Canadian National Baptist Convention
Encyclopedia
The Canadian National Baptist Convention (formerly Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists) is an organization of Baptist
churches in Canada in partnership with the Southern Baptist Convention
(SBC) in the United States.
s in British Columbia
would eventually lead to the establishment of the Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists (CCSB). Some churches participated in the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches
, but this affiliation proved unsatisfactory. Contact with the Southern Baptists, especially through the Northwest Baptist Bible College, increased the interest of Canadian churches in the Southern Baptist educational and evangelistic programs. In the fall of 1952, Northwest began using the Teacher Training Course of the SBC. Early in 1953, a pastor's conference recommended the Sunday School program of the Southern Baptist Sunday School Board.
Regular Baptists in British Columbia were divided over the "Southern Baptist issue". In October 1953, the Emmanuel Baptist Church of Vancouver, British Columbia joined the Baptist General Convention of Oregon-Washington, an affiliate of the Southern Baptist Convention, while also maintaining membership in the Regular Baptist Convention of British Columbia. The Oregon-Washington Convention determined it would assist affiliated churches, but would not initiate any new work in Canada. At the B. C. Regular Baptist Convention in 1955, several resolutions were directed against the Emmanuel Church (now called Kingcrest Southern Baptist Church) and the Southern Baptists. This caused Kingcrest and four other churches to withdraw from the B. C. Convention and affiliate with only the Southern Baptists in the northwest. Though these Canadian churches were members of the Oregon-Washington Convention, they were unable to affiliate directly with the SBC, because of questions relating to the wording of the SBC Constitution.
The first SBC association in Canada, the Capilano Association of Vancouver (now the WestCoast Baptist Association), was organized in 1955. The Canadian Southern Baptist Pastor's Conference was formed in February 1959. The Midwest Baptist Association of Alberta and Saskatchewan was formed in 1957. In 1960 churches in British Columbia established the Plateau Association. The forerunner of the CNBC, the Canadian Southern Baptist Conference, was formed in 1963 and superseded the Pastor's Conference. In 1985 the Canadian Southern Baptist Conference adopted a new constitution and became the Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists. In July 2008, the convention voted to change its name to the Canadian National Baptist Convention (In French: Convention Nationale Baptiste Canadienne).
. Its official publication, Baptist Horizon is published 8 times per year and is also available online at the CNBC web site. The Convention engages in specific men's, women's, youth and university ministries. The CNBC maintains a Foundation for receiving financial contributions, labors in Canadian church planting, and partners in global missions with the International Mission Board of the SBC. The National Leadership Board, elected by Convention messengers, is the highest operating board within the organization.
.
Southern Baptists in Canada have expanded from one church in British Columbia in 1953 to 234 churches and congregation seeds in 10 provinces and 2 territories as of September 2006. The geographic breakdown of CNBC congregations is as follows: British Columbia (70), Alberta (45), Quebec (41), Ontario (40), Saskatchewan (21), New Brunswick (5), Prince Edward Island (5), Nova Scotia (2), Manitoba (2), Newfoundland (1), Yukon (1), Northwest Terrorities (1). By the end of 2007, the number of churches across the country had grown to 271.
There were 11,578 members in the CNBC churches in 2005. The largest concentration of churches remains in western Canada. The vision of the CNBC is "1,000 healthy, reproducing, cooperating churches by 2020."
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 in Canada in partnership with the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
(SBC) in the United States.
History
Dissatisfaction among some Regular BaptistRegular Baptist
Regular Baptists are a diverse group of Baptists in the United States and Canada. The presence of the modifier "Regular" in their names attests to the strong influence of the early Regular Baptists on the growth of Baptists in North America. Two strains of Baptists emigrated from England to America...
s in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
would eventually lead to the establishment of the Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists (CCSB). Some churches participated in the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches
General Association of Regular Baptist Churches
The General Association of Regular Baptist Churches is one of several Baptist groups in North America retaining the name "Regular Baptist"....
