Alabama Baptists meet CP budget, shy of challenge

Alabama Baptists exceeded the 2000 Cooperative Program (CP) base budget goal of $37 million by $973,686.16 million, according to Bobby DuBois, associate executive director of the State Board of Missions (SBOM).

Giving also came close to the challenge budget goal of $38 million, SBOM officials noted, but was just shy of making the goal set during the 1999 Alabama Baptist State Convention annual meeting..

CP giving for 2000 totaled $37,973,686.16 and was the second largest increase from the previous year’s giving during the past 10 years, according to DuBois.

Alabama Baptists experienced a “very healthy year” during 2000 in CP gifts, DuBois said.

Gifts to the CP in 2000 equal an increase of 4.3 percent from 1999, he noted. The highest percent increase over a previous year happened in 1997 when there was a 7 percent increase.

In addition to being the second highest total increase over the previous year’s giving, DuBois said last year’s increase in giving is also higher than the average of 3.8 percent during each of the past 10 years.

“We were a good bit above the average,” said DuBois. “It was a very healthy year.”

He said the goal for 2000 was met and exceeded by CP giving for December, which was $3,700,034.88.

DuBois said the increase in giving speaks for itself.

“It shows there’s a very strong commitment to missions support, both in Alabama and around the world,” he said.

The previous year also saw an additional two churches contributing to CP gifts, increasing to 2,741, according to DuBois.

He also predicted continued giving during 2001, with gifts used to emphasize Great Commission Ministries.

“We expect a good year of co­operation across Alabama,” DuBois said.

Alabama Baptists adopted a record CP challenge budget of $39,295,000 for the calendar year 2001 during the Nov. 14­–15, 2000, Alabama Baptist State Convention annual meeting at the Montgomery Civic Center in Montgomery. The new goal represents a 3.5 percent increase over the year 2000. The base budget for 2001 is $38,295,000.

Rick Lance, executive director of the SBOM, praised Alabama Baptists for their contributions this year.

“Alabama Baptists continue to be loyal in their support of the Cooperative Program and sacrificial in their
giving through it,” Lance said. “The Cooperative Program is experiencing good and whole some health in Alabama churches,” he noted.

Lance said the challenge before Ala­bama Baptists is “to be constant and faithful in the support of missions and ministries undergirded by the Cooperative Program.

“As we face the early days of the 21st century, let us rededicate ourselves to the one mission we have, which is the Great Commission and to the one program we have, which is the Cooperative Program,” Lance said.