June 13, 2022

By Jeff Huett

Lea la narrativa del presupuesto en español aquí.

DECATUR, Ga. – Cooperative Baptists attending both the in-person and virtual General Assembly experiences June 28-30 will vote on a budget proposal approved by the CBF Governing Board that shows significant increases in revenue and expenses due to the anticipated spending of multi-year grants received in previous years as well as new partnerships with CBF state and regional organizations.

The largest increase in revenue for the coming fiscal year is in projected income from donor directed gifts and grants. The proposal also reflects an increase of almost $2 million in anticipated revenue, partially due to the budgeted spending of just over $3 million given in previous years to CBF in a series of multi-year grants that could not be fully spent during the height of the pandemic.

There is more than $335,000 in projected income due to new partnerships with CBF Florida and CBF Tennessee in which contributions to those states will be received by CBF Global. While local governance bodies in Tennessee and Florida will continue to have jurisdiction over ministry budgets and personnel, these new relationships seek greater efficiency and a higher level of investment in ministry in the participating states.  

To fully fund the budget, CBF will need to raise $250,000 in new contributions from congregations and individuals to CBF Ministries and Missions and $225,000 in new contributions to the Offering for Global Missions. 

The CBF 2023 fiscal year budget proposal is available at www.cbf.net/budget. A budget summary document is available, as well as a detailed narrative that explains both revenue and expenditure projections. The expense budget has been restructured to reflect the reorganization of CBF Global that was set in motion by the Toward Bold Faithfulness process.  

The budget includes several new staff positions that are essential to the continued sustaining of the priorities and practices that emerged from Toward Bold Faithfulness. In addition to a new Coordinator of Congregational Ministries position, the budget supports the expansion of CBF’s Outreach and Growth team through partnerships with Baptist Fellowship of the Northeast that will provide for a full-time coordinator in the northeast and a full-time associate coordinator in CBF Heartland who will live and work in the former North Central Region. Both will be members of CBF’s Outreach and Growth team.

The budget also provides for staffing for CBF’s Pan African Koinonia and for enhanced storytelling capacities in the Identity and Communications team. It also restores a full-time staffing position to oversee Member Care and Wellness for CBF field personnel and provides for a significant salary adjustment for field personnel.  

The budget includes other increases that are funded by restricted gifts, including the expansion of CBF’s Thriving Congregations Initiative and increased funding for Together for Hope. Catalytic funds from the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation are supporting the development of a new CBF website and new technology for use in Ministerial Transitions, as well as substantial professional development opportunities for CBF staff and other collaborative ventures that include both a new partnership with the CBF Foundation that removes fees for congregational accounts and allows for other new collaborations to serve congregations alongside state and regional organizations and partners.

Mike Oliver, the chair of the Finance Committee of the CBF Governing Board, said the budget proposal reflects a goal for advancing the mission we share as Cooperative Baptists.

“It is an honor to support the various missions and ministries of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, including the wonderful efforts of our field personnel globally,” Oliver said. “God continues to bless the work we are called to do and every generous contribution from churches, individuals and grant making organizations matters. The budget reflects the priorities identified in the Toward Bold Faithfulness initiative, and I believe we can all be proud of where God is leading our Fellowship. I deeply appreciate the work of our executive coordinator, Paul Baxley, the CBF staff, and the Governing Board Finance Committee who worked together to develop this budget.”

CBF Executive Coordinator Paul Baxley said that this budget proposal “allows us to continue to live into the priorities and practices that emerged in the Toward Bold Faithfulness process in a financially responsible way.”

“This budget strengthens Global Missions, enhances our capacity to serve alongside states and regions and partners to more faithfully equip and empower congregations, while also more deeply investing in the growth of our Fellowship,” Baxley said. “Like our Board, I fully support this budget proposal and look forward to opportunities to respond to questions regarding it as we are together at General Assembly.”

Voting on the budget proposal will occur during the business plenary session of the 2022 General Assembly at 9:30 a.m. Central on Thursday, June 30.

Attendees registered to attend the General Assembly virtually will receive an email containing voting instructions prior to the Thursday morning vote.

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CBF is a Christian network that helps people put their faith to practice through ministry efforts, global missions and a broad community of support. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.