Contributions through the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program are 1.37 percent ahead of the same time frame at the outset of 2010.
The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists’ method of supporting missions and ministry efforts of state and regional conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention. It includes receipts from individuals, churches, state conventions and fellowships for distribution according to the 2010-2011 Cooperative Program allocation budget.
As of Dec. 31, the $47,603,914 received for Cooperative Program missions is $645,459 ahead of the $46,958,455 received at the same point a year earlier. The SBC operates on an Oct. 1-Sept. 30 fiscal year.
Designated giving of $12,067,581 for the same year-to-date period is 8.81 percent, or $1,165,567, below gifts of $13,233,148 received at this point last year.
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. – BP