Entities within the
Florida Baptist Convention

“FOR YOUR INFORMATION” —Description of entities within the Florida Baptist State Convention

A Baptist church is a voluntary fellowship of people who profess a belief in Jesus Christ as personal Savior. Each autonomous church determines, under the Lordship of Christ, its own program and work. The churches establish general bodies so that they may be able to do together that which they cannot do separately. Such general bodies include regional associations, state conventions, and the Southern Baptist Convention. The general bodies do not have relations of inferiority or superiority, but work cooperatively.

The Florida Baptist State Convention meets once each year. Technically, it is made up of duly elected delegates or “messengers” from Southern Baptist churches that are in cooperation with the state convention. To carry on its work throughout the year, the Convention has delegated certain areas of responsibility to its agencies and its State Board of Missions. The Florida Baptist Convention is an incorporated administrative body within the Florida Baptist State Convention. Funds to support Southern Baptist causes are given by the churches through the unified mission budget—the Cooperative Program—and through designations.

The State Board of Missions is a central coordination body for the state convention. It acts for the state convention in interim, as the convention’s principal advisory committee.

FLORIDA BAPTIST CONGREGATIONS (YEAR-TO-DATE)

Predominately Anglo churches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,912

Language churches (21 nationalities/languages) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .629

African-American churches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218

TOTAL CHURCHES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,759

HIGHLIGHTS– 2006 (most recent available)

Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,041,061

Baptisms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,461

Sunday School Enrollment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572,263

Total Gifts Received by Churches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $787,169,198

Mission Gifts made through State Convention . . . . . . . . . . $54,800,000