During my tenure in Southern Baptist servant-leadership, I have heard the Cooperative Program explained countless times. Sometimes it is explained correctly, and sometimes incorrectly.

Cooperation is essential to successful living. It involves working together in a shared task. For instance, successfully walking involves the cooperation of many body parts, including: eyes for direction, ear fluid for balance, brain for guidance and memory, and leg and foot bones, muscles, and tendons—all working in harmony.

On the centennial anniversary of the Cooperative Program, it is fitting to celebrate the common work that Southern Baptists have performed together. A program of cooperation sounds like a great idea. After all, teamwork makes the dream work, as they say. However, the words “cooperate,” “cooperative,” or “cooperation” don’t occur in the Old Testament. So how does the Cooperative Program compare to Old Testament teaching?

ONTARIO, Calif. – Trustees approved a $13,560,000 budget for the 2025-2026 academic year during the spring board meeting May 5-6 in Ontario, Calif.

It’s been two years since the International Mission Board re-emphasized finding and researching unengaged and unreached people groups around the world. Project 3000 was born out of Southern Baptists’ commitment to ensure every people group has access to the gospel. 

PENNSVILLE, N.J. —  The smell of popcorn wafts through the air, ball players are raring to go, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” plays through the sound system, and parents are ready to cheer their kids on. It’s your everyday American Little League baseball game, right? Nope! This league is different.

Jesus is coming to my house today. That sounds like Zacchaeus. His story is in Luke 19. A wee little man, he climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus. Jesus reached the spot and yelled, maybe He just whispered, “Zacchaeus, you come down, for I’m going to your house today.”

MARIETTA, Ga. — Georgia Baptist Jayme Pendergast is the Director of Athletics at Marietta’s Life University. Although she describes herself as an introvert, she is a highly motivated, extremely gifted, and incredibly confident young woman.

Several weeks ago, Wayne took our only grandson, Camden, who is 9, to a movie he had been anxiously waiting to see. It was a "guy" movie, so only the two of them went.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Southern Baptist churches across the nation are celebrating a powerful move of God marked by growth in baptisms, worship attendance, and small group participation, according to the latest Annual Church Profile (ACP) released by Lifeway Research

BOWMAN, GA.  — Greg Bentley is the new Associational Mission Strategist for Hebron Baptist Association in Elbert, Hart, Madison, and Franklin Counties, Georgia, as of May 1, 2025. 

MALLORYSVILLE, Ga. — In everything you do, jump in and do it until another door opens. If another door doesn’t open, just keep doing what you're doing, a humble Rev. Paul Reviere said. “I’ve been fortunate that that door has not opened for me to leave those good people up there. It’s just a wonderful fellowship.”

Africa has an urgent need for laborers to share the gospel. The image among Christian circles often portrays this area as mostly evangelical and reached. But according to International Mission Board missionary Josh Rivers, that’s not really the case. 

SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — Two years ago, God gave lead pastor Anthony Kendall and Connect Church in Sevierville a heart for prison ministry in Sevier County.

CLEVELAND, Ga. — During Honors Chapel on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, Dr. Ken Gabrielse, Interim Dean of The College of Arts and Letters, was honored with the Vulcan Materials Co. Teaching Excellence Award.

DALLAS – Several groups affiliated with Southern Baptists plan to meet concurrent with the June 8-11 SBC annual meeting at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.

Since the time of ancient Christianity, churches have utilized summary statements of belief to help clarify doctrine and facilitate the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Some of these statements possibly can be found in the biblical text itself (e.g. the Christ Hymn of Phil 2).

DALLAS (BP) — Hispanic Southern Baptists from across the country will gather in Dallas this June for a two-day celebration of worship, training, and encouragement as part of the Southern Baptist Convention’s 2025 annual meeting.

DALLAS (BP) – Registration figures for the upcoming Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting are on par with recent years and “well above” the last time Dallas hosted the gathering.

MURRAY, Ky. (KT) — More than 300 Kentucky Baptists celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program Monday night at its birthplace — First Baptist Church. The event not only honored the CP legacy, but looked forward to the future and what can be accomplished through cooperation.

Cooperation as a convictional, operational mindset is the foundation of the movement known as Southern Baptists. Many Southern Baptists equate cooperation with the Cooperative Program, our common funding mechanism, but it is much more than that. Cooperation is the theological and theoretical foundation upon which our movement rests.

WEATHERFORD, Texas (BP) – The end of the Vietnam War, recognized on April 30, marked the end of a chapter for John Cope. But it also started another.

DALLAS (BP) — Gather your friends and celebrate God’s work around the world through His people at the WMU Missions Celebration just prior to the SBC Annual Meeting.

Recently, after I conducted the funeral services of someone who had a profound impact on my life, the husband of the deceased extended his hand, which contained a monetary gift for me. “Absolutely not!” was my reply. I did my best to assure him it was my honor to lead in the memorial services of his sweet wife, and I would not take a dime. He then responded, “Oh yes, you are! She made me promise you would take this money.”

Many jobs today depend on computers and the internet to function. Productivity drops when the Wi-Fi goes down. Having the right equipment makes all the difference. Christians have all the equipment they need for spiritual growth. Our challenge is to understand how to use that equipment for God’s glory.