Southern Baptist Convention

At the moment I am in a UMC that is looking to get out of that apostate denomination.

 

The current (since c. 2015) SBC Constitution lists three requirements.

A church must have:

• ...a faith and practice which closely identifies with the Convention’s adopted statement of faith. (By way of example, churches which act to affirm, approve, or endorse homosexual behavior would be deemed not to be in cooperation with the Convention.)

• ...formally approved its intention to cooperate with the Southern Baptist Convention. (By way of example, the regular filing of the annual report requested by the Convention would be one indication of such cooperation.)

• ...made undesignated, financial contribution(s) through the Cooperative Program, and/or through the Convention’s Executive Committee for Convention causes, and/or to any Convention entity during the fiscal year preceding.

[this means you can send $$$ via the CP, or you can bypass the CP and send $$$ directly to the SBC Executive Committee or to any SBC entity.]

[In all cases, only FINANCIAL contributions which are UNDESIGNATED qualify. It is important that the $$$ you send in be undesignated, 'cause the bureaucrats and trustees know better how to spend it]

 

Last year the Convention voted to add two more requirements, these must pass by 2/3 again in 2020 to go into effect:

In addition, a church must:

• ...not act in a manner inconsistent with the Convention’s beliefs regarding sexual abuse

• ...not act to affirm, approve, or endorse discriminatory behavior on the basis of ethnicity.

 

Prior to 2015, the requirements were simpler.

A church had to be:

• ...in friendly cooperation with the Convention and sympathetic with its purposes and work. Among churches not in cooperation with the Convention are churches which act to affirm, approve, or endorse homosexual behavior.

• ...a bona fide contributor to the Convention’s work during the fiscal year preceding.

 

Salty, the initial language of the 2014/2015 amendment to the SBC Constitution said, "The Convention will only deem a church to be in friendly cooperation with the Convention...which

"Has not intentionally operated in any manner demonstrating opposition to the doctrine expressed in the Convention's most recently adopted statement of faith."

that was scrapped, and the amendment that was presented and passed said instead:

"...has a faith and practice which closely identifies with the Convention’s adopted statement of faith."

That is the [somewhat vague] current requirement on that.

 

I've been in the SBC for a decade or so. Getting ready to move, but will find a new SBC church to join when I do.

 

Wow, this is fascinating to me. So, let me ask this about corporate autonomy and individual autonomy: Suppose a member of a church wanted to give to that church but not to the convention. Could that person remain a member of the church? I am becoming strongly attached to the Baptist principle of autonomy but still trying to learn how it works. :)

 

Yes. You can deisgnate how funds are to be used in an SBC Church

 

Its not optional but the required giving is minimal. I believe 250.00 a year is all that is required.

 

I always thought it was up to the association if they required a monetary contribution or not.

 

Its up to.both the association and the state hut I believe you will find that on average this is the standard.

 

Again, the SBC Constitution was amended in 2015. The $250 thing was deleted.

Since 2015, any Southern Baptist church may send up to 2 messengers to the SBC Annual Meeting. There is NO minimum $$$ threshold to send those messengers. A church only has to meet the definitional standard of being Southern Baptist, which is sending (any) "undesignated financial contributions" to the Convention.

However, if a church wants to send more than two messengers, it must meet percentage or dollar amount giving criteria:

in the last year
gave 1% to SBC = 1 additional messenger
gave 2% to SBC = 2 additional messengers
and so on, up to 10% = 10 additional messengers

OR

in the last year
gave $6K to SBC = 1 additional messenger
gave $12K to SBC = 2 additional messengers
and so on, up to $60K = 10 additional messengers

please read:
Southern Baptist Convention > Constitution

 

there was a big debate while ago on how much the scriptures were inspired, full or limited, know that there has been a big blowup over free and Calvinism, anything else?

 

Informally, the Southern Baptist Convention is a denomination made up of cooperating churches. That is how it is likely most often used in general conversation. The convention site itself describes the SBC as a fellowship. "The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a fellowship of over 47,000 Baptist churches scattered across the United States and its territories." More technically, the Southern Baptist Convention is the annual June two-day convening of the messengers of the churches. "Article III. Composition: The Convention shall consist of messengers who are members of Baptist churches in cooperation with the Convention." The SBC also uses languages that is a "missional organization."

Among the many on the BB who are members of churches that cooperate in the Southern Baptist Convention, I am not one. I have both attended and preached at Southern Baptist churches, have family members who are members of Southern Baptist churches, but I have never been a member of a church participating in the SBC. Our church is unaffiliated with any organized groups. While I judge an individual church by the church itself, it is unlikely that I would ever join a Southern Baptist cooperating church. Part of my opinion of the SBC as an organization is that it is too large, made up of too many diverse elements (beliefs), yet at the organizational level usually led by pastors (or members) of large churches (think, J. D. Greear, Russell Moore, David Platt) who do not best represent the rank and file of the body.

 

I have a feeling this is most, if not all, denominations.

 

Replying to the OP.
I grew up mostly in the SBC. Local assemblies must be judged on their own merit. Many of them however do take cues from the convention and its affiliates (SS literature etc.) Based on observation and the effects of various churches teachings on my own walk I would say the foundation is sound but the structure is beginning to decay. More bluntly the SBC has strong roots but is producing less and less fruit.

 

Concerning my previous post #38. It can probably be said of most denominations with any longevity. So not picking on SBC.