Will Cooper, a Christian, Black Corporate Executive, Attributes Much of His Success to His Faith in Jesus Christ
February 23, 2021
PEORIA, IL —As a Bible-based health care sharing ministry, the purpose, mission, and vision of Samaritan Ministries International (www.samaritanministries.org) is to join in the work of God Who is bringing together all people who have a shared faith in Jesus Christ, to love and care for one another’s burdens, including health care needs.
The February issue of SMI’s Christian Health Care Newsletter features an interview with Will Cooper, Samaritan’s chief information officer, discussing the challenges he has faced working as a corporate executive in America who is Christian and black. Cooper has worked in the business world for three decades while also serving as a pastor for many of those years and brings this broad experience to his role at Samaritan Ministries. In the newsletter article he says:
“God has shown me tremendous favor by blessing me with a successful career as a corporate executive for major Fortune 10/500 companies. In my roles I have operated and managed large service delivery organizations and led teams in developing some of the most innovative products and services in technology and telecommunications. My work has taken me around the world, allowing me to meet countless warm-hearted people I now call friends. I consider all of this to be God’s grace and kindness in ordering my steps.”
Corporate America presents challenges for any follower of Christ and has common challenges for those of specific demographics, whether Latinos, women, or African-Americans. Cooper goes on to tell how his faith in Jesus Christ has been essential to dealing with these challenges and reveals how his commitment is consistent with the purpose, mission, and vision of Samaritan Ministries:
“While I am incredibly grateful for the many friends I’ve made and opportunities I’ve received, it’s not been an easy journey,” Cooper says. “In many of my positions, I would be only one of two black executives in the entire company, so there wasn’t much sense of shared experience with my colleagues. Plus, I was a Christian. But I knew I was called to serve and lead in these roles and sought to benefit and prosper my companies and colleagues.
“Even though things were unfair to me in some situations, they made me stronger. God’s love for me made me stronger. My faith made me stronger. Keeping God first in my life made me stronger. Through all of my experiences, it was my God, my faith, my family, and my network of people who cared, and my willingness to never give up that kept me on my path to success. I also knew that I was part of Jesus’ Church, and so I had a calling to make a real difference in this world. By my words and actions, I could display a better way to others.”
Cooper regularly prays that the Church will show that same love to fellow believers of all backgrounds.
“We are one body!” he says. “The Church has been important throughout the civil rights movement, which was actually born out of the Church. That’s what made it so effective — by responding to injustice like Christ did, they showed a better way, and racism was clearly seen as repulsive.”
Samaritan Ministries aims to bringthis unifying perspective to its effective, God-honoring, health care ministry, where their growing biblical community shares approximately $30 million in medical needs person to person each month. Over the past 26 years, Samaritan Ministries members have shared more than $2.3 billion in needs while praying for and encouraging one another with personal notes, cards and letters.
Learn more about Samaritan Ministries International here; visit the Samaritan website at www.samaritanministries.org, or follow the ministry on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
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To interview a representative from Samaritan Ministries International, contact Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Marjorie Pratt, 610.584.1096, ext. 107, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.
