National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc.

Last updated
National Baptist Convention of America International
NBCA logo.png
Emblem
AbbreviationNBCA
Type Western Christian
Classification Protestant
Orientation Baptist
Polity Congregationalist
PresidentDr. Samuel C. Tolbert Jr.
General SecretaryRev. Shelton C. Dixon
Chief Operating OfficerLangston E. Gaither
Associations World Council of Churches; Baptist World Alliance
Regionmainly the United States and Canada but has a presence in Africa
FounderRev. R. H. Boyd
Origin1915
Separated from National Baptist Convention
Separations National Missionary Baptist Convention of America (separated 1988)
Congregations12,336
Members3,106,000
Other name(s)National Baptist Convention of America (very common), Boyd Convention, National Baptist Convention

The National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc., (NBCA Intl or NBCA) more commonly known as the National Baptist Convention of America or sometimes the Boyd Convention, is an association of Baptist Christian churches based in the United States. It is a predominantly African American Baptist denomination, and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. [1] The National Baptist Convention of America has members in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and Africa. The current president of the National Baptist Convention of America is Dr. Samuel C. Tolbert Jr. of Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Contents

History

In 1915, leaders and pastors of the National Baptist Convention, USA disputed the ownership and operation of the independently-owned National Baptist Publishing Board in Nashville, Tennessee. The National Baptist Publishing Board was founded and led by Rev. R. H. Boyd out of concern with publishing companies established and led by white Baptists. He did not have financial support from the NBC USA and financed it himself using real estate in Texas and assistance from the Southern Baptist Convention. [2]

The National Baptist Publishing Board fulfilled Boyd's goal of providing black Baptists with religious materials written by other black Baptists, primarily periodicals and Sunday School materials, but also including some books. At its beginning, the National Baptist Publishing Board took over responsibility for publishing the National Baptist Magazine and it launched the new Teacher's Monthly in 1897. The company started making a profit as early as the first quarter of 1897, when it distributed more than 180,000 copies of published materials. [2] The National Baptist Publishing Board became the principal source of religious publications for black Baptists worldwide. [3]

By 1906, it grew to become the largest African American publishing company in the United States. [2] It is credited with being the first publisher of the old songs of Negro slaves, and it produced more than 25 songbooks and hymnals by 1921, including Golden Gems: A Song Book for the Church Choir, the Pew, and Sunday School (1901) and The National Baptist Hymnal (1903). [4] Its publications are considered to have played a key role in establishing an African American Baptist religious and racial identity in the United States. [5]

The dispute between Boyd and the NBC USA began due to the National Baptist Publishing Board's success. Pastors and other leaders within the convention were suspicious of the company and sought greater control, while Boyd asserted that the National Baptist Publishing Board was independent. The publishing company was incorporated as an independent entity in 1898. Boyd, who served as the National Baptist Convention secretary of missions from 1896 to 1914 while also leading the National Baptist Publishing Board, claimed that the company regularly contributed some of its profits to the missionary work of the NBC USA, but this was disputed. [2] [6]

Following confrontations at the annual meeting of the National Baptist Convention in Chicago in 1915, Boyd and his supporters formed the National Baptist Convention of America, which became known informally as "National Baptist Convention, Unincorporated," and was sometimes derisively called the "Boyd National Convention." [6] [2] The leaders remaining in the original convention incorporated in 1916, adopting the name "National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc." The National Baptist Convention, USA, sued unsuccessfully to obtain ownership of the National Baptist Publishing Board and subsequently created its own Sunday School publishing board. [2] In 1988, another controversy surrounding the publishing board (now the R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation) led to the formation of the National Missionary Baptist Convention of America in 1988.

