Members of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina’s board of directors endorsed a Cooperative Program (CP) budget proposal for 2026, heard a series of ministry reports and celebrated the ongoing rebuild efforts by N.C. Baptists in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene at their fall meeting held Sept. 22-23 at Caraway Conference Center.

Members of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina’s board of directors endorsed a Cooperative Program (CP) budget proposal for 2026, heard a series of ministry reports and celebrated the ongoing rebuild efforts by N.C. Baptists in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene at their fall meeting held Sept. 22-23 at Caraway Conference Center.

Board members unanimously endorsed the $30 million budget proposal for 2026, which would keep the allocation of CP receipts at a 50/50 split between N.C. Baptist ministries and global ministry partners for a third consecutive year. The proposal also allocates nearly 12% of total receipts to N.C. Baptist related entities, which include the Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina, the Biblical Recorder and Provision Financial Resources of N.C. Baptists.

In addition, board members approved a recommendation that calls for any CP receipts in excess of the approved 2026 budget to be allocated equally between N.C. Baptists’ life initiatives and mission engagement initiatives.

The board also approved a $2.8 million goal and allocations for the 2026 North Carolina Missions Offering (NCMO). The offering supports disaster response and the other ministries of N.C. Baptists on Mission, church planting and missions projects in local Baptist associations. Proposed allocations would remain unchanged in 2026, with 62% going to Baptists on Mission, 28% to church planting and 10% to associational missions projects.

The CP budget proposal, the special challenge budget, and the NCMO goal and allocation percentages will now all go before messengers attending the N.C. Baptist annual meeting in Greensboro this November for consideration and final approval.

Helene anniversary update

The board meeting took place just days before the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, which battered western North Carolina with historic rainfall and catastrophic flooding on Sept. 27, 2024. Board members and state convention leaders celebrated N.C. Baptists’ involvement in the recovery and rebuild efforts still taking place in the region in the aftermath of one of the most destructive storms in state history.

Disaster response volunteers with N.C. Baptists on Mission responded immediately by providing hot meals and performing initial recovery jobs. At one point, Baptists on Mission was coordinating 16 recovery sites in the region, and the group continues to operate five long-term rebuild centers in the area that can house and feed volunteers working on home repairs and rebuilds.

In a report to board members, N.C. Baptists on Mission President Tim Etheridge shared that volunteers had recently completed work on the 500th home in the area as work continues on hundreds more.

“From the very start a year ago, we emphasized that this was not a short-term job, but a long-term effort,” Etheridge said. “We’d like to say thanks to all of those who have helped. It’s not just a thanks from Baptists on Mission, it’s a thanks from those people who are back in their homes and have been assisted and seen the love of our Savior.”

By a show of hands, nearly every board member in attendance indicated that either they or members of their church had gone to western North Carolina to serve in the aftermath of Helene.

EDT report

N.C. Baptist Executive Director-Treasurer (EDT) Todd Unzicker echoed Etheridge’s sentiments in his report to the board.

“N.C. Baptists immediately jumped into action, and the church showed up,” Unzicker said in reference to the response to Helene.

Unzicker also celebrated the collective impact of N.C. Baptists’ camp activities over the summer. Collectively, nearly 12,000 people attended N.C. Baptist summer camp offerings, which saw 502 salvations, 1,608 rededications and 529 calls to ministry.

Moreover, nearly 500 churches participated in the “ServeNC” emphasis in early August, which saw thousands of people serve and many lives impacted through local service projects in communities all across the state.

Unzicker also provided a sneak preview of a new missions engagement emphasis that will be formally unveiled and launched at the N.C. Baptist annual meeting in November. The emphasis will help churches engage in missions in the areas of strategizing, mobilizing, caring and connecting.

“Our vision is simple, but it is bold,” Unzicker said. “We want to see every N.C. Baptist church actively reaching people for Christ — both in their local communities and around the world.”

Fruitland advisory team update

Members of the Fruitland Baptist Bible College advisory team also shared a preliminary report with the board based on the team’s work that has taken place throughout the year. The report included an overview of Fruitland’s history as well as an analysis of the school’s current realities amid the changing landscape of higher education.

Advisory team members, Fruitland and state convention board members, and others involved in the process emphasized that their goal is to continue the school’s historic mission of training ministry leaders while also utilizing the campus for maximum ministry impact.

“Moving forward, Fruitland is going to have a clear and compelling vision,” said Pat Kilby, current president of Fruitland’s board of directors, who also pastors First Baptist Church of Cary. “It’s just going to look different.”

No action was taken on the report, which had also been shared with Fruitland’s board. A listening session with members of the Fruitland advisory team is planned during the breakout sessions at the N.C. Baptist annual meeting in November.

The advisory team plans to make another report to the Fruitland and N.C. Baptist boards in January.

Financial update

State convention officials reported that through the end of August, Cooperative Program receipts totaled more than $17.9 million, which is about 1.3% or $230,000 below the same time period as last year.

Giving to the North Carolina Missions Offering totaled nearly $896,000, which is up 25.5% or about $182,000 over the same time period as last year. September is the emphasis month for the offering.

Gifts from N.C. Baptists to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American missions totaled nearly $6.4 million, while gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering totaled more than $10.6 million.

Officers reelected

The current slate of board officers were all reelected to another term of service. Robert Hefner, pastor of Pleasant Garden Baptist Church, was reelected as board president. Spence Shleton, pastor of Mercy Church in Charlotte, was reelected as board vice president. Angela Kilby, wife of Pat Kilby, was reelected as board secretary.

Wallace to lead Mission Catalysts Group

With unanimous support, the board’s executive committee approved the hiring of Aaron Wallace, lead pastor of Hepzibah Baptist Church in Wendell, as director of N.C. Baptists’ Mission Catalysts Group. Wallace will begin his new role on Sept. 29.

Other business

In other business, the board approved a policy that provides a framework to guide the work of an executive director search committee when there is a vacancy in the position.

The board approved a request from the Biblical Recorder board of directors to form a study committee to explore a more permanent relationship between the Recorder and the state convention.

The executive committee approved a motion for the state convention to receive the property and assets of New Hope Baptist Chapel in Williamston, which is dissolving as a congregation. The church will transfer its assets to the state convention, and convention officials said they would work to determine the best possible use for the property after the transfer is completed.

The board also authorized the sale of the convention-owned Tar Heel Lodge in Black Mountain to The Ridgecrest Foundation for $750,000. Proceeds from the sale will be placed in a reserve fund for the construction of a new worship and multipurpose facility at Truett Conference Center and Camp in Hayesville.

The board approved three recommendations to the Fruitland Baptist Bible College nominating committee. They were: Nathan Brooks of Glorietta Baptist Church in Concord; Brandon McMinn of First Baptist Church of Hendersonville; and Jim Sineath of Fruitland Baptist Church in Hendersonville.

Outgoing board members

The board also recognized members of the board of directors who are completing their terms of service at the end of the year. They were: Sergio Barranco; Tom Collins; Zeb Cook; Janet Demeny; Greg Dry; Jerry Durmire; Jacob Lewis; Ken Pardue; Matthew Tarpley; and Rebecca Wroten. In addition, John Moore and Brandon Watson have moved to different regions and are ineligible to continue serving in accordance with convention bylaws.

The board also recognized John Small for 20 years of service as the convention attorney.

Next meeting

The next N.C. Baptist board meeting will be held Jan. 26-27, 2026, at Caraway Conference Center in Sophia.

By Chad Austin, BR Managing Editor