ORLANDO – The State Board of Missions of the Florida Baptist Convention will present several recommendations at the Florida Baptist State Convention annual meeting including potential amendments to the convention’s bylaws. Messengers will discuss and vote on these amendments at the 2025 FBSC annual meeting, set for Nov. 10-11 at First Baptist Church in Orlando.
The recommendations are as follows:
- Recommendation 1: 2026 Cooperative Program Budget
- Recommendation 2: Report on New Church Starts
- Recommendation 3: Church at Large- Eglise Baptiste des Elus and Nokomis, The Way Church SRQ, Sarasota
- Recommendation 4: Amend Florida Baptist State Convention Bylaw 2 (text below)
- Recommendation 5: Recommendation to Revise Governing Documents related to the position of Assistant Executive Director (text below)
- Recommendation 6: Resolution of Appreciation- Stephens L. Baumgardner Jr.
- Recommendation 7: Adoption of 144th Annual Report of the State Board of Missions
Additional Links:
- The Committee on Nominations Report (Link)
- Visit the Annual Meeting page for more information (Link)
__________________________________
(detailed text of two recommendations)
Recommendation 4: Amend Florida Baptist State Convention Bylaw 2
The State Board of Missions recommends that the messengers to the Florida Baptist State Convention meeting in annual session November 10-11, 2025, in Orlando, Florida, approve the following amendment to Bylaw 2 relating to Baptist Unity through Cooperation. Additions are noted with underlined text and deletions with strikethrough.
Bylaw 2: Baptist Unity through Cooperation
This State Convention exists to support local Southern Baptist churches in sharing the saving knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is accomplished by facilitating a spirit of cooperation and unity amongst the culturally diverse local churches in the state of Florida.
B. Cooperating Local Church: The State Convention declares that a cooperating Southern Baptist church shall be that autonomous body of Christian believers, which by its free will makes a commitment to and demonstrates cooperation according to the following criteria:
-
-
- Theological: The church shall have specified within its adopted Statement of Faith and Practice and/or governing documents, a declaration that the basis for its theology, faith, practice and polity is the Bible, with The Baptist Faith and Message,
revised in the year 2000 in its latest revision as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention, or any other declaration of faith which is consistent with the tenets of our historic Baptist faith, as the theological framework. Furthermore, a Cooperating Local Church shall not practice its theology, faith, or polity in any way that is contrary to the doctrines and distinctives outlined within The Baptist Faith and Message, in its latest revision.
Recommendation 5: Revise Governing Documents related to the position of Assistant Executive Director
The State Board of Missions recommends that the messengers to the Florida Baptist State Convention meeting in annual session November 10-11, 2025, in Orlando, Florida, approve the following amendment to the governing documents:
1. Amend Florida Baptist State Convention Bylaw 13 A.6.d
Current Language: “The Assistant Executive Director shall be the Assistant General Secretary of the Corporation.”
Proposed Amendment: Assistant General Secretary (appointed by the State Board of Missions from a member of the senior staff of the convention.)
2. Amend Florida Baptist State Convention Bylaw 13 B.2
Current Language: “The terms of the President of the State Convention, the Recording Secretary of the State Convention, the Executive Director-Treasurer and the Assistant Executive Director shall be for such periods as they hold their respective offices or positions.”
Proposed Amendment: “The terms of the President of the State Convention, the Recording Secretary of the State Convention, the Executive Director-Treasurer and the Assistant General Secretary shall be for such periods as they hold their respective offices or positions.”
3. Amend State Board of Missions Bylaw 4 Officers
Current Language: As set forth in Bylaw 13 of the State Convention, the officers of this Corporation shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Recording Secretary, a General Secretary, to be known as Executive Director-Treasurer, and an Assistant General Secretary, to be known as Assistant Executive Director.
Proposed Amendment: As set forth in Bylaw 13 of the State Convention, the officers of this Corporation shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Recording Secretary, a General Secretary, to be known as Executive Director-Treasurer, and an Assistant General Secretary.
___________________________________
Additionally, messengers to the 2025 annual meeting will approve the 2026 Florida Baptist State Convention Cooperative Program Budget; elect four Florida Baptist State Convention officers; approve a resolution of appreciation for Steve Baumgardner, who retired from the Florida Baptist Convention staff on Aug. 31; approve the Committee on Nominations report; hear reports from the four Florida Baptist cooperating ministries: Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center, Baptist University of Florida, One More Child and Florida Baptist Financial Services; and conduct other miscellaneous business items.
Overview of the business schedule:
Session 1 – Monday, November 10, 2025, 3 p.m.
- Cooperating Ministry Reports: Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center and Baptist University of Florida
- Committee on Nominations Report
Session 2 – Monday, November 10, 2025, 6:45 p.m.
Session 3 – Tuesday, November 11, 2025, 8:45 a.m.
- State Board of Missions Report and Recommendations
- Miscellaneous Business
- Elections of the President and the Vice-President
- Convention Sermon
- Cooperating Ministry Reports: One More Child and Florida Baptist Financial Services
Session 4 – Tuesday, November 11, 2025, 1:45 p.m.
- Elections of the 2nd Vice-President and the Recording Secretary
- Recognition of Officers
