SBC Leader, Did You Receive a Survey from Me?

Help Shape the Future of the Cooperative Program

The Future Commission 2050 Project is part of a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) research, conducted in my association with Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS). As part of this project, a sample of SBC leaders will be surveyed in June 2024 about their perspectives on what they believe are the drivers of change affecting the local church in the years ahead. This initiative aims to help Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) church leaders like yourself navigate the evolving landscape of inter-congregational financial cooperation.

An independent panel of SBC “CP Partners,” stakeholders in the future of the CP called the Future Commission 2050 Project, will analyze signals, trends, and drivers of change, creating multiple future scenarios in a series of strategic foresight labs. We need your insights to develop scenarios to help inform strategic decision-making for the Cooperative Program (CP) and the local church.

Purpose:

We aim to empower SBC leaders with tools and insights for the CP's future by identifying and analyzing critical drivers of change (social, technological, economic, environmental, political, legal, educational, and spiritual) to ensure a preferred future for inter-congregational financial cooperation.

Method:

• A national survey of SBC leaders

• Strategic foresight labs and collaborative workgroups

• Horizon scanning to identify signals, trends, and drivers of change through 2050

• Develop scenarios based on comprehensive analysis.

• A free report will be available to all on this website in April 2025

Why Your Input Matters:

Your participation in the survey is crucial. While remaining completely anonymous, your responses will help The Future Commission 2050 Project understand the key issues and trends affecting the SBC. The Future Commission will use this information to create strategic scenarios to guide our leaders in making informed decisions. Because I am working with an independent research partner to collect the responses, I will not see the individual responses but a compilation of all reactions. This project is not an official SBC initiative but, instead, academic research in a doctoral project.

How You Can Help:

If you received my survey, please take a few minutes to complete it. Your insights are invaluable to the success of the Future Commission 2050 Project. Together, we can ensure that the CP remains a vital and effective instrument for advancing the SBC's mission.

-Chris Forbes

Forbes Nonprofit Strategies