More than 1,300 messengers from Baptist churches from across North Carolina gathered at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, N.C., on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 7-8, for the 192nd Baptist State Convention of North Carolina’s (BSC) annual meeting. The theme of this year’s meeting was “On Mission Together” based on Hebrews 10:23-25. Here are highlights from day two of this year’s meeting. Day one highlights are available here.

Tuesday highlights

• At the close of registration on Tuesday, 528 pastors, 305 spouses of pastors, 203 other church staff and 319 laity had registered for this year’s annual meeting for a total of 1,355 messengers. An additional 286 visitors registered for a grand total of 1,641 in attendance.
• Mac Brunson, senior pastor of Valleydale Church in Birmingham, Ala., preached in the evening worship service from 2 Samuel on preparation for ministry from the life of David.
• Quintell Hill, pastor of Multiply Community Church in Monroe, was elected state convention president. Hill becomes the first African American to serve as president of the BSC. Hill won in a ballot vote against Casey Rayfield, pastor of Hickory Mountain Baptist Church in Siler City.
• Jason Miller, pastor of Dutch Cove Baptist Church in Canton, was elected first vice president of the state convention. Miller ran unopposed.
• Allen Murray, pastor of Centerville Baptist Church in Kelly, was elected second vice president of the state convention. Murray won in a ballot vote against Stephen Robbins, associate pastor of discipleship and missions at Elkin Valley Baptist Church in Elkin.
• Messengers approved a 2023 Cooperative Program (CP) budget totaling $29.5 million, a $1.5 million increase over the current budget that also increases the state convention’s allocation to global ministry partners by 3%, moving from 45% to 48%.
• Messengers approved a motion stipulating that undesignated CP receipts in excess of the $29.5 million budget in 2023 be allocated at 50% to global ministry partners and 50% to state convention ministries.
• Messengers adopted a $2.5 million goal for the 2023 North Carolina Missions Offering, an increase of $400,000 over the current goal of $2.1 million.
• State convention President Micheal Pardue, pastor of First Baptist Church Icard in Connelly Springs, preached during his president’s address from Hebrews 11:38-12:2 on four necessities to serve the kingdom of God with the time we have. The four necessities were: the utmost faith, the utmost freedom, the utmost endurance, and the utmost Savior.
• Executive Director-Treasurer Todd Unzicker shared a report with messengers on the review of the state convention’s existing policies, procedures and materials related to sexual abuse.
• Messengers approved an amendment to the state convention’s articles of incorporation that seeks to better define what constitutes a cooperating church.
• Messengers also approved a series of revisions to the state convention’s bylaws that provides flexibility in scheduling the annual meeting, allowing boards and committees to meet virtually, and other items. After messengers voted to consider revisions to the executive director-treasurer search process in a separate measure, that motion did not pass.
• Messengers approved a recommendation from the N.C. Baptist board of directors for a change in the relationship between the state convention and N.C. Baptist Hospital. The relationship change does not prohibit the convention and hospital from developing new avenues to collaborate in missions and ministry efforts.
• Messengers heard reports from representatives from the Historical Committee, Committee on Nominations, and the Committee on Resolutions and Memorials.
• Messengers approved the 2022 Committee on Nominations report, which resulted in the approval of those individuals presented in the report to places of service on state convention committees, the board of directors, and boards of the state convention’s institutions and agencies. 
• During the Historical Committee’s report, Michael C. Blackwell, president and CEO of the Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina, was recognized for his latest book, “Founded on Faith … Built on Love,” which is an updated history of the Baptist Children’s Homes.
• Messengers heard reports from representatives from the state convention’s related entities, which included: Brian Davis, director of community and congregation engagement with N.C. Baptist Hospital; Clay Warf, president of the N.C. Baptist Foundation; Michael C. Blackwell, president and CEO of the Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina; and a dual report from the Biblical Recorder (BR) that featured Chris Hefner, BR board chairman, who shared a video report, followed by Chad Austin, BR managing editor. Messengers also heard a report from Amy Pardue Boone, executive director-treasurer of Woman’s Missionary Union of North Carolina.
• Messengers received greetings from David Horton, president of Fruitland Baptist Bible College in Hendersonville, and Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, during a spotlight on Christian education.
• Next year’s annual meeting is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 6-7, 2023, at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro.