The Significance of Lottie Moon
Every December certain things roll around like clockwork. We go Christmas shopping, get out decorations, write Christmas cards, and listen to Christmas music to get into the Christmas spirit. At church we fill shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child, we go Christmas caroling, we have our Christmas music program, and, of course, there is the annual Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO). Some of us wonder who in the world this Lottie Moon person is, but I hope that you will come to look forward to participating in this offering that we might send forth the gospel to every people, tribe, tongue and nation by giving sacrificially.
Many people know very little about Charlotte “Lottie” Moon or what she did. Born in 1840, Lottie Moon was a missionary to China from 1873 until her death in 1912. She poured out her life for the Chinese people by giving them her home, money, food, and even her very being. In fact, on Christmas Eve in 1912, she died from starvation–a quiet starvation which resulted from her giving all of her food to the Chinese during a time of war and famine. She led in the campaign against the practice of feet binding. She suggested the idea of furloughs for missionaries. Her influence helped establish the WMU and she was the originator of the idea of the annual missions offering at Christmastime which now bears her name. In her words, “Is not the festive season when families and friends exchange gifts in memory of The Gift laid on the altar of the world for the redemption of the human race, the most appropriate time to consecrate a portion from abounding riches and scant poverty to send forth the good tidings of great joy into all the earth?”
Today what is significant about the LMCO is not just the life and influence of a missionary named Lottie Moon. The LMCO is a lifeline for missionaries on the field. We, as Southern Baptists, have over 5000 missionaries on the field who depend on this annual missions offering. On hundred percent of the offering is used for missionaries and their ministries. A friend in Central Asia describes below how the LMCO impacts their ministry. (The names of the missionaries and their specific country of service have been omitted due to security reasons.)
“As one of your missionaries serving in Central Asia, I can’t begin to express how thankful I am to the Lord for the LMCO. Through the LMCO, the Lord faithfully meets our financial needs and allows us to concentrate our attention on the calling he has given us. Unfortunately, many of our faithful non-Southern Baptist peers have to travel from church-to-church and person-to-person hoping they can raise the funds to live and serve overseas, and then even while on the field must work to maintain that financial support. What a blessing it is for us to know that the Lord year in and year out raises up fellow Southern Baptists to give faithfully to the work of world missions! As we serve in Central Asia our family is able to live in a comfortable home, have means of transportation, and benefit from health insurance when needs arise (and with four small boys, needs always arise!).
Even in a year of financial crisis, God has richly blessed our denomination in many ways, and Southern Baptists have always been aware that “to whom much is given, much will be required” (Luke 12:48). Therefore many have given sacrificially, often giving up worldly possessions or even bypassing vacations in order to see God’s name proclaimed around the world. We all look forward to that day when those from every people, tribe, tongue, and nation will gather around the throne. And I’m thankful the Lord will bring that to pass through the work of world missions, supported faithfully by Southern Baptists through the LMCO.”
Thank you for your faithfulness in giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering every year. Last year the national goal was $170 million and, as a denomination, we fell short of that goal by nearly $20 million. Consequently, the International Mission Board had to delay appointing some missionaries and suspend some short term mission programs. This has a very real impact on reaching the nations. The missionary quoted above, who works with one of the least evangelized people groups in the world, is losing one third of his team due to last year’s LMCO shortfall. This year our church goal for LMCO is $25,000. Let’s do our part in being senders of missionaries by giving faithfully to the LMCO. Please consider how God would have you give to this offering. Please give sacrificially knowing that all of the money you give will go to the field to support missionaries and their work.
