CHERRY HILL, NJ, (BRN) – Reaching the nations is an every day mission for The Church of the Good Shepherd in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Since the church moved to the Cherry Hill area 12 years ago, it has filled its doors with individuals from all around the world. The church primarily outreaches to the Filipino population in the Cherry Hill community, but also welcomes those who are Hispanic, African American, American, Chinese, Korean, Cambodian, Vietnamese and Indian.
“It’s like a picture of Heaven,” remarked Rev. Darius Nable, senior pastor at The Church of the Good Shepherd.
In 2012, Nable left his career in medical technology, a field he worked in for 20 years, to answer God’s call and step into full time ministry.
At the time, he had already completed his Master’s degree in Christian Leadership from Liberty University and was practicing as a bivocational pastor.
Most of Nable’s ministry has been to the Filipino population, however, he has been intentional about worship services being in English, so others can participate.
Throughout his years at The Church of the Good Shepherd, Nable has also been intentional in encouraging the congregation to be committed to cooperative missions.
“The way I put it [to] the church is, if you are tithing to the church, then the church should also be tithing to the Cooperative Program through our convention. When you are participating, you are a committed partner,” said Nable.
“I told them that [the] CP is 10% of the collection from the church and we give it back to that, because just like how each member gives their 10% (individually), corporately, as a church, The Good Shepherd, part of Southern Baptist, gives it out too. So, by the grace of God, for the last five years we’ve been giving 10%, on top of the other commitments to other ministries we have.”
The Church of the Good Shepherd has seen this faithful giving return back to their mission efforts in New Jersey as the CP has aided in their process of church planting.
“The current church planter that I have (in Camden) started with having that help come from the Cooperative Program and then the most recent one (church plant) is the one in Sicklerville, and we praise God for how the partnership goes,” said Nable.
Primarily, the Cooperative Program comes alongside churches through financial means, but Nable notes that, in reality, the CP is “more than that.”
“It also helps the partnership, the encouragement from the leaders – Pastor Barry, Pastor Tom, everyone when they call, [and] Pastor Hal – this is what partnership is, this is what the Cooperative Program is,” expressed Nable.
He went on to share a moment from last year when The Church of the Good Shepherd was preparing for an outreach event and was in need of some financial aid.
“I applied for an evangelism grant, and I know this is coming from the Cooperative Program, and right away they helped with the outreach. It was great! What a blessing to be a partner of Southern Baptists, [and], of course, our local convention of the BRN,” said Nable.
In regards to helping other pastors spread the word about the Cooperative Program, Nable shared that he often explains the CP to his church body by comparing it to something they love: basketball.
“Our church is mostly in basketball ministry, and I always seek to heed that we have to be part of a team. You have a specific role, and that’s what it is for the Southern Baptist Convention and then the BRN and as your local church,” explained Nable.
“We all work together with one purpose and that is to continue to seek those who are lost and share the gospel.”
Hear more about how your cooperative giving is impacting Rev. Darius Nable and The Church of the Good Shepherd – Cherry Hill in this month’s episode of Celebrating Cooperative Missions (this podcast is also available on Spotify, Apple, Google, and Amazon Music):
