Last week, I shared a couple of highlights from the Southern Baptist Convention in St. Louis. This week, I want to round out that report by sharing a bit more.

The biggest reason that our denomination was founded was to support missions. The delegates who came together that day in 1845 (a group that included the Pastor of FBC-Suffolk) believed that their churches could do more for missions by working together than they could ever do separately.

The Cooperative Program, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, and the International Mission Board (IMB) are all the ways that Southern Baptist Churches work together to advance the gospel around the world. FBC has always been an exemplary church in its support of missions. It is the heartbeat of our church and the heartbeat of our Savior. Therefore, we have a special interest in the International Mission Board, for it is at the core of what we are about.

At each annual meeting of the SBC, trustees are elected for our mission boards, seminaries, and agencies. I am deeply humbled that the messengers in St. Louis elected me to serve as an IMB Trustee for the next four years. Having served in this role once before, I am thrilled about what this means for our church. As I work with our IMB staff and missionaries, FBC will be even more intimately connected to the exciting things that God is doing around the world! IMB Trustees are composed of men and women from all of our Baptist State Conventions across the country. They are a mixture of pastors, denominational workers, and laypersons. Most of our quarterly meetings will take place in Richmond, where the IMB is headquartered. Please pray for the International Mission Board. It is the largest missionary sending agency in the world, and we have a world to win!

And here is some good news: The final tally is in, and SBC churches gave $165.8 million to last year’s Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. That’s $11 million more than the previous high, throughout the history of the IMB! Thanks for giving so generously, as you do every year.

Let’s pray, give, and go like we never have. Do you realize that the population of the world did not reach one billion until 1800? Do you know what it is projected to be by 2048? Nine billion! Pray for the IMB as we seek to develop pathways for thousands of workers to be sent into the harvest fields until Jesus comes.

I am so thankful for Martin and Carrie Chappell. How wonderful to see them and hear from them during their brief window in the States! Please pray for the progress of the gospel. Pray that God will use Martin, Carrie, and their church to help them find the One who has prepared home for us all.

This Sunday we will be back in Mark, digging into Mark 6:45-56. Read and pray over the text, and I will see you on Sunday!

See you this Sunday!

Dr. Thurman Hayes, Jr.