Alabama Baptists had a “banner year” in Cooperative Program (CP) giving with 2007 totals exceeding the state’s base budget goal by more than $1 million and surpassing special offering goals by nearly $4 million.
This year, overall giving totaled $45,475,660 — that’s more than $500,000 over the challenge budget goal and nearly $3 million more than 2006 giving.
“Exceeding not only the base budget but the challenge goals represents a blessing from the Lord almost beyond description,” said Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM). “It caught even the most optimistic forecasters by surprise.”
Lance called Alabama Baptists “faithful” and “pacesetters” in giving through the CP and to special offerings for missions.
“Alabama Baptists are Great Commission people,” he said. “Since 1925, when our denominational and spiritual ancestors inaugurated the system of churches giving through the Cooperative Program, Alabama Baptists have been at the forefront of supporting missions in Alabama and around the world by this unified means.”
Bobby DuBois, SBOM associate executive director, believes this kind of financial response shows how strongly state Baptists are committed to fulfilling the Great Commission and reaching the world for Christ.
“My first response to Alabama Baptists is ‘Thank you,’” he said. “Every penny sent from churches to the SBOM came voluntarily.
“I personally feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility to see that every cent of those sacrificial mission gifts are used in a way that honors God. Dr. Lance and I, along with our entire staff, seek to be good stewards of God’s resources that are sent to us. We will do nothing that would cause Alabama Baptists to question the integrity with which the mission gifts from churches are cared for and used.”
All but the World Hunger Offering, which collected $723,290 of its $875,000 goal, surpassed special offering goals in 2007. Lottie Moon Christmas Offering giving totaled $11,957,069 — nearly $2 million over the $10 million goal. The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering received more than $1 million above its $5 million goal with $6,066,236.
Taking care of home, state Baptists also gave $3,253,571 to the Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries, exceeding the offering goal of $2,450,000, and $118,559 to disaster relief. The goal for the Disaster Relief Offering was $100,000.
“Every entity in Baptist life, both state and national, strongly believes in the ministry assignment handed to them by Alabama and Southern Baptists,” DuBois said. “The State Board of Missions is committed to taking every mission dollar available to us and using it to assist churches and associations in efforts to fulfill Great Commission ministries.”
He explained that the “extra dollars” mean a quicker disaster relief response, more funds available for new church starts and more resources to assist in missions partnerships, among other things.
“Without the support of our churches in Alabama, none of what we are called to do would be possible,” DuBois said.
Although 2007 CP State Causes Budget giving surpassed the $400,000 goal with $516,901, the amount dropped more than $50,000 from last year’s total. Expecting the decrease, state leaders dropped the 2007 goal $100,000 after setting it at $500,000 for several years.
“Cooperative Program Causes reflects the gifts given by a small number of churches for mission causes in Alabama,” DuBois said. “Due to our budgeting process, we are projecting anticipated receipts 23 months in advance of receiving them. It will return to $500,000 in the 2008 budget.”
Lance added, “As for the future, we do our best to develop a proposed budget, which is both challenging and reachable.”
He said the budget advisory/audit subcommittee of the executive committee will be making a general recommendation in February, based on all available data and projections related to past giving patterns and future expectations, to the executive committee and the SBOM for the 2009 goals.
This is the first step among many leading up to the state convention annual meeting in November, where messengers will make the final decision on the 2009 budget.
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