Associational Missions Strategist Jamie Rogers shared his thoughts and reactions after having participated in the 2025 Southern Baptist Convention’s Annual Meeting, held June 10-11 in Dallas, Texas. Reports indicate that of the 18,173 in total attendance there were 10,599 registered Messengers who participated in the business portions of the meeting. Rogers, his wife Tasha, and a friend are pictured above during the SBC meeting.
CMBA: Could you share some of your general impressions of the meeting this year?
Rogers: “I felt like the overall mood of the Annual Meeting this year wasn’t quite as ‘cantankerous’ as it has been the past few years. There has been great unity amongst the majority of those gathered in the last couple of years, of course there’s always a very small minority that seem to be unhappy no matter what takes place. The Annual Meeting provides a lot of opportunities to meet up with friends that you generally only get to see once a year, so it is really fun being able to see ministry friends that are serving in various capacities.
It’s important to remember that the meeting includes open business sessions. Sometimes these sessions can feel long and there are always some who seem to feel validated by going to a microphone and asking questions or making a motion. The SBC cannot and does not control who can/cannot make motions or points of order or inquiries, so it’s important to remember that a vocal minority doesn’t speak for the VAST majority of those in the room. Overall, there is unity amongst the SBC.”
CMBA: What experiences from this year’s meeting were encouraging to you?
Rogers: “The highlight of the Annual Meeting for me every year is the International Mission Board’s Send Celebration. This year we recognized 58 new IMB missionaries that are being sent to serve around the world by sharing the gospel and starting new churches. It’s always so humbling to see those that can only be represented on the screen by their silhouette because they’re going to an area where they have to hide their name and face in large crowds so that their mission isn’t compromised.
I also look forward to the North American Mission Board luncheon during the Annual Meeting. A highlight for me this year was being lead in worship by Shane & Shane during the final session of the pastor’s conference. During that same session there was a corporate prayer time that lasted around 30 minutes. It was a powerful time.
I think our churches would be encouraged to know that this is the 100th celebration of the Cooperative Program and the Baptist Faith & Message. It’s important to remember that Southern Baptist Churches are churches that are distinctly marked by their support of our giving mechanism, the Cooperative Program. It’s important to remember that we need to continue to choose to give through that mechanism that was set up a century ago.
Because of the Cooperative Program we are able to train pastors and missionaries at our seminaries with a world-class education at a fraction of the cost of other seminaries around the world. We also are currently supporting close to 4,000 international missionaries through it right now, not to mention the missionaries we have supported throughout these past 100 years. We shouldn’t stop! It was reported that the average Southern Baptist missionary now stays on the field a minimum of 15 years because they are supported so well by Southern Baptists.”
CMBA: Some may have read about controversial votes or discussions leading up to this year’s meeting. What would you say about any of those issues?
Rogers: “Southern Baptists continue to be people that stand on the Word of God. I’ve seen reports out there that we have moved backwards from our complementarian view when it comes to women in ministry, but that is simply not true. Southern Baptists are as conservative as we’ve ever been. My concern is that we must always be like Jesus. We must stand on the Word of God – the Bible – and act like Jesus by being people of grace and truth. For the most part, the Annual Meeting I attended reflects this, but the media headlines might not always report it that way.”
CMBA: Could you speak to the value of CMBA’s denominational ties? Why should churches still partner with CMBA, the South Carolina Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention?
Rogers: “I think there are other denominations that believe similarly to us when it comes to our core, biblical convictions. The thing that separates us as Baptists is our choosing to participate in cooperative giving and work.
It’s more important than ever for Southern Baptists to remember we are a team, a family. We are in this together. And today, more than ever, the world needs us to work together. We should care for struggling Baptist churches around us. When one of us hurts, we all hurt, and the mission is hurt.
When one church excels, we should all celebrate! Let’s not just do missions and seminary training together, let’s do THE mission together. There are over 4 million lost people in our state and over 400,000 of them live in our footprint. Let’s not just be people that say we believe Jesus is the only way, let’s live like it by sharing the good news that He can and will save ANYONE who calls on Him.
CMBA Family – let’s get busy sharing the gospel.”