FACING GLOBAL CHALLENGES
CBF IMPACT REPORT
2 25
TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 Facing the Challenge: Global Migration 6 Facing the Challenge: Financial Strain 8 Facing the Challenge: Congregational Change 10 Facing the Challenge: Ministry Isolation 12 Global Missions 14 Chaplaincy & Pastoral Counseling 15 Advocacy 16 Congregational Ministries 18 Outreach & Growth 20 Identity & Experiences 21 States & Regions 22 Young Baptists 23 Church Benefits Board 24 CBF Foundation 25 Consolidated Financial Report 26 Your Impact 2 | 2025 CBF Impact Report
Led by the love of Christ, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship invites churches and individuals to partner in transforming God’s world, working together as a global community to spread good news, justice and hope through impactful ministries, missions and resources.
Inviting to Community, Equipping for Ministry, Transforming God’s World Each year, the stories gathered in our Impact Report remind me of a simple truth: God’s transforming work in the world is not the assignment of a few, it is an invitation extended to all of us. I’m grateful to share the 2025 CBF Impact Report, which highlights how, led by the love of Christ, our Fellowship is responding together to some of the world’s most pressing needs. This report is a window into what that mission looks like in real places and real lives. Within these pages you’ll see innovative congregations seeking faithful witness in their communities. You’ll encounter gifted and called field personnel bearing witness to Jesus Christ in the United States and around the world. You’ll glimpse the ministry of our endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors offering compassionate care in moments of crisis, transition and deep need. And you’ll see how CBF’s partnerships, through state and regional organizations, theological schools and trusted ministry partners, are equipping leaders and strengthening congregations for the work ahead. We call ourselves a Fellowship—koinonia—because we believe Christ forms us into a shared life shaped by love that is sacrificial, encouraging and empowering, not controlling. We are learning, with humility, how to honor conscience, to respect one another deeply and to grow together in ways we cannot grow alone. That kind of community is itself a powerful witness in a world that too often confuses power with faithfulness. And our witness is grounded in the expansive mission of Jesus, both evangelism and social transformation. Jesus’ mission is good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind and freedom for the oppressed. To follow him is to join him in a mission that involves hearts and minds, words and deeds, souls and bodies—work that changes lives and also confronts and transforms what keeps people from thriving. As you explore this report, I hope you will celebrate the impact we’re making together, give thanks for the faithful ministry unfolding across our Fellowship and hear again the invitation to what remains ahead. Your prayers, your gifts and your partnership matter more than you know. Thank you for continuing to say “yes” to Christ’s call, and for the ways you help CBF spread good news, justice and hope in a world that needs them. In Christ, Paul Baxley Executive Coordinator Cooperative Baptist Fellowship December 2025 2025 CBF Impact Report | 3
FACING THE CHALLENGE
GLOBAL MIGRATION A Place to Belong: Fatima’s Journey from Fear to Hope When Fatima arrived at Welcome House Raleigh, she carried with her both fear and hope. Fear from the memories she left behind in Afghanistan, and hope for a life free from oppression—a life she could rebuild with dignity. Just days before the U.S. government paused and later discontinued refugee resettlement, Fatima stepped through the doors of Welcome House Raleigh, a ministry of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship led by Kim and Marc Wyatt. There, she found more than shelter. She found family. “I am a girl from Afghanistan,” Fatima said softly. “A war-torn country, yet rich in culture, literature, poetry and art. But it was never truly my homeland. Being a girl there can feel like the worst fate in life.” Before the Taliban’s return, Fatima had been a journalist—free to work, travel and dream. But that freedom vanished overnight on August 14, 2021. “That night, my goals, my dreams and the life I had built were destroyed,” she remembered. For more than a year, Fatima lived under Taliban rule. “All these insults and threats came down to one thing,” she said. “I was a woman—and worse than that, I was a female journalist.” Eventually, the danger became unbearable, and she fled her home.
4 | 2025 CBF Impact Report
Her journey took her through Pakistan and Europe. Though she lived for a time in Paris, even there she experienced the sting of discrimination. “No matter how hard I tried, I could never belong,” she said. When the opportunity came to come to America—“the land of immigrants,” as she called it—Fatima made the brave choice to start again. At Welcome House Raleigh, Fatima experienced what she calls “the true meaning of humanity.” She recalls, “When I saw a Christian raise his hands in prayer for me, a Muslim, I felt a new kind of acceptance. When the church gave me a place to live and the mosque gave me food, I felt honored.” Through the compassion of Cooperative Baptists and the IMPACT Welcome House community, Fatima found what she had longed for— COMPASSION peace, dignity and belonging. LED TO PEACE, “When I realized that DIGNITY AND Americans saw me not as an BELONGING immigrant, but as a human being, I felt valued,” she said. “Their kindness and solidarity gave me strength to believe again—in myself and in humanity.”
