JACKSONVILLE (FBW)—Dozens of Florida Baptist churches are tallying record Lottie Moon Offerings, some doubling and even tripling their goals. They are part of what could prove to be a national trend of record-setting giving to the annual mission offering.

Church leaders throughout Florida told Florida Baptist Witness in an early sampling that information provided in the Witness assisted their members in seeing and responding to the needs. Other factors that led to the annual offering’s unprecedented numbers are personal involvement in missions and personal contact with IMB missionaries.

Westside Baptist Church, Gainesville reported an offering 45% higher than ever before — $66,598. The 2,000-member congregation annually sends scores of members on a myriad of international mission trips, and its pastor, Gary Crawford, serves as a trustee of the International Mission Board.

Fruit Cove Baptist Church, Jacksonville, more than tripled its goal of $32,000 with a preliminary total of $100,104. Tim Maynard, pastor of the 1,650-member suburban congregation, termed the offering total a "God-thing, far from just clever promotion."

"I think our people hooked into international missions personally. Several missionaries visited us this year, and we looked into their faces and realized they are risking their lives," Maynard said. "People want to put their money where it really matters."

Friendship Baptist Church, Immokalee, which struggled in the past to collect $1,000 for international missions, reported to the IMB not only a $10,250 offering, but a first-ever missions committee as a result of the seasonal mission emphasis. The small congregation voted to "step out in faith" to add $5,000 from itsmoney market account, even though the congregation recently had the opportunity to purchase 12 acres of much needed property. A retired couple in the church matched the amount.

"I am so proud of my people," pastor Rick Heers wrote to IMB president Jerry Rankin. "If I know my Lord, He will bless the gift to assist you in sending missionaries...."

First Baptist Church, Brandon, whose pastor is president of the Florida State Baptist Convention, more than doubled its $42,000 goal, raising more than $95,000. In December, the congregation participated in a live telephone interview with an IMB missionary in Scotland and heard a missionary from the Philippines preach. The church also maintains a missionary residence, where furloughing missionary families reside while on stateside assignment.

"Our people have a tremendous heart for missions," Green said. "They responded in overwhelming fashion with a generous heart."

Beulah Baptist Church, Pensacola, set a Lottie Moon Offering goal of $1,500 — the same amount received last year. Pastor David Shoffner proposed the church this year match the amount received with monies from its bank account if the goal was reached. When the church received the offering, it totaled more than $7,000.

Kathleen Baptist Church, a congregation of 500, gave about $20,000 to the Lottie Moon Offering in 2002. Pastor Danny Hood challenged church members to double the amount in 2003. Moved by the reports of missionaries who were ready to go but could not be sent, the church set its goal at $40,000, according to an IMB press release. On Dec. 14, church members gave $75,463.

"That they gave so much is a blessing and tremendous testimony of obedience, but they are capturing God’s heart for the nations...," wrote Tim Hood, the pastor’s son and former IMB missionary journeyman.

Two Orlando congregations — Delaney Street Baptist Church and First Baptist Church, Pine Castle — reported Lottie Moon Offering totals more than 25% above their goals. Delaney Street members gave $21,148, and First, Pine Castle, more than $30,000.

Smaller congregations also reported increases in missions giving. Richard Miller, pastor of Clearlake Baptist Church, Cocoa, reported a record offering of $2,500 - 25% more than its $2,000 goal. He maintained that it was the fact of having missionaries "ready to go who we can’t send" that challenged his 150-member church. Children of the church collected more than $500 in coins in a water cooler jug to "help the missionaries."

Terry Parker Baptist Church, Jacksonville, exceeded its goal of $5,000 by more than $1,900. Roger Smith, pastor of administration, said the church, with 170 in Sunday School, was made "more aware this year" through IMB videos and promotions.

The International Mission Board reported that Florida churches have been joined in sacrificial giving by churches nationwide and IMB missionaries on the field.

For example, First Baptist Church of Grayson, Ky., a congregation with about 200 in Sunday School, set a church record when they gave $2,500 to the 2002 Lottie Moon offering.

