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The Cooperative Program Turns 100
As we enter the year 2025, we enter a milestone for Southern Baptists. This year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program. In the first 74 years of the existence of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), missions were funded by what is known as a “societal” method of fundraising where individuals and churches would separately make pledges to mission societies or directly to missionaries themselves. In the societal method, missionaries would leave the field spending large amounts of time speaking at churches to raise their support. In time, missionaries and mission societies hired solicitors to raise the funds for them.
The problem with this method is that it took missionaries off the field to raise funds, only the largest churches would be contacted since they could give the largest amounts of money, and much of the funds that were raised went to pay the solicitors. For example, in 1883 the Home Mission Board reported that 53 cents of every dollar raised went to pay the salaries and expenses of the solicitors.
In 1919, SBC leaders sought to create a better way for its churches to fund missions and ministries. They created the Seventy Five Million Campaign in which every SBC church was challenged to make a five year pledge to consistently give to kingdom work at the state and national level.
Although the pledges paid fell $17 million short of the goal, the result of the Campaign put millions of dollars more to the work of missions and ministries. In its 74 years of existence prior to 1919, the International Mission Board (IMB) had received a total of $12.6 million. In just the five years of the Seventy Five Million Campaign, the IMB received almost that same amount!
As the Seventy Five Million Campaign came to a close, the SBC had learned the power of cooperation and the benefit of turning churches into the fundraisers for missions instead of solicitors. Through a cooperative, rather than societal, approach to raise funds for missions, every church of every size in every location was able to stand arm in arm in its support of the convention’s mission work.
In 1925, the SBC formed the Cooperative Program, which challenged every SBC church to give 10 percent of its undesignated receipts, rather than making pledges, to fund missions and ministries at the state, national and international level. As a result, in the 100 years since the founding of the Cooperative Program, SBC churches have given billions of dollars to the kingdom work of our convention.
Last year, Oklahoma Baptists churches surpassed the one billion dollar mark in their giving through the Cooperative Program since its inception.
How grateful I am for the Cooperative Program! I have met countless missionaries, church planters, chaplains, seminary students, just to name a few, who are the beneficiaries of the generosity of SBC churches. Cooperation to fund missions and ministries is in the DNA of Southern Baptists—it’s who we are. The Cooperative Program is our distinctive feature as a convention. I look forward to celebrating the Cooperative Program this year, and I pray that our churches will continue to see its value and support it for many years to come.
Winston Churchill was reported to have said that the sun never set on the British Empire at its height, meaning it truly spanned the globe.
Thanks be to God, it could be said that the sun never sets on areas of the world where our Southern Baptist missionaries are working to advance the Gospel.
Because of people’s faithfulness to answer the call to missions, there are right now Southern Baptist missionaries scattered around the world, as part of the International Mission Board’s (IMB) organized efforts. Because of your faithful giving through the Cooperative Program and to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, our missionaries are blessed to have the support they need to carry on the work.
Oklahoma Baptists are well-represented among the IMB, serving in some of the most remote and difficult places—places that we cannot even name due to security considerations. One way we can honor and support their work besides financial giving is, of course, prayer support.
Each year, Oklahoma Baptists produce the Cooperative Program Missionary Prayer Guide, which features various missionaries now serving. In each edition of the Baptist Messenger, we highlight those individuals (see page 17), who are making a real difference sharing the Good News of Jesus.
You can also go online right now and view the entire slate of missionaries for this year: the 2025 Guide is available online now at oklahomabaptists.org. This prayer guide offers specific prayer points that were given by the missionaries, and we would do well to bring those requests to the Lord on their behalf.
The late Baptist Messenger writer Walker Moore, who served on the mission field, was eager to serve the Lord as a young man. Someone told him, “As a man of God, if you love Jesus you can become a Sunday School teacher. If you really, really love Jesus, you can become a deacon. If you really, really, really love Jesus, you can become a minister. And if you really, really, really, really love Jesus, you can become a missionary.”
