Partnership Missions: |
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The following is the full text of the partnership agreement entered into
between the Metro Baptist Association of Des Moines, Iowa, and Knox County
Association of Baptists. This agreement was signed at the TBC in November of 2001.
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Partnership Agreement Between Knox County Association of Baptists (TN) and Metro Baptist Association (IA) At the Annual Meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention in November, 2001, a partnership was launched between Tennessee and Iowa Baptist Conventions. The Knox County Association of Baptists in Knoxville, TN, and the Metro Baptist Association in Des Moines, IA, each has a mutual interest in pursuing that partnership to see how these two associations can best be involved with one another for Kingdom Growth. The purpose of this agreement is to define and give direction to the partnership between Knox County Association (Knoxville) and Metro Association (Des Moines). A Brief Introduction of Need from Metro Association, Des Moines, Iowa "The Metro Baptist Association of Iowa consists of Southern Baptist Churches in eight counties stretching along the I-80 corridor in the central part of Iowa. The total population of this area is approximately 520,000. This represents 1/5th of the total population of Iowa. Metro Baptist Association includes the capital city of Des Moines. Metro Association currently contains 14 churches and 2 mission churches. Two existing churches in the Metro area have expressed interest in uniting with the association but have not taken any steps so far to initiate the process of inclusion in the association. "The Baptist Convention of Iowa has developed a strategy that includes three primary foci stated as follows: (1) Starting Churches, (2) Creating Healthy Churches, and (3) Partnership Development. In keeping with the overall state strategy, Metro Baptist Association participates in these processes. It is the belief of the Metro Baptist Association that any partnership relationships be mutually coordinated efforts that allow Iowans to work and minister alongside their Tennessee partners wherever that ministry takes place. "Therefore a partnership with Knox County Association of Baptists would include the emphases of church starting, facilitating healthy churches, and partnership development. Examples of how the partnership could be mutually beneficial include but are not limited to the following:
Community Surveys, VBS, Backyard Bible Clubs, etc.
Metro Association (Ia) Church Strengthening Team - Tennessee Partnership Purpose and Objectives Strong churches (1) Worship God, (2) Proclaim the Good News of/in Jesus Christ, and (3) Minister to people. To strengthen the churches of Metro Baptist Association we hope to work together to: 1. Lead unbelievers to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, 2. Make Disciples out of believers, and 3. Train Disciples to be leaders in worship, proclamation of the Gospel, and ministry.
Goals of Metro Association in partnership with Knox County Association Year One: Provide consultant services to the churches of Metro Association that will help guide each church through a process of identifying local ministry needs, matching available resources to meet those needs, and formulating practicable action plans for the local congregation. Ideally, each church will invite a consultant (or team) to lead in a visioning conference. Year Two: Guide each Metro Association church in following through on established action plans from the process(es) employed in Year One. Ideally each church will invite Tennessee Partners to assist in ministry enhancement projects. Year Three: 1. Continue working together with Tennessee partners in action plans as in year Two. 2. Train selected church workers to be leaders in linking Metro Association churches for concerted, ongoing ministry efforts in the Metro Association area. Ideally, Metro Association will be able to sponsor a church-linking workshop which may or may not, require Tennessee partner participation. 3. Enlist Metro Association church members for involvement in Tennessee missions/ministry projects. Ideally each church will have developed interest in participation and Tennessee partners will have missions/ministry needs that can be addressed by Metro missions team members. A Brief Overview of Knox County Association of Baptists Knox County Association is observing its 200th anniversary this year (2002). The association is located within the confines of Knox County, Tennessee, with the exception of one church located in adjoining Union County. Knox County Association currently has 154 fully constituted churches, plus one additional watchcare church and two mission churches. Being one of the oldest associations in Southern Baptist life, Knox County association recognizes the need to continue to reach a lost world for Christ. Our churches are encouraged to be "On Mission" within our association, state, nation and world. We recognize that as an association we have not grown in keeping pace with population growth. Currently there are approximately 385,000 people living inside Knox County. Of this number, approximately 60% attend no church on a regular basis. There are about 500 churches of all denominations inside Knox County. Each year, the churches of Knox County Association reach about 2,200 people for Christ.
