Baptists believe that each congregation is to determine it's own doctrine and government according to the leading of the Holy Spirit in a way that is consistent with Scripture. Most, but not all, are congregational in government.

At Johnson Ferry, we have an elder form of government that is also congregational on certain major decisions. The Southern Baptist Convention has no say in the local church. The President of the Southern Baptist Convention speaks for one person only — himself. He is a representative of all Southern Baptists, but he doesn't speak for any Baptist other than himself. His power is in the appointments he makes to determine who serves on denominational agency boards, such as the Sunday School Board, Board of Trustees for Baptist seminaries, etc. He has no say in local church doctrine, government or decisions.

The local association of Southern Baptist churches (for JFBC this is the Noonday Baptist Association, made up of Southern Baptist churches in the Cobb County and a small part of Cherokee County) can withdraw fellowship from a member church that they feel is too radical in doctrinal differences, but the church that is "dis-fellowshipped" from the association is still a Southern Baptist church as long as they give to the Cooperative Program and their funds are received. Southern Baptists are drawn together through our cooperative effort in giving to world missions and evangelism, more than in doctrine. This aspect of being a Baptist is most confusing to people of other denominations who have an eclesiastical structure, which is in authority over the local church.