Approval of a base Cooperative Program (CP) budget of $40,427,480 and a special offering goal of $16,575,575 was given by messengers at this year’s Alabama Baptist State Convention. The annual meeting was held at Birmingham’s Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Vestavia Hills Nov. 19–20.
Gary Hollingsworth, chairman of the State Board of Missions (SBOM) and pastor of First Baptist Church, Trussville, presented the information to the messengers. He explained that the base budget amount was a 3 percent increase over the 2002 budget. He also presented a CP challenge budget of $42,427,480, which was also overwhelmingly approved.
Leading into his presentation Hollingsworth said, “God has given us a great deal and He expects a great deal in return.”
In presenting a review of the board’s recommendations for 2003, Hollingsworth said the board affirms the Cooperative Program as the best mechanism for receiving missions gifts from churches.
“Alabama has the purest definition of a Cooperative Program dollar of any state convention in the Southern Baptist Convention,” he informed the messengers.
“The board affirms a strong position of fiscal responsibilities by our messengers,” he added.
Reminding the messengers that the convention adopts a base budget and a challenge budget, he pointed out that the contributions received since 1994 have fallen between the base and challenge budget, with the exception of 1997 when contributions exceeded the challenge budget.
“We budget by dollar but distribute by percentages,” he explained.
Hollingsworth said the board “affirms the spirit of cooperation between the Alabama State Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention.
SBC support
“We support Southern Baptist Convention missions causes with 42.3 percent of every undesignated dollar. We support Alabama missions causes with 57.7 percent of every undesignated dollar,” he said. “This is among the highest percentages of any old-line convention giving in the entire Southern Baptist Convention.”
Hollingsworth explained that the special offering goals set in the amount of $16,575,000 will be designated as follows: Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, $9 million; Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, $4,750,000; Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries Offering, $1,850,000; World Hunger Offering, $875,000; and disaster relief offering, $100,000.
He said any gifts beyond the challenge budget will be distributed based on existing formulas and percentages.
Other recommendations accepted:
• The 2001 auditor’s report for the State Board of Missions.
• Recommendation on extending the Alabama Baptist and Venezuelan Baptist partnership through 2005 with a closing celebration during the 2002 state convention in Huntsville as well as a celebration in 2006 at the Venezuela Baptist Convention.
• Recommendation that the 2002 convention annual be dedicated to the memory of two Alabama Baptist icons who died this year, N.H. (John) McCrummen and Warren Trussell.
• Recommendation on naming the strategic initiatives planning committee for 2005–2011. The new committee members are: Gary Hollingsworth, Henry Cox, Craig Carlisle, Max Roden, Douglas Turner, Jeff Redmond, Van Gauthe, Ladell Blanton, Andy Hepburn, Jay Spiller, David Lowery, Ron Horton, Michael Jackson, Rick Marshall, Stuart Calvert, Jane Knight, D’Linell Finley, Travis Coleman, Jeff Vanlandingham and Ed Cruce. Also being appointed will be the immediate past president of the convention Mike McLemore, current president of the convention Joe Godfrey, SBOM chair Craig Carlisle, SBOM executive director Rick Lance and the new Alabama WMU president.
Prior to a video presentation on the progress of the Alabama Baptist and Venezuelan partnership, Alabama’s Lance along with Venezuelan Baptist representatives Jacobo Garcia and Daniel Rodriquez signed a partnership extension. Reggie Quimby, director of global partnerships and volunteers in missions for the SBOM, translated words of greeting for the visitors.
In other business the fourth annual Troy L. Morrison Leadership Church Growth Awards were given to three Alabama pastors who were nominated by their peers. The award ceremony was presided over by Edwin Jenkins.
The recipients were judged on their spiritual growth, missions involvement, ministry advancement and numerical growth. The award categories were new work, established work and bivocational work.
This year’s award for new work went to Steve Lacy, pastor of Willowbrook West Worship Center in Madison Association. Van Gauthe, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, Columbia Association, received the established work award. Larry Harkness, pastor of Eldridge Baptist Church, Walker Association, received the bivocational pastor award.
In addition to a plaque, each recipient received six books from the office of leadership and church growth and a $200 stipend they are to use in furthering their development as leaders.
Southern Baptist Convention Ministries: 17,100,835
Alabama Baptist Convention Ministries: 23,326,645
Total Budget: $40,427,480
State Board of Missions (SBOM) Ministries
Executive Ministries Team: 5,875,988
Outreach Ministries Team: 2,042,106
Discipleship Ministries Team: 959,342
Leadership Ministries Team: 860,755
Cooperative Ministries Team: 1,631,267
Church Annuity Plan: 737,061
Total SBOM Budget: $12,106,519
State Convention Entity Ministries
Christian Higher Education Ministries
A. A. Earl Potts Scholarship: 112,789
B. Board of Aid to Students: 256,452
C. Endowment: 96,000
D. Samford Extension: 42,691
E. Judson College: 895,821
F. Samford University: 4,793,559
G. University of Mobile: 2,309,744
Other Entities and Commissions Ministries
A. Children’s Homes & Family Ministries: 255,948
B. Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center: 549,952
C. The Alabama Baptist: 557,753
D. The Alabama Baptist Retirement Centers: 208,102
E. The Baptist Foundation of Alabama: 408,062
F. The Christian Life Commission: 24,687
G. The Education Commission: 3,244
H. The Historical Commission: 128,940
Auxiliaries and Other Ministries
A. ALCAP: 65,942
B. Woman’s Missionary Union: 510,440
Total State Convention Entity Ministries: $11,220,126
Total SBOM and Entity Budget: $23,326,645
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