Will your Christmas giving include missions?
December 11th, 2007
In 1918 missions leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention named our annual international missions in honor of Lottie Moon. After all she was the one that encouraged us to have an offering. Miss Moon went to China as a missionary in 1873 at the age of 32. She had spent Civil War days close to home and taught school in Kentucky and Virginia. Then God moved her heart to go and spend her life for the Gospel in China. She remained single after turning down a marriage proposal. It became her habit to write home to Southern Baptists asking for funding so the work could continue and expand. After 39 years of service she died on December 24, 1912 while in route home on a ship. Her memory and example encourages us to give to missions so others can go.
Harland Cason is a young man out of our church that now lives in Texas. He has been a church planter as well as a teacher of theology. A few days ago he sent me a book entitled, Theirs Is the Kingdom: Celebrating the Gospel in Urban America. I read it on the plane to Romania. It tells the story of Robert Lupton. Several years ago Robert moved to Atlanta and planted his life as a missionary to the inner-city dwellers. Do not read this book unless you are prepared to face some tough issues in your own walk and obedience to Jesus. It gave me much to think about as we seek to minister in Pensacola in a new and fresh way.
Pastor Ted Traylor