The Free Will Baptist National Convention is a special event. In 2023, 5.1% of Free Will Baptists (based on the 2022 Statistical Report) gathered in North Carolina for the National Convention. That may seem small, but compare that to the percentage of reported attendees to the much larger Southern Baptist Convention of .13%. Clearly, we Free Will Baptists view our convention as a big deal. Why does the convention matter so much to us?
Worship. The convention gives us the opportunity to worship with those we cannot join every week. We pray and sing and hear preaching with brothers and sisters in Christ from near and far. As a 2023 attendee put it, “There is nothing like worshipping our Savior with thousands of brothers and sisters in Christ…just a glimpse of what Heaven might be like.”
Fellowship. Meeting friends we see only once a year, making new friendships, enjoying time with others who share similar goals and purposes — such fellowship keeps us going for another year as we serve in a harsh world. Irvin Scarberry (WV) put it this way after the 2023 Convention, “I attend a small Free Will Baptist Church. It was such a great time of fellowship and encouragement with so many fellow Free Will Baptists….What a joy to renew some old acquaintances!”
Equipping. Through the more than 90 seminars in English and Spanish we are challenged to live better, be better witnesses, be better stewards, and reach further with the gospel message. A first-time attendee put it this way: “This was my first NAFWB Convention, but it will not be my last….The seminars were helpful, providing very timely information that can help address current needs in our church.”
Rejoicing. Attending a National Convention should cause us to rejoice. Rejoice because God’s blessings have brought us this far together in nine decades. Rejoice when missionaries report new believers and rejoice to see how many God has called from among us to preach the gospel at home and abroad. Rejoice as we see so many young people serving and using their gifts for the Lord. As this long-time attendee put it, “I have participated in the annual NAFWB Convention for many years; this may have been the best I have ever attended. The preaching was excellent. The music was superb. The business sessions were gracious. As a denomination, we may be healthier than at any time in our history.”
Business. Notice the above attendee also mentioned business! Meeting yearly helps delegates have an active role in making decisions to guide and direct the denomination. Business sessions provide current information about departments, projects, ministries, and direction. After all, this is what a convention is for: to consider and make decisions together to further God’s Kingdom.
Unity. It’s great to enjoy meals and hallway conversations. It’s a blessing to unite in giving so the convention can continue, and so the gospel can extend to the world.
A 2023 attendee summed it up like this: “The 2023 National Convention truly highlighted the growing diversity among our churches. Free Will Baptists of various ages, races, ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds were united in worship and working in unity. I’m more encouraged about the future of our denomination than ever before!”
Plan now to attend the Convention. Put July 20-23, 2025, on your calendar and plan to join us in Kansas City. As one 2024 attendee put it, “I know many are unable to attend a National Convention, while others may simply not be interested. I don’t get it. Do they know what they’re missing? There’s something here for everyone!”
Plan now to participate. Arrive the Saturday before the convention and participate in Impact (fwbmastersmen.org). This is a way to serve alongside other Free Will Baptists to impact the Kansas City community. Another attendee put it this way, “As Free Will Baptists, we believe we are ‘Better Together.’ Our National Convention embodies that statement, and I encourage all Free Will Baptist to make it a priority to attend next year in Kansas City, because we are Better Together!”
Plan now to give. The convention is expensive, and inflation has made it difficult to make ends meet. If we all come together, we can do it. What can you do to help?
Give an offering to the Convention. Last year we received $80,000 in offerings to the Convention. Note that $50,000 was from North American Ministries. This was very helpful. Church dues are used to pay for the Convention, and we had an $83,000 deficit.
Give to the Executive Office, which covers convention shortfalls. A financially stable office provides a cushion when sharp cost increases occur.
Give to D6 Family Ministry, which underwrites expenses of the Vertical Three Conference. Although Vertical Three charges a fee to attend youth activities, these fees do not come close to covering actual expenses.
Challenge your church to give an offering directly to the convention. If 16 churches gave $5,000 each, the $80,000 would go a long way toward supporting the convention. Please consider what you or your church can do to help us continue to have National Conventions.
For many of us, the National Convention is the highlight of our church year. We are renewed, refreshed, and reinvigorated for another year of ministry. Let’s work together to fund the convention and continue to enjoy this event we love for generations to come. As an attendee from last year put it, “Just when you think it cannot get any better than the previous year, it does!”
*Portions of this article were adapted from the July 1989 issue of Contact magazine, which reported on the same challenges facing the convention.
About the Writer: Eddie Moody is the executive director of the National Association. For updates about the 2025 convention in Kansas City, Missouri, visit nafwb.org/convention.
