First Baptist Church and Its Affiliations

     Every Baptist Church is independent and under no head except the Lord Jesus Christ. No denomination

organization has any control over the local church. However, Baptist Churches believe in and should practice

the Scriptural doctrine of cooperation. Baptist work is done on these bases:

     District Associations of Baptist Churches are composed of cooperating churches in a county or group

of counties in a given territory. They hold annual meeting and board meeting where reports of the churches are

given and plans for promotions of the work are made. First Baptist Church is a member of “South Texas

Association”.

     State Conventions are composed of all cooperating church in a state. They hold annual meetings at

which are presented reports of various phases of the work. First Baptist Church is a member of the “General

Missionary State Baptist Convention”.

     The National Convention is composed of all cooperating churches as well as state conventions and

district associations throughout the United States. It also holds annual meeting as well as a national congress. It

has a foreign mission board, home mission and various other boards to help promote and carry out its great

work for the Lord. This mission and benevolent work of the denomination is supported through the cooperation

of the churches, which follow a plan of dividing the money given by the churches for missions and benevolence

among the various agencies and institutions. First Baptist is a member of the “National Baptist Convention of America”.

     There is no escape of the local church from the tug and pull of the great commission given to His church

by our Lord. The commission says, “Go into all the world”. These denominational organizations make it

possible for the local church to unite their forces and obey the command. Every Baptist should feel seriously the

obligation to support this work.