Annie helps Baptists reach Samaria

By Mark Edlund
CBGC Executive Director

"You will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all of Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."  Acts 1:8

More and more of our churches are officially becoming "Acts 1:8 Churches."

"Acts 1:8 Churches" are those that commit to being "on mission" with God in reaching all four of the concentric circles of Christ's Acts 1:8 command: Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the "ends of the earth."

These churches cooperate actively with their local Baptist associations to reach their Judea.  They cooperate with all the churches in North America through the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board to reach our Samaria.  And finally, through the Southern Baptist International Mission Board, they cooperate to reach the ends of the earth.

It is the practice of Southern Baptists to give special emphasis to our Samarian mission field this time of year.  The centerpiece of this emphasis is the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions.

All of the offerings collected through the Annie Armstrong Offering go directly to support, completely or partially, more than 5,000 NAMB missionaries commissioned to penetrate the lostness in the U.S., Canada and their territories: our Samaria.

Last year NAMB underwent significant changes with the coming of Geoff Hammond as president.  Colorado has been positively impacted by these changes - perhaps more than any other state Baptist convention in the U.S.

One of Dr. Hammond's goals is to refocus NAMB as a "missionary sending" organization.  Part of this focus involves moving missionaries who have been assigned to serve from NAMB's headquarters in Georgia onto the mission field.  Many of these workers specialize in language, cultural or other ministries that can impact unreached people groups here in Colorado and in other "frontier" areas.

To date, the Colorado Baptist General Convention has been selected to receive personnel for two major pilot projects.

At least one national missionary will serve in northwest Colorado and southwest Wyoming developing ministries to people working in the burgeoning gas and oil fields there.

The second effort will bring additional missionaries and resources to Colorado over the next several years to reach specific communities in urban Denver and Colorado Springs.

Personally, I am delighted and encouraged by these new efforts.  As many of you know, much of our convention's strategy for saturating Colorado with the gospel already is undergirded by NAMB missionaries serving here.  Assigning more ministers is another sign that a significant movement of the Holy Spirit is coming to Colorado.

Even though Easter is past, the opportunity remains to contribute to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.  For details visit the offering Web site, www.anniearmstrong.com.  Let's all give generously to support our NAMB missionaries in Colorado and throughout our Samaria.