JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Baptist giving through the Cooperative Program (CP) and various missions offerings showed only a slight change in 2016, according to final statistics reported earlier this month by the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC).
In 2016, Missouri Baptists gave $14,522,278.12 to MBC ministries through the Cooperative Program, falling shy of the 2016 goal of $14,828,008.00 by only 2.06 percent. In 2015, Missouri Baptists gave $14,815,502.40. The 2016 budgetary shortfall in CP giving, however, has been covered by an underspend at the MBC during the same year.
Missouri Baptists also gave $705,506.02 through the Rheuben L. South Missouri Missions Offering (MMO), falling shy of the 2016 goal of $710,000.00 by only 0.63 percent. In 2015, Missouri Baptists gave $754,843.00 to the offering.
Additionally, Missouri Baptists gave $4,064,887.56 to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO) for International Missions, exceeding the 2016 goal of $4 million by 1.62 percent. LMCO giving in 2015 was $4,244,074.00.
Missouri Baptists likewise exceeded the 2016 goal of $2 million for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions by 5.09 percent, giving $2,101,851.42 for the year. In 2015, Missouri Baptists gave $2,147,308.00.
Finally, Missouri Baptists fell short of the World Hunger Fund’s 2016 goal of $250,000 by 22.81 percent. They gave $192.969.42 in 2016 and $205,530.41 in 2015.
“We continue to assess the shortfall,” MBC Executive Director John Yeats told The Pathway. “With the small percentages, we think there is every indication that the way the calendar year fell impacts the giving to and from our churches in a financially flat year. Many of our churches are hurting financially. Their giving to the Cooperative Program and these mission offerings represents incredible sacrifice. Yet they are faithful to the cause.
“Remember,” he added, “we are the conduit of cooperative mission giving for the churches. We are not an organization that simply collects dues so that a church is an affiliated member of an organization. MBC is the pipeline for comprehensive ministries that involve people and families such as significant campus ministries on 25 campuses, foster care and adoption ministries through the MBCH, for students who receive scholarships to HLGU, SBU and MBTS, support of international missionaries, supplement support for church planters, church leader training and so much more.”
For videos and other resources regarding the Cooperative Program, visit www.mobaptist.org/cp.