Moore’s point in sharing that story is clear—God calls people to serve Him in various ways, all of which are important and worthy. Yet there is something special, something sacred, about those who are willing to leave home and all they know to go to the nations with the Gospel. We are also reminded that the need for more missionaries is still very great. Go to IMB.org to find out about the greatest areas of need.
This year, as we go about our daily routines, let’s each pause to thank the Lord for our great missionaries. And let’s follow their example and share Jesus with everyone the Lord puts in our path. And let’s pray the Lord would raise up even more missionaries to go.
Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matt. 28:19).
Brian Hobbs
Oklahoma Baptists Editor
January 19 Sanctity of Human Life Sunday oklahomabaptists.org/ erlc/life/
February 3
Priority of Preaching Conference OKC, Quail Springs 10:00am-5:00pm oklahomabaptists.org/ pop25
February 5
Rose Day Indoor Pro-Life Rally Oklahoma State Capitol www.roseday.life
A podcast for church leaders focusing on expository preaching, pastoral leadership and ministry. Hosts Todd Fisher and Andy Taylor off er insights and advice to pastors across Oklahoma. Episodes are available to download now!
Hear Kenny Mossman and Tristan Martin discuss the effects of sports gambling addiction and how the church can minister to those impacted by it today at baptistmessenger.com/podcast or find the Baptist Messenger Insight Podcast program on your preferred podcast platform.
Hand Me Downs
I grew up poor. At least, I think I did. But everybody that I knew back then was all in a similar situation. So, I don’t think that I ever realized that we were poor because we always had food to eat, clothes to wear and a roof over our head that didn’t leak unless it was raining.
The food that we often ate was fried, just the way God intended it, and was often accompanied by fried potatoes. We called them “tators” because we didn’t want to use any syllables that weren’t absolutely necessary. People today would tell you a diet like that will cause you to die young. My granddad lived to be 101 so I guess they were right. I can’t imagine how long he would have lived if he had laid off the fried eggs and bacon that he ate every morning.
The clothes we wore were a different thing. Mom was big on “hand me downs” but my sister never was to keen on the idea. The “hand me downs” she would have got were things that I had discarded. She dealt with it better than our younger brother did. He was always bellyaching about having to wear her clothes. It is just hard to please the younger generation.
Since I was the oldest and, by the way, brightest and best looking—and most humble—“hand me downs” were really not an issue. The issue for me is where mom got my clothes to start with.
There was a Wrangler jeans plant in Seminole at the time. That plant had a deal where folks that worked there could buy “seconds” at significantly reduced price. For those of you who might not be familiar with the term “seconds,” I am talking about clothes that were flawed, that had something wrong with them.
The problem was mom didn’t work there. So, she didn’t qualify to buy “seconds” at the highly reduced price. We did, however, have several kinfolks who worked at the plant. And she worked a deal with them to periodically pick up some pants for me and mom would gladly pay them for the britches.
For the most part that worked out pretty good. Most of the flaws were not that bad. For example, it was not unusual to get a pair of pants that had one leg a little longer than the other. But if you leaned just the right amount to the short side most people never noticed there was a flaw. They just thought I was off balance a little bit. By the way, they were probably right.
Then one day mom came home from work carrying a pair of new “seconds” Wrangler jeans for me. Don’t get me wrong. I was grateful. After all, a feller shouldn’t turn down a new pair of pants. As I looked them over, I couldn’t figure out where the flaw was. Mom told me to go in the bedroom and try them on.
I did.
That’s when it happened.
The inseam on the right leg started where all inseams are supposed to start. (If you are not sure where that is, ask your pastor. He should be able to help you.) Anyway, the inseam started where it was supposed to. But by the time it got to my knee, the inseam was now crossing my right knee at a pretty sharp angle. And by the time it got to my foot, the inseam was completely on the outside of my right foot.
Mom said nobody would notice. I said my leg looked like I got injured in a World Wrestling Federation accident and everybody would notice. My sister said she hoped I wore that pair of jeans completely out before mom made her wear them. My little brother wandered off to shave his legs. And I just limped away.
At the end of the day, those jeans didn’t mean much. I have come to believe that it is what’s on the inside that really matters. So, don’t let your appearance or your clothes or your house cause you to think you are a “second.” You aren’t. Instead turn your thoughts on what the Lord says about you. That is always more than sufficient to get you through.
