And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth - John 1:14
Please consider giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering this year in support of missionaries around the world just like us.
WE LOVE YOU ALL! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas as you honor the birth of God’s Son, our Savior.
We remember the days of Christmas back in the States, when we would be busy wrapping presents and baking just one more batch of cookies. We would have been to every Christmas musical and party in town. But instead, we are celebrating with new friends in Zambia. We pray for our families and know that no amount of distance between us will matter in the way we celebrate this special day. We anticipate a chance to share Jesus with those who have not yet accepted Him.
And of course, we wait with great anticipation as our children and other children around the world open their gifts with twinkling eyes and total abandon. Just imagine the paper flying! And if we are honest with ourselves, we love getting presents too.
Presents represent friendship and love from the giver. Every one of us longs for that love. Then when the frenzy is finished--the bows and paper piled in a mound as tall as the tree--we fully plan to write notes of thanks. Right?
The base of the tree now seems empty, but look again. Are there some gifts you didn’t see at first? Do you see the faces of hundreds of thousands of new Christians who are celebrating Christmas for the very first time this year? The roughly ten million church members in overseas congregations? What about the approximately 830 new missionaries, appointed this past year, who are faithfully sharing God’s love with the lost around the world? Being a part of this ministry of intercession is a privilege and gift the Lord has given to each of you. Give thanks to Him for the power of prayer.
Look closer, do you see Jesus? He is our ultimate, priceless gift. Today, as you write your thank you notes to friends and family, take a moment to write one more.
Dear God, thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ.
And who could forget Lottie Moon, the namesake of the international missions offering, who 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.
Throughout her career, Lottie Moon wrote numerous letters home, urging Southern Baptists to greater missions involvement and support. One of those letters triggered Southern Baptists' first Christmas offering for international missions - enough to send three new missionaries to China. Here are some facts about the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering:
International Mission Board vital stats
• 5,148 missionaries (as of 7/17/07)
• 23,486 new churches*
• 475,072 baptisms*
• 590,890 new believers in discipleship*
*As reported in the 2006 Annual Statistical Report
Status of World Evangelization
• 11,362 people groups worldwide; 6.6 billion people
• 6,494 unreached* people groups; 3.6 billion people
• 5,900 Last Frontier** people groups; 1.6 billion people
*Less than 2 percent evangelical
**Less than 2 percent evangelical, no active church planting
Lottie Moon past and present
• 2007 goal: $165 million
• 2006 receipts: $150,178,098.06
• $2.8 billion given since offering’s inception
• $3,315 collected in 1888 for first offering, enough to send three women to China
How much does it cost to support a missionary?
• $40,866.61 a year
• $3,405.55 a month
• $785.90 a week
• $111.96 a day
• $4.66 an hour
• $.08 a minute
Support includes housing, food, children’s education, retirement and more.
IMB budgeted income 2007:
Lottie Moon Christmas Offering - 52 percent
Cooperative Program - 36 percent
Investment income - 6 percent
Hunger, relief and other income - 6 percent
Total IMB expenditures 2006 - $282.2 million
• Overseas missions - $244.0 million
• Missionary support - $202.2 million
• Field work - $41.8 million
• Stateside - $38.2 million
We remember the days of Christmas back in the States, when we would be busy wrapping presents and baking just one more batch of cookies. We would have been to every Christmas musical and party in town. But instead, we are celebrating with new friends in Zambia. We pray for our families and know that no amount of distance between us will matter in the way we celebrate this special day. We anticipate a chance to share Jesus with those who have not yet accepted Him.
And of course, we wait with great anticipation as our children and other children around the world open their gifts with twinkling eyes and total abandon. Just imagine the paper flying! And if we are honest with ourselves, we love getting presents too.
Presents represent friendship and love from the giver. Every one of us longs for that love. Then when the frenzy is finished--the bows and paper piled in a mound as tall as the tree--we fully plan to write notes of thanks. Right?
