CP giving grows by 3.64%, best one-year gain in four years

by Staff                                                                                                                                                     Vol. XVII, No. 9, Nov/Dec 2004

Cooperative Program giving in the 2003-04 fiscal year reached a record level, increasing more than 3.64%, compared to a 0.48 percent increase recorded in 2002-03. Founded in 1925, the Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists' method of supporting missions and ministry efforts of state and regional conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention.

For the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, receipts to the Cooperative Program totaled $189,865,254.85, an increase of $6,663,560.71 over the 2002-03 amount of $183,201,694.14 and the largest increase since the 1999-2000 fiscal year.

The marked increase over the previous year is a significant development. Cooperative Program giving has reached record levels in recent years, but has not kept pace with inflation or needs.

Last year the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee adopted a report warning of a future financial "crisis" unless giving increased. The report disclosed a decades-old trend showing a gradual decline in giving as a percentage of ability -- by individuals to churches and by churches to the Cooperative Program -- and warned against "celebrating incremental gains in income when real giving is dropping."

Combined, Cooperative Program giving and designated gifts of $378,875,522.44 for the year were up $29,687,861.73, or 8.50 percent, above the combined $349,187,660.71 received in 2002-03.

The Cooperative Program total includes receipts from individuals, churches, state conventions and fellowships for distribution according to the 2003-04 Cooperative Program Allocation Budget. Designated contributions include the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions, the 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. [BP]