08 Nov Christmas Missions Offering Update

Christmas is quickly approaching, and we once again have the opportunity, perhaps even responsibility, to be a part of Kingdom work broader than our small corner of the world. We often get so busy with the work in front of us that we forget the importance of giving to the global work of the church.

Our church’s Christmas Offering goal is $8,000.00, but because our church is dually affiliated, within this you have the choice to give your money to Lottie Moon, Global Missions, or a combination of both.

Our church is dually aligned with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Southern Baptist Convention; we have members who support one or the other, and we have members who support both. Diversity is a strength when we focus on the value of unity. One might even say unity without diversity is anemic. Diverse perspectives make us stronger and wiser. There will always be disagreement within diversity, but where respect and empathy are nurtured, we can work together toward bigger purposes than our mere opinions and personal agendas.

This is also true in the Kingdom. I believe God made His people unique, delights in their diversity, and works within those differences to accomplish His purposes. He understands that people seek Him from different walks of life and have different needs. One demographic can’t fully understand all, relate to all, or reach all. We need each other working together in the Kingdom to best express God’s love for all His people. Rest assured God is bigger than all that divides us—His grace and His love permeate our differences.

I value the dual alignment of our church. The history of the divide between the Southern Baptist Convention and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is a chasm that has caused deep hurt and polarization, but when we rise past our personal experiences to work together, we find a treasure in our unity that is greater than our pain. There is an agenda greater than the agendas of either the CBF or the SBC: loving a world in need.

The SBC and the CBF have different approaches to meeting this need, different perspectives of this need and God’s love, and different strengths and shortcomings, but they both do good work. Rest assured, God can, and does, work within and in spite of our human weaknesses. Whichever fund receives your Christmas Offering, your money is helping further the work of the Kingdom.

Do some research and prayerfully decide where you want your Christmas Offering to go—but no matter what you decide, please give! Designate on your offering envelopes according to what you choose: “Global Missions Offering” goes to support the work of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. “Lottie Moon Christmas Offering” goes to support the work of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

If you can’t decide, write: “Christmas Offering” and we will split these funds evenly between the two organizations. This Christmas Offering is an opportunity to see our differences working together to accomplish a beautiful goal greater than any division–AT