When West Virginia Southern Baptists named their state missions offering in 1973, their choice was not difficult. The name of their state convention’s first WMU director, Ola Cox, stood at the forefront.

Joyful Obedience to God

Ola Cox was known for demonstrating generosity and commitment to her Savior, Jesus Christ, and was also described as faithful, joyful, and quietly fierce. Yet she seldom drew attention to herself above others. Even after she received a cancer diagnosis in 1972, Ola’s heart was focused on missions and leadership. She led prayer and took phone calls from her hospital bed, beside which were stacked WMU materials. She filled the room with gospel conversation.

And in 1973, by unanimous vote, the West Virginia state missions offering was named the Ola Cox State Missions Offering. Ola passed away in 1974, leaving an incredible legacy of service and joyful obedience that had begun after her conversion early in life.

West Virginia’s First WMU Director

Born in Arkansas in 1912, Ola moved to Charleston, West Virginia, in 1964 with her husband, Elmo. She jumped into a ministry of service immediately, loving West Virginians as though they were her own. As the state convention’s first WMU director, she laid the groundwork for training leaders, viewing every believer as part of God’s strategy.

Ola busied herself by leading prayer groups, helping start churches, strengthening women’s ministries, launching student camps, and encouraging pastors. She reminded churches every member mattered in the mission of God. She even suggested the theme for the first West Virginia Baptist convention’s annual meeting: Caleb’s words from Joshua 14:12, “Give me this hill country” (CSB). Likely, Ola was envisioning the West Virginia mountains, and her prayer was for West Virginians to come to faith in Christ. And 56 years since the convention’s inception, this is still the vision of West Virginia Baptists.

Revival, Not Recognition

Ola desired revival, not recognition. She once said, “We only want to do what cannot be explained, except by the power of the Holy Spirit.” She also stated, “When we are generous, God is glorified, the needy are blessed, and the giver is enriched.”

Fueling Missions Since 1973

“The Ola Cox Offering has fueled our Family on Mission since 1973,” explained Cleve Persinger, director of communication and partnerships for the West Virginia Convention of Southern Baptists.

The 2025 brochure highlighting the impact of the offering noted that for more than 50 years, the Ola Cox State Missions Offering supported West Virginia Convention of Southern Baptists missions endeavors with more than $3 million. The largest percentage (30%) is distributed through associations. “This is what it looks like to be a Family on Mission: equipping churches, reaching communities, and pushing back lostness for the glory of God.”

Other state missions projects funded by the Ola Cox State Missions Offering are a Pastor and Family Retreat (16%), planned for July 20–23, 2026, at Cacapon Resort State Park Lodge, and Summit Camp (15%), which will be held June 22–26 at Davis and Elkins College for sixth-graders through twelfth-graders.

Additional ministries the offering supports are church planting and revitalization partnerships (10%), disaster relief (7%), emergency funds for pastors and churches (6%), contributions to pastors’ annuity for GuideStone retirement investments (6%), missions awareness (5%), collegiate ministry to reach students at West Virginia University and Marshall University (2.5%), and the Youth Evangelism Conference, a high-impact weekend each March (2.5%).

“Pray, Give, Go”

Cleve challenges West Virginia Baptist church leaders to encourage their churches in three areas related to the Ola Cox State Missions Offering:

Pray: “Intercede for those far from God across our state and the world and ask Him to use your church to make Jesus known.”

Give: “Set a bold goal for the Ola Cox State Missions Offering. Invite your church to believe God for more and give like never before so more people in more places can hear the gospel.”

Go: “Step into local outreach, disaster relief, or missions right here or around the world. … Ask God to stir hearts in your church for a place or people group.”

He added, “If you’re praying, give. If you’re giving, go. If you’re going, keep praying and giving. You can do all three!”

Ola would surely have approved of these three priorities. In the 2025 offering brochure, West Virginia Southern Baptists shared that the offering was named after this faithful, joyful, quietly fierce WMU director “not because she wanted it — but because she lived it. She believed the gospel was worth giving everything for. And she did.”

Frances King Abrams is the author of The Widow’s Song devotion and A Frog Named Abraham. She has been a newspaper journalist, freelance writer, and public information coordinator for an Alabama public school system.