Missouri Missions Offering surpasses goal
Dr. John Yeats
Missouri Baptists dug deep and gave generously in 2012 to the Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering. As a result, they surpassed the MMO goal for the first time since 2000.
Receipts for 2012, which are disbursed in 2013, totaled $691,722, exceeding the goal of $675,000.
“Thank you, Missouri Baptists,” said John Yeats, executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention. “Your faithfulness in stewardship and your sacrificial giving impact lives for Christ throughout our state.”
MMO supports statewide missions projects that focus on three areas: sharing Christ’s love; sending missionaries; and starting churches. Examples include:
- The Missouri Baptist Children’s Home, which receives 17 percent of the offering.
- Disaster relief efforts.
- Christian Women’s Job Corps.
- Missouri partnership missions.
- Collegiate summer missionaries.
- Preschool/children’s ministries.
- Missouri hunger relief.
- Sports evangelism.
- Youth evangelism and missions.
- New church initiatives.
- Baptist Builders.
- Associational partnerships; 10 percent of the offering from each of the state’s 61 associations is sent back to that association.
- Resort ministries…and more.
These projects complement Cooperative Program ministries but are not funded directly through CP giving, noted Yeats. “Without MMO, these vital projects that advance the kingdom of God in Missouri would be severely limited. Thanks to the generous financial support of Missouri Baptists, these ministries are strengthened.”
More than 800 Missouri Baptist churches participated in MMO in 2012, the highest level of involvement since 2009.
Missouri Baptists approved a 2013 MMO goal of $700,000. The MBC will announce the 2013 theme and provide churches with MMO resources in June.
MMO Nearly Hits Goal
As our focus has shifted to giving to international missions supported by the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, it’s good to know that Missouri Baptists continue to invest in missions throughout the state through the Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering. Giving to date totals $637,997.87, well ahead of last year’s pace at this time of $$602,590.41. There’s still time to give through your local church and help us reach the goal of $675,000 by Dec. 31.
Remember that your support of Missouri missions helps reach young people through sports programs; train women for the workplace; start new churches; provide scholarships; support the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home; and much more. Last year more than 750 Missouri Baptist churches took up offerings for MMO. Is your church involved in this vital missions initiative?
I am so grateful to Missouri Baptists for your support of MMO. Through your sacrificial giving, people’s lives are being changed to the glory of God.
May the Lord bless you this Christmas and throughout the coming new year.
Rob Phillips
Communications Team Leader / MMO Coordinator
MMO- It’s Personal
As the leaves change colors and the weather turns more crisp, Missouri Baptists are just warming up in their efforts to share Christ’s love, send missionaries, and start churches through the Missouri Missions Offering.
The theme this year is “From Me to Missouri,” and giving so far shows that we’re getting behind the Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering. As of Oct. 31, $550,594.10 has been given toward the goal of $675,000. That’s well ahead of last year’s pace. Thank you Missouri Baptists!
Giving typically ramps up in November, but it’s good to keep in mind that MMO, like God’s call to missions, is never-ending. The MMO offering is collected year around to support missions within the state – youth evangelism and missions, Women’s Job Corp, education, disaster relief, partnership missions, summer missionaries, the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home, church planting and much more.
Like God’s call to salvation and to service, missions giving is personal. It starts with you and reaches real people in need across the state. Be sure to check out the tabs above – About MMO, Materials, and Videos – to learn more and educate others at your church.
Thanks for your prayerful and generous involvement in missions through MMO.
Rob Phillips
Communications Team Leader
Plan now to promote MMO at your church in 2012
I believe with all my heart that God’s people want to help others with physical needs and they want to share the love of Jesus with those who do not yet know Him. As missional disciples, we want to send, pray and give money for God’s purposes.
Much of the emphasis for the Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering is about praying and giving. Like the churches of Macedonia, churches across Missouri want to generously give of themselves and their money by their loving actions: Sharing Christ’s Love, Sending Missionaries, and Starting Churches.
As churches seek to educate and enlist people, state missions need to be personal. “From Me to Missouri” is a way to involve “Me” in Missouri missions. The materials used in this MMO emphasis, whether it is a simple bulletin insert or a powerful video, demonstrate how Missouri Baptists are already involved and how they can be further engaged in reaching our state for Christ.
Missouri Disaster Relief volunteers ‘serving Christ in crisis’
Ron Crow, Chaplain (center)
The year 2011 has been called the “Year of Disasters.” Your Missouri Baptist Convention Disaster Relief volunteers have served faithfully in St. Louis after the Spring tornado, Poplar Bluff and Morehouse following the spring and summer flooding, at Joplin as they recover from the EF-5 tornado, and in Northeast Missouri, cleaning up from the flood there.
