Requirements for Affiliation with the SBTC

Requirements for Affiliation with the SBTC
compiled by Wm. Robert Johnston
last modified 24 December 2002

The SBTC was formed in a sense for churches leaving the BGCT, but they do permit dual alignment. The current "Statement of Affiliation" has a place to indicate whether affiliation is unique (church in SBTC only) or dual (church in SBTC and BGCT both). The following information is according to the SBTC Constitution and bylaws.

Requirements and procedure for alignment with the SBTC are the following:

A church must submit an affiliation form, which requires the church to officially act to affirm "full agreement with the mission statement and doctrinal position found in the [SBTC] Constitution and Bylaws". Through 2000, the SBTC doctrinal statement cited above comprises the Baptist Faith and Message along with the Report of the Presidential Theological Study Committee presented at the 1994 SBC session. This latter Report in turn commends the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and the Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermunetics. With the SBC's adoption of a new Baptist Faith and Message in 2000, the SBTC's doctrinal statement was amended to cite the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 as the "statement of faith and message" for the SBTC.
The church must make an initial financial contribution to the SBTC.
The Credentials Committee will examine the "qualifications". If acceptable, affiliation status is recommended to the Executive Board.
A church will not be considered if it "has taken action affirming, approving, or endorsing the practice of female senior pastoral service" or if it "has taken action affirming, approving, or endorsing the practice of homosexuality."
A majority vote by the Executive Board finalizes affiliation. (Originally, a majority affirmative vote by the Convention body was required; this has been dropped.)
To maintain affiliation, a church must "agree with the foundational beliefs of [the SBTC] set forth in its Constitution and Bylaws" and must "actively cooperate with the work of the SBTC through regular participation and financial support."

Termination of affiliation can occur at church discretion or by action of the SBTC Executive Board.