Joe Ligon
Oklahoma Baptists Sr. Associate Executive Director
How the CP Works
Each individual church sets the amount it will send through the Cooperative Program.
A payment is then sent to the state convention office. The state convention will forward a portion of those funds on to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).
Cooperative Program: 100 Years of Gospel Impact
By Staff & BP Reports
Each State decides what percentage of giving to forward to the SBC by “Messengers” sent by churches to the annual state convention meeting.
The portion of funds sent to the SBC is then distributed across various Cooperative program Ministriesincluding Seminaries across the nation, the International Mission Board, the North American Mission Board, etc.
The portion of funds that remain at the state convention are distributed across various state ministries and sponsor various instituions. For example, through churches giving to the Cooperative Program, Oklahoma Baptists support sunday school training and church planting in OK, sponsor Oklahoma Baptist University, Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children, the Baptist Village Communities, Disaster Relief and partnership missions.
In May of 2025, Southern Baptists will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program (CP), our unified funding initiative for fulfilling the Great Commission. The story of how the CP began, though, should be better known by all Southern Baptists.
HOW THE COOPERATIVE PROGRAM BEGAN: THE ’75 MILLION CAMPAIGN’
From 1919-1924, Southern Baptists participated in an unprecedented giving campaign that became the foundation for today’s ongoing Cooperative Program, which officially was launched on May 13, 1925. Prior to that time, semi-annual special fund drives were common, one for Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) causes and the other for needs in the states.
Baptist Press writer Nate Adams wrote in a 1999 article, “But by 1918, the pressing physical and spiritual needs of post-World War I Europe, as well as other missions, education and benevolence causes, led the Convention to look for new models of cooperative funding. In the face of worsening financial difficulties, SBC President J.B. Gambrell challenged Southern Baptists at the 1919 Convention ‘to adopt a program of work commensurate with reasonable demands upon us.’ (SBC Annual, 1919). The 4,200 messengers voted, without dissent, the undertaking of the Baptist 75 Million Campaign, where members in every church were asked to sign pledge cards and give over a five-year period.”
Playing key roles in the movement were George W. Truett, pastor of Dallas, First, and L.R. Scarborough, president of Southwestern Seminary. The Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) accepted $15 million as its campaign quota, and appointed Mrs. W.J. Neel of Georgia’s campaign director. The 18 state conventions each accepted goals ranging from $250,000 in New Mexico to $16 million in Texas. The final pledge total was an amazing $92,630,923.
Actual receipts from the campaign totaled only $58,591,713, but because Southern Baptist agencies had begun planning and spending according to the amount pledged in the campaign rather than actual receipts, leaders were soon forced to consider a successor plan to the Baptist 75 Million Campaign. They had reason to do so with optimism.
The unprecedented cooperative giving from 1919 to 1924 had raised the sights of Southern Baptists, giving them a vision of what autonomous churches could do together for the cause of Christ. They had experienced the spiritual blessing that sacrificial giving brings and developed a pattern for ongoing cooperation.
“When Southern Baptists met in Memphis in 1925 and formally began the Cooperative Program, it was, in effect, a way of continuing the ongoing benefits they had experienced during the Baptist 75 Million Campaign.”
HOW OKLAHOMA BAPTISTS BECAME INVOLVED IN THE CP
Baptists in Oklahoma enthusiastically joined in the effort. The 1924 BGCO Annual Report said, “No incident in the history of Southern Baptists will have a more remarkable influence …. than the 75 Million Campaign just closing. It has been extended seven months beyond its original time goal, closing with Dec. 31, 1924. Out of this Campaign is born the new 1925 Program of the Southern Baptists. Without the 75 Million Campaign we would not be launching the new program.
“Oklahoma was just emerging from a frontier mission field when this program was inaugurated. . . . Our days as a frontier mission field have passed and we stand beside the greater commonwealths of the South as productive forces for the program of Jesus Christ, worldwide.”
