As Baptists across the country continue to gather for their annual state Baptist meetings this fall, the Baptist General Association of Virginia will be among them this week (Nov. 11–13). Gathering for its 201st meeting, BGAV also continues to blaze a trail with online voting during its business sessions.

The new electronic voting method was used by BGAV for the first time during last year’s meeting, which allowed messengers to vote whether they attended in person or via livestream.

For now, BGAV appears to be the only state convention utilizing online voting at its annual meeting. Online voting has continued to be a discussion on the national level among Southern Baptists for years, but requests for the option have been unsuccessful.

In 2022, BGAV messengers voted to pass an amendment to its constitution and bylaws that allows for remote voting. This allowed messengers to vote using their smartphones, tablets or desktop computers. Those who attended in person were able to vote electronically or by paper ballot.

The online feature also allows offsite messengers to submit questions or comments that will be presented by a designated proxy in person.

Featured speakers, other details

This year’s theme is “Free Indeed,” based on John 8:36: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Among this year’s featured guest speakers are Robert Stephens, senior pastor of First Baptist Church Alexandria; Miriam Swanson, executive director of Fusion USA; Elijah Brown, general secretary and CEO of Baptist World Alliance; and Wayne Faison, executive director of BGAV and senior pastor of East End Baptist Church in Suffolk.

The meeting will offer two new tracks of breakout sessions that will include pastor wellness and disaster response.

For more information about this years meeting, go to meeting.bgav.org. To access this year’s schedule, click here.

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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was compiled by The Baptist Paper, with reporting by the Baptist General Association of Virginia.