JEFFERSON CITY – The MBC has produced two new resources to help Missouri Baptists better understand the Cooperative Program and the way their tithes and offerings support missions in the state and around the world.
Both resources are designed as bulletin inserts and are available in print and electronic formats.
The first resource is titled, “What is the Cooperative Program?” The four-page insert describes CP as the funding process Southern Baptists have used since 1925 to support missions and evangelism at the state, national, and international levels.
It goes on to explain how CP works, and the benefits of cooperative giving at the local church level, throughout Missouri, and around the world.
Using colorful graphic design, the inside spread illustrates how every dollar given by a local church to the Cooperative Program is invested in transforming lives and communities with the gospel.
For example, in the coming year (2017), 42 cents of every CP dollar goes to Southern Baptist Convention causes such as the International Mission Board, North American Mission Board, and the SBC’s six seminaries.
Thirty-eight cents stay in Missouri to support MBC ministries related to making disciples, multiplying churches, and developing leaders. Another 15 cents go to related causes in Missouri such as the Children’s Home and Christian higher education. Finally, five cents go to benefits for Missouri Baptist pastors, and to provide The Pathway at no cost to Missouri Baptists.
The second CP resource is titled, “Introducing: The Missouri Baptist Convention.” This single-page bulletin insert describes the MBC as a network of nearly 1,800 independent Southern Baptist churches working together to carry out the Great Commission.
It further shows how the MBC missionary staff invests CP funds in transforming lives and communities with the gospel.
The staff is one team with five strategic emphases: Making disciples, multiplying churches, developing leaders, the executive office, and ministry support.
While the vision of transforming lives and communities with the gospel applies to all MBC missionaries, they believe the vision reflects the heart of all Missouri Baptists, according to John Yeats, the MBC’s executive director.
MBC missionaries seek to be the best possible stewards of the resources Missouri Baptists have entrusted to them; to carry out the historic mission of making disciples, multiplying churches, and developing leaders; and to strategically lead all Missouri Baptists to transform lives and communities with the gospel.
To view, download, and print the bulletin inserts, or to order printed copies for your church at no cost to you, go online to mobaptist.org/cp, or call 800.736.6227 ext. 303.