217 LOCAL CHURCHES ENGAGED IN MIGRATION SUPPORT & SERVICES WITH CBF FIELD PERSONNEL
1,400+ CHURCHES & MINISTRIES PROTECTED
1,104 NEW VOLUNTEERS SERVING IN MIGRATION SUPPORT & SERVICES
BY CBF’S RELIGIOUS LIBERTY LAWSUIT
WITH CBF FIELD PERSONNEL
3,979 MIGRANTS SERVED
BY CBF FIELD PERSONNEL MINISTRIES
304 MILLION
43.7 MILLION
INTERNATIONAL MIGRANTS
REFUGEES WORLDWIDE
IN 2024, NEARLY DOUBLE THE NUMBER FROM 1990
Defending Religious Liberty and Protecting Immigrant Ministry In early 2025, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship joined a federal lawsuit to prevent immigration enforcement in and around houses of worship. Rooted in our historic commitments to religious liberty and ministry with immigrants, this action reflected the conviction that congregations must be free to worship and serve without fear. The lawsuit challenged the Department of Homeland Security’s abrupt removal of long-standing “sensitive location” protections—safeguards that, for decades, had prevented enforcement operations inside churches and other sacred spaces. Without these protections, ministries that serve immigrants faced new obstacles, as fear began to keep neighbors away from worship, ESL classes and essential outreach programs.
IN 2024, ACCORDING TO THE UNITED NATIONS REFUGEE AGENCY
In February 2025, a federal court granted an injunction restoring those protections. The ruling blocks immigration enforcement officers from entering CBF churches without a warrant or emergency circumstances. CBF leaders celebrated the decision as a “powerful validation” of our core values— religious liberty, local church autonomy and the separation of church and state. This outcome allows Cooperative Baptists to continue their bold and compassionate witness among immigrants and refugees without fear or interruption. It also strengthens vital ministries like Welcome House Raleigh, where CBF field personnel offer hospitality, housing and hope to newcomers rebuilding their lives. Immigrants and refugees are vital members of the Church and the larger body of Christ. By defending the religious freedom of houses of worship, Cooperative Baptists are ensuring that every congregation remains a safe, welcoming place where all of God’s children can gather, serve and find belonging. 2025 CBF Impact Report | 5
FACING THE CHALLENGE
FINANCIAL STRAIN From Sacred Spaces to Generous Congregations: CBF Churches Get Creative in Responding to Financial Strain Rising inflation, growing operational costs and shifts in giving habits have created significant financial challenges for congregations across the country. For many churches, questions of sustainability now go hand-in-hand with their calling to serve. Through initiatives like Sacred Spaces and Cultivating Generous Congregations, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, in partnership with the CBF Foundation, is equipping churches with tools to navigate this season with creativity and purpose. Two congregations—Willow Meadows Baptist Church in Texas and Johns Creek Baptist Church in Georgia—have embraced these challenges as opportunities to reimagine what faithful stewardship looks like today.
Stewarding Space for Mission in Houston At Willow Meadows Baptist Church, a shrinking congregation worships in a building designed for more than 1,000. But rather than view their campus as a burden, church leaders saw an asset.
6 | 2025 CBF Impact Report
With guidance from CBF’s Sacred Spaces resource, Willow Meadows began intentionally sharing its facilities. The church now leases portions of its building to nonprofits and other congregations, generating roughly one-third of its annual operating budget. When one tenant—the Houston Graduate School of Theology—downsized in 2021, Willow Meadows took a bold step: hiring a commercial real estate agent to market the space. That decision led to a partnership with Avondale Autism School, which signed a five-year lease and IMPACT now occupies a renovated floor of the church’s education building. CHURCHES MOVE “This was a win for everyone,” FROM STRAIN TO SUSTAINABILITY said Senior Minister Craig Taylor. “It took patience and collaboration, but the result was a sustainable, mission-aligned relationship.” Taylor emphasized that clarity, lay leadership and a strong spirit of partnership made all the difference. “These aren’t just tenants,” he said. “They’re colleagues in Kingdom work.”
$656,683 SAVED BY CHURCHES
THROUGH CBF FOUNDATION’S NO FEE STRUCTURE
55 CHURCH FINANCIAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS PROVIDED BY CBF “The
BEST TRAINING I’ve had in the arena of finances and generosity. Very
PRACTICAL INFORMATION and easy to implement.
EXCELLENT IDEAS for working and supporting my congregation with these tools and techniques.”
16 CHURCHES
52 LEADERS
PARTICIPATED IN
70%
CULTIVATING GENEROUS CONGREGATIONS COHORT
25% OF CBF CHURCHES LISTED
LIMITED FINANCIAL RESOURCES
AS A BARRIER TO MINISTRY IN 2020
Cultivating Generosity in Georgia Meanwhile, Johns Creek Baptist Church joined CBF’s Cultivating Generous Congregations cohort in 2022. The program, developed with the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, helps churches build a healthy theology of generosity and respond to evolving giving trends. Inspired by what they learned, Johns Creek launched the Impact JCBC campaign. This initiative expanded stewardship beyond finances, inviting members to pledge attendance, service hours, outreach—and giving. “We wanted to unlearn what no longer served us and rethink stewardship from the ground up,” said Senior Pastor Shaun King. “We tethered every appeal to our core purpose: sharing the transforming love of God.” The results have been energizing. Members responded not just with generosity, but with renewed commitment to discipleship and ministry. Quarterly “impact reports” reinforced accountability and celebration.
