Building the Kingdom

From One Servant Leader to Another

Contending Together Through a Century of Cooperation

Aloha Hawaii Pacific Baptists,

Standing 100 yards from where Southern Baptist messengers first approved the Cooperative Program in Memphis 100 years ago, I joined 72 other leaders in signing a Declaration of Cooperation on May 13, 2025. As I did, I reflected on how Southern Baptists have been “contending together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27) for an entire century.

Dr. Jeff Iorg, SBC Executive Committee president, reminded us that the Cooperative Program was born in adversity, “political upheaval, economic uncertainty, denominational mistrust, and theological tensions marked 1925—much like today.” Yet from that challenging moment came what Dr. Iorg called a “never-before-attempted method of funding shared ministry and mission efforts.” They were choosing to “contend together.”

Just weeks later, I had the privilege of representing you all at the SBC Annual Meeting in Dallas. Through videos from the convention floor, I tried to bring you into the experience, showing what YOUR Cooperative Program dollars accomplish. From the exhibitor hall to the missionary commissioning service, I witnessed firsthand what “contending together” looks like in action.

For Hawaii Pacific Baptists, this centennial celebration reinforces our commitment to cooperation. Our geographic distance across millions of miles of ocean could isolate us, but the Cooperative Program connects us to global mission work in ways that would be impossible alone. When I watched 58 new International Mission Board missionaries receive their commissioning, I saw how we as Hawaii Pacific Baptists are “contending together” to send them out.

As we look toward the next hundred years, let's continue to stand firm as citizens of heaven, contend together for gospel advance, and champion this funding mechanism that enables every Hawaii Pacific Baptist church from Hilo to Bangkok to participate in God's global mission.

Visit conta.cc/3FLtqzZ to access all four videos and my full report about the SBC Annual Meeting.

All glory to God,

Craig Webb

Executive Director-Treasurer

Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention