Why Special Missions Offerings?

Your gifts to the FBC budget cover only a small portion of the mission activities conducted by the organizations our church relates to and supports. All of your gifts to special missions offerings go directly to the field. Without them, many of our missionaries would be unable to fulfill their callings and ministries.

RICHMOND MISSIONS

The Richmond Baptist Association (RBA) serves about 70 member churches in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and works cooperatively with two other Baptist associations, as the Central Virginia Baptist Ministries, on regional ministries.

The RBA operates three community ministries in Richmond, the Church Hill Christian Wellness Center, the Oregon Hill Baptist Center, and the South Richmond Baptist Center. The RBA administers two international missions partnerships that send mission teams to Toronto, Canada and South Africa. Camp Alkulana, a facility in the Appalachian mountains, provides an opportunity every summer for about 200 inner city children to be exposed to Christian teachings in a beautiful setting. When you give to the special offering for Camp Alkulana, you support the RBA’s commitment to our city. The promotion for this offering occurs during the month of June. A gold special missions offering envelope is in your envelope packet each month and you may designate gifts to any special mission offering at any time during the year.

For more information, visit RBA at www.rbaonline.org or call 804-329-1701.

VIRGINIA MISSIONS

Gifts to the Virginia Baptist Mission Board (VBMB) of the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV) support Virginia state missions programs that address needs identified by local churches. The VBMB’s goal is to start at least 40 new churches each year to reach more than four million unchurched persons in Virginia. Impact Virginia helps 1,500 students each year to become involved in missions activities and develop into future church leaders. VBMB’s Virginia Disaster Relief Services supports communities throughout the nation during natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. The Latin American Mission Project of the VBMB works closely with Hispanic and Latino people groups in Virginia to help them learn English, find suitable homes and gain access to education and health care. An Arabic Ministry assists with the conversion challenges of Christian believers from Muslim backgrounds. Your gift to the Alma Hunt Offering makes all these VBMB ministries possible. The promotion for this offering occurs during the month of September. A gold special missions offering envelope is in your envelope packet each month and you may designate gifts to any special mission offering at any time during the year.

For more information, visit www.vbmb.org and www.almahunt.org or call 1-800-255-2428.

NORTH AMERICAN MISSIONS

Estimates suggest that three of four people in the United States and Canada (248 million people) do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Nearly 5,200 missionaries work to change these numbers. These missionaries work for the North American Missions Board (NAMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF). NAMB is served by about 5,100 and CBF by 100. NAMB missionaries start new churches, engage in student evangelism on college campuses, meet human needs through inner-city Baptist centers, and minister in resort settings. CBF missionaries are working in areas of deep rural poverty and in urban settings with internationals. Your gifts to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for NAMB or to the Global Missions offering for CBF support these missionaries. The promotion for this offering occurs during the month of March. A gold special missions offering envelope is in your envelope packet each month and you may designate gifts to any special mission offering at any time during the year.

For more information, visit SBC at www.namb.net or call 1-800-634-2462. Visit CBF at www.thefellowship.info or call 1-800-352-8741.

INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS

More than 1.7 billion people in 5,000 people groups have no access to the Gospel. The International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) and the Cooperative BaptisFellowship (CBF) are committed to obeying the command of Jesus to take the Gospel to all these people groups. Almost 5,200 missionaries (approximately 5,100 IMB and 100 CBF) go “to the ends of the earth” to share the love of Christ. You can help by praying for and making a contribution to this work. Your offerings for international missions can be designated to support missionaries of the International Mission Board of the SBC through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (named after one of the first Baptist missionaries to China) or to support the missionaries of the CBF through the Global Missions Offering. The promotion for this offering occurs during the month of December. A gold special missions offering envelope is in your envelope packet each month and you may designate gifts to any special mission offering at any time during the year.

For more information, visit SBC at www.imb.org or call 1-800-999-3113. Visit CBF at www.thefellowship.info or call 1-800-352-8741.