I am not sure where our conversations with PBA will lead. We share
very similar core values and goals for the future. But what excites
me most about the possibility of this relationship is the opportunity
to learn from congregations that are more urban and diverse than UBBC.
As our community continues to grow and become more diverse perhaps
we can glean lessons from PBA congregations to help us widen our welcome
to more of God's children.
Continue to be in prayer for these important conversations with PBA
and may we all trust God's leading in and through them.
Bonnie
PBA Vision Statement
We inspire and equip the congregations of the Philadelphia Baptist
Association to support and strengthen American Baptist witness and
mission for our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ through dynamic, multicultural
and diverse relationships.
PBA Goals to reach by 2010
1 Strengthening Communication
We will assist each PBA congregation to develop and implement their
own strategy for promoting, interpreting and building ownership of
the mission and ministries of PBA and ABCUSA ( with at least 80 percent
of their members cross generationally, including new members).
Various communication resources will be provided by PBA and ABCUSA.
2 Enabling Visionary Leadership
We will keep congregational life vibrant by identifying, publishing
and promoting resources and opportunities that enhance and encourage
leadership training for congregations, both clergy and laypersons
to address critical needs , thereby creating "vision communities"
in 30 percent of PBA congregations.
3 Revitalizing Congregations
We will develop annual forums and a variety of other resources to
assist congregations in understating changes in modern society, so
they may effectively communicate with the Gospel, assimilate new members,
and move toward developing and maintaining healthy systems and structures.
We will document and publish the new strategies and structures that
PBA churches develop and provide instruments for the analysis of the
health of the local church.
4 Nurturing Spiritual Development and Discipleship
We will encourage the movement of devotional life and the relational
aspects of faith to the center of the work and ministry of the association,
congregation and individual life. We will promote, model, nurture
and sustain a personal spiritual vitality that will under gird and
support abundance and excellence for life and ministry through retreats,
sabbaticals, historical Christian spiritual disciplines, discipleship
training, worshipful work fellowship, vibrant worship and recreation.
We will evaluate our progress annually.
5 Enabling Responsible Mission and Stewardship
We will encourage PBA congregations to engage in ministry beyond
their local church and demonstrate faithful management of God's resources
through ongoing stewardship education, investing at least 10 percent
of their annual income in mission.
80 percent of our congregations will institute a twelve month stewardship
education program that is cross generational to support the ministry
of the local church.
70 percent of our congregations will increase their financial support
of ABCUSA mission by at least 10 percent.
80 percent of our congregations will participate in volunteer ministry
opportunities through ABCUSA and/or PBA annually.
6 Providing Relevant Resources
We will insure that all PBA congregations are aware of the resources
of the PBA and ABCUSA which support local congregations. We will encourage
mutual support and networking through publications, communications
and technology, and we will review effectiveness annually.
We will be intentional in supporting excellence in ministry, clergy
leadership, conflict resolution and adequate support for healthy PBA
congregations (professional/clergy).
7 Encouraging Fellowship
We will identify young adults and youth from PBA congregations to
lead the way in creating strategies that encourage member congregations
to build and sustain "kononia" (authentic community) evaluating
the impact on moving beyond the usual ways we tend to divide ourselves
in congregational life.
At the Association level we will build church to church partnerships/relationships,
geographic mission emphasis, suburban-urban mission partnership develop
region-wide fellowship events, singles forums, youth forums, intentional
assimilation of new racial/ethnic communities into PBA life. The board
of directors will provide an annual evaluation of our effectiveness.
8 Promoting Evangelism
We will utilize local church, PBA and National Ministries evangelism
models to tell the Good News of the transforming and liberating love
of Jesus Christ.
We will develop a comprehensive new church planting strategy for the
region that engages existing congregations as partners.
We will build a network of 15 churches in congregational transformation
by 2010.
We will enthusiastically invite Baptist congregations in the region
to consider joining the PBA/.ABCUSA mission enterprise.
9 Mobilizing Advocacy and Outreach
We will enhance the region's ability to address peace and justice
issues locally and globally. We will sustain a visible witness and
measurable impact in addressing the issues that affect the quality
of life in our region - most specifically poverty, public education
and health care issues.