The objective for the SBC “South-wide interests” was $7.5 million. (Oklahoma’s total contribution to the 75 Million Campaign eventually amounted to $673,337.69). The stewardship focus shifted then to what was called the “1925 Program.”
The 1925 BGCO Annual Report says, “The year 1925 dawned upon us with new and larger opportunities, increased responsibilities and a vast co-operative program.” The objective for “South-wide interests” was $7.5 million.
“Our state was responsible for its share which was $122,500. To meet our portion of that amount, and for the support of the various phases of our own state work, your committee reporting to the state convention a year ago, suggested a goal of $350,000. This seemed like a great amount, but is less than three dollars per capita for all our interests in State, Home and Foreign work.
“But in accepting even this small, suggested goal, we overestimated not only our Baptist ability, but our devotion and consecration. Our total receipts for this fiscal year are about $169,000. But while this is $181,000 short of the mark we set for ourselves, it is also $8,731 more than our total receipts of the previous year.”
CP’S IMPACT TODAY AND BEYOND
Since its inception to today, Oklahoma Baptists have given more than $1 billion cumulatively through the CP to propel great missions and ministry for the advancement of the Gospel.
These crucial CP funds have sent missionaries around the globe through the International Mission Board, fueled evangelism in North America, reached people with the Gospel at Falls Creek, helped educate countless pastors and missionaries at our six SBC seminaries, funded Oklahoma Baptist University and driven many more Gospel-centered endeavors.
In coming months, the Baptist Messenger will highlight ministries and missions that are made possible by the generous giving of Oklahoma Baptists through the Cooperative Program. For more information, visit oklahomabaptists.org/cp.
Empowering Global Missions
The Cooperative Program allows churches everywhere to work together through generosity, so that every church can support local missions while also having a global reach. Through the Cooperative Program, your church funds and sends missionaries around the world, trains pastors and ministry leaders, plants churches, and changes lives for eternity.
ACROSS
1 “Power of Christ may __ upon me” (2 Cor. 12:9)
5 Prominent fellow
10 Vane dir. (Abbr.)
13 Dole out
15 Where many martyrs died
16 Haw’s partner
17 It justifies believers
18 Swine “ran violently down a __ place into the sea” (Mark 5:13)
19 Jesus began His ministry at about 30 years of __
20 Explosive (Abbr.)
21 “Envy __ the bones” (Prov. 14:30 niv)
WORDSEARCH
23 Creatures “hath been __ of mankind” (James 3:7)
25 We are “baptized into one __” (1 Cor. 12:13)
26 Holy threesome
28 Holy Spirit “__ you by our gospel” (2 Thess. 2:14)
31 KJV Spirit
32 Columbia, Cornell and Dartmouth, for short
33 Pack of paper
34 Curtsy
37 Health food store staple
38 Wishy-washy
40 Former Italian currency
41 Poor man had “one little __ lamb” (2 Sam. 12:3)
42 Voting group
43 Hand lotion brand
44 Fruit of the Spirit
45 Spirit-given insight
46 Classic TV detective
49 “I __ up by revelation” (Gal. 2:2)
50 Paris bye
51 “If ye __ and devour one another” (Gal. 5:15)
DOWN
1 Huckleberry Finn’s ride
2 Dash
3 Needle’s eye, for one
4 Little one
5 Abhorrent to the Spirit
6 Satanic __, forbidden by the Spirit
7 Garden buzzer
8 Three Persons, __ God
9 Sacrament
10 Indian lamb kebab
11 Sire
12 Like a field sown with sin, according to parable,
14 “I’m in the __ of death” (2 Sam. 1:9 niv)
22 Strange
24 “Go to the __, thou sluggard” (Prov. 6:6)
25 Sky shade (Fr.)
26 “If children, __ heirs” (Rom. 8:17)
