InfoLink C o n n e c t i n g C h u r c h e s t o

C h a n g e O u r W o r l d

InfoLink

MIS S IO NS LE A DE R S H IP HE A LT H S T RE N G HT HE N ING

Tryon Evergreen Baptist Association 4489 North Frazier, Conroe, Texas 77303 Main Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2408, Conroe, Texas 77305-2408 936-856-2001 ~ FAX 936-856-0227

TEBA STAFF STAFF & CHURCH OPPORTUNITIES PASTORLESS CHURCHES

VOLUME 41

ISSUE 10

November 2016

THE WAY TO PEACE WITH GOD

THE PROBLEM: SEPARATION FROM GOD Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” THE RESULT: SPIRITUAL DEATH Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” GOD’S SOLUTION: HIS DEATH IN OUR PLACE Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” YOUR SALVATION: BY FAITH Romans 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

UPCOMING EVENTS

Mark your calendars!

November

Tax Seminar

January 17

Part-time Music Minister needed at Calvary Baptist Church of Huntsville. Blended worship style and working with choirs and praise teams. If interested, send resume to secycbc@cbc-huntsville.org.

Calvary Baptist Church, Huntsville is looking for a full-time, Youth Minister. They must be

at least 21 years old. For more information or to send a resume, contact the church at

secycbc@cbchuntsville.org or call 936-295-5393.

Pastors Secretary needed at Spring Creek Baptist Church - Full-time position assisting the

pastor in his ministry, as well as serving as the overall general church secretary. For more

information and to submit a resume, please send an email to mike@springcreekbc.net.

Youth Pastor needed at Caney Creek Cowboy Church. Accepting Student or Bi-vocational

resumes as well. Time requirements are some nights and most weekends. Please send

resumes, references, and salary/housing requirements to cccowboychurchconroe@gmail.com.

Part-time Student Pastor needed at Union Grove Baptist Church - The church is located at

24380 FM 149 Richards, TX 77873, and this is the address that the applications can be sent to.

For any questions, call Tray Golden at 281-541-3677.

Student and Connections Pastor needed at Second Baptist Church Huntsville - For more

information, see the job posting at www.churchstaffing.com, if you sense the Lord’s leadership

to apply.

Part-Time Student Intern needed at First Baptist Montgomery - For more information,

please contact Pastor Chris Gober at chris@fbcmontgomery.com

Bi-Vocational Student Minister needed at First Baptist Church Plum Grove - For more info

please contact Mike David at pastor-fbcpg@sbcglobal.net.

Youth Minister/Children’s Director needed at Hardin Baptist Church - For more information and to submit a resume, please contact Chad Barrett (Youth Search Committee) at cdbarrett86@gmail.com.

Bi-vocational Student Minister needed at First Baptist Church Plum Grove. For more

information please contact Mike David at pastor-fbcpg@sbcglobal.net.

Full time Staff Member needed at First Baptist Church Shepherd. The position is a multi -task position that includes music ministry and other associate pastor tasks. If interested please call 936-628-3130.

Volunteer Music Minister is needed at Firetower Baptist Church - For more information, please contact Troy Winslett at 936-203-2179 or troywinslett@yahoo.com

First Baptist Church Willis has numerous Bible Study items in their library that they no longer need. If your church could use the materials and are interested in that list, please contact libraryteam7@gmail.com.

North Woods Baptist Church has Royals in Action (RA’s) materials and badges available. If your church use these materials, please contact Darleen Haws at dhaws@northwoodsbc.org

First Baptist Montgomery has 60 choir robes that have been dry cleaned and pressed, as well as a Spinet Piano available to donate to any church that is interested or in need of them. Please contact Kay Piland at 936-828-6563.

Roger Yancey, D.Min. ryancey@teba.org Executive Director Erin Frazier efrazier@teba.org Administrative Assistant Executive Director Natalie Bowman nbowman@teba.org Administrative Assistant Kay Hunt* khunt@teba.org Administrative Assistant, Financial *denotes part time staff or consultants

Please continue to be in prayer for our member churches as they seek

their future pastor. Ministers’ Conference & Executive Board

Thursday, November 10th 11:30am-1:00pm

Dickey’s BBQ Lunch: $5

Pastors & Staff Christmas

Luncheon

December 8, 12:00pm

Pastor Prayer & Planning

Retreat

January 23-26, Brady, TX

Sr. Adult Council Meeting

November 14, 10:30am

TEBA Offices Closed for

Thanksgiving

November 24-25

Sr. Adult Christmas Party

December 5, 11:00am,

Spring Creek BBQ

Ministers Conference &

Executive Board

November 10, 11:30am TEBA

Society of Church

Consultants Certification

Training

January 3-5, TEBA

Allendale Baptist 14535 Allendale Ln. Conroe, TX 77302

Center Hill Baptist* 16771 E FM 1097

Willis, 77378

Conroe Community Church

206A S. Loop 336 West Conroe, TX 77304

FBC Cleveland 400 W. Hanson St.

