Changes

In accordance with the traditional Baptist principle of church autonomy, the lowest level (or highest, depending on your perspective) of the SBC is the local church.  With the exception of a "mission church",<ref>A mission church is one sponsored by another congregation, either to start a congregation in an area without a church (such as a new subdivision) or to minister to an ethnic group in their own language.</ref> every congregation is autonomous of every other.<ref>In the case of a multi-site arrangement, all sites are considered to be one congregation,</ref>  Furthermore, no higher organization has any authority to fire ministers, discipline members, or force the congregation to cease operations; their only power is that they can choose not to seat the congregation's delegates (called "messengers") at the annual meeting, for such matters as failing to support the Cooperative Program or for holding views not in accordance with the association's statement of faith (e.g. having a female pastor).

In accordance with the traditional Baptist principle of church autonomy, the lowest level (or highest, depending on your perspective) of the SBC is the local church.  With the exception of a "mission church",<ref>A mission church is one sponsored by another congregation, either to start a congregation in an area without a church (such as a new subdivision) or to minister to an ethnic group in their own language.</ref> every congregation is autonomous of every other.<ref>In the case of a multi-site arrangement, all sites are considered to be one congregation,</ref>  Furthermore, no higher organization has any authority to fire ministers, discipline members, or force the congregation to cease operations; their only power is that they can choose not to seat the congregation's delegates (called "messengers") at the annual meeting, for such matters as failing to support the Cooperative Program or for holding views not in accordance with the association's statement of faith (e.g. having a female pastor).

The next level is the local association.  These are usually organized by county in the larger metro areas; less populated counties are usually combined into one association.  These groups handle matters involving local issues, such as operating a food pantry or supporting a [[crisis pregnancy center]].

The next level is the local association.  These are usually organized by county in the larger metro areas; less populated counties are usually combined into one association.  These groups handle matters involving local issues, such as operating a food pantry or supporting a [[pregnancy resource center]].

The next level is the state convention.  Most states in the Southern United States have a single state convention; however, due to the moderates-conservatives controversy discussed above, three states (Missouri, Texas and Virginia)<ref>The Texas and Virginia conservative state conventions formed when the existing state conventions refused to accept the Conservative Resurgence; in Missouri the liberal state convention formed after the existing convention refused to associate with the liberal Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.</ref> have two separate ones; a more conservative one aligned solely with the SBC and a more liberal one aligned both with the SBC and the liberal splinter group [[Cooperative Baptist Fellowship]].  Less populated states in northern and western parts of the United States, where the SBC is not as strong, are organized into multi-state conventions.  These groups handle statewide matters such as speaking on political issues involving the state (e.g. a bill to limit abortions) or disaster relief.

The next level is the state convention.  Most states in the Southern United States have a single state convention; however, due to the moderates-conservatives controversy discussed above, three states (Missouri, Texas and Virginia)<ref>The Texas and Virginia conservative state conventions formed when the existing state conventions refused to accept the Conservative Resurgence; in Missouri the liberal state convention formed after the existing convention refused to associate with the liberal Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.</ref> have two separate ones; a more conservative one aligned solely with the SBC and a more liberal one aligned both with the SBC and the liberal splinter group [[Cooperative Baptist Fellowship]].  Less populated states in northern and western parts of the United States, where the SBC is not as strong, are organized into multi-state conventions.  These groups handle statewide matters such as speaking on political issues involving the state (e.g. a bill to limit abortions) or disaster relief.