JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Baptist giving through the Cooperative Program (CP) fell slightly short of its 2017 goals, but giving to the Missouri Missions and Annie Armstrong offerings surpassed goals during the same period, according to final statistics reported earlier this month by the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC).
“We are very encouraged by the generosity of Missouri Baptist churches,” said John Yeats, Executive Director of the Missouri Baptist Convention. “On the whole mission support and CP giving particularly was up, and now early indicators are that January, 2018 is running ahead of projections. We are very grateful to serve our churches, and we pledge our faithful stewardship to the resources given through the CP to reach our state, the nation and the world with the gospel.”
In 2017, Missouri Baptists gave $14,586,054 to MBC/SBC ministries through the Cooperative Program, falling shy of the 2017 goal of $14,815,502 by only 1.55 percent. In 2016, Missouri Baptists gave $14,522,278.12. The 2017 budgetary shortfall in CP giving, however, has been covered by an underspend by MBC staff during the same year.
Additionally, Missouri Baptists gave $3,624,071 to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO) for International Missions, falling short of the 2017 goal of $4 million by 9.4 percent. In 2016, Missouri Baptist churches gave $4,064,887 to Lottie Moon.
By contrast, Missouri Baptists also gave $759,920 through the Rheuben L. South Missouri Missions Offering (MMO) in 2017, exceeding the 2017 goal of $710,000 by 7.03 percent. In 2016, they gave $705,506 to MMO.
Missouri Baptists likewise exceeded the 2017 goal of $2 million for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions by 13.41 percent, giving $2,268,149 for the year. In the 2016, they gave $2,101,851 to the Annie Armstrong offering.
Finally, Missouri Baptists fell short of the World Hunger Fund’s 2017 goal of $235,000 by 15.04 percent, although giving showed an increase from the previous year. Missouri Baptist gave $199,652 to the offering in 2017 and $192.969 in 2016.