As we begin a new year, I think it is good for us to remember and focus upon the reason why Oklahoma Baptists churches exist and have chosen to partner together: to advance the Gospel. Here is something interesting about our churches and what it means in our cooperative efforts for the Gospel:

  • 5 percent (26 churches) have an average Sunday morning attendance of more than 600 people.
  • 3 percent (55 churches) have an average attendance of 300-599.
  • 6 percent (104 churches) have an average attendance of 150-299.
  • 5 percent (565 churches) have an average attendance of 50-149.
  • 57 percent (986 churches) have an average attendance less than 50.

One of the things I have come to appreciate most about the system of cooperation our churches have is that ALL our churches are important. Large churches have many people and large budgets but are very few in number. Small churches have fewer people and small budgets but are many in number. Without each other, neither large nor small churches could do what they do through their cooperative efforts to advance the Gospel together.

One without the other could not support the number of international missionaries and church plants that we have. One without the other could not support a university, children’s home campuses or retirement villages. One without the other could not do church camps/conference centers, an extensive Disaster Relief Ministry or Baptist Collegiate Ministry on 39 college campuses in our state.

People from churches both big and small are called to the mission field and to serve our churches in ministry. Those from churches both big and small send care packages and other helps to children and senior adults being served by Oklahoma Baptists affiliates.

Attendees from churches both big and small are encouraged and equipped at conferences and retreats. Students from churches both big and small attend Oklahoma Baptist University, BCMs and commit their lives to follow Christ at camps. Volunteers from churches both big and small make up our Disaster Relief teams.

Churches in large cities reaching many people and churches in remote areas that may be the only Gospel witness in that community; churches with incredible facilities and churches with aging buildings; full-time pastors well-known in our state and multi-vocational pastors known by only a few—EACH and ALL of them are critically important in the role they play in gospel ministry both locally and globally in our cooperative efforts. I hope Oklahoma Baptists, regardless of what size or location of church in which they are a part, will value every one of our churches and count it a blessing to partner together with such a diversity of congregations to impact our state and the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We do more together for the Kingdom of God than we do apart!

 

Photo by Constantin Wenning on Unsplash