Completing your church’s Annual Church Profile (ACP) is now easier than ever thanks to a new online digital form developed by the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (BSCNC).

The Annual Church Profile is a yearly survey that churches voluntarily complete, which is used to compile church data from across the state. Most churches fill out the form according to a reporting period designated by their local Baptist association. For many associations, the reporting period is during September.

The data provided through ACP provides a snapshot to celebrate how God is working through N.C. Baptist churches. Information provided also helps paint an accurate picture of like-minded Baptist churches at the local, state and national levels.

Kelton Hinton, associational mission strategist (AMS) for the Triangle East Baptist Association (formerly the Johnston Baptist Association), says ACP data is helpful for pastors to assess ministry strengths, weaknesses and opportunities relative to the context of their local church.

“The ACP is the most critical tool for both pastors, staff and the administrative team of the local church to do annual and multiyear analyses for more effective future planning,” Hinton said.

Hinton regularly shares graphs and charts based on ACP data to show the history of a church over time, which include long-term trends that are only visible on a five-, 10- or 20-year time frame.

Submitting your church’s information is now even simpler with the digital form.

The statistical records provide churches and associations the information necessary to track progress over time in areas such as church membership, baptisms, Vacation Bible School enrollment and more.

Information provided through the ACP helps the state and national convention report accurate and important information related to the gospel impact that local churches are having in their communities. The data also enables the state convention to better communicate with the staff at the churches in a variety of ministry areas.

Submitting your church’s information is now even simpler with the digital form. Calvary Road Baptist Church in Maggie Valley, N.C., was one of the first churches to use the new online form.

“It’s really helpful that the questions are simply stated,” said church office manager Mary Ann Robinson. “We’ve grown so much and gotten so busy in the past couple years, so we can now fill out the form quickly and move on to the many other things we have going on.”

Churches may still use the printed versions of the ACP short or long forms if they choose to do so. The new digital form is an online version of the ACP short form. All of the forms are available at ncbaptist.org/acp.

Scott Setzer, AMS of the South Roanoke Baptist Association and president of the N.C. Baptist Associational Missions Conference, encouraged all churches to complete the ACP.

“It helps associational missionaries when churches complete their Annual Church Profile,” Setzer said. “There are many ways you can do it now. The state convention has done a great job of giving options for completing it.”