CBF 25th Anniversary Worship Resources

What does it compel you to do?

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Who does it compel you to be?

Because ChrIsT’s LoVE compels us Out of a deep love of Christ and support for Baptist principles, a courageous group of men and women formed the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in 1991. From our foundations to our future, 25 years later, we celebrate CBF’s impact locally and globally.

In a changing world, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is a network of people, congregations and organizations compelled by Christ’s love to partner in missions and to resource churches to change lives. Thank you for your partnership with us in missions and ministry.

Driven by our passion to see spiritual and social transformation through Jesus Christ, we have launched a $12-million fundraising campaign to honor our foundations by sustaining ministry into the future.

The 25th Anniversary Campaign will support: • SuStaining long-term preSence in global miSSionS • Forming healthy churcheS • nurturing young baptiStS The scale of this campaign is ambitious, but no more so than the urgency of our calling. Learn more and join us in supporting the life-changing ministries of the Fellowship.

To give to CBF’s campaign directly, go to www.cbf.net/give.

To learn more about CBF’s mission, visit www.cbf.net/about.

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If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

(Philippians 2:1-2)

CongRegation:

In our beginning, there was a sense of wonder at what was happening among us and through us.

We were participating in the creation of something much bigger than ourselves, and we were not the primary architects.

(Daniel Vestal)

ReadeR:

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:29-31)

CongRegation:

Being reduced to zero—starting completely over—was the price of the call to be a missionary.

Saying goodbye to family and friends, giving away possessions and privilege also means losing a part of yourself, your identity.

It means becoming a new person, an immigrant.

(Kim and Marc Wyatt)

ReadeR:

For the love of Christ compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all. (2 Corinthians 5:14)

CongRegation:

It was Christ’s love for all the world that compelled me. At a plenary session, I hoisted my open umbrella as a symbol that we must shelter the people of missions from the storms pounding them. Then I turned the umbrella upside down, like a basket — a symbol that we had to collect support for missions to lead where Christ was calling.

(Catherine Allen)

ReadeR:

Let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.

(Galatians 6:9-10)

CongRegation:

We can use our voices to proclaim the gospel truth of transformation, reconciliation and redemption. Perhaps the most unique element of Christian advocacy is that this work is not motivated by self-interest, but instead is directed by God’s movement in the world.

(Katie Ferguson Murray)

ReadeR:

I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. (Matthew 25:35-36)

Do we need letters of introduction to and from each other? No, you are all the letter we need, a letter written on our heart. It is plain that you are a letter that has come from Christ, a letter with the Spirit of the living God, written not on stone tablets but on the pages of the human heart.

(2 Corinthians 3:1-3)

CongRegation:

CongRegation:

ReadeR:

We find ourselves sometimes in places we did not choose, but we know we are right where we need to be. So I will continue to love — even when it is hard — because I know that grace and freedom abound through love.

CBF has taken me to amazing places and has led me to face some of the most difficult situations in my life. The journey is long and hard and worth every step. (Tina Bailey)

Fellowship. (Suzii Paynter)

We can be alone, or we can be a

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Local congregations are the cornerstone of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. As we celebrate the impact of our Fellowship, we are compelled toward the next 25 years of ministry to spread the love of Christ locally and globally. One way for your congregation to partner in the next 25 years of ministry is to participate in CBF’s 25th Anniversary Campaign, which seeks to raise $12 million, mostly for endowment.

To participate, CBF is inviting churches to give in ways that make sense for each congregation.

Consider a gift to the campaign that is: ▪ 1 percent of your church budget for three years or for one year (these congregations will receive special recognition)

▪ Forming Healthy Churches ▫ Christ’s love compels us to raise $3 million of endowment to support ministries that help form healthy churches. ▫ Support CBF’s process for intentional congregational renewal.

▪ A gift from designated funds

▫ Encourage advocacy work.

▪ A special designated offering

▫ Grow CBF’s church-starting initiative.

*Gifts can be pledged and given over three years.

The following notes could be helpful in discussing the lasting impact of the campaign with a relevant church committee or with the congregation during a special offering.

▪ 2 Corinthians 5:14 says, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all.” For CBF, Christ’s love has fueled our past and will captivate our future. Christ’s love compels us to sustain the long-term presence of field personnel, to support the formation of healthy churches and to equip the next generation to share the love of Christ with the world.

▪ Sustaining Long-Term Presence in Global Missions ▫ Christ’s love compels CBF’s field personnel to cultivate beloved community, to bear witness to Jesus Christ, and to seek transformational development within the contexts of global poverty, global migration and the global church. ▫ The campaign will increase the mission endowment by $5 million to endow the long-term presence of field personnel ministering in 30 countries. ▫ The campaign will impact the poorest counties in the United States through CBF’s rural poverty initiative, Together for Hope.

▫ Develop and deliver financial literacy programs for congregations and pastoral leaders.

▪ Nurturing Young Baptists ▫ Christ’s love compels us to resource and network the next generation for their Christian journey through retreat experiences, ministries, programs, connections and local church support. ▫ The campaign supports expansion of access to theological education through scholarships. ▫ The campaign cultivates practical ministry experiences through internships.

▪ Please pray for CBF’s 25th Anniversary Campaign. Pray that Christ’s love will be demonstrated through these efforts and that investment in this campaign from individuals, churches and partners will help sustain CBF’s mission and ministry for decades to come.