More than 1,000 messengers from Baptist churches across North Carolina gathered at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro on Monday, Nov. 6 for the opening session of the 193rd annual meeting of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. The theme of this year’s meeting is “On Mission Together” based on Revelation 7:9-12.

Monday recap

• As of 5 p.m. Monday, 417 pastors, 265 church staff and 477 laity registered for this year’s annual meeting for a total of 1,159 messengers. An additional 223 visitors registered for an opening-session total of 1,382 in attendance.
• Messengers approved a motion for next year’s annual meeting to be held Nov. 4-5, 2024, at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro.
• Messengers approved a motion for Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, to deliver the 2024 convention sermon.
• Messengers approved a motion for Shane Pruitt, national Next Gen director with the North American Mission Board, to deliver the 2025 convention sermon.
• N.C. Baptists celebrated 30 missionaries with ties to churches from across North Carolina as part of a joint Sending Celebration between the International Mission Board (IMB) and the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. Prior to the special service, IMB President Paul Chitwood delivered the annual convention sermon from 2 Kings 7.

Tuesday highlights & reminders

• Download the N.C. Baptist mobile app for access to information, resources and details pertaining to the annual meeting.
• A listening session for the proposed 2024 Cooperative Program budget is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. in the Pinehurst Room.
• The exhibit halls are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Visit the “ServeNC” booth in the Guilford Exhibit Hall throughout the day on Tuesday to learn more about serving your community during the week of Aug. 3-10, 2024, and register your church to participate.
• Attendees will have the opportunity to attend breakout sessions at two designated times on Tuesday. Breakout sessions are scheduled from 11 a.m. to noon and again at 3:30-4:30 p.m. A complete list of breakout session titles and descriptions is available at ncannualmeeting.org/breakouts and on the N.C. Baptist mobile app.
• N.C. Baptist President Quintell Hill, lead pastor of Multiply Community Church in Monroe, is scheduled to deliver his president’s address at 9:25 a.m.
• Election of 2024 convention officers is scheduled for 9:55 a.m. as a fixed order of business.
• The first board of directors report is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. and will include a report from the Biblical Recorder study committee along with proposed BR bylaw changes, as well as the consideration of a “Resolution on Equal Protection For The Preborn.”
• N.C. Baptist Executive Director-Treasurer Todd Unzicker is scheduled to deliver his annual address at 1:55 p.m.
• Messengers will consider the 2024 Cooperative Program budget proposal during the second board of directors report at 2:20 p.m., which is a fixed order of business.
• Messengers will consider the Committee on Nominations report at 2:45 p.m.
• The time for miscellaneous business is scheduled for 3 p.m.
• Messengers will hear reports from state and national ministry partners at 6:35 p.m. They include: the Biblical Recorder; Provision Financial Resources of N.C. Baptists (formerly the N.C. Baptist Foundation), and the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.
• N.C. Baptists on Mission will share a report at 6:50 p.m.
• A special presentation by the Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina is scheduled for 7 pm. 
• Messengers can provide feedback on this year’s annual meeting through the N.C. Baptist mobile app or through an online evaluation form.
• Receive live updates about the annual meeting through the official N.C. Baptist social media channels by following @ncbaptist on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The official 2023 annual meeting hashtag is #OnMissionTogether.