Cooperative Program, MMO: Blessings from God

February 8, 2005

Missouri Baptists and Missouri Baptist churches have been very faithful this year to this wonderful plan of God called the Cooperative Program!  You might think that the Cooperative Program is a man-made plan, but I believe God inspired it as a wonderful way to support mission work in Southern Baptist life.  Many Christian churches support one or two missionaries in one or two countries around the world.  As Southern Baptist churches participating in the Cooperative Program we all have a part in supporting thousands of missionaries serving all around the world!

A percentage of every budget dollar given in your local church goes to the Cooperative Program.  Some of that money is used for state missions right here in Missouri.  The rest is passed on to the Southern Baptist Convention to be used to support missions right here in North America and all around the world.  For me, it is exciting to know that a portion of every dollar that I give to my local church goes to missionaries in Africa or the Middle East, or India, or many other places.  The Southern Baptist Missionaries that I personally know are being supported by a portion of my dollars!  That is why the Cooperative Program is a great plan.

Our Cooperative Program Budget in the Missouri Baptist Convention was $16.2 million for 2004.  Our Cooperative Program receipts for 2004 were $16,461,574.  God’s people exceeded the budget by $261,574.  What a blessing from God!

Our Rheuben L. South Missouri Mission Offering this year was $723,687 which was an increase of $16,628 over 2003.  This money is used for mission projects around the state of Missouri, as well as supporting the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home.  Again, what a blessing from God.

Thank you, Missouri Baptists, for your faithfulness in 2004!  May all of us be found faithful in every area of our service to the Lord in 2005. (Mitch Jackson is president of the Missouri Baptist Convention and pastor, Miner Baptist Church, Sikeston.)