The Alabama Baptist State Convention (ABSC), like state Baptist conventions across the country, has an overwhelming majority of its members belonging to one particular race.
But the number of black churches that have chosen to be involved in the predominantly white Alabama Baptist State Convention is growing.
“There are 56 predominantly African-American congregations in [the state] who choose to be associated with Alabama Baptists,” said Ron Madison, director of the office of associational and cooperative missions with the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM).
“The churches are found predominately in the greater Birmingham and Montgomery areas, but there are others in and around places such as Tuscaloosa, Huntsville, Mobile and Troy,” he said.
One reason for the recent increase in the number of black congregations can be traced back to Jan. 1, 1994, when Ronald Davis joined the staff of the SBOM as the program director for black church relations.
He helps guide churches in communities that are changing, according to Madison.
Elements of the job description include biblical reconciliation between the races as well as starting new work in black communities. Events such as Race Relations Sunday and a Human Relations Conference held each April have led to new developments such as the first blacks to be elected to the board of trustees at Samford University and as members of the SBOM.
The latest addition among black churches identifying with the state convention is Faith Baptist Church, Mobile.
“God’s plan was for us to be a part of this,” said Charles Dent, pastor of Faith. “[Faith Baptist] was started in March 2003 under the umbrella of Green Forest Community Church in Decatur, Ga.,” Dent said. “The pastor there, George O. McCalep, was the one who encouraged us to be a part of the [state convention] as well as Mobile Baptist Association.”
The connection between the two churches came because Tom Groce, executive pastor and ministry administrator of Faith knew a deacon at Forest Community Church. McCalep knew of Dent and hence the connection was made. Dent was elected pastor of Faith in May 2003.
Dent said he follows McCalep’s model for church with a strong emphasis on growth-oriented Sunday School, which has resulted in a church membership of 6,000 at Forest Community Church, a member of the Georgia Baptist Convention.
In October Faith Baptist, also experiencing membership growth, began the process for full membership into the Alabama Baptist State Convention. At this point it is labeled as a mission church. Since its inception in March 2003, Faith has grown from the 80 original members to nearly 100 in Sunday School, here called “Fulfillment Hour.”
A focus of Dent’s is to train others to serve in the overall ministry of the church. “I’m trying to empower them to do ministry. We don’t want to be a pastor-led church, but to get the laity more involved.
“We want [the people] to employ their spiritual gifts for ministry,” Dent said.
James Spicer, pastor of Freedom Baptist Church, Selma, where Davis served as pastor prior to moving to his position at the state level, believes the best way to increase fellowship among churches of different ethnic backgrounds is to incorporate more ways to work together. “We became involved with the Selma Baptist Association in 1989,” he said. “Things have been very good lately. We are heavily involved in community work. In the last three or four years, there have been more events around Selma such as Jesus Day, which promotes fellowship between white and black churches.”
In addition, there are Pastors Prayer Summits, where pastors of different races and backgrounds come together to share and talk. Spicer recently was elected to his second term as vice moderator of Selma Baptist Association.
Christian Way Baptist Church in Camden began as a church plant in 2001. “We went under the watchcare program with Pine Barren Association,” said Pastor Charles Autery. “We started with 12 members and have doubled that in the past year.”
There was no standard church building available at the beginning for Autery and his people, so the group bought and renovated an old sawmill commissary into a sanctuary.
“[The building] once made physical bread. Now we use it to provide spiritual bread,” Autery said.
In addition to his role as pastor, Autery is also the missions development director for the association.
All churches are involved in giving to their local associations as well as through the Cooperative Program. Whenever needed, materials for endeavors such as Royal Ambassadors have been provided. In Christian Way’s case, a grant was provided up front to get started as well as assistance for pastoral support.
Functions to promote comradery among different racial groups have included “Get Acquainted Day” at the state Baptist building in Montgomery as well as African-American Strategic Planning held at Shocco Springs Baptist Conference Center in Talladega. Dent reflects on one of the most enjoyable events recently sponsored by Mobile Baptist Association.
“We [went on] a campout for boys and men at Whistling Pines Campground in Citronelle. Many of our boys and some men had never done this before. All of them loved being out there with other people.”
Even though things are looking up, both pastors said there is some distance to go to fully incorporate white and black congregations to where congregants feel more comfortable around one another.
“One thing I’ve noticed is that it’s difficult to get much of a response from white churches whenever we have something going on. I don’t think it’s because they don’t want to be around black people. It’s just that they’re not used to it,” Spicer said.
“It’s typical for me to send out invitations for a program or special event we’ll be having and have eight to 10 responses from black churches, but none from white ones.”
Spicer’s church, Freedom Baptist, is the only Southern Baptist-affiliated church in Dallas County with a predominately black congregation. There are 27 total churches in Selma Baptist Association. Dent echoes these sentiments. “Probably the biggest limitation of being a black church in [the ABSC] is that there are so few of us.”
Members enthused
All pastors agree, however, that there is excitement among their members about being involved with the ABSC.
Spicer, whose church is under the watchcare program of Good News Baptist in Selma, states how deacons and lay people are looking forward to more involvement with other local Baptists. He said other black pastors have indicated interest in joining the ABSC.
“I love the strategy, the focus on the Great Commission, and the comradery [of Alabama Southern Baptists],” said Dent. “The direction [of the ABSC] is the perfect direction. Their identity is to identify with Christ. [The partnership] has helped bring excitement into our church as well as enrich us to enrich the community.”
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