As our nation finds itself in the midst of continuing financial crisis, there has been a renewed call to good stewardship in the lives of individuals, churches, and even denominations.  With fewer dollars to spend, and fewer contributions to be made, we all want to know that our money is making an impact and that we are giving wisely to make a difference in our world.  So why should we utilize the Cooperative Program when we could give to other organizations or just distribute the money ourselves?  Do we really need the Cooperative Program? There are several reasons why CP is not only needed; it is essential for the church.

1.    The Cooperative Program allows every individual to fulfill the Great Commission. The Cooperative Program begins with individuals obediently sacrificing to present their tithes and offerings to the Lord.  Part of every single dollar given in a Southern Baptist church goes to missions, helping every individual play a vital role in fulfilling the Great Commission.  Whether from the largest church in one of our cities or from the smallest church in one of our rural areas, every CP contribution counts.  Every sacrifice makes a difference. Every dollar changes lives!

2.    The Cooperative Program reminds us that the cause is greater than any one individual. There is always a human tendency to think that you can do this alone, or can do this better than anyone else.  As our missionaries around the world see on a daily basis, the task is far greater than any one individual or any one local church.  With 70% of our world’s population lost, the task is indeed enormous.  The beauty of CP is that it allows us all to work together to accomplish what none of us could do without the others.

3.    The Cooperative Program supports a comprehensive missions strategy. We are so fortunate that our Southern Baptist forefathers looked at the whole picture and set plans in motion that provide for the full spectrum of missions needs:  educating and training, sending and supporting missionaries, providing resources for sharing the Gospel and meeting needs, and letting everyone celebrate the victories.  As Southern Baptists, we don’t send missionaries without first training them.  We don’t send them without supporting them.  Through the Cooperative Program, we do missions comprehensively from beginning to end.

4.    The Cooperative Program provides for complete focus on missions. While most missionaries from other organizations are tied to telephones and computers to raise support to stay on the field, the Cooperative Program allows missionaries to freely take the Gospel to the people.  We knew every day that Southern Baptists were standing with us and we didn’t need to worry about provision for our family, we just needed to do everything in our power to see people come to Christ. There is a significant impact in telling non-believers that our missionaries are there because of all Southern Baptists.  What a beautiful picture our cooperation is to a lost world as they realize that millions are giving so that they can hear the name of Jesus!

5.    The Cooperative Program takes the gospel to places and people that most will never see firsthand. Most of us will never be at the site of an earthquake or tsunami within hours of tragedy, but through CP we are there!  Most of us will never get to share the Gospel with people in a remote land who have never heard the name of Jesus, but through CP we are there!  While we are commanded in scripture to share Jesus and help people, there will always be many places in our world that we as individuals will never visit.  Great mission-minded churches will make tremendous impacts on places in the world, yet there are still other places that those churches will never get the opportunity to share.  CP allows us to multiply ourselves and our witness and takes us to those whom we will never meet who desperately need the Gospel.

Is the Cooperative Program needed?  Is it really making a difference in our world?  Absolutely!  It is important for each one of us and it is important for the many people in our world who are lost. Through CP there is a baptism every 1.25 seconds and 86 new churches started every single day somewhere in our world.  While that would be impossible for any individual, we are truly learning that by working together nothing is impossible.  Together we are changing the world!

Rusty and his wife, Lori, served with the International Mission Board in Russia for 8 ½ years before joining the ABSC staff in 2010.  They live in Little Rock with their three daughters, Laura, Megan, and Hannah.