In Response to the stated needs and desires of Metro Association (IA), Knox County Association (TN) puts forth the following Goals
Church Starting 1.a. As a prelude to assisting with church starting in Metro Association, we propose to send teams to Metro Association specified areas to do Prayer Walking to help in gaining a vision of God’s plan for placement of churches in Des Moines and surrounding area. 1.b. Knox County Association would also invite Metro Association churches to come to Knoxville to participate in Prayer Walking to help in gaining a vision of God’s plan for placement of churches in Knoxville and Knox County area. 2.a. Multi-housing Ministries. To help Metro Association prepare for new work in multi-housing settings, Knox County association would send a team in late summer or early fall of 2002 to begin laying a foundation for multi housing ministry in Des Moines by helping to start three new multi-housing ministries during the first year of the partnership. This team would be led by Caroll Webb and her consultants from Knox County. Knox County would propose that this team come annually throughout the partnership to assist with this ministry. 2.b. Multi-housing Ministries. To invite interested individuals from Metro association to come to Knox County and experience multi-housing ministry here in Knoxville, and help to establish additional multi housing ministries here. 3.a. To assist in starting Truck Stop ministries in Metro Association. Knox County would send at least one team annually to give support to Metro Association in either starting new truck stop ministries, or helping to strengthen current ministries. 3.b. Knox County Association would receive at least one team annually from Metro Association to help Knox County in strengthening current truck stop Ministries in Knox County or begin new ministries. 4.a. Knox County Association would assist Metro Association in an ongoing effort of Church Planting. Knox County would be responsive by partnering association to association, church to church and pastor to pastor in this effort. Knox County Association and churches would follow the leadership of Metro Association in the placement, type and style of churches to be placed in their association. Specific financial support for each church would be worked out on a case by case basis. Knox County Association desires to be involved in at least one new start church in Metro Association annually over the period of the partnership. 4.b. Knox County Association would welcome the involvement of Metro Association in assisting with church planting of new churches in Knox County.
5.a. Physical Construction. Knox County Association would encourage member churches to travel to Metro Association to assist with construction projects as requested. (It appears that a real need exists to provide Metro Association with a shower trailer facility for use by groups who will be coming to assist with a variety of projects. Knox County association will challenge its Men’s Ministry to provide the resources and build this shower trailer for Metro Association as soon as possible.) 5.b. Physical Construction. Knox County Association will welcome assistance from Metro Association churches to come and assist with physical construction needs in Knox County churches. 6.a. Evangelistic Engagement. Knox County Association churches will provide evangelistic assistance as requested as much as possible. Projected types of evangelistic events and involvement could possibly be expressed through simultaneous revivals or church to church involvement. Other types of evangelistic involvement could include VBS Assistance, Backyard Bible Clubs, Community Surveys, etc. 6.b. Evangelistic Engagement. Knox County Association would welcome the involvement of Metro Association churches in the above mentioned types of evangelistic events in Knox County.
Healthy Churches Leadership Training Knox County Association would help provide leadership training as requested in a variety of areas including, but not limited to: VBS Training Discipleship Training Evangelism Training Multi housing training Missions Organization Training (WMU, Acteens, GAs, Mission Friends, Royal Ambassadors, Men’s Ministry, etc.) Sunday School Training Spiritual Renewal (Lay Renewal) New Church Starting Leadership Training could be provided on an associational basis or church to church basis.
Partnership Development Stated throughout this document are examples of ways Metro Association and Knox County Association might relate to each other through various kinds of events and relationships. This includes Associational partnerships, church partnerships, pastoral partnerships, lay partnerships, ministry partnerships, missions partnerships (Associational, NAMB and International), and organizational partnerships. It is desired and assumed on the part of Knox County Association and Metro Baptist Association that each area of partnership between the two associations are fully "two-way" and reciprocal partnerships. Declaration of Partnership Believing that God has led Knox County Association of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Metro Association of Des Moines, Iowa, to enter into this partnership agreement, we do hereby commit to carry out the spirit and intent of this agreement to the best of our ability, under the leadership of the Lord Jesus Christ. We do hereby commit to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ in our partnership state and to involve ourselves in Kingdom Growth, to His honor and glory, until such time as both associations mutually agree upon the dissolution of this agreement. Metro Baptist Association, Des Moines, Iowa Knox County Association of Baptists, Knoxville, Tennessee |