From the Heart of the Pastor

          I have mentioned on several occasions the importance of the Cooperative Program.  This is the giving program of the Southern Baptist Convention that was established for mission funding in 1925.  I know I am biased, but I can honestly say there is no other giving mechanism I know of that so brilliantly allows individual Christians to be so involved in so many different aspects of ministry in so many different parts of the world.  Through our church’s participation in the Cooperative Program, Oak Crest Baptist Church is actively sharing the gospel with thousands of people around the world.  We are actively training thousands of future pastors, youth ministers, and music ministers through our six seminaries.  We could never dream of doing so much by ourselves, but through the Cooperative Program we can and we are.
          Resurrection Day is still two weeks away, but I did want to remind you that we have a unique opportunity to supplement the Cooperative Program in North America through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.  I can’t remember an Easter without Annie.  The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering is much more than a Southern Baptist tradition.  Just as the Lottie Moon offering in December supports International Missions, so too the Annie Armstrong offering at Easter supports North American Missions.  It is a means of supporting the work of thousands of missionaries all throughout the United States and Canada.  Seventy-Five percent of the offering monies go directly to pay missionary salaries.  Fifteen percent of the collected monies go to church starts.  Southern Baptists endeavor by God’s grace to begin hundreds of new churches each year.  There is significant cost attached to a church start.  Your Annie Armstrong gift goes to defer some of that cost.  Ten percent of the Annie Armstrong budget goes to evangelism.  Evangelistic efforts supported by the Annie Armstrong Offering include, church and community ministries, resort ministries, literacy missions, sports evangelism, and internet evangelism.  Once again, we are able to do so much more together than we can individually.  Would you begin to pray about how God might lead you to give to this significant offering?  This year the goal convention-wide is $70 Million.   At Oak Crest, our goal is $3500.  Of course every dollar counts, but more important is your conviction and motivation to see the gospel spread that counts most.  I believe God would rather someone give a nickel with an earnest desire to see God glorified in the gospel, than someone to give a million without a passion for the good news of Jesus.  May God bless you as you seek His will, and may we do this only to the glory of God.
 
In Christ,
Blain Craig