Doing kingdom work together

Budget development time is here! For many of our churches and for Texas Baptists, it is so.

I believe churches, associations and the state convention share similar challenges in budget development. The needs around us are great. The opportunities for ministry are abundant. Yet, the financial resources often seem limited.

We know that whatever God calls us to do, He is faithful to provide the resources needed. Our job is to first discern what God is calling us to do; secondly, to be good stewards in planning. And thirdly, to invite God’s people to participate generously in what God is calling us to do.

Our BGCT 2026 budget reflects our GC2 Strong strategy. This strategy begins with God’s Word. He has given us the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. As God’s people, we are called to love Him with everything, love our neighbor tangibly and make disciples of all nations.

In order to be faithful in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission across our Texas Baptists family, we are focusing on strengthening churches, strengthening pastors and strengthening strategic missions partnerships.

The primary problem we are addressing with our GC2 strategy is lostness. Of the over 32 million people who live in Texas, at least half do not know Jesus as Savior and Lord. The proportion of “lost” people in the other states where we have churches is even greater!

There are over 238 languages spoken in Texas. The growth of various ethnicities is unprecedented in our state. Many of these people groups do not know Jesus, and some come from Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and other religious or non-religious backgrounds.

Texas is the fourth fastest-growing state in the country. By 2050, it is estimated that over 50 million people will call Texas home. At the same time, almost 80% of Baptist churches in the state are declining, and some are even closing their doors.

If all these trends continue, we are one generation away from Texas becoming a state that will need to be re-evangelized. This is already true in some of the states where we have affiliated churches. We need a Great Commandment/Great Commission awakening among our churches!

People are dying every day without the gift of eternal life in Jesus! We need to place our treasure where God’s heart is: reaching the lost for whom Christ died. We need to invest our resources where our heart needs to be: praying, sharing God’s love, making disciples.

It is not a secret that Cooperative Program giving trends at both the national and state levels have not been positive. We have more churches, more Baptists and our people have more income than ever before, but it has not been reflected in Cooperative Program growth.

Yet, I still believe that the Cooperative Program is the best way for Baptists to do kingdom work together. I also believe that the Cooperative Program works best when churches give by percentage.

As you prepare your church budget, would you lead your church leaders and members to pray about how your church can grow in giving to the work of God’s kingdom through the Texas Baptists Cooperative Program? Will you consider growing in percentage giving? Will you encourage your church to model for its members what it means to give for God’s work first?

Let us do it for the sake of those who do not know Jesus! Let’s encourage our churches to be on mission with God in Texas and beyond until everyone has an opportunity to respond to Christ’s love on the cross.