For several years, the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM) has been working its budget toward a 50–50 split of funds with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). But that gradual goal was accomplished in one fell swoop this year as Samford University in Birmingham withdrew from state convention funding, freeing up $3.5 million.

With that in mind, messengers to the annual meeting Nov. 14 at Whitesburg Baptist Church, Huntsville, unanimously approved a $37 million budget for 2018 — $3 million less than the current year’s $40 million budget.

The Samford withdrawal from Cooperative Program (CP) funding was announced by university officials July 7. The plan is for Samford to continue in partnership with the Alabama Baptist State Convention but without any CP support. (continued…)

Read the full article from The Alabama Baptist Newspaper – http://www.thealabamabaptist.org/messengers-approve-37-million-budget-vote-to-sell-auburn-bcm-property/