When North Carolina Baptists give to the North Carolina
Missions Offering (NCMO) they help make possible Kingdom work such as church
planting, associational missions and ministry projects, and N.C. Baptist Men ministries
and partnerships.
N.C. Baptist Men (NCBM) recently hosted a series of Mission
Celebrations across the state to give North Carolina Baptists opportunity to
learn more about the work supported by NCMO.
“We want to help churches involve their members in missions,”
said Richard Brunson, NCBM executive director-treasurer. “God is using North
Carolina Baptist volunteers in a great way. Volunteers are serving as the hands
and feet of Jesus.” NCMO supports NCBM disaster relief ministry and 13 other
NCBM ministries.
NCMO also supports church planting efforts across the state.
During a Mission Celebration at First Baptist Church in Cary, attendees saw a
video about how NCMO helped Ronnie Morton start Greater Joy Baptist Church in
Oxford. “We’re here to transform the lives of this community, and to change the
atmosphere,” Morton said. “If we change the person from the inside out, that
transformation then goes into the community. We are claiming Oxford for Christ.”
Michael Royster is one example of how Morton and Greater Joy
are, through the power of the Holy Spirit, seeing lives changed. Royster used
to be a drug dealer. He was often in jail and would spend days away from home.
That was before Morton invited him to Greater Joy. Royster came, heard the
gospel, and gave his life to Jesus Christ.
Now Royster is involved in church and giving back to the
community. “Whatever I’m doing today is going to count. Not what I’ve done.
What I’m doing right now. I love the new Michael,” he said.
This year’s NCMO theme is “Compelled … By Christ, By Love, By Lostness,” and the offering
goal is $2.1 million.
During the Mission Celebration at First Baptist, Cary, North
Carolina Baptists shared about how they have been involved in local, national
and international missions and ministries supported through NCMO.
Lin Honeycutt, disaster relief volunteer and member of
Highland Baptist Church in Raleigh, shared about his experience in disaster
relief after a series of tornadoes stormed across North Carolina. About one
week after the tornadoes hit, NCBM recovery efforts were underway in 13
locations across 12 counties.
Trees fell on the home of Doris Pope, a 51-year member of
Carolina Pines Baptist Church in Raleigh.
“There are no words to express what Baptist men and women
have done for me,” she said.
Another opportunity to serve locally is through Deep Impact.
Deep Impact mission weeks are opportunities for middle and high school students
to serve and to share the gospel.
This summer, 1,161 students participated in activities such
as construction, Vacation Bible School, prayer walking and service projects. In
North Carolina, Deep Impact was held in Fruitland, Red Springs, Greenville,
Shelby, Caswell Beach and Bladen County. One week was also held in New York
City and Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Allison Huber was one of the college students serving on
staff this summer with Deep Impact. Huber said each week she heard stories from
the youth about how God worked in the lives of people they met. “I was reminded
of how powerful He is,” she said.
Amy Malugen, member of Mountain Creek Baptist Church in
Oxford, spoke about how members of her church went to Pennsylvania to help lead
a Vacation Bible School. Ministry in Pennsylvania is one of the opportunities
North Carolina Baptists have to serve nationally through NCBM. Other sites
include Vermont, Hawaii, Appalachian Coalfields and the Rocky Mountain states.
NCBM also provides international avenues in which North
Carolina Baptists can serve, such as in Armenia, Ukraine, Guatemala, Honduras,
Cuba, India, Kenya and Haiti.
Alicia Jones, a graduate of Campbell University and student
at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, is involved with the work in
Ukraine. She made her first trip to Ukraine last year and went again this year
to work among the gypsy people, who are the poorest of the poor in this
country. Yet, “God is building the vision for His work there,” Jones said.
After finishing the weeklong mission trip with others from
Fairview Baptist Church in Apex, Jones stayed behind to spend several weeks to
take language classes. She plans to return to Ukraine next year to begin
helping start a kindergarten for the gypsies.
Jones said she has seen the Spirit of God move among these
people, and she is committed to serving God in Ukraine.
The North Carolina Missions Offering also helps make it
possible for North Carolina Baptists to serve at mission camps in Shelby and
Red Springs. The camps provide volunteers with housing and meals at reasonable
rates as they serve in communities around the camp. For more information about
NCMO, such as news articles, videos and free promotional resources, visit