, but this affiliation proved unsatisfactory. Contact with the Southern Baptists, especially through the Northwest Baptist Bible College, increased the interest of Canadian churches in the Southern Baptist educational and evangelistic programs. In the fall of 1952, Northwest began using the Teacher Training Course of the SBC. Early in 1953, a pastor's conference recommended the Sunday School program of the Southern Baptist Sunday School Board.
Regular Baptists in British Columbia were divided over the "Southern Baptist issue". In October 1953, the Emmanuel Baptist Church of Vancouver, British Columbia joined the Baptist General Convention of Oregon-Washington, an affiliate of the Southern Baptist Convention, while also maintaining membership in the Regular Baptist Convention of British Columbia. The Oregon-Washington Convention determined it would assist affiliated churches, but would not initiate any new work in Canada. At the B. C. Regular Baptist Convention in 1955, several resolutions were directed against the Emmanuel Church (now called Kingcrest Southern Baptist Church) and the Southern Baptists. This caused Kingcrest and four other churches to withdraw from the B. C. Convention and affiliate with only the Southern Baptists in the northwest. Though these Canadian churches were members of the Oregon-Washington Convention, they were unable to affiliate directly with the SBC, because of questions relating to the wording of the SBC Constitution.
The first SBC association in Canada, the Capilano Association of Vancouver (now the WestCoast Baptist Association), was organized in 1955. The Canadian Southern Baptist Pastor's Conference was formed in February 1959. The Midwest Baptist Association of Alberta and Saskatchewan was formed in 1957. In 1960 churches in British Columbia established the Plateau Association. The forerunner of the CNBC, the Canadian Southern Baptist Conference, was formed in 1963 and superseded the Pastor's Conference. In 1985 the Canadian Southern Baptist Conference adopted a new constitution and became the Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists. In July 2008, the convention voted to change its name to the Canadian National Baptist Convention (In French: Convention Nationale Baptiste Canadienne).
Ministries
The CNBC headquarters and its seminary, the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary & College, are located in Cochrane, AlbertaCochrane, Alberta
Cochrane is a town in the Canadian province of Alberta. The town is located 18 km west of the Calgary city limits along Highway 1A. With a population of 15,424 , Cochrane is the second largest town in Alberta and one of the fastest growing communities in Canada...
. Its official publication, Baptist Horizon is published 8 times per year and is also available online at the CNBC web site. The Convention engages in specific men's, women's, youth and university ministries. The CNBC maintains a Foundation for receiving financial contributions, labors in Canadian church planting, and partners in global missions with the International Mission Board of the SBC. The National Leadership Board, elected by Convention messengers, is the highest operating board within the organization.
Current status
Local churches are autonomous, but must vote to apply for membership in the CNBC. Applications must be approved in annual session by voting messengers of the Convention body. The official statement of faith of this Convention is the Baptist Faith and MessageBaptist Faith and Message
The Baptist Faith and Message is the confession of faith of the Southern Baptist Convention . It summarizes key Southern Baptist thought in the areas of the Bible and its authority, the nature of God as expressed by the Trinity, the spiritual condition of man, God's plan of grace and salvation,...
.
Southern Baptists in Canada have expanded from one church in British Columbia in 1953 to 234 churches and congregation seeds in 10 provinces and 2 territories as of September 2006. The geographic breakdown of CNBC congregations is as follows: British Columbia (70), Alberta (45), Quebec (41), Ontario (40), Saskatchewan (21), New Brunswick (5), Prince Edward Island (5), Nova Scotia (2), Manitoba (2), Newfoundland (1), Yukon (1), Northwest Terrorities (1). By the end of 2007, the number of churches across the country had grown to 271.
There were 11,578 members in the CNBC churches in 2005. The largest concentration of churches remains in western Canada. The vision of the CNBC is "1,000 healthy, reproducing, cooperating churches by 2020."
Sources
- Baptists Around the World, by Albert W. Wardin, Jr.
- Encyclopedia of Southern Baptists, Vol. III, Davis C. Woolley, editor
- Canadian National Baptist Convention
External links
- Canadian National Baptist Convention - official Web Site