State Conventions/Associations

A while back Hardsheller stated:

"Historically a Baptist Association was a group of churches in a geographical region that were linked together by their commonly held doctrines and they purposely associated themselves together because of that common doctrine for fellowship and ministry."

My church had been a Member of the Philadelphia Baptist Association (ABCUSA) since its beginning, over 100 years ago. We recently voted to leave the PBA (and therefore also ABCUSA) because the Association decided to accept as a member a California church seeking denominational affiliation. The California church could not find ABC affiliation locally because they are a "welcoming and affirming" church (that is, supportive of the homosexual lifestyle). So much for geographic proximity. Not to mention shared beliefs.

 

Our church has left the Philadelphia Baptist Association and joined the Conservative Baptists (MACBA). The idea of switching to ABCOPAD as a compromise was discussed, but shot down because to belong to ABCOPAD still meant belonging to ABCUSA. And since ABCUSA allowed this whole thing, the feeling was that it would be hypocritical. The discussion of leaving the denomination had begun before the PBA said they were accepting the California church, but that was the "last straw" and the dicussion came to a head. We lost a number of church members, those who didn't "get" the difference between loving the sinner and hating the sin. It was a very painful time, especially since I had been active in American Baptist Women and Girls' programs at the regional level - a combo of ABCOPAD, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Now, we're sort of on our own for that kind of thing. And, we're in the market for a pastor. MACBA has been helpful in that area, but we've a long way to go.

 

We are living in an era in which the geographical barriers are falling in Baptist life and where Baptists are willing to associate themselves with other like-minded congregations regardless of the location.

Communications, Technology and Mobility have facilitated this kind of new alignment.

The downside is that the same old problem - an unwillingness to submit to Biblical Authority - is driving much of the realignment.

 

That's why, historically, churches that didn't fit in their association had a choice of three ways of getting out:

Dissolve
Become independent or change denomination
Find another association

From studying the history of some associations, this is what tends to happen. Historically, the association is an advisory council, leaving the churches with autonomy.

Check into another association of like-minded beliefs.

Just some thoughts.

 

I am a member of the Bethel Association of United Baptists Churches of Jesus Christ:

http://bethelassociation.8m.com

I've been studying our associations history from it's beginnings in 1816 until now. God has blessed this association to stand as long as it has and it has not changed from it's doctrine since one of her first churches was established west of the Mississippi in 1806 (Bethel).

From what I've seen, this association has gone through all the historical topics you read about in history books:

The "mission issue"
Campbellism
The Civil War
Modernization, etc..

Throughout all of this, she has held to how she was first established, without compromising her principles. Sure, many churches have come and gone, but the association harbors those churches that hold to the same teachings that first formed her. I pray that she will stand for many more years, preaching and teaching the truth.