Maybe your church is considering becoming part of our CBOQ family. Maybe you are looking to serve as a pastor in a CBOQ church. Maybe you are part of CBOQ and want clarity around some topics. This document has been prepared by the CBOQ Board, and vetted by a committee of ministry leaders, to address frequently asked questions. As you read this, please note:
We have sought to share CBOQ’s beliefs and practices using previously agreed-upon motions and documents (in particular, resolutions from various annual assemblies), aiming to minimize personal opinion or interpretation.
CBOQ was previously known as BCOQ and in some references to past motions you may see the term BCOQ used.
To understand almost all of these questions, it is important to understand Baptist distinctives and how they impact our daily practice. Please visit https://baptist.ca/about-cboq/what-do-baptists-believe/, which outlines the way Baptist churches are typically structured, and which have been adopted by CBOQ. The relevant distinctives in this discussion include the following:
We believe Jesus is Lord of all things, including the Church.
As Baptists, we turn to Scripture as the authoritative voice that directs our understanding of how God calls us to live and lead in our churches.
At the same time, Baptists have also long espoused the importance “Liberty of Conscience” (sometimes called “Soul Liberty”), meaning that individuals read and interpret the Scriptures as they feel God leads them. Baptists believe that one cannot be forced to be a Christian or to hold a particular view.
Baptists endorse Local Church Autonomy, meaning that individual churches have the freedom to determine their own theology, mission, worship style, and structure. This principle is demonstrated in section 2.06(b) of CBOQ’s General Operating By-Law. This means there may be significant diversity among our churches on many ecclesiological and theological matters. This further means that most of our church buildings are directly owned by their congregations, and not by CBOQ. It also limits CBOQ’s role in the hiring and removal of pastors. However, while we practice local church autonomy, we also rely on the long-standing Baptist practice of the association principle. This means that while there is freedom for churches to explore their own understanding of theological issues, we also temper our autonomy through association, support and accountability with one another.
CBOQ is not a top-down association. Rather, we are a group of churches that voluntarily associate. As Baptists, we do not force a church or individual to adopt a particular view. Sometimes agreement among churches cannot be reached on what are believed to be important issues or theological beliefs. In these cases, Baptist churches have historically either agreed to work together despite these differences, churches voluntarily leave the fellowship, gatherings have split into different groups, or associations have removed churches from their fellowship
In summary, Autonomy means that, as a church, you can wrestle with your own theological positions and questions, elect your own leadership and hire your own pastor and staff. It does not mean that churches have no accountability within CBOQ. We voluntarily agree to have our relationship defined by our Baptist Distinctives and our Constitution, which includes our bylaws, policies, procedures and standards.
FAQ
Please note that to understand some of the explanations in these questions you may find it helpful to refer to the questions on Structure.
While local churches and Associations (there are 15 regional associations of churches in CBOQ) have adopted statements of faith, CBOQ has not adopted a collective Statement of Faith. Historically, Statements of Faith happened at the Association level in CBOQ.
In 1986, CBOQ published “This We Believe,” which is a document that summarizes the beliefs of CBOQ. We cherish and uphold this text as a key resource to guide our practices. We strongly encourage personal alignment with it for those who wish to serve in CBOQ as pastors, and congregational alignment with churches that are part of CBOQ.
However, “This We Believe” was never adopted as a standard for CBOQ. This means that “This We Believe” is not used as a gauge to remove or discipline churches. (See question about standards vs. resolutions.)
We have collectively agreed on the following areas to which we can hold each other accountable, all of which together form the CBOQ Constitution:
Each of these relies on the fundamental agreement of the Lordship of Christ and the Authority of Scripture.
We are often asked about CBOQ’s position on questions related to same-sex marriage and sexual orientation. While we recognize that, as in many other families of churches, there has been significant discussion and some disagreement on these issues, our documents outline a traditional view of marriage in CBOQ.
Besides our Baptist Distinctives, our practices and expectations are also shaped by resolutions we have made together. Each year, our Baptist family gathers for our annual assembly at which time we may need to vote on significant issues together. Some resolutions are statements meant to share the will or view of the Assembly at a particular time and place. Others carry specific expectations to which churches and/or ministry leaders will be held accountable.
We adopt Policies that outline the expected behaviour for pastors, CBOQ staff and CBOQ board members, including a Statement of Ethical Pastoral Conduct for our accredited ministry leaders and a Lifestyle Policy for our Board Members and Officers.
