Introduction to MMO
The Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering (MMO) is our state’s annual missions offering, named after the late MBC executive director who pioneered the annual giving emphasis that today supports projects in seven areas of ministry:
Prayer & Evangelism – evangelism and outreach grants; a student evangelism conference; VBS regional training events; discipleship training; Super Summer interns; student minister and children’s minister networks; a students’ preaching lab; and the state fair ministry of the Missouri DOM Fellowship.
Collegiate Ministries – a summer missions mentoring initiative involving more than 50 students.
Missions Mobilization – Cross Center Academy in St. Louis; School to the Nations; international training for pastors; and strategic missions.
Disaster Relief – DR readiness; collegiate DR internships; an emergency food fund; a hunger relief network; and Baptist Builders.
Church Renewal – Resound Network training and development; the Leader Care Network; Discover MBC, a conference for new pastors; Women in Ministry; and associational leader development.
Entity Relations (MBC-affiliated institutions) – the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home; Baptist Homes & Healthcare Ministries; the Missouri Baptist Foundation; Hannibal-LaGrange University; Missouri Baptist University; and Southwest Baptist University.
Auxiliary Organizations – Missouri WMU; Sports Crusaders; Redemption Ranch Youth Camp; the Missouri DOM Fellowship; the Christian Life Commission; the Historical Commission; and a Pathway journalism retreat.
In addition, 10 percent of MMO gifts goes back to the associations of contributing churches, where the funds support regional mission projects.
Funds raised above the MMO goal are placed in reserve for future mission opportunities. At the same time, 10 percent of gifts above the goal is given to Missouri WMU, which promotes state, national, and international missions in MBC-affiliated churches.
History of the Offering
Rheubin L. South became executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention in 1975, coming to Missouri from Park Hill Baptist Church, North Little Rock, Ark.
When South arrived, each Missouri Baptist agency promoted its own offering. The Missouri Woman’s Missionary Union promoted the convention’s offering for state missions. As mission causes and agencies multiplied, the different offerings became burdensome to Missouri Baptist churches. Having separate offerings meant that Missouri Baptist agencies were competing against each other.