CARY, N.C. – The executive committee of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina’s (BSCNC) board of directors unanimously endorsed a proposed policy that would establish a process to determine whether or not a church is in “friendly cooperation” with the state convention based on matters related to Baptist beliefs and distinctives.
The policy, which will now go before the full N.C. Baptist board of directors for consideration, was approved by the executive committee during a regularly scheduled meeting held via video conference call on Tuesday, Aug. 22.
The policy outlines a process by which questions about a church’s adherence to Baptist beliefs and distinctives can be submitted to state convention officials and how those cases would be reviewed.
Under the proposal, the executive committee would review matters on a case-by-case basis. If the executive committee determines that a local church is not in friendly cooperation, the church may appeal the decision to the full board of directors. If the church is not reinstated by the full board, the congregation may appeal the decision from the floor of the state convention’s annual meeting.
Convention officials said the goal of the policy is to uphold the autonomy of the local church while maintaining general consensus on matters of doctrine by churches that willingly choose to cooperate for missions and ministry.
“The burden of deciding where a church has stepped outside the bounds of friendly cooperation is a weighty task,” said Seth Brown, N.C. Baptists’ director of convention relations. “It’s not something to be taken lightly.
“Every church subtracted from this convention means fewer resources for gospel advancement across the state and around the world. But we have to embrace that a movement of churches on mission together means that we share a common faith and practice.”
Brown added the state convention seeks to cultivate a spirit of unity and cooperation to advance the gospel by partnering with a wide array of local churches of different sizes with various styles and preferences.
The policy is intended to encourage such cooperation rather than limit it, Brown said.
“It would be a misuse of this policy to tear down that unity by employing it as an investigative tool to police minor differences or settle frivolous doctrinal disputes among our churches,” Brown said.
Among the factors that will be used to evaluate whether or not a church is in friendly cooperation is the church’s intent to closely identify with Baptist beliefs and the severity of the alleged actions, which Brown said is outlined in the proposed policy.
The policy does not specify a doctrinal statement that cooperating N.C. Baptist churches must adopt, endorse or adhere to, nor does it attempt to provide a comprehensive list of doctrinal matters that would be used in determining whether or not a church is in friendly cooperation.
The policy notes that while many congregations have adopted the Baptist Faith & Message – which was first developed and adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1925 and later revised in 1963 and 2000 and amended at this year’s SBC annual meeting in New Orleans – as their statement of faith, other churches embrace other historic Baptist statements like the 1689 Second London Confession or the 1833 New Hampshire Confession. Other churches develop their own statements of faith, while others refrain from adopting a statement of faith apart from the Bible.
The policy specifies that all of those positions “are acceptable for N.C. Baptist churches in friendly cooperation in accordance with the BSCNC’s Articles of Incorporation.”
Messengers to the 2022 N.C. Baptist annual meeting voted to approve a series of changes to the state convention’s articles and bylaws to provide greater clarity on what constitutes a cooperating church.
Those updates define a cooperating church as one that financially supports the Cooperative Program, has a faith and practice that “closely identifies” with Baptist beliefs and distinctives, and does not affirm, approve, endorse, promote, support or bless LGBTQ+ lifestyles; discriminatory behavior on the basis of race or ethnicity; or behavior inconsistent with biblical teachings regarding sexual abuse.
The approval of the article and bylaw changes authorized the state convention’s board of directors to develop corresponding policies to make a determination on a church’s cooperation status when questions arise.
In May, the board of directors approved a pair of policies that addressed Cooperative Program support and other provisions related to LGBTQ+ lifestyles, discrimination and sexual abuse.
The policy related to doctrinal matters is similar to the ones previously adopted by the board that deal with other issues.
“The process for how we deal with these issues is very consistent across these policies,” Brown said. “That’s intentional.”
The full board of directors will consider the policy proposal at its next meeting, which is scheduled for Sept. 25-26.
Other business
In other business, the executive committee unanimously endorsed a recommendation from the state convention’s Committee on Nominations that would require background checks for individuals who are nominated to serve on the N.C. Baptist board of directors and other committees, as well as the boards of the convention’s related entities.
The executive committee also unanimously endorsed a recommendation from a study committee appointed earlier this year to examine the relationship between the Biblical Recorder and the state convention. The study committee recommended the continuation of a management agreement that was implemented last summer between the Recorder and the state convention.
Both of these measures will go before the N.C. Baptist board of directors for consideration at its September meeting.
Financial update
During the meeting, N.C. Baptist Accounting Manager Kecia Mariotti shared a financial update with executive committee members.
Through the end of July, Cooperative Program receipts totaled nearly $16.5 million, which is about 2.7%, or more than $426,000, ahead of the same time period as last year.
Giving to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering totaled more than $6.4 million and giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering totaled nearly $11.5 million, through the end of July.
Leading into the emphasis month for the annual North Carolina Missions Offering (NCMO), giving totaled more than $695,000, which is about 11%, or more than $69,000, ahead of the same time period as last year.
The NCMO supports the work of Baptists on Mission, church planting and projects in local Baptist associations. This year’s offering goal is $2.5 million, a $400,000 increase over last year’s goal.
September is typically when the NCMO is highlighted and promoted in N.C. Baptist churches. Churches and individuals can learn more and give at ncmissionsoffering.org.
