Alabama Baptists exceed 2002 base budget, miss challenge

Alabama Baptists exceed 2002 base budget, miss challenge

 

For the 10th consecutive year, Alabama Baptists have exceeded their state convention’s base budget, according to State Board of Missions (SBOM) officials. Recent figures show that Alabama Baptists gave $37,493 above the 2002 base budget but did not meet the challenge budget.

“Although 2002 was a difficult year for many Alabama Baptists, in spite of these struggles they were faithful in supporting their churches- and their churches were faithful in giving through the Cooperative Program (CP),” said Rick Lance, executive director of the SBOM. “We applaud the faithfulness of Alabama Baptists.”

The 2002 base budget was $39,250,000, and base receipts were $39,287,493, according to Bobby DuBois, the SBOM’s associate executive director who oversees the board’s accounting office.

Although the 2002 total fell short of the $40,250,000 challenge budget goal, the amount received were within expectations, DuBois said.

Expected results

“Our planning objective is for receipts to fall in a range between the base and challenge goals,” he explained.

“This did occur in 2002, and our entities and the SBC will receive an additional distribution beyond the base budget.”

Other highlights of the year-end figures include:

Contributions to CP state causes in 2002 were $537,647.

The 2002 Cooperative Program base budget receipts reflected a 1.5 percent increase over the previous year.

The 2003 CP base budget of $40,427,480 represents a 3 percent increase over 2002.

In order to meet the 2003 base budget, a 2.9 percent increase in receipts over 2002 will be needed.

“The 2003 base budget will be a challenge to reach, given the prospects of another year with a sluggish national economy,” DuBois observed.

“But with continued faithfulness and sacrificial giving, these goals are attainable because Alabama Baptists have consistently demonstrated their heart for missions and ministries through the Cooperative Program.”

(TAB)