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RICHMOND, Va. (BP)–Southern Baptist leaders are reacting to the news of the $145.6 million given through the 2010 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering with a mixture of gratefulness and hope for even greater sacrifice for the sake of sharing the Gospel.
The offering is $3 million less than the $148.9 million Southern Baptists gave in 2009, a 2.2 percent decrease, and $8.3 million less than IMB needs to meet its 2011 operating budget. Offering receipts also fell well below the national goal of $175 million.
IMB President Tom Elliff challenged Southern Baptists that this is not a time for retreat.
“God says we are to totally cast ourselves upon Him for the purpose of reaching the nations,” Elliff said. “Our vision is every language, people, tribe and nation knowing and worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ. If that is the goal then it is worth me giving everything I have and everything I am to reach that goal. When we begin to realize that, then I believe God is going to pour out abundant blessings on us; we become people He can trust.”
Other Southern Baptist leaders who shared their thoughts are Daniel Akin, David Galvan, J.D. Greear, Jeff Iorg, Dennis Kim, Richard Land, Frank Page, Paige Patterson, David Platt, William Smith and Bryant Wright.
Daniel Akin, president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, N.C.
“Last words are meant to be lasting words. The final words of Jesus before He ascended back to heaven were 'GO and MAKE DISCIPLES of ALL the NATIONS!' That command is as binding on us today as it was then. The marching orders of our resurrected King are so clear.
“The question each of us must face in light of this report is, 'What will I do in response to my King?' May it be that by God's grace and for His glory Southern Baptists will become more radically committed to this mandate than ever before in our history. May we weep more, pray more, give more and send more that the nations may worship our great God and Savior, King Jesus.”
David Galvan, senior pastor, Primera Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida, Dallas, Texas
“To hear the announcement of an $8 million shortfall to the 2011 IMB budget has to concern every believer, since the Great Commission was given to all of us. Just this morning, our early-morning prayer group prayed for the Zoque people of Chiapas, Mexico, and realized that only as we support world missions will ethnicities like the Zoques be reached. The challenge is to go before our churches this next Sunday and cry out to God with this urgent need.”
J.D. Greear, lead pastor, The Summit Church, Durham, N.C.
“In light of this announcement, there are two things I know to be true: 1. God is never short on money and always supplies His work; 2. God places that supply in the hands of His church with the expectation that we share it when the opportunity is presented. Now is clearly such a time, and we at The Summit Church will be asking ourselves what we can give to rise to this request.”
Jeff Iorg, president, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Mill Valley, Calif.
“Our students are preparing to go around the world with the Gospel. I am thankful so many of them want to serve with IMB. My hope is that Southern Baptists will continue to value the role of career missionaries and give generously to send and sustain them on the field. The Lottie Moon offering is foundational to this effort. Thank God for millions given this year — but we can give more and we must give more to fulfill our mandate of global mission responsibility.”
Dennis Kim, senior pastor, Global Mission Church, Silver Spring, Md.
“Praise God for Southern Baptists who are together accomplishing the Great Commission through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. We, the Global Mission Church of Silver Spring, Md., would like to encourage each and every Southern Baptist to lift up holy hands in prayer and press on, taking part in our great efforts to prepare us for the day of Jesus' return. Let us bridge the gap and move forward!”
Richard Land, president, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention
“Like most Southern Baptists, I know many people who are struggling with harsh economic times and in many cases, even the loss of their livelihoods. In light of the dire economic climate, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering of over $145 million is impressive.
“However, Southern Baptists need to challenge each other to focus ever more closely on the tremendous need to reach a lost and dying world where nearly 2 billion people will never hear the name of Jesus unless we increase our global mission efforts. I challenge Southern Baptists to join me in praying that God will convict all of us to find ways to provide additional resources to our worldwide mission outreach for Jesus our Lord and Savior.”
Frank Page, president, Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention
“We celebrate what God's people have done … truly. However, we cannot — must not — do less, even in hard times. The issue is stewardship and lordship. May God accept our repentance and let us understand that an ongoing commitment to cooperative ministry is the way to fully fund a long-term mission strategy. Let's step up to the plate, Southern Baptists!”
Paige Patterson, president, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas
“Inconsequential is the only way to describe the decision to reduce expenditures by not buying a ticket to a sporting event, or not purchasing a new automobile or even a new house. Of eternal consequence is the decision any Southern Baptist or Southern Baptist church might make to reduce or even simply maintain present levels of commitment to the global saturation of the ethnic peoples of this world with the Gospel of Christ, which alone can save their eternal souls. Nothing else rivals this task in importance. The time is now to follow our marvelous leader, Tom Elliff, and do the most by far that we have ever done in history.”
David Platt, senior pastor, The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham, Ala.
“Embracing unreached people groups and accomplishing the Great Commission will require much sacrifice among Christians, churches and our entire convention. This sacrifice must be reflected in our personal finances and church budgets. In the words of our King, 'Where our treasure is, there our heart will be also' (Matthew 6:21). Let's put our hearts — and our treasure — in spreading the Gospel and declaring God's glory to the ends of the earth.”
William H. Smith, lead pastor, North Buffalo Community Church, Buffalo, N.Y.
“What are we waiting for? The war for the souls of the lost is raging. Our time is now. We must give it our all. That means giving through prayer, finances and personal involvement like never before!”
Bryant Wright, president, Southern Baptist Convention; senior pastor, Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, Marietta, Ga.
“A few days ago I was standing in Liberation Square in downtown Cairo, Egypt. It was a reminder of people's willingness to take great risks in hopes of freedom. It was also a reminder for me that those of us who follow Christ have the ultimate freedom — the freedom that comes from following Him. The question for us is what sort of risks are we willing to take? Are we willing to put our lives and possessions on the line — like the early disciples — to share that ultimate freedom with others?
“There are approximately 3,800 unengaged, unreached people groups who know nothing of the freedom we have. I thank God for what Southern Baptists have given through the Lottie Moon offering. But that day in Liberation Square reminds me to ask: What more are you willing to risk for God's beloved children who will never know Him unless you do?”
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