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Why Associations Should Consider Merging

2/15/2021

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Have you ever considered the possibility of your association merging with a neighboring association? There are usually good reasons to do so. This month I seek to answer these questions: “Why should associations consider merging?” “When should associations consider merging?” and “What are some obstacles to associations merging?”
As someone involved in associational leadership since 1991, I have been privileged to be part of a variety of associational configurations.
 
In my last pastorate, I served as the Moderator of one of three rural associations in South Georgia who shared an Associational Missionary employed by the state convention. Each association was totally separate, but we shared an associational leader whose salary was jointly funded by the associations and the state convention.
 
In my first role as an associational leader, I served two associations in Northwest Georgia with churches in three Georgia counties and two Alabama counties. We had two Executive Committees and annual meetings, but shared some pastor/leader conferences. 
 
In my second associational leader role, I served one association in west metro Atlanta with churches in three counties. 
 
In between my second and third associational leader roles, I served on staff at a mega church in northeast metro Atlanta, and was that church’s representative on the association’s Executive Committee. I also served as Chairman of the Search Committee for an associational leader during that time. 
 
In my third associational leader role, I served one association in south metro Atlanta with churches in one county.
 
In my fourth and current role as an AMS, I serve a multi-county, multi-cultural association of 80+ congregations in seven counties in south metro Atlanta. The Southside Baptist Network was birthed on March 1, 2013 from two former associations who voted to disband and form the new association. I had been the leader of one of the two former associations. 
 
The Southside Baptist Network was basically a merger of two associations who were struggling somewhat financially. The goal in forming the Network was to form a bigger, better association, and to be a model association, not a mediocre one. The new, larger association has been able to add value to the churches and minister more effectively in a fast, focused, flexible, and friendly way. Our pastors often describe our association as “refreshing” and “the best association I have ever been in.” I hope your pastors say that about your association, too.
 
Why should associations consider merging?
  1. To provide more resources for associational missions and ministry
  2. To provide for a full-time Associational Mission Strategist (AMS) versus part-time
  3. To be able to do ministry with more excellence than mediocrity
  4. To serve the churches more effectively
  5. To streamline and eliminate redundancies
  6. To add greater value to the churches
 
When should associations consider merging? 
  1. When an associational leader retires or resigns, that association - and neighboring ones - should be open to the possibility of merging
  2. When the association is pulling from savings regularly to pay staff
  3. When the association is facing the possibility of having to go from a full-time to a part-time associational leader
  4. When two or three associations already share an AMS, and they realize that this arrangement is not the best stewardship of resources for kingdom advancement
  5. When associational leadership “redreams the dream” and realizes that they are not able to carry out their purpose effectively by themselves – and they need help
 
What are some obstacles to associations merging?
  1. Tradition
  2. Pride and ego
  3. Control issues
  4. Possible loss of a representative on the state Executive Committee
  5. Transitioning from relating to churches in one or two counties to connecting and relating to churches in multiple counties
 
In our situation, the loss of a state Executive Committee member was not a big deal to us. Thankfully, tradition, pride, ego, and control issues were minimal. There was some concern about me going from serving churches in one county to serving many more churches in a multi-county model, but we prayed about it, the Lord blessed abundantly, I felt up to the challenge, and it has worked out well for us. 
 
When we formed the Network, we agreed that for the first 18 months, all ministry teams would have equal representation from the two previous associations, and after that, it would go away. We have not had any problems regarding representation, but we do keep geography in mind.
 
I want to emphasize that I know some very effective bi-vocational AMSs. They are some of my heroes. An AMS' full/part-time status is not equivalent to his effectiveness in ministry - and this goes both ways.
 
SBCAL - and myself as President - are here to serve all associational leaders - volunteer, bi-vocational, and full-time. Merging associations is not for everyone. But I believe, especially in the South, that associational mergers should be carefully and prayerfully considered as an option capable of producing the most fruit for the Kingdom.
 
What other answers would you give to these questions? 
 
Your brother in Christ,
Ray 
Pr. 3:5-6
 
Quotable Quote: Are you a leader or a doer? 
 
Doers respond to what’s happening. Leaders make things happen.
Doers can take direction and execute someone else’s vision, but they will require energy and follow-up that a leader doesn’t require.
 
A leader is a catalyst— creating change, momentum, and progress. You want to build your teams around people who make things happen. 
Carey Nieuwhof, 1.23.21, How to Tell If a New Volunteer Is Truly a Leader (Or Simply a Doer)
2 Comments
Richard Graham link
2/20/2021 08:32:30 am

I am a retired DOM (May 2019) from a southern CA association, which I served almost 14 years as DOM. Before I retired, I was approached about merging the three or four associations in Los Angeles County. While I cannot speak to rural associations as to merging, I strongly believe against, and strongly opposed, the idea of large city associations merging. There are two factors that often are not considered. 1) What is the attitude of the churches towards associational work? In all four LA County associations, it depended on the pastors of the churches. If they believed in the value of the association, they and their churches supported and worked with the association leadership. The finances were not a determining factor, if that was true. If it was not true, the associations struggled to be effective, and to financially make it. 2) This second is the most important one. In the LA County, as in most large cities, there are more lost people than can be imagined. Are the churches going after them? Are the pastors modeling to their churches, and is the associational leadership modeling to their churches, a red-hot desire to see the Gospel shared with the vast multitudes around them? If we will be obedient in sharing the Gospel, will not God bless those efforts, and will not lost people then be brought into those churches to be discipled? Will they not be trained to go after more lost people, their Friends, Relatives, Associates in work and school, Neighbors, and Strangers they meet in their daily lives (FRANS)? Yes, they will. This is exactly how the first century Christians 'turned the world upside down.' Then there will be growth in the churches of the local association to the point that a merger will not even be imagined, because it is not needed.
In both these factors, the spiritual attitude of leadership in the churches and in the association is key. Does the leadership MODEL soul-winning and disciple-making in the sense of disciples making disciples, who make disciples who make disciples, and so on? By modeling, I mean do they regularly share the Gospel with lost people, training those saved to do the same, and do they also share what they are doing in disciple-making with those whom they are leading? If we are leaders, we are commanded by Jesus to model to those whom we are leading what Jesus commanded us to do--make disciples who make disciples who make disciples, and so on. To be clear, we are to both regularly witness and make converts, whom we train to do the same, AND we are to share what we are doing to make disciples as the model that those we lead are to follow. Witness and model to others to show that we are obeying Jesus' Great Commission to make disciples, training them (imparting skills, not just imparting knowledge) to do the same in all that Jesus commands, and baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is what the first century church did, but this is what we Southern Baptists do not do, and have not done for a long time.
If we will repent, and return to the model that Jesus gave His disciples and the early church, churches will grow and multiply, and associations will grow and multiply in large city areas. And through large city church growth, we will grow in our Kingdom work to reach the world.
Thank you and God bless.

Reply
Ray Gentry
2/20/2021 01:43:59 pm

Richard,

Thank you for your comments. You make some good points.

I was addressing the 95% of associations that are not in the category you address.

I agree that we should all be about making disciples who make disciples.

Yours in Christ,

Ray

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    I’m Ray Gentry, the President/CEO of the Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Leaders (SBCAL). I’ve served Southern Baptist churches & associations in various roles for over 35 years. I have served as an associational leader for five associations, starting in 1993. The most recent one being the Southside Baptist Network, McDonough, GA.

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