27 Spirit keeps you on the right one
28 Refer to
29 Declare
30 Spirit’s gift to you
31 God’s mercy
34 Holy Spirit symbol
35 Don’t fiddle with its middle
36 Is there none in Gilead?
38 Yap
39 Insane (Sp.)
Note: The word clues are chosen by Messenger staff, while the
52 Airport info (Abbr.)
55 French possessive
56 Converted by the Spirit
59 “Blessed are they that __” (Matt. 5:4)
61 Before (poet.)
62 Have being
63 Moses’ brother
64 Hallucinogenic drug (Abbr.)
65 Spiritual result of disbelief
66 Mariana “Peaceful Island”
40 Spirit’s no-no
42 Bewildered
43 Movie theater
44 Poet Edgar Allen
45 Like the Sea of Galilee
46 Sinai sight
47 Bad smells
48 Wrinkled
49 Measurement for Noah’s ark
51 “Covet earnestly the __ gifts” (1 Cor. 12:31)
52 Vacation money, perhaps
53 Horse’s gait
54 Spirit-filled temple prophetess
57 “The __ is laid unto the root of the trees” (Luke 3:9)
58 Through
60 Peter’s need
WORDS
Church NEWS
NEWCASTLE, FIRST OPENS NEW WORSHIP CENTER AND ATRIUM
On Sun., Nov. 10, Newcastle, First had their grand opening of their new Worship Center and Atrium space. The Prayer Team and Leadership gathered to pray over the space. More than 1,500 people attended the 9 AM and 10:30 AM worship services. The following day, Mon., Nov. 11, the space was officially opened.
TRIBUTES
Pat Fowler, 93, died Dec. 2. She was the mother of several state pastors and music ministers.
Tom Frank, 92, died Dec. 2. He was bi-vocational pastor who served at Mannsville, Russet and Madill, Trinity Southern.
Teressa Karch died Nov. 20. She was the wife Charles Karch, pastor of Arkoma, First.
Photos courtesy of Grant Bivens
PASTOR In Focus
DAVID BOGGS
Pastor of Butcher Pen Mission
Butcher Pen Creek
The Oklahoma Baptist Pastors’ Conference is put together by local church pastors for the encouragement and benefit of other local church pastors. This year’s theme was “Well Done,” drawn from the words of Jesus in Matt. 25:23: “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”
Held on Nov. 11 prior to the 118th Annual Meeting of Oklahoma Baptists at Moore, First, this year’s Pastors Conference highlighted the concept of faithfulness in five key areas: family, preaching, leadership, longevity in ministry and personal life. These themes were explored in depth through sermons, testimonies and focused times of reflection and prayer.
This year’s conference brought together respected voices in Baptist life, including Mark Clifton, known for his passion for church revitalization and replanting and heart for small church pastors, who brought a wealth of experience to the conversation on leadership and longevity in ministry. Clifton’s love for pastors and churches in decline resonated with many who face challenges in their congregations.
Jared Wilson, a leading author and advocate for Gospel-driven ministry, also spoke. Wilson’s works, such as The Prodigal Church and Gospel Wakefulness, have challenged many pastors to keep Christ at the center of their preaching and ministry. His session on the personal life of the pastor was a great encouragement for weary pastors serving faithfully in the trenches. Along with these national figures, Oklahoma Baptists were encouraged through stories of God working in the lives of pastors through testimonies and messages rooted in God’s Word.
New to this year’s conference was the presentation of the J.B. Rounds Award, which honors a bi-vocational pastor who has demonstrated exceptional faithfulness in their ministry. Named in honor of J.B. Rounds, one of the founders of Falls Creek and leader of Oklahoma Baptists, the award highlights the importance of recognizing those who labor in smaller or underserved churches while also maintaining other careers.
“The goal of this award is to highlight a pastor who has devoted his life to bi-vocational ministry and earned the ‘well done’ as a good and faithful servant,’ said Pastors’ Conference President Luke Holmes, pastor of Duncan, Immanuel. “The Oklahoma Baptist Pastors’ Conference is created by pastors for pastors, so this year we wanted to take the time to honor those who
are doing the work in the trenches. That’s how the J.B. Rounds award for the bivocational pastor of the year came about.
“It was conceived to honor someone who has a long track record of ministry; somebody who has made a career out of being bi-vocational. I have found that these pastors often serve in the smaller churches that make up the majority of Oklahoma Baptists and even the entire Southern Baptist Convention.
