One way in which Baptist churches in Missouri have been able to cooperate is through offerings to support ministries across the state. As in the past few years, Missourians have three giving options to help reach the state for Christ.
Missouri Baptist Convention
The MBC's annual Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering kicks off with the traditional Week of Prayer from Aug. 27 to Sept. 1. However, promotional material from the convention is undated and designed to use throughout the month-long emphasis.
"A Heart to Show" is this year's theme, based on James 2:18. The convention hopes to raise $800,000 to benefit several ministries in 2007. Last year's goal was $750,000.
The MMO allocations budget calls for the largest portion of gifts — $297,000 — to be directed to missions, including $130,000 to fund summer missionaries for churches and associations across the state.
Ministry partnerships with associations will see $72,000, with $35,000 to be directed to support the MBC's national and international partnerships. Leadership development, scholarships and the small church ministry fund will also benefit.
The budget calls for $225,000 to benefit church planting efforts, with $200,000 of the total to support new work.
Some $216,000 has been earmarked for compassion ministries, including disaster relief, the FreeWay Foundation, hunger relief, resort ministries and chaplaincy. The Missouri Baptist Children's Home will receive 17 percent, or about $136,000.
Evangelism projects will receive $62,000. Outreach includes special evangelism events, such as the state fair and the horse whisperer ministry. Multicultural evangelism, an internship project, sports evangelism, personal evangelism training and the youth evangelism conference also will benefit.
The MBC offering is named for Rheubin L. South, who became the convention's executive director in 1975. Under his guidance, several offerings taken to support individual mission causes and agencies were combined into a single effort. The MMO was named for him in 1987.
Resources, including speakers, a poster, bulletin inserts, clip art, offering envelopes, information in audio and video format and other items are available by contacting the MBC at 400 E. High St., Jefferson City, MO 65101, or by calling 573-636-0400 or 1-800-736-6227, or online at mobaptist.org.
Baptist General Convention of Missouri
Again using the theme "Believing, Giving, Caring, Ministering," the BGCM has set $30,000 as its state missions goal, down from $35,000 last year.
The largest percentage will be used for BGCM ministries, with $13,000 earmarked for church planting efforts and $7,000 for mission partnerships.
Three ministries will receive the balance of gifts, including $4,000 each to The Baptist Home and to the Children's Home and $2,000 to the FreeWay Foundation.
Free downloadable posters and bulletin inserts in color and black and white are available on the BGCM's Web site at baptistgcm.org. Churches may order free offering envelopes by calling the convention office at 1-888-420-2426 or by e-mailing bgcm@baptistgcm.org.
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Missouri
Gifts to this year's CBF of Missouri state missions effort will benefit three ministry areas — next generation ministries, ethnic ministries and seven Missouri Baptist institutions. The goal for the Show Me Missions State Mission Offering is $40,000.
Collegiate summer missions, church starts and a youth event are among the next generation ministries that will benefit from about 42 percent of the offering.
Thirty-four percent of gifts will be used for continued outreach to Native Americans through Mid-American Indian Fellowships, to Russians in Kansas City, to Hispanics in mid-Missouri and to Romany Gypsies in St. Louis.
The remaining 24 percent will be divided equally among the following Missouri Baptist institutions: The Baptist Home, the Children's Home, Missouri Baptist University, William Jewell College, Windermere Baptist Conference Center, Word&Way and the Missouri Baptist Foundation.
For more information call the CBFMO office at 1-800-873-2950 or check the offering Web site at showmemissions.org.
