You can find answers to some of the most commonly asked questions below. If you have other questions or would like assistance, please reach out to us at communications@ncbaptist.org.
How does the ACP serve N.C. Baptist churches?
ACP provides clarity about NC Baptist churches
- Offers an accurate, statewide picture of church health and activity
- Replaces assumptions and anecdotes with reliable data
- Reveals regional patterns, strengths, and challenges over time
ACP supports wise stewardship and strategic development
- Guides effective allocation of cooperative resources
- Identifies needs for revitalization, replanting, and church planting
- Evaluates the effectiveness of N.C. ministries and initiatives
ACP strengthens cooperation, accountability, and shared mission
- Tells the collective story of God’s work across the state, reinforcing an “on mission together” mindset
- Ensures accurate and transparent reporting to churches and denominational partners
- Provides proper regional representation on the N.C. Baptist Board of Directors
Our church uses a fiscal year calendar, not a traditional calendar year. For example, we open our books in October and close them in September. How should we report?
While the ACP now follows a calendar year, churches using a different fiscal year should still report a full year of data. When the ACP survey is released in January, you will provide information from your most recent completed year — for example, October through September. See below for more details:
Calendar Year
- Fixed timeframe: Jan. 1 to Dec. 31
Custom (Fiscal) Year
- Based on your church’s or association’s specific fiscal year. Check with leadership or bylaws.
- Example: Your church fiscal year may begin on Sept. 1 of one year and end Aug. 31 of the next.
- Read this article to further understand fiscal year in church contexts.
Our churches prefer a printed copy. How can we get them to shift to the digital form?
The simplest answer is to help them understand how much faster and easier it is to report with the new form. It takes the pressure off of church administrative staff in these ways:
- No more paper to keep up with. (No printing or mailing.)
- The survey can be started, saved and returned to later.
- The link to the survey can be emailed or texted easily to a leader. You no longer need to keep up with where the physical form was last seen.
- The form can be completed by the end-user quickly with no need for a middle man or administrative oversight.
Give us a call at (800) 395-5102 and we can answer any questions you have about the digital form or help you if the internet is not an option for your region.
When does the N.C. Baptist ACP launch?
The ACP launches Jan. 1 and closes Dec. 31 of each year.
When is the best time to promote the ACP?
January is ACP month! We have a special emphasis and promotion period throughout January.
What is the time period for what we are reporting?
The church data that is submitted on the ACP is based on an entire year, preferably a calendar year (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31).
Is there a printed version of the ACP?
The digital ACP is the preferred method for completing the ACP, available at ncbaptist.org/acp. We highly encourage using the digital method because it makes the process simpler and faster for you and us. Please call (800) 395-5102 or email communications@ncbaptist.org if you have any questions.
I just don’t understand the calendar report period. Please be more specific.
If a church “closes” its year at the end of August, they would report based upon their entire year’s calendar (12 months of data) when the form opens in January.
Calendar Year = Jan. 1 – Dec. 31
Fiscal Year = Sept. 1 – Aug. 31
We are an association promoting the ACP to our churches. Since the ACP is moving to a January release and follows the calendar year, how should we adjust our usual fall promotion?
You can still promote the ACP in the fall — just shift your message. Use the fall to encourage churches to prepare, so that come Jan. 1, they’ll be ready to complete and submit their ACP right away.
What year does the current ACP cover?
The current ACP (opening Jan. 1 of the current year) covers data from the previous calendar year, so that means Jan. 1 – Dec. 31 of the previous year. However, if your church uses a fiscal calendar (see questions above for clarity) like Sept. 1 – Aug. 31, you will be pulling a portion of your data from the last part of the year before last for the current ACP. In other words, for the example fiscal year of Sept. 1 – Aug. 31, you would take data from Sept. 1 of two years ago – Aug. 31 of last year. We are asking for 12 months worth of data, so your data should represent the most recent complete fiscal year.
