Associational leaders gathered Nov. 15 to “Re-Engage” with each other and the churches they serve.
Meeting at Hillwood Baptist Church in Huntsville, the Alabama Baptist Conference of Associational Leaders elected new officers and heard from Chuck Kelley, president emeritus of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, who now lives in Fairhope.
Calling himself an optimistic pessimist, Kelley had praise for the associational leaders.
Listing COVID-19, social and political tensions, struggling churches, baptisms down, Sunday School attendance tanking, etc., he said there are many reasons to be pessimistic.
“What you are doing in your work in the churches in your association is deadly serious,” he said. “We are not talking about greatness … we’re talking about survival and getting our churches back in gear.
Binding support
“You are the logistical support that binds our churches together,” he said.
But very clear reasons for optimism exist, Kelley stressed.
“We can do something. God can do anything. This is not a slogan. This is not a tagline for a great, exciting, inspiring sermon.”
Kelley emphasized that the Southern Baptist Convention has a self-esteem problem. Many have taken Baptist out of the church name and members look like the lost community instead of standing out from the world around them, he said.
He also called for repentance.
“The judgment of God is not a future event on the horizon … it has already started,” he said.
Next, he called on Baptists to refocus on the Great Commission and rebuilding.
Church leaders figured out how to keep meeting during COVID-19 utilizing online options.
“We have multiplied the access to the worship service and the gospel,” he said. “It was a glorious chapter of church leadership.”
Unexpected gifts
Rick Barnhart, director of the office of associational missions and church planting for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, told the leaders the SBOM is paying their dues for the Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Leaders starting Jan. 1 and encouraged them to go to the national meeting in Anaheim, California, in June.
Kevin Blackwell, director of the Ministry Training Institute at Samford University, thanked the leaders for their partnership with the university and gifted them $500 to offset the costs of the meeting. Samford will launch the 39th extension site of its Ministry Training Institute in 2022, which he leads. The new site will be called the Russell Chatt Valley extension and will offer classes in connection with MTI for church staff and lay leaders.
Business
Ray McKenzie, who was serving as the vice president, was elected president. McKenzie serves the Elmore Baptist Association. Stan Albright of Coosa River Baptist Association was elected vice president. Both were unopposed. Tyler Eiland, associational mission strategist for Chilton Baptist Association, remains as treasurer.
Jim Hill, director of missions for Dale Baptist Association, made a motion to study moving the annual associational leader meeting to a different date to not conflict with the annual Alabama Baptist Pastors Conference.
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