From 1986 to 2003, the convention was led Rev. E. Edward Jones, a civil rights icon who was the pastor for fifty-seven years of the Galilee Baptist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana. [7]

In the early 2000s, the NBCA participated in the Joint National Baptist Convention, [8] which it joined again for the 2024 session. [9]

The NBCA's headquarters were formerly located in Dallas, Texas. In 2017 the convention moved its headquarters to Louisville, Kentucky on the campus of Simmons College of Kentucky during the tenure of Dr. Samuel C. Tolbert Jr. By 2018 under his leadership, the convention affiliated with the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky (primarily affiliated with the theologically moderate to progressive Cooperative Baptist Fellowship). [10] [11] It also hosted a conference with the theologically liberal Progressive National Baptist Convention in 2018 alongside the Cooperative Baptists. [12]

Statistics

In 1944, the convention had 2,352,339 members, and in 2000, the National Baptist Convention of America grew to about 3.5 million members. [13] It became the third-largest predominantly African American Christian body in the United States after the National Baptist Convention, USA and the Church of God in Christ. In 2022, its membership stagnated with an estimated 3.5 million members in approximately 4,000 churches according to a separate study by the Baptist World Alliance. [1] According to the World Council of Churches, it had a membership of 5,000,000 members. [14]

Some members of this convention have dual affiliation with other Baptist denominations, and the National Baptist Convention of America promotes partnership with the Cooperative Baptists "to engage in multi- racial experiences of worship, fellowship, disaster relief, educational advancement and healthy dialogue that brings about oneness in the body of Christ. Local member NBCA and CBF churches develop stronger ties for the work they embark upon together to the Glory of God." [15]

Doctrine

The National Baptist Convention of America's members denounce same-sex marriage and same-sex unions, and as the NBC USA, they consider homosexuality an illegitimate expression of God's will. [16] The National Baptist Convention of America also doctrinally rejects the ordination of women, though some congregations throughout the United States and Canada have attempted to ordain women as deacons, ministers, and pastors. [17]

Its ecumenical partners (the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Chicago Theological Seminary of the United Church of Christ) [18] [19] permit women's ordination, and some of them affirm same-sex marriage as well as gender transition. [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] In response to the theological differences between the Cooperative and National Baptists, NBCA president Dr. Tolbert in 2020 stated, "We get more done realizing we don't have to agree on everything." [25]

See also

Related Research Articles

Baptists are a branch of Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul competency, sola fide, sola scriptura and congregationalist church government. Baptists generally recognize two ordinances: baptism and communion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)</span> Mainline Protestant (religious) denomination

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. The denomination started with the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening, first existing during the 19th century as a loose association of churches working towards Christian unity, then slowly forming quasi-denominational structures through missionary societies, regional associations, and an international convention. In 1968, the Disciples of Christ officially adopted a denominational structure at which time a group of churches left to remain nondenominational.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Baptist Convention</span> Christian denomination

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), alternatively the Great Commission Baptists (GCB), is an association of Baptist Christian churches based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist organization and the largest Protestant and second-largest Christian body in the United States. The SBC is a cooperation of fully autonomous, independent churches with commonly held essential beliefs that pool some resources for missions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Baptist Churches USA</span> Baptist denomination in the United States

The American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) is a Baptist Christian denomination established in 1907 as the Northern Baptist Convention, and named the American Baptist Convention from 1950 to 1972. It traces its history to the First Baptist Church in America (1638) and the Baptist congregational associations which organized the Triennial Convention in 1814.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baptist World Alliance</span> International Christian denomination

The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is an international Baptist association of Christian churches with an estimated 51 million people in 2024 with 266 member bodies in 134 countries and territories. A voluntary association of Baptist churches, the BWA accounts for about half the Baptists in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Progressive National Baptist Convention</span> American Christian denomination (1961-)

The Progressive National Baptist Convention (PNBC), incorporated as the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc., is an association of Baptist Christian churches emphasizing civil rights and social justice. The headquarters of the Progressive National Baptist Convention are in Washington, D.C. Part of the Black church tradition, since its organization, the denomination has member churches outside the United States, particularly in the Caribbean and Europe. It is a member of the National Council of Churches and the Baptist World Alliance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cooperative Baptist Fellowship</span> Baptist Christian denomination in the United States

