Top giving Cooperative Program churches celebrated at 2019 Annual Meeting

During the 2019 Texas Baptists Annual Meeting, nine churches were given special recognition for their giving through the Cooperative Program. These churches were the top givers in their respective categories, and it is thanks to the dedication of these churches, and churches like them, that the Cooperative Program is able to help people and ministries around the world.

“We are so proud of these churches and the thousands of others like them who give sacrificially through the Cooperative Program,” Chris Liebrum, director of the Cooperative Program Ministry, said. “By cooperating together in missions support, these churches, large and small, have the opportunity to be involved and share in the spread of the Gospel in Texas and beyond. Together, they are impacting the world for Christ in ways they never could alone.”

The five recognized for top giving based upon church size include Green Acres Baptist Church, Tyler; First Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant; Acton Baptist Church, Granbury; Central Baptist Church, Carthage; and First Baptist Church, Ozona.

“Our church is blessed to be able to be a part of supporting kingdom ministry through giving to the Cooperative Program. Knowing that we support missions and kingdom work here and around the world allows our congregation to experience being a part of something bigger than ourselves,” Monty Pierce, senior pastor of Central Baptist Church, said. “We rejoice in the knowledge that we are supporting missionaries and mission causes in Texas, North America and around the world for the cause of Christ. We see our support of the CP as one of the ways we are obedient to the Great Commission.” 

An additional four churches were recognized for top giving among ethnic congregations. These churches include Christ the King Vietnamese Baptist Church, Hewitt; Chinese Baptist Church, Houston: Northside Community Church, San Antonio; and Cornerstone Baptist Church Killeen, Harker Heights. 

Edward Wagner, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church Killeen, explained that Cornerstone has a unique understanding of the importance of the Cooperative Program because the church began as a church plant supported by Texas Baptists.

“We realize just how important this support was to our successful start; therefore, we most definitely want to be a part of the success of other new church starts. God continues to bless us to be a blessing. The more we give the more He gives to us,” Wagner explained.

In 2018, over $32 million was given through the Texas Baptists Cooperative Program by more than 5,300 congregations across the state. These contributions have supported causes such as River Ministry, Baptist Student Ministries, Texas Baptist Men Disaster Relief, BOUNCE, Missionary Adoption Program, childcare institutions, ten Texas Baptists universities, scholarships for ministers in training, 350 church plants and many more ministries designed to spread Christ’s love around the world.

To learn more about the Cooperative Program, visit texasbaptists.org/cp.