About | Baptist Convention of Maryland & Delaware

Who We Are

We are a cooperative missions and ministry organization made up of more than 400 autonomous Baptist churches in Maryland and Delaware as well as several other states. A variety of state and worldwide ministries are coordinated through our administrative offices in Crownsville, Maryland, including training and support for ministry leaders and teams, leadership development, missions, disaster relief, evangelism efforts, and more.

We are located in the heart of the mid-Atlantic region. The two states represent a highly diverse population, with nearly six million people organized in twenty-seven counties.

The BCM/D is organized throughout eleven geographic associations within the two states, and in cooperation with over 400 churches. We are committed to the expressed vision of planting new churches and strengthening existing ones.

Our Mission

Equipping and Resourcing Churches to Make Disciples

At BCM/D, our mission is to equip and resource churches to make disciples. This focus drives our efforts to strengthen and partner with churches as they advance the gospel.

Our Values

Strengthening

We are committed to strengthening our churches and equipping them to thrive. Through practical resources, consulting, and ongoing support, we help congregations grow in people and purpose, overcome stagnation, and revitalize their mission.

Formation and Health

We prioritize the formation and health of our pastors and leaders, training them to be intentional about their spiritual, emotional, and physical health so that they can lead with integrity, clarity, and renewed energy.

Mobilization and Planting

Gospel multiplication is at the heart of our work. We are committed to helping churches develop new pastors and plant new congregations by providing them with the care, resources, and partnership they need to thrive.

Missional Impact

We believe that churches should be catalysts for transformation in their local communities and beyond. Through partnerships, we provide training, resourcing, and equipping to mobilize churches to make a lasting impact by meeting needs, building relationships, and serving the marginalized through our compassion ministries.

What We Believe

Churches who affiliate with the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware ascribe to the Baptist Faith and Message, which serves as a summary of the Southern Baptist faith.

Affiliation with the BCM/D

The Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCM/D) is a fellowship of Baptist churches that share similar core values and have intentionally chosen to join together in friendly cooperation to reach Maryland/Delaware and the world for Jesus Christ. In a spirit of trust and cooperation, we affirm and value our love for Jesus Christ and for one another; our commitment to the Bible as the Word of God; the autonomy of the local church, the local association, the state convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention; and our commitment to the mission and vision of the BCM/D.

We also affirm and value our cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention in achieving our worldwide mission; affiliated churches that adopt The Baptist Faith and Message or a similar statement in accord with the beliefs expressed in these Southern Baptist documents; the continued employment and support of spirit-led BCM/D staff who affirm The Baptist Faith and Message; and our Belief that the ultimate task to which we are called, and which most assuredly binds us together, is the mission of reaching people for Jesus Christ and making disciples for His kingdom.

Two Ways to Affiliate in Friendly Cooperation with the BCM/D

We encourage those who desire to affiliate with the BCM/D to affiliate first with a local Maryland or Delaware association. Once the congregation completes the credentialing process for affiliation with the association and submits their first financial contribution in support of our cooperative missions effort, that congregation will be considered affiliated with the BCM/D.

Because the local church is autonomous, a church may petition the BCM/D for affiliation. The petitioning process is outlined below.

Petitioning Process

The church should submit in writing on church letterhead a request for affiliation. The letter should contain: a statement that this request is a result of “official church action,” a statement of the church’s mission and vision, a brief statement as to why the church wishes to affiliate with the BCM/D, the church’s statement of faith and constitution/bylaws. This letter should be submitted to the Executive Director’s office at PO Box 199 Crownsville, Maryland 21032.

The Executive Director or his designee will make contact with the pastor of the church to discuss the church’s request for affiliation.
The Affiliation Committee of the General Mission Board will review the request for affiliation. The Affiliation Committee will report to the General Mission Board and make recommendations concerning the church’s request.
Upon approval by the General Mission Board, the church will be extended an official invitation to affiliate with the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware.
The affiliation process will be complete when the church submits its first financial contribution in support of our cooperative missions effort.
The newly affiliated church will be encouraged to also affiliate with a local Maryland/Delaware association.