The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSC) formally unveiled a new logo and brand identity May 26 that signifies the organization’s vision: to engage more churches and individuals to come together to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.
“N.C. Baptists are a movement of churches on mission together,” said Todd Unzicker, BSC executive director-treasurer. “We have a rich history and heritage, yet I believe our best days of ministry are ahead of us. Our new logo is intended to reflect who we are and where we are going together.”
Being “on mission together” is a theme Unzicker has consistently echoed since being elected N.C. Baptists’ executive director-treasurer in May 2021. The statement is rooted in Jesus’ words given in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 where He instructs His followers to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations…” (CSB).
The new logo depicts being “on mission” to fulfill the Great Commission through a modern, forward-looking design.
The logo’s bold, sharp and angular lines form a series of arrows and shapes that reflect movement, momentum and connectedness. Those lines and shapes come together to form several points and arrows going in different directions to represent gospel advancement by being sent out.
Additionally, the lines and shapes flow together to create an abstract block “N” and an inverted “C” that underscore and reinforce a shared identity as N.C. Baptists.
Pastors and ministry leaders from across the state said the new logo is a visual reminder that N.C. Baptists are called to reach the nations.
“The logo undergirds our focus of being on mission together,” said Micheal Pardue, pastor of First Baptist Church Icard in Connelly Springs, who is serving his second term as state convention president. “The arrows pointing out in every direction shows where we are going as N.C. Baptists, which is throughout the state and to the ends of the earth.”
“I appreciate the thought put into the design that depicts the arrows pointing to the nations,” said Casey Norkett, missions pastor at Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, who also serves as president of the N.C. Baptist board of directors. “If we are churches that are on mission together, that mission is to a lost world. The logo reminds us that our focus should be on reaching the nations.”
“I’m excited about our new logo as it represents who we are as N.C. Baptists,” said Quintell Hill, lead pastor of Multiply Community Church in Monroe, who is also currently serving as the state convention’s first vice president. “We are a movement of churches on mission together and are seeking to reach people near and far with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We’re doing some new things, but still reaching people with the same gospel message about Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins.”
“It is great for N.C. Baptists to have a new logo for a new season of ministry,” said Scott Setzer, associational mission strategist for the South Roanoke Baptist Association and president of the N.C. Associational Missions Conference. “While the logo is abstract, I believe that once people understand the meaning behind the design, they will embrace it as a unifying marker of being a movement of churches on mission together.”
Local churches, associations and related entities that utilize the N.C. Baptist logo are encouraged to download the new logo and begin using it immediately. More information and downloadable logo files are available online at ncbaptist.org/logo.
In addition to the new logo, N.C. Baptist officials plan to launch a newly redesigned website in early June that fully incorporates the new logo, branding and color palette. One feature of the new site is a revamped online store featuring a wide selection of apparel and merchandise with the new logo that is available for purchase. Access to the store is now available by visiting ncbaptist.org/store.
The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina was founded on March 26, 1830, in Greenville, N.C. Unzicker said the vision for N.C. Baptists to be “a movement of churches on mission together” is rooted in the BSC’s purpose “to assist the churches in their divinely appointed mission,” as outlined in the convention’s articles of incorporation.
“The local church is God’s plan A for reaching a lost world,” Unzicker said. “As N.C. Baptists, we want to be their first and primary partner for missions and ministry.”
