Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

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Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

Background
Christianity
Protestantism
Anabaptists

Baptist theology
London Confession, 1689
New Hampshire Confession, 1833
Baptist Faith & Message

Doctrinal distinctives
Autonomy of the local church
Priesthood of believers
Two ordinances
Individual soul liberty
Separation of church and state
Two offices

People
John Smyth
Thomas Helwys
Jimmy Carter

Related organizations

Seminaries
Baptist Seminary of Kentucky
Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond
Baptist Studies Program - Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University
Campbell University Divinity School
Baptist Studies Program - Candler School of Theology at Emory University
Central Baptist Theological Seminary
Baptist House of Studies - Duke Divinity School at Duke University
Baptist University of the Americas
International Baptist Theological Seminary of the European Baptist Federation
M. Christopher White School of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University
Logsdon School of Theology at Hardin-Simmons University
McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University
George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University
Wake Forest University Divinity School

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Inc. (CBF) - "a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission of Jesus Christ and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice."

According to the current Coordinator, Daniel Vestal, the "CBF was given birth after 15 years of SBC strife." The CBF was officially organized in May 1991, the culmination of a struggle between conservatives and moderates for control of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Beginning in 1979 (when Adrian Rogers was elected president of the SBC) to the present, every conservative candidate for President of the SBC has been successfully elected. Frustrated moderates, who had previously controlled the presidency, began to think of alternatives. The 1990 Consultation of Concerned Southern Baptists, held in Atlanta, Georgia, preceded the organization of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and helped pave the way for its formation.

According to Vestal, the CBF "...differ[s] organizationally, philosophically and intentionally from the old models." Membership in the Fellowship is made up of individual Baptists, Baptist churches (and members of these churches) who contribute annually to the ministries and operations of the Fellowship. All members are entitled to vote at the General Assembly, which meets annually. Governance of the CBF is guided by its Constitution and By-laws. The General Assembly elects a Coordinating Council, which meets three times a year to plan missions and ministries. This council is led by a moderator, who is elected annually by the General Assembly. There are 19 state and regional organizations affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. The primary offices of the CBF and a Resource Center are located in Atlanta. The operating budget of the CBF for 2002-2003 was 19.3 million dollars. Around 1,700 churches contribute to the Fellowship's budget. The "fellowship!" newsletter is published 10 times per year and is distributed at no charge to those who request it.

The CBF operates with a very ecumenical outlook and seeks partnerships with other Baptists and other Christians. Despite its resistance to becoming a denomination, the Fellowship applied to and has recently been received as a member of the Baptist World Alliance.

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