N.C. Baptists have a long history of compassion and generosity that is evidenced by a willingness to give of their time, talents and treasure to advance the gospel. I’ve witnessed these efforts firsthand as N.C. Baptists come together in numerous ways to meet physical and spiritual needs in the name of Jesus.

Navigating the brokenness of our world by offering help and hope in Jesus’ name is at the heart of the North Carolina Missions Offering (NCMO). This annual offering supports a variety of vital ministries right here in our state with an impact that extends across the country and around the world.

The offering supports disaster relief and the 19 different ministries of Baptists on Mission, church planting, missions partnerships, mission camps and work in local Baptist associations. This year’s offering goal is $2.1 million.

Our offering theme for this year is “Relief for Today, Hope for Tomorrow,” based on Romans 15:13, which reads, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (CSB).

Each of the ministries supported by the NCMO are near and dear to my heart. I am passionate about the work that the NCMO supports and have been personally connected with these or similar ministries since becoming a follower of Jesus.

As a new Christian, disaster relief work was one of the first ways I got involved in missions. I’m thankful that here in North Carolina, God has blessed us with what I believe is the best disaster relief team and group of volunteers in the country. They stand ready to respond at a moment’s notice in our state and beyond when natural disasters and other calamities strike.

In addition to disaster relief, NCMO supports 18 other ministries of N.C. Baptists on Mission. This includes our fleet of mobile dental and health screening units that are used by churches and associations to reach out to their community. These units are staffed by health professionals who volunteer their time to minister and serve. Every patient who is seen through this ministry not only receives quality care, but they also hear of the saving love of Jesus.

The NCMO also supports the work of church planting in our state. We believe the local church is God’s “plan A” for reaching a lost world, and we need more churches to reach more people in North Carolina. Even if every lost person in North Carolina came to one of our churches on any given Sunday, our churches would not be able to host them all. This vital work provides resources and training for prospective church planters and for churches to develop a church planting culture.

Your gifts to the NCMO also support numerous domestic and international partnerships that regularly send teams to serve in a variety of ways. In the United States, we serve in the Appalachian coalfields, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, the Rocky Mountains, Vermont and all across North Carolina. Globally, we serve in places like Armenia, the Bahamas, Cuba, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, Kenya, Romania, South Africa and elsewhere.

As a former missionary, I value partnerships like these that mobilize and send people to serve. For many individuals, these experiences are often their first taste of what it means to be on mission. 

The NCMO also supports the work of mission camps in Red Springs and Shelby. These camps coordinate with area churches, civic organizations and others to provide hands-on ministry and outreach opportunities. The camps can house volunteers as they serve and minister in the local community.

As a former associational mission strategist, I know how local Baptist associations can bring churches together to be on mission together and advance the gospel. The NCMO helps support a variety of projects in the 78 Baptist associations across our state. 

September is the emphasis month for the NCMO. Please be praying for this year’s offering and ministries it supports. You can learn more about the offering and access free promotional materials at ncmissionsoffering.org.

Thank you, North Carolina Baptists, for your faithful generosity and for being on mission together.