SBC 2009-10 fiscal year: below budget 6.18%; Cooperative Program down 4.03%

by Art Toalston                                                                                       Vol. XXIII, No. 9, Nov/Dec 2010

The Southern Baptist Convention finished its Oct. 1 - Sept. 30 fiscal year 6.18% below budget, while Cooperative Program receipts for the year were down 4.03% and combined CP and designated giving for the year was down 2.52%, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief Executive Officer Frank S. Page.

Page, in a statement to Baptist Press, nevertheless noted that "much great work is occurring even in difficult circumstances" through cooperative outreach by Southern Baptists in their communities and around the world.

A total of $191,763,152.87 in CP gifts was received by the Southern Baptist Convention during the fiscal year from Oct. 1, 2009, through Sept. 30, 2010 -- down by $8,058,937.31 (4.03 percent) from the previous fiscal year's $199,822,090.18.

During the 2009-10 fiscal year, an additional $191,324,526.08 in designated gifts brought the fiscal year's overall giving for national and international missions and ministry to spread the Gospel to $383,087,678.95, or 2.52% below the previous year's $392,998,040.82 combined figure.

For the SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget, the year-end total of $191,763,152.87 was $12,622,439.76 (or 6.18%) below the $204,385,592.63 budgeted to support Southern Baptist ministries globally and across North America.

The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists' method of supporting missions and ministry efforts of state conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention. The total includes receipts from individuals, churches, state conventions and fellowships for distribution according to the 2009-10 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.