Annie Armstrong Easter Offering 2012
Annie Armstrong Easter Offering 2012
“Whatever It Takes.”
When He entered Capernaum again after some days, it was reported that He was at home. So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and He was speaking the message to them. Then they came to Him bringing a paralytic, carried by four men. Since they were not able to bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above where He was. And when they had broken through, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic was lying. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:2-5, HCSB)
Week of Prayer for North American Missions
Date: March 4-11,2012
Accomplishes? Fervent, concerted prayer in behalf of millions of North Americans who need to know the Good News about Christ.
National goal: $70,000,000
State goal: $2,000,000
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Accomplishes? Every penny given to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering goes directly to support the ministries of missionaries proclaiming the Gospel in the U.S., Canada, and U.S. Territories.
Purpose:
- To prompt Southern Baptist to recognize that our call and task is to bring people to Jesus. To break through barriers that hinder us from doing so requires creative approaches. It sometimes requires making a mess.
- To instill in Christians to see and seize the opportunities to bring people to Jesus no matter what the cost or inconvenience.
- To encourage Christians to be the kind of friends to others that doesn’t allow circumstances to prohibit them from sharing Jesus.
- To increase awareness of and participation in praying for and giving to North American missions efforts through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering®.
Nothing was going to stop those friends. Determined, having great faith, they had complete hope and trust in who Jesus was and what He could do – what He would do for their beloved friend. Jesus saw their faith, and He responded with grace-filled healing and love.
Southern Baptist missionaries are like those friends holding the paralytic’s mat, carrying those who need healing to Jesus, and doing whatever it takes to get them to Him.
Whatever it takes means starting a conversation that could lead to a new convert, and that moment becoming a catalyst to the starting of a new church—a growing, thriving church with people intent on starting more conversations that lead to more converts and more churches, and the cycle continues.
The reality is that people need Jesus, and it’s not enough to simply point them in the right direction. That takes only a moment and little commitment. What we need to do is make an investment in their lives to walk with them (or carry them!) to His presence, introducing them to Him and inviting them to connect with Him personally and completely.
The healing of soul and spirit creates the need to connect with others for growth and accountability. That’s what church starting is all about—creating community within which leaders can be raised to go out and invest in others so new connections—and churches—can become realities.
Through your church’s gifts to the Cooperative Program and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, you are making a difference in church planting in North America. People are hearing the gospel and growing in their commitment to Christ.
During the Week of Prayer for North American Missions, consider how you are doing “whatever it takes” to impact the Kingdom of God through your continued prayers, giving, and going in the task God has called us to passionately embrace. Pray for the spotlighted missionaries who represent the dedicated work of thousands like them.
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