Vickie Anderson
In 1902, Mrs. Mildred Golden, Tennessee WMU Corresponding Secretary (1898-1902), cast a bold vision for Tennessee Baptists to pray for their Tennessee mission field and give to the first state missions offering. A total of $800 was given that first year.
For the next decade, without the convenience of electric typewriters, word processors, or computers, Mrs. Golden and her husband, Dr. W.C. Golden (TBC Executive Secretary, 1902-1910), wrote and copied the programs for the season of prayer.
Together with family and neighbors, they counted envelopes and leaflets, wrapped them in brown paper, tied and addressed each bundle, stamped them, and, most importantly, prayed over every packet before mailing them to the churches across the state. In 1943, Tennessee WMU named the state missions offering after the Goldens.
Tennessee is still a mission field!
While many things have changed since 1902, the spiritual and physical needs in Tennessee remain urgent:
- There are almost 5 million unchurched or spiritually lost people in Tennessee.
- 76% of Tennesseans rarely or never attend church.
- There are 2,274 unchurched people for every TBC church.
- Tennessee is one of the hungriest states in the country.
- 1 in 5 children face hunger.
- Tennessee ranks 3rd in the country for senior adult food insecurity.
- Tennessee is in the top 10 states in drug overdose deaths.
- Human trafficking is the second-fastest growing criminal industry, just behind Drug Trafficking.
- Tennessee has an incarceration rate of 817 per 100,000 people, which includes prisons, jails, immigration detention, and juvenile justice facilities.
- Tennessee has the 11th highest divorce rate in the United States.
- There are more than 7,000 children in Tennessee’s foster care system.
- 21% of every 1,000 births were to women ages 15-19.
- There are at least 143 different people groups represented in Tennessee.
- Suicide and homicide are the second and third leading causes of death among ages 10-24.
Any way you slice it, Tennessee is a mission field!
If we are going to reach Tennessee for Christ, it will require the efforts of all Tennessee Baptists working together, looking beyond the walls of our churches, meeting needs through the love of Christ, engaging in gospel conversations, and reaching out to our communities.
About the 2025-26 Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions
The Week of Prayer for State Missions and the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions highlight and support ministries that transform lives across our state.
- GOTM goal: $2,700,000
- GOTM challenge goal: $3,000,000
- GOTM offering dates: Sept. 1, 2025 – Aug. 31, 2026
- Week of Prayer for State Missions: Suggested dates — Sept. 7-14, 2025
- Theme: “Together. We Pray. We Give. We Go.”
- Scripture: “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel.” Philippians 1:27
Through the Golden Offering, your gifts support ministries like:
- Disaster Relief Ministries
- Collegiate Campus Ministries
- Compassion Ministries
- Multiplying Healthy Churches
- Adoption Ministries
- Missions Discipleship Ministries
- BlueOval City Initiative
- Associational Ministries
Tennessee Baptists, Let’s Work Together
We encourage every Tennessee Baptist to:
- Pray for the spiritually lost in our state
- Work together to reach OUR mission field – Tennessee
- Strengthen and multiply churches, missions, and ministries
- Seek opportunities to share the hope of Christ
- Unite, working side-by-side, to meet needs and reach the spiritually lost
- Rely on God’s power as we move forward together
Thank you, Tennessee Baptists, for your faithful prayers, generous gifts, and unwavering commitment to sharing the gospel of Christ in Tennessee.
Visit GoldenOffering.org for promotional materials, videos, and more information about GOTM. B&R
