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| First Owensboro Keeps An Eye On ‘Wider Purpose’ |
| Release Date: 09/13/2006 |
 OWENSBORO – Cooperative Program giving at Owensboro First Baptist Church is rooted in a history that has propelled its generous contributions well beyond the average Southern Baptist church.
Member Clarence Nimitz, who retired 11 years ago as associate pastor, says the church established a policy long ago to match salary increases with a similar hike in missions giving.
Nimitz credits that to David Nelson, who during his pastorate (1962-92) led a successful five-year campaign to double First Baptist’s Cooperative Program (CP) contributions.
“We’ve always felt the lifeblood of the church was missions giving,” Nimitz says. “We always wanted to do what we could with local outreach, but keep our eye on (wider purposes.) It made our church a mission-minded church.”
Last year First Baptist gave 13 percent of undesignated receipts, just over $268,000, to the Southern Baptist unified giving plan, a per-capita average of about $91. This year it increased the percentage to 16.7. The money helped support state, national and international missions and ministry causes.
The Owensboro church’s record was one thing that impressed Paul Strahan, who became pastor last January.
“If they had given one or two percent, I wouldn’t have been attracted to (the position),” says Strahan, who formerly worked with LifeWay Christian Resources’ pastoral ministries department. “There’s been a strong record of giving and a strong WMU.”
First Baptist’s ties to the mission field extend to members’ direct involvement.
After two members went on a mission trip two years ago, they sensed God calling them to fulltime careers.
After completing training with the International Mission Board, they were commissioned last fall. Their family now serves overseas.
Two other former members will soon travel overseas to serve. Strahan says the church is planning a commissioning service in early December, to coincide with the Lottie Moon international missions offering.
The pastor says having two couples with church connections on the field will help draw a clear connection to the Cooperative Program.
“It’s going to be a challenge for me to teach the younger ones about it, but this will make it a lot easier,” Strahan says. “It’s going to have some meat on it, having this going in our church.”
Strahan says he learned to appreciate the program while serving as a student minister at First Baptist Church of Lafayette, La., where the pastor was deeply committed to it.
Not only did that help him see how a church can benefit by giving to worldwide missions, that lesson continues today.
“Many of our senior adult members will never be able to go, but they are able to give through the Cooperative Program and understand that we are of the greatest mission effort in the world,” Strahan says. “They can be part of reaching the world for Christ.”
First Baptist also benefits from having a layman who is a member of the Kentucky Baptist Convention’s CP study committee.
As the son of Rev. Thomas L. Shelton, a longtime pastor who is now Ohio County’s director of missions, Tom Shelton learned about the need for the program all through childhood. Now he and his wife, also the child of a pastor, are teaching their children about it.
“Dad always had a belief in missions; it’s definitely in my blood,” says Shelton, superintendent of schools for Daviess County. “I’ve always been involved in churches that have a strong belief and support of the Cooperative Program.
“As a deacon and former finance chairman, it’s something I can support completely,” Shelton adds. “I know the wonderful work that happens through our convention agencies.”
A member for the past 20 years, Shelton says First Baptist’s legacy includes supporting the Daviess-McLean Baptist Association and other causes.
However, as the teacher of a class of teenage boys, he also sees a need to increase the educational emphasis on missions in Kentucky Baptist churches. Many people don’t understand how it works or where their money goes, Shelton says.
In particular he sees a lack of awareness among those in their early 40s and younger, which inspired him to devote several Sunday school classes recently to teaching about Southern Baptist life.
“In my personal opinion the Cooperative Program is the most efficient and effective way of supporting all types of mission causes,” Shelton says. “There’s so much synergy from having the combined giving of all the churches.”
Strahan says the program fits perfectly with First Baptist’s mission – and others in the KBC.
“I think the mission for every church is the Great Commission,” the pastor says. “If we don’t go, win, teach and baptize, we’re not a church. The Cooperative Program as I understand it is reaching the world for Christ. That is our mission. That’s the church.”
Release prepared by Ken Walker, KBC communications |
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