NorthStar Church Network

Churches and Their Affiliations

NorthStar Church Network is an association, comprised of about 170 Baptist congregations. Some are self-supporting churches; others have "mission" status-they are supported by a sponsor church.

NorthStar Church Network respects the autonomy of each local church. Under the Lordship of Christ, and with democratic principles, congregations seek to fulfill their God-given mission and extend His Kingdom through evangelism and ministry, near and far. The association's role is to assist churches in this endeavor, and congregations support this work of the association through their financial contributions and the participation of their church members on association service groups and teams.

Membership in NorthStar is unique and does not make a church a member of any other body. Churches make those decisions for themselves; they are free to cooperate with other regional, state, national, or international bodies, as they sense God's leadership. Likewise, membership in NorthStar does not prevent a church from uniting with any other Christian body. Churches are free in Christ, the head of the church, also to join and work with other groups as they are led.

Some such relationships stem from theological emphases, some from historic or ethnic affinities, and still others from missionary perspectives. For these reasons and more, NorthStar churches also choose to affiliate with a variety of Christian and Baptist groups.

For example, NorthStar member churches are connected with any number of these and more:

• Baptist General Association of Virginia
• Southern Baptist Convention
• Progressive Baptist Convention
• American Baptist Churches, Inc.
• Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia
• National Baptist Convention
• Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
• Northern Virginia Baptist Association
• Baptist World Alliance
• Willow Creek Association
• Saddleback
• Habitat for Humanity

Whereas some Baptist groups do exclude those churches which are members of certain bodies, NorthStar Church Network maintains a posture welcoming to all churches which seek to identify with it as an association that equips congregations to maximize their mission capabilities. As a diverse family of autonomous congregations, we are committed to practicing Baptist distinctives and living out the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.

Note: NorthStar congregations which have "mission" status-being supported by a sponsoring church-are considered part of the association family through that sponsor church. However, only self-supporting, autonomous churches are official members of the association.

Complied by Rev. Greg Loewer, 2006