What does it mean to be a Southern Baptist?

Membership class (part 2 of 4) Wellspring Community Church 1. Included information a. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 booklet b. The Southern Baptist Convention A Closer Look c. Meet Southern Baptist 2. What is a Southern Baptist? a. The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a fellowship of over 47,000 Baptist churches and another 4,500 mission churches (churches that have not yet established their autonomy as _______________ - _______________ _______________) scattered across the United States and its territories. These congregations, comprised of numerous racial, ethnic, language, and socioeconomic people groups, are called “cooperating churches.” They have organized themselves to accomplish a specific set of _______________ and _______________ _______________. The Convention’s formal purpose statement is: i. . . to provide a general organization for Baptists in the United States and its territories for the promotion of _______________ _______________ at home and abroad and any other objects such as _______________ _______________, _______________ _______________, and _______________ _______________which it may deem proper and advisable for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God. (SBC Constitution, Article II) 3. What is the Southern Baptist Convention statement of faith? a. The Baptist Faith and Message _______________ i. It is the purpose of this statement of _______________and _______________ to set forth certain _______________which we _______________. 4. Purpose a. … eliciting, combining, and directing the energies of the Baptist denomination of Christians, for the _______________of the _______________, any law, usage, or custom to the contrary notwithstanding. – Charter of the Southern Baptist Convention, December 27, 1845 5. Vision a. Being fully committed to the proposition that Jesus Christ is the only hope for the world, and believing Southern Baptists are yearning for spiritual renewal and Christ-centered living, and recognizing the challenge of Jesus Page 1 of 4 Membership class (part 2 of 4) Wellspring Community Church to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, we, the undersigned Southern Baptist denominational leaders, covenant with each other and every willing Southern Baptist, under God, To make the kingdom of God the priority in our own personal lives. To dedicate the energies and resources of the ministries we lead to seeking first the King and His kingdom. To cooperate with each other and the family of Southern Baptists as we pursue kingdom principles and practices. To give ourselves to _______________ _______________that will assist and enable local churches in their ministry. To pray that a new passion for _______________ breaks out among our people, our families, and our churches from which God can forge a spiritual movement marked by holy _______________, _______________ _______________, and _______________ _______________. To this end we affirm Empowering Kingdom Growth as a call for Southern Baptists to seek first the King and His kingdom. – Adopted by the messengers to the 2002 Southern Baptist Convention in St. Louis, Missouri on June 11, 2002, in "A Covenant between Southern Baptist Denominational Leadership and the Churches" 6. Core Values a. _______________-_______________ i. We depend on the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and prayer to make us more like Jesus Christ. b. _______________ i. We stand together in the truth of God’s inerrant Word, celebrating the faith once for all delivered to the saints. c. _______________ i. We work together in love for the sake of the Gospel. d. _______________ i. We consider others more important than ourselves. e. _______________ i. We tell one another the truth in love and do what we say we will do. f. _______________ i. We value Southern Baptists of all generations and embrace our responsibility to pass this charge to a rising generation in every age, faithful until Jesus comes. g. _______________ _______________ i. We believe the local church is given the authority, power, and responsibility to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world. Page 2 of 4 Membership class (part 2 of 4) Wellspring Community Church h. _______________ i. We join other Christ-followers for the Gospel, the Kingdom of Christ, and the glory of God. – Adopted by the messengers to the 2010 Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando, Florida on June 15, 2010 in response to the Report of the Great Commission Task Force 7. Southern Baptist Entities (Picture) a. _______________ and _______________ _______________ Commission (Nashville, TN) b. _______________ _______________of the Southern Baptist (Nashville, TN) c. _______________ _______________Resources (Nashville, TN) d. _______________ _______________ _______________ (IMB) (Richmond, VA) e. _______________ _______________ _______________ (Nashville, TN) f. _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ (NAMB) (Alpharetta, GA) g. _______________ _______________ _______________ (WMU) (Birmingham, AL) h. _______________ _______________ 8. What sets Southern Baptist apart from others? a. _______________ _______________ (video) i. The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists’ unified plan of giving through which cooperating Southern Baptist churches give a percentage of their undesignated receipts in support of their respective state convention and the Southern Baptist Convention missions and ministries. ii. The Cooperative Program: Like a Mighty River (Picture) iii. _______________ _______________Christmas Offering (IMB) iv. _______________ _______________Easter Offering (NAMB) v. _______________ _______________Mission Offering (SCBO) vi. 2017-2018 Cooperative Program Allocation Budget (Picture) 1. Total budget _______________ 2. _______________World Missions a. _______________ International Mission Board b. _______________ North American Mission Board 3. _______________ Theological Education Ministries Page 3 of 4 Membership class (part 2 of 4) Wellspring Community Church a. _______________Seminaries b. _______________ Library and Archives 4. _______________ Executive Committee and SBC Operating Budget 5. _______________Christians Ethics and Religious Liberty Ministries a. Christians Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission 9. Question and answers? Page 4 of 4