We are the Kentucky. Baptist. Convention.

Hanging in our home are custom picture frames for each member of our family that tell when they were born and the meaning of their name. Guests who study the portraits can quickly become acquainted with “Free & Strong”, “Who is like God?”, “Gift of God” and …. “Helmet Head” (Sorry, Kennedy!).

While it may not be true about my family, the names given to many in the Bible are very important. Their names were often significant and indicated key attributes about the person.

As we approach the annual meeting, I pondered, “What does our name say about the Kentucky Baptist Convention?”

KENTUCKY: We are connected geographically.

Our churches share the common bond of being in Kentucky and being called to reach Kentucky. We are the largest religious group in our state, spanning the entire commonwealth from the Appalachian Mountains in the east to the Jackson Purchase in the west. Our geographical connection isn’t just about sharing a state. It means we understand the diverse needs, varied cultures, and unique challenges encountered across Kentucky. Our shared geographic identity enables us to coordinate efforts to reach every corner of our state with the gospel.

BAPTIST: We are connected theologically.

While there are many churches of various mindsets in our state, what differentiates us is our shared theological conviction. We are united by our core beliefs as expressed in the Baptist Faith and Message, including the authority of the Bible as the infallible Word of God, salvation through Christ alone, the autonomy of the local church, and believers’ baptism by immersion. This shared theological DNA ensures that as we work together, we are aligned in our understanding of God, salvation and the Great Commission. Having a consistent theological framework shapes how we do missions, evangelism and education throughout the state.

CONVENTION: We are connected cooperatively.

The term convention refers to the voluntary cooperation among Kentucky Baptist churches. Unlike hierarchical denominations, Kentucky Baptists are autonomous and not directed by any external authority. Rather, we freely associate with one another for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission. This is expressed most tangibly by giving to the Cooperative Program and working collaboratively to launch statewide initiatives, support missionaries, care for foster children, fund collegiate ministry and train future church leaders.

Summary

The Kentucky Baptist Convention is a collection of churches in Kentucky that share a similar Baptist theology and are committed to voluntarily cooperating in ministry through a Convention of churches. Names matter… and “Kentucky Baptist Convention” is one name I am proud of.

November 6, 2025 0

Celebrating the Cooperative Program with Children (includes downloadable lessons!)

Sitting in the front row of a recent church service gave me a direct view of a pastor sharing his weekly children’s message. He immediately captured their attention by distributing currency and sharing that every time a dollar is placed into the church’s offering plate, 20 cents is sent to support missionaries through the Cooperative Program. He personally shared how he and his wife benefited from those gifts while serving as International Mission Board missionaries in South Africa.

Funding missions cooperatively is a hallmark of Southern Baptist churches. But here’s a question worth asking: Do the children in your church know that?

Children learn what their church values from where they see its attention focused. When we intentionally emphasize cooperation, missions, and generosity, we’re shaping their understanding of what it means to be a church. The Cooperative Program is a picture of Kingdom teamwork, showing that we can accomplish far more together than we could ever do alone.

When children grow up understanding and appreciating the Cooperative Program, they become adults who lead missionally, laypeople who give generously, pastors who prioritize partnership, and missionaries who know churches stand behind them.

After all, the next generation of missionaries, pastors, and church leaders is already sitting in your Sunday School rooms. Let’s help them grow up understanding the beauty of cooperation.

Downloadable Cooperative Program Children’s Lessons

Teaching children about the Cooperative Program can be woven naturally into what you’re already doing. Below are links to children’s lessons and resources suitable for use in Sunday School, during Kids’ Worship, or for a special missions event.

