PARTNERSHIP REQUIRES PERSEVERANCE

The Cooperative Program is both the legacy and the future of Southern Baptist missions

BY PAUL CHITWOOD PRESIDENT, SBC INTERNATIONAL MISSION BOARD

Like most Baptist churches of the day, First Baptist Church of Murray, Kentucky, regularly hosted missionaries and denominational workers raising financial support. Growing frustrated with so many requesting to speak on Sundays, Pastor Harvey Boyce Taylor tried something new. He placed a box at the back of the sanctuary and told the congregation they could put extra offerings in the box and that would be their missions fund, divided up for specific, stipulated causes. The members were soon giving more to mission work through Pastor Taylor’s Box Plan than they had been giving for the individual appeals during Sunday gatherings.

Seeing the success, Taylor began a campaign to get other churches across the state to adopt the model. The model became so popular that, on November 16, 1915, messengers to the annual meeting of the Kentucky Baptist Convention approved it, calling it the “unified budget plan.”

Ten years later, in 1925, Kentucky’s unified budget plan was renamed the Cooperative Program and adopted by the messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention. Giving through the CP has exceeded $20 billion to date. A commitment to work together can make a history-altering Kingdom impact!

Over time, the Cooperative Program has become essential for the work of the International Mission Board. Virtually every penny of the support for our IMB stateside team members is provided by the CP. But we don’t use even half of IMB’s CP dollars in the U.S., as 60 percent of those dollars go to support your overseas missionaries and their work. Thank you, Southern Baptists, for the nearly $100 million CP dollars that will come to the IMB this year!

Though the CP is an incredible tool for Kingdom impact, it’s been weakening. Through the first half of the fiscal year, IMB’s CP dollars were down $4 million in comparison to last year. Denominational conflicts, diminishing trust, and generational disconnect are weakening the CP.

Out of their devotion to God and their desire to be a part of God’s work, the New Testament Macedonian churches, though poor, gave an incredibly generous offering to provide for the needs of others. In 2 Corinthians 8, the apostle Paul is sharing about the Macedonian churches and boasting on them for their generosity.

Thank God for the generosity of the Macedonian churches! For the same reason, I’m thankful for Southern Baptist churches today. Thank you, Southern Baptists, for the grace of God that has been given among you, for your abundance of joy that has overflowed in a wealth of generosity.

I want to do everything I can to see the CP strengthened. Here’s what I am certain of: if or when it’s gone, we won’t get it back. So, let’s not allow our denominational frustrations to cause us to walk away from working together. Instead, let’s look for solutions to the problems that plague us. As history teaches us, those solutions can often result in unexpected, exponential Kingdom advance.

How Your Investment In Missions Is Distributed Through The Cooperative Program 2023

HOW YOUR GIVING FUNDS MISSIONS: THE COOPERATIVE PROGRAM (CP)

YOU YOU FUND MISSIONS WITH YOUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS TO YOUR CHURCH.

YOUR CHURCH

YOUR CHURCH ALLOCATES FUNDS FOR COOPERATIVE MISSIONS.

ARKANSAS BAPTISTS

ABSC DISTRIBUTES IN-STATE FUNDS TO MISSIONS LOCALLY.

SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION

OUT-OF-STATE FUNDS ARE USED FOR SBC NATIONAL AND GLOBAL MISSIONS.

DISCOVER MORE ABOUT HOW YOU AND YOUR CHURCH ARE BRINGING GOOD NEWS TO THE WHOLE WORLD THROUGH THE COOPERATIVE PROGRAM: ABSC.ORG/CP

Disaster Relief Regional Trainings

AUGUST 19, SEPTEMBER 23

When disaster strikes, Arkansas Baptist Disaster Relief is not far behind. You can become a trained, credentialed Disaster Relief volunteer by attending a regional training. Join us at Indians Springs Baptist Church in Bryant on August 19 or at First Baptist Church in Rogers on September 23. Training is from 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Register today!

 abscdisasterrelief.org/ volunteer

Prayer Gathering

AUGUST 28–29

The tenth annual Statewide Prayer Gathering will be held August 28–29 at The City Center. This time of prayer for revival and spiritual awakening has become one of the most anticipated dates on the calendar for pastors, church staff, associational missionaries, and ABSC staff. Times of prayer are interspersed with times of worship on Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

 absc.org/prayergathering

A MESSAGE FROM DR. REX HORNE, INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ABOUT THE COOPERATIVE PROGRAM

Thank you, Arkansas Baptists, for your faithful giving through the Cooperative Program.

Inspire/WMU Onboard

SEPTEMBER 23

Inspire Women’s Conference is designed for women of all ages and stages of life. At Inspire, you can expect powerful worship, dynamic speakers, and meaningful times of connection that will bless, challenge, and equip you. This year our theme is flourish. WMU Annual Meeting will be held in conjunction with Inspire 2023 at First Baptist Church in Russellville. The deadline to register is September 18.

Pastor + Staff Appreciation Month

OCTOBER

The members of your church staff work hard to lead and serve your church every day, not just on Sundays. October is Pastor + Staff Appreciation Month. Visit absc.org/psam to find resources you can use to thank your church staff members for all they do. A simple act of kindness can go a long way and everyone needs encouragement, especially these who encourage so many.

Your giving will contribute to camps, missions efforts, conferences, and many other efforts this summer that will be Christ-honoring and Kingdomexpanding.

People will come to know Christ, others will become aware of God’s plan for their life’s work, and many more will grow as devoted followers of Christ.

You and I will have a part of all of this because of our cooperative giving that fuels our partnership in missions and evangelistic efforts.

One Day Acts 1:8 Missions Experience

OCTOBER 7

One Day Acts 1:8 Missions Experience provides an opportunity for Arkansas Baptists to impact lostness in a specific area of our state. Partnering with the churches of a local association, Arkansas Baptists spend time on the first Saturday in October serving in a variety of ministries, including prayer walking, evangelism, children’s activities, block parties, construction and home repairs, medical/dental clinics, and much more.

 absc.org/oneday

Arkansas Baptist Pastors’ Conference

OCTOBER 23

Join us for the Arkansas Baptist Pastors’ Conference, October 23, with Dr. Robert Smith Jr. and Jim Cymbala. Every time D. L. Moody prayed for a pastor, he always prayed that God would, “Re-sign them to ministry.” Come prepared for God to “re-sign” and refresh you in His calling!

 absc.org/pastorsconference

Arkansas Baptist Annual Meeting

OCTOBER 24–25

This year’s Annual Meeting of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention will be held October 24–25. It’s not just a time to gather and focus on business; it’s a time to hear what God has laid on the hearts of pastors across the state, worship together as one body, and nourish friendships we’ve created over the years.

 absc.org/annualmeeting

2023 ServSafe Training

OCTOBER 28

Does your church serve food? Make sure you serve it safe! Our ServSafe training will be at the ABSC building from 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. The cost will be $70. After classroom instruction, a proctored exam will be given to attendees for a five-year ServSafe Manager certificate. Sign up your kitchen volunteers today!

 absc.org/servsafe23