The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina’s (BSC) Committee on Nominations has extended the deadline for North Carolina Baptists to make recommendations for individuals to serve in a variety of capacities with the convention.
Individuals now have until Thurs., March 30 to submit recommendations for people to serve on the BSC’s Board of Directors, various committees and boards of the convention’s agencies and institutions.
Recommendations may be made by visiting ncbaptist.org/recommend. Individuals recommended will be considered for terms of service that will begin during the 2018 calendar year.
Nomination submissions are typically due Jan. 31, but the committee extended the nomination deadline at its meeting held Feb. 16 at the BSC offices in Cary.
Brian Davis, associate executive director-treasurer for the BSC, noted the following vacancies exist on convention committees:
- Committee on Convention Meetings – 6 vacancies
- Committee on Resolutions and Memorials – 3 vacancies
- Historical Committee – 5 vacancies
Davis noted that the data provided by churches through the Annual Church Profile (ACP) is used to determine the number of representatives needed from each of the 10 regions for service on the BSC Board of Directors.
“As reports from churches in a particular region show an increase or decrease in membership, the number of representatives on the board for that region may increase or decrease,” Davis said.
This means that there are regions that have no vacancies for 2017. The vacancies on the board for 2017 are in the following regions:
- Region 3 – 5 vacancies.
- Region 4 – 1 vacancy.
- Region 5 – 2 vacancies.
- Region 6 – 1 vacancy.
- Region 7 – 3 vacancies.
- Region 10 – 1 vacancy.
Along with the committees listed above, the committee on nominations also approves board members for several institutions and agencies who work with the BSC: Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina, N.C. Baptist Hospital, Biblical Recorder and the N.C. Baptist Foundation. These suggestions are presented to messengers of the BSC's annual meeting in November.
Charles Brust, pastor of Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Lumberton and chairman of the Committee on Nominations, said the committee extended the recommendation deadline in hopes of giving more people from across North Carolina a chance to get involved with the convention and its numerous ministries.
“We really want to give additional time for any member of any North Carolina Baptist church of any size or background to have an opportunity to recommend someone to serve,” Brust said.
A common misconception, Brust said, is that only pastors or individuals serving in vocational ministry are eligible to serve with the convention or make recommendations.
Brust said the committee seeks recommendations that include both ministers and laity who represent churches of various sizes and geographic locations. The committee also seeks recommendations of individuals of various ages, ethnic and cultural backgrounds and educational and professional backgrounds.
Any member of a North Carolina Baptist church in cooperation with the state convention is eligible to make recommendations.
“Our desire is to get as many people involved in the life of the convention as possible and ensure that the convention is healthy,” Brust said.
Brust said serving with the convention has opened new doors of ministry for him and his congregation, and he’s also seen the same happen for other pastors and lay leaders, as well.
Brust said he hopes that directors of missions across the state will encourage the pastors in their associations to promote the need for recommendations, and that pastors, in turn, would encourage their congregations to nominate individuals to serve.
“We want anybody to feel free to make recommendations for individuals to serve with the convention,” Brust said.
For more information on the recommendation process, or to make a recommendation, visit ncbaptist.org/recommend. Questions may be directed to the BSC’s Cynthia King by emailing [email protected] or calling (800) 395-5102, ext. 5501.