How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”(Isaiah 52:7, NIV)

Taking the good news of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth, whether that be across the street or thousands of miles from what most people would consider “civilization,” should be one of the central aims of the Christian life. There is no greater goal than to see lives transformed by God, for His glory and their good. This is the mission of all who believe, to declare His works among the nations.

The Gospel is global by nature. Christ has died for the world – for all who believe in His name. It matters not their gender or creed or nationality or occupation. He has died for the sins of His people – people of every tribe and nation and tongue. Not merely the Jews but Gentiles as well – all brought near by the blood of Christ that was poured out for you and for me and for all who look to Him by faith. We find them in penthouses and penitentiaries, suburbs and slums. We find them in the mountains of the Hindu Kush and in the valleys of the Ten Peaks, in the coastlands of Chile and in the streets of New York. We can find God’s people in every corner of the world.

Yet, as the Apostle Paul writes, how can they believe in Him of whom they have never heard? (Rom. 10:14). This global Gospel must be delivered to the nations. Someone must carry this good news of what God has done for His people to the world. And, oh, what joy for those messengers who carry this particular burden in service of the Lord of heaven’s armies.

In spite of their own many weaknesses and failings, their never-failing, ever-faithful Lord and Master has chosen them, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, to carry the light of Christ into the darkness of a world that is very quickly passing away so that the Lord might deliver His people out of the bondage of sin and death, reconciling them to Himself.

This commission is not contained only to older believers, it is given to all who belong to Christ. As we are reminded by the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, “It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of every church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations” (XI, Evangelism and Missions). Furthermore, we read, “According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer’s cause on earth” (XIII, Stewardship). Giving to support the taking of the Gospel to the nations is intrinsically Baptist by nature.

What is the Alabama Baptist Cooperative Program?

The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists’ unified plan of giving to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every tribe, nation and tongue. Southern Baptist churches give a percentage of their undesignated receipts in support of the missions and ministries of both the Alabama Baptist State Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention.

The Cooperative Program allows Alabama Baptists to multiply our disciple-making efforts locally and globally. Your generous giving through the Cooperative Program is combined with the thousands of others across our state and throughout the Southern Baptist Convention. Your missions giving is literally at work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, throughout the entire year.

To put it simply, it’s possible for people around the world to hear the Gospel and receive Christ thanks to your gifts through the Cooperative Program.

Three Reasons Young Alabama Baptists Should Give Through The Cooperative Program

There are so many different reasons to give to support Gospel missions through the Cooperative Program, and time would fail me to list them all. But for this article, I want to highlight two specific reasons that the younger generation of Alabama Baptists should cheerfully take part in financially supporting the taking of the Gospel to the nations through the Cooperative Program.

1. Reason One: The Cooperative Program Directly Supports The Great Commission.

The Cooperative Program helps Alabama Baptists fulfill the Great Commission that God gave to His people in Matthew 28:16-20. By the authority given to Him, Christ commanded His people to take the good news of the Gospel to the nations, preaching Christ crucified in all Judea and Samaria, to the very ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). By its design, the Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists’ means of supporting this effort financially as the Church universal and local.

Consider the Word of the Lord in Malachi 1:11 (ESV), “For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.”

This is the Lord’s design, that from the rising of the sun to its setting, His name would be great among the nations. The great desire of the believer should be to see the banner of Zion being carried to every place, that Christ might be preached faithfully in every village, city and town.

The Cooperative Program helps support these types of Gospel missions within our state and across the world. As a young Alabama Baptist looking for ways to get involved in seeking God’s glory among the nations, you would do well to partner alongside other Alabama Baptists through the Cooperative Program, and talk to your local church pastor/elders about ways you can bring awareness to the work that God is doing through the Cooperative Program.

2. Reason Two: The Cooperative Program Connects You To The Front Lines.

When you give through the Cooperative Program, your giving goes to work immediately. From Muscle Shoals to the foothills of Mount Everest, Alabama Baptists’ giving is at work.

While serving on a missionary team in Honduras last year, the Lord impressed upon me the reality that there is a battle going on in every corner of the world for the souls of men and women from every tribe, nation and tongue that is fought, not against flesh and blood, but against the ancient forces of evil that reign over this present darkness (Eph. 2:2).

For the first time in my life, I realized that the greatest fight in the world had been going on for centuries, and I was largely sitting it out. On my last night in-country, I listened as the other missionaries told personal stories of God’s great faithfulness to His people in the midst of many difficulties and pains. They spoke of how the Lord had sustained them through the years by His great mercy and delivered them by His grace – not merely from earthly trials but from sin and death, in accordance with the Scriptures. Hearing their stories, it occurred to me that someone should bear witness about what God is doing among the nations. If you know me, then you know how great an impact that realization has had. When I began looking for opportunities to promote and support Gospel missions within the context of the local church, I realized very quickly that the Cooperative Program has been doing that very thing for the last 100 years.

In my own life, I have seen the impact your giving has through the Cooperative Program on the ground all over the world. No matter how much you give, your generous, faith-filled giving has an impact for the Kingdom of God. This gives me assurance knowing that, as a young person, I can give through the Cooperative Program with great confidence that my giving is not in vain. My giving, carried out within the context of the local church, in accordance with the Scriptures, has a tremendous impact on the nations for God’s glory, thanks to the Cooperative Program.

Celebrating 100 Years Of God’s Provision And Faithfulness

This year marks the 100th birthday of the Cooperative Program, and there are many ways in which you can join us in celebrating the past, present and future faithfulness of God in accomplishing His will among the nations through the Cooperative Program.

May 13, 1925, is the official launch date of the Cooperative Program after the culmination of the 75 Million Campaign. Prayerfully consider a time around this date to celebrate the work and history of the Cooperative Program. Reach out to us to learn about scheduling a Cooperative Program missions banquet/event at your local church at 334-613-2283.

If your church already sets apart a time to recognize missions, think about ways you can celebrate the Cooperative Program and its role in contributing to the work of missions. Talk to one of our ambassadors about guest speaking opportunities and resources for your local church’s missions night. Furthermore, if your church is not familiar with the Cooperative Program, we are more than happy to help you share the ways that your congregation can get involved in missions giving through the Cooperative Program. Visit our website to learn more about all of the different resources that are available to you today.

Finally, I want to issue a general call to service for Alabama Baptists both young and old. If you are passionate about declaring the glory of God among the nations, if you desire to see the name of Christ lifted high in every corner of the world, if you want to get involved in the greatest fight in the history of the world from wherever you are right now: reach out to us to learn about how you can celebrate the 100th birthday of the Cooperative Program by becoming an Ambassador.

As an Ambassador for the Cooperative Program, you have the opportunity to make much of God and His mission for the church every single day. To the young Alabama Baptists out there, prayerfully consider the opportunity to use your time for God’s glory and for the good of His people. Being an Ambassador for the Cooperative Program gives you a chance to make an impact on people from every tribe, nation and tongue. If that sounds like something you want to do, visit alabamacp.org/ambassador to learn more. There is no better way to celebrate 100 years of giving locally and impacting globally than by getting involved with the Cooperative Program.

No matter how you choose to celebrate, we are eternally grateful for your support over the last 100 years, and by God’s grace we will continue to support missions across the globe and right here in our home state of Alabama – for God’s glory and for the good of many.

Why should young Alabama Baptists give to support Gospel missions through the Cooperative Program? Because it is a profoundly biblical way to contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer’s cause on earth. I can think of no greater reason than that.

Jake Rogers is a member of Harvestfield Church in Rainbow City and serves as the youngest Ambassador for the Cooperative Program from the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.