NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Southern Baptist Convention Cooperative Program receipts for October increased nearly 18 percent over the same month a year ago, according to Morris H. Chapman, president and chief executive officer of the SBC Executive Committee.
The September receipts, $15,526,056, compared to September 1997’s $13,176,027, are an increase of 17.84 percent, or $2,350,029.
Designated gifts for the month of September totaled $2,216,392 compared to the same month a year ago of $1,964,478, a 12.82 percent increase of $251,914.
For the monthly SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget, the September CP receipts were $2,608,912 over the required monthly budget figure of $12,917,143.
The SBC Cooperative Program total includes receipts from individuals, churches, state conventions and fellowships for distribution according to the 1998-99 Cooperative Program Allocation Budget.
The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists’ method of supporting missions and ministry efforts of state and regional conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention. Designated contributions include the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions, the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American missions, world hunger and other special gifts.
State and regional conventions retain a percentage of Cooperative Program contributions they receive from the churches to support work in their areas and send the remaining funds to the Executive Committee for national and international ministries. The percentage of distribution is at the discretion of each state or regional convention.
