Messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, approved the use of “Great Commission Baptists” as an alternative name for their churches.
The measure passed by a vote of 53 percent to 46 percent and is effective immediately. Churches of the SBC have the option of using the informal, non-legal name as a stand-alone title, together with the SBC formal name, or not at all.
The official and legal name of the 167-year-old denomination will remain “Southern Baptist Convention.”
The proposal was based on the recommendation of the SBC Executive Committee after a task force was appointed to study a possible name change. In February, task force chairman Jimmy Draper presented the task force’s recommendation to the executive committee that the convention keeps its formal name but adopt an informal name.
Supporters of the new name said it would help the denomination expand its reach. The word “Southern” has been seen by church planters and missionaries as a hindrance to evangelistic efforts, especially by those doing missions in areas outside the American South and in ministry with people of different ethnic identities.
About 10 percent of the SBC congregations are predominantly African American, according to Draper. Many of the African Americans he has spoken to say they have experienced criticism for identifying themselves as Southern Baptist.