The Baptist Paper has released a series of Explainer articles related to this year’s SBC Annual Meeting in Dallas.
The Business and Financial Plan of the Southern Baptist Convention sets guidelines for how SBC entities manage finances, report to the Convention and cooperate with one another.
The Business and Financial Plan was first adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1991. Its creation followed a period of increasing complexity in how SBC entities operated and reported financial information, as well as a broader push for consistent stewardship of Cooperative Program funds.
Previously, there was no single unified document outlining how SBC entities were to handle finances and report to messengers. This sometimes led to inconsistencies in practices and limited visibility into how funds were managed.
Covered in this article:
- What does the plan do?
- What are the proposed updates to the plan?
- Perspectives on the proposed changes
What does the plan do?
The Business and Financial Plan establishes guidelines for how SBC entities manage finances, report to the Convention and cooperate with one another. It is designed to ensure consistency, transparency and accountability across the SBC’s cooperating ministries — such as the International Mission Board, North American Mission Board, the seminaries and the Executive Committee.
The plan outlines:
- Financial reporting expectations for SBC entities.
- Internal control and audit requirements.
- Cooperation standards among SBC organizations.
- Guidelines for compensation and salary disclosure.
- How churches and Southern Baptists can request financial information.
- The roles and responsibilities of trustees who govern each entity.
While it is not a governing document like the SBC Constitution or Bylaws, it functions as an accountability tool, helping ensure that ministries supported by the CP operate according to shared standards of accountability and transparency.
What are the proposed updates to the plan?
A revised version (see below) of the Business and Financial Plan will be presented for a vote during the 2025 SBC Annual Meeting in Dallas.
The proposed update is designed to:
- Emphasize trustee governance and accountability.
- Simplify and modernize the language.
- Clarify financial transparency and information access.
- Remove outdated sections no longer relevant to current SBC operations.
Messengers to the 2025 Southern Baptist Convention in Dallas will have the opportunity to vote on whether to adopt this updated plan.
Perspectives on the Proposed Changes
Supporters say the proposed changes:
- Strengthen trustee oversight. The revised plan emphasizes the role of trustees, elected by messengers, as the primary stewards of SBC entities, reinforcing their accountability for operations and financial decisions.
- Enhance transparency. The plan introduces clearer pathways for church members to access information on compensation processes, personnel practices and salary structures.
- Modernize operations. By streamlining the document and removing outdated sections, the plan aligns with current operational realities, making it more accessible and relevant.
Critics say the proposed changes:
- Insufficient transparency measures. Some critics believe the proposed revisions lack specific requirements for more detailed financial disclosures, such as requiring entities to provide IRS Form 990-level information, which could hinder full accountability.
- Potential centralization of authority. There are concerns that changes might inadvertently centralize decision-making power within the Executive Committee, potentially diminishing the autonomy of individual entities and the influence of messengers.
- Ambiguity in implementation. Critics point out that while the plan outlines access to information, it lacks specific mechanisms to ensure compliance and enforce transparency across all entities.
Read the Plans
- Current SBC Business and Financial Plan (1991 version)
- Proposed Revised Business and Financial Plan (2025 version)
- The proposed Business and Financial Plan begins on pages 46–50 in the Book of Reports of the 2025 Southern Baptist Convention.
