The official results are in, and Alabama Baptists are No. 1 in Cooperative Program (CP) giving for Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) causes during the last fiscal year. In addition, Alabama Baptists are No. 1 in combined giving to SBC missions causes through the CP and designated missions offerings such as the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions.
The SBC fiscal year runs Oct. 1–Sept. 30. The final report for the 2008–09 fiscal year released just days ago announced that Alabama Baptists gave $19,136,056.80 to SBC causes through the CP. Georgia Baptists were second with $18,678,710.99. Tennessee Baptists were third with $15,088,968.50.
Overall, in the 2008–09 fiscal year, SBC CP causes received $199,822,090.18 from all sources, primarily funds channeled through cooperating state Baptist conventions. That is a decline in receipts of 2.23 percent compared to the 2007–08 fiscal year. But receipts from Alabama Baptists climbed by 1.33 percent during the year. That makes a 3.56 percent difference between SBC giving as a whole and Alabama Baptist giving to SBC causes.
Obviously the decline would have been steeper for the SBC had Alabama Baptists not increased their giving. In fact, even though Alabama Baptists’ membership makes up 6.47 percent of the total membership of the SBC, Alabama Baptists gave 9.58 percent of the total SBC CP dollars received.
That deserves a big “thank you” to Alabama Baptists for your faithfulness and congratulations for a job well done. But there is more.
The same report shared information about giving to SBC causes through special designated offerings. To the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, Alabama Baptists gave $11,258,189.83 channeled through the SBC Executive Committee. That amount was topped only by North Carolina Baptists, who gave $13,488,894.71.
For the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, Alabama Baptists contributed $5,697,936.99. Again that number was topped only by North Carolina Baptists, who gave $5,745,108.15.
Alabama Baptists were also second in other designated giving to Southern Baptist causes such as world hunger. Our $1,116,864.14 trailed Georgia Baptists by about $50,000.
But when CP giving to SBC causes is added to designated giving to SBC causes, Alabama Baptists again come out on top. Through both giving plans, Alabama Baptists contributed $37,209,047.76 to SBC causes. Georgia Baptists were second with $35,403,866.68. North Carolina Baptists fell further down the list because their SBC CP giving was $10,134,181.48.
And again, Alabama Baptists gave more than their proportionate share. Our giving amounted to 9.47 percent of the $392,998,040.82 total through both giving plans.
Once more, congratulations, Alabama Baptists, and thank you for your faithfulness and a job well done.
It should not be overlooked that this giving record comes from a state convention that is not the largest or wealthiest. The official 2008 report says there are 5,974 cooperating churches in Texas. Some of these churches are affiliated with both of the state’s Baptist conventions, making it difficult to know through which convention a church channels its missions giving. Still the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) reports 4,565 cooperating churches. The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina is second with 3,994 churches, followed by the Baptist Convention of the State of Georgia with 3,302. The Alabama Baptist State Convention reported 3,251 churches in 2008.
In terms of total membership, Alabama’s convention trails the BGCT, Georgia convention, North Carolina convention and Florida convention. Resident membership shows a similar picture.
A look at per capita income also shows Alabama trailing the larger states.
Alabama Baptists do not have the most churches. We do not have the most members — either total or resident. Nor is our state as wealthy as some others. Yet Alabama Baptists still set the pace in giving to causes beyond state borders through the CP and total giving to SBC causes.
Perhaps the faithfulness of Alabama Baptists is best seen by a comparison with another state convention, which has only about 25,000 fewer members. This convention has no institutions or entities to support within its borders.
Yet its giving to SBC causes through the CP was less than three-fourths Alabama Baptists’ total. Giving to international missions was about 55 percent of Alabama Baptists’ total, and giving through the Annie Armstrong offering was about 40 percent.
Such a giving record as Alabama Baptists demonstrated in 2007–08 does not just happen. It is the result of faithful preaching and teaching in cooperating Baptist churches for generations. It is the result of committed leadership from state convention officials. It is the result of leaders of SBC-sponsored ministries helping church members understand the important works being undergirded through the SBC portion of the CP.
Such a giving record is the result of cooperation by Baptists in the local church, the association and state and national conventions.
For the past decade, Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions Executive Director Rick Lance has reminded us that Alabama Baptists have “one mission — the Great Commission, one program — the Cooperative Program and many ministries — Great Commission ministries.”
Alabama Baptists not only believe that slogan but we also practice it. The final report on giving to SBC causes during the 2008–09 fiscal year demonstrates our commitment.
So again, congratulations, Alabama Baptists. You are No. 1.
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