel.
IMB President Paul Chitwood spoke to trustees in the meeting of the board on Sept. 30 about the multitudes who remain unreached.
“As an organization representing Southern Baptists and their calling before God to share Christ among the nations,” Chitwood said, “we have felt a great responsibility during this pandemic to care for the gifts they so graciously entrusted us. To Southern Baptists, again, I want to say, thank you for allowing us to serve you in carrying out the Great Commission in partnership with you and your PEOPLE & CHURCH NEWS church. Much remains to be accomplished, but together, under the power of Christ, we can continue to welcome the multitudes before His throne (Rev 7:9).” This year’s Lottie Moon and Week of Prayer stories emphasize God’s goodness of provision, but also the vast needs that remain. NEWS & CULTURE
From a children’s shelter in Kenya, to a sh farm in Peru, to a radio ministry in Europe and a clinic in Thailand, God is at work but also revealing the signi cant need of the nations to turn to Him.
Charlie and Shannon Worthy build strong partnerships with believers in Italy to advance the Gospel. They understand that working alongside local believers to plant churches and disciple believers will produce fruit long past their time there as missionaries. And the support they receive from Southern Baptists makes all the di erence.
“The Lottie Moon Christmas O ering is critical to what we do,” Charlie said. “We are grateful for Southern Baptists, and we are grateful and honored to be Southern Baptists.”
Chitwood urges churches to remain committed to the task, even take time to celebrate His generous provision.
“Please join us as we step into a new scal year, trusting God and calling upon you to be generous in your praying, sending, going and your increased Chitwood said. “There is no greater work than the one we share in proclaiming Christ to people groups who have never heard of His great name!” NEW ONLINE WEB-EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
EVENTS
NEW ONLINE WEB-EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
OCT 23-24 Chaplain Training Info: OKC Police Training Center Contact Marianne VanZandt, mvanzandt@oklahomabaptists.org for more information
NOV 1 Oklahoma Student Worship Choir Concert Info: 6-8 p.m. OKC, Brookwood oklahomabaptists.org/ student-worship
NOV 5
VBS Jumpstart Info: $15, 8:45 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Del City, First Southern Contact Pat Jones
NOV 7
Disaster Relief Training Info: Madill, First Contact Marianne VanZandt mvanzandt@oklahomabaptists.org for more information
NOV 10 Annual Meeting of Oklahoma Baptists Info: 1-6 p.m. Broken Arrow, First oklahomabaptists.org/ annualmeeting
NOV 29-DEC 6 Week of Prayer: Lottie Moon Christmas Offering Info: Week to pray for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
FOR MORE INFO ON OKLAHOMA BAPTISTS’ EVENTS, VISIT WWW.OKLAHOMABAPTISTS.ORG/EVENTS
giving through the Lottie Moon Christmas O ering,” Speakers for Winter Commencement Nov. 21 KENNY DAY | OCT 7 Oklahoma Baptist University will PUBLICATION INFO host its Winter Commencement ceremony for fall 2020 graduates Saturday, Nov. 21. The ceremony will be divided into three separate events in order to facilitate social distancing. All ceremonies will be in Raley Chapel. The rst service will start EVENTS at 9:30 a.m.; the second at 11 a.m.; and the third will begin at 2 p.m.
Washington, D.C. Southern Baptist church gains religious liberty win in court TOM STRODE | OCT 12 A federal court ruled late Friday, Oct. 9, the District of Columbia has likely violated the religious freedom of Washington, D.C., Capitol Hill and therefore cannot prevent the Southern Baptist congregation from meeting outdoors with proper safety measures in place.
PUBLICATION INFO
The Baptist Messenger (ISSN 0744-9518) is published semi-monthly by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, 3800 N. May, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112-6506. Periodicals postage paid at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Circulation last EVENTS issue: 40,899. Individual subscriptions are available upon request. When writing for a change of address or a subscription renewal, please include a copy of your mailing label. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Baptist Messenger, 3800 N. May, Oklahoma City, OK 73112-6506.
While the Baptist Messenger attempts to provide advertisers of integrity who furnish quality products, it is recommended that buyers be cautious, do research and get references to any advertiser with which they are not familiar. Publication of an advertisement in the Baptist Messenger does not constitute an endorsement of the products, services or businesses. October 22, 2020 • Volume 109, Number 20.
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Encourage: 3 key moments
Hance Dilbeck
Oklahoma Baptists’ Executive Director-Treasurer Executive Director-Treasurer @Hance_Dilbeck
Only nine weeks until Christmas. Wow! This year, the one we thought would never pass, will soon be history. Time marches on. In fact, before you read the next edition of the Messenger, three things will have come and gone. I want to touch brie y on each one while we still have time. I will take them in order.
