Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
A Baptist Christian fellowship formed by theologically moderate churches that separated from the conservative direction of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) is a Baptist Christian fellowship in the United States. It emerged from disagreements within the Southern Baptist Convention during the conservative resurgence of the late twentieth century, particularly over the direction of convention life, the authority of fundamentalist leadership, and the participation of women in ordained ministry. A group of moderate Southern Baptist churches and leaders met in Atlanta in 1990, and the organization was formally established in 1991. CBF initially maintained an affiliation with the Southern Baptist Convention. By 1996, it reported approximately 1,400 affiliated churches. The relationship became more distinct over time: CBF began ordaining chaplains in 1998, formally ended its Southern Baptist Convention affiliation in 2002, and joined the Baptist World Alliance. The organization subsequently developed an independent network of churches, state and regional bodies, ministry programs, educational partnerships, and international mission work. The fellowship describes its Baptist identity through congregational autonomy, religious liberty, and freedom in biblical interpretation. Its theological outlook is commonly associated with four “fragile freedoms” articulated by Baptist historian Walter Shurden: soul freedom, Bible freedom, church freedom, and religious freedom. CBF does not impose a single detailed doctrinal position on every affiliated congregation. Instead, individual churches retain substantial authority over governance, ministry practice, and social questions. This structure allows congregations with differing views to participate in a common network, although disagreements have periodically produced institutional conflict. One of CBF’s founding commitments was the participation of women and men in church leadership and Christian ministry. Most CBF-affiliated churches support the ordination of women as ministers and deacons and their service as pastors. The fellowship also supports theological education through scholarships and partnerships with existing seminaries and divinity schools rather than by owning a dedicated seminary system. Its educational relationships have included Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, and university-affiliated institutions. CBF operates through a national organization together with 19 affiliated state and regional bodies. Churches connected to the fellowship are present in 43 U.S. states. Its mission organization, Global Missions, supports international ministry and missionary activity. The organization also maintains relationships with Baptist and ecumenical partners, including the Baptist World Alliance and, through a broader partnership, the National Baptist Convention of America. Questions surrounding sexuality and LGBTQ inclusion have been among the fellowship’s most consequential internal issues. In 2000, its Coordinating Council adopted values that restricted financial support for gay-affirming organizations and limited the hiring of non-celibate gay staff and missionaries. Following an extended period of discussion, including the 2016 Illumination Project, CBF removed the relevant prohibition from its hiring policy in 2018, while retaining language concerning leadership, celibacy, and heterosexual marriage. An LGBTQ-affirming network was established later in 2018. The policy changes contributed to disaffiliations involving churches that also belonged to the Kentucky Baptist Convention. In 2024, the affirming network merged with the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists. A 2023 census cited approximately 1,800 CBF churches and 750,000 members. These figures describe the fellowship’s reported affiliated constituency rather than a conventional commercial customer base. CBF is therefore best understood as a religious network and ministry organization rather than a consumer brand. Its public identity rests on moderate Baptist theology, congregational freedom, shared missions, support for women in ministry, religious liberty, and cooperation among autonomous churches.
History
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship developed out of the conflict that reshaped the Southern Baptist Convention during the conservative resurgence. In the late twentieth century, conservative leaders and activists gained increasing influence over convention institutions, appointments, seminaries, and denominational policy. A group of more moderate Baptist churches and leaders objected to what they regarded as an increasingly centralized and fundamentalist direction. They were also concerned about opposition to the ordination of women and the narrowing of acceptable theological positions. In 1990, representatives of this moderate constituency met in Atlanta to discuss creating a cooperative structure through which churches could continue Baptist ministry without submitting to the emerging conservative leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship was formally established in 1991. It was initially not conceived simply as a rival denomination: the fellowship continued to have a relationship with the Southern Baptist Convention, while providing an alternative network for churches, missions, education, and ministry support. CBF expanded during the 1990s. By 1996, it reported approximately 1,400 churches and remained affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. The organization’s approach emphasized the autonomy of local congregations and cooperation around missions and ministry rather than strict enforcement of a uniform confession. In 1998, CBF began ordaining chaplains, broadening its ministry activity beyond congregational affiliation. The institutional relationship with the Southern Baptist Convention ended in 2002. CBF then became a member of the Baptist World Alliance, giving it an international Baptist connection distinct from the Southern Baptist Convention. Over the following years, the fellowship developed a national organization alongside 19 affiliated state and regional bodies. Churches connected to CBF have been reported in 43 states. Its Global Missions program became a central expression of the fellowship’s international work. Rather than establishing and controlling a single seminary system, CBF has supported theological education through partnerships with existing schools and universities. Its partners have included Baptist seminaries, denominational divinity schools, and university-based theological institutions. Scholarships and academic support allow students to prepare for ministry while remaining connected to the fellowship’s Baptist principles. CBF has also supported chaplaincy and other forms of vocational ministry. The organization’s theological identity is grounded in traditional Baptist concepts of congregational governance and religious liberty. CBF highlights freedom in biblical interpretation, the right of congregations to govern themselves, and the participation of women and men in Christian leadership. It also draws on Walter Shurden’s formulation of four Baptist freedoms: soul freedom, Bible freedom, church freedom, and religious freedom. Because affiliated churches are autonomous, CBF generally does not issue binding positions on every social or political question, and individual congregations may differ on matters not covered by the fellowship’s core commitments. The most sustained internal controversy in the twenty-first century concerned sexuality and LGBTQ inclusion. In 2000, CBF adopted values that prohibited financial support for gay-affirming organizations and restricted the hiring of non-celibate gay staff and missionaries. The issue remained contested among affiliated churches and leaders. In 2016, CBF co-sponsored a conference on sexuality and launched the Illumination Project, intended to help its community address disagreements over the hiring policy and related questions. In 2018, the fellowship removed the explicit prohibition on hiring LGBT staff members or sending LGBT missionaries, although it retained provisions concerning leadership roles, celibacy, and marriage. Later that year, the Affirming Network was established to support full LGBTQ inclusion and affirmation. The policy shift contributed to the Kentucky Baptist Convention’s disaffiliation of churches with dual CBF affiliation. In 2024, the Affirming Network merged with the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists. A census published in 2023 reported 1,800 affiliated churches and 750,000 members. CBF’s present structure combines a national fellowship, regional networks, mission work, educational support, chaplaincy, and cooperation with Baptist and ecumenical partners. Its history is defined by the effort to preserve a moderate, locally governed Baptist identity while maintaining cooperation across churches with differing theological and social views.
