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I believe in the Cooperative Program, because I believe it is a biblical way to support the Lord’s work locally and around the world. In the book of Acts, we see the early church giving generously to support the growth of Christianity.

But on a personal note, I believe in the Cooperative Program because it has been instrumental in my education and ministry since I was a young man. When I went to seminary, I benefited from the financial help that the Cooperative Program provided for my fees at Southwestern Seminary. That financial blessing was much appreciated.

Several years later, I became the Baptist campus minister at the University of North Alabama. I spent 18 years ministering to college students at UNA and daily experienced the blessings of the Cooperative Program. My salary and benefits were generously provided by Cooperative Program gifts.

The beautiful and very functional Baptist Student Center at UNA was built and maintained with Cooperative Program dollars. The Baptist Student Center was very instrumental in helping minister to hundreds of students each year. I believe our Baptist Campus Ministries are one of the best investments of our Cooperative Program dollars. Thousands of lives are impacted each year through our BCMs.

For the past nine years, I have been the director of missions for the Colbert- Lauderdale Baptist Association and have discovered many more ways our Cooperative Program helps our local association. Church planting assistance, hunger funds, assistance for evangelistic events, financial assistance with prayer events and help with Hispanic ministry are just a few of the areas where our association and many others have benefited from the Cooperative Program.

I have always been and will continue to be a big believer in the power of what we can do together as believers. I believe the Cooperative Program is one of the ways we work together best.

Philippians 1:27 (ESV): “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.”

Eddy Garner, Director of Missions, Colbert-Lauderdale Baptist Association[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]