Lee's Summit — Messengers approved proposed 2006-07 cooperative program and board budgets at the Baptist General Convention of Missouri annual meeting March 31-April 1.
Meeting at First Baptist Church, Lee's Summit, messengers adopted a $598,000 cooperative program budget, a 4.8 percent increase over the 2005-06 budget.
The new budget anticipates $524,000 in cooperative program gifts, $48,000 in designated gifts for special projects, $20,000 from the annual state missions offering, $5,000 in interest and $1,000 in miscellaneous income.
Of the total cooperative program budget, 75 percent is earmarked for BGCM causes and 25 percent for worldwide mission causes.
Fifty-nine percent of the cooperative program allocations budget is designated for BGCM ministries, including $135,400 for administration and $58,800 for operations. One percent, or an estimated $5,240, will be placed in reserve.
The remainder, about $109,720, will be used for the BGCM's initiatives and mission activities.
Some $214,840 will support Missouri institutions, agencies and ministries. Eight percent of cooperative program gifts has been designated for Word&Way, with The Baptist Home, Windermere Baptist Conference Center, Missouri Baptist University and William Jewell College to each receive 6 percent.
The Missouri Baptist Foundation will receive 3 percent, and 2 percent will be given to the Missouri Baptist Children's Home.
Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Hannibal-LaGrange College and Southwest Baptist University will each receive 1 percent.
An additional 1 percent has been designated for Woman's Missionary Union projects.
Board members set distribution percentages for four mission initiatives. BGCM mission partnerships will receive 40 percent.
The Baptist World Alliance will receive 30 percent, with its affiliate, the North American Baptist Fellowship, to receive 20 percent. Ten percent has been designated for WorldconneX.
BGCM directors set the organization's 2006 state missions offering goal at $30,000. Two-thirds of the total will benefit BGCM ministries, with $13,000 earmarked for church planting assistance and $7,000 for mission partnerships.
The remaining $10,000 includes $4,000 each for The Baptist Home and the Children's Home and $2,000 for the Freeway Foundation.
Executive director Jim Hill used leaders of each First Priority team to present his report. Messengers to last year's annual meeting adopted the First Priority strategy as the BGCM's organizational plan, with serving churches as its purpose.
The plan includes four Great Commission initiatives — leadership development, congregational health, church planting and missions mobilization. It also includes two resource initiatives — ministry resources and congregational relationships. (04-07-06)
