October 1, 2026
BAXLEY, Ga. — Despite bitterly cold temperatures outside, the atmosphere inside the sanctuary of First Baptist Church Baxley on Sunday, Feb. 1, was marked by gratitude and celebration as the church presented a $50,000 check to the International Mission Board for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. The amount is the largest international missions offering in the church’s history.
Pastor Fred Anderson told the congregation that the moment represented more than a financial milestone.
“You responded, and we’re thankful. As far back as the Georgia Baptist Mission Board can go, our offerings at their peak had only been $15,000 or $16,000. This is very noteworthy, and I don’t think we can applaud the Lord enough for what He has done.”
The offering is a result of the church's renewed emphasis on missions. Cooperative Program giving at FBC Baxley, which averages 120 in attendance, increased to $43,781 in 2025, up from $21,458 the previous year.
For Anderson, that emphasis flows naturally from a lifetime of teaching.
“Even as a small kid in church, I remember the emphasis placed on the Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong offerings,” he said. “Missions isn’t just something we talk about—it’s something we fund. I want our people to see that when we give, we are personally participating in what God is doing around the world, even if we never leave Baxley.”
The church has taken intentional steps to keep missions in front of the congregation, including regular “missions moments” during worship services that highlight gospel work supported through Cooperative Program giving and special offerings.
“This isn’t just a budget decision, but a discipleship decision,” he said. “Since 2023, we’ve increased our missions giving by $33,000. Our leaders understood that increasing our giving was an act of faith, and they were willing to lead by example.”
Mark Barnes, a longtime deacon who previously chaired both the stewardship and finance committees, said missions giving has been a personal priority shaped by his upbringing.
“I was raised in a family that believed in giving to missions, and it was instilled in me at a young age,” Barnes said. “The Lord blessed us and placed us in a position where we can give to those who have been called to go.”
The congregation’s response exceeded expectations. Anderson said as the December offering unfolded, church members began to see the connection between generosity and gospel impact.
“I believe our people began to understand why we were emphasizing missions giving—and who it was impacting—and then their hearts followed,” he said. “We saw people step up and take real ownership in what God is doing through our church.”
That ownership has extended beyond financial gifts. The church sent support to an IMB missionary couple in Germany, participated in hygiene kit distribution through a local feeding center, and collected 217 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.
Brother John, a former IMB vice president for global engagement who was present to receive the offering on behalf of the board, called the gift a powerful testimony.
“It’s a pretty amazing thing for a church in the heartland of Southern Baptist life to say they believe so strongly that the lost need a Savior,” he said. “This church is proving again and again that they believe Jesus saves and that everybody ought to hear.”
He noted that 100 percent of Lottie Moon gifts go directly to support missionaries overseas, while a significant portion of Cooperative Program giving also fuels global missions. “Together, the Lord uses churches like this to do things we could never do by ourselves,” he said.
Youth minister Bill Hughes said the church’s missions focus is also shaping the next generation.
“I’ve only been here a year, so I’m still trying to get them focused on Jesus first,” Hughes said. “But we will definitely do international mission trips for these kids.” Drawing on his 27 years at First Baptist Church of Tifton, Hughes said he has seen firsthand how missions exposure can shape lifelong callings, including students who later served as journeymen or career missionaries.
Anderson believes the spiritual fruit of generosity is already evident.
“People don’t just give more—they care more,” he said. “There’s a deeper sense of gratitude, trust, and kingdom-mindedness. Our church has become more outward-focused, more prayerful for missionaries, and more confident that God can do more than we ask or imagine when we step out in faith. We are seeing Ephesians 3:20 in Baxley.”
For other pastors, his encouragement is simple.
“Start with prayer and patience. Teach the ‘why’ before the ‘what,’” Anderson said. “When a church sees its leadership genuinely believe in the mission, they’re far more likely to follow.”
Share with others
