Few years have shaped Southern Baptist life more than 1925.
That year, the Southern Baptist Convention adopted the Baptist Faith and Message and launched the Cooperative Program — a unified funding strategy that continues to make a global impact today.
I’ve pastored churches in Kentucky, Florida and Tennessee, and I remain a Cooperative Program cheerleader. We are better together.
As Southern Baptists, we have our challenges. But as Jeff Iorg often says, “We’re a force for good.”
God is using our unified network of churches to advance the gospel and bring glory to Jesus Christ.
As Acts 17:6 reminds us, the early church was accused of turning the world upside down. That same mission remains before us today.
Consider these questions:
• How have you personally benefited from the Cooperative Program?
• How engaged is your church in Cooperative Program giving?
• How do you see the Cooperative Program helping Southern Baptists address global lostness?
So why do I believe in the Cooperative Program?
Vision
The Cooperative Program was created as a unified strategy to fund ministry and reach the nations with the gospel. Paul Chitwood often says, “The world’s greatest problem is lostness.”
By praying, giving and partnering together, Southern Baptists continue the vision first established in 1925 — reaching boys, girls, men and women with the good news of Jesus Christ.
As churches pray, give, go, send and educate, more people hear the gospel and find hope in Christ. Jesus is still rescuing lost souls.
Benefit
I have benefited greatly from the Cooperative Program.
I have led churches to partner with state conventions and the North American Mission Board to plant, replant and revitalize churches.
I have partnered with the International Mission Board and taken mission teams around the world in fulfillment of the Great Commission.
I have sat in seminary classrooms and received a world-class theological education through our Southern Baptist seminaries.
My life and ministry are richer because Cooperative Program giving makes a difference — and because leaders in state conventions and national entities invested in me personally.
Fruit
As I participated in this year’s annual meeting, I was reminded again of the fruit made possible through the Cooperative Program.
This year, 699 new churches were planted, and 63 new missionaries were commissioned. Our six seminaries continue preparing servants for gospel ministry.
Messengers also passed a resolution affirming evangelism, discipleship and care for people with disabilities.
In addition, our endorsed military chaplains reported 19,000 professions of faith last year.
As much as I love and believe in the local church, we could never accomplish this much alone.
We need one another, and we need a unified plan for giving.
I hope you will consider leading your church to become a Cooperative Program champion.
Increased giving means more missionaries sent, more churches planted, more students trained, more pastors encouraged and more lives transformed.
For more than 100 years, the Cooperative Program has unified Southern Baptists in advancing the Great Commission.
Methods may change, but our mission and message remain the same: reaching people with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I remain convinced the Cooperative Program is just as relevant today as it was in 1925.
We are better together. B&R