Cleveland, TX 77327

FBC Coldspring 100 East Pine Ave.

Coldspring, TX 77331

Iglesia Bautista Principe de Paz* 13601 FM 2432

Willis, 77378

North Cleveland Baptist 202 Elk St.

Cleveland, TX 77327

Oak Shade Baptist Church

1807 CR 2212 Cleveland, TX 77327

Pleasant Grove Baptist 8751 FM 945 South

Cleveland, TX 77328

Rainbow Baptist P.O. Box 276 Rye, 77369

RiverPointe Baptist PO Box 1425

Conroe, TX 77305

Unity Baptist, Cleveland

8904 FM787 West Cleveland, TX 77327

*Bi-Vocational Positions

Pastor Prayer & Planning Retreat

January 23-26, 2017 Cost: $189

Location: Selah Springs Ranch in Brady, TX

Join with other senior pastors across TEBA for a time of encouragement and renewal at the 2016 Sr. Pastor Prayer & Planning Retreat. Contact Erin Frazier at 936-856-2001 or efrazier@teba.org for more information and to register today.

Connecting Churches to

Change Our World

WWW.TEBA.ORG

LEADERSHIP MATTERS by Roger Yancey, D.Min.

We began this year asking, “What does an Association of the future look like?” That question in 2004 was answered by initiating the four-fold ministry focus of the TEBA with our concentration of Missions, Leadership Development, Church Health and Church Strengthening. With the transition of some of the members of our core staff through retirement and promotion to other Associations we are in a pivotal time where we need to ask those same questions again – what should the future look like NOW?

Over the course of the last several months we have been actively soliciting information from our church leadership. We have surveyed churches, gathered in small groups, meet with ministers and talked with church leaders. Demographic information was researched and trends in Associational Ministries surveyed. We presented our initial findings in May and discussed staffing options for the Associational Ministry Team. In the October Ministers Conference we presented our proposed strategy and staffing model to be approved at out November Minister’s Conference and Executive Board Meeting.

The following is a condensed report from the October Minister’s Conference.

Different models related to strategic planning and visioning were reviewed with the work of the Auxano Group and its founder, Will Mancini, determined to be the most helpful. In general, the efforts led to a clarification of the purpose, strategy and focus of the TEBA as it moves toward the future. Utilizing the “Vision Framework” the “Vision Proper” for the TEBA was developed for future ministry development. Each aspect of the TEBA was studied with particular attention focused on how to move the TEBA into the strongest possible future.

Framework Elements Expanded Mission – “Engaging Churches for Transformation” Values – Connection, Community, Cooperation, Creativity & Clarity Strategy - Networking, Partnering, Resourcing & Leveraging Technology Measures - Relational Impact, Missional Effectiveness, Partnership Influence, Support Development &

Resource Competence Vision Proper - The big question that is answered in the Vision Proper element is simple, “Where is God

taking Us?”

This question is best answered by first understanding the Vision, Mission and the Missional Focus of the TEBA. That conversation led to the understanding of the need to simplify to the most basic elements so that everyone was able to capture with clarity the essence of the TEBA. We are proposing to adjust our present statements to those, which would more readily be remembered and able to capture the hearts of our member churches and its leadership.

Proposed Vision Statement To be a missional partnership of healthy reproducing congregations cooperating together to transform our community and our world.

Proposed Purpose / Mission Statement – “Engaging Churches for Transformation”

The TEBA Vision Proper Elements & Considerations

The challenges and present realities faced by all Associations are true within the TEBA as well. Institutional and Denominational loyalty has gone through sweeping transition and redefinition. What could be characterized as a former culture of high loyalty and commitment has shifted to loyalty that is values based and relationally driven. Nontraditional missions, church planting and other ministry models have now gained equal tier value with denominational groups in many churches. The very definition of the Cooperative Program giving has shifted in the SBC to Great Commission Giving and as such, has redefined all that can be included as missional giving by a church. Baptist Associations and other denominational entities that once could expect automatic inclusion in a church’s missional giving must now be part of a growing queue of those seeking inclusion in a church’s missional offerings. This is not in and of itself a negative situation but a shift in the SBC denominational landscape that demands that the local Baptist Association move from a “because you ought to” to a “because you want to” give perspective. The makeup of the TEBA is so diverse and that sizes of member churches so spread that it has a unique opportunity to assist churches. One of the challenges faced by the TEBA is that it is a geographic Association that includes all or part of 6 counties (Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Trinity, and Walker). Additionally there are a number of city centers and demographic variations that make ministry to churches demand a flexibility of models and methods while staying Biblically true.

