What is the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions?

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends” (John 15:12-13, ESV).

Throughout the year, we pray for our missions' partners during our Sunday morning pastoral prayers. Also, on Sunday nights, we highlight one of our partners to bring you updates on their ministry. When we adopt our annual budget, these partners are an important part of our planning. Because of our commitment to spreading the gospel through such partners, High Pointe commits to sending at least 10% of our general giving outside of High Pointe. That means you personally support Great Commission work through your regular contributions.

Because of this planned missions giving through our regular budget, we do not ask you to give to special offerings at other times throughout the year. There is, however, one exception – the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO) for international missions. Beginning with the first Sunday in December, we give you the opportunity to participate in this special offering by contributing above and beyond your regular giving.

As we prepare to close out the year, let me first say thank you for your regular, cheerful, sacrificial giving. The Lord continues to bless High Pointe, and your generosity exposes our love for Christ, his gospel workers, and the nations. We want to encourage you to continue your generosity to the glory of our God. Additionally, we want to encourage you to give above and beyond your regular contributions to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering this year. One hundred percent (100%) of the LMCO goes directly to resource international missionaries serving with the International Mission Board (IMB) of the SBC. Pray about what you may be able to give to support the spread of the gospel to the nations through this annual offering. In case you don’t know why this offering is named for Lottie Moon, below is a brief biography.

Lottie Moon
December 12, 1840—December 24, 1912
(Following biography taken from, http://www.imb.org/main/give/page.asp?StoryID=5527&LanguageID=1709)
Today's China is a world of rapid change. It's home to 1.3 billion individuals-one-fifth of the world's population. Village dwellers flock to trendy megacities with exploding populations. And China holds its own in the world's economy. It's very different from the vast farmland Lottie Moon entered in the 1800s. But one thing hasn't changed: China's need for a Savior.

Lottie Moon-the namesake of the international missions offering-has become something of a legend to us. But in her time Lottie was anything but an untouchable hero. In fact, she was like today's missionaries. She was a hard-working, deep-loving Southern Baptist who labored tirelessly so her people group could know Jesus.

Her mission
When she set sail for China, Lottie was 32 years old. She had turned down a marriage proposal and left her job, home and family to follow God's lead. Her path wasn't typical for an educated woman from a wealthy Southern family. But Lottie did not serve a typical God. He had gripped her with the Chinese peoples' need for a Savior.
For 39 years Lottie labored, chiefly in Tengchow and P'ingtu. People feared and rejected her, but she refused to leave. The aroma of fresh-baked cookies drew people to her house. She adopted traditional Chinese dress, and she learned China's language and customs. Lottie didn't just serve the people of China; she identified with them. Many eventually accepted her. And some accepted her Savior.

Her vision
Lottie's vision wasn't just for the people of China. It reached to her fellow Southern Baptists in the United States. Like today's missionaries, she wrote letters home, detailing China's hunger for truth and the struggle of so few missionaries sharing the gospel with so many people-472 million Chinese in her day. She shared another timely message, too: the urgent need for more workers and for Southern Baptists passionately supporting them through prayer and giving.
In 1912, during a time of war and famine, Lottie silently starved, knowing that her beloved Chinese didn't have enough food. Her fellow Christians saw the ultimate sign of love: giving her life for others. On Christmas Eve, Lottie died on a ship bound for the United States.  But her legacy lives on. And today, when gifts aren't growing as quickly as the number of workers God is calling to the field, her call for sacrificial giving rings with more urgency than ever.

How much does High Pointe plan to give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering this year? Our goal is a modest $30,000.00. Please join us in praying that we meet our goal and seek the Lord’s guidance as to how much you will be able to give toward that goal.

Love,