Womans Missionary Union Auxiliary To Southern Baptist Convention

ASSIST SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCHES TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY FOR MISSIONS.

CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS PROGRAMS - THE PURPOSE OF WMU IS MAKING DISCIPLES OF JESUS WHO LIVE ON MISSION. WMU SEEKS TO CULTIVATE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A MISSIONAL PERSON: ONE WHO LEARNS ABOUT MISSIONS, PRAYS FOR MISSIONS, SUPPORTS MISSIONS, DOES MISSIONS AND TELLS ABOUT JESUS. AVENUES FOR MISSIONS INVOLVEMENT INCLUDE MISSIONS DISCIPLESHIP, COMPASSION MINISTRIES AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT; THROUGH THESE THREE AREAS COLLECTIVELY, WMU HAD MINISTRY TOUCHPOINTS THIS YEAR IN NEARLY 50 COUNTRIES. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: MISSIONS DISCIPLESHIP FROM PRESCHOOLERS THROUGH ADULTS, WMU HELPS INFORM, INSPIRE, AND INVOLVE MEMBERS OF WMU AGE-LEVEL GROUPS IN MISSIONS. IN 2022-23, WMU CREATED AND DISTRIBUTED 9 SUBSCRIPTION ITEMS, INCLUDING PERIODICALS AND RESOURCES KITS, WITH AN AVERAGE CIRCULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 99,845. WMU ENCOURAGES GREATER MISSIONS INVOLVEMENT AND NURTURES ALL AGES IN MISSIONS DISCIPLESHIP THROUGH CHANNELS SUCH AS PUBLICATIONS, PRODUCTS, RESOURCES, BLOG POSTS, AND MORE.ONGOING MISSIONS DISCIPLESHIP THROUGH WMU DEVELOPS BELIEVERS WHO UNDERSTAND GOD'S MISSION IN THE WORLD, LEADING TO ENGAGED CHRISTIANS WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT SHARING THE LOVE OF CHRIST WITH OTHERS. LOTTIE MOON CHRISTMAS OFFERING FOR INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS. IN 2022, WMU HELPED RAISE $196 MILLION THE SECOND HIGHEST TOTAL IN THE OFFERING'S 134-YEAR HISTORY FOR THE LOTTIE MOON CHRISTMAS OFFERING FOR INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS. SINCE INITIATING THE FIRST OFFERING IN 1888, WMU HAS HELPED RAISE MORE THAN $5.4 BILLION THROUGH THIS EFFORT. THE OFFERING REPRESENTS MORE THAN HALF OF IMB'S TOTAL ANNUAL SUPPORT. EVERY PENNY GIVEN TO THE OFFERING GOES DIRECTLY TO SUPPORT MISSIONARIES, INCLUDING HOUSING, TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND HEALTHCARE. ANNIE ARMSTRONG EASTER OFFERING FOR NORTH AMERICAN MISSIONS IN 2023, WMU HELPED RAISE $70.2 MILLION AN ALL-TIME RECORD HIGH FOR MISSIONS WORK IN NORTH AMERICA THROUGH THE ANNIE ARMSTRONG EASTER OFFERING. SINCE 1907, WHEN OFFICIAL REPORTING BEGAN FOR THE HOME MISSIONS OFFERING STARTED BY WMU, RECEIPTS TOTAL MORE THAN $2.1 BILLION THROUGH 2023. ALL OF THE FUNDS RAISED THROUGH THIS OFFERING GO DIRECTLY TO NAMB TO SUPPORT FIELD PERSONNEL AND SUPPLIES NEARLY HALF OF THEIR TOTAL ANNUAL REVENUE. COMPASSION MINISTRIES WMU OFFERS A VARIETY OF WAYS TO BE INVOLVED IN HANDS-ON MISSIONS EFFORTS THROUGH MINISTRIES SUCH AS PURE WATER, PURE LOVE; CHRISTIAN WOMEN'S JOB CORPS/CHRISTIAN MEN'S JOB CORPS; WORLDCRAFTS; AND PROJECT HELP: MENTAL HEALTH. BOTH OUR DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL REACH CONTINUE TO GROW THROUGH THESE MINISTRIES AS LIVES ARE TRANSFORMED. WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 100 CHRISTIAN WOMEN'S JOB CORPS/CHRISTIAN MEN'S JOB CORPS SITES ACROSS THE US, AS WELL AS CWJC SITES IN SOUTH AFRICA AND UGANDA. CWJC/CMJCSM SITES OFFER CLASSES, RESOURCES, MENTORING, BIBLE STUDY, AND MORE AS PARTICIPANTS GAIN SELF-CONFIDENCE, PURPOSE, DIRECTION, AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.WORLDCRAFTS HELPS DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE, FAIR-TRADE BUSINESSES WITH NEARLY 40 ARTISAN GROUPS IN ABOUT 20 COUNTRIES AND BRINGS THEIR PRODUCTS TO MARKET. OUR ARTISAN GROUPS SEEK TO MEET THE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF THEIR WORKERS; MANY ARTISAN GROUPS ASSIST WOMEN WHO HAVE ESCAPED HUMAN TRAFFICKING BY PROVIDING A SAFE HAVEN, COUNSELING, AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO EARN AN INCOME WITH DIGNITY.PROJECT HELP IS AN INITIATIVE OF WMU THAT IDENTIFIES A CRITICAL ISSUE, SEEKS TO RAISE THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS OF THAT ISSUE, AND PROVIDES PRACTICAL APPROACHES ANYONE CAN IMPLEMENT TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR MEETING NEEDS AND SHARING THE GOSPEL. BEGINNING IN 2022, WMU HAS PROVIDED RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF MENTAL HEALTH, INCLUDING AN ONLINE COURSE ENTITLED MENTAL HEALTH: THE CHURCH'S RESPONSE, TRAINING IN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID, A BOOK ENTITLED JOYFUL SORROW, ARTICLES, BLOGS POSTS AND MORE.MISSIONARY HOUSING IS AN ADDITIONAL MINISTRY OF WMU IN WHICH WE ADMINISTER HOUSING FOR SOUTHERN BAPTIST MISSIONARIES WHILE THEY ARE ON STATESIDE ASSIGNMENT. WE MAINTAIN A DATABASE OF NEARLY 700 HOUSES MADE AVAILABLE BY CHURCHES, ASSOCIATIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS AND MAKE THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO MISSIONARIES ON A SECURE WEBSITE. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FROM ONLINE, ON-DEMAND COURSES TO PRINT AND WEB RESOURCES TO IN-PERSON TRAINING, WMU OFFERS A VARIETY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISCOVERING AND EXPANDING ONE'S LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS. ONE OF THESE APPROACHES IS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT THROUGH CHRISTIAN WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP CENTER (CWLC). WE TRANSITIONED OUR CWLC COURSES FROM BEING FACILITATOR-LED AND AVAILABLE ONLY ON A QUARTERLY ROTATION TO SELF-PACED AND ON-DEMAND ALL THE TIME. CWLC COURSES ON LEADERSHIP FOUNDATIONS ARE BEING UPDATED AND COURSES RELATED TO MISSIONAL FOUNDATIONS HAVE BEEN ADDED.

PURE WATER, PURE LOVE DURING THE 2022-23 FISCAL YEAR, WMU PROVIDED MORE THAN 1,700 WATER FILTERS AND REPLACEMENT PARTS TO SOUTHERN BAPTIST MISSIONARIES AND MISSIONS TEAMS. WMU AWARDED 5 GRANTS TO SUPPLY CLEAN WATER RESOURCES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, NORTH AFRICA, MALAWI, LIBERIA AND UGANDA.