Baptist General Conference of Canada
Encyclopedia
Baptist General Conference of Canada (BGCC) is a national body of evangelical Baptist
churches introduced to Canada
by Swedish Baptists late in the 19th century.
The BGCC was formed in 1981, but has roots in Swedish Baptist missionary work in Winnipeg and Quebec
. A church was formed in Quebec in 1892 and another in Winnipeg in 1894. The Quebec church no longer exists. The Grant Memorial Baptist Church in Winnipeg is the oldest surviving Canadian BGC church. Though organized into regional conferences, these churches were also affiliated with the Baptist Union of Western Canada (BUWC) for the first half of the 20th century. The Central Canada Baptist Conference and the Baptist General Conference in Alberta withdrew from the BUWC in 1948 and 1949, respectively. The BGCC churches were affiliated with the Baptist General Conference
in the United States until 1981. Beginning in 1977, the three districts then in existence - Baptist General Conference in Alberta, British Columbia Baptist Conference and Central Canada Baptist Conference - started exploring the possibilities of working together to evangelize Canada and the world. At the second meeting of the representatives, a recommendation came to organize a General Conference.
The BGC churches in Canada are organized into 5 district conferences (BGC Alberta, BGC Central Canada, BGC Quebec, BGC Saskatchewan, and British Columbia Baptist Conference) and cooperate through the General Conference. Headquarters are located in Edmonton, Alberta. The BGCC operates a number of ministries, including the Canadian Baptist Seminary, Global Missions and Stewardship Foundation, and is affiliated with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. In 2006, there were 8116 members in 104 churches.
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
churches introduced to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
by Swedish Baptists late in the 19th century.
The BGCC was formed in 1981, but has roots in Swedish Baptist missionary work in Winnipeg and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. A church was formed in Quebec in 1892 and another in Winnipeg in 1894. The Quebec church no longer exists. The Grant Memorial Baptist Church in Winnipeg is the oldest surviving Canadian BGC church. Though organized into regional conferences, these churches were also affiliated with the Baptist Union of Western Canada (BUWC) for the first half of the 20th century. The Central Canada Baptist Conference and the Baptist General Conference in Alberta withdrew from the BUWC in 1948 and 1949, respectively. The BGCC churches were affiliated with the Baptist General Conference
Baptist General Conference
The Baptist General Conference is a national evangelical Baptist body with roots in Pietism in Sweden and inroads among evangelical Scandinavian-Americans, particularly in the American Upper Midwest. From its beginning among Scandinavian immigrants, the BGC has grown to a nationwide association...
in the United States until 1981. Beginning in 1977, the three districts then in existence - Baptist General Conference in Alberta, British Columbia Baptist Conference and Central Canada Baptist Conference - started exploring the possibilities of working together to evangelize Canada and the world. At the second meeting of the representatives, a recommendation came to organize a General Conference.
The BGC churches in Canada are organized into 5 district conferences (BGC Alberta, BGC Central Canada, BGC Quebec, BGC Saskatchewan, and British Columbia Baptist Conference) and cooperate through the General Conference. Headquarters are located in Edmonton, Alberta. The BGCC operates a number of ministries, including the Canadian Baptist Seminary, Global Missions and Stewardship Foundation, and is affiliated with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. In 2006, there were 8116 members in 104 churches.
Sources
- Albert W. Wardin, Jr.: Baptists Around the World
- H. Leon McBeth: The Baptist Heritage: Four Centuries of Baptist Witness
External links
- Baptist General Conference of Canada - official Web Site