January 13, 2025
The financial depression of 1893 inspired the story of the Wizard of Oz, and its severe impact on mission giving drove the Southern Baptist Convention to introduce major changes in the understanding and promotion of Biblical stewardship. Those changes, assimilated by the next generation, were necessary for the development of the Cooperative Program adopted in 1925.
The 1893 Panic, one of the largest in U.S. history, began as a banking crisis and grew from there. For several reasons, the nation’s gold reserves had been depleted and the question of abandoning the international gold standard and adopting a silver standard resulted in bank failures across the country. The “yellow brick road” in The Wizard of Oz, and Dorothy's slippers, which were silver in the original book (not ruby as in the movie), represented the gold and silver standards. The panic also bitterly divided the nation politically between the powerful urban bankers/railroaders (represented by the Emerald City) and small towns and rural farmers (represented by the Munchkins or “the little people”).
In retrospect, it’s often difficult to connect the dots, seeing the impact of the secular upon the sacred, or even knowing something like the 1893 Panic’s influence on popular literature. God has often worked through circumstances, like the Panic of 1893, to move His people with a sense of urgency, from complacency to a new level of service and commitment. In turn, the result is the sacred having a greater impact on the secular by more effectively sharing the gospel with the world.
Southern Baptist missions, particularly international missions, had grown dramatically in the latter portion of the 19th century. Although the need for basic sustaining support for missions had always been a challenge, especially given the frequency of financial “panics” during the 19th century. The impact on giving, prompted by the 1893 Panic, and a larger mission force needing support created a crisis for the SBC. The Foreign Mission Board was already carrying a heavy debt with no reserve funds from which to draw. Meanwhile, nearly 100 foreign missionaries and their families in the field were dependent on an SBC lifeline of support and could not be stranded in those distant lands.
The impact on missions created by the panic prompted S. K. Seago, a trustee of the Foreign Mission Board from Louisiana, to make a resolution during the 1894 SBC. It was to appoint a committee of seven “to consider the subject of urging the church members to give at least one-tenth of their income to the cause of Christ” (1894 SBC Annual, p. 26). Stewardship was a popular subject at the time across America, according to Dr. Scott Preissler, executive director of the National Center for Stewardship and Generosity. Preissler said, “In the late 1800s into the early 1900s there was a dramatic shift by pastors (regarding stewardship) as categorized and recorded in a book by George A. E. Salstrand.” The shift was an emphasis that promoted tithing as the Biblical model for stewardship.
Previously, individual giving, called the “society method,” had been the model for mission and education support. During this era, few SBC churches collected offerings on a regular basis. Local expenses and “missions” were covered on an as-needed basis, generally by the deacons individually canvassing church members. Larger urban churches often covered operating expenses with an annual “pew tax.”
In 1895 the SBC, and later the Georgia Baptist Convention, adopted the committee’s report recommending “tithing” as the Biblical model for stewardship. Furthermore, they added that the report should be published and promoted in SBC state papers, publications, and by the various boards (1895 SBC Annual pp. 18-24). As incomprehensible as it may seem today, prior to this the SBC had not made a statement on tithing nor will the subject be found in Baptist papers or other sources.
During the next generation, as more people moved from the farms to urban areas and began receiving regular wages, “tithing” was taught, assimilated, and put into practice. Collecting an offering by “passing the plate” and giving was incorporated into worship services. Tithing began to provide sustaining support for local church ministries and missions.
The introduction of tithing resulted in a two-pronged approach to mission support, an individual (societal) track and a unified (church-wide) track. Today, vestiges of the societal method remain through offerings such as the Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong offerings, and state offerings for program such as Mission Georgia, which are typically promoted as “special” offerings above and beyond the tithe. Unified mission giving, based on tithes through the local church, is typically budgeted by the church and channeled through the Cooperative Program.
Historically speaking, the CP has funded sustaining base support for missionaries and special offerings have provided support for programs and ministries. Missionaries are dependent upon both to live and effectively engage in ministry. This is the model that has been in place for nearly 100 years and proved successful. This is also why it is important to support giving through both channels to share the gospel here and beyond. Indeed, that is what God has called His people to do, and it is done best when working together to share the good news!
What began as a crisis in 1893 became a blessing. As God patiently moved among His people to seek a new direction and work together, a new way was found.
