Nearly 1,600 messengers from N.C. Baptist churches gathered at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 10-11, for the 195th Baptist State Convention of North Carolina’s annual meeting. The theme of the meeting was “On Mission Together” with Psalm 90:17 as the supporting verse.

Nearly 1,600 messengers from N.C. Baptist churches gathered at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 10-11, for the 195th Baptist State Convention of North Carolina’s annual meeting. The theme of the meeting was “On Mission Together” with Psalm 90:17 as the supporting verse.

Following are highlights from Tuesday, Nov. 11. Day one highlights are available here.

  • At the close of registration, 567 pastors, 422 church staff and 606 laity had registered for this year’s annual meeting for a total of 1,595 messengers. An additional 444 guests registered for a grand total of 2,039 in attendance. The total was the highest attendance since 2009.
  • During his president’s address, Allen Murray, pastor of Mount Pisgah Baptist Church in Supply, preached on “In Prayer Together” from Acts 4:23-31. In his message, Murray shared three characteristics of “On Mission Together” people. Murray said “On Mission Together” people believe in prayer, providence and proclamation.
  • Messengers reelected the current slate of state convention officers to second terms of service in 2026. They were: Allen Murray, pastor of Mount Pisgah Baptist Church in Supply (president); Steven Wade, pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Youngsville and professor of pastoral theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (first vice president); and Matt Capps, lead pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Apex (second vice president). All three officers ran unopposed.
  • Messengers approved a minor change to the state convention’s bylaws to remove a reference to appointing trustees to the Christian Action League of North Carolina. In September 2024, the Christian Action League voted to dissolve as an organization.
  • During miscellaneous business, a motion requesting the state convention’s board of directors work with the Fruitland Baptist Bible College board of directors to begin the process of establishing a search committee for the school’s next president was ruled out of order because Fruitland’s governing documents outline the process for conducting a presidential search. Current Fruitland President David Horton has announced his plans to retire at the end of March 2026. The motion was brought by David MacEachern, a messenger and senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Gastonia.
  • Messengers approved a 2026 Cooperative Program (CP) budget totaling $30 million, which is $1 million less than the 2025 budget. The budget maintains a 50/50 split between N.C. Baptist ministries and global ministry partners.
  • Messengers approved a motion stipulating that undesignated CP receipts in excess of the $30 million budget in 2026 be allocated equally between N.C. Baptists’ life initiative and mission engagement activities.
  • Messengers adopted a $2.8 million goal for the 2026 North Carolina Missions Offering, a $200,000 increase from 2025. The percentage allocations remain unchanged from 2025 with 62% going to N.C. Baptists on Mission ministries, 28% to church planting and 10% to associational missions projects.
  • Messengers approved the Committee on Nominations report as presented, which elects individuals to serve the N.C. Baptist board of directors and various committees as well as trustees and directors of the institutions and agencies of the convention.
  • Messengers heard reports from N.C. Baptist entities, which included Provision Financial Resources of N.C. Baptists, the Biblical Recorder, the Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina and N.C. Baptists on Mission.
  • Shane Pruitt, national next-gen director for the North American Mission Board, delivered the convention sermon. He preached on spiritual awakening and the next generation from Acts 5:27-42, sharing four markers of spiritual awakening. Pruitt said one can know God is moving when obedience is the priority, the gospel is being proclaimed, there is an awareness of kingdom victory, and there is mission without fear. At the conclusion of the message, Pruitt invited attendees to gather around the stage to pray on their knees for the next generation.
  • Messengers can provide feedback on this year’s annual meeting through the N.C. Baptist mobile app or through an online evaluation form available at ncannualmeeting.org/evaluation.
  • Next year’s annual meeting will be held Nov. 16-17, 2026, at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, N.C.