LAITY
30%
CLERGY
#1 FINANCIAL STRAIN
LISTED AS THE TOP CONCERN OF CBF CHURCHES IN 2020
“We’ve seen people deepen their faith by committing to serve and show up,” King said. “Financial giving became a natural next step.”
A Fellowship of Solutions From renting classrooms in Houston to redefining generosity in Georgia, CBF congregations are addressing financial strain with vision and faithfulness. CBF, in partnership with the CBF Foundation, continues to walk alongside churches through curated programs, practical resources and peer support. In a time of rising costs and shifting expectations, CBF is helping churches do more than survive— they’re learning to thrive. As congregations face the future, CBF’s message is clear: with creativity, courage and community, the church’s mission is not only possible—it’s sustainable.
2025 CBF Impact Report | 7
FACING THE CHALLENGE
CONGREGATIONAL CHANGE Tampa Church Explores ‘Dynamic Collaboration’ through CBF’s Thriving Congregations Initiative In Tampa, Fla., Waters Avenue Church is trying to make a difference—but doing ministry in a time of cultural change isn’t easy. “There’s simply no denying that churches struggle with how to move forward in the world as our culture transitions to a place where certain ecclesial structures make less sense than they once did,” said Pastor Chris Kravitz. As the national decline in weekly worship attendance shows—a trend reflected in the chart on the next page—CBF’s Thriving Congregations initiative is designed to help churches respond faithfully to these shifting realities. Although the church was not originally affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Kravitz turned to CBF’s Thriving Congregations Initiative to explore how the congregation could better serve its neighborhood and live out its calling in new ways. Launched in 2022 through a $1 million Lilly Endowment grant, the Initiative brings churches together in learning 8 | 2025 CBF Impact Report
Above: Pastor Chris Kravitz discusses Waters Avenue’s journey toward thriving.
communities to cultivate renewal and innovation. Participants meet throughout the year to encourage one another, conduct hands-on holy experiments and engage the five traits of thriving congregations: Compelling Clarity, Faithful Agility, Holy Tenacity, Rooted Relationships and Dynamic Collaboration. “Having clarity on the five traits had a huge impact on the team,” Kravitz said. “Thinking through them congregationally renewed our focus and gave us a way to assess ‘thriving.’”
“The fruit of what came together was
500+ LEADERS 120+ CHURCHES
MORE THAN I DREAMED.”
HAVE ENGAGED IN CBF’S
THRIVING CONGREGATIONS INITIATIVE
5 TRAITS NURTURED
THROUGH THE THRIVING CONGREGATIONS INITIATIVE
PERCENTAGE OF AMERICANS WHO
ATTEND RELIGIOUS SERVICES WEEKLY OR NEARLY EVERY WEEK
2000-2003
42%
Waters Avenue chose to focus on Dynamic Collaboration, which emphasizes ministry that reflects the life-giving koinonia described in Philippians. Collaboration may occur within the church or through partnerships with others, multiplying the impact of a congregation’s assets. “Thinking from an asset-based approach gives a renewed sense of freedom and possibility that we must embrace if we want to see our churches make a positive influence,” Kravitz added. As part of its journey, Waters Avenue decided to become a CBF-affiliated congregation—a “holy experiment,” as Kravitz describes it. “Some in our congregation expressed hesitancy, as most had scars from their Independent Fundamental Baptist or Southern Baptist Convention pasts,” he said. “Approaching it from the posture of experiment and using the tools we gained in the cohort was essential.” Those concerns soon gave way to trust. “Through our time with Thriving Congregations, we saw others who affirmed an
2011-2013
38%
2021-2023
30%
open and embracing posture toward all people and who worked for justice and equity,” Kravitz said. Connections through the Florida learning community also IMPACT sparked a collaborative experiment CHURCHES LEARN with Bayshore Baptist Church. TO THRIVE IN THE When Bayshore’s minister to MIDST OF CHANGE youth and young adults moved away to a new role in ministry, the congregation invited Kravitz to serve both churches. “This arrangement has been very fruitful,” he said, “and it would not have happened without CBF’s Thriving Congregations Initiative.” For congregations seeking renewed purpose, Kravitz encourages engagement. “Thriving Congregations not only gives you the tools you need,” he said, “but a supportive community as well. I’m a big believer in Thriving Congregations.” 2025 CBF Impact Report | 9
FACING THE CHALLENGE
MINISTRY ISOLATION Finding Connection in a Calling: How CBF Confronts Ministry Isolation and Burnout Across the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, one challenge rises again and again from the voices of pastors and ministry leaders: Ministry can be profoundly isolating. New clergy often enter their first call unsure where to turn. Mid-career pastors navigate heavy expectations while carrying congregational burdens alone. Women and pastors of color frequently serve as
Left: CBF’s Xiomara Reboyras-Ortiz with clergy cohort finding connection in the Dominican Republic.
