CP trending up in some churches

In an era when the average Southern Baptist church’s giving through the Cooperative Program missions funding channel has steadily declined, a few Texas churches have bucked the trend, according to recent giving figures released by the SBTC’s financial department.

Some of the increases can be attributed to membership growth, pastors said. For others contacted by the TEXAN, it was a conscious choice to recommit to the time-proven method of shared funding for SBC missions and ministries, from in-state church planting to seminary education to international missions.

BACK TO BASICS
Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin has steadily increased its CP giving since 2006 by 20.5 percent. It continued its ascent last year?a 28 percent increase over 2008?even as it seeks a pastor.

Mike Mericle, pastor for administration and missions at Great Hills, said while it is “emphatically true” that the church has a heart for the nations, “the history behind this answer is that our church experienced severe economic difficulties during the economic downturn of the late 80s and early 90s. This resulted in substantial reduction of our CP giving for a period of years. Our recent increase in CP giving is an effort to recognize with our actions the words we speak with regard to the critical importance of seeing the Great Commission carried out.”

Mericle said the “cumulative power of cooperation” creates unparalleled opportunities for ministry.

For some churches in a growth mode, there is often pressure to reduce the percentage of missions giving to fund infrastructure, added staff and other needs. But for the growing congregation of First Baptist Church of Wimberley, the percentage of undesignated offerings the church gives through CP missions has remained steady.

FBC Wimberley gave $12,840 through CP in 2006; in 2009 that figure was $120,688.

“We had an emphasis on stewardship?that gifts to the building fund are over and above the tithe,” explained Wyatt Warren, associate pastor of administration and education. “With the capital campaign came additional gifts to the general fund, and with undesignated gifts we give 11 percent through the CP.”

“The CP is a way to fund everything we hold dear?educational institutions, missions. It also alleviates the need to have different agencies and other fund-raising, which might take away from worship.”

The CP giving at First Baptist Church of Euless has dramatically increased since 2006 when Pastor John Meador arrived, from $363,950 that year to $790,952 last year.

With a retirement of $6 million in debt through the sacrificial giving of its members, the church opted to take its generous giving beyond the walls of the church.

“Our increased giving was motivated by our desire to see funds used to reach the unreached people groups,” Meador told the TEXAN. “We believe the SBTC is doing that effectively and our encouragement to our leaders and people is to give generously so that more investment can be made into the gospel.”

“The Cooperative Program, to us, is more than any one element, and we like many things about the CP. The kingdom cooperation is huge?realizing we can be a significant part of a movement, not just a mission. We love partnering with other churches and sharing resources and people. We also value the fact that Southern Baptists have the infrastructure in place to continue to impact the world in the years ahead?as we must do.

“So, we’re grateful to be a part of a mission movement, and feel that we want to share what God has blessed us with.”

For Tim Webb, pastor of Champion Fellowship in Brenham, its CP giving has more than doubled in three years, from $21,000 in 2007 to $50,000 in 2009.

“Our church wanted to keep our giving toward missions at 20 percent of our budget. Our CP giving did not represent the total 20 percent. We also give to individual missionaries that Champion Fellowship has developed relations with. We also give to local mission endeavors here in the Brenham area. Missions are a vital part of our vision as a church.

“As for CP, our leadership wanted to be a part of supporting various ministries through our conservative convention?mainly as a way to be a good steward of what God has blessed us with.”

?With reporting by Stacey Billger