“These men are not often asked to speak at conferences or anywhere else, but they exemplify what it means to be an Oklahoma Baptist. They often don’t get a lot of honors and recognition, as they are too busy even to attend meetings or other events. But without them, many of our churches would fall apart. They love the Lord, love their church and will do anything to help somebody know Jesus.”
Receiving the inaugural award was David Boggs, pastor of Butcher Pen Mission, which is located on Butcher Pen Creek in southeastern Johnston County at the northern end of Lake Texoma, northeast of Madill and Kingston west of Kenefic. Boggs is a retired carpenter who helped build houses, hanging drywall and doing trim work.
feed almost 20 kids Sunday night. Several of them were saved at Falls Creek this year.”
“I could think of nobody else who exemplifies this spirit better than David Boggs,” Holmes said. “Even though he was paid meagerly by the church, he often gave out of his own funds to help others. He serves by cooking meals, leading in construction projects and doing anything for anybody who needed it. He often goes without so those he is ministering to can have what they need. It doesn’t matter to David if there are five people, 50 people or 500 people in the church. He treats them all the same and will preach with all the passion and love he has for the Lord.
“We are in a very small, poor community with a large drug problem,” said Boggs, who also battled a drinking problem in his early years before being saved on Jan. 1, 1975. He was baptized at Milburn Church where, in 1982, he surrendered to the pastoral ministry and was licensed and ordained. Before Butcher Pen, he served as pastor at Madill, Grace (1987-93) and Centrahoma (1993-2005).
“God told me to look at people for what they can be and not what they are. There are a lot of hungry children in the area. We share the Gospel Sunday morning and
“David is actively involved in the association, serves in Vacation Bible School, the Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Falls Creek and so many other little things that help make Oklahoma Baptists strong. He accompanied the youth as a sponsor to Falls Creek for almost 50 years before health problems prevented him from continuing.”
While he was at Grace church, Boggs spent many Sunday afternoons preaching and leading many inmates to the Lord at the Oklahoma Dept. of Corrections facility in Madill.
“He has served at churches of all sizes, but he’s just happy shepherding people and sharing the Gospel,” Holmes concluded. “David always plants a big garden, and then takes the produce from that to people in the community and others in need, such as the homebound and widows. He is known to show up at church with a box full of tomatoes, potatoes, turnips, green beans, okra, squash and whatever else you can think of. He works hard in the garden and then shares with others. It’s very indicative of the way he lives his life as a pastor.”
February 3,
2025
There’s two different ways of looking at how we make progress in any endeavor. One is that we look for a door to success. The popularity of this approach is seen in the large number of books that have the word “key” in their title—the key to success, the key to wealth, the key to good relationships and so on. Unfortunately, because we are such an impatient society, this is the most popular approach. But it invariably fails to deliver the sought after goal of improvement.
through which a preacher can make progress in his preaching ministry. Practically, it is a time in which many pastors find inspiration to press on in their own pathway of progress.
| Quail Springs Baptist Church | Tony Merida & Scott Pace
There is another way to achieving progress and it is the methodology found most frequently in Scripture. This approach is based on the metaphor of a path. It is much different than the search for a door to success. This methodology is not an event but rather a process, a series of defined steps toward an objective. It takes more time and patience but when faithfully applied it actually moves its practitioner toward the goal of advancement.
There are no keys, quick fixes or “silver bullets” in getting better at preaching. There is however a pathway to progress. There are principles which, if utilized on a regular basis, help a preacher develop and deliver more impactful sermons—principles such as structure, context, melodic line and gospel-connection. In this approach, progress is slow but sure. A preacher actually becomes more competent in his weekly work of sermon preparation and delivery.
Since 2012, Oklahoma Baptists have encouraged our pastors to pursue this pathway of progress through an annual event, The Priority of Preaching Conference. Strategically, it is the first step in a defined process
This year’s event will be held at OKC, Quail Springs on February 3rd, from 10 am to 4 pm. Our first instructor will be Dr. Scott Pace, who is the Provost, Dean of Graduate Studies, and Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Preaching at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His published books include Preaching by the Book, Pastoral Theology, Colossians and Philemon: Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary Series, Calling Out the Called co-authored with Shane Pruitt and Expositional Leadership co-authored with Jim Shaddix.
