Baptist Associations and Advanced Christianity
A perspective for local denominational organizations/judicatories on how they best empower their churches to serve from the base of their local context.
Rundown: Articles on Baptist associations are often applicable to the local denominational organizations/judicatories of various denominations. They may be called associations, districts, classis, synods, and by other names. They are typically organisms more than organizations. Relational more than functional. Regional and national expressions of denominations are more organizational and functional.
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Baptist Associations and Advanced Christianity
"This is the second of a series of columns that will explain various strategies that could be used to experience the next wave of Kingdom progress." —George Bullard
In the 1995 movie “The American President,” President Andrew Shepherd says,
“America isn’t easy. America is advanced citizenship. You’ve gotta want it bad, ’cause it’s gonna put up a fight.”
In the world of Southern Baptists, Baptist associations are advanced Christianity. For them to thrive, you’ve gotta want them bad, ‘cause it’s gonna be a challenging journey.
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But it is one that is worth it.
Baptist associations represent the best of the early Christian movement. For the Baptist movement to thrive, the character, nature and missional engagement of associations must lead the movement.
The first challenge is for congregations to believe in the beauty of serving as a family of congregations on mission together in a given context, serving missionally and functioning relationally.
Second is for the organizational entities of Baptists to realize our movement is most effective through local congregations in association with one another
Associations Continually Act on God’s leadership
Associations at their best represent the core understandings and actions of the early Christian movement. They continually discern the next moves on an exciting and ever-changing spiritual and strategic journey.
They sense the changes in their context before they are visible. They know congregations and their journeys in intimate ways.
As they respond to opportunities, God gives them new understanding on how to fulfill His Kingdom mission.
Consider how the following early Christian characteristics speak into advanced Christianity through associations:
A diversity of people heard at Pentecost: The context of many associations is diversifying. The people in associational fellowship areas are often similar to the array of pilgrims present at Pentecost as shared in Acts 2:5–11. At Pentecost each person heard about the love of Jesus in their own language.
Every congregation cannot use the same words and methods. Each pilgrim needs to hear the gospel in ways they can understand and accept. A multiplicity of congregations is needed, and not just those that are like the people already present.
(Continue reading HERE.)
Let me hear from you if you want to talk about this.