10 | 2025 CBF Impact Report
solo ministers, without colleagues who understand their unique contexts. Even seasoned clergy can find themselves wondering whether anyone truly “gets” the pressures they face. That is precisely why CBF has spent more than a decade building a comprehensive ecosystem of support—an intentional response to the isolation and burnout that threaten the health of ministers and congregations alike. CBF Fellows, one of the Fellowship’s earliest clergy-support initiatives, began in 2012 to help ministers in their “first call” start strong. Every two years, up to 16 early-in-ministry clergy join a cohort that learns the ropes of ministry from CBF staff, veteran pastors, coaches and one another. “The Fellows program strives not only to protect Fellows from isolation and burnout, but also to empower them to thrive as pastors,” said Kelly Rhodes Adams, director of CBF’s Clergy Support Ecosystem. “We hope to support clergy through the lifespan of vocational ministry.” Fellows consistently testify that this kind of connection is life-changing. “The most significant value I gained was the
40 PEER LEARNING GROUPS FUNDED BY CBF IN 2025
100+
100% OF 2025 CBF FELLOWS FEEL THEY HAVE CONNECTIONS
WHO WILL SUPPORT THEM NOW AND IN THE FUTURE
“I don’t know that I would have had the
FORTITUDE
coming out of COVID and with multiple life transitions to
STAY IN MINISTRY without Fellows.”
ACTIVE
PEER LEARNING GROUPS
MORE THAN 50% OF PASTORS IN THE U.S.
DO NOT ACCESS PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT OR GUIDANCE
CBF 54% OFCHURCHES
FELT STRESS WAS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE OF THEIR PASTORS IN 2020
60% MALE PASTORS 32% FEMALE PASTORS
PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALTH
LOWER AMONG PASTORS THAN THE GENERAL U.S. POPULATION
opportunity to gather with a cohort of young leaders who were also reading, reflecting and thinking deeply about church leadership,” said Carol McEntyre, a member of the first Fellows cohort. Daniel Potter, a 2016–2018 Fellow, echoed this: “The deeper connection to other ministers and to CBF remains the most consistent and deepest impact on my life.” For Tyler Tankersley, the program revealed a truth many pastors know but rarely name: “Ministry cannot be done alone. Pastors need spaces where they don’t have to explain what their life looks like—spaces where people just innately ‘get it.’ Some of the first people I turn to when I face a difficult ministry situation were members of my CBF Fellows cohort.” This commitment to combating isolation extends far beyond young clergy. Through Thriving in Ministry cohorts, clergy coaching, Peer Learning Groups and international gatherings, CBF provides sustained community for pastors across their vocational lifespan. In March, when 24 Caribbean women gathered in the Dominican Republic for prayer, dreaming
and collaboration, the same dynamic emerged: connection as resilience. “It was a weekend that inspired, connected and affirmed a collective call to serve and lead with purpose,” said Xiomara Reboyras-Ortiz, Associate Coordinator of CBF Florida and IMPACT the Caribbean Islands and CBF Outreach and Growth Specialist. CONNECTION AND Whether clergy are new to ENCOURAGEMENT ministry, navigating mid-career HELP MINISTERS transitions or leading in TO FLOURISH challenging contexts, CBF offers something essential: a place to belong, peers who understand the journey and a network that refuses to let ministers walk alone. Because when ministers flourish, congregations flourish— and CBF is committed to ensuring neither does so in isolation.
2025 CBF Impact Report | 11
GLOBAL MISSIONS Embodying Christ’s Love Globally Empowered by the Holy Spirit and in partnership with the global Church, we seek to see people flourish in stable, dignified and abundant lives. Global Missions works among those affected by displacement, poverty, injustice or limited access to the Gospel. Our field personnel walk alongside communities devastated by disaster, refugee families fleeing violence, children living in extreme poverty and local congregations serving as agents of transformation.
ENCOURAGER CHURCHES 75 CHURCHES
9 NEW IN 2024
STUDENT INTERNSHIPS 21 STUDENTS
6,720 HOURS WORKED
CHURCH ENGAGEMENT 24 MISSION TRIPS 12 DESTINATIONS
303 VOLUNTEERS 15,456 VOLUNTEER HOURS
OFFERING FOR GLOBAL MISSIONS 350 CHURCHES GIVING
$2.5 MILLION CONTRIBUTED
DISASTER RESPONSE 18 DISASTERS 28 GRANTS
12 | 2025 CBF Impact Report
11,426 PEOPLE SERVED $231,952 GRANTED
Above: First Baptist Church in Waynesboro, Va., is recognized as an Encourager Church. Left: A team fills barrels with drinking water for migrants. Below: Churches across North Carolina gathered to support victims of Hurricane Helene through reconstruction, lodging and meals.
GLOBAL FIELD MINISTRIES
35,377 PEOPLE were served on their path toward abundant life. CBF’s
31 FIELD PERSONNEL embody Christ’s love with those affected by displacement, poverty, injustice or limited access to the Gospel.
