Long distances and bivocational schedules make rural associations some of the greatest beneficiaries of the Internet revolution, an Alabama director of missions told fellow directors of missions during a regional conference sponsored by the North American Mission Board (NAMB).
Gary Farley, director of missions for Pickens Baptist Association in Carrollton and consultant for town and country associational missions, shared some of the benefits of “the electronic association” during the conference that included a track for “town and country” associational missionaries.
“When I first went out [to Pickens Association] there was maybe one pastor that was online. Today 21 of the pastors are online, and in 29 of our 34 churches I’ve got somebody who is an [online] contact person,” said Farley.
Surprisingly, he said, a link to many of the churches has been through grandmothers who use e-mail in order to get regular updates and photos from grandchildren. “I think that’s probably motivated some of our pastors to say, ‘I don’t want Miss Betsy ahead of me,’” he noted.
One of the most effective tools in Pickens Association has been a weekly prayer request e-mail, Farley said, sent out each Tuesday for use during midweek prayer meetings.
“I believe that’s helping a lot in enhancing relationships and connection to the association,” Farley said. “First of all, the secretary is contacting somebody in every church every week, asking them how they’re doing and so forth. And then there’s the healing. When there’s an answer to prayer we put in praises. There’s just something that’s really powerful about folks in the association praying for one another.”
Forwarding information
E-mail and digital photography has also made it easier for Farley to forward news and photos from churches to community newspapers.
And as with everyone over the past five years, e-mail communications have enabled him to be more productive — minimizing his postage budget and simplifying communications. Bivocational pastors often are unavailable during office hours, but they can respond to communications quickly and easily via e-mail.
The association’s Web site also is a valuable tool, containing news items about churches, prayer needs, the association calendar and other items. The site, at www.pickens.net/ ~pba also includes a collection of papers and other resources related to associational missions in rural settings.
One idea Farley hopes to implement during the summer in Pickens Association is a cooperative effort to broadcast Sunday School lessons on the local access cable television channel for both Sunday School teachers preparing their lessons and others unable to attend on Sundays. Several experienced teachers have been enlisted to teach the lessons, so the burden would be spread out over several individuals.
“I think it will improve the quality of Bible teaching going on in the association,” he said. “It will recognize some quality teachers, and it will provide some opportunity for having ministry to shut-ins on a regular basis.” (BP)
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