January 27, 2003
BGCT giving falls short of budget for second year
___By Ken Camp
___Texas Baptist Communications
___For the second consecutive year, Baptist General Convention of Texas Cooperative Program receipts fell below budget and below the previous year's gifts.
___But Texas Baptists still gave more than $79.7 million to missions in 2002, and the BGCT chief financial officer predicts the convention has "turned the corner" financially.
___Churches gave $57,578,129 through the BGCT Cooperative Program in 2002, compared to the $61,544,316 projected budget goal for Texas and worldwide missions. That represents a 6.4 percent shortfall between budget and giving.
___Of that total Cooperative Program giving through the BGCT, Texas Baptists gave $16.55 million to worldwide Southern Baptist Convention missions, and churches directed $1.98 million to other worldwide causes, including $958,897 to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
___Gifts to worldwide missions causes are passed through as directed by churches.
___Gifts to the Texas portion of the Cooperative Program budget totaled $39.05 million, 9.95 percent below the budgeted $43.36 million.
___All five designated statewide missions offerings posted declines in 2002 compared to the previous year. Texas Baptists gave $22.14 million total to the missions offerings in 2002, down 11.8 percent from the $25.11 million given in 2001.
___Texas Baptists gave $4.76 million to the Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas missions, down 5.1 percent from the $5.01 million given in 2001. The 2002 giving goal was $5.21 million.
___Total gifts to Texas missions--Mary Hill Davis Offering gifts and BGCT Cooperative Program receipts combined--totaled $48.1 million in 2002.
___Gifts through the BGCT to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions declined from $13 million in 2001 to $11.12 million, down 14.4 percent.
___Texas Baptists gave $4.66 million to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American missions in 2002, down 12.4 percent from the $5.32 million given the year before.
___Both the Lottie Moon Offering and the Annie Armstrong Offering benefit mission boards of the Southern Baptist Convention.
___The Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger, a fund administered by the BGCT but with worldwide application, dropped 15.6 percent, from $812,815 in 2001 to $686,399 in 2002.
___Gifts through the BGCT to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's Global Missions Offering dropped 4.9 percent, from $969,001 in 2001 to $921,981 in 2002.
___"Texas Baptists have been faithful in the midst of tough economic times," said David Nabors, BGCT treasurer and chief financial officer. "Declines experienced this year are not as significant as in 2001. We have turned the corner and are poised for greater achievement in 2003."
___In part, Nabors based his optimistic forecast on changes in the 2003 Cooperative Program giving plan as adopted by the BGCT.
___In 2002, only 30.7 percent of undesignated Cooperative Program dollars received by the BGCT were directed through the adopted budget without exclusions.
___This year's adopted giving plan increases the percentage of undesignated Cooperative Program receipts going to BGCT-related ministries from 72.3 percent to 79 percent. But it removes any restrictions on dollars channeled to worldwide causes.
| Summary of BGCT giving in 2002 and 2001 |
___
|
2002 Actual |
2002 Budget |
2001 Actual |
___
| Total Cooperative Program gifts |
$57,578,129 |
$61,544,316 |
$61,353,350 |
___
| Worldwide causes: |
|
|
|
___
| |
___
| Southern Baptist Convention |
$16,546,215 |
-- |
$18,221,314 |
___
| Cooperative Baptist Fellowship |
$958,897 |
-- |
$1,336,777 |
___
| Other worldwide causes |
$1,024,967 |
-- |
$937,272 |
___
| Gifts for use in Texas |
$39,048,051 |
$43,362,515 |
$40,857,987 |
___
| Total special offerings |
$22,142,025 |
-- |
$25,105,936 |
___
| Mary Hill Davis Offering (BGCT) |
$4,754,669 |
$5,210,000 |
$5,009,735 |
___
| Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (SBC) |
$11,119,179 |
* |
$12,995,071 |
___
| Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (SBC) |
$4,659,797 |
* |
$5,319,314 |
___
| Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger |
$686,399 |
$1,000,000 |
$812,815 |
___
| CBF Global Missions Offering |
$921,981 |
* |
$969,001 |
___
| * The BGCT does not set goals for the special offerings that benefit other Baptist groups. Rather, the BGCT passes through to those groups whatever is contributed by Texas Baptist churches. |
___
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