Bold Mission Thrust

By Fran Simmons | July 21, 2016

Liberty Baptist had been mission-minded since her beginning in 1852, but in 1925 her ability to reach the world became a reality when she began to support the Cooperative Program.

One of the most important developments in Southern Baptist life during the century is the Cooperative Program in 1925. Prior to its appearance, made separate offerings to support state and convention-wide causes.

This plan helped to stabilize all of the denomination’s work on both the state and convention-wide levels. It has continued to be the basis of support and a source of blessing for all Southern Baptists. No other mission effort has involved so many people and their gifts of love. In 1981 over 450 million dollars went to support these efforts.

The total gifts through the Cooperative Program enable us to support many worthwhile projects for Christ at the international, national, and local levels. These programs now consist of supporting Baptist colleges and seminaries. Children’s homes, homes for the elderly, Gospel radio and television programs State papers, church literature, books, and 6,000 missionaries on both home and foreign fields. In all that they do. Southern Baptist churches and organizations are endeavoring to bring men to God through Jesus Christ.

That is what Bold Million Thrust is all about. It is the dynamic thrust of all Southern Baptists to share the Gospel with every person by the year 2000.

Liberty can be proud to be a part of the most powerful evangelistic tool of the century. Today, she gives 8% of all her offerings to this worthy organization.

Five years after joining the Cooperative effort, a group of ladies heading the Women’s Missionary Union of Highland Baptist Church in Florence came to Liberty to aid in the establishment of our W.M.U. In 1930, Mrs. Ida Hennessee was elected the first Presiden of our W.M.U. Through her commitment, the church became even more supportive to the purpose of missions.

Over the years, Liberty Baptist has given thousands of dollars to mission causes. Truly her people have learned it is better to give than to receive. Her giving has been sent to sister churches for various needs. For instance, in 1902 Liberty gave $3.25 to help rebuild Cedar Grove Baptist by fire. In 1935, she gave $20.00 to the orphanage in Evergreen. In 1966, Liberty gave $200.00 to the Alabama Baptist State Board to aid in the rebuilding of Baptist churches in Mississippi which were damaged by Hurricane Camille. The list of giving for needy causes goes on and on. These are but a few of the independent gifts that ranged from reaching churches, to those who were ill, to community services, to youth supplies, to those who lost jobs, to Children’s homes, and to seminary student scholarship funds.

Perhaps God has blessed our church in great measure because of her willingness to unite, reach out and help those in need.