Faithful Leadership: A Testimony of Cooperation
As Christians, we know God alone deserves all praise and glory, and it is to Him we offer every gift of thanksgiving. God has also called us to give earthly honor where it is due. As we collectively prepare for a new executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, it seems very […]
The Case for Cooperation
In February, associational leaders from across Alabama gathered at Shocco Springs in Talladega. Pine trees framed the roads. Long-standing friendships were renewed over coffee and conversations outside of the “new” bookstore. There is something fitting about discussing cooperation in a place designed for retreat and reflection. It reminds you that partnership is not just a […]
The Southern Baptist Cooperative Spiral
The following is republished by permission of the author, Steve Dunn, associational missionary for Bethlehem Baptist Association, a family of churches in the area of Monroe County, Alabama. BETHLEHEM BAPTIST ASSOCIATIONCooperating To Fulfill The Great Commission We Have One Mission: THE GREAT COMMISSION We Have Two Commitments: THEOLOGICAL UNITY and AUTONOMOUS COOPERATION We Have Many: […]
Three Ways to Support the Cooperative Program in 2026
Few things reveal a church’s theological convictions more clearly than how it gives. Budgets, in a very real sense, are discipleship documents. They tell a story, by faith, about what a congregation values, what it believes about the mission of God and how seriously it takes the Great Commission. For Alabama Baptists, the Cooperative Program […]
Iorg challenges church leaders to persevere in faithful service
Southern Baptist Convention leader Jeff Iorg told Alabama Baptists their convention is a “powerhouse” in Cooperative Program giving. Speaking at the 2025 Missionary Appreciation Banquet Oct. 2, sponsored by Birmingham Metro Baptist Association, Iorg noted he planted a church in Portland “years ago and that mission was possible through gifts like yours from around the […]
Why We Cooperate: A Biblical Model for the Church
When Alabama Baptists give and serve through the Cooperative Program, we are not simply pooling resources; we are living out a profoundly biblical pattern given throughout Scripture. From the earliest pages of the Bible, we see that God never intended His people to live, serve or make decisions on their own. Rather, He calls us […]
6 Reasons I Still Believe in the Cooperative Program
In an age of shifting alliances, denominational decline and theological fragmentation, it’s fair to ask whether long-standing structures still deserve our support. For many Southern Baptists, one of the clearest examples of such a structure is the Cooperative Program — the unified giving plan that has funded our shared mission, theological education and ministry efforts […]
The Privilege and Discipline of Giving
The older I get, the more joy I find in giving to the Lord. I am profoundly grateful God allows us to make a meaningful financial difference through our local church. The privilege and discipline of giving are essential aspects of the Christian life and vital to a healthy church. Here are a few insights […]
The Biblical Foundation for Unified Giving in Gospel Missions (Part 2)
Applied Theology: The Local Church and The Cooperative Program Since we now have a Biblical foundation for unified giving and the local Church’s role in God’s redemptive mission, it is important that we consider how to apply our theology to everyday life in ways that are both faithful and practical. The Cooperative Program is not […]
The Biblical Foundation for Unified Giving in Gospel Missions (Part 1)
Throughout Scripture, we see that the local church is the primary means by which God’s providential mission is carried out in the world. In 1 Timothy 3:15, the Apostle Paul refers to the church of the living God as “a pillar and buttress of the truth.” In Ephesians 3:10, he explains that it is “through […]