Devotional: Children, Radios, Fish & Christmas

This time of year is a full and exciting time of year. Between the celebrations of Thanksgiving and Christmas is a week that Southern Baptists from all over the world join together to pray and give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. During this time, we learn about a few of our current missionaries serving around the world. They face many different situations and 2020 has added to those different situations in ways no one could have planned. But God has placed each one where He needed them to be and has continued to guide and protect.

This week we have learned some about:

• The street boys in Kenya
• A Gospel radio ministry in Croatia
• The fishermen of the Akawa tribe in the Amazon Rainforest
• And several more inspiring stories

Although they all sound very different,  they really all have the same purpose. They are sharing the Gospel of Christ in various ways to reach people at their point of need.

This year’s goal is taking a HUGE step requiring a HUGE commitment from each of us: $175 million!  That is this year’s goal for the Lottie Moon offering as we celebrate 175 years of service through the International Mission Board. With all the uncertainties of this year, we have a God-size goal to meet. We are supporting 3,600 missionaries currently on the field, and an increase over the last 18 months of men and women surrendering for mission service. But it takes money to send them.  There are over 3,000 unreached people groups who do not know Christ OR even have a way to hear about Him. 

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”  Luke 12:48b

In a recent “chat and pray” Zoom time, Linda Cooper, President of national WMU, told us that 50% of our SBC churches do not support our missionaries or give anything to the Cooperative Program. That is over 20,000 SBC churches who give little or nothing to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Where have the days gone where we join together to pray, give, and go to spread the Gospel around the world? Some can go but we all can pray and give!. What about you? Find out more by exploring www.imb.org/lmco. 

Written by WMU of Texas President Earl Ann Bumpus