Florida Baptists giving ‘absolutely overwhelming’

JACKSONVILLE (FBC)–In a year of urgent needs, the financial support by Florida Baptists to the denomination’s ministry and mission causes reached a banner high in 2005 with record gifts reported in every category.

The giving is especially significant, said John Sullivan, executive director-treasurer of the Florida Baptist Convention, when considering the record giving came from residents in a state which had weathered eight hurricanes in the past two years.

That coupled with a tremendous outpouring of disaster relief funds for victims of the 2004 tsunami and Hurricane Katrina “confirms for me that Florida Baptists are the most generous people in the world, meeting needs in such a Christ-like fashion,” said Sullivan.

Noting he had never met “an unhappy giver nor seen a ministry with too much money,” Hayes Wicker, president of the Florida Baptist State Convention, said, “I am extremely grateful to God for Florida Baptists and their incredible year of stewardship obedience.”

“In the midst of giving to disaster relief, we have given tithes’ out of obedience but also ‘offerings,’” explained Hayes, pastor of Naples’ First Baptist Church. “Like the Macedonians, Florida Baptists gave with ‘an abundance of joy and wealth of liberality’ regardless of ‘a great ordeal of affliction,’ as found in 2 Corinthians 8:2.”

The record giving reflects on the mission commitment of Florida Baptist pastors, he noted. “Our Bible-preaching pastors are not afraid to talk about money and the higher call of sacrifice.”

Florida Baptist churches gave a record $39,267,377 through the Cooperative Program in 2005, an increase of seven percent over the 2004 receipts of $36,691,754. That amount was $2.2 million over the Convention’s 2005 budget goal of $37 million.

Sixty percent of the Cooperative Program basic budget supports mission and ministry causes within the state. Forty percent is sent to the Southern Baptist Convention and divided between the International Mission Board, North American Mission Board; six seminaries and other national agencies. (See related story on page 4 for the State Board of Missions’ allocation of overage funds.)

The 2005 Maguire State Mission Offering receipts hit a new high with $1,178,303 given to support mission and ministry causes in the state. While still below the $1.358 million goal, the record giving marked the fourth time in the past five years when receipts surpassed $1 million.

“Surpassing a million dollars for the fourth time is a clear indication that Florida Baptists see their own state as a mission field, and are embracing the need to reach the state’s 12 million spiritually lost persons,” said Don Hepburn, director of the public relations division, which develops the offering’s annual promotion.

A total of 1,046 churches participated in the 2005 state offering which was a decline from the 1,070 churches that gave in 2004. However, per capita gifts by churches increased to $1,126 from per capita amounts of $936 in 2004.

Record giving by Florida Baptists to the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes’ Mother’s Day Offering surpassed the 2005 offering goal. Receipts to the state-wide offering totaled $1,363,244, which represented 102.5 percent of the $1,330,000 goal.

“Baptists know how to do the best of things in the worst of times,” said Jimmy McAdams, president of the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes. “While giving to reduce the suffering of those touched by natural disasters, they reached again and again into their wallets to provide the largest Mother’s Day Offering ever for Children’s Homes. In the end, 1,265 churches gave $1.36 million or 20 percent more than in 2004. Needy children are the beneficiaries.”

Gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for international missions increased to $7,078,217 in 2005, an increase of $167,775 from the amount given in 2004.

Annie Armstrong Easter Offering gifts showed a small increase to $2,991,007 in 2005 from $2,952,238 given in 2004.

In all, miscellaneous giving in the state, which includes the disaster relief funds and special offerings, was up 25 percent—$6.6 million in 2005 from $13.3 million in 2004.

Miscellaneous giving also included disaster relief response to the numerous natural tragedies that struck during the year. Florida Baptist churches responded to these disasters with unprecedented generosity, giving $4.2 million in disaster response.

The disaster relief receipts were earmarked: general disaster relief, $667,482; disaster relief equipment $55,863; Southwest Florida rebuild, $2,953; Indonesia relief, $480,405; Hurricane Katrina, $2,702,635; Hurricane Rita, $13,296; Hurricane Wilma, $319,393; and Hurricane Katrina “Adopt a Church,” $1,000. Another $500,000 was given by the Samaritans Purse to assist in the Southwest Florida disaster rebuild effort. Included in the general disaster relief fund is $100,000 each from the North American Mission Board and LifeWay Christian Resources.

A list of church contributions through the Cooperative Program will be published in the Feb. 16 Florida Baptist Witness.