A large majority of Southern Baptist pastors believe the Cooperative Program supports the ministries and missions their church values and allows their church to support more missions endeavors than it could on its own.
The Cooperative Program (CP) is Southern Baptists’ unified plan of giving through which cooperating Southern Baptist churches give a percentage of their undesignated receipts in support of their respective state convention and the Southern Baptist Convention missions and ministries.
A survey of Southern Baptist congregations conducted by Lifeway Research in the fall of 2023 found 2-in-3 congregations have an overall positive view of CP (67%) and believe CP is the most effective and efficient way to support the spread of the gospel worldwide (66%). The Cooperation Study Group which reported to the 2024 SBC Annual Meeting in Indianapolis asked Lifeway to conduct the study, for comparison with a similar poll 15 years ago.
Among participating congregations, 2-in-3 (66%) say they give 5% or more of their church budget through CP. And 3-in-4 (76%) say their church’s budget percentage given through CP has increased or stayed the same over the last five years.
“We are grateful for the significant number of churches that maintain Cooperative Program giving as a convictional priority,” said Jeff Iorg, president of the SBC Executive Committee. “There are so many competing demands—from pressing local ministry needs to national economic challenges—yet these churches stay the course year by year. These dependable gifts are the financial backbone for the entities of the Southern Baptist Convention.”
Sentiments about CP have shifted since 2007-08 when Lifeway Research conducted a similar study. The share of pastors who have a positive view of CP decreased from 81% in 2007-08 to 67% in 2023. In 2007-08, 80% of pastors described CP as being the most effective and efficient way to support the spread of the gospel worldwide, while only 66 % said the same in 2023.
Nearly 8-in-10 (79%) say CP supports Southern Baptist entities, ministries, and missions their church values. That’s down from 90% in 2007-08. Nearly 3-in-4 (74%) say CP allows their church to support more missions endeavors efficiently than it could on its own, compared to 86% who said the same in 2007-08.
Lifeway Research (Oct/Nov 2023)
In the latest study, 9-in-10 (91%) congregations indicate CP’s objective to send and support missionaries in North America and around the world is “very” or “extremely important.” Slightly fewer say it’s very or extremely important to educate and equip pastors, missionaries, and other ministry leaders (85%) and to provide resources to plant churches in North America and around the world (84%).
More than 3-in-4 congregations (77%) say it’s very or extremely important that CP supports missions and ministries in their state convention, and 68% say addressing social, moral, and ethical concerns of our faith and families is very or extremely important.
“The objectives of the Cooperative Program still resonate with Southern Baptist congregations,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “The gospel is the motivator for cooperation that is seen most clearly in sending and supporting missionaries, providing theological education and church planting.”
When indicating how important the benefits of CP are to their church, 81% of congregations say supporting SBC entities, ministries, and missions their church values is either very or extremely important. Of those who choose this benefit as being of very or extremely important, 86% agree this currently describes CP.
Southern Baptist congregations report the following benefits come close behind in being either very or extremely important:
- CP allows their church to support more missions endeavors efficiently than they could on their own (78%).
- CP allocates contributions among state, national and global ministries, missions and entities appropriately (79%).
- CP supports state convention entities, ministries and missions their church values (77%).
- CP is the most effective and efficient way to support the spread of the gospel worldwide (74%).
Slightly more than half of Southern Baptist congregations (51%) say protecting churches from direct funding appeals by entities is either a very or extremely important benefit to their churches. When asked to indicate their level of agreement with the statement “our church is pleased with the direction of the SBC,” over half (56%) agreed, 33% disagreed, 10% said neither agree or disagree, and 2% said they didn’t know. Overall, 7-in-10 Southern Baptist congregations say their church’s satisfaction with CP depends on their satisfaction with the overall direction of the SBC (70%).
For more, visit LifewayResearch.com.
For Cooperative Program resources, visit IBSA.org.