NASHVILLE (BP) – Being one generation away from having no more missionaries motivates Connie Dixon in her work with the Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU). She believes the WMU plays a significant role in educating the next generation as it obeys the Great Commission.

“That’s how important it is that we teach about missions,” she said.

Dixon is the national president of the WMU and a recent guest on Baptist Press This Week.

She is also convinced that missions education “helps the church … engage their community.”

WMU offers curriculum for children and has resources to help every age group learn about missionaries and pray for missionaries on a regular basis.

“They are awesome resources that are educational and very sound,” she said.

WMU started in 1888, when the Foreign Mission Board – now known as the International Mission Board – asked a group to help raise money for two missionaries who would assist Lottie Moon, the well-known missionary to China.

That was the birth of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO), Dixon said.

“That first year, not only was enough money raised to send two missionaries, but we were able to send three missionaries to help Lottie Moon,” she said.

A few years later, WMU helped spearhead the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO) to help missionaries serving across the U.S.

Since then, nearly $8 billion has been raised through the LMCO and AAEO.

Dixon said she grew up participating in WMU activities in her church as a child in New Mexico.

“It was at a WMU event where I first felt God calling me into missions, and I’ve been involved with WMU ever since,” she said.

WMU provides a water filtration kit to every IMB missionary. And, when missionaries are on stateside assignment, they can stay in one of 500 homes WMU owns.

Dixon said the organization is made up of three areas – missions discipleship, leadership development and compassion ministries.

Churches are able to get involved with WMU by connecting with the national office or the chapter in their own state.

“I think WMU is a vital part of any healthy church,” Dixon said.