Your Missouri Mission Offering dollars help fund a very large portion of the Disaster Relief operating budget. Thank you for helping “Serve Christ in the Crisis.” Our state offering goal this year is $750,000.
We could not have done these things…without MMO
MMO funds have been used as the MBC has partnered with us:
In Real Evangelism (motorcycle stunt evangelism)…1,500 in attendance at harvest night and approximately 180 people saved.
In “Heaven’s Gates, Hell’s Flames”…a dramatic presentation of the urgent need to be saved…more than 1,200 attended and 90 were saved.
In the purchase of more than 6,000 Bibles to be distributed in northwest El Salvador…many people there had never had a Bible of their own.
In the purchase of a van to be used for missions in El Salvador in the northwest area of that country.
In Operation Kirksville, a pilot project to reach 6,000 homes in Kirksville with the gospel…a prelude to God’s Plan for Sharing (GPS)…four churches cooperated to reach every home in that community.
In hiring summer missionaries over several years to help the churches with vacation Bible schools in churches or Bible clubs in parks, etc.
We could not have done these things without the partnership with MBC and the support from the Missouri Missions Offering. — Bill Smathers, Director of Missions, Thousand Hills Baptist Association
Missouri Baptist Response to Joplin Disaster
For information about the Missouri Baptist response to the Joplin tornado disaster, go to the Missouri Baptist Convention web site. Click here to go to the Disaster Relief page.
Also, click here to visit the Missouri Baptist Convention Disaster Relief page at Facebook.
I have benefited firsthand from Missouri Baptists
Like many others, my personal story is profoundly linked to Missouri Baptists. I was raised, baptized, licensed, and ordained in Missouri Baptist churches. I met my wife at an associational youth event. My degree is from a Missouri Baptist institution. In my family tree are teachers, deacons and worship leaders of Missouri Baptist churches. Today, I am the pastor of a great Missouri Baptist congregation. In short, I have benefited firsthand from the generosity and faithfulness of Missouri Baptists. That’s why I support the MMO. I believe in Missouri Baptists, and in what we can accomplish for the Kingdom when we partner together.
— Josh Hall, pastor, Selmore Baptist Church, Ozark
The 2011 promotion emphasis is almost here
“They even asked and begged us to let them have the joy of giving their money for God’s people.” — II Corinthians 8:4 (CEV)
“From Me to Missouri” is the theme for the Missouri Missions Offering emphasis in September of 2011.
God’s people want to help others with physical needs and to share the love of Jesus with those who do not yet know Him. I believe that with all of my heart. I also know that we want to not only send, pray, and give money, but to SHARE in the meeting of those needs. Much of the emphasis for the Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering is about praying and giving. But just like the churches of Macedonia, churches across Missouri want to generously give of themselves and their money by these loving actions: Sharing Christ’s love, Sending missionaries, and Starting churches.
This year as churches seek to educate and enlist the involvement of people in the pew it will be personal. “From Me to Missouri” is a means of involving “Me” in Missouri Missions. The materials used in this MMO emphasis, whether it be a simple bulletin insert or a powerful video, will show people how they are already involved as a Missouri Baptist, and how they can be more involved.
“Won’t you partner with us…to reach as many Missouri Baptists as we can for this great Kindgom opportunity?”
The dollars given in the Fall of 2011 will be used in the ministries of MMO in 2012. We encourage you to use the provided materials: a top quality video DVD for the worship services, a Promotional booklet & CD that have bulletin inserts and a preschool and children’s sermon, and a sermon starter that the pastor might like to use.
In today’s internet age, we are able to share electronically as well as personally. Our MMO web resources, including this website and our Facebook page make it easier than ever to get our message of Sharing, Sending and Starting out to the people of Missouri. Won’t you partner with us in your church and on the web to reach as many Missouri Baptists as we can for this great Kingdom opportunity?
Watch your church mail box for your MMO promotion packet to arrive in June.
Spencer Hutson
Cooperative Program / Biblical Stewardship Specialist
Missouri Baptist Convention
Thank you for promoting MMO in 2010!
I hope you are enjoying reading about how your MMO gifts are helping reach people throughout Missouri. Many of these ministries are completely funded by MMO, and would not be happening without your support through the Missouri Missions Offering. Keep checking back with us! We will continue posting features and updates. Even through we only focus on promoting MMO during the fall, your gifts continue working throughout the year!
Also, even though September was the preferred promotion month, you can still promote the offering throughout the year; just remember that all 2010 gifts must be submitted to MBC by December 31, 2010 to be distributed in 2011.
One church I know of was short of their goal by $5 of a $500 goal. It was mentioned on the last Sunday of September and another $425 came in that day! Folks believe in what MMO is about!
Bookmark this site and click the link to your right to become a friend of our Facebook Fan Page so you can receive updates throughout the year.
—Spencer Hutson, MBC, Stewardship Specialist