Earlier assessments led the TEBA to move toward a Strategic Focus on Missions, Leadership Development, Church Health and Church Strengthening. It was determined that trying to be everything to everyone blunted the ability of the Association to be effective. The guiding principle of Strategic Focus is critical to the ongoing development of the Association’s future viability. One of the greatest challenges in the Association’s strategic development is the perception by most churches that responded to the survey that the TEBA is highly effective. In each of the four areas of focus the churches gave the TEBA at least 4.2 out of 5 points possible. So the question becomes how to do well better.

In looking toward the future there are to points of focus that are deserving of attention. This includes adjustments that need to be made to the present TEBA model of ministry and strategic elements that need to be added to the TEBA to increase the Association’s effectiveness in the near future. Presently, the TEBA operational organization is made up of 5 Teams (Missions, Leadership, Health, Strengthening, & Administrative) and 1 Council (Leadership) that is made up of the chairs of each team and the Moderator and Vice Moderator. We will combine the Health and Strengthening Teams Into a single Church Strengthening Team and the present Leadership Council be renamed Associational Council to end confusion with the Leadership Team. This adjustment in present team makeups provides places for service for 38 member churches or approximately 34% of listed member churches and missions. Greater emphasis is needed to involve a larger number of skilled ministers and layman into the helping of member churches. Presently a large bulk of the ministry is handled by the Ministry Staff of the Association where it would be possible to enlist, equip, and engage skilled ministers and layman into an expanding role of helping churches and missions to foster partnership among churches. All of the ongoing meetings of the Association have been evaluated as well. The Annual Meeting in 2015 was not held and did not seem to impact the overall objectives of the Association. It was determined in the Associational Council that we should move to a format that would occur every 3-4 years with a strong impacting emphasis that would be helpful and motivating to our churches. The present Minister’s Conference while valuable will need to become dependent upon those who want it to be effective for its month to month organization and programing. The Executive Board Meeting will continue on a quarterly basis to transact the business of the Association. The funding model of the Association was reviewed as well. Presently, the primary source of financial resources comes from the member churches of the Association. These faithful gifts are the lifeblood of the Association’s ability to provide the level of services presently available in the TEBA. It is important for the Association to follow through on membership responsibilities. Each church that joins the TEBA does so by expressing their desire to participate in partnership with other member churches, to be active as possible in the Association’s ministry efforts, and to be a financial partner. Churches that forgo participation over a course of time need to be reengaged with in an intentional manner that is affirming of their value and importance in the TEBA. The member church and the Association jointly hold the responsibility for a healthy relationship. It is also incumbent on the Association to clarify membership value and impact on resourcing member churches. Church planting is a critical part of the TEBA’s ministry needs. From 2000 to 2016 the population in the Association grew from 704,339 to 1,392,028 for an increase in population of 687,689. This was a 71.96% increase compared to a national average growth rate of 14.6% during the same time period. It is estimated that from 2016 to 2021 that the population will increase by an additional 140, 168 people for a 9.9% growth rate compared to a national average of 3.7%. This means that 2200+ people will move into the ministry area of the Association on a monthly basis or 70+ people each day. It will be imperative for the Association to assist its churches in church planting strategies that go beyond traditional brick and mortar starts. Organic church, missional communities, Cell / Celebration, Multisite, Legacy, and a host of alternative models will need to be explored as well. With Houston now being the most diverse city in America (300+ languages) the TEBA is feeling the impact with more than 70+ language groups present. After careful consideration it was determined to seek a fulltime ministerial candidate that could work effectively in the Association’s ministry model and compliment the role of the Executive Director. After the appropriate candidate is determined they will be presented to the Administrative Team and then the Executive Board for final approval. It is possible that part-time ministry staff consultants will be recruited to respond to the ministry needs of the Association as well.

Final Thoughts The TEBA is an incredible place to serve. The member churches, their ministry staff members, the people in the churches are rewarding to work with at every level. Time and again I am reminded of how blessed I am to serve with such an extraordinary group of people. It is humbling to be part of what God is doing and refreshing to realize that the best days of this Association are coming as we seek God’s best together and make the commitment to live each day with an external focus to the needs of the harvest field.

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to

feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness

that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:3-11 ESV)