Why Should My Church Partner in the Baptist Association?
We are better together. As Baptists, we celebrate our independence and church autonomy. But when we read the New Testament, we also see how the churches worked together to accomplish larger goals and missions. In our community, we have a huge task before us. In Seminole and Hughes there are around 40,000 people, many of whom don’t regularly attend church. Every church in our association could be filled to capacity, and we wouldn’t come close to reaching all these folks. And it is the local association that helps us accomplish this goal together. Through fellowship, training and unified missions, we are able to minister to so many more together. The task of reaching our area is too great to do alone. Be part of an organization that has the heart of God to reach the lost and to minister to this part of the state. We really are better together!
Association is a term that defines how Baptist churches work together in partnership. Churches choose to be part of the local Baptist association and each determines how much participation and financial support they will invest. Many of today’s associations have stepped up to provide value and are leading member churches in revitalization, church planting, leadership development and missions.
Partnership between churches is an important aspect of New Testament Christianity. The apostle Paul and other New Testament leaders modeled partnership between churches.
New Testament churches partnered together--helping each other with doctrine and practice (Acts 8:14-25; Gal. 3) relocating leaders to strengthen other situation (Acts 11:19-23, 25-26, 12:25, 16:1-3), sending individuals and teams on short-term visits (Acts 11:27, 19:21-22; I Cor. 4:15-17; Phil. 2:19-29; 2 Tim. 1:18), sending money to help each other (Acts 11:28-30), and together advancing the gospel and church plants (Rom. 15:24; 2 Cor. 10:15-16).
Here are 10 reasons why your church should partner in the local association –
1. The association is our association.
Churches (actually, messengers from churches) make up an association so our association is our churches acting cooperatively. Associations were organized by representatives from our churches in a defined area to enhance fellowship, resolve doctrinal and policy issues, and assist churches in accomplishing their mission. The mission of an association is an extension of the mission of the churches which make up the association. Therefore, our association assists our churches in proclaiming the gospel to the lost, discipling the saved, and ministering to person in Christ’s name.
2. The association is a group of churches doing missions.
Churches can do collectively through the association what no one church can do by itself. An association involves churches in varied mission ministries. Churches can better serve the total geographical area cooperatively through the association. An association is a family of churches involved in special local missions and ministries such as (1) language and ethnic congregations, (2) ministries in towns, recreation areas, or institutions.
3. The association is a group of people doing missions.
An association is involved in meeting local and community needs through mission action projects which involve “hands on” participation. In an association a large percentage of the people can be involved. At the state, national, and international levels, missions are usually done by giving financial support to others who do the ministries. However, our association facilitates our people being directly involved in cross-cultural missions through mission partnerships. An association gives churches an opportunity to work together on local projects, thus helping each other to accomplish common mission responsibilities. An association teaches and encourages churches to work cooperatively to carry out local mission projects.
4. The association is an open door to world mission outreach.
The world has come to us. Internationals visit and reside in our association. An association plans strategies and assists churches in proclaiming the gospel to internationals and ministering to them in Christ’s name. An association faces the challenge of stimulating growth in local missions along with state, home, and international missions. It is not either/or; rather, it is both/and.
5.The association trains church leaders.
An association helps train and develop church leaders and other members by involving them in leadership and service responsibilities. Also, an association can provide conferences, seminars, and workshops each year which are designed to train church leaders to do a more effective job in their positions of leadership. An association exists to supply information, resources, and training to equip lay leaders in local churches to develop believers, witness to the lost, and minister to the hurting.
No matter how educated or experienced your church leadership is, the local church will mature and strengthen when it receives challenge and encouragement from other church leaders, like those in the association. Churches working together in an association hold each other accountable to doctrine, practices, and outreach efforts.
6. The association gives personal assistance to churches.
An associational director of missions and other staff assist churches to more effectively do their work within the church body and to meet the needs of people in their communities.
Sometimes churches go through immensely challenging seasons. If a church loses a leader to burn out, sickness, or failure, its members will find support and encouragement from other member churches because of their partnership in the association.
7. The association provides opportunities for fellowship.
An association provides pastors and other local church leaders with opportunities for fellowship. As fellowship is developed and experienced, church leaders realize that they (and their church) are not alone in seeking to serve the Lord in their local setting. An association is a link between churches and the denomination, and from the denomination to the churches.
8. Churches are an association’s only source of financing.
The expansion of association missions and ministries depends on the commitment of the local churches to meet opportunities that are growing in number each year. If churches support an association adequately, the association can do the needed networking of ministry.
9. Partnership is an expression of humility.
It honors Christ when we consider others better than ourselves (Phil. 2:3) and seek ways to work together for the sake of the gospel. A church is sadly mistaken if its people pridefully believe they don’t need to partner with other churches involved in the same mission.
10. Partnership provides synergy.
An association can help strengthen member churches and prop up weaknesses that may be slowing the work. Associations help maximize a church’s potential influence, providing a network through which the churches can influence more broadly than they could individually.
