The North American Baptist Conference of churches was formed out of God’s leading many years ago. Based on a connection between German immigrants in Canada and the United States, devoted followers of Jesus used these relationships to live and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As a result, many of these German immigrants turned their hearts to God in Jesus. God was leading and directing.
These believers felt God bringing them together into churches. Partnerships were then made with other like-minded churches, and a conference of churches was birthed. In this working of God, it was evident there was a need for training leaders and pastors. In response to God’s direction, theological and Christian education became a priority.
At the same time, there was an ongoing desire by these churches to share the Gospel not just with people who were of the same cultural heritage but people across the world. Churches saw the value in bringing their resources together and sending missionaries. In faithfulness to God’s leading, this conference of churches became a sending organization.
God has continued to lead through the years as our purposes have been refined. Church planting has continued, as well as Christian and theological education and the sending of missionaries. This movement of God in the NAB continues in equipping and training Christians to understand who God is and who they are in their faith in God. This commitment has grown into a missional movement where we see God at work all around us and seek to join God with where he is working.
God continues to lead us in developing partnerships. God continues to direct us in seeking godly justice and righteousness. God continues to lead us to reach out to a diverse world that still needs to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. God continues to direct us to identify those emerging leaders whom God is already raising up all around us to serve and minster for him.
The identifying mark in all of this is that the NAB has always been open to God’s leading. The past has not kept us from following this leading but has been a faithful foundation from which God continues to lead us.