CBF 102: Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina

CBF 102: Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina

Our Identity

We are a fellowship of North Carolina Baptists sharing a commitment to the lordship of Jesus
Christ, preserving historic Baptist freedoms, and calling out God’s gifts in Christians and churches to
engage in Christ-centered ministry in our state and around the world.

Our Mission

Bringing Baptists of North Carolina together for Christ-centered ministry

Our Principles

• Centrality and Authority of Scripture
We affirm the authority of scripture. We believe the Bible, under the Lordship of Christ, is central
in the life of the individual and church.
• Priesthood of All Believers
We affirm the freedom and right of every Christian to interpret and apply scripture under the
leadership of the Holy Spirit. We affirm the freedom and responsibility of every person to relate
directly to God without the imposition of creed, the control of clergy, or the interference of
government.
• Autonomy of the Local Church
We affirm that Baptist churches are free, under the Lordship of Christ and guidance of the Holy
Spirit, to determine their membership and leadership, to order their worship and work, to ordain
whomever they perceive as gifted for ministry, and to participate, as they deem appropriate in the
larger Body of Christ.
• Freedom of Religion
We affirm religious freedom for all people and the separation of church and state.

Our Values

• Lordship of Christ
We are bound together under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. He is the center of all that we think,
say, and do, and is our authority for faith and practice. By "taking the form of a servant,"
(Philippians 2:7) Jesus Christ is our model for leadership, ministry, and service. In our obedience
to the will of God, the love of Jesus shall be reflected in our relationships, fellowship, and
witness.
• Spiritual Formation
We are bound together in the practice of prayer and other spiritual disciplines. By nurturing life in
the Spirit and being empowered by the Spirit, we will strengthen our relationship with God and
our relationships with one another. We shall draw upon the breadth and depth of the Christian
tradition to under gird every facet of our ministry.
• Global Missions
We are bound together by a passion to fulfill the Great Commission in our communities and
throughout the world. Our strategy is to do global missions in a world without borders.

Our Ministries

• Missions
o North Carolina Missions – We coordinate missions initiatives within the state, with a
particular focus on the unreached and the most neglected.
o Church Planting – We partner with existing congregations to start new churches in North
Carolina.
o Missional Churches – We encourage and equip local churches to engage in God’s
mission in their communities and wherever they feel called.
o Global Missions – We support and participate in missions outside our state, including the
missions efforts of the larger CBF movement.
• Leadership Development
o We provide scholarships for students at partner Divinity schools, with a special emphasis
on North Carolina institutions.
o We conduct leadership development conferences, retreats and events for clergy and lay
leaders.
o We consult with congregational leaders concerning leadership development strategies
and resources.
o We help ministers (experienced and recent seminary graduates) and churches “find each
other” through a ministry of reference and referral.
• Faith Development
o We sponsor youth and children’s retreats several times throughout the year.
o We sponsor youth and children’s choir festivals.
o We conduct conferences and retreats on various topics related to spiritual formation and
faith development.
o We consult with congregational leaders concerning faith development strategies and
resources

Our Relationships

Our primary partners are the churches and individuals who comprise our fellowship. Our first
priority is to serve them. In addition to these core constituents, we also have significant relationships with
other ministry partners, two of which deserve special mention.
• Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (National) – CBFNC is grateful to be part of the larger CBF
movement of God’s people. Though funded and organized separately from CBF, we seek to be
the face of CBF in North Carolina by supporting and promoting CBF ministries in our state and
beyond, including global missions and theological education.
• Historic North Carolina Baptist Institutions and Agencies – We value the agencies,
institutions and ministries that have historically been part of the North Carolina Baptist family.
Though we do not seek to own, operate or control these ministries, we do seek to partner together
in mutual ministry and provide a channel for churches to fund these ministries through the
Mission Resource Plan.

Our Gatherings

• Annual General Assembly – Each year, our fellowship experiences a “family reunion” in the
form of the General Assembly. Usually held in a church, the assembly offers inspiring worship,
informative ministry workshops, helpful resources from various ministry partners, and rich
fellowship with Christians from around the state.
• Regional Fellowship Groups – Clergy and laity who share a common bond through CBF values
and commitments gather on a regular basis, often monthly, in several locations throughout our
state. Check our website or call our office to find out about a group in your area.

See also: Bringing Baptists of North Carolina Together for Christ-Centered Ministry - article by Randall Lolley.