Forty-seven cents of every dollar your church gives through the BGCT Cooperative Program is used for Evangelism/ Missions, 30 cents for Education/Discipleship and 10 cents for Advocacy/Care. Thirteen cents is used for executive ministries including BGCT Executive Board and committees, along with information technology, human resources, communications and finance offices.
Not one penny of your Cooperative Program dollar is used for the BGCT building, insurance, utilities, maintenance or related items. Because of wise decisions and generous donors more than 20 years ago, our building is debt free, and the upkeep comes from a building endowment.
Almost half of every dollar is used for Evangelism/Missions. A portion is the money your church designates through the Southern Baptist Convention, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship or Texas worldwide causes. Texas worldwide causes provides funding for initiatives such as missions projects begun through World-conneX, western-heritage churches, Texas Hope 2010 and ministry partnerships including the Baptist World Alliance.
Evangelism/Missions also includes funds for church starting, collegiate ministries, evangelism, Mexico endeavors, multi-housing/organic churches, River Ministry and missions projects in partnership with local associations. These resources help us start 85 new churches a year. We have the opportunity and staff to begin 300 new churches a year when funds become available.
The 30 cents allocated to Education/Discipleship provides funding for BaptistWay Press, Bible study/discipleship, church architecture, congregational leadership, music and worship, and our educational institutions. Sunday School material, age group training conferences, churches without pastors, bivocational pastors are just some of the ministries of this center.
Our educational institutions include the San Marcos Academy, Truett and Logsdon seminaries, and nine Baptist universities with more than 35,000 students. The BGCT provided $3,621,000 for ministry scholarships this past year to 1,258 undergraduates and 726 graduates. This is an incredible investment in the future leadership of our churches.
Ten cents of your CP dollar is used in Advocacy/Care. This provides for our Christian Life Commission, endorsement and training for over 500 chaplains, counseling for pastors and staff and transformational missions. In the recent legislative session in Austin, our CLC staff championed causes for the marginalized including right to life issues, gambling, teenage drinking, human trafficking, church liabilities and adult basic education.
Thousands of people are touched through our childcare institutions, chaplaincy programs in our six Baptist hospitals, and retirement and aging ministries that receive assistance through this center.
The Cooperative Program gifts from our churches provide the financial foundation for all we do. Thank you for your generous gifts. Continue to keep CP giving as a significant part of your church's mission contributions as you seek to fulfill the Great Commission.
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Randel Everett is executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board.
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