CBF Illumination Project

The Illumination Project is a project of the Governing Board of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. The Illumination Project is a process of discernment and accompaniment involving CBF congregational leaders to build and strengthen CBF unity through cooperation. This is a project to illuminate the qualities that have built unity in CBF, and through discernment, to identify intentional processes by which we can maintain and grow unity through cooperation. 

The Illumination Project is designed to create models of dialogue and decision-making for a cooperative body. The goal, often sacrifically enabled, to seek intentional community in spite of differences has been a strong witness of CBF. We believe that our commitment to scripture, reliance on foundational faith tenets and the lessons from our history can be used to enable new clairty regarding the process of cooperative Christian community for the Fellowship. 

Often, the call to dialogue masks a requirement that we set aside our deepest convictions on important questions and be subjected to a lecture intended to persuade. The intentional design of this project is to bring CBF churches with their full conviction into a respected and trustworthy place without intent to persuade, but instead to find a path to cooperation. 

"We as the Governing Board of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship are commissioned to facilitate the implementation of the Illumination Project as a means by which to build and strengthen CBF unity through cooperation in light of our current cultural context. I have asked that they proceed with this charge through a process that is (1) broad-based and transparent; (2) deliberate and intentional; and (3) without any predetermined outcome, other than the desire to encourage CBF unity through cooperation."

- CBF Moderator Doug Dortch
Senior Minister, Mountain Brook Baptist Church
Birmingham, Ala.

Questions or comments? Find answers to Frequently Asked Questions here orContact Illumination Project ad hoc committee chair Charlie Fuller at governingboard@cbf.net

Video:

Illumination Project: An Introduction

Illumination Project Explained from Cooperative Baptist Fellowship on Vimeo.

Illuminations Series (CBFblog): 

• "CBF and Alabama CBF: A deep and abiding unity" - Terri Byrd
• "Unity in our Diversity as Cooperative Baptists" - Ray Higgins
• "CBF and CBF Heartland: Creating Vibrant Connections" - Jeff Langford
• "The church's role in sustaining beloved community" - Shane McNary
• "Embracing our part in being the Global Church" - Laura Foushee
• "Peer Learning Groups: Lessons in Listening and Finding New Stories" - Ruth Perkins Lee
• "Illuminating the Radical Center" - Lauren Hovis
• "CBF Fellows: Flourishing in Ministry" - Joshua Speight
• "Belonging in the world of both/and" - Griff Martin
• "United in Diversity: Our Baptist Witness Past and Present" - Bruce Gourley 
• "Confessions of a Prideful, Prejudiced Egoist or How I Found My Way Home" - Alice Mull
• "Blessed be the ties that bind" - Emily Holladay
• "Straddling Two Worlds" - Shauw Chin Capps
• "What happens when worlds collide?" - Matt Cook

Additional Reading: 

• Associational Relationships and the 'Illumination Project' (fellowship! magazine)
• On Unity, Cooperation and a Big Umbrella (fellowship! magazine)
• Illumination Project committee reports progress, enters next phase of its work (10/3/16)
• CBF Moderator appoints ad hoc committee to guide work of Illumination Project (7/21/16)
• Through deliberative dialogue, CBF seeks to model the way of 'unity through cooperation' (6/21/16) 
• The Illumination Project Proposal (6/21/16)