'Gotta Have Heart' - an MMO Challenge

David Waganer

August 17, 2004

“You Gotta Have Heart,” are words from a song of another century.  Musicians are able to inspire large crowds by playing instruments from the heart.  Athletes can encourage fellow team members by playing with heart.  Believers inspire other believers by giving from the heart. So, to get to the heart of the matter, pastors and missions leaders are needed to help in calendaring and encouraging Missouri Baptists to have hearts to give and send through the Rheuben L. South Missouri Missions Offering (MMO) emphasis.

The MMO theme for 2004 is “A Heart to Send.”  Four major areas of Missouri ministry in 2005 are dependent upon the gifts of Missouri Baptists in 2004.  The four areas of work include – church planting, compassion ministries, evangelism and missions.

MMO packets were mailed to every Missouri Baptist church and WMU leader in late July.  Packets include age related materials, bulletin inserts, video segments, posters and streamers.  We’ve added additional resources this year which include: two dramas, a theme song entitled, “Thine is the Kingdom,” and downloadable PowerPoint’s from the website.

The theme song was specifically written to use in promoting the MMO emphasis during the worship services.  The words of the song are quite meaningful:

“Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory forever, and ever.  I lay down my sacrifice empowering your Kingdom that reigns forevermore.  Give me a heart to send your word across the nations.  A heart to sow the seeds of faith.  A heart to show a life that’s been transformed by your never ending grace.”

The phrase from the song, “I Lay Down My Sacrifice,” challenges each of us to give sacrificially and out of gratitude to our Lord.  Will you give to the Missouri Missions Offering on the basis of reason or revelation?  When a person gives on the basis of reason, they give what they conclude they can afford to give.  Persons giving on the basis of revelation actually give on the basis of what God directs them to give.  Revelation giving is always sacrificial.

“Empowering your Kingdom that reigns forevermore,” words also found in the song, allows for us to make an impact in the Lord’s Kingdom through our gifts that support Missouri ministries.  Areas of church planting, compassion ministries, evangelism and missions are dependent upon each one of us giving through this special offering. Missouri Baptists must not miss this opportunity to empower the work of the Lord’s Kingdom.

Will you join others in promoting MMO in your church and in asking the Lord to “Give you a heart to send … sow … and show?”  Whenever Missouri Baptists become revelation givers, I believe MBC ministries will receive in excess of $1 million per year instead of $750,000.  I believe this could be the year!  Thank you for encouraging the people in your church to give to the Missouri Missions Offering. (David Waganer is associate executive director for the Missouri Baptist Convention’s communications and development team.)