The Executive Board of the South Carolina Baptist Convention met on April 28, passing several significant motions, including new collaborations with both the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board.
The board voted unanimously to grant the IMB $1 million to upgrade a dormitory at the International Learning Center. The funds will come from the 10×10 Plan for Strategic Priorities Fund, a 10-year funding strategy launched in 2023 to further advance the Great Commission in seven strategic ways, including missions partnerships and mobilization. Every IMB missionary stays at the ILC, typically for weeks at a time, prior to deployment. This grant will allow for the renovation of an entire dormitory, providing care, dignity, and a space for preparation for Southern Baptist missionaries.
Mike McCormick, chair of the Budget, Finance and Audit Committee, shared that the dorms have been largely unchanged since their construction in the 1980s. “Missionaries are trained, prepared, and renewed between assignments through the ILC,” McCormick said. “This season represents the beginning and continuation of their calling to take the gospel to the nations.”
“By making this investment, we’re not simply funding a facility. We’re strengthening the mission and reinforcing our shared commitment to cooperation in sending missionaries to the ends of the earth,” McCormick explained.
The renovations are expected to provide another 20 to 30 years of usefulness to Southern Baptist missionaries.
Launching Agreement with NAMB to Plant Churches
In addition, the Executive Board also unanimously passed a motion to launch SendSC, a unified initiative between the South Carolina Baptist Convention and NAMB’s Send Network to strategically plant and support church planters in South Carolina.
As South Carolina is recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as the fastest-growing state in the nation, meeting growth with the gospel requires both more churches and a stronger strategy to plant them. SendSC is the response to meet rapid growth and lostness with the gospel.
Joy Emery, chair of the Great Commission Advance Committee, said, “God is worthy of us taking steps to walk into a ministry agreement to expand our church planting reach with an organization we already trust and believe in.”
NAMB President Kevin Ezell joined the meeting for comments via video call. “SendSC is about coming alongside together. As we plan for the years ahead, we want to increase the quantity of plants, but we also want to continue to work on the quality and how they engage in the local state,” Ezell said. “I’m so thankful for how South Carolina Baptists have faithfully and sacrificially given for so many years.”
More information on SendSC is scheduled to be released in May, and the agreement will begin officially on July 1. The full press release is available at scbaptist.org.
Ministry Partner Updates
Several ministry partners brought reports and updates. Keith Faulkner, president of Charleston Southern University, shared several highlights from CSU, including record attendance of over 4,000 students. He also expressed excitement over an anonymous gift of $1 million provided to start an apologetics center at CSU, with planning already underway. “As a ministry partner of this Convention and a representative of Jesus Christ, we believe we should be leading young people to engage in thoughtful conversation and civil discourse,” Faulkner said.
Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries President Danny Nicholson shares that 15 churches are already scheduled to host “Dream Sunday.”
Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries President Danny Nicholson brought updates of their 10-year strategic plan entitled “A Decade of Dreams,” now in its sixth year. The initiative has raised $22 million of its $25 million goal, with gifts most recently supporting the construction of a healing center and farm infrastructure. He also encouraged churches to host “Dream Sunday” — an opportunity to learn how CMCM is helping fulfill the dreams of children through Christ-centered care.
Jeff Robinson, editor and president of The Baptist Courier, provided updates on Courier Publishing, with 51 books under contract for the next five years and 21 titles currently available. “An excellent Convention deserves excellent resources, and that’s what we seek to do,” Robinson said.
Property Sale and Study Group Motions Pass
Additional updates include the sale of the Spartanburg-area Baptist Collegiate Ministry property and the formation of a Cooperative Program Study Group.
As the ministry model for Spartanburg colleges changes, the board explained that the property served five campuses, with students having to commute to the location. Moving forward, the campuses will host BCM on each campus, allowing easier access for students.
In his executive director-treasurer report, Tony Wolfe called for — and the board passed — a motion creating a Cooperative Program Study Group. The group will assess Cooperative Program trends and report back to the board this fall with insights and recommendations.
“I’m excited to watch how God might use this initiative to bring awareness and to regenerate positive momentum in our shared mission,” Wolfe said. “I genuinely believe our future is bright, and I believe that SCBaptists will rise to this moment to leverage all that we have to reach our state and the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
— Anna Gardner serves as the Creative Editor for the South Carolina Baptist Convention.