Baptist State Convention of North Carolina

The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSCNC) is an autonomous association of Baptist churches in the state of North Carolina.[1] It is one of the state conventions associated with the Southern Baptist Convention.[2] Headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, the convention is made up of 77 Baptist associations and around 4,300 churches as of 2012. The convention is led by three officers, elected annually during the annual meeting of the convention. The convention is also led by an Executive Director-Treasurer (EDT). The current EDT is Rev. Todd Unzinger, who was elected by the convention in May 2021.[3]

History

The convention was founded on March 26, 1830, in Greenville.[4] Two of its thirteen founders were Thomas Meredith, who also helped to draft its constitution,[5] and Samuel Wait, future first president of Wake Forest University.[6]

In 1832, the convention established its newspaper, originally a monthly paper called the Interpreter edited by Meredith, but which in 1835 changed to a weekly paper entitled the Biblical Recorder. It was later to be merged with the Southern Watchman, to become the Recorder and Watchman.[4] Also in 1832, the convention resolved to purchase a farm "for the establishment of a Baptist Literary Institution on the Manual Labor Principle". A committee, comprising J.G. Hall, W.R. Hinton, J. Purify, A.S. Wynn, and S. J. Jeffreys was formed to raise USD2,000 for its purchase. This institution was named Wake Forest Institute, which began operation on 1834-02-01, initially serving 25 students. In 1839, this was renamed to Wake Forest College.[4]

The convention acquired Buies Creek Academy in 1925. It still owned it when, in 1979 it became Campbell University.[7]

In 1975, after extensive and vigorous discussion, the BSCNC adopted the following resolution, that contributed to it having more women deacons than any other state in the South, apart from Virginia, by 2005:[8]

Whereas "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male or female; for ye are all one in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:28);

Whereas it is the right and responsibility of all Christians to witness in God's name through proclaiming the Word, offering physical and spiritual comfort to those in need, and engagin in constructive participation in a Christian church;

Whereas the New Testament cites several examples ... of women who responded to God's call with devoted service;

Whereas women today are still dedicating their lived to the Lord;

Therefore be it resolved that the Baptist State Convention in annual session, November 10–12, 1975, recognizing the freedom of conscience in the believer, affirms the right of all Christian women to follow God's will in their lives, including those whose call leads to ordination and professional ministry.

— Baptist State Convention of North Carolina[8]

Today

As of 2000, there were 3,717 Southern Baptist congregations in North Carolina, with 1,512,058 adherents.[9] Agencies included Provision Financial Resources,[10] which manages the funds of individuals and organizations, and the Biblical Recorder newspaper, which it purchased in 1930.[11] As of 2012, there were over 4,300 Southern Baptist congregations in North Carolina.[12]

Affiliated institutions

In 2007, the executive committee and Board of Directors of the Convention affirmed a proposal to create a new relationship between the convention and the five affiliated schools. Messengers approved the proposal at the 2007 annual meeting and gave final approval in 2008, thus allowing the schools to elect all their trustees annually. Direct financial support from the convention was phased out over a four-year period, and the five schools then entered into a mutually voluntary partnership.[13]

The Baptist State Convention also recognizes a historical relationship with the historic educational institutions based on its founding of Wake Forest University, in 1834 and Meredith College in 1898. These institutions do not receive funding from the convention, nor are their boards and administration members elected by the convention. They simply acknowledge a historical relationship with their founding body, the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

Affiliated organizations

Retreat centers

References

  1. ^ Warner, Greg. (December 2, 2005). "Moderates in N.C. ponder 'realignment' to bypass conservative convention". Associated Baptist Press. Archived from the original on 2012-03-02. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  2. ^ "State Conventions and Local Associations: North carolina". Southern Baptist Convention. Archived from the original on 26 August 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-25.
  3. ^ https://www.brnow.org/news/unzicker-elected-to-lead-n-c-baptist-convention/
  4. ^ a b c S. J. Wheeler (1853). "North Carolina". In John Lansing Burrows (ed.). American Baptist register, for 1852. American Baptist Publication Society.
  5. ^ Bernard H. Cochran (2005). "Thomas Meredith". In Samuel S. Hill; Charles H. Lippy; Charles Reagan Wilson (eds.). Encyclopedia of religion in the South (2nd ed.). Mercer University Press. p. 494. ISBN 978-0-86554-758-2.
  6. ^ "History of Wake Forest University". Wfu.edu. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  7. ^ Randall Herbert Balmer (2002). "Campbell University". Encyclopedia of evangelicalism. Westminster John Knox Press. pp. 104–105. ISBN 978-0-664-22409-7.
  8. ^ a b Charles W. Deweese (2005). Women deacons and deaconesses: 400 years of Baptist service. Mercer University Press. p. 114. ISBN 978-0-86554-438-3.
  9. ^ "State Membership Report: North Carolina". The Association of Religion Data Archives. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
  10. ^ https://www.provision.org/partners
  11. ^ "Agencies". Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. Archived from the original on 2010-07-06. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
  12. ^ "Churches urged to increase giving, lead global missions advance". BSCNC Public Relations Office. Retrieved 2012-12-17.[permanent dead link‍]
  13. ^ Rutledge, John (2007-11-23). "N.C. Baptists cut WMU funding, loosen ties with colleges". Baptist Standard. Retrieved 2023-03-24.

Further reading

  • W. Perry Crouch (1974). Baptist State Convention of North Carolina: at work in the 1970s. General Board of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.
  • William Cathcart (1881). "The Baptists of North Carolina". The Baptist Encyclopedia. Baptist History Series. Vol. 2 (reprinted by The Baptist Standard Bearer, Inc. 2001 ed.). Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts. p. 854. ISBN 978-1-57978-910-7.
  • Livingston Johnson (1908). History of the North Carolina Baptist State Convention. Raleigh, NC: Edwards & Broughton.
  • Davis C. Wooley, ed. (1958). "Baptist State Convention of North Carolina". Encyclopedia of Southern Baptists. Vol. 2. Broadman Press. pp. 999–1005.