| Canadian National Baptist Convention | |
| Abbreviation: | CNBC |
| Main Classification: | Evangelical |
| Theology: | Baptist |
| Associations: | Baptist World Alliance, Evangelical Fellowship of Canada |
| Founded Date: | 1985 |
| Headquarters: | Cochrane, Alberta, Canada |
| Congregations: | 429 |
| Members: | 17,116 |
The Canadian National Baptist Convention (formerly Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists) is a Baptist Christian denomination in Canada. It is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The headquarters is in Cochrane, Alberta.
Since 1951, contact with the Southern Baptists, increased the interest of Canadian churches in the Southern Baptist educational and evangelistic programs.[1] In the fall of 1952, Northwest began using the Teacher Training Course of the SBC. Early in 1953, a pastor's conference recommended the Sunday School program of the Southern Baptist Sunday School Board.
Regular Baptists in British Columbia were divided over the "Southern Baptist issue". In October 1953, the Emmanuel Baptist Church of Vancouver, British Columbia joined the Baptist General Convention of Oregon-Washington, an affiliate of the Southern Baptist Convention, while also maintaining membership in the Regular Baptist Convention of British Columbia.[2] The Oregon-Washington Convention determined it would assist affiliated churches, but would not initiate any new work in Canada. At the British Columbia Regular Baptist Convention in 1955, several resolutions were directed against the Emmanuel Church (now called Kingcrest Southern Baptist Church) and the Southern Baptists. This caused Kingcrest and four other churches to withdraw from the B. C. Convention and affiliate with only the Southern Baptists in the northwest. Though these Canadian churches were members of the Oregon-Washington Convention, they were unable to affiliate directly with the SBC, because of questions relating to the wording of the SBC Constitution.
The Canadian Southern Baptist Conference is formed in 1957.[3] [4] In 1985 the Canadian Southern Baptist Conference adopted a new constitution and became the Canadian Convention of Southern Baptists.[5] [6] In 1987, it opened the Canadian Baptist Theological Seminary and College, in Cochrane, Alberta.[7]
In 2001, the attendance was 10,189 members.[8] In July 2008, the convention voted to change its name to the Canadian National Baptist Convention (In French: Convention Nationale Baptiste Canadienne).[9] According to a census published by the association in 2023, it claimed 429 churches and 17,116 members.[10]
Its official publication, Baptist Horizon is published 4 times per year and is also available online at the CNBC web site. The Convention engages in specific men's, women's, youth and university ministries. The CNBC maintains a Foundation for receiving financial contributions, labors in Canadian church planting, and partners in global missions with the International Mission Board of the SBC. The National Leadership Board, elected by Convention messengers, is the highest operating board within the organization.
The association has a Baptist confession of faith.[11] It is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance.[12]