Through the Cooperative Program (CP) and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO), Arkansas Baptists in 2022 gave more than ever before to international missions.
The convention’s 2022 CP budget formula specifies that one half of any budget overage be sent directly to the International Mission Board (IMB). (Click here to see the recent story on record CP giving.)
The generous CP giving of Arkansas Baptists combined with a record year of giving to the LMCO totaled $6,616,902.60, supporting the IMB as it addresses the world’s greatest problem: lostness.
IMB President Paul Chitwood touted the generosity of Arkansas Baptists’ giving annually through the LMCO and their impressive giving through the CP.
Chitwood said the nearly $200,000 designated to international missions from the 2022 budget overage will fully fund two additional families on the mission field.
According to Chitwood, they have had a goal over the past couple of years to see their missionary force grow again. Between 2008 and 2018, he said the number of front-line missionaries decreased by 40% because of funding struggles.
“But the generosity of Arkansas Baptists and Southern Baptists across the land is making it possible for us to grow that missions force again. We have a goal to increase it by 500 over the next five years. Your increased giving is making that possible,” Chitwood said.
Chitwood thanked Arkansas Baptists on behalf of those missionaries sharing the Gospel with the nations and thanked them on behalf of a lost world for all that they are doing, especially for this growing generosity in giving.
“We’re excited about what God is doing these days, but we also know the needs are greater than ever before. Lostness is a greater problem than ever before. We crossed 8 billion in the world population, and we know that every day more people die separated from Christ. So, the urgency of our work could not be overstated,” Chitwood said.
As Arkansas Baptists pray for their IMB missionaries and the work they are doing around the world, Chitwood encouraged prayers specifically for missionaries to remain physically, spiritually and emotionally healthy and that God would give them fruit.
Chitwood also encouraged prayers for wisdom on their team as they deal with all the challenges that they face in doing the most important work in the universe – “sharing the Gospel around the world.”
Finally, Chitwood asked for prayers for the relief efforts in Syria and Turkey.
“Thank you in advance for those prayers. Thank you for all that you’re doing in Arkansas and all that we get to do together,” Chitwood said.