The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) is an association of Baptist Christian churches in the United States, established after the conservative resurgence within The Southern Baptist Convention. It is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance, and headquartered in Decatur, Georgia. According to a census published in 2023, the CBF claimed 1,800 churches and 750,000 members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship</span>

The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship (FGBCF) or Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International (FGBCFI) is a predominantly African-American, Charismatic Baptist denomination established by Bishop Paul Sylvester Morton—a Gospel singer and former National Baptist pastor. Founded as a response to traditional black Baptists upholding cessationism, Full Gospel Baptists advocate for the operation of Charismatic Christian spiritual gifts, while also holding to some traditional Baptist doctrine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Baptist College</span> Private college in Nashville, Tennessee

American Baptist College is a private, Baptist college in Nashville, Tennessee, affiliated with the National Baptist Convention, USA. Founded in 1924, its predecessor in black Baptist education was Roger Williams University, a Nashville college begun in the late-19th century and closed in the early 20th century. Upon full accreditation by the American Association of Bible Colleges, ABTS dropped use of the term "Theological Seminary" and renamed itself American Baptist College. The college has an 82% acceptance rate. In Fall 2019, 77% of students were retained after the first year of attendance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clear Creek Baptist Bible College</span> Private college in Kentucky, United States

Clear Creek Baptist Bible College (CCBBC) is a private Baptist Bible college in Pineville, Kentucky. It is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention. CCBBC provides a Bible-based education focusing on Christian service. The college is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Association for Biblical Higher Education. CCBBC was founded by Lloyd Caswell Kelly in 1926.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russell D. Moore</span> American evangelical theologian (born 1971)

Russell D. Moore is an American theologian, ethicist, and preacher. In June 2021, he became the director of the Public Theology Project at Christianity Today, and on August 4, 2022, was announced as the magazine's incoming Editor-in-Chief.

Approximately 15.3% of Americans identify as Baptist, making Baptists the second-largest religious group in the United States, after Roman Catholics. Baptists adhere to a congregationalist structure, so local church congregations are generally self-regulating and autonomous, meaning that their broadly Christian religious beliefs can and do vary. Baptists make up a significant portion of evangelicals in the United States and approximately one third of all Protestants in the United States. Divisions among Baptists have resulted in numerous Baptist bodies, some with long histories and others more recently organized. There are also many Baptists operating independently or practicing their faith in entirely independent congregations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Baptist Theological Seminary</span> Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, USA

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) is a Baptist theological institute in Louisville, Kentucky. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. The seminary was founded in 1859 in Greenville, South Carolina, where it was at first housed on the campus of Furman University. The seminary has been an innovator in theological education, establishing one of the first Ph.D. programs in religion in the year 1892. After being closed during the Civil War, it moved in 1877 to a newly built campus in downtown Louisville and moved to its current location in 1926 in the Crescent Hill neighborhood. In 1953, Southern became one of the few seminaries to offer a full, accredited degree course in church music. For more than fifty years Southern has been one of the world's largest theological seminaries, with an FTE enrollment of over 3,300 students in 2015.

Beginning in 1979, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) experienced an intense struggle for control of the organization. Its initiators called it the conservative resurgence while its detractors labeled it the fundamentalist takeover. It was launched with the charge that the seminaries and denominational agencies were dominated by liberals. The movement was primarily aimed at reorienting the denomination away from a liberal trajectory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">H. Dale Jackson</span>

Reverend Dr. H. Dale Jackson was a Baptist minister, denominational leader and ethicist. He is most remembered for his efforts in promoting the historic distinctives of the Baptist faith; among those being the ideals of absolute separation of church and state, the authority of the Holy Scriptures, the autonomy of the local church, the priesthood of the individual, perseverance of the saints and the ordinances of believer's baptism by immersion and Holy Communion. For twenty years, he served as senior pastor of the Overland Baptist Church in St. Louis, Missouri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. H. Boyd</span> American minister and businessman (1843–1922)

Richard Henry Boyd was an African-American minister and businessman who was the founder and head of the National Baptist Publishing Board and a founder of the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Page (Southern Baptist)</span> American pastor (born 1952)

Frank S. Page was the president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) from 2006 to 2008, and the president of the denomination's Executive Committee from 2010 to 2018. Page announced his resignation on March 27, 2018, admitting to "a personal failing" that involved a "morally inappropriate relationship." Frank Page now pastors Pebble Creek Baptist Church in South Carolina.

