Cooperative Program Archives - Page 8 of 10

BAPTISTS AND A STRANGE IGNORANCE ABOUT MISSIONS

March 30, 2016

By Johnnie Godwin
Contributing Columnist, B&R

Johnnie Godwin

I was born in 1937, which was just 12 years after the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention was born. The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offerings for missions were already institutions. For 79 years I’ve known these three factors as the sources for financing SBC missions. I also got educated about Baptist history, the SBC’s birth in 1845, the various SBC agencies and entities, and the beloved Woman’s Missionary Union of 1888. Mother taught me tithing when I was 9. Royal Ambassadors, Vacation Bible School, Sunday School, church, seminaries, etc., did the rest.

A strange ignorance among Baptists today. Most Southern Baptists today are ignorant of what you just read, or, at best, they have minimal knowledge. I’m not here to impress you with how much Baptist history I know or solutions to missionary downsizing in 2016. I am here to testify what I have experienced. [Read more…]

IMB ADDRESSES BAPTISM NUMBERS

March 22, 2016

By David Roach
Baptist Press

A decrease in international baptisms reported is due largely to changes in data-reporting methods, the International Mission Board said.
-BP photo.

NASHVILLE (BP) — Decreases in the number of baptisms and new churches reported by International Mission Board missionaries during the past decade reflect changes in data-reporting methods and missions strategy, not a lack of evangelistic ministry.

That’s the conclusion of a March 21 IMB news release issued in response to observations that overseas baptisms for 2015 are at their lowest level since 1969 — 54,762, according to the IMB’s 2016 Ministry Report to the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee, down from a high of 609,968 reported for 2007. [Read more…]

TBC CP GIVING ON THE RISE

March 9, 2016

Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave $3,004,385 through the Cooperative Program in February.

For the year-to-date, Tennessee Baptists have given $11,964,247.

After the first quarter of the fiscal year, the amount is $834,602 or 7.5 percent above what was given during the same time frame last year, and is $547,580 or 4.8 percent above budget needs. [Read more…]

EC WRAP-UP: SMALL-STATE REPRESENTATION CONSIDERED

February 26, 2016

By Baptist Press

The SBC Executive Committee gathered Feb. 22-23 for their meeting in Nashville. -Photo by Morris Abernathy

NASHVILLE (BP) — After nearly an hour of discussion, the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee’s officers withdrew a recommendation to propose granting representation on three key SBC committees to Baptists in pioneer regions. EC leadership promised, however, to make an alternate proposal with the same goal but addressing logistical concerns raised by EC members.

In other business during the EC’s Feb. 22-23 meeting Nashville, the committee recommended a change in the method for asking questions of entity leaders during SBC annual meetings; approved a one-time transfer of funds from the North American Mission Board to the International Mission Board to assist IMB personnel leaving the board during its “organizational reset”; and withdrew the convention’s fellowship from a South Carolina church whose pastor performed a same-sex wedding ceremony with the deacons’ approval. [Read more…]

TBC CP GIVING STILL STRONG

February 10, 2016

Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave $2,809,717 through the Cooperative Program in January.

After three months of the 2015-16 fiscal year, Tennessee Baptists have given $8,959,862.

The total is $312,199 or 3.6 percent more than what was given after the first quarter of the last fiscal year.

The amount also is 397,362 or 4.64 percent ahead of budget needs. [Read more…]

SBC CP GIFTS CONTINUE UPWARD TREND

February 10, 2016

Baptist Press

NASHVILLE — Year-to-date contributions to Southern Baptist Convention national and international missions and ministries received by the SBC Executive Committee are 6.07 percent above the year-to-date budgeted projection and 1.91 percent above contributions received during the same time frame last year, according to a news release from Frank S. Page, president and chief executive officer of the SBC Executive Committee.

The total includes receipts from state conventions and fellowships, churches, and individuals for distribution according to the 2015-16 SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget. [Read more…]

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…]

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