ADVOCACY
1,120 PEOPLE SERVED 37 CHURCHES ENGAGED
AGRICULTURE & ECOLOGY
51 CHURCHES ENGAGED
7,386 PEOPLE SERVED
CHILDREN & YOUTH EDUCATION
10,760 PEOPLE SERVED
88 CHURCHES ENGAGED CHURCH & DISCIPLESHIP
4,843 PEOPLE SERVED
198 CHURCHES ENGAGED
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
286 PEOPLE SERVED 19 CHURCHES ENGAGED
DISASTER RESPONSE & EMERGENCIES
3,492 PEOPLE SERVED
182 CHURCHES ENGAGED
EMPOWERMENT & CAPACITY BUILDING
1,993 PEOPLE SERVED 54 CHURCHES ENGAGED
HEALTH PROGRAMS
462 PEOPLE SERVED 10 CHURCHES ENGAGED MENTAL HEALTH & PASTORAL CARE
1,056 PEOPLE SERVED 12 CHURCHES ENGAGED
MIGRATION SUPPORT & SERVICES
3,979 PEOPLE SERVED
217 CHURCHES ENGAGED 2025 CBF Impact Report | 13
CHAPLAINCY & PASTORAL COUNSELING The Impact of Compassionate Presence Since 1998, CBF has endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors serving beyond local churches in specialized settings like hospitals, prisons, campuses, businesses and the military. Endorsement confirms that ordained ministers are in good standing with their faith tradition and meet required spiritual, ethical, educational and clinical standards. CBF-endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors provide radical hospitality, creating safe, sacred spaces for people in crisis, who have experienced trauma or are suffering. CBF offers these ministers a supportive faith home where they are affirmed and empowered. Grounded in this foundation, chaplains and pastoral counselors bring compassionate spiritual care to diverse communities, honoring each person’s unique experience of God while sharing Christ’s love and hope.
ACTIVELY SERVING 73.1% 14.4% 7.2% 3.7% 1.6%
HEALTHCARE MILITARY PASTORAL COUNSELING
928 ACTIVELY SERVING 26 NEWLY ENDORSED IN 2025
COMMUNITY PRISONS
ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH Mental Health First Aid training with a 3-year certification from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing was offered to chaplains and pastoral counselors prior to the 2025 General Assembly. Certified trainers were Colin Kroll, CBF Global Young Adults Ministry Manager, and Kan’Dace Brock, pastor of The Message Church in San Antonio, Texas.
47 CERTIFIED
7.5 CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS
Above: Chaplain Harrison Wilmes prays with an attendee during a General Assembly worship service. Below: Chaplaincy Commissioning at 2025 CBF General Assembly in St. Louis, Mo.
14 | 2025 CBF Impact Report
ADVOCACY Faithful Public Witness CBF Advocacy seeks to help congregations, pastors and lay leaders enhance their missions and ministries through advocacy. As Christians dedicated to serving our communities, we strive to exercise responsible Christian citizenship by modeling an inclusive public witness for the Church that amplifies the voices of marginalized, neglected and forgotten communities.
LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY 25 LETTERS SIGNED
3 FOREIGN AID 2 HOUSING 2 HUNGER 5 IMMIGRATION
1 PAYDAY LENDING 6 POVERTY 5 PUBLIC EDUCATION 1 RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
ADVOCACY IN ACTION 2 EVENTS
57 ATTENDEES
30 LEGISLATIVE VISITS
IMMIGRATION ADVOCACY 50 CHURCHES TRAINED 900 DOWNLOADS
14 NEW RESOURCES
CONGREGATIONAL ADVOCACY 60+ CHURCHES ENGAGED
7 STATE & REGIONAL MEETINGS
JUDICIAL ADVOCACY 1 LAWSUIT 1 AMICUS BRIEF
100% OF CBF CHURCHES PROTECTED
FROM WARRANTLESS ICE ACTIVITY
U.S. SUPREME COURT REJECTS RELIGIOUS CHARTER SCHOOLS
2025 CBF Impact Report | 15
CONGREGATIONAL MINISTRIES Supporting Churches and Ministers CBF’s core commitment is supporting congregations and encouraging their leaders. CBF staff members offer support to congregations seeking a deeper sense of God’s calling for their lives together, discerning how to faithfully navigate changing financial environments and exploring how best to live out their local mission commitments while also joining Christ in ministry around the world. Alongside state and regional leaders and partner ministries, we help congregations find new pastoral leadership. We develop resources to respond to urgent needs emerging from our congregations. We help churches learn from one another and navigate incredible change. We engage in all these ministries of equipping because we have a deep love for churches and a holy ambition for their futures.
THRIVING IN MINISTRY COHORTS 5 7 5
BLACK CLERGY LEADING WHITE CONGREGATIONS BLACK PASTORS SUPPORTING WOMEN IN MINISTRY BLACK WOMEN LEADING IN WHITE SPACE
5 12 12
N.C. BLACK CLERGY WOMEN COHORT WOMEN IN MUSIC MINISTRY SPANISH-LANGUAGE FELLOWS
PEER LEARNING GROUPS 40 GROUPS FUNDED
25% NEW PEER GROUPS Over
14 YEARS, CBF Fellows has helped
CBF FELLOWS 15 FELLOWS
106 FIRST-CALL MINISTERS
92% FEEL EQUIPPED FOR
A LONG TENURE IN VOCATIONAL MINISTRY
to make a healthy transition from seminary to congregational ministry.