Baptist Seminary of Kentucky (BSK) is a Baptist theological institute located in Lexington, Kentucky. It is affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.</span> American Christian denomination

The National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., more commonly known as the National Baptist Convention, is an association of Baptist Christian churches headquartered at the Baptist World Center in Nashville, Tennessee and affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance. It is also the largest predominantly and traditionally African American church in the United States and the second largest Baptist denomination in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julie Pennington-Russell</span>

Julie Pennington-Russell is a prominent Baptist minister in the United States of America. She currently serves as senior pastor at the First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D. C. Her ministry has provoked controversy due to disagreements concerning women in church leadership.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc". Baptist World Alliance. 2022-07-21. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Richard Henry Boyd: Shaper of Black Baptist Identity". Baptist History and Heritage. Archived from the original on 2019-04-25. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
  3. THOMPSON, NOLAN (2010-06-12). "BOYD, RICHARD HENRY". tshaonline.org. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
  4. "Music City Walk of Fame Inductees | Nashville Walk of Fame | VisitMusicCity.com". www.visitmusiccity.com. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
  5. McQueen, Clyde (2000). Black Churches in Texas: A Guide to Historic Congregations . Texas A&M University Press. ISBN   978-0-89096-941-0.
  6. 1 2 "History of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc". National Baptist Convention, USA Inc. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
  7. "Pastor Edward E. Jones". lkwilliamsinstitute.org. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  8. Zoll, Rachel (29 January 2005). "Long-divided black Baptists try to unite around common agenda". The Boston Globe . The New York Times Company. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. Tucker, Taylor (2024-01-24). "901 Now: Baptist pastors convene in Memphis". Action News 5. Retrieved 2024-01-24.
  10. "Welcome to BSK". Baptist Seminary of Kentucky. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  11. Sizemore, Abby (2020-03-04). "BSK Named Official Seminary of NBCA". Baptist Seminary of Kentucky. Archived from the original on 2022-09-04. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  12. "UPDATED NBCA Investment in Louisville 1-26-22" (PDF). NBCA Intl. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 17, 2022.
  13. "National Baptist Convention of America". Association of Religion Data Archives. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
  14. "National Baptist Convention of America, Inc". World Council of Churches. 1955-01-01. Retrieved 2024-01-25.
  15. "Cooperative Baptist Fellowship". National Baptist Convention of America. Archived from the original on 2022-09-04. Retrieved 2022-09-04.
  16. Zoll, Rachel (29 January 2005). "Long-divided black Baptists try to unite around common agenda". The Boston Globe . The New York Times Company. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. Durso, Pamela. "She-Preachers, Bossy Women, and Children of the Devil: A History of Baptist Women Ministers and Ordination" (PDF). Baptist Women in Ministry. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  18. "Suzii Paynter Tributes – Cooperative Baptist Fellowship" . Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  19. "NBCA Partnerships". National Baptist Convention of America. Archived from the original on 2022-09-04. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  20. "CBF revises hiring policy; lifts LGBT ban for some posts". Baptist Standard. 2018-02-09. Archived from the original on 2022-09-04. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  21. "CBF nixes 'absolute' LGBT hiring ban, maintains it for leaders". Baptist Press. Archived from the original on 2022-09-04. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  22. Burke, Daniel (2010-03-27). "Clergy torn over church, civil loyalties over same-sex marriage". The Washington Post . ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  23. Staff Reports. "UCC celebrates an anniversary: 150 years of women clergy". United Church of Christ. Archived from the original on 2020-06-30. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
  24. "About our LGBT Ministries". United Church of Christ. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
  25. "Black and white Baptist groups work side-by-side in Louisiana". Baptist News Global. 2020-10-01. Archived from the original on 2022-09-04. Retrieved 2020-10-16.