Baptist and Reflector
FRANKLIN — Tennessee Baptist Convention churches gave $2,719,942 through the Cooperative Program in October.
For the 2016-17 fiscal year Tennessee Baptists provided $33,859,359 through the Cooperative Program giving channel to meet ministry and missions needs in the state, nationally, and around the world.
Gifts were $747,491 or 2.2 percent below what was given during the 2015-16 fiscal year. Cooperative Program giving also was $1,140,641 or 3.26 percent below budget needs. The fiscal year ended Oct. 31.
“I am thankful for the faithful and generous giving of Tennessee Baptists through the Cooperative Program,” said Randy C. Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board.
“While we rejoice that 96 percent of our Cooperative Program goal was achieved, we are disappointed that we couldn’t push more Great Commission financial resources through our state and the globe through TBC and Southern Baptist Convention ministry partners,” he continued.
“This has been a difficult year for so many of our churches,” Davis observed. He noted the fiscal year began with historic destruction in the Gatlinburg area due to fires last November and concluded with disaster relief responses to three hurricane-related disasters. “Tennessee Baptists gave more than $1 million in this compassionate response,” he said.
“Understandably, that has affected Cooperative Program giving.”