“The Fellows program has been nourishing in ministry and in my life! Along with informative retreats that helped me consider ministry from many angles, I have found new colleagues and friends who are walking this path, too. It’s practical and renewing, and I would do it again if they’d let me!” Sean Timmons, Associate Pastor of Youth and Families, West Main Baptist Church and University Chaplain, Averett University (Danville, Va.)
16 | 2025 CBF Impact Report
MINISTERIAL TRANSITIONS 77 MINISTER CONSULTATIONS 43 SEARCH TEAM CONSULTATIONS
SAFETY AND PREVENTION 55 ABUSE PREVENTION CONSULTATIONS 36 BEHAVIORAL THREAT CONSULTATIONS “Jay Kieve has been instrumental in the development of a safety and security plan for Williamsburg Baptist Church in Williamsburg, Va. Jay’s ongoing consultation, a site visit in March and a self-assessment process have advanced safety goals in our church’s strategic plan. We are grateful for Jay’s support, enthusiasm and the CBF network.” Clark Ward, Administration Council, Leadership Council, Building and Grounds Co-Chair, Congregational Care/Deacon
THRIVING CHILDREN 6 CHURCHES COMPLETED
SAFEGUARDING TRAINING
32 INDIVIDUALS ATTENDED
NEURODIVERGENCE SEMINARS
2025 CBF Impact Report | 17
OUTREACH & GROWTH Creating a Path to Belonging CBF invites churches to form new, vital, loving, just and needed church partnerships. The Outreach and Growth Team celebrates the opportunity to journey with new CBF partner congregations. The team facilitates engagement to foster belonging with prospective congregations during times of prayerful discernment and discovery, striving to create relationships with existing CBF organizations to make the Fellowship home for all. The work of the Outreach and Growth team also includes leadership of the Pan African Koinonia, as well as FAMILIA, CBF’s Latino Network.
PAN AFRICAN KOINONIA (PAK) 59 ENGAGEMENTS
783 CONTACTS
Through partnership, solidarity and shared mission, Outreach & Growth ministered beyond CBF with
7,500+ TOUCHPOINTS and collaborations spanning 6 CONTINENTS.
10 STATES
MCCALL RACIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE 16 EVENTS & RESOURCES
4,144 PARTICIPANTS Allyship and Building Resilience for the Fight for Equality McCall Racial Justice Initiative engaged 125 participants in workshops on allyship and building resilience. In post-session surveys, 90% of participants reported a deeper understanding and commitment to justice.
CBF MID-ATLANTIC (MACBF) 15 EVENTS & COLLABORATIONS
166 CONTACTS
BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP NORTHEAST (BFN) 41 ENGAGEMENTS 18 | 2025 CBF Impact Report
300 CONTACTS
125 PARTICIPANTS 90% DEEPER COMMITMENT
FAMILIA (CBF LATINO MINISTRIES) 25+ EVENTS
11 COUNTRIES
2,100+ CONTACTS International Connections Collaborations with AETH, LCNN, Biblica, FaithWorks, Baptist World Congress and World Vision Latin America, along with pilgrimages and conferences in Panamá, Perú, Cuba, Colombia and Australia advanced global advocacy on peace, migration and anti-corruption.
7 MINISTRY BOARDS
55 SPANISH-LANGUAGE RESOURCES
Certificate on Spiritual Practices
64 STUDENTS
11 NATIONS
CBF FLORIDA & CARIBBEAN ISLANDS COLLABORATION 250+ LEADERS REACHED ACROSS PUERTO RICO, THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND CUBA
19 WOMEN PASTORS IN PUERTO RICO COHORT 24 WOMEN PASTORS IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC COHORT 24 PASTORS ATTENDED TRAINING IN PUERTO RICO 36 WOMEN TRAINED IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 17 LEADERS COMPLETED COURSES THROUGH BIBLICA VIRTUAL 75 ATTENDED CONFERENCE IN PUERTO RICO 80 PARTICIPATED IN SPANISH-LANGUAGE WEBINARS 2025 CBF Impact Report | 19
IDENTITY & EXPERIENCES Building Connections At the heart of our Fellowship is our work together to embrace our calling to support the thriving of congregations, participate in Jesus’ mission and offer a Christian public witness. Connection and community thrive among the people and churches of this Fellowship when we invite each other into relationships of equipping as we seek God’s transformation of the world. Fellowship gatherings, including General Assembly, held across CBF life, as well as the production of timely information, publications and resources help communicate the values and identity of CBF.
from the Religious Communications Council, including
FELLOWSHIP EVENTS
for its 2025 Offering for Global Missions campaign.
5 EQUIPPING EVENTS
200+ REGISTRANTS
MINISTRY RESOURCES 100+ RESOURCES DEVELOPED
5,796 DOWNLOADS
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1,262 REGISTRANTS
23 PARTNER EVENTS
148 FIRST-TIME
84 PRE-K–12TH GRADE
46 LEARNING LABS
40 SPONSORS &
ATTENDEES
& TRAINING SESSIONS
20 | 2025 CBF Impact Report
PROGRAM ATTENDEES
EXHIBITORS
CBF earned
SEVEN AWARDS
BEST IN CLASS
STATES & REGIONS Making an Impact Close to Home Fifteen autonomous state and regional organizations serve people and churches across the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. These SROs harness the geographic proximity they share with people and churches to form vital relationships. They provide grants to churches and organizations to support ministry, equip pastors and lay leaders, provide opportunities for growth for young Baptists and support pastors and churches across a lifetime of ministry service. CBF Global works alongside SROs and builds their capacity to serve congregations and our Fellowship even better.
