In a recent Baptist Press article, Dr. Jerry Rankin, president of the International Mission Board, reported on the 2007 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. In case you did not see the article, I want to share some of the highlights.

Southern Baptists once again gave generously in support of our international mission ministries. The total offering received was $150,409,653.86. This total represents an offering that exceeded the record 2006 offering by $231,000.

Dr. Rankin responded, “We are grateful for the strong commitment to the Great Commission exhibited by the generous giving of Southern Baptists to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Although we were disappointed by the failure to meet the goal of $165 million, we think it is significant in the context of financial challenges in today’s economy that we received the same impressive level of giving as last year.

“Many families are struggling with mortgages, foreclosures, and the rising price of gasoline. Many churches are struggling to meet budgets. Yet missions continues to be the priority of Southern Baptists as reflected in their giving.”

The 2007 offering marked a significant moment in the history of Southern Baptist missions. As you are likely aware, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering was initiated by the Woman’s Missionary Union in 1888. Since that year, the WMU has been faithful to lead Southern Baptists to pray for our missionaries and to give to their ministry across the world. For the first time in our history, Southern Baptists surpassed the $3 billion mark. The cumulative total of the offering from 1888 through 2007 is $3,034,234,033.84.

Wanda Lee, executive director-treasurer of Woman’s Missionary Union, stated, “We are grateful that Southern Baptists continue to make missions a priority as evidenced by this record amount given to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. Since WMU first initiated this offering in 1888, more than $3 billion has been sacrificially given by Southern Baptists so that the name of Jesus may be heard around the world in every nation. We praise God for these resources and pray that He will continue to bless our efforts to fulfill the Great Commission.”

The entire 2007 offering goal of $165 million was anticipated to fund more than half of this year’s International Mission Board budget of $304.8 million, which calls for approximately $16 million more than the 2007 budget. Much of the increase is needed to fund new missionaries. An additional amount of $106 million is needed from the Cooperative Program to fund the budget. In my opinion, if Southern Baptists have not understood prior to now, we need to understand now that declining support for missions through the Cooperative Program will significantly hamper our international missions ministry.

It is conceivable that rather than send new missionaries, we will have to call missionaries home from the field. You know the condition of our world right now. You know as I do that this is not the time to retreat. It is the time to advance with the Gospel for the sake of reaching the lost of our world.

You need to know that the International Mission Board budget also includes an increase of almost $2.6 million for missionary salaries and additional funds to help missionaries in areas where the falling U.S. dollar has driven up basic living expenses.

Dr. Rankin reported that the lower Lottie Moon Offering total “will result in a shortfall in our budget that will have to be made up from other sources, but even more critical is the declining value of the dollar overseas. I trust this double crisis will encourage Southern Baptists to give even more sacrificially to the 2008 Lottie Moon goal of $170 million. Nevertheless, we will continue to do whatever it takes to get the Gospel to the millions of lost people around the world who are desperately waiting to hear the Good News of God’s love.”