Southern Baptists of Texas Convention facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Southern Baptists of Texas Convention |
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| Classification | Western Christian |
| Orientation | Protestant |
| Scripture | Bible |
| Theology | Baptist |
| Polity | Congregational |
| Governance | Executive Board |
| Executive Director | Nathan Lorick |
| Associations | Southern Baptist Convention |
| Region | Texas |
| Headquarters | Grapevine, Texas |
| Separated from | Baptist General Convention of Texas |
| Congregations | 2,300 (2011) |
| Other name(s) | Southern Baptists of Texas |
The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC) is a group of Baptist churches in Texas. They work closely with the Southern Baptist Convention, a larger national group of Baptists.
The SBTC was formed by churches that wanted to partner more closely with the national Southern Baptist Convention. These churches believed strongly in the Bible's truth. In 2011, about 2,300 churches were part of the SBTC.
Contents
How the SBTC Started
The very first group that led to the SBTC was called the Conservative Baptist Fellowship of Texas. Members of this group joined other Baptists to form the Southern Baptists of Texas in 1995. This group worked within the Baptist General Convention of Texas for a while.
Forming a New Convention
Later, in 1998, the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention was officially created. The groups before the SBTC wanted a closer connection between the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Southern Baptist Convention. This was especially true during a time of change in the national group.
However, the Baptist General Convention of Texas did not fully agree with the new directions of the national Southern Baptist Convention. Because of this, the Southern Baptists of Texas decided to form their own state convention in November 1998. Even though this new convention was independent, it quickly formed strong partnerships with the national Southern Baptist Convention.
Growing and Guiding Beliefs
As the SBTC grew, it adopted the Baptist Faith and Message from the Southern Baptist Convention. This document, updated in 2000, explains what Baptists believe. The main goal of the SBTC is to help spread the Christian message. They want to support the work of the Southern Baptist Convention and Baptist churches in Texas.
Churches can join the SBTC if they agree with its statement of faith. They must also agree to work within its rules and cooperate with the convention.
Some new Baptist groups have been started by SBTC churches. One example is the North Texas Baptist Association in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. However, the SBTC itself does not push for these new groups to form. Most SBTC churches choose to stay with their older, existing associations.
Working with Other Groups
The SBTC does not own or run its own colleges or other ministries. However, it works with many other organizations. These groups are either owned by the Southern Baptist Convention or are closely related to them.
For example, the Southern Baptists of Texas works with Criswell College in Dallas. They also have a connection with Jacksonville College. Jacksonville College, however, is run by a different group called the Baptist Missionary Association of America.
Overall, the SBTC partners with many parts of the Southern Baptist Convention. These include:
- The North American Mission Board for starting new churches.
- The International Mission Board for missions around the world.
- Guidestone Financial Resources, which helps with financial planning.
- Lifeway, which provides Christian materials.
- Several seminaries (schools for religious studies) like Gateway Seminary, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
