Three Baptist associations now one big ‘Crossroads’
MOBERLY–Three boards, three budgets, three annual meetings and three associations is a lot for one director of missions (DOM) to handle. That’s why churches from Mt. Zion, Monroe and Mt. Pleasant Baptist Associations recently voted to form one new association spanning five counties in north central Missouri.
Although the three associations previously shared a DOM, the 27 churches and missions are now known as Crossroads Baptist Association. The consolidation will make life easier for the DOM and allow him to serve better, said Jim McClintock.
McClintock is the pastor of First Baptist Church, Moberly, and was the chairman of the task force that recommended the merge.
“It was an administrative nightmare for the DOM,” he said. “This made sense business-wise and ministry-wise.”
Crossroads was officially born Jan. 6 at the Municipal Auditorium in Moberly with an opening business meeting then worship service. Former Mt. Pleasant, Monroe, Mt. Zion DOMs George Roach and David Barker spoke, as did Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) President Gerald Davidson and MBC Interim Executive Director David Tolliver.
The idea had been floating around since 2004, and then in 2005 the intermission board appointed a task force of representatives from each association to make a recommendation. McClintock said they recommended the merge based on three factors: three associations created boundaries separating churches that were seeking cooperation; it was an administrative burden; and it created redundancies.
“Essentially, it’s to help the association function more for ministry than for administration. This will free up the DOM to help the churches in ministry.”
Some churches opted not to join the new association and Monroe and Mt. Zion continue to exist.
The three associations had been without a DOM since Roach took a position with the MBC staff in May of 2006. Now that the structure of the association is settled, McClintock said they will begin the process of looking for God’s man to fill the job.