Engaging in missions involves fervent prayer for the lost and a commitment to go and tell others about Jesus. It also requires us to give sacrificially of our finances. Since 2010, our members have given nearly $3 million to missions through our Great Commission Offering and giving to the Cooperative Program.
What is the Great Commission Offering?
One way we encourage our members to give to missions is through our Great Commission Offering (GCO). The GCO is a missions giving campaign that begins in December and culminates on Easter Sunday. Through the GCO, we support an array of missions efforts occurring locally, nationally, and globally.
The GCO provides us great flexibility in how we allocate our missions dollars by allowing us to support missions efforts historically important to us as Southern Baptists (i.e., Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, Annie Armstrong Easter Offering) while also giving to other missions efforts our congregation is specifically passionate about (i.e., Reaching & Teaching, Love the Ville, 5 Loaves). Although Ninth & O financially supports missions through the other avenues (i.e., Cooperative Program giving, general budget, special offerings), our primary emphasis for missions giving is the GCO. In 2022–2023, we surpassed our goal again by raising over $128,000 for missions!
Here is a what we supported through the GCO in 2022–2023:
Lottie Moon Christmas Offering – 50%
Southern Baptist churches across the globe have given over $4.6 billion to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering since 1888. These dollars support the thousands of Southern Baptist missionaries who have gone onto the mission field through the International Mission Board (IMB).
Annie Armstrong Easter Offering – 17%
Southern Baptist churches have given over $1 billion to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering since 1934. These dollars support the 5,000 plus missionaries and 3,800 chaplains serving through the North American Mission Board (NAMB).
Mission Trip Scholarships – 11%
We believe in the value of short-term mission trips. One way we encourage mission trip participation is by providing financial support for members participating in Ninth & O mission trips.
Reaching & Teaching – 6%
Reaching & Teaching exists to reach the peoples of the world through evangelism as well as provide theological training to pastors around the globe. These funds support the organization as well as two families called onto the mission field from our church – Chris & Carol Sills and Ryan & Morgan Pickwick.
Love the Ville – 7%
We love our city and are excited to express this love in a tangible way again this year through Love the Ville. Love the Ville consists of various service projects where we mobilize our church to serve the city.
5 Loaves – 3%
5 Loaves seeks to raise awareness and support for underprivileged children in Ethiopia. 5 Loaves operates a day center where children receive meals, medicine, and tutoring in a Christ-centered environment. Several 5 Loaves board members are Ninth & O members.
Storyline Church – 3%
Storyline Church is a church plant located in St. Louis, MO. It’s pastor, Josh Wilson, had a vision to plant a biblically-centered church in an area of the city in desperate need of healthy churches. Storyline Church is the fulfillment of that vision, and this past September they celebrated their one year anniversary.
