Central Florida Baptist church committed to Cooperative Program giving
WINTER GARDEN— Members of First Baptist Church of Winter Garden know what it means to cooperate.
During the past 16 years that Tim Grosshans has served as pastor, he has led his congregation to increase its giving percentage to the Cooperative Program each budget year, topping 10 percent.
We’re a strongly committed Southern Baptist church that is committed to the Cooperative Program.
“For 16 years straight, our church has outgiven the church budget,” said Grosshans. “We’re a strongly committed Southern Baptist church that is committed to the Cooperative Program.”
Describing the Cooperative Program as being the “financial fuel for reaching every person for Jesus Christ in every town, every city, every state and every nation,” he said it allows the central Florida church to partner alongside churches across the Sunshine State and nation to champion a great “movement” of reaching people.
100 years of cooperative giving for Southern Baptists
This year, Southern Baptists are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program, Southern Baptists’ unified funding initiative for fulfilling the Great Commission.
First Baptist Church of Winter Garden is not alone in its commitment to the Cooperative Program. Since the Cooperative Program’s inception in 1925 through 2023, Florida Baptists have given $1,349,685,999 cumulatively through the unified funding initiative to propel great missions and ministry for the advancement of the gospel. Final numbers for 2024 Cooperative Program receipts from Florida Baptist churches are still being tallied.
As the Florida Baptist Convention receives Cooperative Program funds from churches throughout the state, it sends 51 percent to the Southern Baptist Convention for cooperative efforts and retains 49 percent for missions and ministries in Florida.
These crucial Cooperative Program funds have sent missionaries around the globe through the International Mission Board, fueled evangelism and church planting in North America, reached people with the gospel throughout Florida, helped educate countless pastors and missionaries at Southern Baptists’ six seminaries, and driven many more gospel-centered endeavors.
Ministry fueled by generosity
When Grosshans was asked what is so special about his congregation, he reiterated the church’s mission-minded generosity and joy. “We’re a church committed to an ever-increasing generosity to missions,” he said. “It’s probably the warmest fellowship with great unity and joy.”
This joy and generosity fuel the church to give over and beyond each year to local missions, reaching the next generation and influencing culture with the gospel.
In its commitment to “loving God and sharing His love with others,” the church was pivotal in opening the Hope Center Thrift Store, where every purchase provides vital services to members of the community.
The church also is committed to reaching the next generation. For more than 65 years, the church has used education to reach children, students and young families with the gospel. Both the Winter Garden Academy—a childcare and preschool ministry—and Foundation Academy—a kindergarten through 12th grade private school—have played a vital role in the church’s mission to “disciple and evangelize” young people, said the pastor. Foundation Academy now enrolls more than 1,300 students.
Seeing more than 100 people make professions of faith this past year, Grosshans is confident that First Baptist Church of Winter Garden is not slowing down anytime soon.
‘Great missionary movement’
In celebrating 100 years of the Cooperative Program, Grosshans wants First Baptist Church of Winter Garden to champion the cooperative effort of Baptists for the next 100 years—all for the glory of God.
“We are privileged to be a part of a great missionary movement called the Southern Baptist Convention,” he said. “We need to take joy in that and celebrate what we can do cooperatively.”