"And He said unto them, 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.'" Mark 16:15

"Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." John 20:21

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled on by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven." Matthew 5:13-16

"May I have a heart that refuses to give to the Lord a sacrifice that costs me nothing," said a missionary among Central Asian peoples.

No less than all our heart, soul, and mind is what's required of us as believers. Missionaries commit their lives. Will we support them with our dollars? The world's population is now 7 billion, and more than half live among people groups still considered unreached, some having absolutely no Gospel sharing going on.

So no longer can this be your average give-a-few-bucks-on-Sunday-morning, pray-every-now-and-then kind of challenge. This is giving your everything, all you have - so that people can know the love of Jesus. That's what being totally His requires: pouring ourselves out completely to His heart, hands, and voice - individually, as a church, as Southern Baptists working cooperatively to reach all nations.

Remember, every penny given to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goes directly to support missionaries and their ministries. It's an investment with eternal impact! Pray that the Lord will guide you in your giving.

"Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest." John 4:35

Your mission field is your home, your work, your friends, your family, your neighbors, your colleagues. The world is your mission field.

We are all called to missions, but each of our mission fields will look slightly different. Pray that the Lord will use you to accomplish His purposes.

• Pray for open doors: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.” Colossians 4:2–3 
• Pray for boldness in witness: “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel." Ephesians 6:19
• Pray that God's Word would spread: “Finally, dear brothers and sisters, I ask you to pray for us. Pray first that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes.…” 2 Thessalonians 3:1
• Pray for protection: “Pray, too, that we will be saved from wicked and evil people, for not everyone believes in the Lord.” 2 Thessalonians 3:2
• Pray for their ministry: “Pray first that the Lord's message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes. .. .” 2 Thesslaonians 3:1
• Pray for God's guidance: “So we have continued praying for you ever since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what He wants to do in your lives, and we ask Him to make you wise with spiritual wisdom.” Colossians 1:9
• Pray for refreshment: “We also pray that you will be strengthened with His glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance you need. May you be filled with joy.” Colossians 1:11

1. Talk it over as a family what your gift will be. You might gather your children and share with them the special offering your are giving. Pray over it as a family. Trust me, your kids will probably be more excited than you.
2. A missions offering is a gift that should be above your normal tithe. The tithe is what the church uses in order to operate. The missions offering is given beyond the church walls.
3. Be glad God has put us in the position of giving. He has blessed us and allowed us the blessing of being part of winning people to Jesus.
4. Write on your envelope (or online donation) the portion of your giving that you desire to go to missions. Write, "I Love Missions" and the amount so we can set that gift aside to go directly to missions.