These documents include the following affirmations:
“I will maintain a God-honouring and pure sexuality. I will not engage in extramarital, pre-marital, or same-sex sexual relationships or behaviour. I will avoid pornography.”
“I will maintain a God-honouring and pure sexuality. I will not engage in extramarital, pre-marital, or same-sex sexual relationships or behaviour in keeping with This We Believe: Resources for Faith with Baptist Distinctives and Resolution on Same-Sex Marriage. I will avoid pornography.” (Mark 7:21-23; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20; Galatians 5:16- 26; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8)
We also have a Membership Review Process (see more on this below) that asks Members to be willing to invest in a relational dispute resolution process based on Matthew 18.
As stated elsewhere, while CBOQ does not have a Statement of Faith, we do have a document which describes our general beliefs called “This We Believe.” This We Believe is different from a statement of faith in that it is not a document people are required to sign or endorse to be a member of CBOQ, although we encourage people who serve in CBOQ to align with it. This, again, is because, as Baptists, we hold Scripture as sufficient for matters of faith and practice.
In our document outlining our shared beliefs, we find the following:
2.2.2 We have been made as sexual beings, male and female, for our mutual help, comfort and joy. We are dependent on each other and need one another in all of life.
8.2.1 Christian marriage is union in Christ whereby a man and a woman become one in the sight of God. It is a commitment of two people to love and to support each other faithfully for life. God’s law forbids adultery. Marriage thrives in the soil of loyalty and blossoms under the light of kindness. Sexual union in marriage is intended to provide mutual joy and comfort as well as the means of creating new life.
At our annual assemblies, we have made resolutions that include Statements on Marriage and Sexual Orientation. CBOQ Resolutions capture the important agreements made by the CBOQ Assembly at a particular Annual General Meeting. They are not updated to reflect changing vocabulary and terminology. Full text of assembly resolutions can be found in CBOQ yearbooks or can be requested from CBOQ.
The 1988 Assembly passed a resolution which begins as follows:
As Christians we affirm that the Biblical ideal for sexual relationships is within a permanent monogamous heterosexual union. Marriage is the foundation of both family and society, and this pattern, ordained by God at Creation, must be upheld.
In view of the legalization of same sex marriage, at the 2003 Assembly, a resolution was passed which reads, in part, as follows:
We, the delegates to the 115th Annual Assembly of the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec AFFIRM:
The 2004 Assembly passed the following resolution:
WHEREAS, we affirm the dignity and value of all persons and our responsibility to introduce them to the loving, reconciling ministry of Jesus Christ and the life-changing transformation described in scripture; and,
WHEREAS, Assembly 2003 passed a motion on the Definition of Marriage which stated, “marriage is to be between one man and one woman for life to the exclusion of all others” (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5-6, Ephesians 5:31); and,
WHEREAS, the September 2003 Council passed a resolution directing all BCOQ pastors/ chaplains/ counsellors, who are registered to perform marriages, not to officiate or co-officiate at any same-sex marriage ceremony and recommended that, in situations of non-compliance, his/her permanent registration to marry be revoked; and,
WHEREAS, we believe that the Bible teaches that marriage is between a man and a woman only, to legitimize same-sex marriage would be contrary to the understanding of the BCOQ based on Scripture and would harm its ministries (Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9)
NOW THEREFORE be it resolved, that we call upon all BCOQ churches to make every effort to demonstrate Christian love and concern for those involved in the practice of homosexuality by sharing with them the redeeming and transforming power of the grace of God made available through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ;
And that the BCOQ continue to oppose all efforts by any court or legislative body to validate or legalize same-sex marriages;
And that the BCOQ Assembly establishes the standard that all BCOQ pastors/ chaplains/ counsellors, who are registered to perform marriages not to officiate or co-officiate at any same-sex marriage ceremony;
And that in the event an accredited pastor/chaplain/counsellor officiates or co-officiates at a same-sex marriage ceremony he/she will be subject to disciplinary review as provided for in the BCOQ Protocol for Discipline, Reinstatement and Restoration Manual (a.k.a. The Red Book).
** note that “The Red Book” is the historical short-form for the document that is now called CBOQ’s “Discipline and Restoration Protocols.”
It is important to note that the 2004 Assembly Resolution is a declaration of what CBOQ’s Assembly has agreed on together. In addition, the final two paragraphs have special significance as a “Standard” of CBOQ. These two paragraphs are referred to as the CBOQ Standard on Same-Sex Marriage and form part of our Constitution.
