By Terry Barone

FRESNO—In September, California Southern Baptists churches are encouraged to pray for and give to missions to reach the Golden State for Christ.

"Reaching the World in California: The Great Commission Begins Here" is the theme of the 2010 California Mission Offering, based on Acts 1:8b -- .

Mike McCullough, California Southern Baptist Convention associate executive director, said, "Much has been said recently about the Great Commission and reaching the nations of the world. It only takes a look around to see that the nations of the world have come to our state. They are waiting to hear about Jesus. For California Southern Baptists, the Great Commission begins where we live, work and go to school.”

California, the most populous state in the U.S. has more than 38 million people. Estimates are that 33 of those 38 million are unchurched and don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If the unchurched population were a nation, McCullough said, “It would the 37th most populous country of more than 220 in the world.”

McCullough also said that California Southern Baptists are leaders in starting churches and ministering among people groups in California. “Weekly we have church services and ministry groups in 80 different languages and dialects. And, while that is a large number, estimates are that there are about 275 people groups in California.”

“There is no doubt that a great challenge before Southern Baptists is to take the gospel to the nations of the world. However, Acts 1:8 allows California Southern Baptists to reach the nations of the world where we live. California is our ‘Jerusalem and Judea,’” he said.

California Mission Offering resource packets are slated for mailing to churches in early July. The resource packet contains a folded piece containing a large or small poster for use in the church and the planning guide with practical suggestions and a list of all resources available. Also included in the packet is a DVD with an overview video of CMO produced in four languages – English, Chinese, Korean and Spanish.

An order form is included for free materials including posters, bulletin inserts and prayer guides in the four languages, and offering envelopes and a key-chain tag as a reminder for members.

McCullough noted the key-chain tag is a new item this year and is intended to be given to members to remind them to “pray for, go and share their faith and give to California missions.” He noted the tag can be inserted on a key ring or can be carried in one’s pocket or in a wallet or coin purse.

“We want California Southern Baptists to have a heightened awareness of our task and responsibility of reaching the world in California. One way we do that cooperatively is through the California Mission Offering,” McCullough said.

Fermín A. Whittaker, CSBC executive director, said, “My hope is to see every CSBC congregation – all 2,100 – participate by boldly giving! If every church gave an average of just $500 there would be more than $1 million for California mission.”

He noted CMO gifts are used to secure partnership money from the North American Mission Board. “About $200,000 of allocated in the 2010 CMO budget will be used for matching dollars from NAMB. This enables the Convention to obtain at least $700,000 additional dollars for church starting, evangelism and other mission efforts which greatly expands the resources needed to evangelize our state.”

Each year, CMO gifts are used to start about 100 new churches in the state. McCullough noted church starts “help us penetrate communities and cultures that need to hear about and accept the love, grace, peace and salvation through Jesus.

CMO gifts will purchase “block party trailers” which help California Southern Baptists evangelize the lost, according to Randy McWhorter, group leader for the CSBC healthy church group. He explained CMO gifts already have been instrumental in placing block party trailers in 10 of the 31 California Baptist associations.

McCullough added that CMO also supports other ministries such as Disaster Relief, migrant missions and association ministry projects. “CMO gifts always are used to reinforce outreach and ministry efforts of CSBC churches to reach our communities with the gospel and to minister in Christ’s name.”

"Our prayer," he said, "is that more churches than ever before commit time to focus on California missions this September by educating members about the needs in our state, praying for California missions and giving to CMO.