ATLANTA – The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has announced a new, three-year partnership with the Center for Congregational Health, a consulting and training center in Winston-Salem, N.C.
The Center for Congregational Health will provide services for the Fellowship’s congregational life and leadership development initiatives until June 2007.
“Congregations and their leaders are frequently addressing complex opportunities for ministry,” said Dave Odom, Center for Congregational Health president. “Through this partnership, CBF is making available resources that assist leaders in both understanding the opportunities and creating specific initiatives that address the opportunities.”
Bo Prosser, the Fellowship’s coordinator for congregational life, said the partnership will allow for the creation of a network of CBF-trained intentional interim pastors available for churches. The Center will also provide consultation to Fellowship churches in areas including strategic planning, interim ministry, conflict management, staff relationships and leadership.
“This new partnership will allow us to be the ‘first call’ for congregations that are experiencing stress or uncertainty, that are entering a time of interim ministry and for direct ministry support to our church leaders,” Prosser said. “This partnership expands our tools for providing quality ministry to our constituent churches.”
Because each church is different, the Center tailors resources for specific situations, Odom said. For struggling churches, one-on-one consultation can help create a healthy church environment. “Many congregations experience difficult challenges and unexpected opportunities. This partnership provides resources for congregations and their leaders in those extraordinary times,” Odom said.
Terry Hamrick, the Fellowship’s coordinator for leadership development, said the partnership provides a new way to nurture and strengthen congregational ministers. Theological education provides a solid foundation, but ministers expressed need for continuing education as they served in congregations. “We want to give them some practical handles to apply to their situations,” Hamrick said.
One of these continuing education opportunities is a new program which will train and develop ministers to lead a missional church. Participants will attend four retreats during the yearlong intensive leadership course, Hamrick said. Two courses will eventually be offered each year, with the first sponsored by CBF of Georgia beginning in January.
“This will help to develop and nurture them to become effective leaders in the 21st century,” Hamrick said.
CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.