Baptist & Reflector

Telling the Story of Tennessee Baptists Since 1835

Search Results for: cooperative program

NEW BOOK FOCUSES ON CP CENTENNIAL

The Baptist Paper

MEMPHIS — As the Southern Baptist Convention celebrates 100 years of the Cooperative Program — the SBC’s giving channel for missions and ministry — a new book explores the future of this cooperative effort.

Chris Forbes, a longtime Southern Baptist marketing strategist and consultant, wrote “The Next Era of the Cooperative Program,” based on his doctoral research for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The book is set to release in June, Forbes noted.

Forbes, head of Forbes Nonprofit Strategies, said in a news release that the launch of the book is “strategically timed for the CP Centennial year and offers a foresight-informed roadmap for the future of cooperative missions funding.” [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

RESOLUTIONS REFLECT SBC’S DOCTRINAL COMMITMENTS, CULTURAL CONCERNS AT DALLAS GATHERING

By Lonnie Wilkey
Contributing writer, The Baptist Paper

Andrew Walker, chair of the Committee on Resolutions, gives their report during the 2025 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Dallas. (Photo by Van Payne/The Baptist Paper)

DALLAS — Messengers to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention overwhelmingly adopted resolutions of support for two time-honored tenets — the Cooperative Program and the Baptist Faith and Message.

Resolutions “On the Centennial Anniversary of the Cooperative Program” and “On Honoring the Centennial Anniversary of the Baptist Faith and Message (1925) and Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Baptist Faith and Message (2000)” were among eight resolutions approved by messengers during sessions June 10–11 in Dallas.

Messengers also adopted a resolution expressing appreciation for the host city of Dallas along with five resolutions that dealt with moral and cultural concerns: the harmful and predatory nature of sports betting; banning pornography; restoring moral clarity through God’s design for gender, marriage and the family; standing against the moral evils and medical dangers of chemical abortion pills; and advocating for international religious freedom.

[Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

SBC 2025: SOUTHERN BAPTISTS VOTE DOWN FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY MOTION

Baptist and Reflector

Messengers at the 2025 SBC Annual Meeting vote during the Wednesday afternoon session. (Screenshot)

Tennessee Messengers Make Their Voices Heard

DALLAS — Southern Baptist messengers to the 2025 Annual Meeting rejected an amendment Wednesday that would have required the Southern Baptist Convention to publish detailed financial information like IRS Form 990 disclosures.

The vote defeated efforts to force greater financial transparency from denominational leadership and entities, despite growing calls from some messengers for more oversight of how their contributions are managed. Jeff Iorg, president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, strongly opposed the amendment, arguing that Southern Baptist entities fought legal battles decades ago to establish First Amendment protections from such reporting requirements.

“We are not trying to hide behind that ruling, but we are instead defending that ruling,” Iorg said. “Voluntarily offering that kind of information sends a signal that we find ourselves in some way subject to federal government oversight, which none of us want.” [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

SBC 2025: IORG RECOGNIZES ‘MEMORIAL STONES’ THROUGH 100 YEARS OF CP GIVING

By Grace Thornton
The Baptist Paper

Jeff Iorg, president of the SBC Executive Committee, leads the SBC annual meeting in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program on June 10 in Dallas. — Photo by Marc Ira Hooks / The Baptist Paper

DALLAS — Jeff Iorg said all during this year’s Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Dallas, messengers have been doing something similar to what the Israelites did in Joshua 4.

In that chapter, “there’s a story of God instructing His people to gather 12 memorial stones from the Jordan River and to create a memorial to the miracle of God stopping the river so the Israelites could cross on dry ground,” Iorg, president of the SBC Executive Committee, said June 10 during the annual meeting’s afternoon session.

The convention’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program — the primary funding mechanism of the SBC’s ministries and missions — is like that, he said. [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

SBC 2025: PRESSLEY URGES MESSENGERS TO ‘HOLD FAST’

By Shawn Hendricks
The Baptist Paper

DALLAS—Recalling his early years playing football, Clint Pressley recalled how there were some players he was friends with and some he “barely knew their name.” But he still recognized they were “all teammates” — and cooperation and teamwork were critical for the success of the team.

“Every guy on that team was my teammate, and we played on the same team in the same direction,” said Pressley, president of the Southern Baptist Convention. “We were in it together.”

