Established in May, 1845, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is the largest protestant denomination in the United States (over 16 million members,over 43 thousand churches, over $10 billion in annual giving) and is one of the fastest growing religious bodies.The SBC consists of churches voluntarily cooperating with each other for the furtherance of the Gospel. There is no denominational hierarchy, but denominational officials exist to assist churches in accomplishing the Great Commission.
     Pastors of SBC churches serve at the call of the individual church, without denominational control or interference.
Churches assist in the overall mission of the denomination by the voluntary and non-mandated giving of funds through the SBC Cooperative Program and through participation in planned denominational activities.
     Each church is independent and autonomous, free to use SBC materials, follow SBC plans and programs, and support SBC activities as the church body decides.
     Churches elect messengers to the various denominational assemblies, and these messengers determine the course of the many programs and institutions of these bodies.
     In addition to the National SBC, the denomination has forty state conventions (some serving more than one state) and
1,194 Baptist Associations.

     The SBC is distinguished from other denominations by three key factors:
     1)  Baptists are a people of the Book— we insist upon the Bible as our sole authority for the conduct of life. We turn, not to the church, to personal experience, to reason or to creed, but to the Bible.
     2)  We are unashamedly Evangelistic. Every person in the world needs Jesus, and we share the gospel in all we do.
     3)  Southern Baptists support their many denominational activities financially through our unique Cooperative Program. Each church determines how they will voluntarily support the programs and ministries of the denomination; many churches and ministries are recipients of CP funds.

 SOUTHERN BAPTIST AGENCIES:

NORTH AMERICAN MISSION BOARD
     NAMB supports over 5000 field missionaries and more than 300,000 volunteers in the US, Puerto Rico, Canada, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands. These missionaries assist churches and church planting, evangelism, literacy training, hunger relief, and assist with many other needs.

INTERNATIONAL MISSION BOARD
     The IMB sponsors more than 5000 missionaries working with some 1500 people groups in many countries around the world. Missionaries are supported financially through the Cooperative Program and are not required to “earn” their own support to stay on the field.

SHORT-TERM MISSIONS opportunities are available for volunteer workers every year, and many churches regularly send mission teams to meet specific requests for assistance.

ETHICS and RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMISSION
The ERLC is active in the public sector, keeping Christians informed of legal and legislative issues that affect our nation. The Commission speaks on our behalf in legal and government proceedings, making the Christian voice and viewpoint known.

The SBC supports six SEMINARIES of higher education to train and equip persons for ministry. Numerous other colleges are supported by state or local SBC entities. One-fifth of all US seminary students are in an SBC seminary.