- Baptist Press - https://www.baptistpress.com -

Oct. CP giving dips from previous year

[1]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–October contributions of nearly $14.8 million through the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program were 3.77 percent below CP gifts received in October 2006, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief Executive Officer Morris H. Chapman.

As of Oct. 31, 2007, Cooperative Program gifts of $14,779,886.76 were $579,068.79 below the $15,358,955.55 received last October. Meanwhile, designated giving of $3,062,336.98 during October was 6.00 percent, or $173,466.25, above gifts of $2,888,870.73 received last October.

For the SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget, the October total of $14,779,886.76 is 88.41 percent of the $16,716,794.69 budgeted to support Southern Baptist ministries globally and across North America.

Southern Baptists surpassed for the first time the $400 million mark in combined Cooperative Program and designated giving during the last fiscal year. Gifts through the Cooperative Program by SBC churches reached $205.7 million during the fiscal year spanning Oct. 1, 2006, to Sept. 30, 2007, while designated gifts, including the SBC’s missions offerings, topped $204.9 million. CP gifts increased 2.55 percent during the year while designated gifts increased 7.09 percent.

The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists’ method of supporting missions and ministry efforts of state and regional conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention.

The Cooperative Program total includes receipts from individuals, churches, state conventions and fellowships for distribution according to the 2007-08 Cooperative Program Allocation Budget.

[2]

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–
Compiled by Baptist Press editor Art Toalston.