Why a Denominational Relations Committee?

The Denominational Relations Committee has the responsibility for monitoring denominational issues, educating the congregation regarding these issues, and preparing recommendations to the congregation on budgeted funds sent to Baptist missions, agencies, institutions, and organizations.

The existence of such a committee may seem odd to those not familiar with Baptist principles, but the committee is a natural outgrowth of our basic beliefs of how Christians and churches should cooperate and govern themselves.

Our denomination is perhaps the most democratic of all mainstream Christian denominations. With the strength of our diversity and openness come differences and occasionally conflict. Central to such discussions these days are debates of who Baptists are and how they should relate to each other.

Baptists have a structure unlike those of most denominations. Churches are completely independent. They choose to associate with other churches to better achieve common purposes such as missions. College Park contributes to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Southern Baptist Convention at the national level, the North Carolina Baptist Convention at the state level, and to the Pilot Mountain Baptist Association regionally. However, the structure is not hierarchical. Each of these organizations is an gathering of free and independent churches cooperating for common purposes. None can set doctrine or policy for another. Out of such chaos and freedom comes the strength of being Baptist.

This means that our local church is not bound to follow resolutions or statements of our regional, state, or national organizations. Nonetheless, we care about what happens in these groups because, at their best, they are very effective organizations for helping the poor, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Our committee strives to help the church navigate these challenging issues and to make recommendations on how to be the best stewards of our resources.