I like the theme of this year’s North American Missions emphasis. The North American Mission Board is the way Southern Baptist unite and cooperate together to reach one of the world’s largest mission fields…the United States of America. That is where the name The North American Mission Board comes from. We also have the International Mission Board charged with leading Southern Baptist to reach the world.
Southern Baptist Churches voluntarily work together in prayer, work, and giving to work with God to reach America. Starting on April 1, no fooling, we will begin a month long emphasis on mission work in North America. It will begin with a prayer guide you will find in your worship bulletin on that Sunday. After that, you will find prayer bulletins on the information tables in the back of the worship center. It really doesn’t matter what month, week, or day you begin praying for these selected missionaries. Anytime is a great time to begin praying. Many Southern Baptist Churches will actually begin their North American Missions emphasis in March. We will have a special love offering to go toward the mission efforts of starting new churches in areas that do not have evangelical churches. This offering also helps resource 3,500 chaplains, many of them serving in the military. It also helps resource and co-ordinate the 82,000 Southern Baptist volunteers who respond every time there is a disaster in the United States. We are privileged to have some of our very own JIBC family that are blessed by this offering as they seek to serve Him.
I encourage you to think about an offering that you might give to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. By the way, Annie Armstrong was a passionate missionary who founded the Women’s Missionary Union. The offering was named after her because of her example, her dedication, and effectiveness in mission work. It was a good choice of names; she is a Southern Baptist hero who served courageously.
40 Days In The Word
The 40 DITW will serve as a nice introduction to the North American-Home Missions emphasis. I am very excited and pleased with the wonderful results of the Connection-Small Groups. The emphasis on the Word of God will without a doubt come with blessing. I am also thrilled to hear of the many and varied Micah 6:8 projects getting our groups into the community. You will hear more about them in days to come. My Tuesday night group is going to minister to the veterans at the West Ashley nursing home. To God be the glory.
See you Sunday, Good Lord willing,
Pastor Tom
