Cooperative Program Archives - Page 6 of 7

I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY

January 27, 2016

By Randy C. Davis
TBC Executive Director

Randy C. Davis

I love a good story and I love good storytellers and that may be one of the reasons I love the Bible. Talk about good stories. Begin at Genesis and read all the way through and you have real people living lives of suspense, drama, espionage, intrigue, romance, comedy, and more. However, the greatest story in the Bible is the overarching story of God’s activity in history culminating in the crucifixion and resurrection of His Son to save His enemies, to save us. What a story.

My friend and state missionary, Paul Clark Jr., and I share a favorite hymn: “I Love to Tell the Story.” I really love telling God’s story and I especially love sharing it with my grandkids. That’s exactly what the Bible tells us to do. Psalm 145:4 says, “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” [Read more…]

THE CP STILL WORKS

January 18, 2016

By Paul Chitwood
Executive Director, Kentucky Baptist Convention

I received a letter recently from one of our International Mission Board missionaries who is taking the early retirement offer from the IMB but desires to return to the field. Without support from the IMB, the missionary is hoping to raise his own support from his network of relationships with pastors, associational directors of missions, and laypeople who might donate to his cause. Knowing all of the challenges that accompany “faith-funded” missions work, I felt great sympathy for this dear brother. Instead of remaining on the field, he is taking precious time away from the gospel work in order to raise financial support and will live with the stress of knowing his work is always in jeopardy if the pledges of support aren’t kept.

As much as my heart went out to this faithful brother, the letter also reminded me of my calling and how grateful I am for the churches and pastors who support Great Commission work through the Cooperative Program. Why am I so thankful? Four reasons rise to the top among many. [Read more…]

TBC CP GIFTS CLIMB

January 13, 2016

Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Tennessee Baptists gave a total of $3,871,421 through the Cooperative Program in December. It was the largest dollar amount for the Cooperative Program in a single month since January in the 2012-2013 budget year when Tennessee Baptists gave $3,897,791.

After two months of the 2015-16 budget year Tennessee Baptist churches have given $6,150,145 through the CP giving channel for missions and ministries throughout Tennessee, the nation, and the world. [Read more…]

TBC STAFF REALIGNS AROUND FIVE OBJECTIVES

December 22, 2015

BRENTWOOD – The staff of the Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention has been realigned in order to assist churches in accomplishing the Five Objectives.

The Five Objectives were adopted by messengers at the Summit in 2014 at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood as long-range goals for the convention. [Read more…]

PRIORITIZING THE 2015 LMCO

December 21, 2015

By Eric Atkins
Pastor, New Friendship Baptist Church, Cleveland

Eric Atkins

Several months ago our church received a certificate and letter from the International Mission Board congratulating us on reaching one of the four Lottie Moon Challenge Levels. New Friendship has received these certificates before so I wasn’t surprised to receive another one. This year, however, it is starting to feel much different. In the weeks since, news about the IMB’s Voluntary Retirement Incentive was released. Missionaries that are close to our church have faced the challenging decision of staying on, or retiring from the field. The immediate questions of “Pastor, what can we do?” sent us to our knees in prayer and God began to move our church to do even more in the area of giving. [Read more…]

WRAP-UP: 23 STATES INCREASE CP FOR SBC MISSIONS & MINISTRY

December 17, 2015

Some 287 registered messengers and 80 visitors attended the annual meeting of the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists Oct. 12-13 in Overland Park, Kan. -Photo courtesy KNCSB

NASHVILLE (BP) — Twenty-three state conventions voted to increase the portion of Cooperative Program receipts being forwarded to Southern Baptist Convention missions and ministries in the coming year, continuing a trend inspired by passage of the Great Commission Task Force recommendations five years ago. This year, Florida Baptists made the largest shift, moving from 41 to 51 percent allocated to SBC causes.

“This epic, pacesetting decision will set a precedent in the Southern Baptist Convention,” said Michael Tatem, president of Florida’s State Board of Missions. “We are doing what the Southern Baptist Convention was called to do in 1845 — to take the Gospel to the nations.” [Read more…]

TBC CP GIFTS AHEAD OF LAST YEAR’S PACE

December 16, 2015

Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches contributed $2,278,724 in November, the first month of the 2015-16 budget year.

The amount is $14,693 or 0.6 percent more than was given in the first month of the last fiscal year.

The total, however, is $575,443 or 20.16 percent below budget needs. [Read more…]

MISSIONS, COOPERATION DRIVE SMALL TENN. CHURCH

December 5, 2015

Baptist Press

The annual wild game supper at Bethel Baptist Church in Greenfield, Tenn., draws about 200 diners, many of whom are not church members.

GREENFIELD, Tenn. (BP) — The men at Bethel Baptist Church reach out to the unchurched men in their community each autumn by showing off their culinary skills at a wild game supper, preparing turkey, deer, raccoon, crappie, catfish, rabbit, duck and other critters.

Meanwhile, the congregation’s Women on Mission excel each year at promoting missions, noted David Worley, pastor of Bethel Baptist in Greenfield, Tenn. In 2014, for example, with a goal of $19,630 for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, the church gave $26,896.

The church “believes strongly in missions,” Worley said. Bethel Baptist has given 20 percent to missions through the Cooperative Program for years, preceding and throughout Worley’s pastorate that began nine years ago. [Read more…]

DOES YOUR MISSIONS RHETORIC HAVE SUBSTANCE?

December 2, 2015

By Randy C. Davis
TBC Executive Director

Randy C. Davis

The world is in chaos. Wars rage. Terror perpetrated by evil people has nations on edge. Millions are displaced, and the debate over refugee resettlement is burning white hot. The world’s spiritual soil is as fertile as it ever has been and cries out for a broad spreading of gospel seeds. This world desperately needs Jesus.

Southern Baptists have historically rallied to the moment and responded to the call of Christ to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. However, I believe we as Southern Baptists stand at a crossroads. Either our action will be the substance that validates our calling, or it will be hollow “Great Commission” rhetoric with no action and it will expose the superficiality of our Christianity.

In other words, it is time to put our money where our mouth is. [Read more…]

CP STARTS FISCAL YEAR 3.26% OVER BUDGET PROJECTION

November 4, 2015

Baptist Press

NASHVILLE (BP) — Contributions to Southern Baptist national and international missions and ministries received by the SBC Executive Committee in October were 0.18 percent above last year’s opening month of the convention’s fiscal year and 3.26 percent above the projected budget for the first month, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief Executive Officer Frank Page.

As of Oct. 31, gifts received by the Executive Committee for distribution through the Cooperative Program Allocation Budget totaled $16,048,439.92, or $29,259.07 above the $16,019,180.85 received in October 2014.

“We are tremendously grateful that for the second year in a row Cooperative Program receipts received by the Executive Committee exceeded the previous October’s gifts and surpassed our projected budget goal for the first month of the fiscal year,” Page said. [Read more…]

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