We are a fellowship of Baptists in North Carolina sharing a commitment to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in our midst, and a reverence for God’s Word. Our oneness is expressed through a devotion to historic Baptist principles of faith and practice. This devotion calls us to join together in responding to Jesus’ call to go into all the world to share God’s love (Matthew 28:19-20).
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.
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.
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.
We affirm religious freedom for all people and the separation of church and state.
Read an article from Executive Coordinator Larry Hovis on the Four Fragile Freedoms of Baptists, published in our newsletter, The Gathering, HERE.
In addition to our commitment to Baptist principles, we honor these values:
We embrace the Christian community we share beyond our local congregations and come together frequently for worship, education, fellowship and service.
We exist to participate in the mission of God in the world rather than to perpetuate organizational structures. We believe God has a call for each Christian, each congregation and each ministry agency. We help in the discerning, equipping and implementing of that call.
We respect the calling and passions of other Christians (individuals, congregations, organizations and institutions) and commit to minister with them as mutual partners, actively working together to pursue a common mission.
We enlist servant-leaders from local churches who guide us in understanding the needs of their congregations and communities. We seek leaders who reflect the multi-faced make-up of our fellowship.
We aim to be adaptable, responsive and relevant so that we may act quickly and effectively as new needs and ministry opportunities arise.
We draw upon the breadth and depth of the whole Christian tradition to undergird our common life and ministry. Our life together is shaped through the practice of prayer and other spiritual disciplines.
We are committed to Christian higher education and lifelong learning to equip all baptized believers for mission and ministry. We also support equipping persons called by God to vocational ministry through quality theological education.
“Be transformed by the renewing of your minds” (Romans 12:2)
We serve a God who declares, “Behold, I am making all things new” (Revelation 21:5) Transformation is the work of the Spirit in the lives of Christians, congregations, mission partners, and the world. We are concerned for the conversion of all people into the image of Jesus, for the ongoing growth and spiritual formation of Christians, for creative and innovative missional collaboration, and for the renewal of all creation. We desire to be agents of God’s newness.
“Be doers of the word” (James 1:22)
We seek to be engaged with the world and with our communities. We want to follow the foremost commandment of Jesus to love God with all we are and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Luke 10:27). CBFNC desires to assist congregations and Christians in discovering and fulfilling their divinely-appointed mission. Our greatest potential for engagement is through the incarnational living of the members of every congregation. We want to connect followers of Jesus who share a common missional calling and passion. We envision a future for CBFNC that focuses on the mission of God in the world. We desire to be agents of God’s love for connecting Christians and congregations to that mission and encouraging them in their ministries.
“Be devoted to one another in love” (Romans 12:10)
Our name—Fellowship—points toward our deep desire for connection. We seek that beautiful Scriptural experience expressed by the word koinonia. CBFNC exists to support connections among congregations and Christians, to facilitate conversation, and to create missional partnerships and networks within our fellowship, as well as the broader Christian and religious communities. We need to live in fellowship and partnership with one another because it bears witness to the unity of the Body of Christ. We need one another in order to grow in faithfulness and effectiveness; innovation and creativity flourish more readily and abundantly in community. We desire to build community among the congregations, individuals and partners of our Fellowship, so that we can be agents of God’s reconciliation in the world.
Support and strengthen ministry leaders and the churches they serve.
Partner with churches and missional catalysts to embrace neighbors with the love of Christ in our communities, state, and world.
Engage emerging generations of Cooperative Baptists for discipleship and leadership in congregations and our Fellowship.
