As a young man, I first realized the value of the Cooperative Program as a funding mechanism to help educate men and women for the ministry to which God called them.

Later, as a pastor, I found the Cooperative Program to be a non-intrusive vehicle by which my church could partner with other churches across the Convention to fund our mission endeavors.

Even later, as a member of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, I discovered that the Cooperative Program was much more than I ever surmised – funding everything from seminary training to ethical issues, international to domestic missions – and that it contains built-in accountability factors that are often missing in charitable giving programs utilized by others.

Now, as an active representative on our Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, I have a great deal of satisfaction in our collective giving through the Cooperative Program, for we are a pacesetter for other state conventions. We lead in dollar amounts given every year because the churches and leadership of our state believe in cooperation.

As I look to the future in my role as an associational missionary, I value the partnership among Southern Baptists exemplified by the Cooperative Program – the greatest financial tool devised by man to spread the Gospel across the world. We can change the world together.

Steve Loggins serves as associational missionary for the North Jefferson Baptist Association. He is a member of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions. For more information about the Cooperative Program, visit AlabamaCP.org.