Free Cooperative Program “Better Together” Children’s Lesson and necessary Lesson Resources

Free Children’s Cooperative Program Activity Books

WMU Children’s Lesson “Cooperative Program: How Southern Baptists Work Together”

October 7, 2025 0

25 Ways to Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Cooperative Program in ’25

In 2012, the Boston Red Sox celebrated the 100^th anniversary of Fenway Park, the oldest active Major Leage Baseball stadium in the United States. Fans wore birthday hats and special lanyards to commemorate the centennial. The celebration was packed with nostalgic tributes and the return of legendary players to the field. Caroline Kennedy threw out the ceremonial first pitch as a nod to her great-grandfather Honey Fitz who threw Fenway’s first pitch 100 years earlier. As exciting as that was, the largest cheers went to Fenway’s “Green Monster”, the iconic left field wall that symbolizes the character of the stadium in a sea of newly constructed futuristic venues.

Before the game began, Red Sox great Pedro Martinez led the crowd in toasting Welch’s grape juice to the stadium. When finished, the 100^th birthday celebration for Fenway Park set a new Guinness World Record for “largest toast at a single venue” with 32,904 people.

As beloved as Fenway Park is, in 2025, Southern Baptists have a 100^th anniversary celebration of far greater importance. Adopted by Southern Baptists in 1925, the Cooperative Program has resulted in millions of people coming to know Christ over the last century. The 100^th anniversary provides a powerful opportunity to share about the biblical principle of cooperation and celebrate the impact of what your church is doing in cooperation with 47,000 other Southern Baptist Churches.

Here are twenty-five ways your church can celebrate the centennial of the Cooperative Program in 2025:

Provide a mission moment in each service before the offering. Saying something like, “As we take up the offering today, know that a percentage of what you contribute is given in cooperation with other Southern Baptist churches to support 3,561 international missionaries around the world.” A complete list of CP impact statements is available here.
Invite someone from your state convention to preach a sermon on cooperative missions.
Invite a Cooperative Program supported missionary to give a testimony of the work facilitated by your church’s partnership.
Adopt a resolution on cooperation in your church business/members meeting. Here is an example resolution that can be tailored to fit your church.
Increase your Cooperative Program Giving. The 100^th Anniversary is an ideal time to lead your church to increase its giving. Some may move to 10% of undesignated receipts, while others may increase by 1% of their overall budget. What a celebration it would be to make your 2025 contribution to the Cooperative Program your church’s largest.
Schedule a state convention staff member to share with your church a presentation titled “Better Together: Understanding and Celebrating the Cooperative Program.” This presentation is excellent for Sunday nights, Wednesday nights, or small group meetings.
Each month, share a video during the worship service highlighting the impact of your cooperative giving. Abundant video resources are available here.
Utilize CP promotional items to use as bulletin inserts. You can order free copies of these resources here.
Invite a member of your state convention staff to share the history and impact of the Cooperative Program in your ministerial staff meeting or with your Finance or Missions Committee.
Pass out cupcakes after the May 18^th worship service to celebrate the Cooperative Program’s 100^th birthday earlier that week.
Attend the Kentucky Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program 100^th Anniversary Celebration at First Baptist Church in Murray, KY on Monday evening, May 5^th. All Kentucky Baptists are invited to gather at the birthplace of the Cooperative Program for a celebration banquet.
Host a Cooperative Program Missions Weekend with speakers from entities you support through the Cooperative Program.
Participate in a Cooperative Program Tour. In September, Kentucky Baptists are invited to participate in a one-day tour of four ministries supported by your giving.
Take up a special centennial offering for the Cooperative Program.
Host a special prayer vigil to pray for our Southern Baptist missionaries.
Cooperative Program Missions Fair with booths from the entities supported by your church’s Cooperative Program giving.
Attend the 2025 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting and celebrate this anniversary with thousands of other Southern Baptists. This year’s annual meeting is in Dallas, Texas, on June 10^th and 11^th.
Simulcast the SBC 100^th Anniversary Celebration. The Cooperative Program was adopted on May 13, 1925, during the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting at the Ellis Auditorium in Memphis, TN. Southern Baptist leaders will meet on the same plot of ground in Memphis, TN, 100 years to the day, May 13, 2025, to celebrate the centennial and sign a ceremonial resolution on cooperation.
The SBC’s “52 Sundays” is a weekly resource that shares about a missionary your church supports. Post these weekly on your social media accounts.
Share a testimony with your church about how the Cooperative Program has impacted you personally.
Celebrate Cooperative Program Month in October
Use a visual such as paper clips or beads to show the amount of dollars your church has given to the Cooperative Program in its lifetime. Your state convention can provide that information to you.
Host a Missions Banquet with speakers and videos celebrating the church’s investment in the Cooperative Program. Your state convention can help connect you with missionaries to share.
Take a mission trip with a Cooperative Program funded missionary or entity.
Sign up to be a CP Champion and commit to pray and share about our cooperative work.