LOCAL MISSIONS & MINISTRIES 78 PROJECTS & GRANTS
$362,660 FUNDED
MINISTRY PARTNERS 174 PARTNERS
$1,063,152 GIVEN
SCHOLARSHIPS 79 RECIPIENTS
$150,500 AWARDED
CLERGY DEVELOPMENT 130 EVENTS
1,691 PARTICIPANTS
YOUTH EVENTS 14 EVENTS
104 CHURCHES
1,902 PARTICIPANTS
DISASTER RESPONSE 34 PROJECTS
13,152 VOLUNTEERS
DISASTER TRAINING 35 EVENTS
40 CHURCHES
51 PARTICIPANTS
MINISTERIAL TRANSITIONS 134 CHURCHES HELPED
168 MINISTERS HELPED
ADVOCACY 23 EVENTS
37 CHURCHES
232 PARTICIPANTS 2025 CBF Impact Report | 21
YOUNG BAPTISTS Nurturing Future Generations Resourcing and networking Young Baptists for the Christian journey is at the heart of the Young Baptist Ecosystem. Through experiences, internships, ministries, programs, connections and local church support, CBF is encouraging and creating an environment in which students and young adults can thrive, be energized and have opportunities to give life to the world around them as they use their gifts in service of God and others. Young Baptists matter to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and CBF is being shaped by their presence among us.
SELAH VIE 28 ATTENDEES
“Selah Vie was an incredible, structured and HOLY COUPLE OF DAYS, giving us space to truly reflect on what God called us to do this summer. For me, it was impactful to be in a room with people who have similar stories and paths that I have. It is a
SAFE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT that I am so grateful to have been a part of. I will for sure be coming back.”
SEMINARIES & SCHOLARSHIPS 19 SCHOLARSHIPS
$205,000
SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS
Vestal Scholars
12 SEMINARIES
The Daniel and Earlene Vestal Scholarship was established in 2011 in honor of former CBF Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal and his wife, Earlene, to strengthen CBF’s dedication to theological education. CBF recognized the 2025 Vestal Scholars—Emily Maples Davis and Miguel Urbaneja—during the 2025 General Assembly in St. Louis on June 26.
STUDENT SERVE 21 STUDENTS SERVING 6,720 HOURS WORKED 22 | 2025 CBF Impact Report
CHURCH BENEFITS BOARD Your Benefits are Our Ministry Church Benefits Board (CBB) is a ministry of CBF, created in 1998 by the General Assembly to provide retirement benefits for ministers and staff members of churches that are affiliated with CBF, along with field personnel worldwide. CBB is the only church retirement plan that offers participants free financial advice with FINRA licensed advisors, free financial planning with a CFP® and a financial incentive for participants who complete a financial plan. CBB equips ministers with the resources they need to transform their financial well-being and, in turn, to be better equipped to serve A true sign of the health their congregations and communities. and strength of a retirement plan is increased year-over-year employer and employee contributions. Since 2018, contributions from CBB’s participant churches and individuals have
STAYING POWER
INCREASED BY OVER $582K on average each year, with retirement contributions totaling between $6M to $7M each year. Now that’s
EMPLOYERS 349 (9/30/2025) 317 (9/24/2024)
STAYING POWER.
PARTICIPANTS 1,561 (9/30/2025) 1,460 (9/24/2024)
ROLLOVERS $12.2 MILLION (FROM 10/1/2024 - 9/30/2025)
$6.2 MILLION (FROM 10/1/2023 - 9/30/2024)
ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT $173.9 MILLION (9/30/2025) $141 MILLION (9/24/2024) Financial Wellness Education Experiences Working with States and Regions and other partners, Church Benefits Board offers Financial Wellness Education Experiences for clergy. Through dialogue with financial wellness experts, peer-to-peer learning and practical tools to build a financial plan, these educational events explore what it means to retire well.
churchbenefits.org 2025 CBF Impact Report | 23
CBF FOUNDATION Supporting Your Mission and Ministry Causes The CBF Foundation’s mission is to work alongside individuals, churches and organizations to cultivate, receive, invest and steward long-term sustaining assets and legacy gifts to support CBF mission and ministry causes. Through partnership with HighGround Advisors, it offers a comprehensive array of investment, legal and gift-planning expertise and services for churches, nonprofit organizations and individuals. Funding the Great Commission and the Greatest Commandment within the Fellowship is the vision and ministry of the CBF Foundation.
FUND OWNERSHIP 57% 20% 15% 5% 3%
CHURCHES CBF FOUNDATION STATES & REGIONS PARTNERS CBF
FISCAL YEAR SNAPSHOT FUNDS
$74.5 MILLION
$7.5 MILLION INCREASE
TOTAL
ACCOUNTS
284
TOTAL
13
NEW
DISTRIBUTIONS
$8.4 MILLION
TOTAL
$2+ MILLION
TO CHURCHES
FUND IMPACT Funds supported global missions, theological education, chaplaincy, young Baptists, racial justice, disaster relief and more.
