[1]NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Southern Baptist churches boosted their Cooperative Program giving by more than $5 million for international and national missions and ministries during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief Executive Officer Morris H. Chapman.
A total of $205,716,834.00 was received by the Southern Baptist Convention during the fiscal year from Oct. 1, 2006, through Sept. 30, 2007 -– up by $5,115,297.71 from the previous fiscal year’s $200,601,536.29 when Southern Baptists topped the $200 million mark for the first time.
Counting an additional $204,996,500.84 in designated gifts, the fiscal year marked the first time that Southern Baptists surpassed the $400 million mark in overall giving to SBC national causes for spreading the Gospel worldwide.
For the month of September, receipts of $17,912,691.76 were $434,775,62 ahead of the $17,477,916.14 received in September 2006.
Designated year-end giving of $204,996,500.84 was $13,567,882.79 above gifts of $191,428,618.05 for the previous fiscal year. The $4,962,666.15 in designated gifts received last month is $1,086,262.15 above the $3,876,404.00 received in September 2006.
For the SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget, the year-end total of $205,716,834.00 is $9,768,411.45 above the $195,948,422.55 budgeted to support Southern Baptist ministries globally and across North America.
[2]The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists’ method of supporting missions and ministry efforts of state conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention.
The Cooperative Program total includes receipts from individuals, churches, state conventions and fellowships for distribution according to the 2005-06 Cooperative Program Allocation Budget.
Designated contributions include the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions, Southern Baptist World Hunger Fund and other special gifts.
State and regional conventions retain a portion of church contributions to the Southern Baptist Convention Cooperative Program to support work in their respective areas and forward a percentage to Southern Baptist national and international causes. The percentage of distribution is at the discretion of each state or regional convention.
–30–