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Pastor's Page

Posted on October 5, 2006 ...

During the next couple of weeks, we will continue to offer opportunities for giving to the Golden Offering for State Missions. Thus far, we have received a little more than $2,500.00 toward our $3,500.00 goal.

A church member asked me recently what ministries were funded through the Golden Offering for State Missions. (Perhaps you have wondered the same thing.) Various mission education tools have been used to help answer this question. On several September Sundays, our worship time featured videos of ministries that benefit from this offering. On Wednesday night, September 20, Nina Barrow made a great presentation highlighting several beneficiaries of the Golden Offering.

In short, the gifts to the Golden Offering for State Missions are distributed to a wide variety of Baptist ministries within our state, including:
?Ǭ? Disaster Relief Funding
?Ǭ? Collegiate Ministries
?Ǭ? Student Summer Missionary Support
?Ǭ? Ethnic Ministries
?Ǭ? Scholarships
?Ǭ? Gifts to children of missionaries
?Ǭ? Special Friends Camp
?Ǭ? Services for Impoverished Communities
By far, the largest allocation (about half) of this offering is to help fund new church starts. Three out of five people in Tennessee do not go to church anywhere. In addition, the population of our state continues to grow, increasing the mission field. Starting new congregations is an effective strategy for reaching people who do not have a church home. However, this is also an expensive endeavor. Compensating ministers working as church planters, providing meeting space, and purchasing necessary equipment are among the formidable up-front expenditures. Gifts to the Golden Offering for State Missions help to bring the gospel to more people in more places.

The Golden Offering for Missions is the sole source of funding for most of the ministries it supports. Our goal is within our reach. If you have not yet made a contribution, please do so soon. Tennessee Baptists thank you. Jay