What Does an Association of Churches Do?

An association of churches does what your local church does with one huge difference. It does it with churches. An association of churches: trains church members; encourages churches; visits churches when they are sick; helps churches have babies (start new churches);shares resources, counsels churches when they need direction; and celebrates special occasions with churches.

The Nature Coast Baptist Association of churches is a way of expressing love and concern to all NCBA churches from all the other NCBA churches. It harnesses the energy that exists when churches team together in a common endeavor and magnifies the Christian influence in communities.

What type of relationship holds an association of churches together? It’s called a covenant relationship. This is a covenant between churches to help one another and to love one another.

Why does an association need an office and a full-time staff? The same reason a church does: to coordinate, guide and aid the work of the ministry.

Nature Coast Association does the following for its churches

  • Keeps churches in touch with other NCBA churches through newsletters, directories, meetings, networks and associational wide events.
  • Coordinates short-term mission trip opportunities for pastors and churches.
  • Assist your church to have a gateway to world missions.
  • Provides you with representation to the larger denomination and community through the services of an director.
  • Opens your church and ministry to national resources through the Florida Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention.
  • Provides training to pastors, staff, and church leaders through seminars, classes and one on one contact.
  • Provides all leaders of your church with more support than any other Christian networks or denomination.
  • Gives your church help in finding quality staff and pastors
  • Assists church planters and congregations that start new churches with network and training opportunities through the association.
  • Serves as a hub to develop and coordinate local church ministries and community ministries not usually sponsored by the local congregation like the fair ministry and the Citrus Pregnancy Center.
  • Offers church strategy planning through conferencing and one on one assistance.

Although not an exhaustive list, this gets to the heart of what the Nature Coast Baptist Association provides for you.