- 2024
Affirming Network merger
[1]The Affirming Network merged with the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists.
- 2023
Census reports 1,800 churches and 750,000 members
[1]A published census reported approximately 1,800 affiliated churches and 750,000 members.
- 2018
LGBTQ-related hiring restriction removed
[1]CBF removed the explicit policy language prohibiting LGBT staff members and missionaries, while retaining other leadership and sexual-ethics provisions.
- 2018
Affirming Network founded
[1]The Affirming Network was established to advocate full LGBTQ inclusion and affirmation within the CBF community.
- 2016
Illumination Project begins
[1]Following a sexuality conference, CBF initiated the Illumination Project to facilitate discussion of disagreements over LGBTQ-related policies and other divisive issues.
- 2002
Separation from the Southern Baptist Convention
[1]CBF formally left the Southern Baptist Convention and joined the Baptist World Alliance.
- 2000
Sexuality-related values adopted
[1]The Coordinating Council adopted values restricting financial support for gay-affirming organizations and the hiring of non-celibate gay staff and missionaries.
- 1998
Chaplaincy ordination begins
[1]CBF began ordaining chaplains as part of its expanding ministry work.
- 1996
Reported growth to approximately 1,400 churches
[1]CBF reported about 1,400 churches while it was still affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
- 1991
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is established
[1]The fellowship was formally organized as a network for churches seeking a moderate Baptist alternative while initially retaining ties to the Southern Baptist Convention.
Products and positioning
A moderate and cooperative Baptist network emphasizing congregational autonomy, religious liberty, freedom in biblical interpretation, shared mission, and participation by women and men in Christian leadership.
International mission organization
Global Missions
CBF’s mission organization supports international Christian mission activity and provides a principal channel for the fellowship’s global ministry. It forms part of the wider network of services offered to affiliated congregations and missionaries.
Ministerial education support
Theological education partnerships
CBF supports theological education through scholarships and academic relationships with existing seminaries, divinity schools, and theological institutes. The fellowship does not rely on a single CBF-owned seminary, instead connecting students and ministers with institutions across several Baptist and ecumenical traditions.
Ordination and ministry support · 1998
Chaplaincy ministry
Since beginning chaplain ordinations in 1998, CBF has supported ministry beyond the local congregation through chaplaincy and related vocational pathways.
Congregational network
State and regional fellowship network
Nineteen affiliated state and regional organizations provide local resources and relationships for CBF churches. They complement the national fellowship and help adapt ministry support to local Baptist communities.
Marketing campaigns
- 2016Illumination Project
United States
The Illumination Project was created to help CBF churches and leaders discuss disagreements over sexuality, LGBTQ-related hiring and missionary policies, and other divisive questions.
Outcome. The process preceded the 2018 removal of explicit restrictions on hiring LGBT staff members and sending LGBT missionaries.
Brand decisions
2024
Merge the Affirming Network with the Association of Welcoming and Affirming BaptistsM&ABackground
The Affirming Network had been founded in 2018 to support full LGBTQ inclusion and affirmation within the CBF community.
Action taken
The network merged with the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists.
Aftermath
The merger consolidated advocacy for LGBTQ-affirming Baptist congregations and communities.
2018
Remove explicit LGBT hiring and missionary restrictionsStrategyBackground
The policy had been debated since the Coordinating Council adopted sexuality-related values in 2000.
Action taken
CBF removed language prohibiting the hiring of LGBT staff members and the appointment of LGBT missionaries, while retaining provisions concerning leadership roles, celibacy, and heterosexual marriage.
Aftermath
The decision intensified disagreement among affiliated Baptist bodies and was followed by the founding of the Affirming Network and disaffiliation action by the Kentucky Baptist Convention.
2016
Launch the Illumination ProjectStrategyBackground
Longstanding disagreement over CBF’s 2000 sexuality-related hiring and funding values had become increasingly prominent within the fellowship.
Action taken
The governing body initiated a structured process for discussing LGBTQ-related policies and other contentious issues.
Aftermath
The process contributed to subsequent changes in the fellowship’s hiring policy.
2002
End formal affiliation with the Southern Baptist ConventionStrategyBackground
The fellowship had developed as a moderate alternative during the Southern Baptist Convention’s conservative resurgence and had remained affiliated with the convention through the 1990s.
Action taken
CBF formally left the Southern Baptist Convention and joined the Baptist World Alliance.
Aftermath
The move established CBF as an independent Baptist fellowship with its own national, regional, educational, and mission structures.
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