This report includes contributions received by the Illinois Baptist State Association through the second quarter of 2024. For questions about this report, write to IBSA Operations Team, 3085 Stevenson Dr., Springfield, IL 62703, email JeffDeasy@IBSA.org, or call 217-391-3106.
Giving jan. 1 - JUNE 30
Support for CP holds at two-thirds But percentage giving continues to decline in new Lifeway survey A large majority of Southern Baptist pastors believe the Cooperative Program supports the ministries and missions their church values and allows their church to support more missions endeavors than it could on its own. The Cooperative Program (CP) is Southern Baptists’ unified plan of giving through which cooperating Southern Baptist churches give a percentage of their undesignated receipts in support of their respective state convention and the Southern Baptist Convention missions and ministries. A survey of Southern Baptist congregations conducted by Lifeway Research in the fall of 2023 found 2-in-3 congregations have an overall positive view of CP (67%) and believe CP is the most effective and efficient way to support the spread of the gospel worldwide (66%). The Cooperation Study Group which reported to the 2024 SBC Annual Meeting in Indianapolis asked Lifeway to conduct the study, for comparison with a similar poll 15 years ago. Among participating congregations, 2-in-3 (66%) say they give 5% or more of their church budget through CP. And 3-in-4 (76%) say their church’s budget percentage given through CP has increased or stayed the same over the last five years.
“We are grateful for the significant number of churches that maintain Cooperative Program giving as a convictional priority,” said Jeff Iorg, president of the SBC Executive Committee. “There are so many competing demands—from pressing local ministry needs to national economic challenges—yet these churches stay the course year by year. These dependable gifts are the financial backbone for the entities of the Southern Baptist Convention.” Sentiments about CP have shifted since 2007-08 when Lifeway Research conducted a similar study. The share of pastors who have a positive view of CP decreased from 81% in 2007-08 to 67% in 2023. In 2007-08, 80% of pastors described CP as being the most effective and efficient way to support the spread of the gospel worldwide, while only 66 % said the same in 2023. Nearly 8-in-10 (79%) say CP supports Southern Baptist entities, ministries, and missions their church values. That’s down from 90% in 2007-08. Nearly 3-in-4 (74%) say CP allows their church to support more missions endeavors efficiently than it could on its own, compared to 86% who said the same in 2007-08. In the latest study, 9-in-10 (91%) congregations indicate CP’s objective to send and support missionaries in North America and around the world is “very” or “extremely important.” Slightly fewer say it’s very or extremely important to educate and equip pastors, missionaries, and other ministry leaders (85%) and to provide resources to plant churches in North America and around the world (84%). More than 3-in-4 congregations (77%) say it’s very or extremely important that CP supports missions and ministries in their state convention, and 68% say addressing social, moral, and ethical concerns of our faith and families is very or extremely important. “The objectives of the Cooperative Program still resonate with Southern Baptist congregations,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “The gospel is the motivator for cooperation that is seen most clearly in sending and supporting missionaries, providing theological
education and church planting.” When indicating how important the benefits of CP are to their church, 81% of congregations say supporting SBC entities, ministries, and missions their church values is either very or extremely important. Of those who choose this benefit as being of very or extremely important, 86% agree this currently describes CP. Southern Baptist congregations report the following benefits come close behind in being either very or extremely important: → CP allows their church to support more missions endeavors efficiently than they could on their own (78%). → CP allocates contributions among state, national and global ministries, missions and entities appropriately (79%). → CP supports state convention entities, ministries and missions their church values (77%). → CP is the most effective and efficient way to support the spread of the gospel worldwide (74%). Slightly more than half of Southern Baptist congregations (51%) say protecting churches from direct funding appeals by entities is either a very or extremely important benefit to their churches. When asked to indicate their level of agreement with the statement “our church is pleased with the direction of the SBC,” over half (56%) agreed, 33% disagreed, 10% said neither agree or disagree, and 2% said they didn’t know. Overall, 7-in-10 Southern Baptist congregations say their church’s satisfaction with CP depends on their satisfaction with the overall direction of the SBC (70%). For more, visit LifewayResearch.com.
