What is inside this box? Its contents are a mystery!
Looking at the words on the cover, we have a hint. It says, “Cooperative Program. Reaching the world.” Okay so it’s the something to do with the Cooperative Program (CP).
Judging from the images on the box, the “CP something” inside has to do with church members, local churches, state missions and ministries as well as Southern Baptists missions and ministries. Also check out the amazing visionary line, “The financial fuel for reaching every person in every town, every state and every nation.” That’s quite a vision!
I have to know what it inside this box, it sounds so valuable! The only way to really find out what is inside is to open it up and unpack it.
I hope I have your attention, because we have a bunch of these boxes with their amazing content ready for you if you come to the Oklahoma Baptists CP Summit at the Baptist Building in Oklahoma City Sept. 30.
If you haven’t heard already, pastors and other Oklahoma Baptists ministry leaders are invited to a free event at the Baptist Building in Oklahoma City, Sept. 30 to talk about how to strengthen the Cooperative Program in Oklahoma. Your participation in this event will also help leaders on the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Executive Committee learn how they can better serve all churches in the convention.
Our speaker will be Willie McLaurin, vice president for Great Commission relations and mobilization at the SBC Executive Committee. He is the one who sent the boxes to us. Here are the details of the event:
Why come to the CP Summit?
- Assemble with other CP Giving leaders
- Provide input into shaping the CP for the next century
- Explore how to raise awareness of the CP to the next generation
- Ask questions to the executive committee
Where: Baptist Building 3800 N May Ave. Oklahoma City
Cost: Free Event! Lunch provided.
When: September 30. 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Register for free here oklahomabaptists.org/cooperative-program/summit
Let’s unpack the CP!
At this event you will receive a box just like the one in the picture that is full of information and resources to use in Cooperative Program promotion and stewardship education in your church. But this event is not intended to be a commercial for the Cooperative Program. Instead, we hope pastors will bring their best thoughts and ideas to the Summit event to help Oklahoma Baptists better serve churches as they promote the CP in their churches.
We need to help our next generation of leaders find out what is inside the CP that can fuel ministry for another century!
This box is also a metaphor for our next generation of leaders who do not know what is inside the Cooperative Program. They may know the name; they have seen the label. They have a vague idea that the CP has something to do with church members, local churches, state missions and ministries as well as Southern Baptists missions and ministries. But they have not fully unpacked the meaning and implications of how the CP can be the fuel for reaching every person in every town, every state and every nation. We must help them unpack it!
My prayer is that many CP-minded Oklahoma Baptists will come to the CP Summit and help us discover how to unpack the value of the CP for a new generation. Will you come and get your box?
Some questions to consider as you prepare to come to the CP Summit.
- What excites you most about the CP?
- How does your church usually promote the CP?
- What are some challenges you face when talking about the CP with members of your church?
- How can we better serve your church in CP advocacy?
- Would your church be open to hosting a CP Sunday or CP Month?
- Do you have any questions about the CP or the Executive Committee?
- What other questions do you have about the CP?
Please come to the Oklahoma Baptists CP Summit September 30th.
If you can come, please RSVP at oklahomabaptists.org/cp/summit no later than September 21 so we can plan for meals and materials. See you then!
