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Donate Online Mississippi Baptist State Missions

Each year in September, Mississippi Baptists focus on praying for the Margaret Lackey State Mission Offering. However, the MLSMO has now become a year-round mission endeavor that is helping Mississippians learn about missions, pray for missions, give to missions, and participate in missions.

Unexpected!!! In 2012, we received more than what was expected through the Margaret Lackey State Mission Offering. Total gifts were $2,103,665! That exceeds the goal by more than one hundred thousand dollars, and ends a four-year decline in giving that began in 2008. We celebrate the goodness of God and the generosity of believers in participating churches all across our state. Thank you for your faithfulness.

Just as the Apostle Paul was surprised by the Macedonians’ generous response to his appeal for an offering in the New Testament (2 Corinthians 8:1-7), we should be surprised by Mississippi Baptists’ response this year. When we first chose the theme: unexpected for the 2012 Margaret Lackey State Mission Offering, it had a nice ring to it. And the supporting text from 2nd Corinthians carried a classic biblical appeal for generous giving. But I must confess that I had no idea it would result in the largest state mission offering ever given in Mississippi. The national economy has struggled under the burden of stifling unemployment and dire predictions of fiscal collapse from Washington. Mississippi has never ranked high in wealth among the other states. Nevertheless, Mississippi Baptists have always been generous, and our churches have always been faithful. The commitment of our people to “…first give themselves to the Lord” (vs 5) makes a remarkable difference in the outcome of our offerings.

The unexpected result is a renewed sense of confidence in the power of God’s grace to enable us to accomplish more than we thought was affordable or reasonable given the economic circumstances. It’s good to be surprised by God! He reminds us that missions is not just a dollars-and-cents enterprise, but also an experience of His unexpected presence among us. Let’s see that we continue, as the Scripture encourages us, to “…excel in this grace of giving” (vs 7).

The Margaret Lackey Offering is the primary funding stream for key missional emphases like volunteer missionary mobilization and in-state church planting. Community evangelism projects, disaster relief training, and cross-cultural ministries also benefit from state mission gifts. Our two state mission camps provide year-round leadership training opportunities as well as exciting residential summer experiences for youngsters. Margaret Lackey is like the Cooperative Program’s little sister and adds value to what Mississippi Baptists are doing together in missions, Christian education, church leadership, and benevolence. The offering helps position us to fulfill the Great Commission appeal of Acts 1:8.

The theme for 2013 state mission emphasis is UNLIMITED. Our experience from last year should give us confidence to know that our potential for effective ministry in Christ is UNLIMITED. The Apostle Peter reminds us that God’s manifold grace empowers us to become generous servants in His Kingdom, and His Kingdom reaches to all generations (1 Peter 4:10). Let’s begin praying now for another demonstration of His UNLIMITED grace in this year’s offering.

Margaret Lackey poster

UNLIMITED

Servants of the manifold grace of God. I Peter 4:10

For your convenience in making suggestions regarding offering promotion or reporting unique ideas your church has used successfully in obtaining your offering goals, please write us at offerings@mbcb.org

Please encourage appropriate partners in your congregation to work with you in conducting this effort. Do not hesitate to share the needs which Mississippi has for the gospel of Jesus Christ or apologize for asking God’s people to give. Use the links below to learn more about the Season of Prayer for Mississippi Baptist State Missions and the Margaret Lackey State Mission Offering and how you can be involved in promoting and giving to the offering.

Who is Margaret Lackey? – Long Version

Who is Margaret Lackey? – Short Version

Margaret Lackey Videos

2013 Margaret Lackey Promotional Material