Speed the Light and BGMC Missions Giving Update
There’s nothing like the excitement at the District Office in January hearing daily reports of missions giving from the previous year. Every day the totals climbed, and the initial reports indicated record years for Speed the Light and BGMC missions giving in 2021.
BGMC (Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge) is vital to supporting our missionaries and keeping them on the field. Kids in Minnesota caught the vision for missions by giving $94,000 more than the previous highest year. KidMin Director, Chris Pruett, said, “I’m so proud of the fight that our MN kids have in their heart for missions. God is doing a new work in them. Through prayer and sacrifice, our 2021 BGMC total is the highest year on record!” Final giving totaled $397,676.
Speed the Light (STL) giving makes missions possible for many missionaries and organizations. It provides AGWM missionaries with transportation and equipment to communicate the gospel. It helps Live|Dead plant churches in unreached people groups. It allows Free International and Project Rescue to fight human trafficking. These organizations, along with Project 42, WorldServe International, Convoy of Hope, Global University, and Venture, partner with STL to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
STL giving from Minnesota students grew significantly from the previous year and ended at $2,839,029. Eight churches gave over $100,000, led by River Valley Church with $631,768.
It was a banner year for most churches like River of Life AG in Cold Spring ($413,630), Bridgeview AG in Big Lake ($24,363), First Hmong AG in St. Paul ($10,711), Center Point Church in Mountain Lake ($3,027), and ICCM Life Center in Minneapolis ($2,184), just to name a few. Kirby St. John celebrated the reports saying, “It’s truly unbelievable! It is so fun to partner with the students and churches of Minnesota in helping reach people around the globe.”
Nationally we saw two states, Arkansas, and Alabama, surpass $1 million in STL giving for the first time. We’re excited for what God is doing in the hearts of students not only in Minnesota, but across the US. As the saying goes, “A rising tide lifts all boats.”
