SBTC 6th in CP giving, 1st in percentage

NASHVILLE?The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention gave the sixth-largest sum to Southern Baptist Convention ministry through the SBC’s Cooperative Program missions funding channel, SBC Executive Committee statistics for fiscal year 2007-’08 show.

The Georgia Baptist Convention led with $20.3 million through CP for SBC work, followed by the Alabama Baptist Convention ($18.8 million), the Tennessee Baptist Convention ($15.6 million), the Florida Baptist Convention ($15.2 million), the South Carolina Baptist Convention ($14.2 million), and the SBTC ($13.6 million).

Rounding out the top 10 were the Baptist General Convention of Texas ($12.4 million), the Mississippi Baptist Convention ($11.8 million), the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma ($10.5 million), and the Baptist Convention of North Carolina ($10.3 million).

The SBTC gives the highest percentage among state conventions to SBC mission agencies, ministries and seminaries, passing on 54 percent of undesignated receipts through the CP channel to advance the gospel worldwide.

The Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia disburse 50 percent for SBC ministry, followed by Illinois, 43 percent, Alabama, 42.3 percent, and Arkansas, 41.97 percent.

Four state conventions offer churches out-of-state giving options to fund non-SBC ministries, such as the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

The District of Columbia convention splits its out-of-state budget between SBC and American Baptist Convention causes. North Carolina offers its churches four giving plans, two of which account for more than 80 percent of undesignated gifts sent to the state convention. Of those two, 34 percent was sent to Nashville for disbursement, according to the SBC Executive Committee. The Baptist General Association of Virginia also passes on funds to non-SBC work.

The Baptist General Convention of Texas lists a 21 percent budget for worldwide causes, “with each church selecting the recepient(s) of the worldwide portion.”

The SBTC will increase to 55 percent its budgeted amount for SBC causes and 45 percent for Texas ministry, if SBTC messengers adopt the budget as proposed next month in Houston.