Lottie Moon: Southern Baptist Saint to China

Lottie Moon is one of the most prominent names in the Southern Baptist Convention. She is most known for the annual collection taken in her name called the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering which is taken up to support global missionary work.

0:00 Lottie Moon Overview
0:51 Early Life
2:08 Education
3:23 New Faith
4:32 Civil War
5:47 Teaching
6:40 Foreign Mission Board
8:27 Journey to China
10:30 A Change of Perspective
11:01 Relationship with Crawford Howell Toy
12:29 A Growing Frustration
13:28 A New Path
14:05 Work in Pingdu
15:55 Women's Contributions
17:08 The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
17:50 A Return Visit
19:50 New Challenges
21:27 Legacy

Charlotte Digges “Lottie” Moon was born December 12, 1840, in Albemarie County, Virginia. Born to a wealthy land-owning family, she was given a great education that helped shape her early years. Although her family was a very religious Baptist family it wasn’t until college that she fully adopted her family's faith. She would eventually graduate and become one of the first women in the South to earn this degree.

After the Civil War, she would start a teaching career eventually starting her own school with her friend. After a few years, she followed her sister into the mission field when she was appointed a missionary to China. She learned the Chinese language and culture, building strong personal relationships with locals. Lottie’s work also focused on establishing schools and organizing missions, becoming a significant figure in Chinese Christian communities. In addition to her evangelistic efforts, she advocated for better financial support for missionaries, leading to the creation of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering in 1888.

Despite her success, Lottie faced many challenges, including health struggles, isolation, and cultural barriers. Her health began to decline in her later years due to the harsh living conditions and the physical demands of her work. Throughout her mission, she experienced the loneliness of life on the mission field, never marrying and often working in remote areas. Her deep commitment to her work led her to sacrifice her personal well-being for the sake of her mission.

Lottie Moon passed away on January 24, 1912, aboard a ship off the coast of Japan while returning to the United States due to health problems. Her legacy lives on, especially through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, which continues to fund Southern Baptist missionary work worldwide. Her selfless devotion and lasting impact on missions have made her a symbol of sacrifice and faith, inspiring generations of missionaries and Christians dedicated to global outreach.

Links:
https://wmu.com/missions-discipleship...
https://www.imb.org/generosity/lottie...
https://www.imb.org/about/lottie-moon...
https://repository.sbts.edu/bitstream...