The church was moved, however, by the news that new missionaries were having to wait for appointment and decided to set a goal of $10,000 for this year’s offering.

Pastor John Newland told church members they could easily reach that goal if each church member set aside just $3 a week for 17 weeks.

In the space of a few weeks, the church gave $5,400 – more than twice the previous year’s record amount. As of Dec. 14, the congregation had given $6,466.

REACH FOR A CHALLENGE

In Wyoming, Wright Baptist Church, a congregation of 80 people, accepted a challenge goal of $5,000 for their offering – an amount several times more than they had ever given. When their contributions were totaled, the congregation was excited to see they had given $12,488.84.

"I truly believe that many ‘small’ churches across the country will rise to the occasion as God prompts the hearts of His people to give so the Gospel will continue to go forth," pastor Clay Alexander wrote.

"I look forward to seeing what God will do through the faithfulness of His people," he continued.

A MONTH’S OFFERINGS

Martindale Baptist Church in south-central Texas has been dramatically raising its international missions offering goal for several years. In 2001, the congregation gave $5,000, an increase of almost 50 percent over its offering two years earlier.

Last year the church doubled its giving to more than $10,000.

This year, pastor Glen Howe, himself a former North America Mission Board missionary, pointed out that the congregation was taking in about $1,000 a month above its budgeted needs.

He asked the church to apply those extra funds to expenses during December and use that month’s offerings to increase their contribution to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Both the deacons and the congregation agreed to the proposal without discussion or debate.

"We’re excited because we can see where the Lord could use us to give over $20,000 – we could double what we gave last year," Howe said. "That has created a real air of excitement for us."

New Hope Baptist Church in Rock Hill, S.C., has always been generous in its support of the Christmas offering. Last year, the church, with about 100 in Sunday School and 150 in worship, surpassed their $2,500 Lottie Moon goal by 20 percent.

This year, however, interim pastor Bob Freeland – a retired pastor who has led volunteer teams to Brazil for several years – challenged the church’s Woman’s Missionary Union to set a visionary goal. A goal of $10,000 was announced, and by Dec. 7 church members had given $11,461.

"What rejoicing at the end of the service when the amount was announced," Freeland said. "Shouting – not real loud – and clapping, and we burst into the doxology! It is exciting. Isn’t that wonderful!?"

GROWING IN VISION AND PASSION

Tiburon (Calif.) Baptist Church set a Lottie Moon goal of $12,500 this year – the highest goal the church had ever set and more than twice what it had given in previous years.

The church, however, has been growing in its missions vision and passion, joining the IMB’s Global Priority Network and adopting an unreached people group in the Middle East. On the first Sunday of its offering campaign, church members gave $7,500, and they hit $20,767 on the second Sunday.

"I know we will have more come in," one church member said. "I’m excited to be in a church that is interested in building the Kingdom!"

EXCITEMENT ELSEWHERE

• Missionaries in Central Asia planned a walk-a-thon for Christmas Eve morning. Prayer supporters back in the United States pledged donations to the offering in return.

• Missionaries in the International Mission Board’s North Africa and Middle East region received their annual missions offering in a retreat setting where they were joined by about 30 short-term volunteers from the United States. When the receipts were totaled, the group had given $23,000 – 85 percent of it from 139 missionaries and children.

• A single team of missionaries focused on taking the Gospel to the Arabs of Morocco gave more than $3,200 to the offering.

• Three Baptist churches in Japan sent Lottie Moon contributions totaling $12,344 to IMB headquarters in Richmond, Va.

• Staff and trustees of the International Mission Board gave more than $255,000 – an amount exceeded by only six churches in 2002. The trustees registered 100 percent participation in the offering for a total of $100,214. The staff and trustees combined – 550 people – averaged gifts of $463 each.

"Our trustees are again leading the way for Southern Baptists. This is a great example for all of us," said Avery Willis, the board’s senior vice president for overseas operations. "The staff also has given sacrificially because we see every day the need to send these delayed missionaries that God has called to the unreached peoples of the world."

[BP contributed to this report]