Through the Baptist Twenty-One Web-site (which I highly recommend checking out and surveying), I came across these two articles regarding the future of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Cooperative Program, and the Great Commission Resurgence.
The article is called "Two Views of the Future" found at The Christian Index (Georgia Baptist's news site).
The first view is found here.
The second view is here.
Both are written by Southern Baptist pastor's with great hearts and obviously pastoring great churches.
I would love to hear anyone's thoughts on the views.
Check out this article too written by Doug Baker entitled "Our Ominous Future."
For Arkansans that are weighing in on this discussion, recall the unanimous vote last week at the state convention affirming the current allocations of Cooperative Program dollars.
Check out the story here.
From the article:
"Another resolution, on the ministry of the ABSC, affirmed the value and accomplishments of the various ABSC ministries and noted Cooperative Program funds given by Arkansas Baptist churches are 'managed prudently' and allocated with a vision for reaching the state, nation and world with the gospel. It further notes the value of associations, state conventions and the SBC in fulfilling the Acts 1:8 mandate.
'This resolution affirms our state convention in its use of Cooperative Program dollars and demonstrates that Arkansas Baptist pastors and church members both know about and approve of the Cooperative Program ministries across our state,' said Turner (Executive Director of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention).
...All resolutions passed unanimously without discussion."
'This resolution affirms our state convention in its use of Cooperative Program dollars and demonstrates that Arkansas Baptist pastors and church members both know about and approve of the Cooperative Program ministries across our state,' said Turner (Executive Director of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention).
...All resolutions passed unanimously without discussion."
I would really love for WBCers to be 'in the know' on what is going on in and around our convention (speaking primarily of the national convention, but state as well). Please offer any thoughts or opinions you might have as you read and digest these things.
3 comments:
Looks like $12 million going to AR and $9 million going to SBC. Is there any place to see how the $12 million is being spent? Not sure I understand in AR how $12 million is needed...there is a local Baptist church on almost every corner. The problem is that they "stay in the corner".
As a product of several agencies historically supported in part by gifts to the Cooperative Program, I can say that at least in the past decades the formula/system/plan/distribution has appeared to work well and has benefited a large number of people. I grew up on the campus of the Alabama Baptist Children's Home. The percentage of its operating budget that came from the CP was small but still vitally important. I attended Samford University and was given a discounted tuition because of my father's role in state Baptist ministry. Without that discount, my attendance there would have been an extreme hardship for my family. Samford was not perfect then and is certainly not perfect now, but I was surrounded by dedicated professors and Christian students who wanted to make a difference for the sake of the Kingdom. My husband and I spent 4 years in Ecuador, supported fully by the International Mission Board. Again, much of the IMB's funding comes from the Lottie Moon Christmas offering but another significant portion comes from CP gifts. My son and several cousins prepared for ministry in Southern Baptist seminaries -- supported in part by gifts to the CP. At times, each of the seminaries has had its share of criticism but by and large, they have produced godly preachers of the gospel. From childhood, I was taught about the uniqueness of the Cooperative Program and the multitude of ministries that were made possible by our church's contributions. I developed a sense of pride in that part of our denomination's "way of doing things." Do agencies and institutions occasionally get top-heavy and unfocused? Of course! Do they need a strong accountability and evaluation method in place? Absolutely! But, should CP gifts be given solely to the IMB, NAMB (for church planting only) and the seminaries?? Aren't orphaned or neglected children worthy recipients? Shouldn't college students who desire a faith and denomination-based education be supported? Shouldn't agencies that seek to keep our states on a straight moral path be helped? "Church planting" is the hot buzz word for this particular time in our denomination's history, and hear me clearly, it is a strategic and Great-Commission-based concept/strategy/plan. It should be given a high priority. But, Jesus Himself was about many things -- teaching, feeding, correcting, training, etc. Shouldn't our churches be about those same "many things?" And, if it's true that there is strength in numbers, then shouldn't the Cooperative Program have a broad base of operation, too?
I appreciate Connie's comments. I'm hoping that we as Southern Baptists can move from thinking "either or" to "both and." We need to support both the work of the state conventions and that of our SBC entities. I believe God will bless our efforts if we seek to work together.
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