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 limited to pastors, professors or theologians – it is for every believer who longs to see the name of Christ carried to the nations, who is willing to give, pray and participate through the local Church in joyful obedience to God’s command. As such, here are three ways that local Churches can support missions through the Cooperative Program:

1. Consistent and Faithful Congregational Giving
   • One of the primary ways local Churches can support global missions through the Cooperative Program is by encouraging regular and faithful giving from the congregation. As members give their tithes and offerings, a portion is allocated to the Cooperative Program, funding Southern Baptist mission efforts worldwide. This provides essential support for missionaries, church planters and ministries across the globe – ensuring that resources are available for Gospel proclamation, church planting and other crucial mission work.
     • Bonus: Encouraging regular giving helps the Church maintain its mission focus and ensures that the global Great Commission remains a priority.
2. Equipping the Congregation for Mission
   • Beyond giving, Churches can support global missions by actively equipping and sending members to engage in mission work. This may include promoting mission trips, hosting mission training workshops or facilitating partnerships with missionaries around the world. The Cooperative Program ensures that the local Church has the necessary resources to train and equip its members for cross-cultural engagement and Gospel outreach.
     • Bonus: By calling and raising up missionaries within the congregation and providing financial backing through the Cooperative Program, local Churches can participate directly in God’s global mission.
3. Praying and Supporting Missionaries
   • Another crucial way local Churches can support global missions through the Cooperative Program is by praying regularly for missionaries and mission efforts. Praying for missionaries on the frontlines of Gospel work, providing updates on their efforts and actively participating in communication with them can strengthen the bond between the local Church and its missionaries. Through this ongoing support, Churches become active participants in the global mission, encouraging and sustaining those who are sent out.
     • Bonus: The Cooperative Program ensures that Churches have access to missionary updates and can facilitate prayer efforts, thus fostering a deeper connection with those carrying out the work in distant lands.

Prayer Guide: Pursuing God’s Providential Mission Through Unified Giving

“Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.” – Psalm 2:8

Prayer is not the means by which we change God’s will – but the appointed way we pursue His providence. We pray not because God is unaware or uncertain, but because He is sovereign – and has ordained both the ends and the means. Unified giving is one such means. Prayer is another.

As your Church gives faithfully to the global mission of God through unified cooperation, let your prayers reflect confidence in His eternal purpose and joy in participating in it.

Pray for Unity That Reflects God’s Design

Ask that your local Church – and Churches across your denomination – would reflect the unity Christ has already accomplished by His blood. Pray that your giving would not be fragmented or independent, but joyfully cooperative, as one body with one mission.

“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body…” – 1 Corinthians 12:13

Pray for Faithful Stewardship Under Sovereign Rule

God has entrusted resources not to enrich us, but to glorify Himself. Pray that Church leaders would steward these funds wisely and that every giver would give not under compulsion, but cheerfully and reverently – as those who manage what belongs to the King.

“Well done, good and faithful servant… You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.” – Matthew 25:21

Pray for Those Sent by the Church

Intercede for missionaries and church planters supported through unified giving. Ask God to sustain them in the field, to protect their doctrine and their joy, and to bear fruit in His perfect time. Pray also that more would be raised up – not by emotion but by conviction and calling.

“How will they preach unless they are sent?” – Romans 10:15

Pray for God’s Mission to Be Fulfilled

Pray not with desperation but with confidence –that God’s providential mission to gather a people from every tribe and tongue will not fail – and that your Church’s giving is a small but real part of that unshakable plan.

“The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD.” – Habakkuk 2:14

Pray for Greater Joy in Participation

Ask the Lord to deepen your Church’s joy – not merely in giving, but in belonging to the mission of God. Pray that the Church would delight not in results alone, but in obedience, in unity and in the knowledge that He reigns.

“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory… All things come from you, and of your own have we given you.” – 1 Chronicles 29:11,14

Reflection Questions for Personal and Corporate Application

Unified giving through the local Church is a means of participating in God’s eternal purposes. These questions are offered to help both individuals and congregations apply theology in ways that are faithful, humble and practical.

Personal Reflection:

1. How can I personally increase my involvement in supporting global missions through the local Church?
   • Reflect on your current level of support for missions. Are you actively contributing through the Cooperative Program, praying for missionaries or considering short-term mission opportunities? What steps can you take to be more intentional in your giving, praying and participation?
2. How does the idea of being part of a global body of believers impact my view of Church life and mission?
   • Reflect on the Biblical vision of the Church as one body with many members (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). How does understanding the Church’s role in the global mission of God deepen your appreciation for your local congregation’s participation in the Cooperative Program?

Corporate Reflection:

1. How can our Church foster a greater culture of giving to support global missions?
   • As a Church, consider practical ways to encourage consistent and generous giving through the Cooperative Program. What initiatives or teaching can be implemented to help the congregation understand the importance of missions and the role of unified giving?
2. In what ways can we better equip our congregation to engage in global missions?
   • Discuss how your Church can provide resources, training or opportunities for its members to actively participate in global missions. How can your Church better support missionaries in the field by sharing their stories and providing specific ways to pray and support them?
3. How can we as a Church increase our prayer efforts for missionaries and global missions?
   • Consider how your Church can intentionally focus on praying for global missions. Can your Church set aside time during services or create prayer teams dedicated to supporting missionaries and mission efforts? How can your Church engage the congregation in more personal prayer for global Gospel outreach?

By reflecting on these questions both individually and corporately, local Churches can deepen their commitment to supporting global missions through the Cooperative Program and actively participate in fulfilling the Great Commission. This unified, intentional approach ensures that the Church continues to be a vital part of God’s redemptive work in the world – following Christ to the nations – for His glory and for the good of His people.

All Scripture references: The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Jake Rogers serves as a Cooperative Program ambassador for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions and is a member of Harvestfield Baptist Church, Rainbow City.