Member Churches, Associations, Officers, and Directors of CBOQ are required to respect and uphold the Constitution, including the Standards.
The CBOQ Standard on Same-Sex Marriage reads as follows:
NOW THEREFORE be it resolved, that the BCOQ Assembly establishes the standard that all BCOQ pastors/chaplains/counsellors, who are registered to perform marriages not to officiate or co-officiate at any same-sex marriage ceremony;
And that in the event an accredited pastor/chaplain/counsellor officiates or co-officiates at a same-sex marriage ceremony he/she will be subject to disciplinary review as provided for in the BCOQ Protocol for Discipline, Reinstatement and Restoration Manual.
“Spouse” is defined term in our constitution and is defined as follows:
‘Spouse’ means a Person’s spouse of the opposite sex* who has been joined together by marriage with the Person.” (General Operating Bylaw Number 7, page 7)
What happens is churches or pastors act outside of any of the above?
CBOQ’s Discipline and Restoration Protocols are designed to address breaches of ethical pastoral conduct by CBOQ-accredited pastors. This protocol may be used for any area of moral or legal concern.
As Assembly has voted that our pastors may not preside over same-sex nuptials, CBOQ pastors may not preside over same-sex nuptials. Ignoring this decision of Assembly is grounds to initiate the discipline protocol, which could lead a pastor’s credentials being suspended or removed.
When a church acts outside of our agreements, a vote of our full assembly is required to discipline or remove a church. CBOQ’s Board of Directors does not remove a church without an Assembly motion.
We have a Membership Review process for churches to initiate when there is a concern with another church. In alignment with our Baptist distinctives and biblical teaching (Matthew 18), churches begin discussion church-to-church, before escalating to the association level and, ultimately, to the Assembly should resolution not be found.
If a Church feels a matter of theology or practice should be reviewed or reconsidered as a CBOQ family, Member Churches also have the option to bring motions forward to the Assembly for discussion, discernment, and vote.
In alignment with Baptist polity and practice, if a church or pastor feels that they are not able to operate in line with our standards, constitution, policies, or By-law, the church or pastor may:
It is not fitting for a community to intentionally act outside of the standards and constitution of CBOQ in the name of local church autonomy. If a church does so, other CBOQ members may initiate a Membership Review.
If a Member Review is initiated, the Member Church should participate in the review and all parties should seek to discern and understand the dispute. At this point, Members involved may mutually decide to temper their positions and support one another regardless of their differing positions, change or evolve their position to an acceptable place of alignment, or (based on the outcome of the review) the recommendation may be to present a Motion at Assembly to Disfellowship a Member Church.
All of the above aligns with our understanding of Soul Freedom, Local Church Autonomy, and the Association Principle.
CBOQ ordained its first woman in 1947. The decision was made after much discussion, which focused mostly on practical issues (“Would a woman be strong enough to baptize a large man?”) and the personal character of the perspective candidate. However, the vote passed and Rev. Dr. Muriel Carder was ordained as a missionary and went on to serve for many years in India, before returning to Canada and continuing in chaplaincy and pastoral work in CBOQ.
The second woman was not ordained in CBOQ until 1979. An article about the gap between these two ordinations was written and published by Taylor Murray and Leanne Friesen in 2023 and can be read in full here: 24.MJTM.89-112-Murray-Friesen. A less academic summary is available here: Women’s Ordination in CBOQ.
CBOQ as a body continues to endorse and encourage the ordination of women. However, as CBOQ practices local church autonomy, individual churches may have different perspectives on the role of women in the church. The majority of CBOQ churches allow women to serve in pastoral and leadership roles, but a small number of churches believe the pastoral and/or eldership office is reserved for men. In these cases, it is understood that these churches should still support their fellow churches and colleagues with whom they disagree on this issue. Currently, approximately 16% of our pastors are women. Those serving in CBOQ should be prepared to work collaboratively with women, and when pastors are reviewed for accreditation, they will be asked to affirm that they will support their women colleagues (even if they disagree theologically).
CBOQ seeks to have a “balanced board” with our CBOQ Board, with half of the elected positions held by women and half held by men. We have had many women serve as our CBOQ President, with the first woman president serving as far back as 1957. Our committees and teams also seek to have women’s voices equally represented. Women are welcomed in all our staff positions, and we currently have a woman serving as our Executive Minister.
