the southern baptist convention is the largest protestant denomination and has many avenues of ministry, including but not limited to compassion ministries such as disaster relief and children's homes, seminaries for training and equipping men and women for ministry and theological/philosophical education, the international mission board and north american mission board equipping and sending missionaries to spread the gospel and seek the lost and glorify god. the sbc is different from other denominations as it respects and upholds each individual church's right of autonomy. this means the sbc has no jurisdiction, power, or direct influence on how a state convention, local association, or church operates. in fact, the sbc is the only denomination operating with a bottom-to-top leadership and voting style. each church sends messengers (voters) to the associational meeting (if applicable), state convention, and the meeting of the sbc. one of the goals of this style of operation is to keep everything clear, above reproach, and (above all) biblical.