Coordinator’s Column: Finding Consensus and Creativity
A challenge that Baptist cooperative organizations frequently experience is helping individuals to realize that the organizations are built around the broad consensus of the participating churches. Consequently, cooperative organizations built by Baptists generally focus their work upon ministries which are noncontroversial. Baptist cooperative organizations are not designed to force non-consensus, controversial issues or views upon the majority of the churches. Instead Baptist cooperative organizations are designed to think of creative ways to help churches accomplish the ministries for which there is a broad consensus.
In CBF life I continually see that our participating churches are concerned about two major issues: 1) spreading the good news about Jesus through word and deed, and 2) preparing the next generation for carrying on the work of spreading the good news. I believe that this should be the focus of CBF. I don’t think there is a participating church in CBF that would find these two issues controversial.
Within these two consensus areas there can be a great deal creativity. For example, the creativity comes in figuring out ways to spread the good news about Jesus. At first CBF used the model of appointing career missionaries to creatively focus upon unreached and neglected people groups. Then we became more creative and moved toward developing missional congregations that could work alongside these career missionaries with teams and assistance for special projects. When it comes to preparing the next generation for carrying on the work, once again we are creative. At first we creatively partnered with a host of newly formed seminaries. Then we creatively moved to working with congregations that would prepare ministers through internships. These are just quick examples of how CBF worked creatively around a consensus sentiment in the churches.
As we move forward in CBF life we must continually work to formulate the consensus and then creatively work around that consensus.
Daniel Vestal to speak for Regional Assembly at FBC San Marcos
CBF Texas will host its fifth Regional Assembly at FBC San Marcos, 325 W. McCarty Lane, on February 4, 2012. The Assembly will be held 1:00-4:00 p.m. The Assembly will focus upon the theme Creating a New Church for a New Generation: Missional & Multicultural. Daniel Vestal will preach, Rick McClatchy will lead a plenary session, and CBF field personnel will lead breakout sessions.
KidsHeart 2012
If your church plans to participate in KidsHeart mission projects along the border next year, then contact the CBF TX office ASAP for help in planning the details. Even if you are just exploring possible options to engage in mission projects contact CBF TX at cbftex@aol.com.
Join the Conversation in 2012
Staff ministers, would you like to help your church make these three important shifts?
- From an older generation church to one that also engages the millennial generation
- From an attractional church to a missional church
- From a homogeneous church to a multicultural church
Join in a conversation with other Texas ministers about these three important shifts. For six months in 2012 you will spend thirty minutes per month in a phone conversation with a different minister about what resources and strategies have helped his/her church in implementing these shifts. Then record these ideas on a blog from which others can also learn. At the end of the conversations you can attend a fall retreat (Nov. 15) to learn from Mike Slaughter, pastor of Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church in Tipp City, Ohio, about how he has worked toward implementing these shifts in his church. If you want to join the conversation, contact the CBF TX office at cbftex@aol.com.