In the April 1 edition of the Courier, I was excited and blessed to read of the increase of baptisms in the state of South Carolina. As our baptism numbers have decreased over the years, I have questioned many things about how we can better reach the lost. Through this increase, I think we need to learn from these churches who are being successful.
As the article stated, the 107 churches not affiliated with associations accounted for 2,984 baptisms, while the 2,089 churches affiliated with associations accounted for 15,986. Of the top five churches that lead in baptisms, three were not in associations. Is it time we revisit the role of associations in the SBC? Although these associations were very useful in the past, do we need them anymore? It is obvious by the number of baptisms that churches without associations are reaching the lost better than churches who are in associations, but I thought our purpose in associations was to increase our ability to succeed in the Great Commission.
What has startled me most is the giving to the Cooperative Program of the top churches that lead in baptisms: of the top 15, nine give less than $10,000. The leading church in baptisms, New Spring, gave only $550; the Warehouse gave $200. New River Community and Brookwood Church gave no money to the Cooperative Program. Only Spartanburg First gave a significant amount to the CP in the top five churches who lead our state in baptisms.
I do not point this out to discredit these churches; I applaud them for their dedication to the Great Commission. But while we talk about budget shortfalls, we must look at our churches and ask what is going wrong? Our older churches are giving 10-25 percent of their budgets to CP giving, which is being used to start new churches. The new churches are not giving back to CP but are spending their entire budget reaching their communities, while our older churches are struggling financially to do ministry and are beginning to die off. What this will mean as a convention is death. If we have an increase in baptisms, we should have an increase in CP giving, but we have a decrease. As this trend continues, the money in CP will dry up.
In the article, Jim Goodroe pointed out the statistic that “a church’s outward focus lasts only about the first 10 years” was a reason for new churches to be planted. This should be a call for churches to be revived! Our older churches need revival and a desire to reach the lost. Have we given up on these older congregations, only to consider them as just the “cash cow”?
In conclusion, we must rethink the role of our local associations. Are these associations just part of our tradition we are hanging on to, or are they an important part of the Great Commission? We need to take the money and time spent on associations and allocate it to our outreach. Second, in addition to planting new churches, we must focus on reviving our older churches. Third, we must encourage all churches to give 10 percent of their budget to CP. Churches giving more should lower their giving and take that money and reach their “Jerusalem.” Churches not giving 10 percent should increase their giving to reach “the uttermost parts of the world.”
What do you think? Click here to send a letter to the editor addressing this or another subject.