In 2023, CBOQ passed a resolution which stated: “CBOQ Assembly affirms the priesthood of all believers, with both women and men as being equally called and gifted for pastoral ministry and church leadership.”
CBOQ seeks to be a safe and meaningful place for women to serve. Recognizing the extra challenges that can sometimes come with serving as a woman in pastoral leadership, in recent years, we have hosted a female clergy retreat for our women pastors. However, we do not segregate women and men who are serving from one another and women and men pastors participate together in local ministerials, prayer meetings and other gatherings.
CBOQ cannot force a church or pastor to hire a woman or require a church or pastor to hold a particular theological position on women’s roles in the Church. However, CBOQ fully endorses women in the ordination process and encourages churches to open their employment to all suitable candidates.
FAQ
As part of the Baptist tradition, CBOQ functions with a “bottom up,” rather than a “top down” structure. In light of Local Church Autonomy, individual churches determine their own mission and direction as a church. However, we willingly associate together for accountability and support.
In this way, the “head” of CBOQ is the “Assembly” – the entirety of our CBOQ church family. Each year, we gather with representatives from each of our churches (delegates) to vote on key matters of importance at our annual assembly gathering.
This does not mean that we do not have leadership. To facilitate our ministry, we are directed and guided using the Carver Model of governance, with a Board of Directors and Staff. Our Board of Directors is made up of sixteen elected volunteer members from our CBOQ family, and includes a mix of pastors and lay people, who serve for set terms. As part of the Board of Directors, we have an Executive made up of a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, and Past President. Each year our President serves as board chair and Assembly Moderator. Presidents serve for one year, before moving to the Past President position. The First Vice President then steps into the President’s role, and so on. The CBOQ Board focuses on the “ends” of our organization – determining vision, ensuring policies are created and followed and guiding us towards our purposes.
Alongside our Board we have hired a number of staff. While the board focuses on our “ends” our staff focusses on our “means.” In other words, the board determines where to go, and the staff helps us get there.
Our staff is led by our Executive Minister. This person is also an Ex-Officio board member, and acts as the liaison between both groups.
Our CBOQ staff comprises several teams: Church Life and Leadership Team, NextGen Team, Finance Team, Communications and Events Team and the Executive Minister’s Office. Our NextGen team includes a number of staff from our CBOQ-owned camp, Camp Kwasind. In total, we currently have 31 staff.
Ultimately, our staff are responsible to our Executive Minister, who is responsible to the Board. The Board is responsible to our Assembly. In this way, all our voices help guide CBOQ, as we listen to God together.
This is a common question. Sometimes people think that Canadian Baptist Ministries (CBM) is a body which has oversight over our four Canadian Baptist families (Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec, Canadian Baptists of Western Canada, Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada and the French Union). This is not the case. Each of our four regional Canadian Baptist families are independent denominations, with no other body “leading” or “above” these four groups. Instead these groups consider each other partners, offering mutual support and encouragement to one another.
They also collectively support CBM, which was formed by all these groups in order to collaborate on international mission and national initiatives. CBM is a valued partner of CBOQ, and our churches work through CBM to give and serve internationally. However, CBM does not direct or oversee CBOQ, and if you wish to contact CBOQ you would need to talk to them directly, and not through CBM.
You can learn more about the wonderful work of CBM here: https://www.cbmin.org/
No – this would be difficult and a poor use of time and resources! At our Assembly, delegates vote on big picture items such as our annual budget and the adoption of reports. Delegates can ask questions of the Board or other presenters at different times throughout the gathering. Our Assembly gatherings follow Robert’s Rules of Order.
However, there may also be times when there are particular motions to make resolutions, on any number of topics, which can come from the Board or a Member Church. These are usually about key issues of the time, and historically have ranged from resolutions involving everything from what radio shows the Assembly felt Christians should support to the importance of supporting the civil rights movement.
A resolution reflects the view of a particular assembly at a point in time. Not all resolutions become “standards.” Standards are resolutions that contain clear expectations of action and consequences for behaving outside of them. Standards must pass by special resolution and require approval by a higher percentage of the votes cast.
Once again, we adhere to our Baptist polity and our agreed-upon procedures. As we do not have a “top down” structure, accountability begins from church to church, using our Membership Review Process.
