Dr Ray Gentry.com - Blog

Ministry. Leadership. Mission

The Future of Associations (Part 1)

5/1/2020

This month I want to begin sharing excerpts from my chapter with this same title, “The Future of Associations,” in a new book SBCAL has coming out in June published by Rainer Publishing, The Baptist Association: Assisting Churches. Advancing the Gospel.
In this book, we have learned about the history, heritage, and hallmarks of associations and associational leaders. Now we come to the hope, the future of associationalism in the Southern Baptist Convention. We must keep in mind that churches formed each association to be a help to them in advancing the Gospel. If an association is not helping, it will sooner or later be perceived as irrelevant (and rightly so).

The Importance and Role of the AMS (Part 4)

4/12/2020

This month’s blog is the fourth and final one in a series based on a chapter by the same title that I wrote in a new book SBCAL has coming out this spring: The Baptist Association: Assisting Churches. Advancing the Gospel. Be on the lookout for it!

What are the Attributes of an Effective AMS?
After being involved in associational ministry in various ways for over 35 years, including serving as the associational leader of five associations, I believe the following attributes—as well as the proficiencies in this book—should guide the effective AMS:

The Importance and Role of the AMS (Part 3)

3/2/2020

This month’s blog is the third in a series based on a chapter by the same title that I wrote in a new book SBCAL has coming out this spring: The Baptist Association: Assisting Churches. Advancing the Gospel. Be on the lookout for it!

Role Summary: Mission Strategist, Minister to Ministers, Model Leader
AMSs wear many hats, but I like to summarize the role into Mission Strategist, Minister to Ministers, and Model Leader of the association. As the descriptor indicates, an AMS should be an effective mission strategist. He should know and exegete his mission field, seeking to make the needs known so that pastors and churches do not overlook or ignore unreached people groups in the mission field in which they live. These could be multifamily housing units, various ethnicities, or neighborhoods or communities without a Gospel witness. Everybody’s job is nobody’s job. Encourage churches to adopt neighborhoods, schools, fire stations, and police stations to love and to live out being the hands and feet of Jesus.

The Importance and Role of the AMS (Part 2)

2/6/2020

This month’s blog is the second of a series based on a chapter by the same title that I wrote in a new book SBCAL has coming out this spring: The Baptist Association: Assisting Churches. Advancing the Gospel. Be on the lookout for it!

Why the Descriptor: Associational Mission Strategist
How did the blue-ribbon Study Team, after months of prayer, research, and study, come up with this new descriptor, Associational Mission Strategist (AMS)?[i] The title came out of the 17 Proficiencies that were agreed upon as most helpful for an associational leader to be successful, regardless of context.

The Importance and Role of the AMS, Part 1

1/6/2020

This month’s blog is the first of a series based on a chapter by the same title that I wrote in a new book SBCAL has coming out this spring: The Baptist Association: Assisting Churches. Advancing the Gospel. Be on the lookout for it!

Are Local Baptist Associations Dead?

12/10/2019

There are some in SBC life who would respond “yes” to that question. Why?

Because…

some may give the association the “dead” name without realizing failure to lead their church to be involved locally hinders their own church members from the joy of building meaningful ministry relationships with fellow believers in their immediate area.
some have experienced an associational leader who lacked the calling, training, leadership ability, or vision to enable effective collaborative mission involvement among the churches.
some have experienced an associational leader who coasted toward retirement.
some larger church pastors – and pastors who grew up in mega churches – have falsely concluded that associations are dead because they have not experienced the need for and the benefits of associational missions first hand. They have felt that their church could pretty much “do it all” themselves, whereas the vast majority of churches cannot.
some pastors and church leaders are not willing to follow the leadership of a DOM/AMS because they are so focused on growing their church that they do not see the importance of growing God’s kingdom – starting in their own Jerusalem (Acts 1:8).

How would you describe the level of fruit and joy in your life?

4/22/2019

I love that question from Dan Reiland! I believe it is a great coaching question, as well as a great question to use in examining our own lives and ministry from time to time.

It is so easy to get in a rut and to keep doing the same things the same way week after week, month after month, year after year – without looking to see what the results are.

How to Prepare and Become an Associational Leader

7/2/2018

The above title was the topic of an SBCAL Pre-Conference Workshop I led in Dallas last month. (To listen to the entire Workshop click here.) I could not cover everything on this blog, but I wanted to share highlights that might be of help to potential DOMs/AMSs who could not be there.

Why do you want to become an Associational Leader?
Prayerfully examine your heart, motives, calling.
Is it to serve the Lord and His pastors and churches in fulfilling the Great Commission?
Is it to get out of a difficult pastorate or other ministry position?
Is it to have a stable ministry position to finish your career between now and retirement?
Is it to be a denominational leader for the sake of being a denominational leader?
Or is it because you believe - and other trusted individuals believe - you have the calling, compassion, skills, giftedness, and leadership ability to lead an association of churches?

Pastor Search Committee Training

4/10/2018

At the recent SBCAL Midwest Regional Associational Leaders Conference, Mark Elliott, DOM of the Heartland Church Network, Omaha, NE, led a workshop on helping churches in transition between pastors. It was excellent.

How Do You Handle Resumes?

3/6/2018

As Associational Leaders, we are often inundated with resumes of candidates for pastor, associate pastor, as well as for ministry positions of music, youth, children, etc. If you are like me, I receive many more resumes than I have positions open in my churches.

What do you do with all these resumes? How do you respond with love, care, and concern to the person sending the resume, and yet not give them false hope? Do you “screen” your resumes before sending the names on to Search Committees to try to protect your churches, or not?