One Sacred Effort: The Cooperative Program of Southern Baptists

The preamble of the original constitution of the Southern Baptist Convention describes the purpose of the SBC as “eliciting, combining, and directing the energies of the whole denomination in one sacred effort, for the propagation of the Gospel.” These words are not only historically significant; they convey the mission and purpose and distill the distinct facets of the SBC Cooperative Program. One Sacred Effort looks close at this unique and enduring ministry operation.

Chad Brand is associate professor of Christian Theology at Boyce College of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

David E. Hankins is executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. He has served as vice president for the Cooperative Program of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention. In this position, he gave direction to the development and promotion of Cooperative Program ministries and giving for Southern Baptist churches, state conventions, and the SBC.