First, October is Pastor Appreciation Month. If you have not done so already, don’t let these last few days of the month pass without showing your appreciation to your pastor. We show our appreciation in a few basic ways: words, gifts and time. Take time to carefully craft a personal note of appreciation. Be speci c. Lead your children or grandchildren to write a note. Give your pastor a gift either from you and your family, or from your whole church family. Be generous! Grant your pastor some extra time o . This has been a di cult year for our shepherds. They could all use some downtime between now and Christmas.
Second, Election Day is Nov. 3. Everyone reading this article needs to vote. Remember that the old preacher used to say, “Before you go to the voting booth, make sure you go to the prayer closet!” Ask the Lord to guide you as you exercise this responsibility. One of the ways that we act as salt and light is through our vote. We need men and women of character who will protect life and protect religious liberty.
As author and noted ministry consultant Gregory Frizzell has said, pray for people to seek God and follow His will, and pray for God to have mercy on America. Read Frizzell’s “seven speci c prayers for local and national elections” in the box at the end of my column.
Third, Oklahoma Baptists will gather for our Annual Meeting on Tuesday, November 10. The ne folk of Broken Arrow, First will be our gracious hosts. This will be an abbreviated meeting beginning at 1 p.m. and concluding before 6 p.m. We will conduct essential business only—no pastor’s conference, no meals, no ancillary meetings and no exhibits.
Our essential business will include Bible preaching from President Blake Gideon, Andy Taylor and from myself. Our messages will center on the “Unhindered Gospel.” We will also elect new o cers and hear reports of our work advancing the Gospel together in 2020. I hope you will make every e ort to pre-register as a messenger and participate. We need you this year; we need each other!
I have been praying Col. 2:2 for the Oklahoma Baptists who gather in Broken Arrow on Nov. 10, “…that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love…”
Based on principles from
1 Tim. 2:1-4 by Gregory Reed Frizzell
• Pray for people to seriously seek
God in how they vote • Pray that people will not put economics or politics above the godly and biblical foundations upon which America was founded • Pray for God’s Spirit to ll the voting booths and guide people as they vote • Pray that huge numbers of godly people will turn out to vote • Pray for people to follow God’s guidance, not just political parties • Pray that God will give us godly leaders of integrity who will govern in wisdom and righteousness • Pray for God to have mercy on
America and stay His hand of judgment
Sword & trowel: Politics, religion & Him
Brian Hobbs
Editor of the Baptist Messenger @BrianGHobbs @BrianGHobbs
If you scroll through your social media posts, what’s the most common topic on which you focus? Perhaps it’s sports, food or movies. If you’re a Christian, hopefully the Bible and Jesus are often discussed.
With the 2020 Election just days away, a quick survey of social media reveals that for most Americans, they are talking all politics, all the time.
A new poll reveals that this all-politics mode is wearing on people. According to the Pew Research Center, “some 55 percent of adult social media users say they feel ‘worn out’ by how many political posts and discussions they see on social media.”
Of course, it’s not just on social media. Many Sunday School classrooms and dinner tables are abuzz with presidential politics talk, night and day, as well.
On the one hand, this should be expected. The 2020 Election is of tremendous consequence. Moreover, Americans live in a democracy, which requires political involvement and awareness. So robust discourse on politics and current events is a good thing.
On the other hand, the political discourse has turned so sour that we seem to be not talking with one another, but past one another. The poll also showed that “seven-in-10 now say they nd it ‘stressful and frustrating’ to talk about politics on social media with people they disagree with, up from 59 percent in 2016.”
We are seeing a social phenomenon in which people are no longer going for persuasion but instead are just scoring points for their own political “tribe,” contributing to this air of stress and frustration. To quote Simon and Garfunkel, we have a lot of people “talking without speaking,” people “hearing without listening.”
After the dust settles from this election, I recommend we each re ect back on what we posted and said in 2020. This will help us see the bigger picture and lead toward helpful change in our own lives and relationship circles.
In his book, “Them: Why We Hate Each Other and How to Heal,” U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse says this: “Deep, enduring change does not come through legislation or elections. Meaningful change comes as lots and lots of individual minds are persuaded and hearts changed. Deep change allows people to change their minds without needing, rst, to ‘eat crow.’ It tolerates provisional and partial agreements. It’s the logic of neighbors who live side by side. It’s the logic of the long-term, which respects the dignity and agency of debate partners.”
Sasse is on to something helpful here. Christians, of all people, need to be able to recognize the worth of others, even those with whom we have serious disagreements.
We do need to be thinking about and talking about politics, and of course religion. But we more often need to be heard talking about matters of faith, about Jesus Himself.
For it is only when we go beyond talking exclusively about the political headlines of the day that people will believe Jesus is Who’s most important to us. It’s not about politics or even religion. In the end, it’s all about Him.
