Archive for the 'Southern Baptist Convention' Category
It’s Time to Increase Our Giving Through the Cooperative Program
Increasing your church’s financial giving through the Cooperative Program is like your church giving more money through your Ministry Budget. Just as it moves up your financial base of support in your church, it moves up the overall financial base of our Great Commission ministries of our Southern Baptist Convention.
The Answer is Through the Cooperative Program
Over ninety years ago, the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention became weary of continual pleas for support from the various ministries of our convention. This is why the Cooperative Program was born. It became the unified strategy for financial support of the ministries of the Southern Baptist Convention.
The easiest way for churches to consistently support the ministries of the Southern Baptist Convention through the Cooperative Program is by inserting a regular line item in their budget. This provides the church consistency in their financial support and gives the ministries of our convention consistency in receiving funds.
This is a much better option than our SBC ministry leaders spending time making multiple appeals to our churches to support the work of our convention. It just makes sense for pastors, associational employees, state executives and their employees, and all Southern Baptist entity Presidents and employees to talk about one thing: The Cooperative Program.
A Humble Appeal for Increasing Your Church’s Financial Support Through the Cooperative Program
If I were an employee of our Southern Baptist Convention or a missionary, I would rather the churches increase their giving through the Cooperative Program than having to continually raise my own financial support from multiple churches. The Cooperative Program is something every church can support financially regardless of the size of their membership. This is our agreed upon, unified, strategic financial plan; therefore, we do not need to minimize nor undermine it in any way. Through the Cooperative Program, each cause shares financial resources proportionately.
While some may want to designate monies or support only some of the ministries of the convention, this does not provide a healthy way to support the entire work of the Southern Baptist Convention. Blessing just one ministry at the exclusion of others eventually hurts other ministries of the Great Commission. There is not one pastor I know that appreciates a church member who only designates their contributions around the Ministry Budget of the church. This creates an unhealthy culture. Conversely, we believe in the autonomy of the local church and will honor and appreciate what you believe God wants your church to do.
Therefore, the financial priority of each of our churches should be to support the Cooperative Program. I want to appeal to each of our churches to increase your financial support through the Cooperative Program. As well, for the sake of the gospel, please do so sacrificially and do so as soon as possible. Increasing your church’s support through the Cooperative Program is the greatest way you can forward the work of reaching the world for Christ. Not one of us can adequately support any one cause, but all of us together can pray, plan, give, cooperate, and support every cause.
If You Are Concerned About Missionaries Coming Home
If you are concerned about some of our missionaries having to come home and the decrease of our missionary forces, the greatest thing your church can do to help turn it around is increase your giving through the Cooperative Program. It helps build our base of support financially, which in turn will increase our ability to reach the world.
Pastor and church leaders, please go to your finance committee, deacon body, church board, elders or whoever is key to leading in the decisions of your church financially and appeal to them to increase your church’s financial support through the Cooperative Program as soon as possible.
This helps us reach our states, our nation, and our world for Christ. This financial decision is a gospel decision. In order for us to push back on the lostness of our world by advancing the gospel, we must increase our giving through the Cooperative Program. If we are going to reach the nations, we need to increase our financial support through the Cooperative Program. If we are going to reach the nations, as well as help every gospel endeavor we do together within our own respective state and across America, we need to increase our financial support through the Cooperative Program.
I pray your church will join my church and other churches that are stepping up during this time and increasing our financial giving through the Cooperative Program. Thank you for considering this request.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
President, Southern Baptist Convention
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Dr. Ronnie Floyd is currently serving as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention. The Southern Baptist Convention is America’s largest Protestant denomination with more than 15.7 million members in over 51,094 churches and congregations nationwide.
To request an interview with Dr. Ronnie Floyd
contact Gayla Oldham at (479) 751-4523 or email gaylao@crosschurch.com.
Visit our website at http://ronniefloyd.com
Follow Dr. Floyd on Twitter and Instagram @ronniefloyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
Tithing is Not Taboo: Generosity is Better Than Greed
Tithing is the spiritual practice of honoring God by giving the first tenth of your entire income to your local church. Tithing is not taboo, meaning it is not banned, prohibited, or forbidden. Your church may not emphasize the importance of tithing from your entire income, but it is a very important part of the Christian life.