The base of the tree now seems empty, but look again. Are there some gifts you didn’t see at first? Do you see the faces of hundreds of thousands of new Christians who are celebrating Christmas for the very first time this year? The roughly ten million church members in overseas congregations? What about the approximately 830 new missionaries, appointed this past year, who are faithfully sharing God’s love with the lost around the world? Being a part of this ministry of intercession is a privilege and gift the Lord has given to each of you. Give thanks to Him for the power of prayer.
Look closer, do you see Jesus? He is our ultimate, priceless gift. Today, as you write your thank you notes to friends and family, take a moment to write one more.
Dear God, thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ.
And who could forget Lottie Moon, the namesake of the international missions offering, who 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.
Throughout her career, Lottie Moon wrote numerous letters home, urging Southern Baptists to greater missions involvement and support. One of those letters triggered Southern Baptists' first Christmas offering for international missions - enough to send three new missionaries to China. Here are some facts about the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering:
International Mission Board vital stats
• 5,148 missionaries (as of 7/17/07)
• 23,486 new churches*
• 475,072 baptisms*
• 590,890 new believers in discipleship*
*As reported in the 2006 Annual Statistical Report
Status of World Evangelization
• 11,362 people groups worldwide; 6.6 billion people
• 6,494 unreached* people groups; 3.6 billion people
• 5,900 Last Frontier** people groups; 1.6 billion people
*Less than 2 percent evangelical
**Less than 2 percent evangelical, no active church planting
Lottie Moon past and present
• 2007 goal: $165 million
• 2006 receipts: $150,178,098.06
• $2.8 billion given since offering’s inception
• $3,315 collected in 1888 for first offering, enough to send three women to China
How much does it cost to support a missionary?
• $40,866.61 a year
• $3,405.55 a month
• $785.90 a week
• $111.96 a day
• $4.66 an hour
• $.08 a minute
Support includes housing, food, children’s education, retirement and more.
IMB budgeted income 2007:
Lottie Moon Christmas Offering - 52 percent
Cooperative Program - 36 percent
Investment income - 6 percent
Hunger, relief and other income - 6 percent
Total IMB expenditures 2006 - $282.2 million
• Overseas missions - $244.0 million
• Missionary support - $202.2 million
• Field work - $41.8 million
• Stateside - $38.2 million
Please consider giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering this year in support of missionaries around the world just like us.
WE LOVE YOU ALL! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
2 comments:
Hey Cooks!
Happy New Year! We're thinking of you and praying for you. Your blog is great. When you come home, I'm going to have to hire Nicki to be my tech support. I can't load a picture, much less a video!
You were missed at the Christmas party at our house. The 'Chinese Gift Exchange' went on forever, with Amanda the big winner of a fuzzy robe. Otis Haney left with a folding chair recliner that was also hotly contested. No blood was shed. But if we weren't Baptists and someone had been drinking, well let's just say there would have been a police cruiser at 590 Tamassee Knob Road.
Elysa says hello to Kelsey.
Thanks for all you're doing, and for sharing your pictures and stories with us. If you need anything, let us know.
Ed, Jan, Sam, Seth, Elijah and Elysa Leap
Hello Cooks!
Happy New Year from the Leaps! We think of you and pray for you often.
Your blog is fantastic. When you come back, I'm going to have to hire Nicki as my tech person. I can't even post a photo, much less a video!
We enjoy seeing what you're up to. The White Rhino was a great picture!
Everyone missed you at the Christmas party at our house. The 'Chinese Auction' went on forever, with Amanda B. the big winner of a fuzzy robe, and Otis going home with a folding recliner that was much contested. If we weren't a Baptist Sunday School group, and someone were drinking, we'd have had a police cruiser outside 590 Tamassee Knob Road for all the swaps, counter swaps and revenge swaps.
Things here are fine. The weather is SC standard, swinging from 15 degree days to 65 degree days. One morning the well froze, the next day I have a swarm of ladybugs in the kitchen and in my dinner.
Elysa says hi to Kelsey!
Homeschooling gets more fun and easier with time; we promise.
I'll close with a quote from an album that's playing right now with Aboriginee Music: 'Keep your face to the sunshine and you will not see the shadows.'
Love and prayers. God bless you big today!
Ed, Jan, Sam, Seth, Elijah and Elysa
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