The Southern Baptist Convention represents a general organization of the 15.8 million members of 40,887 churches. Southern Baptist beliefs include freedom of religion, the priesthood of all believers and the individual soul’s competency before God, and belief in Jesus Christ whose will is revealed in the Bible as the sole authority for faith and practice, as noted in the 1925 Statement of Baptist Faith and Message, adopted in 1963 by the Southern Baptist Convention. The 1998 convention adopted an amendment to the 1963 statement, regarding the structure of the family, marriage and the role of women, defining marriage as the monogamous relationship between a man and a woman, and asserting that the husband is head of the family and the woman should “graciously submit” to him.

Southern Baptists have played an increasing and often controversial role in American political life, allying themselves most closely with the Republican Party and conservative issues. In 1997 they voted to boycott all Disney products because they said that Disney policies did not promote a profamily image and supported gay and lesbian lifestyles and agendas.

Southern Baptists enjoy independence congregationally They do not adhere to one confession of faith or creed, noting that “any group of Baptists, large or small, have the inherent right to draw up for themselves and publish to the world a confession of their faith whenever they think it advisable to do so” (1925 statement). The 1925 confession, adopted in 1963, is not binding on congregations, but rather constitutes a guide for interpretation with no authority over conscience.

The Southern Baptist Convention traces its roots to 1845 in Augusta, Georgia during increasing tensions among people in the North and South. Debates concerned slavery the denominational authority to discipline church members, the rights of Southerners to receive missionary appointments and the neglect of the South in missionary appointments. Prompted by decisions to decline to appoint several slaveholders as missionaries, 293 Baptist leaders from the South representing 356,000 Baptists convened to determine the best means of promoting the foreignmission cause and other interests of the Baptist denomination in the South.

On May 10, 1845, the Southern Baptist Convention was organized, a constitution adopted, a structure developed, the mission and purpose written, the Foreign Mission Board and the Home Mission Board established and very soon after this the first missionaries were appointed.

Southern Baptists have emphasized mission and evangelism since their beginnings.

Currently 4,000 foreign missionaries serve in 133 foreign countries; 4,857 home missionaries serve in the United States. The Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention assists its churches and agencies in a variety of ways. It serves as the fiscal agent for the Convention, represents the Convention in legal matters, provides promotion and publicity for the Cooperative Program through the Baptist Press, presents a budget for the Convention and its agencies, authorizes the work of the Southern Baptist Foundation and provides advice.