It was perplexing to read remarks from the meeting in Rogers, Ark., in the Sept. 3 article, “GCR task force quizzed on range of topics.” SBC president Johnny Hunt and Great Commission Resurgence Task Force chairman Ronnie Floyd stated that their “roots lie in smaller-membership churches.” Al Mohler was quoted, “The church we are looking for is the church with a big heart, not big numbers.”
Yet when asked about giving to the Cooperative Program, Hunt said, “A church ought to be judged on the dollars it is giving – rather than the percentage.” This looks to me like “big numbers,” such as big dollars. Hunt later stated, “If I lead a church from giving $30,000 to $525,000, is that growth in Cooperative Program giving, or should 10 percent be the standard?” Again, big numbers.
Throughout our convention, churches have been encouraged to give 10 percent to the Cooperative Program. To a smaller-membership church, that may not add up to larger dollar numbers, as some would see it, but it would be a big heart. In Laurens Association, according to the 2008 SCBC Annual, of the 51 churches, 14 gave at least 10 percent to CP. However, only two churches in this association have a membership more than 1,000 (but less than 2,000). Of those 14 churches, 12 gave less than $50,000. Does that qualify them as churches of no importance because it was not a big-dollar number? They are smaller-membership churches that are important. Yet it is only 10 percent. The way the article reads, the smaller-membership church is no longer important in what it gives. It reads that you must be a large church that can give large dollars.
Our convention is represented by a majority of smaller-membership churches. Should they no longer concentrate on giving 10 percent? I would hope not.
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