24 | 2025 CBF Impact Report
CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL REPORT This report includes data from the consolidated audit of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and CBF Foundation. This data is based on the fiscal years 2023 and 2024 that ran from October 1 through September 30.
Statement of Activities and Change in Net Assets REVENUES Contributions and Grants Net Investment Returns Other Income Total Revenue
2024 15,506,584 2,097,895 320,355 17,924,834
2023 12,897,322 1,880,339 498,587 15,276,248
EXPENSES Global Missions Missional Congregations Other Ministries Total Program Ministries General and Administrative Fundraising Total Support Services Total Expenses
2024 6,966,813 5,440,625 238,381 12,645,819 3,392,203 1,481,339 4,873,542 17,519,361
2023 6,585,829 5,073,255 689,160 12,348,244 3,228,129 1,383,195 4,611,324 16,959,568
Net Assets, Beginning of Year Change in Net Assets Net Assets, End of Year
22,657,050 405,473 23,062,523
24,340,370 (1,683,320) 22,657,050
ASSETS Cash and Cash Equivalent Investments Interest in Trusts Other Assets Total Assets
2024 345,722 65,943,087 7,998,768 4,551,155 78,838,732
2023 474,121 56,231,018 6,951,043 3,448,871 67,105,053
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses Assets Held for Others Other Payables Total Liabilities
2024 644,896 51,060,062 4,071,251 55,776,209
2023 532,010 39,742,291 4,173,702 44,448,003
Net Assets: Funds Balance Total Net Assets
23,062,523 23,062,523
22,657,050 22,657,050
Total Liabilities and Net Assets
78,838,732
67,105,053
Statement of Financial Position
2024 EXPENSES 19% 9% 72%
GENERAL & ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDRAISING PROGRAM 2025 CBF Impact Report | 25
A HOLY AMBITION IN OUR 35TH YEAR The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is compelled by a holy ambition for Christ’s mission. This year, we are celebrating our 35th year of ministry with a call to deepen our commitment to the beautiful kind of Baptist witness God is offering through us and for us. This annual report is just a sample of the impact we’ve made together over the past year. It’s evidence of God at work, inviting us into deeper community with Christ and with an increasingly diverse community of congregations and individuals. Together, we are being equipped for even more faithful ministry and called to participate in God’s mission of transformation in the world. You can answer this call and multiply the impact you see with your financial support of the Fellowship.
IMAGINE THE IMPACT YOUR INVESTMENT COULD MAKE IN THIS FUTURE Expertise and Initiatives to Meet the Most Urgent Needs of Congregations Through a strategic process engaging much of the Fellowship, we were able to identify navigating change and financial strain as among the most urgent needs of churches. We require added expertise and ministries to assist congregations with these needs, as well as to identify and nurture new generations of lay leaders and create new habits around collaborative decision-making among staff and lay leaders.
Cultivating God’s Call to Mission in New Ways, for a New Generation If we are to nurture a new generation of Global Missions field personnel, we must invest in cultivating God’s call to mission among a much more diverse group of young people—diverse in race and ethnicity, but also in primary gifts. Field personnel of tomorrow will be social workers, entrepreneurs, agricultural specialists and health care workers, alongside pastors and church starters and people with theological education. We must invest in new kinds of partnerships with congregations and undergraduate institutions to meet a much wider network of youth and young adults who will not only be our next generations of field personnel, but also pastors for our churches and lay leaders for those congregations.
26 | 2025 CBF Impact Report
Expanding Support for Seminary Students and Partnerships in Theological Education Theological education is changing. While those pursuing theological education were once mostly full-time residential students removed from congregations, with online and hybrid formats, those called to ministry now are serving congregations while they study. This shift brings opportunities and challenges. We must expand our funding to support the preparation of ministers not only so we can offer more scholarships to reduce student debt but also to forge partnerships with congregations and seminaries to improve curriculum and harness opportunities these shifts create.
Fostering Genuine Racial Justice, Reconciliation and Repair Prior to the pandemic, Cooperative Baptists said that their congregations desire genuine racial justice and reconciliation. To help the Fellowship live into this vision, we’ve developed resources and launched the Emmanuel McCall Racial Equity Fund. But we must do more, including the development of additional resources and repair opportunities for CBF Global, CBF state and regional organizations and local churches with and for the Black community.
Expanding Advocacy Efforts to Equip Churches and Their Leaders A resounding percentage of Cooperative Baptists affirmed that churches should be active in raising a faith perspective to the important social concerns of our day. CBF’s Advocacy is rooted in the same spirit and call that motivates our mission endeavors: to demonstrate the love of Christ to our neighbors most neglected and marginalized by the world. We must redouble our efforts to promote opportunities for impactful advocacy among our partner churches and pastors and offer strategic support to ever-increase their effectiveness.
GIVE TODAY By scanning the QR Code or visiting www.cbf.net/holyambition Your gift to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will help support innovative ministry and mission in these ways and so many more.
2025 CBF Impact Report | 27
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www.cbf.net