April 8, 2003
JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Baptists contributed $16,181,156 to the Cooperative Program (CP) during 2002, down from the $18,924,964 given the previous year.
And statistics from the Missouri Baptist Convention’s finance office show that giving to the CP continues to lag behind goals through the first quarter of 2003.
Monthly CP gifts through the first three months of 2003 were: January, $1,269,747.49; February, $1,156,907.20; March, $1,221,587.52.
On the bright side, February and March CP totals topped the corresponding months in 2002. February’s total was up from the $1,137,691 given last year, and the March amount was up from the $1,140,645 given last year.
February’s total represented a $19,216 increase from last year, and March totals represented an increase of $80,942.
The three-month goal for 2003 was $4,315,068. Missouri Baptists gave $3,648,241 during the period.
"This past year has offered many challenges for Missouri Baptists," said Mike Dennis, the Missouri Baptist Convention’s cooperative program specialist. "We express a sincere thanks to each church for their gifts and anticipate that 2003 will be a year in which many churches return to our historic Cooperative Program roots."
Second Baptist, Springfield, was by far the top giving church during 2002. Second gave $423,988 to the Cooperative Program, with Ridgecrest Baptist, Springfield, placing second with $251,293.
Salcedo Baptist Church, Sikeston, was by far the top giving church per capita with a contribution rate of $534.33 per member. Harmony Baptist, House Springs, ranked second in per capita giving at a rate of $325 per member.
Dennis noted that 316 Missouri Baptist churches gave nothing to the Cooperative Program last year.
Cooperative Program funds are used for state, national and international Southern Baptist ministries, based on percentage distributions approved by messengers to the Missouri Baptist Convention annual meeting.
CP gifts last year fell 14.5 percent below the budgeted goal of $19.2 million.
Designated receipts from churches dipped to $9,082,911, down from the $9,599,713 designated total in 2001. Designated gifts are used for Missouri Baptist entities, including the MBC executive board and MBC-related colleges and benovelent institutions.
Designated gifts also include special offerings for state, home and international missions, world hunger and disaster relief.
Dennis said some churches chose to allocate their funds differently than voted on by the messengers at the annual meeting. In these instances, he said, the funds contributed by the church were not able to be counted as Cooperative Program gifts.
The top 50 CP churches in 2002 were:
1. Springfield Second, $423,988; 2. Ridgecrest, Springfield, $251,293; 3. Lynwood, Cape Girardeau, $237,286; 4. Raytown, First, $226,330; 5. Arnold, First, $197,522; 6. O’Fallon, First, $190,887; 7. Warrensburg, First, $172,950; 8. Parkway, St. Louis, $155,405; 9. West Plains, First, $154,677; 10. Bolivar, First, $148,434;
11. Blue Springs, First, $145,132; 12. Poplar Bluff, First, $142,282. 13. St. Charles, First, $140,114; 14. Festus-Crystal City, $131,991; 15. Concord, St. Louis, $128,651; 16. Kimberling City, First, $128,637; 17. Lebanon, First, $112,404; 18. South Haven, Springfield, $110,270; 19. Carthage, First, $108,333; 20. Ballwin, $107,654.
21. Concord, Jefferson City, $105,714; 22. Cassville, First, $101,046; 22. Miner Baptist, $96,156; 23. Troy, First, $92.683; 24. Frederick Boulevard, $86,230; 25. Ferguson, First, $84,976; 26. Canaan, $84,336; 27. Springfield, First, $83,241; 28. Plaza Heights, $79,205; 29. Noland Road, $79,000.
30. DeSoto, First, $77,372; 31. Ridgecrest, St. Charles, $75,882; 32. Dexter, First, $74,799; 33. Northern Hills, Holt, $73,018; 34. Riverview, $71,611; 35. Fenton, First, $70,903; 36. Branson, First, $70,752; 37. Washington, First, $68,799; 38. Ozark, First, $67,865; 39. Jackson, First, $67,331.
40. Marshfield, First, $65,083; 41. South Haven, Belton, $64,956; 42. Temple, Sullivan, $61,226; 43. South Gate, Springfield, $60,053; 44. Rock Hill, $60,026; 45. Kennett, First, $60,018.; 46. West County Community, $59,807; 47. Fellowship, Joplin, $58,938; 48. North Kansas City, First, $57,569; 49. Webb City, First, $57,448; 50. Monett, First, $56,951.
The top 10 per capital CP churches in 2002 were:
1. Salcedo, Sikeston, $534; 2. Harmony, House Springs, $325; 3. Randolph, $240; 4. Faith, Washington, $226; 5. Parkway, St. Louis, $221; 6. Lynwood, Cape Girardeau, $196; 7. Lazy Acres, $172; 8. South Ford, $164; 9. Cornerstone, Sedalia, $162; 10. Eastern Gate, $152.