October contributions of $17,795,253 through the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program were 20.40 percent above CP gifts received in October 2007, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee president and chief executive officer Morris Chapman.
As of Oct. 31, 2008, Cooperative Program gifts were $3,015,366 above the $14,779,886 received in October 2007. Meanwhile, designated giving of $3,906,280 during October was 27.56 percent, or $843,943, above gifts of $3,062,336 received last October.
For the SBC Cooperative Program allocation budget, the October total of $17,795,253 is 103.80 percent of the $17,143,069 budgeted to support Southern Baptist ministries globally and across North America.
During the last fiscal year, Southern Baptists topped the $200-million mark for the third year in a row, and overall giving to national causes surpassed the $400-million benchmark for a second straight year.
The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists’ method of supporting missions and ministry efforts of state and regional conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention.
It is separate from the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Fund, of which 100 percent goes to aid the needy in the general public.
The Cooperative Program total includes receipts from individuals, churches, state conventions and fellowships for distribution according to the 2008-09 Cooperative Program allocation budget.
Designated contributions include the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions, Southern Baptist World Hunger Fund, and other special gifts.
State and regional conventions retain a portion of church contributions to the Southern Baptist Convention Cooperative Program to support work in their respective areas and forward a percentage to Southern Baptist national and international causes. The percentage of distribution is at the discretion of each state or regional convention.
Compiled by Baptist Press editor Art Toalston.