Table of Contents
Preface xiii
Part 1 FAQs 1
What is the Southern Baptist Convention? 3
How did the Southern Baptist Convention begin? 3
What is a convention, and how does it work? 5
Who are the messengers? 6
What determines if a church cooperates with the SBC? 7
What is the relationship between the Convention and the churches? 9
Who governs the Southern Baptist Convention? 11
What do the messengers do when they gather? 11
What does the Southern Baptist Convention president do? 13
What is the role of the other officers of the Southern Baptist Convention? 14
What does the Executive Committee do? 15
What is the difference between the SBC president and the Executive Committee president? 17
What is the Cooperative Program? 17
What is Great Commission Giving? 19
How are the categories of the Cooperative Program and Great Commission Giving reported? 21
How many Southern Baptist entities are there? 22
What is the International Mission Board? 23
What is the North American Mission Board? 24
How does LifeWay Christian Resources relate to the SBC? 26
How does GuideStone Financial Resources relate to the SBC? 27
What are our seminaries, and why do we have six? 28
What is the role of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission? 30
What is the Woman's Missionary Union? 32
How are entities governed? 33
What are committees, and how do they function? 34
What is the role of journalism in Baptist life? 37
What is the relationship between the SBC and state conventions? 38
What is the relationship between the SBC and local associations? 40
What is the relationship between the SBC and other Baptist denominations? 40
In the SBC Annual Meeting, what are motions and resolutions? 41
Why do we have a business meeting every year? 43
How do states gain representation on boards and committees? 45
What was the Conservative Resurgence? 47
What was the Great Commission Resurgence? 48
Who is Lottie Moon? 49
Who is Annie Armstrong? 51
What is the Baptist Faith and Message? 52
Part 2 Guiding SBC Documents 53
Southern Baptist Convention Charter 55
Southern Baptist Convention Constitution 57
Southern Baptist Convention Bylaws 67
Business and Financial Plan of the Southern Baptist Convention 101
Baptist Faith and Message 117
Appendix A Southern Baptist Convention Presidents 135
Appendix B Cooperative Program Allocations by State 141
Appendix C Report of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force 149
Notes 189
