Georgia Baptists Present 2027 Budget With $33.5 Million Cooperative Program Goal

Georgia Baptist leaders presented a proposed 2027 budget on Tuesday during the 204th annual meeting of the Georgia Baptist Convention at Second Baptist Church in Warner Robins. The proposal sets a $33.5 million Cooperative Program goal and $45.261 million in total budgeted income for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.

Chad Mantooth, lead pastor of First Baptist Church Winder and chairman of the Georgia Baptist Convention Executive Committee, invited Greg Benfield, chairman of the Financial Services Committee, and Georgia Baptist Mission Board Chief Financial Officer Ty Salter to present the proposal. Salter presented the budget, which keeps the Cooperative Program goal unchanged from 2026. The budget anticipates about $63.6 million in total receipts from all sources, including designated gifts passed on to missions and ministry partners.

Under the proposal, Georgia Baptists are projected to give $17.8 million to the International Mission Board, or 28% of total distributions, and $8.7 million to the North American Mission Board, or 13.7%. Of Cooperative Program receipts, 40%, or $13.4 million, would continue to be forwarded to the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee for national and international missions and ministries.

Salter said the Mission Board is on track to reach the $33.5 million Cooperative Program goal this year. Through August, Cooperative Program receipts totaled $22.1 million, up 0.5% from the same period in 2025. Total gifts received by the Mission Board through August were $43.27 million, up 0.1% from $43.22 million during the same period last year.

Georgia Baptist entities would receive $3.45 million, or 10.3% of Cooperative Program receipts. Shorter University, Brewton-Parker Christian University and Truett McConnell University would each receive $1.117 million, and Baptist Village would receive $100,500. The Georgia Baptist Mission Board would retain $16.65 million, or 49.7%, of Cooperative Program receipts for its own ministries.

Beyond Cooperative Program receipts, the proposed budget includes $1.2 million through Mission Georgia, $4 million in grants from the Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation, $1.8 million in registration income from NextGen, SPARK and other events, $750,000 in Baptist Collegiate Ministry contributions, and $2.75 million in other contributions and program revenue. The Health Care Ministry Foundation grants include $2.8 million for pastor wellness, $500,000 for insurance stipends and $700,000 for other initiatives.

Salter thanked Georgia Baptist churches for their giving and said the Mission Board seeks to handle those resources carefully. He noted that the Financial Services Committee meets regularly and receives monthly financial reports as part of the Mission Board’s financial oversight, a practice that reflects the trust placed in the agency with much entrusted to it (Luke 12:48).

“We want to not just be stewards, we want to be fiduciaries in all that we do,” Salter said. He added, “Thank you for entrusting us with managing your gifts for missions as we labor together for the sake of the gospel.” He closed by saying, “I want to celebrate every single gift generously given by Georgia Baptist churches of all sizes, as we look ahead to serving God cooperatively through wide open doors.”

Source: Read the original report