It’s a changing of the guard as three northeast Georgia associational missionary strategists with 60 years of combined experience are retiring. They are baby boomers passing the baton to a new generation of leadership.
The three recently met in Talmo, Georgia, to discuss changes they have seen over the past 20 years and challenges facing associational work in the future.
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Steve Ferguson with the Hebron Baptist Association, Jojo Thomas with the Chattahoochee Baptist Association and Lex Bowen from the Sarepta Baptist Association began their associational ministries within a year of each other, and 20 years later they are finishing the journey together.
Value of mentors, changes in technology
All three expressed the value of mentors in their lives and the need for ministry mentors today. All noted significant changes in associational ministry over the past 20 years. Bowen said one difference he observed is “attending meetings.” Ferguson noted that “people don’t make time for meetings. You really work to get people there.” He also said, “I have found the resources that the association once provided are no longer needed.”
They also noted that technology has dramatically impacted ministry during the past 20 years. Thomas also reflected on, “a continued loss of awareness of the value of being connected. For each new generation, you have to make the case or help people see why it matters to be connected; it advances the gospel. It’s kind of eroded over the years.”
‘More complicated’
Ferguson noted the change in the diversity of congregations, as “basically every church looked the same. They started at the same time, had a choir, choir robes, hymnals and used Southern Baptist literature. Now it’s different.” Thomas added, “There’s no standardization anymore. So how to serve them (churches) has become much more complicated.” They also agreed on the impact of COVID, saying it caused a lot of division in churches.
The greatest challenge moving forward for associational work, according to Thomas, is building strong relationships.
“Institutions in this era are not trusted,” he said. “But what is trusted is relationships, and that’s what an association is. It is a place where people can know one another and work together. It’s not an institution.”
Ferguson added, “There’s the question of, will our association last? Yes, I think associations will last because of the relationships. Because we are right there with the pastors.”
What they will miss
All three men agreed that the thing they will miss the most will be the fellowship with the pastors, laypeople and other missionary strategists. Thomas reflected that he would sometimes attend worship at as many as three churches on any given Sunday. He will miss having those opportunities to connect with those people.
In retirement, both Ferguson and Thomas plan to continue living where they are currently; both have children and grandchildren who live nearby. Bowen, on the other hand, is in the process of moving to Spartanburg, South Carolina, to be closer to his daughter and family.
Thomas says he looks forward to “being a good member at Hagen Creek Community Church,” where his son, Mark, serves as the church planter, pastor, and where Thomas’ wife Debbie, is already “plugged in.” He also hopes to have an opportunity to be a mentor to other associational missionaries as the opportunity affords itself.
Parting words
Thomas, in parting words to young pastors, said, “Find a mentor. Especially, somebody who understands your local context, which might be the associational guy or might not, but find somebody who gets where you are.”
To the AMSs, he advised, “Take heart, your ministry is tremendously needed and vital. And think for yourself, and let the Lord God develop and plan a strategy and invite people into it. Find the places where everybody can get excited that moves the gospel forward, where you are.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was edited for length and brevity. It was written by Charles Jones and originally published by the Christian Index.
