Author: art rogers
The Missional Association?
Tuesday, November 28th, 2006 @ 11:09 am
Can a local Association become Missional? If I could offer my paraphrase Ed Stetzer’s definition of the word Missional in this way, “Being and living the Mission of redeeming our lost culture with the Gospel of Jesus,” which would include engaging our culture with service, grace and conversation, then I am skeptical that any association or convention is able to do this. In trying, our associations and conventions have become more and more bureaucratic over the years.
The problem, it would seem, is that these entities are taking on the roles of the local church. They create ministries and then need to staff and equip those ministries. That takes money, time, buildings and people. We now have, very often, ministries in which churches are involved operating in the same area as ministries of their own cooperative associations. We duplicate our efforts and divide our resources.
Not so with the Tulsa Metro Association of Baptist Churches. This year, our association has divested itself of duplication and bureaucracy. While other conventions and associations fight for control over ministries, TMABC has turned over all of its ministries (such as a campground, a clothing center, crises pregnancy center, etc.) to the local member churches who had a passion for those efforts. The results? The various ministries are growing with new ideas, money, people and passion.
What has the TMABC done with itself? I mean, why exist, if not to do these things? The staff at TMABC has been reduced and the TMABC has broken itself down into only four administrative teams made up from the local member churches. These groups sole function is to facilitate the ministry of the local church, and they are the Church Planting Team, the Church Strengthening Team, the Church Leadership Development Team, and the Church Staff Support Team.
Outside the salaries, which are now fewer, the budget for the TMABC is divided among these four teams. I guess those budget meetings are getting shorter.
Rather than taking on the task of the local church, which is to be Missional, Tulsa Metro Association has reorganized itself to facilitate churches being Missional. You can read about the vision and the plan in Dr. Charlie Cruce’s own words on the With All My Heart webpage.
“Can a Local Association be Missional?” The answer to that question, I suppose, is “No.” Though Associations and Conventions often attempt to be Missional, they are ill equipped for the purpose and result in sluggish bureaucracy. God has called the Church to accomplish the Mission. Associations and Conventions would do well to focus on what they can do well: facilitate churches in their work toward fulfilling the Mission.
A tip of the cap to Tulsa Metro Association.
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Posts with related content
Church, General Christian, Missional, SBC
November 28th, 2006 at 11:32 am
Kind of reminds me of the time Kramer decided he didn’t need the post office anymore. Do not be surprised if you are shuffled into a meeting with a “Wilford Brimley”-like denominational employee lecturing you (threatening you) to bring you back into submission. (I fully recognize that if you do not watch Seinfeld, this comparison will be lost on you).
Good for you, saying what needs to be said. Associations have become beaurocratic nightmares that serve little or no purpose. In an attempt to shore up their positions and their jobs, DOMs desperately try to hang on to the status quo, convincing churches that they are the steady influence, there when pastors come and go. As the SBC tries to NOT move in the direction of a heirarchical denomination, hanging on to the autonomy of the local church, the associations often seem to encourage the church’s dependance upon them.
I’m glad that TMABC is making strides. For reasons that are my own, I do not share your enthusiasm or optimism for them. My hope is that they will make spiritual changes as well as structural changes. The former is much more important than the latter.
Great post. Thanks Art.
November 28th, 2006 at 1:31 pm
Well said, Art. I, too, applaud the Tulsa Association. And regarding your article, in the words of Olson Johnson, “Not only was it authentic frontier gibberish, but it expressed a courage that is little seen in this day and age.”
One related thought that strikes me: Our associations find themselves in such widely disparate situations. Being in an association located in one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation, we can’t keep up with the church planting work to be done with all of our churches hard at work and with a full-time associational staff (not that we have all of our churches hard at work). In other places where I have served, the field wasn’t really growing (or was even declining) and the role of the association was much different.
As churches affiliate less by geography and more by affinity, the local association faces an interesting period of transition.
November 28th, 2006 at 1:42 pm
Jason,
While not a huge Seinfeld watcher, I have seen that episode, I think. That’s the great thing about autonomy. The churches own the association and the churches are behind the move.
Bart,
I couldn’t agree with you more, particularly the last sentence.
Art
November 28th, 2006 at 3:53 pm
Check out http://www.charlestonbaptist.net
The Association can be missional if it is helping the church be missional.
The Charleston Baptist Association started the ministry Charleston Outreach (www.charlestonoutreach.org) to utilize some creative means to do just that – helping the church practice the redemptive presence of Jesus everyday, everywhere, with everyone.
November 28th, 2006 at 3:53 pm
I can only say that this move is outstanding. I agree with you re: the duplication of efforts. Now, let’s take a look at the state convention!
Hold on, I’ve got a Mr. Brimley on the phone . . .
November 28th, 2006 at 4:13 pm
Excellent! I hope Tulsa can become an example and inspiration for associations.
November 28th, 2006 at 4:45 pm
Art,
As someone who desperately would like to see this type of change in my own denomination, I have to express my gratitude to you guys for taking these steps. Thanks for sharing and for giving me one more stick in my bag with which to beat the drum with. By the way, I cited this on my blog…I hope it does TMABC justice.
travis
November 28th, 2006 at 6:58 pm
(sound of applause)
Too cool! Proves you can be a Baptist and think outside the box.
November 28th, 2006 at 10:16 pm
Great thoughts and great pdf
November 29th, 2006 at 9:14 am
I think it is a great idea and I know our association is moving that way. I think is more possible in places outside the bible belt. Places where the associations are smaller entities and have to find creative ways to do ministries and the churches have to work together in order to suceed. In the south most churches don’t need each other.
November 29th, 2006 at 2:44 pm
Brother Art,
I read with great interest your blog. As I read yours, Marty’s and others that I admire one theme seems to surface time and time again. That theme is one, not of unity, but community. As an old guy I would like to suggest that you and your blog friends find a copy of Thomas R. Kelly’s book, A Testament of Devotion. Kelly is a Quaker theologian from the 1940’s. His writings are rich in theological language but the middle chapter of this book speaks boldly to the issue of community. This type of community that Kelly writes about is my desire for our SBC. I am sure that a perusal of this work would bring the discussion to an even higher level. Thanks for your hard work.
Jim
November 29th, 2006 at 3:19 pm
Thanks, Jim. I appreciate the heads up. I’ll be on the lookout.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:18 pm
ART -
Once again, a home run for CHURCH PLANTING and for being MISSIONAL. Cudos to Dr. Cruse and the TMBA for going in a new direction. Churches must follow their leadership so we can be the ‘greatest influence in the culture since we have the greatest message’ that has to be heard.
Keep my folks in line this holiday season! Big job for ya….
MICHAEL (James 1:5)