It’s the same for the SBC, he told messengers on Tuesday (June 10) during the opening session of their annual meeting in Dallas. [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

M.E. DODD’S SPIRIT LIVES ON AT FIRST SEVIERVILLE

By Karen L. Willoughby
Baptist Press

First Baptist Church Sevierville. Submitted photo.

SEVIERVILLE – First Baptist Church of Sevierville carries on the vision of Pastor Dan Spencer’s great-great uncle, M.E. Dodd.

In addition to a long list of international and national missions partnerships, and a long list of local ministries under its “Ministry Village” umbrella, First Sevierville continues its strong commitment to missions giving through the Cooperative Program, the way Southern Baptists work together in obedience to Jesus’ Matthew 28:19-20 command known as the “Great Commission.”

It was M.E. Dodd who chaired the committee that launched the Cooperative Program in 1925.

“When the Southern Baptist Convention needed money for missions, it could always count on M.E. Dodd to champion the cause,” according to a 2010 Baptist Press article. [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

ALL EYES ON DALLAS — WHAT WILL BE THE BIG ISSUES THIS YEAR?

The Baptist Paper

Thousands of messengers are anticipated to gather June 10–11 for the 2025 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, being held this year in Dallas at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.

DALLAS — Southern Baptists will be gathering soon in Dallas for this year’s Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting (June 10–11), which is expected to draw well over 10,000 people.

North Carolina pastor Clint Pressley appears to be running unchallenged — at least for now — for a second term as SBC president.

Other officer positions also only had one nominee announced at press time.

Still, plenty of questions and opportunities for debate concerning the Convention’s future are anticipated at the annual meeting under the theme, “Hold Fast: Confession and Cooperation,” inspired by Hebrews 10:23–24. [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

TBMB DIRECTORS APPROVE NEW COLLABORATIVE MINISTRY MODEL

By David Dawson
Managing editor, Baptist and Reflector

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board directors approved a new collaborative ministry model, examined financial reports, and voted to maintain a two-day schedule for this year’s Summit during their spring meeting at Judson Baptist Church on April 29.

The board also celebrated several ministry milestones while addressing the implementation of organizational changes following a recent 13% staff reduction that has created financial flexibility for the new operational approach.

Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the TBMB, explained how the staffing changes support the new ministry direction. [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

SBC LEADERS CELEBRATE “100 YEARS OF COOPERATION”

By David Dawson
Managing editor, Baptist and Reflector

Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, signs the Declaration of Cooperation resolution.

MEMPHIS — Gathering just a few hundred yards from where it all began, a host of SBC leaders recognized and celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program on Tuesday afternoon.

The event, held at the Renasant Convention Center in Memphis, included praise music, an extended time of prayer and a message from Jeff Iorg, president and CEO of the SBC executive committee. The special service was highlighted by the signing of the Declaration of Cooperation resolution. (See below for full resolution).

Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, said it was a powerful day — not only for those who attended, but for all Southern Baptists.

“This exceeded expectations in every way,” said Davis. “I wish every Southern Baptist could have been here. They would have been very thankful for, and proud of, what the Cooperative Program has done in the past, and they would have heard a clear challenge about the future.”

[Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

TBMB DIRECTORS APPROVE NEW COLLABORATIVE MINISTRY MODEL

By David Dawson
Managing editor, Baptist and Reflector

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board directors approved a new collaborative ministry model, examined financial reports, and voted to maintain a two-day schedule for this year’s Summit during their spring meeting at Judson Baptist Church on April 29.

The board also celebrated several ministry milestones while addressing the implementation of organizational changes following a recent 13% staff reduction that has created financial flexibility for the new operational approach.

Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the TBMB, explained how the staffing changes support the new ministry direction.

“This adjustment has allowed us margin in our budgeting to take better care of our current team and embrace a new paradigm,” Davis said. “We’re calling church practitioners and experts in the field to assist other churches in being better at what they do for the kingdom. This raises collaboration among churches, associations, and our entities like educational and benevolent ministries.” [Read more…]

Facebooktwittermail

Address

4017 Rural Plains Circle
Franklin, TN 37064

Contact Information

Mail: Baptist & Reflector, P.O. Box 682789, Franklin, TN 37068
Physical Address: 4017 Rural Plains Circle, Franklin, TN 37064
Email: bandr@tnbaptist.org
Phone: 615-371-2003

2025 © The Baptist and Reflector. All Right Reserved.