The Baptist Convention of Iowa exists to reach Iowa for Christ through starting and supporting local churches. From the beginning of the Christian movement, many church leaders have found the biblical and practical blessings of connecting with other churches for encouragement, support, and common ministry.

If your church is considering a partnership with the Baptist Convention of Iowa, consider the following benefits of a statewide partnership.

Church Planting Partnership

BCI affiliated churches participate in significant church planting efforts across the state and around the country. To see the church planting partnership benefits that are available to churches affiliated Baptist Convention of Iowa and partner with the North American Mission Board go here.

Participation in the Southern Baptist Convention

For almost 175 years, Southern Baptists have sought to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all people everywhere. The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has grown to be a network of more than fifty thousand cooperating churches and church-type missions banded together to make an impact for God’s Kingdom.

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The Cooperative Program is the name of the funding mechanism where contributions from Southern Baptist Convention affiliated churches are pooled to fund state missions, North American church planting, international missions, seminaries, and more. In nearly every corner of the USA and in nearly every country of the world SBC affiliated churches have access to trusted partners.  Churches that contribute to the cooperative program can report to their church members that their offerings help fund over 3000 missionaries in over 100 countries.

The International Mission Board

International Missions: the International Mission Board has missions personnel working in nearly every country of the world and is the largest protestant sending agency. Missionaries serving two years or more are fully funded. SBC connection allows churches to have access to IMB logistical support for short-term missions projects.

Support for Seminary Education

Students receive a 50% tuition discount at any of the six SBC seminaries. The closest seminary to Iowa is Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Full time seminary students affiliated with Iowa churches can apply to receive a $500/semester tuition grant for four semesters.

Insurance Plans

Several staff members can receive life insurance and disability insurance as well as access to preferred health (group size minimum is two staff members) and retirement benefits through Guidestone.

Ministry Equipping Events

In addition, the Baptist Convention of Iowa facilitates church planting summits, pastor and wife’s retreat, men’s and women’s retreats, statewide youth events, and frequent fellowship meetings for pastors across the state.

Steps to Affiliation

  1. Contact BCI Executive Director on any affiliation process or membership questions.
  2. If your church is affiliated with another denomination or state Baptist convention, please inform their office that your church wishes to no longer affiliate with them.
  3. Decision to make: your church leadership team affirms the Baptist Faith and Message, agrees to affiliate with the BCI and affirms the mission and vision of the BCI, agrees to financially supportthe Cooperative Program by giving through the Baptist Convention of Iowa, and agrees that the church will file an Annual Church Profile with the BCI each year.
  4. After your church leadership team makes an official decision to affiliate with the Baptist Convention of Iowa as described above, inform the BCI office of this decision.
  5. All churches affiliating with the BCI are assumed to also affiliate with the Southern Baptist Convention. For churches without an SBCID#, BCI staff will help create a new one; for churches that already have an SBCID#, your current number will still work, but our staff will inform the Nashville, TN SBC office of any change in state convention affiliation.
  6. Our staff will inform your church when the affiliation process is complete.