The churches of GTBN value cooperation and diversity, but we also value autonomy. The GTBN values statement defines autonomy as “Respecting each church’s right and freedom to self-govern and make it’s own decisions in the context of cooperation.” Quite simply, I’m not a bishop and nothing we do through the Network shall impede each congregation’s standing before the Lord to discern how they will conduct their ministries.
But this isn’t just a GTBN thing. Autonomy it is at the heart of the Baptist way. We believe it’s the scriptural way. And so, for generations Baptist missionaries facilitated the planting of churches that ultimately became self governing, self supporting, and self reproducing. We still do.
What does this mean to you? It means the role of GTBN is not to direct the path of our churches, but to help each church as they seek the Lord’s direction in their ministries. Some seek help discovering His direction, and we’re glad to assist. Others have a clear sense of what God is leading them to do, but seek assistance discerning how they will do it. Again, we’re here. Then there are those churches that have a firm sense of God’s mission and discernable movement toward it’s fulfillment. For these congregations, GTBN is a platform for resourcing their leaders and leveraging their strengths to fortify sister congregations.
Our autonomy also means that our cooperation isn’t compulsory. No one likes being dictated to, hence the public resistance to COVID 19 mandates. But our cooperation is voluntary. GTBN has roughly 100 congregations, some elder led, others with a single pastor, with a mix of rural and urban, and about half in one state convention with half in the other. Yet as we respect these differences we choose to cooperate, that together we may plant new churches, support ministry leaders, promote awakening and revitalization within our sister churches, and network together for mission work across SETX and around the world.
I believe the Lord has and will continue to honor this choice.
Blessings,
Bro. Jim