GREENSBORO, N.C. – In a historic meeting that saw a number of firsts, N.C. Baptists approved a budget that moved to a 50/50 Cooperative Program split, celebrated missionaries from the state and saw the first African American preside over the state convention’s annual meeting during the two-day event held Nov. 6-7.

The theme of the 193rd annual meeting of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina was “On Mission Together,” which was based on Revelation 7:9-12.

The event drew 1,880 people – 1,515 messengers and 365 visitors – to the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center, which marked the highest attendance at an N.C. Baptist annual meeting since 2014.

The meeting included a special Sending Celebration held in conjunction with the International Mission Board (IMB), during which IMB President Paul Chitwood delivered the annual convention sermon.

Messengers also elected officers, adopted a pro-life resolution and heard a message from state convention President Quintell Hill, lead pastor of Multiply Community Church in Monroe. At last year’s meeting, Hill became the first African American to be elected president of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, and he served as the presiding officer of this year’s meeting. Hill was also re-elected for a second term as president.

In addition, N.C. Baptist Executive Director-Treasurer Todd Unzicker shared a report with messengers, during which he encouraged churches to participate in a statewide initiative to serve their communities in August 2024.

Messengers also heard a series of ministry reports and updates from state and national ministry partners.

CP budget

Messengers overwhelmingly approved a 2024 budget that calls for Cooperative Program receipts to be divided equally between the state and national conventions.

The $31 million proposal reflects a $1.5 million or 5% increase over the current budget of $29.5 million, and it increases the allocation to global ministry partners by 2% to reach the 50/50 mark.

Moving to a 50/50 CP allocation fulfills a pledge made by N.C. Baptist leaders nearly two decades ago, while also fulfilling the historic ideal of the Cooperative Program when it was established in 1925.

Unzicker called the move a reflection of N.C. Baptists’ commitment to the Great Commision.

“N.C. Baptists spoke loud and clear with today’s near unanimous, historic budget vote,” Unzicker said after the measure passed on Tuesday, Nov. 7. “We are a movement of churches on mission together who want to take the gospel where it’s not known, plant more churches, send more missionaries and train the next generation.”

Sending Celebration

During the annual meeting’s opening session on Monday, Nov. 6, N.C. Baptists recognized and prayed for missionaries with ties to churches from across the state as part of a first-of-its-kind Sending Celebration, held jointly between the state convention and the IMB.

The celebration included a message from Chitwood, followed by nearly 30 missionaries from N.C. Baptist churches sharing testimonies and prayer requests about how God has called them to take the gospel to the nations. The event concluded with everyone in attendance praying over the missionaries.

During his message, Chitwood said the IMB had never held an event like this one before.

“A service like this is literally something we’ve never done before at the International Mission Board in our 178-year history,” said Chitwood, adding that Sending Celebrations typically include missionaries from multiple states. “Tonight is unique in that we are celebrating those N.C. Baptist IMB missionaries who have been sent out and are being sent out.”

President’s address

During the annual president’s address, Hill preached a message titled “What’s so Good About the Good Samaritan?” from Luke 10:25-37. In his message, Hill shared characteristics of neighborly love that were demonstrated by the Good Samaritan and how those qualities should be demonstrated today. 

Hill said neighborly love is selfless, focused on others, shows compassion and sacrifices resources. Hill said neighborly love is rooted in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

“Because God demonstrated His love in Christ Jesus, those who know Him love like Him,” Hill said. “We love because He first loved us.”

Officer elections

In addition to Hill, the other two current state convention officers were re-elected for second terms.

Jason Miller, senior pastor of Dutch Cove Baptist Church in Canton, was re-elected as first vice president. Allen Murray, pastor of Centerville Baptist Church in Kelly, was re-elected as second vice president. 

Hill, Miller and Murray all ran unopposed.

EDT address

During his executive director-treasurer’s address, Unzicker echoed the meeting theme by highlighting four ways N.C. Baptists are on mission together, which involve training, reaching, sending and serving.

Unzicker said N.C. Baptist churches partner together to train the next generation, reach the lost, send missionaries and church planters from local congregations, and serve the needs of communities and churches across the state.

Unzicker concluded his address by encouraging churches to participate in a statewide initiative called “ServeNC” in August 2024. The goal of the initiative is to have N.C. Baptist churches come together during the week of Aug. 3-10, 2024, to meet needs in their local community in Jesus’ name.

“In 2024, your church can mobilize people out of their seats and into the streets,” Unzicker said. “I’m challenging you right now to commit to serve your community with any service project you choose during the summer of 2024.

“By signing up for ServeNC, you simply promise to say we’re going to show up into our community because we want to point them to the One that showed up for us, and His name is Jesus.”

More information about the initiative is available at servenc.com.

Pro-life resolution

Messengers also adopted a “Resolution on Equal Protection For The Preborn” with minor amendments. The resolution endorsed and encouraged advocacy for the preborn “until the day that abortion is both illegal and unthinkable.”

The resolution was the first pro-life resolution adopted by N.C. Baptists in a number of years. 

The resolution highlighted N.C. Baptists’ work of placing five ultrasound machines in pregnancy resource centers throughout the state since 2022. Several of those placements have been in partnership with the Psalm 139 Project, a ministry of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention. 

Later during the meeting, ERLC Vice President and Chief of Staff Miles Mullin presented N.C. Baptists with the new Psalm 139 Partner for Life Award. Hill accepted the award on behalf of the state convention.

BR recommendations

Messengers also approved a report and recommendations from the Biblical Recorder (BR) Study Committee related to the working arrangement between the state convention and the Recorder. Messengers also approved several amendments to the BR’s bylaws based upon recommendations made by the study committee.

The state convention and BR have been operating under a temporary management agreement since July 2022. The study committee’s recommendations approved by messenger extends that agreement by five years beginning Jan. 1, 2024.

Next year’s meeting

Next year’s N.C. Baptist annual meeting will be held Nov. 4-5, 2024, at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, is scheduled to deliver the 2024 convention sermon.