The Cooperative Program is an agreement among Southern Baptists churches, Baptist state conventions and fellowships, and the Southern Baptist Convention to work together in Great Commission ministries.

It is a financial channel of cooperation through which mission dollars are combined into a unified budget supporting the Southern Baptist missionary, education, and benevolent ministries in each state, the nation, and throughout the world.

The Cooperative Program makes it possible for individuals and churches to do something about fulfilling the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) across the street and around the world.

Through the Cooperative Program, the mission of a single church is extended to ministries for the needy, the sick, the aged, and the lost, as well as the support of about 11,000 North American and international missionaries.

Each local church decides what percentage of its undesignated offerings will be shared through the Cooperative Program. These funds are then sent weekly or monthly to California Southern Baptist Convention in Fresno.

The state convention office distributes Cooperative Program dollars received from California Southern Baptist churches according to the budget adopted by messengers at the CSBC annual meeting. This budget divides Cooperative Program dollars between California ministries and Southern Baptist Convention ministries.

Currently, 72 percent of Cooperative Program dollars remains in California for state missions and ministries and 28 percent is forwarded for world mission causes.

The 72 percent of Cooperative Program funds kept in California are used to support the ministries of CSBC, as well as California Baptist University and California Baptist Foundation.

Church starting, church health, leadership development and missions education all are Cooperative Program ministries of CSBC

Half of the 28 percent of Cooperative Program gifts sent to the SBC support the work of the International Mission Board. The North American Mission Board receives an additional 22.8 percent for ministry in the United States and Canada. The remaining CP dollars go to support six seminaries and other ministries of the SBC.

For questions about the Cooperative Program, contact one of the following: