The Cooperative Program has been a wonderful tool for Southern Baptists since its inception in 1925. It was a tremendous step forward from the old societal approach that was a constant fundraising system for each individual entity and cause.

Folks thought there must be a better way, and there was: The Cooperative Program, a unified giving and budgeting plan that enables churches of every size to have a part in the whole strategy of Southern Baptists to fund international and home missions, higher education and training for pastors and missionaries, disaster and hunger relief ministries, and new church starts and revitalization of existing churches.

A single church is enabled to support evangelism, missions, and ministry on the local, state, and national level with their giving through the Cooperative Program.

The CP has served Southern Baptist churches well for many years and I, for one, hope it will continue to be the funding strategy for Southern Baptists for many years to come.

John Gates serves as pastor of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, Jasper.