Southern Baptist roots go all the way back to the Reformation in England in the sixteenth century. The first Baptist Association in American was the Philadelphia Association formed in 1707. The first Southern Baptist Association was Charleston, South Carolina. Baptist Associations in America formed around a common theology for the purposes of fellowship, mutual assistance, and an organization through which to work together. Outside of the local church the local association was the first body formed. In 2007 the local Baptist Association in America celebrated their 300th Anniversary!
Recognizing the dramatic changes in our society, the think-tank determined that for the Association to be effective in the new century it must:
- Be theologically and historically based
- Be purpose-driven
- Be contextually relevant
- Be congregationally focused and service oriented
- Be uniquely positioned as the closest Baptist body to the local church
The association exists to minister TO the churches, to minister FOR the churches, to minister THROUGH the churches, to minister FROM the churches, all to the glory of God. The associations should be doing those things that contribute to the divinely assigned objectives and purposes of the churches. They should refrain from doing those things that do not contribute to the tasks that our Lord has given his churches to perform.
- The associations are the outreaching arms of the churches doing what the churches need to do and can best do in concert with others through the medium of the association.
- The association is the denominational unit closest to the churches and is capable of being the most reflective of their conditions and their needs.
- The associations provide the best opportunity for maintaining a denominational life that is close to grass roots--of the people, by the people, for the people.
- The association can render services that cannot be as effectively given by those far removed, geographically from the needs of the churches and their communities.
- The associations may legitimately serve as a connecting link, as a resource between the churches and the state and the southern Baptist Convention but they should be more than simply promotional tools to project programs of these larger denominational bodies.
- The churches create and maintain associations to provide for themselves assistance in accomplishing the mission of the churches.
- Churches create and maintain associations to express their nature as a fellowship of like-minded believers, to foster unity in faith and practice among congregations, and to accomplish their mission more effectively through cooperative endeavors than it would be possible for them to do alone.
- The association is an important unit in Baptist life because of its effectiveness in meeting the continuing needs of the churches and the communities served by the churches. The objectives of the association should reflect and relate to the objectives of the churches whether the association is aiding in church extension, church renewal, or providing mutual watch-care and expressing concern.
- The spiritual welfare and fellowship of the churches is of primary concern to the association.
- The association provides a unique forum for the discussion and clarification of Baptist doctrine. It provides multi-directional communication among the churches and between the churches and denominational agencies and community agencies.
