CP giving mobilizes Baptists for ministry

By Norman Jameson

BSC Communications

When explosive growth threatened to overwhelm Hyde Park Baptist Church in Lumberton, Marty Dupree from the Baptist State Convention's church growth and evangelism team helped pastor Dennis Harrell with insights on growth management.

In March, more than 900 people gathered at Tri-City Baptist Church in Conover for a major conference on prayer strategy with Chris Schofield.

Each month, more than 4,000 people receive UpClose audio magazine that encourages and informs them of the work of their fellow Baptists and the Baptist State Convention.

Every day from Cary and locations throughout America and among 1,400 people groups worldwide, Baptists with a ministerial calling work in a wide array of ministries, including evangelism, church planting, children's homes, volunteer missions, missions education, new churches, collegiate ministries, camps and much more.

And each one is on the field, directly involved in life changing work, because of missions giving through the Cooperative Program. This life giving tide of missions support flows from churches - each of which decides how much of its resources it will use to enable ministry beyond its doors.

April 18 is Cooperative Program Sunday in Southern Baptist churches across America. Leaders of the Baptist State Convention (BSC) of North Carolina urge churches to consider the tremendous effect they have when working together.

"It is almost impossible to imagine the life changes made possible by Baptists' giving through the Cooperative Program since its inception in 1919," said Jim Royston, executive director-treasurer of the BSC. "In 2004 we anticipate receiving $35.175 million from North Carolina Baptists to support their work in this state and around the world.

"Every dollar is precious because every life it touches is a person Jesus loves, and for whom He died. I thank North Carolina Baptists for their support."

As members of nearly 4,000 N.C. Baptist churches give and plan missions budgets, Royston encourages them to remember that the Cooperative Program funds missions outside the church walls, "unto the uttermost parts of the world."

In North Carolina it funds, in significant part, college student education, divinity schools, help for hurting children and families, church planting, language missions, help for retired senior adults, partnership missions, consultation and coaching for churches and church leaders to mobilize their congregations for ministry.

Unfortunately, while worldwide need is ever increasing, church giving through the Cooperative Program has been declining. A strong economy has masked a decline in the percentage of their budgets that churches forward to state, national and worldwide missions. While dollar gifts rose steadily, the percentage of offering plate dollars churches give for missions has steadily declined until now it is just half of the 8.8 percent it was 20 years ago.

"As the world shrinks and comes to us, I pray we do not shrink from our privilege of reaching out with open arms, open hearts, open hands to help," said Royston. "Cooperative Program Day is the perfect time to remember how powerful can be the spiritual force of cooperation among Christians in an effort blessed of God. I encourage every church to commit to global missions through the Cooperative Program."