Top 100 Illinois churches in Cooperative Program support through second quarter 2024
Learn more about how your church’s CP giving matters at IBSA.org/CP
Churches 1 O’Fallon First, O Fallon 2 Pinckneyville First, Pinckneyville 3 Tabernacle, Decatur 4 Woodland, Peoria 5 Maryville First, Maryville 6 Logan Street, Mount Vernon 7 Lincoln Avenue, Jacksonville 8 Marion Second, Marion 9 Immanuel, Benton 10 Metro Community, Edwardsville 11 Columbia First, Columbia 12 Dorrisville, Harrisburg 13 Harrisburg First, Harrisburg 14 Anna Heights, Anna 15 Cornerstone, Marion 16 Du Quoin First, Du Quoin 17 Casey First, Casey 18 Effingham First, Effingham 19 Marshall, Marshall 20 Mt Zion First, Mt Zion 21 Calvary, Monticello 22 Salem First, Salem 23 Carterville First, Carterville
Total Dollars 180,812.49 97,221.84 63,283.62 56,752.80 52,552.89 50,597.39 50,346.00 48,624.33 46,262.26 45,012.48 43,912.99 38,430.97 37,968.48 30,450.00 30,415.28 29,380.64 29,214.03 26,819.21 25,302.22 23,999.30 22,631.10 22,346.17 22,323.11
24 Highland Avenue, Robinson 25 Chatham, Chatham 26 Unity, Vandalia 27 Metropolis First, Metropolis 28 Springbrook Community, Plainfield 29 Bethel, Vandalia 30 Elm Street, Murphysboro 31 Beaucoup, Pinckneyville 32 Western Oaks, Springfield 33 Ditney Ridge, Norris City 34 Carmi First, Carmi 35 Island City, Wilmington 36 Bethalto First, Bethalto 37 Ten Mile, Mc Leansboro 38 Waterloo First, Waterloo 39 Together on North Grand, Springfield 40 Rochester First, Rochester 41 Friendship, Plainfield 42 Marion First, Marion 43 Eldorado First, Eldorado 44 Towerview, Shiloh 45 Heights Community, Collinsville 46 Delta, Springfield 47 Ramsey First, Ramsey 48 Hillcrest, Country Club Hills 49 East Salem, Mount Vernon
22,245.79 22,138.09 20,911.66 20,112.58 20,070.00 20,025.89 19,999.98 19,124.00 18,843.00 18,787.92 18,000.00 17,417.83 17,366.94 17,259.76 17,218.21 15,690.48 15,594.72 15,517.00 15,500.00 15,261.05 15,156.00 15,000.00 14,217.48 14,203.68 14,000.00 13,914.00
13,838.21 50 Emmanuel, Carlinville 51 Fairview Heights First, Fairview Heights 12,863.67 12,773.57 52 Heartland, Alton 12,748.14 53 Steeleville, Steeleville 12,533.68 54 McKinley Avenue, Harrisburg 12,372.97 55 Bethel, Bourbonnais 12,297.60 56 West Frankfort First, West Frankfort 11,585.64 57 Charleston, Charleston 11,268.36 58 Wayne City, Wayne City 11,216.58 59 New Hope, Belknap 10,802.65 60 Pleasant Hill First, Pleasant Hill 10,590.37 61 Mt Carmel First, Mount Carmel 10,458.00 62 Ullin First, Ullin 10,288.00 63 Petersburg First, Petersburg 10,105.92 64 Living Faith, Sherman 10,015.31 65 Altamont First, Altamont 66 Machesney Park First, Machesney Park 9,738.43 9,378.43 67 Whitelaw Avenue, Wood River 9,263.27 68 Lakeland, Carbondale 9,083.82 69 Mascoutah First, Mascoutah 9,000.00 70 Eastview, Springfield 9,000.00 71 Nashville First, Nashville 8,802.00 72 Cornerstone, Savoy 8,593.22 73 Belle Rive Missionary, Belle Rive 8,504.72 74 Murdale, Carbondale 8,477.30 75 Pleasant Hill, Mount Vernon
76 Calvary, Elgin 77 Winstanley, Fairview Heights 78 Calvary, Pittsfield 79 Morton First, Morton 80 Samaria Missionary, Albion 81 Clarksville, Marshall 82 Charity, Carlinville 83 Cutler First, Cutler 84 Liberty, Harrisburg 85 Northside Missionary, Grayville 86 Olney Southern, Olney 87 Lighthouse Community, Nashville 88 Fairfield First, Fairfield 89 Meadowridge, Zion 90 Albion First, Albion 91 Litchfield First, Litchfield 92 Lebanon Missionary, Mount Vernon 93 Arthur Southern, Arthur 94 Erven Avenue, Streator 95 Ozark, Ozark 96 Joppa Missionary, Joppa 97 Goreville First, Goreville 98 Brainard Avenue, Countryside 99 West Union First, West Union 100 Mt Zion, Piasa
8,053.32 8,000.00 7,853.00 7,846.21 7,656.00 7,642.01 7,607.56 7,551.77 7,452.83 7,358.60 7,348.59 7,125.00 7,050.00 6,987.00 6,893.48 6,860.64 6,791.20 6,745.00 6,709.88 6,667.24 6,628.51 6,560.57 6,458.35 6,221.52 6,172.51