This process begins with churches and associations. When a church is made aware of another church’s concerns about their behaviour, they may either temper or change their position after having heard each other. If agreement is not reached, it escalates to a membership panel, our Board, and possibly our full Assembly. The hope of this process is reconciliation, not church removal. However, in the event that a church has acted outside of our standards and refuses to temper their position, a motion may be made to remove them from fellowship in CBOQ.
Our CBOQ Board does not remove churches from CBOQ on its own authority. Membership removal from CBOQ must be voted on by our full Assembly, and, as per our By-law, this motion can only be made after the completion of a Membership Review, which can be found here
One of our associations (smaller regional group within CBOQ), may discipline or remove a CBOQ church from their particular association apart from CBOQ. Should this happen, CBOQ would begin a full Membership Review process regarding their membership in the larger body of CBOQ.
CBOQ takes pastoral ethics very seriously. We have a thorough accreditation process which includes:
Each church individually hires its own pastors. CBOQ’s constitution requires that churches encourage their pastors to be accredited to ensure meaningful accountability for pastoral leaders.
Should an accredited pastor violate any of the above, a Discipline Protocol may be struck. Our Ministerial Resources Committee will follow its procedures to review each case and make recommendations for a pastor’s censure, suspension or removal. This is a thorough process which is treated with utmost care.
In the event a pastor engages in criminal behaviour, CBOQ reports, and encourages the reporting of, such behaviours to police. CBOQ is not in a position to conduct criminal investigations, and as such, stresses the importance of reporting all claims of assault, abuse, or criminality to police. CBOQ will also have its own investigation into credential removal.
It is sometimes argued that “Liberty of Conscience” enables pastors or churches to act as they feel their conscience dictates. We reiterate that, as Baptists, CBOQ values the role of Liberty of Conscience. Our Assembly, Board, and Staff do not enforce theological positions, but instead come together for thoughtful reflection and mutual support.
However, for issues deemed to be particularly important or relevant to the culture of the day, CBOQ has often made resolutions upon areas that they agree to name as important together. These resolutions may also include a “standard” – a clear expectation of behaviour or actions from Members. Should a church find themselves out of line with these agreements, they may choose to disfellowship with CBOQ and find a gathering more in line with their positions. In some cases, churches may face accountability procedures and be disfellowshipped by our body. Liberty of Conscience does not remove the valued process of mutual accountability within our body. For more information, see https://mcmasterdivinity.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/22.MJTM_.90-119-Heath.pdf.
FAQ
Ordination in CBOQ takes place in the local church, upon the hiring or recognition of a person’s pastoral role. While CBOQ oversees the ordination process, the denomination does not perform centralized ordinations. Those wishing to serve in CBOQ begin by seeking employment or ministry service in a local church, and the church begins the ordination process.
In CBOQ, there is a distinction between accreditation and ordination. A pastor who does not qualify for ordination (for example, they may not have full education requirements) can still pursue accreditation. Accreditation is overseen by CBOQ and is a vetting process that ensures all accredited pastors meet certain standards. We encourage all ordained pastors to also be accredited with CBOQ. Each of these processes involves important roles from the local church, regional associations, and CBOQ. It is valuable to read the full process here: https://baptist.ca/accreditation/.
Although a local church can still ordain anyone that it chooses, CBOQ will only recognize as ordained those who have followed the process outlined by CBOQ.
CBOQ strongly encourages people serving in CBOQ churches to seek accreditation and ordination with us, and our churches to require accreditation for their pastors. In 2024, the following motion passed at Assembly:
Be it Resolved that the CBOQ Board be tasked with overseeing the creation and implementation of a regularly scheduled credentials and accreditation review process;
THAT the CBOQ Board, and relevant committees, be instructed to ensure that the credentials review process be designed in such a way so as to encourage credential holders in their professional development, promote spiritual formation in Christ, and ensure ongoing alignment with CBOQ’s core values, policies, standards, and procedures;
FINALLY, that the Ministerial Resources Committee be given the discretion to recommend to the Board that the membership review process be initiated if a member of CBOQ is found to be discouraging ministry leaders from pursuing credentialing with CBOQ, whether by active discouragement or by passive dereliction of their responsibility as a member, pursuant to CBOQ General Operating By-Law #7 §2.10, §2.06(a)(i), and other relevant policies and standards of CBOQ.
This means that churches which are discouraging their pastors from seeking accreditation with CBOQ, or encouraging them to be ordained or accredited through another body, could be subject to a membership review process.
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