Generosity is a lifestyle that gives freely and lives openhandedly. Generosity is the amount beyond the first tenth you give to your church. I can assure you that generosity is better than greed.
Greed is an insatiable desire for more. Greed is about grasping, craving, acquiring, and hoarding, while generosity is about giving, charity, blessing, and handing.
Greed is Not Godly
Christians ignore and mock God’s Word when they do not honor God with giving at least the first tenth of their entire income to their local church. They try to rationalize or even justify it, and some even attempt to explain it away biblically. I have never discovered anyone who practices tithing and generosity try to explain why tithing and generosity are not biblical.
Somehow, we must grow in our faith enough to understand that when we do not give biblically by both tithing and practicing generosity, we are not walking in godliness. Greed is not godly.
No One is Exempt from Tithing and Generosity
Pastors, staff members, elders, deacons, lay leaders, and all Christians are not exempt from tithing and generosity. In fact, when we do not practice giving the first tenth of our income and enter into the sphere of generosity, we are practicing and choosing greed.
Greed is like a rattlesnake that many of us want to snuggle up with in our hearts. While on a run last week, I ran upon a Copperhead snake lying right beside the curb. I did not cuddle with it; in fact, I ran with a chill up my spine for the rest of the week.
Greed is not about how much a person has or does not have. Greed is a matter of the heart. I have seen greed exist in the lives of those who have little and I have seen it exist in the lives of those who are overwhelmed with wealth. Nice things are not wrong until you violate God’s principles of giving in order to attain them.
There is Only One Way to Avoid Greed
There is only one way those with much or those with little avoid greed: Giving the first ten percent of their entire income to their local church and moving into the sphere of practicing generosity. They completely embrace a lifestyle of giving freely and living openhandedly.
Pastor James MacDonald is correct when he says that giving the first tenth of all God has given to you is the on ramp to the highway called generosity. Wherever you are in your life educationally, vocationally, or financially, ALL BLESSINGS flood the person and family that get on this on ramp that leads to the highway called generosity.
Living on 90% with God involved will go much further than living on 100% without God involved.
When you obey God’s Word about giving and generosity, you are getting God involved in your life supernaturally. You are never more like Jesus than when you give.
Living on 90% with God involved will go further than living on 100% without God involved. I have never met any person who practiced giving the first ten percent of their income through their local church that ever regretted it or did not have their needs met in life.
Three Important Things to Remember
1. Pastors need to preach unashamedly and uncompromisingly what the Bible says about tithing and generosity.
When you speak on tithing and generosity, there will always be some who will complain or crank up the rumor mill. But just remember pastor: Many who do so do not give as they should biblically. Many who cause this stir are carnal and do not want to face the reality of their greed. Pastor, you and your family should model giving at least the first ten percent of all God gives you through your local church and practice generosity beyond that.
2. Laypeople, encourage your pastor to preach on tithing and generosity.
Lead the way laypeople, encouraging your pastor to preach on tithing and generosity. Encourage and defend him both privately and publicly. Rebuke people who want to criticize him for doing it. People who do not want to hear and be challenged in giving are people who are not practicing giving God’s way.
3. Give freely and live openhandedly.
Be a giver, not a grabber. Live generously, not greedily. Give freely because God gave all He has given to you freely. Live openhandedly, sharing it with your church and other people because none of it is yours anyway. You own nothing; God owns everything. Give it away freely and live your entire life openhandedly. By the way, even when you die, leave at least the first ten percent of all God had given you in your life and legacy to your local church. Additionally, practice generosity by giving to your church even beyond the first ten percent and then to other Christian ministries that are advancing the gospel globally.
We are never more like Jesus than when we give. Allow God to be part of your life in a supernatural way by giving biblically.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
President, Southern Baptist Convention
*******
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is currently serving as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention. The Southern Baptist Convention is America’s largest Protestant denomination with more than 15.7 million members in over 51,094 churches and congregations nationwide.
To request an interview with Dr. Ronnie Floyd
contact Gayla Oldham at (479) 751-4523 or email gaylao@crosschurch.com.
Visit our website at http://ronniefloyd.com
Follow Dr. Floyd on Twitter and Instagram @ronniefloyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.