Cooperative Program

Every time you drop a dollar in the offering plate of a church that participates in the Cooperative Program, you help someone hear the story of Jesus.

That person may live on your Main Street, in Miami, Milwaukee, Malawi or any point in between. When given through the Cooperative Program, your gift reaches from your home across the globe.

By giving through the Cooperative Program, a portion of your dollar empowers the fulfillment of the Great Commission in Florida, the nation and world. Your gift mobilizes a mission force of more than 10,000 persons serving throughout the nations and allows you to share in touching hearts and changing lives.

How, you may wonder?

Consider the Great Commission, a personal directive from Christ to all of His followers to: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matt. 28:19

Your church voluntarily sends a percentage or a specific amount of their regular offerings to the Florida Baptist Convention. The State Convention retains a portion for ministries, missions and evangelistic efforts in the state—and even in your own hometown. Another portion is then sent to the Southern Baptist Convention, which distributes your money to the International Mission Board, North American Mission Board and six seminaries.

So you see in a very real sense, your dollar carries out the very last directive Jesus gave to His disciples when He said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Through your gift, you are partnering with other Florida and Southern Baptists to provide a gospel witness in your hometown—Jerusalem; your state—Judea; and your nation—Samaria—and the world.

How do busy church leaders promote the Cooperative Program while keeping in balance the many other important items that clamor for their attention? Here are a few helpful suggestions. Pick the suggestions that will work best in your church setting and emphasize the importance of the Cooperative Program.

1. PRAY. Lead in a special time of prayer for the work of missions through the Cooperative Program during the worship service. Pray for our missionaries, our seminary teachers, and the Florida Baptist Convention staff.

2. USE MATERIALS. Use Cooperative Program materials as a bulletin insert. The Florida Baptist Convention’s 2012 Budget Brochure “Touching Hearts, Changing Lives” tells the story of what your Cooperative Program gifts are accomplishing. (2012 CP Budget Allocations) Additionally, a number of great resources are available to you (see below). For additional copies click here to e-mail.

3. SHARE FACTS. Share with your members something specific that is being accomplished through the Cooperative Program:

·        10,414 national and international missionaries are funded through the Cooperative Program.
·        6,000 Florida Baptist volunteers are trained in disaster relief, making the Southern Baptist Convention the third largest disaster relief provider in the nation.
·        121 new churches were started last year in Florida.
·        1,500 students are being trained through theological education provided in Florida.
·        80,000 Florida Baptists volunteered for more than 6,000 mission projects and disaster relief efforts in Florida and around the world.

4. DOWNLOAD VIDEOS. Download a compelling mission video from our Media Source. These short stories can be played during the worship service.

These are just a few suggestions. Use your own creativity and help us spread the Cooperative Program story. It is a story worth telling!

Report of 2011 Cooperative Giving by Church and Association (pdf)

CLICK HERE
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Cooperative Program

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Select the links below for more resources and information:

• Dr. Sullivan: Endowing the Coooperative Program, good idea whose time has come
• Cooperative Program News
• Resources
• How does the Cooperative Program work?
• The Cooperative Program at work in Florida
• Florida Baptist pastors affirm the Cooperative Program

New Cooperative Program Video Available

Give your church members a fresh view of the wide-ranging mission and ministry impact of their gifts through the Cooperative Program.

This 7-minute video presentation tells how hearts are being touched and lives changed on the Florida mission field through the Cooperative Program. The video goes to Miami, Williston, to Lakeland and Graceville to show how churches are planted, the gospel is shared and lives are strengthened.

Also available are four messages...from 60 to 90 seconds in length that share how Cooperative Program recipients are changing lives. These mini messages are useful to churches as a Cooperative Program or missionary moment video during worship services.

Several Florida pastors testify to the efficiency and effectiveness of the Cooperative Program in carrying out the mandate of the Great Commission.

CLICK HERE to watch the VIDEOS about the Cooperative Program at work.