The Dollar Flow

by T. C. Pinckney                                                                                             Vol. XVII, No. 4, April 2004

Any time one talks about dollars in a denominational context someone is apt to accuse him of implying that budgets are all-important, of losing sight of the Gospel. And sometimes they are right.

On the other hand, that isn’t a valid reason simply to ignore ministry finances as if they were of no significance at all. Money certainly is not everything. In fact, it is far from the most important thing, but it is something. And how a church, an association, a state or national convention is doing financially may well be an important indicator extending to other, more spiritual aspects of its ministry.

Let’s start close to home, here in Virginia. The Religious Herald reported in its 11 December 2003 issue that churches gave $14,015,985 toward the fiscal 2003 BGAV budget goal of $15,000,000 ... or 6.56% below goal. The gifts were also $474,075 less than the $14,490,060 received in fiscal 2002.

The rather slow economy probably played a part in this shortfall, but undoubtedly so did the continuing shift of churches from the BGAV to the SBCV. During its 2003 fiscal year, the SBCV enjoyed a net increase of 27 churches. Several of these are churches the SBCV planted, but the considerable majority chose to move from the BGAV. Such shifts inevitably grow the SBCV budget and shrink BGAV income.

These developments are also seen in Virginia gifts to the SBC’s Cooperative Program. For the first five months of the current SBC fiscal year (1 Oct.-29 Feb.), the BGAV contributed only $934,703 ... 24.15% less than during the same period a year ago, while SBCV contributions increased 30.95% to $1,576,167. Note that the SBCV with about 408 churches gave 68.6% more than the BGAV with 1,400 plus churches. In designated offerings a similar process is underway. In the same five month period BGAV designated offerings sent to the SBC declined 11.7% to $2,600,060 while SBCV gifts rose 33.93% to $1,569,144.

In Texas, the only other state with two state conventions, the dollar flow is a little different, perhaps because the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (the new conservative state convention) is somewhat newer than the SBCV. The old line Texas convention, the BGCT, actually gave 10.9% more this year than in the same period last year, $501,000 more. The SBTC also increased its CP gifts (by $500,600), but with a smaller base (and, on the whole, churches that are more SBC oriented) the percentage increase was 14.37%. In designated gifts The SBTC submitted a whopping 77.66% more (+$2,162,320) while the BGCT decreased its designated donations 2.13% or -$193,283.

For the entire SBC, CP gifts during these five months were up 1.81%, designated dollars +12.53%.

We can rejoice in these increases, but don’t forget the point that was made in the January Banner: There has been a steady reduction in the percentage of total receipts local churches send to the Cooperative Program from 10.7% in 1982, to 9.3% in 1992, to 8.1% in 1996, to 7.0% in 2002. This trend must be reversed if we are to reach the United States and the world for Christ.

What percent does your church give to the CP?