FRANKLIN — For the sixth time in eight years, Tennessee Baptists have set a new record for giving through the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions with total gifts of $3,128,219.03.
The 2023-24 GOTM fiscal year ended Aug. 31.
The total includes $2,451,737.21 in gifts from churches and $676,481.82 in Golden Opportunity Projects, a fund established this year to allow donors to give money or in-kind gifts (such as property) to specific GOTM-funded ministries.
In his “Clarity” column in the Aug. 28 issue of the Baptist and Reflector, Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the TBMB, expressed his appreciation to Tennessee Baptists for their 2023-24 gifts because they also helped achieve one of the 10-year Five Objectives goals of exceeding $3 million in GOTM gifts by 2024.
Randy C. Davis
“Why is that significant?” Davis asked in his column. “It certainly isn’t about reaching a financial goal for the sake of reaching a financial goal. Those gifts translate to ministry and enable us to invest those funds back into ministry across our state. …
“Tennessee is a mission field. The spiritual and physical needs in our state are overwhelming. More than four million people in our state have no relationship with Jesus Christ.
“Poverty, drug abuse, children in foster care, teen pregnancy — the list goes on and on — cripple the lives of so many of our family, friends and neighbors.
“The Golden Offering enables Tennessee Baptists to meet strategic opportunities that open doors for gospel ministry,” Davis wrote.
“It is exciting to be celebrating another historic giving year through the Golden Offering as we seek to reach our Tennessee mission field,” said Vickie Anderson, executive director-treasurer of Tennessee Woman’s Missionary Union.
“Thank you, Tennessee Baptists, for your continued commitment to work together to reach our state through your giving, prayers and serving.
“The Lord has truly done far more than we could ask or think in the way Tennessee Baptists met the objective of reaching at least $3 million in Golden Offering giving by 2024,” she continued.
“The more than $600,000 in gifts through Golden Opportunity Projects to help meet unexpected needs and possibilities wasn’t something we were dreaming, hoping, or planning for one year ago or 10 years ago when the convention approved the Five Objectives.”
The 2024-25 GOTM will be collected from Sept. 1, 2024-Aug. 31, 2025. B&R
