The annual Christmas offering by the nation's largest evangelical denomination is under the observation of other groups, according to an organization which tracks donations to religious groups.
Empty Tomb, Incorporated is a research and service organization which has published a book titled The State of Church Giving through 2007. In this book, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is cited as a case study, and the denomination is described as having a clear goal for achieving the Great Commission, but lacking an effective plan to reach that goal. Sylvia Ronsvalle with Empty Tomb says Southern Baptists have an opportunity to show that funding overseas mission work is a priority. "For all churches in the U. S., will some Christians put their donations where their goal is?" she asks. "Will they say, 'We have the possibilities to really make a difference in Jesus' name, [so] let's do it'?" It is estimated that each Southern Baptist will have to donate an extra seven dollars in order to send an extra 2,800 missionaries to the field through giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Ronsvalle believes that because of its size, the SBC has the ability to set a giving trend. "It's very exciting to see what might happen with the Southern Baptists," Ronsvalle notes. "Will they...start taking the bull by the horns, step up to the plate and hit the ball out of the park, and on behalf of all of us, [will they] get a movement going where we really do what Jesus asked us to do, now that we can?" The SBC's national goal for this year's offering is $175 million, and the results should be collected by early next spring.
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