Welcome and thank you for your interest in affiliating with California Southern Baptist Convention, a network of more than 2,200 churches whose purpose is to reach California, the United States and the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Who should complete a CSBC Membership Application
Affiliated missions or church plants that have become autonomous churches and desire full CSBC/SBC membership
Unaffiliated churches seeking membership in the CSBC and SBC
The CSBC Constitution states that only churches can send messengers to the annual meeting. This statement also holds true for messengers to Southern Baptist Convention annual meetings.
There are two paths for a congregation to affiliate with CSBC:
Mission or Church Plant Affiliation
Missions or church plants do not require a CSBC membership application. These new congregations are sponsored (financially and otherwise) by a CSBC or SBC church in good standing and are accepted under the watch care of the sponsor church. Missions and church plants cannot elect messengers to either the CSBC or SBC annual meeting. However, members can be messengers if elected by the sponsor church.
Once a mission or church plant becomes autonomous and is no longer sponsored by a church, the mission or church plant must seek CSBC membership as a church.
Church Affiliation
Autonomous churches not affiliated with CSBC must go through the membership process by completing an application and providing other required documentation. Churches seeking membership must be approved by the Convention Membership Committee of the CSBC Executive Board. A dual application is a possibility for those churches seeking membership of select associations and CSBC. However, the Executive Board must approve all churches as stipulated in the CSBC Bylaws (Article III, Section 5 –Throughout the year the Executive Board shall confer to make decisions regarding membership status of churches wishing to affiliate with the Convention, reporting its actions to the Convention annually.)
If a mission or church plant becomes an autonomous congregation, CSBC cannot change its status to a church without going through the membership process outlined in the “Church Affiliation” section above. Once an application and supporting documentation has been submitted and approved, the church is eligible to send messengers to CSBC (and SBC) annual meetings, based on messenger requirements for the state and national entities.
On this page, you’ll find several documents to be completed and submitted for review by the Convention Membership Committee of the CSBC Executive Board. The committee meets in January, May and September to approve churches for membership. It is important that all materials be completed and submitted to be considered for affiliation. Deadline for receiving applications for consideration are:
January 9, 2023 – January 2023 Executive Board Meeting
April 19, 2023 – May 2023 Executive Board Meeting
August 23, 2023 – September 2023 Executive Board Meeting
January 3, 2024 – January 2024 Executive Board Meeting
April 17, 2024 – May 2024 Executive Board Meeting
August 21, 2024 – September 2024 Executive Board Meeting
Before filling in the Membership Application, please read the following since the membership application requires answers pertaining to:
Below are the documents to be completed and submitted. Churches will be asked to electronically attach church Bylaws. Churches also may be asked to attach the church Constitution (if adopted) and Statement of Faith (if adopted).
- Membership Application
- Sample Association Declaration of Affiliation (If affiliated with a CSBC association)
- Sample Church Resolution of CSBC Affiliation
Submit the completed online application digitally. Please return completed printed applications and supporting attachments to:
California Southern Baptist Convention
Convention Membership Committee
678 East Shaw Avenue
Fresno, California 93710-7704
Questions regarding membership should be directed to Terry Barone, CSBC Special Projects Coordinator and liaison with the Convention Membership Committee, by email, or by calling 559.256.0818. Persons may also contact Audrey Hernandez by email, or by calling 559.256.0814.