A task force appointed by Texas Baptists Executive Director Julio Guarneri will soon email a survey to Texas Baptist churches. The study looks at Cooperative Program giving trends. The email will go to each church's primary pastor or the church email address on file with the Convention's Information Management Team. English and Spanish versions will be available.
Keith Warren, the task force chair and Executive Board vice chair, will include a message in the email. Warren is executive pastor of Northside Baptist Church in Weatherford. He said the group wants to hear from as many churches as possible. Warren said Cooperative Program giving has shown "remarkable resilience" over the years, but that years of steady decline have affected the ability to do ministry together.
The Executive Board approved a recommendation in February directing the task force to study giving, including promotion, fund allocation, reasons churches participate and factors behind the decline. Cooperative Program receipts through September were 97.9% of the previous year's giving, according to the convention.