That's a question that I suppose has as many answers as we do associations. Our contexts are so different these days as America's demographics change. Here on the Gulf Coast and in the Choctaw association, apparently the question is valid, as a group within the association is taking up that very question.
Context does matter.
Geographic and demographic contexts matter: Okaloosa County contains the largest military base in the United States - Eglin Air Force Base, as well as some of the finest beaches anywhere. There's a wild swing between the northern and southern ends of both Okaloosa and its neighbor Walton county because of the different influences of beach versus rural or exburb. This led to the creation of a separate association for Crestview and northern Okaloosa county, and to some of the South Walton churches aligning with the Choctaw Asssociation instead of the Walton one.
The Air Force and soon to be larger Army influences mean that there's a larger population of skilled workers who are younger and prone to have families, and a contractor base (and retirees) who are older and have substantially greater income than others do. But move across the bay to Destin and South Walton, and money ramps up considerably as well as the diversity of culture. Then too, just like the tides, people come in and out of those areas for short or long term stays. Snowbirds, condo owners, vacationers, even Spring Breakers all come in and out and affect the churches. The pastor of the largest church in Destin once told me that "the snowbirds are under the mistaken opinion that we should change who we are just for them." So there are pressures inherent within the diversity that exists.
Add to that the mega vs small church tug of war, traditional versus modern, and denominational turf wars and we'll have fun fun fun convincing anyone that we're about the Kingdom of God who isn't already an insider.
Makes you want to run out and become a DOM now doesn't it?
Given our context, I'm going to take a stab at offering some suggestions. They may be stupid in your environment. If so, pay no attention to them. If they are brilliant, then by all means let me know. :)
First: Quit trying to do the work of the local church.
Second: Quit hurting the work of the local church. Every dollar spent on associational buildings and people that cannot be justified by a resultant effect in growing the Kingdom through the work of the local church is wasted. Wasted.
Three: Help our pastors help our churches. I know we're a prickly bunch and not easily led or helped, but we are the people that God called and placed in the churches of the association to help see His will done on earth as it is in heaven. And we are the ones who will have to give an account for what we have done and haven't done. We need help - especially (but not limited to) those of us who pastor smaller churches. Every new initiative we undertake - someone has BTDT. We need the DOM and the association to serve as facilitator and network respectively. Hook us up when we get a wild idea with someone who knows how to pull it off. Help us find the resources to accomplish it. Maybe the association could serve as part file cabinet, part rolodex, part storage building.
Four: Bring Us Together as people walking down the same road. There are so many splits in the people who are outside. So many fissures emerging within the SBC. calling another meeting isn't going to get it done anymore. Inviting two pastors or three to meet for lunch will. Getting to know each other as fellow stragglers will. Pastor's luncheons may be the hardest thing a DOM can pull off and may seem insignificant. But they matter. Personally I'd love to see our association buy a trailer like they use during emergencies to feed people. Self contained kitchen etc., but with a PA system and a few of those "jumpy toys" and stuff like a rock climbing wall so we could do block parties and cross church fellowships. But that's just me.
Perception is that the current system of funding the DOM position makes him far more attentive and reactive to big churches and big church pastors. It ought to be just the opposite. YMMV. I'd love to see that position become a Missionary position again with the small church and church planting through all the churches be the focus. I know there are a lot of DOM's who do a great job of looking after the needs of smaller churches, but not all of them do.
Finally (for now) - Help us see the bigger picture. Fight us to help us see it. By that I mean the DOM has to be working to take what the pastors dream and see if it will synergize into something that will not only allow the local churches to fulfill their calling, but will help other local churches do the same. The Charleston Baptist SC association has a resort ministry arm that works alongside the association with a separate board made up of churches. Ours has a ministry center that does that. We need to see more of that sort of thing but birthed out of what God is telling the local churches, not out of the Lifeway catalog or a DOM association meeting.
For me, this is sort of a final attempt to try to work through what an association ought to be and do. In the small church I serve, we're not going to nod our heads anymore and send our money to anything that doesn't help us do our job more effectively than we could do alone.
/rant off
praying commences again
*edited to remove some of the heat and leave the light - DW
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