May 22, 2000
EDITORIAL:
Associations face pressing challenges
___Baptist always have been "joiners."
___From their earliest days, Baptists recognized the need to join together for fellowship, missions and evangelism. That's why Baptist churches in England began organizing themselves into associations--regional collections of congregations--in the 1640s, only a little more than 30 years after the first Baptist church constituted. It's why Baptists in America created the Philadelphia Association in 1707, not long after they founded churches in the city. Baptists intuitively understood the principle of strength in numbers and its corollary, the encouragement of community. So, Baptists created associations almost 180 years before they got around to forming conventions.
___Baptists nationwide mark Associational Missions Week this week, May 22-28. It's a time to thank God for the past, assess the present and look to the future.
___Historically, much of our Baptist strength has been derived through associations. This especially has been true on three fronts. Associations have provided key coordination and strategy for starting churches. They have supplied grassroots opportunities for training church leaders, especially laity. Associations also have offered leadership and vision for providing local ministries. (My earliest memories of Baptist life beyond our little church wonderfully center on our association--traveling with my parents to attend regular "workers' conferences," where we ate fried chicken and pie and learned how to do church better.)
___Organizationally and structurally, most associations today are as strong or stronger than ever. Many are staffed with well-trained, energetic and creative ministers. They benefit from support of strong churches and capable, committed volunteers. They implement a range of programs designed specifically to help them help their churches spread the gospel, develop believers and provide ministry to the less-fortunate.
___Still, associations, like all Baptist institutions, now confront serious challenges.
___Associations face an internal challenge of identification. An increasingly smaller proportion of church members know about and understand the role of the association. Fewer care. At many associational meetings, younger adults are under-represented, and yet the future of associations depends upon their involvement and leadership.
___Associations also must deal with potential changes in the nature of their organization. A Texas Baptist committee currently is studying the emergence of "non-geographic" associations. Historically, associations were built upon common geography and common theology. Now, churches are beginning to gather as associations by affinity and ethnicity. While many churches that join new associations may choose to align dually with their geographic associations, the addition of the new associations will change the relationships and the way Baptists look at and think about associations.
___Moreover, Texas associations have become ground zero in the Baptist theological/political controversy. As churches decide whether to relate to the Baptist General Convention of Texas or the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, some seem determined to force their associations to choose between the two. While some associations are willing to let the churches determine their state affiliations and check these differences at the door, others appear destined to force a BGCT/SBTC showdown. The resulting splits will be painful and very likely will result in formation of new associations, which will affiliate with one convention or the other.
___The key to the future may be found in looking to the past, with flexibility.
___The needs that historically have united churches in associations remain--starting churches, training leaders, alleviating human suffering, providing encouragement. Associations that provide creative, effective ways to meet these needs can thrive.
___This can be abetted by two factors: First, associations must recruit the involvement of young adults who will provide a rising generation of leadership. They are most likely to rise to the challenge if they are offered meaningful involement in hands-on ministries, such as meeting human needs and spreading the gospel. Second, they can help themselves thrive if they give churches freedom of relationship. Some churches will remain loyal to the BGCT. Others will affiliate with the SBTC. The differences that divide them can fade at the local level, if Texas Baptists let them. It's a question of will: Will churches cooperate in associations?
___ Marv Knox
E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com
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