RICHMOND, Va. -- Southern Baptists set another record in giving to their Lottie Moon Christmas Offering in 2002, but fell shy of their goal, according to a report by Baptist Press.
Southern Baptist churches gave $115 million to the offering, an increase of $1.3 million over 2001, but almost $10 million short of the $125 million goal.
Every dollar of the offering is used for missionaries and their ministries, according to the International Mission Board, which announced the results June 5. IMB said the shortfall will force it to move ahead with plans to restrict the number of new missionaries appointed to overseas service, BP reported.
"We are grateful that Southern Baptists have a heart for missions and continue to give so faithfully and generously to the Cooperative Program and Lottie Moon Christmas Offering," IMB President Jerry Rankin said.
"Because of the amazing growth in missionary personnel and unprecedented new opportunities all over the world, however, all of the $125 million goal was included in the operating budget. As a result, we are having to restrict the approval of available missionary candidates for the first time since the Depression years of the 1930s," he said.
More than 1,000 new missionaries were sent out during each of the last two years, IMB reported.
