A New Era For Associations

Once upon a time, in a timeline not so far removed from our current day and age, the three-dimension Southern Baptist system functioned like a three-lane highway. In his article, "Southern Baptist Denomination like a 3-lane highway," George Bullard states, "The three lanes allow our denomination to journey together with the harmony of purpose." Associations acted as interdependent organisms (churches) with deep familial-like connections who mutually understood their contextual desires and needs. State conventions functioned as FedEx or UPS to deliver customized resources in response to the association's request. National entities brought value to state conventions and associations by advancing the long-term missional viability through regional organizations and cooperative agreements with states.

While this was how they functioned at one time, scope drift on the part of all three entities has created a traffic jam of epic proportions. From an outsider's perspective, each dimension's demeanor reflects the denomination: Conflicted, Competitive, and Confused.

My friend and colleague recently posed the following assessment and question after a joint consultation with a Baptist entity:

"If the primary client of the national entity, state entity, and regional association is the local church and pastor, how can they do anything but NOT compete? Their existence depends on the value they bring to 'the client.'"

The same truth I share with consulting clients is valid for these three entities:

“You cannot grow back into what you were before. But you can grow from where God has you today and step into the better tomorrow into which He is pulling you.“

So, what's next?

What does the new era of a three-dimension denominational system look like? How does it function efficiently and effectively for great commission impact in the everyday places where people live, work, and play?

First, a transformational movement begins where true movement always starts, from the grassroots. Associations represent the grassroots of the three-dimension denominational system. Associations are the churches whom they serve. Neither the State nor National Convention can claim that particular title. Associations must put away their sleepy tendencies of primarily providing pulpit fill, pastor search committee training, and hosting senior adult luncheons (Don’t get me wrong, I like a good luncheon).

The association of this new era is not an organization where an exhausted pastor or denominational leader comes to retire and hang out with tired pastors; it is an organism where the associational leader is a learning broker that knows how and who to leverage within the family of churches to help other churches take their best next steps toward meaningful and impactful progress in the mission of God for their context.

Innovation and progress are celebrated when this happens, and apathy and the status quo are uncomfortable. If there is a need that the family of churches cannot provide from among themselves, the association expands its cloud of resources to the state.

The state entities benefit from learning from a more extensive network of resources. They can communicate regularly with associations across the state to see the latest learnings and innovations happening in leading churches/associations of churches. This information can then be shared as breakthrough innovations in particular contextual environments. For example, Bob Bumgarner, Executive Director of First Coast Churches in Jacksonville, FL, shared at an AMS (Associational Missions Strategist) gathering held by the Florida Baptist Convention they have elected not to hire multiple full-time staff. Instead, Bumgarner utilizes specialized contractors chosen based on passion within the network. By doing so, he has leveraged the strengths of four senior leaders and provided them a stipend of $1000 a month to teach and train others from their passion and giftedness, rather than spending 30-40k per year on full-time employees. This practice reduces the association's overhead expenses and leverages the churches' strengths within their network. Florida Baptist Catalysts with the Florida Baptist Convention have mentioned Bob's methodology to other associations as a possible means of stretching their associational budgets and encouraging greater collaboration among their churches. By curating these various innovations, they can communicate with and bring training to associations that identify them as a contextual need, thus strengthening the long-term viability of the state entity and the local family of churches in a region.

Lastly, and most essentially, the national entity can hear from state entities about the breakthrough innovations happening and then consider other states or regional areas where a particular type of strength may be needed in another area of the country based upon conversations with state and regional leaders and context. One example of this is an associational leader, Johnny Rumbough, whose adoptive approach to church fostering has helped many churches in his region of Lexington, SC revitalize for more significant kingdom impact in their cities. Following numerous iterations of Johnny's Futuring Methodology with state leaders, the national entity, North American Mission Board, began leveraging knowledge based on the local level to encourage other associations/state conventions in similar situations. While not every environment suits Johnny's methodology, some are ripe for it. The key is that the national entity appropriately disseminates learnings based on conversations with state and local leaders to bring maximum value to a given context.

While the three-lane denominational approach was a helpful allegory, updating it based on where we currently are as a three-dimension denomination is appropriate.

A few years ago, General Motors introduced Active Fuel Management (AFM), which shuts down half of an engine's cylinders in specific driving conditions to improve fuel economy. The goal was to increase economy and efficiency without reducing performance or resorting to force-inducted smaller engines. Jordan Lee, a GM global chief engineer for small block engines, adds, "Rather than adding turbochargers or multi-valve cylinder heads to increase the power of smaller engines, we chose to keep the proven capability of our larger V-8 truck engines and save fuel by switching off half of the cylinders when they aren't needed."

A healthy three-dimension denominational system functions this way: The V4 association operates efficiently and effectively, given the contextual environment. It pulls from the strength of its contextual resources to see movement and traction in its environment by both the individual churches and the health of the whole. However, suppose the conditions change, or the need for additional support (climbing a new hill) becomes evident. In that case, the V6 state entity can be called upon to add extra torque by sharing regional teachings and techniques and helping the association (churches) contextualize and train in them. The objective is not for the state entity to remain but for the state to provide the necessary support. Then the association of churches is more robust (operating at a new elevation) due to the state's involvement. While this is taking place, the V8 national entity is communicating with state entities to take note of breakthrough innovations happening in V6 states and V4 regional areas and becoming a learning broker to distribute the necessary horsepower needed to serve and train people in under-resourced areas who can then contextualize learnings based on their community needs.

Rather than three entities functioning and squabbling for a single client, we are now one engine leveraging the strength of one another to strengthen the collective impact we can make on helping the bride of Christ fulfill the unique Disciple-making call that He has given to a body of believers.

How do we make this model work? I will return to George Bullard's three-fold recommendation: “Continuous Communication, Cooperation, and Collaboration with one another.” As long as everyone remembers to be considerate of their fellow co-laborers, we should collectively strengthen one another for more remarkable kingdom growth.

Time will tell if we can make that happen.