Posted on Jun 2, 2008 | by Staff

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Year-to-date contributions through the Southern Baptist Convention's Cooperative Program are 0.97 percent ahead of the same time frame in May 2007, according to a news release from SBC Executive Committee President and Chief Executive Officer Morris H. Chapman.

As of May 31, the year-to-date total of $138,401,793.62 for Cooperative Program (CP) missions is $1,333,919.25 ahead of $137,067,874.37 received at the same point in 2007. For the month, receipts of $18,123,282.75 were 10.31 percent, or $1,694,174.44, ahead of the $16,429,108.31 received in May 2007.

Designated giving of $170,581,420.82 for the same year-to-date period is 5.68 percent, or $9,164,600.36, ahead of gifts of $161,416,820.46 received at this point last year. The $28,204,584.33 in designated gifts received last month is $9,902,388.62 ahead of the $18,302,195.71 received in May 2007, an increase of 54.10 percent.

For the SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget, the year-to-date total of $138,401,793.62 is 103.49 percent of the $133,734,357.53 budgeted to support Southern Baptist ministries globally and across North America. The SBC operates on an Oct. 1-Sept. 30 fiscal year.

During the last fiscal year Southern Baptists surpassed for the first time the $400 million mark in combined Cooperative Program and designated giving. Gifts through the Cooperative Program by SBC churches reached $205.7 million during the fiscal year spanning Oct. 1, 2006, to Sept. 30, 2007, while designated gifts, including the SBC's missions offerings, topped $204.9 million. CP gifts increased 2.55 percent during the year while designated gifts increased 7.09 percent.

The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists' method of supporting missions and ministry efforts of state conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention.

The Cooperative Program total includes receipts from individuals, churches, state conventions and fellowships for distribution according to the 2007-08 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.
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Compiled by Baptist Press editor Art Toalston.