For the first time in 10 years, Alabama Baptists failed to reach their Cooperative Program (CP) base budget goal. However, Alabama Baptists still gave at a record pace during 2003.
Giving exceeded the 2002 CP base budget receipts by $1,122,527 or 2.86 percent, according to Bobby DuBois, associate executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM). “The 2003 total represents the largest single year of giving through the CP in the history of the [Alabama Baptist State] Convention (ABSC),” he said.
Alabama Baptists finished the year at 99.95 percent of the $40 million budget goal. Based on tentative figures for 2003, base budget receipts for the year were $40,407,998, while the base budget goal was $40,427,480, resulting in a deficit of $19,482.
Alabama Baptist gifts continue to outpace the Southern Baptist Convention average. At the end of the last SBC fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, 2003, the SBC annual growth rate was one-half of 1 percent.
Alabama’s annual growth rate in giving for 2003 was 2.86 percent or more than five times the growth rate of SBC giving. Alabama Baptists continue to send 42.30 percent of CP giving to SBC ministries, so as giving increases in the state so does giving to SBC ministries.
Rick Lance, executive director of the ABSC State Board of Missions, said, “Alabama Baptists are pace-setters when it comes to the financial support of missions. We remain united in our efforts to carry the gospel to a lost world through our praying, giving and going.”
ABSC President Joe Godfrey believes Alabama Baptists will meet the 2004 budget, which is the same as 2003’s. He said that historically Alabama Baptists’ giving through the CP has increased yearly. So keeping the same budget this year will allow Alabama Baptists a second chance at reaching — possibly exceeding — the goal if 2004’s CP giving follows that trend.
And although ABSC ministries will feel the shortfall, Godfrey hopes it will not have a major impact. Because the ministries receive their CP budget allotments on a percentage basis, that loss will be spread among them at the same percentage rate.
Other highlights of the year-end figures include:
The state CP causes budget gifts totaled $478,823 — exceeding the budget goal of $400,000.
Alabama Baptists finished the year strong with December 2003 CP giving at $4,070,411, up from the December 2002 giving of $2,959,257. December and January were the only two months in 2003 when giving topped $4 million — a record for Alabama Baptists.
Taking into account the fact that the CP budgets are planned nearly two years ahead of time, the depressed economy and the decreasing budgets and budget crises of other state conventions, Godfrey said giving for 2003 was “a great success.”
“For people to have given when they could have decreased it and blamed the economy, speaks very well of the heart and spirit of Alabama Baptists and their commitment to building Christ’s kingdom,” Godfrey said. He also credited the ABSC leadership with being good stewards when planning the budget, thereby preventing an even greater shortfall.
The leadership is committed to continue that good stewardship, Lance said.
“Alabama Baptists can be assured that we are attempting to manage every penny of missions giving in a way that honors Christ,” he said. “We will always budget responsibly and spend wisely as Great Commission Christians.”
Godfrey said, “When every dollar means ministry, even $19,000 short is not good. (But) I think with the combination of continuing good stewardship and the generous spirit of giving of Alabama Baptists, [2004] will be a good year for us.”
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