I’m well aware that most [ Southern Baptist] pastors … can provide a textbook explanation of the Cooperative Program, and I’m certainly encouraged by everyone’s technical knowledge. But, despite our general knowledge of the Cooperative Program, from time to time I hear explanations that are at best inaccurate, and at worst, concerning and/or harmful.
For example, is the Cooperative Program a tax?
I’ve been in conversations where our Cooperative Program dollars were referred to as a tax on the local church. Could this be true? Well, at the end of 2024, I received a rather sizable property tax bill from our county. In the past, we’ve always escrowed our property tax, but apparently when we moved to Missouri our mortgage was processed differently. I really wasn’t expecting the bill, and I certainly wasn’t excited about the bill, but I still had to pay the bill. Believe me when I say that when I wrote the check there was no sense of mission, no sense of cooperation, no sense of being part of a greater family, and paying the bill wasn’t voluntary.
We need to clearly understand that the Cooperative Program has never been and will never be a tax on the local church. Churches voluntarily decide an amount or a percentage to contribute to the Cooperative Program. As a pastor, I always felt honored to be a small part of the greater whole. I felt a sense of pride knowing I was joining hands with fellow believers across our nation, on mission to reach the world with the gospel. When it comes to paying taxes, I’ve never felt honored, I’ve never had a sense of pride, and I’ve never had a sense of purpose and mission (although I certainly understand the necessity of taxes and appreciate the services they provide).
What about dues?
I’ve also heard the Cooperative Program referred to as “paying our dues.” Could this be true? Are our CP dollars nothing more than monthly dues? Well, I actually hold a record many are unaware of – it’s quite impressive. I’ve been a member of the most gyms at the same time, without actually using any of them! In Kentucky, I joined the YMCA because we got a discount, I joined another gym because they had a nice pool, and then I joined MegaGym because I was really going to work out this time — but I never did. When I finally cancelled my memberships, it was rather funny — because no one at any of the gyms even knew I was a member!
As a member, though, I expected to personally benefit. Since I paid monthly dues, the gyms owed me certain privileges and amenities. I didn’t pay every month for someone else to benefit; I paid my dues for what the gym could offer me. As a pastor, I never thought about how the Cooperative Program could serve my personal interests. In fact, I always thought about how our cooperative efforts were selfless and sacrificial, focused on reaching others beyond our church’s ability. To this day, when I hear someone say, “I’m not sure what the Cooperative Program does for me,” I think, “Is that the goal? Is that why we cooperate? For CP dollars to serve our personal interests?” I believe we cooperate for something much more comprehensive. On a side note, you’ll be happy to know I’m currently a member of the YMCA in Jefferson City, but I haven’t visited… yet.
If it’s not a tax, and if our Cooperative Program dollars are not dues, what are they? Thank you for asking! The Cooperative Program is an investment. More specifically, it’s a Kingdom investment. In Missouri, Cooperative Program dollars support our MBC staff as we strive daily to help churches prioritize prayer, evangelism, missions mobilization, church planting and church renewal. Cooperative Program dollars help support our affiliated universities, our ministry to the aging, our foundation, and our children’s home. Beyond Missouri, Cooperative Program dollars support missionaries with both NAMB and the IMB, and we’re helping the next generation of pastors and ministry leaders attend one of our six SBC seminaries.
But why call it an investment?
Because investments yield returns, and that’s precisely what our Cooperative Program dollars provide — a substantial return on investment. Lives are impacted every day in Missouri, the United States, and around the world because of the selfless and sacrificial gifts made in voluntary cooperation through the Cooperative Program. This side of heaven, we may never meet those impacted by our generosity. But let me assure you of this — one day, in glory, we will certainly fellowship alongside the immeasurable return on our investment.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Wes Fowler and originally published by the Pathway.
