Johnson: CP shows generous giving

Mar 10, 2016

By Elizabeth Young

The numbers are in for 2015, and Arizona Southern Baptists gave generously to mission causes.

“Arizona Southern Baptists should be commended for their generous giving to the Cooperative Program in 2015,” said David Johnson, Arizona Southern Baptist
Convention executive director.

Cooperative Program gifts in 2015 totaled $3,138,331, which was $61,359, or 2 percent, more than the 2014 amount. Despite the increase, Cooperative Program giving was $41,669 below the budget requirement of $3,180,000.

However, Johnson noted the amount given in 2015 was the highest since 2009.

“This shows the heart of Arizona Southern Baptists for missions and reaching the world with the gospel,” he said. “In addition, Arizona Southern Baptists gave generously to the Arizona Mission offering to fund even more mission and ministry in our state. Congratulations and thank you to our churches!”

With an operating budget of $4,723,951 for 2015, the AZSBC ended the year with income of 4,865,418, which was $141,467 above budget requirements. With expenditures of $4,793,899, the state convention ended 2015 in the black by $71,519.

In 2016, a total of 29 percent of the Cooperative Program receipts — an increase of 1.5 percentage points from 2015 — will be forwarded to the Southern Baptist Executive Committee for distribution to national and international ministries.

The Centennial Vision calls for the AZSBC to give 50 percent of its Cooperative Program receipts to missions outside Arizona through the SBC by 2028. The vision also calls for AZSBC churches to give an average of 10 percent or more of their undesignated receipts through the Cooperative Program by then.

Arizona Mission Offering gifts were $136,567, which was $149 (.1 percent) below the previous year’s total and $38,433 below the $175,000 goal.

Annie Armstrong Easter Offering gifts were $376,556, up $19,515 (5.5 percent) from 2014.

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering gifts were $722,405, down $593 (.08 percent) from 2014.

Learn more about the Cooperative Program and order resources to share with your church at http://iamcp.azsbc.org. Videos and other materials can be used to celebrate Cooperative Program Day, which is April 10 on the Southern Baptist Convention calendar.

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