Annie Armstrong Easter Offering Facts

Why Give to AAEO?

To support our missionary team in their efforts to reach for Christ an estimated 258 million North Americans who do not have a personal relationship with Him; thatís three out of four people.

AAEO National Goal for 2010:
$70 million

Amount given to AAEO in 2009:
$56 million

Amount of AAEO used to support missionaries and their work:
100%! One hundred percent directly supports NAMB missionaries and their ministries.

Number of NAMB Missionaries:
More than 5,300 (About one-third are career missionaries, one-third are short-term, funded missionaries and a third are Mission Service Corps missionaries.)

Total 2010 NAMB budget:
$126,000,000

Amount of NAMB budget that comes from AAEO:
45%

Amount of NAMB budget that comes from Cooperative Program:
36%

Year Offering Started by WMU:
1895

Amount given in 1895:
$5,000 +

Year Offering named for Annie Armstrong:
1934

What are ways AAEO-supported missionaries use those funds?

• Start new churches
• Evangelize students on college campuses
• Serve the physical and spiritual needs of people through evangelism ministries
• Serve in Baptist associations as associational missionary or mission staff
• Provide training and ministry in interfaith witness evangelism
• Minister in resort settings such as lakes, campgrounds and ski areas

Who was Annie Armstrong?

• Native of Baltimore, Md.
• Lived from 1850 to 1938
• Advocate for Southern Baptist missions
• Helped form Womanís Missionary Union in 1888, for which she served as the first corresponding secretary and worked without pay in that position
• Passionate letter writer for the cause of missions
• Friend of Lottie Moon and helped start the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
• In 1934, the North American missions offering was named in honor of Annie Armstrong.

Where does "Annie" go?

So how long of a gap is there between the time the North American Mission Board receives gifts to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering and those gifts being put into use?

This is one of the many questions the North American Mission Board staff receives each year. The answer may surprise you: IMMEDIATELY!

NAMB's budget is based upon anticipated receipts from all income sources, with Cooperative Program and Annie Armstrong Easter Offering being the primary ones. So, when Southern Baptists give to Annie, they can be confident that the funds are immediately put to use to win people to Christ throughout North America.

In 2009, receipts to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering exceeded $56 million. Though far short of our $65 million goal, God has blessed us in a time when we all face the challenge of doing more with less.

Giving is just one part of the funding formula for North American missions. A penny put in the offering plate is just a penny, but with prayer its value increases significantly. So, as you prayerfully consider what your gift will be this year, make sure you cover that gift with your prayers!

This year's goal is $70 million and as always, every penny will be used to equip and support more than 5,300 missionaries, many of them jointly sponsored through partnerships with NAMB and state conventions. Whether they serve in remote locations or in greatly populated cities (and everywhere in between), these missionaries are doing an amazing work as they share Godís transforming power in their unique settings.

Below represents an overview of how 2009 receipts will be spent to help them accomplish the task of their call:

71 percent ($49,700,000) Missionary Support
• Salaries
• Health benefits
• Missionary orientation
• Ongoing missionary training

17 percent ($11,900,000) Church Planting Support
• Rental of facilities
• Materials
• Promotional expenses

12 percent ($8,400,000) Evangelism Support
• Scripture distribution
• Sports evangelism
• Special evangelism events
• Media campaigns