What celebration ideas would you add to this list?

January 13, 2025 0

5 Reasons Why Your Church Should Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Cooperative Program in 2025

Several years ago, my family gathered to celebrate my maternal grandfather’s 100^th birthday. It was an incredible milestone, especially for a Kentucky farmer who survived on hard work, biscuits and gravy, and pork sausage. His birthday party was a wonderful celebration of his life and an opportunity to admire his impact. Beginning with their twelve children, over 100 people had descended from him and my grandmother by his 100^th birthday.

While not many get to experience a loved one’s 100th birthday party, in 2025, you have an incredible opportunity to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Cooperative Program. Adopted by Southern Baptists in 1925, giving to missions through the Cooperative Program has resulted in millions of people coming to know Christ over the last century. While there will be national and statewide celebrations, here are five reasons why I encourage your church to celebrate the centennial of our cooperative work in 2025:

Recognizes Your Church’s Kingdom Impact

Giving through the Cooperative Program each year results in hundreds of churches planted, thousands of missionaries on the field, tens of thousands of students receiving theological education and hundreds of thousands of salvations worldwide. Your church’s missional investment helps to make this gospel ministry possible. How great it will be for your church to celebrate the impact they are having across their state and around the world.!

Communicates Your Church Is Part of a Larger Faith Family

The Cooperative Program is the strategy by which 47,000 Southern Baptist churches voluntarily work together to fund missions and ministry around the globe. In an era where individualism abounds, celebrating this anniversary demonstrates the value your church puts on cooperating with like-minded churches. I recently heard an associational mission strategist say, “I am Baptist because of Scriptural convictions and Southern Baptist because of Scriptural cooperation.” Just as church members are a part of the body of Christ, individual churches are part of a family of churches working together worldwide.

Encourages the Congregation to Give Faithfully to Your Church

Funding missions through the Cooperative Program begins with church members giving to your church. In the same way that a state convention thanks a church for faithfully giving to support missions, it is incumbent on the church to thank its members for their faithful giving to their local congregation. Members are even more encouraged to give to your church when realizing a portion of their offering will fund Baptist collegiate ministries, foster care, church planters, international missionaries, disaster relief and much more.

Honors the Devotion of Previous Generations

The Cooperative Program has endured 100 years because many Southern Baptist churches have sacrificed to maintain their commitment despite the Great Depression, World War II, the 2008 Financial Crisis and much more. Had they wavered in their commitment, our missionary force would be smaller, our seminaries would be fewer, and our churches would be weaker. Celebrating this centennial is an opportunity to thank committed church members while challenging younger Christians to adopt the commitment level of previous generations.

Glorifies God for His Work Through Our Convention of Churches

The only reason a mission funding program reliant on voluntary cooperation has thrived for 100 years is God’s hand upon our work. Celebrating the Cooperative Program’s centennial anniversary provides an opportunity to praise the Lord for His greatness.

So, throw a party to celebrate the Cooperative Program’s 100^th birthday in 2025! Consider recognizing this important event by inviting a state convention staff member to preach on Biblical cooperation, asking a CP-funded missionary to give a testimony, or doing a mission fair that highlights the impact of your giving. Check out my upcoming article or email me at Michael.Cabell@kybaptist.org for ideas and resources.

January 1, 2025 0