Southern Baptist Convention

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC)] is a United States-based Christian denomination. While most of the churches that make up the SBC are in the USA, some are outside of the USA. The Convention began in the Southern United States, it is now "in name only" that the denomination is Southern and more members are in that region other regions. The name Southern Baptist Convention refers both to the denomination and to its annual meeting of members. They split from the northern Baptists in 1845 over the slavery question. At the time, the SBC was against ending slavery. In 1995 the SBC apologized and denounced slavery as evil and sinful. Some Southern Baptists refer to the convention as the Great Commission Baptist Convention, which the denomination also accepts.

Southern Baptist Convention
Motto	Reaching the world for Christ.
Formation	May 8-12, 1845
Type	Protestant * Christian
Headquarters	Augusta, Georgia
Website	http://www.sbc.net/

The Southern Baptist Convention is the largest protestant denomination and has many avenues of ministry, including but not limited to compassion ministries such as Disaster Relief and children's homes, seminaries for training and equipping men and women for ministry and theological/philosophical education, the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board equipping and sending missionaries to spread the Gospel and seek the lost and glorify God. The SBC is different from other denominations as it respects and upholds each individual church's right of autonomy. This means the SBC has no jurisdiction, power, or direct influence on how a state convention, local association, or church operates. In fact, the SBC is the only denomination operating with a bottom-to-top leadership and voting style. Each church sends messengers (voters) to the associational meeting (if applicable), state convention, and the meeting of the SBC. One of the goals of this style of operation is to keep everything clear, above reproach, and (above all) biblical.

Year	Membership
1845	350,000
1860	650,000
1875	1,260,000
1890	1,240,000
1905	1,900,000
1920	3,150,000
1935	4,480,000
1950	7,080,000
1965	10,780,000
1980	13,700,000
1995	15,400,000
2000	15,900,000
2005	16,600,000
2015	15,300,000
Source

Southern Baptist Convention Media

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  First Baptist Church in Charleston, South Carolina

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  Gillfield Baptist Church was the largest Black American congregation within the Portsmouth Association of the Triennial Convention, preceding the north-south split and formation of Southern Baptists

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  Original location of First Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia

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  First African Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky

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  First African Baptist Church, Savannah, Georgia, constructed 1856

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  U.S. President George W. Bush meets with the leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention in 2006 in the Oval Office at the White House. Pictured with the President are Morris Chapman, left, Frank Page and his wife Dayle Page.

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  Fred Luter Jr. was the first African American president of the Southern Baptists

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  Former Lifeway Christian Resources headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee.

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  Chinese Southern Baptist Church in Seattle, Washington

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  Full-immersion baptism is the accepted mode of baptism among the Southern Baptist Convention

Other websites

• Official SBC website