Association

An association, in Southern Baptist life, is an organization of like-minded churches that voluntarily agree to work together in missions, evangelism, Christian education, fellowship, and other kingdom endeavors. Through CenLa Baptist Association, members of local churches find training to help them become involved in Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, personal evangelism, gospel ministry, disaster relief, and world-wide mission projects. The association is also involved at the most significant levels of starting new churches, strengthening existing churches, and helping churches make the right connections when they are searching to fill a pastor vacancy.

Associational Mission Strategist

Pastor, leader, encourager, and catalyst are all words that describe the work of an Associational Mission Strategist. That description is vitally important, but it only scratches the surface of the total picture. Perhaps the best model for the role is seen in the ministry of Paul the apostle. He was constantly serving as a catalyst to start new churches and help existing churches grow and develop into mature congregations of believers. He was concerned enough about those New Testament churches to keep in touch with them and their leaders and to support their efforts to grow in the strength and nurture of the Lord.

To the church at Philippi, Paul wrote: I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart.. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:3ff).

The Associational Mission Strategist is a ministerial employee of the CenLa Baptist Association and is a servant to all the pastors and churches therein, who shall stand ready to help, encourage, facilitate, and provide a vital link to other churches and pastor to accomplish the kingdom work that we have all been called to do by our Lord Jesus Christ.