We will also have as a second instructor Dr. Tony Merida, who is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, N.C, and the vice president of Planter Development for Send Network. He also serves as a Board member for The Gospel Coalition. Tony has written several books including The Christ-Centered Expositor, Love Your Church and multiple volumes in the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series.
The cost of the event is $40 and registration is at oklahomabaptists.org/pop25.
See you on February 3rd!
Brett Selby Oklahoma Baptists
Join us throughout the year in praying for our missionaries, serving locally and around the world!
2025 MISSIONARY Prayer Guide
Who & Where Why How to Pray
Amber Hill serves alongside Brazilian churches and NextGen volunteers from the U.S. They share the Gospel and disciple students at secular universities in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They often meet students who are seeking for meaning but have yet to hear the full Gospel. As they build relationships with them, they engage in Gospel conversations, start Bible studies, and seek to help students connect with local churches. She finds it exciting to see Christian students grow in boldness in sharing the Gospel.
Angel Melendez is the planter and pastor Iglesia Bautista El Camino in Tulsa, a growing church dedicated to reaching the Hispanic community in East Tulsa. He feels privileged with ministering to his congregation by preaching God’s Word, discipling, and offering counsel. He also serves as the director of pastoral care at Hillcrest South Hospital, where he supports patients and families with the Gospel. Recently, the church welcomed many refugees from various countries. God is moving in their community.
Pray for the Oklahoma Baptists who are serving through the International Mission Board in areas of the world that are so dangerous we cannot reveal their names or where they serve, not just for the safety of these missionaries, but for those under their care who choose to follow Jesus. The majority of these workers serve in countries where other religions and spiritism are deeply entrenched in the cultures. These are some of the greatest challenges to overcome.
Michael and Liz Davis are serving with the International Mission Board in Berlin, Germany. As first-time missionaries in Germany, they will be in full-time language school trying to become fluent so they can naturally share the good news and pray for their German neighbors in their heart language. They are passionate about helping believers grow in their faith and are eager to labor alongside the team in Berlin to share the Gospel and see lives transformed.
Pray more workers will engage with the universities in Rio de Janeiro.
Pray the churches near each university will develop a partnership with those universities.
Pray seeker Bible studies will start on each campus, leading to confessions in faith and discipleship studies.
Pray God continues to open more doors so the church can reach more people with the Gospel.
The church launched a church planting residency program with three families who will be planting new churches across Oklahoma. Pray for these families.
Pray for the provision of a 15-passenger van for their second church in Miami, Okla.
Pray the Spirit will give the workers boldness and discernment of when and with whom to share.
Pray for the protection of the families physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.
Pray indigenous new believers will be bold to share as God builds His church among them.
Pray the Davis’s will abide in Christ, “Because without Him, we can do nothing.”
Pray Michael and Liz will quickly learn German and assimilate into society.
Pray they make new friends this year with Germans in their neighborhood.
Amber Hill
Secure Country Missionaries
Angel Melendez
Michael & Liz Davis
LONGTIME STATE BAPTIST LEADER GLENN BROWN DIES
By Bob Nigh
Longtime Oklahoma Baptist servant Glenn Austin Brown, 92, died Dec. 1 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Brown served as a Minister of Music, Education and Youth at Tulsa, Springdale; Tulsa, First; Sallisaw, First; and Oklahoma City, Britton and as Minister of Education at Ada, First. In 1971, he accepted an invitation to join the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma as the Associate Director of the Department of Religious Education. He also worked as the Associate Director of Planning and Promotion for the BGCO for several years before becoming the Director of Communications and Editor of their weekly newspaper, the Baptist Messenger. He became wellknown and respected among Oklahoma Baptists through his writing and preaching engagements in churches across the state.
Brown was born Sept. 6, 1932 in Porum to Charles and Lavada Brown. Because of his parents’ teaching and example, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior at a young age.
