Louisville—New City Church may be one of the youngest church plants in Louisville, but it stands tall as one of the top missions givers in the state.

The Kentucky Baptist Convention recognized New City for its per capita giving to the Cooperative Program, the vehicle through which Southern Baptists share the gospel in Kentucky and around the world.

“Much like the story of the widow’s mite found in Mark 12:41-44, New City Church has given its offerings in obedience to Scripture and with discipline that is worthy of recognition, particularly for such a young church plant,” said Curtis Woods, the KBC’s associate executive director for convention relations and communications.

New City began holding worship services at the KBC’s Louisville headquarters in early 2013. It has since moved to the Down Syndrome of Louisville building and hopes to one day find a permanent location downtown near the city’s large international refugee population.

“While other Kentucky Baptist churches may contribute more substantial amounts to the Cooperative Program due to their sizable memberships, New City has given sacrificially from the small amount of tithes and offerings it does receive,” Woods said.

New City’s overall CP gift during the 2013-14 fiscal year was $10,919. The average amount from each member, or its per capita amount, was $295.10.

On top of CP gifts, New City gave more than $2,000 last year to national and international missions through the Annie Armstrong and Lottie Moon offerings.

T.J. Francis, one of three pastors serving at New City, said that without the Cooperative Program, “I don’t believe any one church could scratch the surface of answering the call of the Great Commission. I think we take the greatness out when we try to do it as individuals.”

Among New City’s core values, Francis said, is a desire to be strategically missional, which explicitly states giving through the Cooperative Program. Francis illustrated those beliefs when he presented the KBC with the church’s first CP check at the May 2013 Mission Board meeting.

Francis, who is a full-time staffer at New City and an adjunct professor of worldview and culture at Boyce College, works in harmony with part-time pastor John David Trentham, an assistant professor of leadership and discipleship at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and lay pastor Rob Allen, who is director of guest relations at Crossings Ministries. Each holds the title of “pastor” to maintain a holistic atmosphere where one man is not over the others.

The top four per capita Cooperative Program giving Kentucky Baptist churches are: Countryside Church, Morganfield, $311 (average per member); New City Church, Louisville, $295.10; Mexico Church, Marion, $268; and Good Hope Church, Campbellsville, $238. (KBC)