In May of 2025, Southern Baptists will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program (CP), our unified funding initiative for fulfilling the Great Commission. The story of how the CP began, though, should be better known by all Southern Baptists.

How the Cooperative Program began: The ’75 Million Campaign’

From 1919-1924, Southern Baptists participated in an unprecedented giving campaign that became the foundation for today’s ongoing Cooperative Program, which officially was launched on May 13, 1925. Prior to that time, semi-annual special fund drives were common, one for Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) causes and the other for needs in the states.

Baptist Press writer Nate Adams wrote in a 1999 article, “But by 1918, the pressing physical and spiritual needs of post-World War I Europe, as well as other missions, education and benevolence causes, led the Convention to look for new models of cooperative funding. In the face of worsening financial difficulties, SBC President J.B. Gambrell challenged Southern Baptists at the 1919 Convention ‘to adopt a program of work commensurate with reasonable demands upon us.’ (SBC Annual, 1919). The 4,200 messengers voted, without dissent, the undertaking of the Baptist 75 Million Campaign, where members in every church were asked to sign pledge cards and give over a five-year period.”

Playing key roles in the movement were George W. Truett, pastor of Dallas, First, and L.R. Scarborough, president of Southwestern Seminary. The Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) accepted $15 million as its campaign quota, and appointed Mrs. W.J. Neel of Georgia’s campaign director. The 18 state conventions each accepted goals ranging from $250,000 in New Mexico to $16 million in Texas. The final pledge total was an amazing $92,630,923.

Actual receipts from the campaign totaled only $58,591,713, but because Southern Baptist agencies had begun planning and spending according to the amount pledged in the campaign rather than actual receipts, leaders were soon forced to consider a successor plan to the Baptist 75 Million Campaign. They had reason to do so with optimism.

The unprecedented cooperative giving from 1919 to 1924 had raised the sights of Southern Baptists, giving them a vision of what autonomous churches could do together for the cause of Christ. They had experienced the spiritual blessing that sacrificial giving brings and developed a pattern for ongoing cooperation.

“When Southern Baptists met in Memphis in 1925 and formally began the Cooperative Program, it was, in effect, a way of continuing the ongoing benefits they had experienced during the Baptist 75 Million Campaign.”

How Oklahoma Baptists became involved in the CP

Baptists in Oklahoma enthusiastically joined in the effort. The 1924 BGCO Annual Report said, “No incident in the history of Southern Baptists will have a more remarkable influence …. than the 75 Million Campaign just closing. It has been extended seven months beyond its original time goal, closing with Dec. 31, 1924. Out of this Campaign is born the new 1925 Program of the Southern Baptists. Without the 75 Million Campaign we would not be launching the new program.

“Oklahoma was just emerging from a frontier mission field when this program was inaugurated. . . . Our days as a frontier mission field have passed and we stand beside the greater commonwealths of the South as productive forces for the program of Jesus Christ, worldwide.”

The objective for the SBC “South-wide interests” was $7.5 million. (Oklahoma’s total contribution to the 75 Million Campaign eventually amounted to $673,337.69). The stewardship focus shifted then to what was called the “1925 Program.”

The 1925 BGCO Annual Report says, “The year 1925 dawned upon us with new and larger opportunities, increased responsibilities and a vast co-operative program.” The objective for “South-wide interests” was $7.5 million.

“Our state was responsible for its share which was $122,500. To meet our portion of that amount, and for the support of the various phases of our own state work, your committee reporting to the state convention a year ago, suggested a goal of $350,000. This seemed like a great amount, but is less than three dollars per capita for all our interests in state, home and foreign work.

“But in accepting even this small, suggested goal, we over-estimated not only our Baptist ability, but our devotion and consecration. Our total receipts for this fiscal year are about $169,000. But while this is $181,000 short of the mark we set for ourselves, it is also $8,731 more than our total receipts of the previous year.”

CP’s Impact Today and Beyond

Since its inception to today, Oklahoma Baptists have given more than $1 billion cumulatively through the CP to propel great missions and ministry for the advancement of
the Gospel.

These crucial CP funds have sent missionaries around the globe through the International Mission Board, fueled evangelism in North America, reached people with the Gospel at Falls Creek, helped educate countless pastors and missionaries at our six SBC seminaries, funded Oklahoma Baptist University and driven many more Gospel-centered endeavors.

In coming months, the Baptist Messenger will highlight ministries and missions that are made possible by the generous giving of Oklahoma Baptists through the Cooperative Program. For more information, visit oklahomabaptists.org/cp.