Every time you drop a dollar in the offering plate of a church that participates in the Cooperative Program, you help someone hear the story of Jesus. That person may live on your Main Street, in Miami, Milwaukee, Malawi or any point in between. When given through the Cooperative Program, your gift reaches from your home across the glove.

By giving through the Cooperative Program, a portion of your dollar empowers the fulfillment of the Great Commission in Florida, the nation and world. Your gift mobilizes a mission force of more than 10,000 persons serving throughout the nations and places you at the heart of the gospel. How, you may wonder?

Consider the Great Commission, a personal directive from Christ to all of His followers to: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matt. 28:19  Your church voluntarily sends a percentage or a specific amount of their regular offerings to the Florida Baptist Convention. The State Convention retains a portion for ministries, missions and evangelistic efforts in the state—and even in your own hometown. Another portion is then sent to the Southern Baptist Convention, which distributes your money to the International Mission Board, North American Mission Board and six seminaries.

So you see in a very real sense, your dollar carries out the very last directive Jesus gave to His disciples when He said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8  Through your gift, you are partnering with other Florida and Southern Baptists to provide a gospel witness in your hometown—Jerusalem; your state—Judea; and your nation—Samaria—and the world.

How do busy church leaders promote the Cooperative Program while keeping in balance the many other important items that clamor for their attention? Here are a few helpful suggestions. Pick the suggestions that will work best in your church setting and emphasize the importantce of the Cooperative Program.  

—Lead in a special time of prayer for the work of missions through the Cooperative Program during the worship service. Pray for our missionaries, our seminary teachers, and the Florida Baptist Convention staff.

—Use Cooperative Program materials as a bulletin insert. The Florida Baptist Convention’s 2011 Budget Brochure “You are the Heart of the Great Commission” tells the story of what your Cooperative Program gifts are accomplishing. (2011 CP Budget Allocations) Additionally, a number of great resources are available to you.

—Share with your members something specific that is being accomplished through the Cooperative Program:

·        10,414 national and international missionaries are funded through the Cooperative Program.
·        6,000 Florida Baptist volunteers are trained in disaster relief, making the Southern Baptist Convention the third largest disaster relief provider in the nation.
·        112 new churches were started last year in Florida.
·        1,500 students are being trained through theological education provided in Florida.
·        80,000 Florida Baptists volunteered for more than 6,000 mission projects and disaster relief efforts in Florida and around the world.