Church Health

Taking a Stand Against Abuse

We desire to help churches take a stand against any kind of abuse, from mental abuse to child sexual abuse. We are joining together with the other Southern Baptist state conventions to offer training and resources to prevent abuse and minister to abuse victims.

Visit the Taking a Stand Page

Protecting Your Ministry from Sexual Orientation Gender Identity Lawsuits:

A Legal Guide for Southern Baptist and Evangelical Churches, Schools, and Ministries

Click here to view document

20% off Religious Freedom Legal Membership for Your Church

Our culture is changing, and these changes are leading to changes in the law. As a result, churches are experiencing legal challenges to their religious freedom. Challenges are arising at the local, state, and federal level on several issues, including: 

  • Sexual orientation & gender identity laws: Elected officials have made attempts to prohibit churches and other employers from maintaining biblically based codes of conduct related to marriage and sexual behavior.    
  • Use of church facilities: Some government officials are attempting to dictate how churches can use their buildings, even if it means violating their beliefs. 
  • Unconstitutional regulations: Some states have attempted to force churches to provide abortions in their health plans, despite their deeply held beliefs about the sanctity of life. 
  • Equal access to government grants and property: Churches across the country have been discriminated against and denied access to neutrally available public benefits simply because they are religious. 

Your church needs to be prepared to face these, and other, religious freedom issues. But you don’t have to bear this legal burden alone – we’ve partnered with ADF Church Alliance  to equip you. 

By joining ADF Church Alliance, your church can be prepared and protected for potential challenges, so you can continue to live out your faith and freely minister.  

ADF Church Alliance provides personalized and virtually all-encompassing religious freedom legal help for churches, whenever they need it, for a flat annual membership fee that’s based on church size.  

Click here to learn more about the benefits of membership.

Because of our partnership, you get a 20% discount on this already affordable program. Enter code DBC20 when you apply. 

Become a member and have peace of mind knowing you have a strong legal advocate ready to stand with you. 

  1. Apply Online at ADFChurchAlliance.org/DBC   
  2. Use Promo Code DBC20 for a 20% discount 
  3. Keep the doors open for the Gospel

Revitalization

Doing the essential spiritual work that prompts a movement of God which propels the church into a state of health and wholeness that leads to growth and reproduction.

Here is a general overview of the process you can expect when you go through Revitalization: (Click to see process)
  1. Prayer Emphasis – Your journey to revitalization starts with a focused season of prayer as a church body. There are several options we can provide, or you can create your own. We would recommend at least a week of intentional prayer focus before moving into the assessment process. Expect to hear from God in this time as individuals and as a church. One tool you can use is the LifeWay pdf, “Consecrate the People: Renewing Our Covenant Commitments to Jesus Christ” by Claude King.
  2. Assessment – We have two online assessment tools available for you to use. The first one is an internal tool and can be opened here. The second one is from Thom Rainer and is titled Church Health Inventory. Encourage several of your leaders and church members to fill out this simple assessment to create a better picture of where your church is at currently as this will help in the creation of a revitalization process that will be suited for your specific situation. There are also some offline assessments available or one of the DBC staff can come to your church to do an in-person assessment with your church.
  3. Customization – We will work together to help you develop a process to move your church toward revitalization based on the information that comes from prayer and assessment. You take the lead to determine how this will happen and how we can help you in the process. We also recommend a reassessment at 6 months or a year to determine how well the process is working.
  4. Implementation – Putting the plan into motion and seeing God at work. We will be available to help along the way. We also recommend a reassessment at 6 months or a year to determine how well the process is working and help to make adjustments as needed.
  5. Celebration – We look forward to celebrating with you and telling the story of how God has renewed His people and His church. Together we can, because God can.
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Bring a Mission Team to Your Church

The Dakota Baptist Convention hears from groups all around the United States who would like to help churches and ministries in the Dakotas over the summer.  Opportunities that you might want to consider include:  block parties, neighborhood surveys, church repairs, VBS or backyard clubs, youth retreat, or neighborhood clean-up.  The opportunities are limited only by your imagination. 

Summer Teams

Supply Preachers

Looking for pulpit supply? Need someone who has been vetted and can be trusted to truthfully and honestly preach the Word of God while upholding the tenets of the Baptist Faith & Message? Perhaps you are in the Dakotas and would like to be a supply preacher. Either way, we have you covered!

We have a list of supply preachers who have been vetted by their pastors. We also have a sign-up form if you would like to be considered (and vetted!) for pulpit supply.

Visit Supply Preachers Page

Church Planting

Here you can earn about how you, as a church or an individual, can help plant churches in the Dakotas.

This is also the place to go if you are a current NAMB/DBC church planter looking for resources.

Visit the Church Planting Page

Sabbatical Grant

This grant is used to assist DBC churches in allowing their pastors to take a 1-3 month sabbatical leave. The grant will provide assistance in providing supply preaching and pastoral care in the pastor’s absence. The sabbatical grant will also coach the pastor and church in developing a sabbatical plan.

Guidelines for Sabbatical Grant (click to view)
  • A pastor and church wishing to request assistance in allowing their pastor to take a sabbatical leave can submit a special request form.
  • In the request form please give reasons for the sabbatical, its length and the help you are requesting. Please indicate the date the church voted to approve the sabbatical.
  • A State Convention staff member will contact the church and set up a meeting to determine the level of help needed and to assist the pastor and church in developing a Sabbatical leave plan.
  • The Executive Director will submit the request to the Administrative committee of the Executive Board along with a sabbatical plan. The Committee will approve and report the approval to the Executive Board at the next meeting.
  • The Convention will help with cost of pulpit supply or sabbatical interim. In special circumstances the Convention will help with travel costs for the pastor during his sabbatical leave on a limited basis.
  • Sabbatical leave assistance will be available to pastors who have a tenure in their present ministry of at least 5 years.
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