Upon graduating from high school in Shawnee in 1950, Brown attended Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) to begin his college career. It was there that he met his first love, Jean Stith, and they married Dec. 22, 1951 during their sophomore year of college. During the next few years, he felt God was calling him to the ministry. He completed a B.A. in Religion and Philosophy with a minor in music from Tulsa University in 1962 and an M.A. in Educational Psychology from the University of Oklahoma (OU) in 1968.
Brown led stewardship conferences in several states and served as president of the Stewardship Development Association (Association of state stewardship development directors). He also served on the faculty at Glorieta Baptist Conference Center. He participated in short-term mission projects in 16 foreign countries.
Upon his retirement in 1997, the Browns moved to Fort Worth to be closer to their daughters and grandchildren. During his wife’s last several years.
Two years after Jean’s death in 2011, Glenn found love again, marrying Euna Hancook. They enjoyed being involved in their church, where Glenn was their Sunday School teacher and an active deacon.
5 STEPS FOR CREATING A CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN FOR A CHURCH
By Mark MacDonald
Here are five steps to having an effective crisis communication plan that can be adapted for churches of various sizes.
1. IDENTIFY POTENTIAL CRISIS SCENARIOS
Start by identifying potential crises that could impact your church (e.g., natural disasters, health emergencies, leadership scandals, or security threats). For each potential crisis, consider detailed scenarios outlining possible developments and impacts. Here are practical tips to get started:
• Risk assessment: Evaluate the likelihood and potential impact of each crisis (e.g., ranked 1 to 10).
• Engage a team: Involve other ministry leaders in a brainstorming session to ensure a diversity of perspectives.
• Write simple scenarios: Including a potential timeline for events in the anticipated challenges. What will the response time be?
2. ESTABLISH A CRISIS COMMUNICATION TEAM
A dedicated crisis communication team ensures roles are clear and responses are swift and organized. This team should include key church leaders, communication people and volunteers who can handle various aspects of crisis management. Tips for doing this (adapt to the size of your congregation):
• Assign roles: Clearly define roles (e.g., spokesperson, internal communication coordinator) in case of each potential scenario. Will it be the same each time?
• Provide training: Ask the team how comfortable they are with their roles. Offer training sessions to ensure each person understands their responsibilities. This is a huge responsibility, treat it seriously.
• Create a contact list: Maintain an updated list of your team members with contact information and backup contacts.
3. DEVELOP A COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
Your communication strategy should outline how information will be disseminated during a crisis. This includes deciding on the platforms, channels and tools you’ll use to reach your congregation and the broader community (if needed). Tips for doing this:
• Choose communication channels: Identify the best, trusted channels for your members (e.g., email, social media, church website, text messaging, stage, etc.).
• Craft key messages: Prepare short (but adequate) key messages that can be quickly adapted to different situations. These should be clear, biblical, compassionate and truthful.
• Set up templates: Create basic templates for emails, social media posts and press releases to speed up the communication process.
4. ESTABLISH A TIMELINE FOR COMMUNICATION
During a crisis, it’s important to maintain consistent communication with your members. Establish timelines to ensure everyone receives accurate and timely information. Tips for doing this (when a crisis happens):
• Unified messaging: Ensure all communications are consistent across all channels to avoid confusion.
• Internal briefings: Establish a schedule for briefings with your crisis communication team and church staff to keep everyone informed.
• Media engagement: Develop a plan for engaging with the media, including who will communicate on behalf of the church.
5. REVIEW YOUR PLAN AND CONDUCT DRILLS
Regularly review your crisis communication plan. For some churches, you should conduct drills to test the plan. These reviews help identify weaknesses and will improve response. It also ensures your team remains prepared and confident in their roles.
By following these five simple steps, pastors can build robust and effective crisis communication plans for their churches. This proactive approach not only protects your congregation but also reinforces trust and unity within your church community. It’s truly for peace of mind as you pray for your church to never have to use your plan.
Mark MacDonald is communication pastor, speaker, consultant, bestselling author, church branding strategist for BeKnownforSomething.com. This article was reprinted with permission from Lifeway.
Original article link: research.lifeway.com/2024/06/20/5-steps-forcreating-a-crisis-communication-plan-for-a-church/
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