What is SCBAPTIST? The SCBaptist website states: “The South Carolina Baptist Convention (SCBaptist) is a family of more than 2,100 churches working together to advance the Great Commission. We mobilize missionaries and develop leaders so that every life will be saturated and transformed by the hope of the gospel.”
Where does our family of churches begin working together? Our first point of cooperation is the local association. SCBaptist has 41 local associations. “SCBaptist encourages churches to consider partnering with their respective SCBaptist associations to undertake local, contextualized ministry efforts together. We believe that a local association of churches can often accomplish things together that a larger group of churches cannot — especially within their specific ministry context or geographic area. Consider partnering with your local Baptist association in advancing the gospel.”
For me, the first point of cooperation is the local association. Our church’s first investment in missions is through the local association. In addition to our Cooperative Program giving, we give 6 percent of our undesignated receipts to the Lakelands Baptist Association, because we believe that the light that shines the farthest shines the brightest at home. Through the local association, we are able to partner with other SCBaptist churches to serve our community and advance the gospel around the world. It is through the local association that I have built friendships and mentored relationships with pastors. Older pastors in our association took me under their wing as a “preacher boy” 30 years ago; today I am able to encourage younger pastors whom God is raising up in our association.
My heart breaks when I hear pastors say that they don’t have the desire or won’t make the time to lead their church to participate in the local association. Many do not participate in their association because there isn’t much ministry, fellowship or discipleship taking place. Others have so much going on in their own church that they don’t see the benefit of the local association. If your church sees your local association as unconnected, I encourage you to get involved and give the association’s work a boost in the right direction. For churches and pastors who feel like they have outgrown the need for the association, I admonish you to remember that to whom much is given, much is expected. Sometimes churches need the association; at other times, the association needs a particular church. SCBaptist will be a greater source for good when all 41 associations are making a kingdom impact.
As a pastor of 25 years, I have been blessed to serve two churches. During that time, I have been an active part of two associations and have been mentored by two associational mission strategists. Shannon Long encouraged a young, green, wet-behind-the-ears pastor as I worked to lead my first church. For the past 21 years, David Little has been an encourager, pastor, mentor and friend. Today I am a better pastor and Ninety Six First Baptist Church is a healthier body of believers because we make cooperation with the Lakelands Baptist Association a high priority. Today, I encourage you to make partnership at the local association a strategic priority for your church.
Perhaps you and your church are asking how does partnering with, cooperating with, giving to, attending and serving through the local association and state convention help with Kingdom Advance in 2025? Is it still true that together we can do more? I invite you to see and celebrate in person what God is accomplishing through SCBaptist cooperation Nov. 10-11 at Taylors First Baptist. When we pray fervently and make being informed and involved a priority, we quickly realize that we are still better together and that there are many reasons to celebrate Kingdom Advance taking place through SCBaptist churches, associations, state level ministries and our ministry partners.