July 23, 2001
TOGETHER:
Far-flung BGCT ministries depend upon Texas support
___A layman from West Texas was on the phone, and he said, "Help me understand how this Cooperative Program thing works." His church was studying Cooperative Program giving and trying to decide how to divide up their money. I explained the ministries that are supported by the Texas portion of the Cooperative Program.
___He expressed surprise at the many ways our Texas Baptist churches work together. "I didn't know the support for everything we do in Texas comes out of the Texas part of the Cooperative Program," he said.
CHARLES WADE
Executive Director
BGCT Executive Board
___As with many Baptists, he didn't realize each state convention is responsible for supporting its own children's homes, Baptist Men, WMU ministries, hospital ministries, care for the aged, church-starting initiatives, local church growth and health resources, partnership mission efforts, state Baptist universities, state seminaries (like Truett, Logsdon and Hispanic Theological School in San Antonio). The churches of that state convention must fund all of these.
___In the Texas portion of the Cooperative Program budget, your church also supports River Ministry, the evangelism conferences, Super Summer, Texas Baptist Youth Choir and Band, the Singing Men of Texas and the Singing Women of Texas.
___These in-state ministries and institutions are extensions of your local church. Every child that is helped to find a home--your church was there. Your church touches every student in each Texas Baptist university. You provide a path to find Christ or for a student to grow in the Lord through 124 Baptist Student Ministries across Texas. Baptist universities in Texas trained more than 3,400 ministerial students last year, with scholarships from your church. Every new church start--over 1,800 in the last decade--your church helped.
___In addition to this, about 40,000 Southern Baptist churches support mission work through the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board and the theological education provided through the six SBC seminaries. This is the global missions portion of your Cooperative Program gift. The national ministries of missions and education need our support--and Texas Baptists continue to send more than any other state to support Baptist global missions efforts.
___As we finished talking, he said: "This has really helped. I am proud to be a part of so much that is going on in Texas."
___Most of our Texas Baptist churches are giving 67 percent of their Cooperative Program dollars through the Texas portion of the CP. More and more of our churches are using the budget we adopted in Corpus Christi, which adds extra dollars to the Texas portion in order to more adequately support a growing population, our work with Hispanic theological education and our new seminaries.
___I am very proud of our Texas churches for their willingness to consider the best way to help us do all that needs to be done in Texas as we reach out to this great state and beyond.
___Our giving in Texas through the BGCT is down about 10 percent compared to a year ago. Your Texas Baptist institutions and ministries need your support. When your giving changes, it affects all our ministries. What you can do in your church to raise the level of Cooperative Program support for Texas causes is needed. It will be used to the glory of God.
___We are loved.
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