PURPOSE: The Missions Development Ministry Team serves the Waco Regional Baptist Association by establishing new churches and by supporting and developing existing mission churches.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Establish new Waco Regional Baptist Association churches by:
- Studying demographic information and identifying growing population centers and unreached people groups.
- Reviewing applications for membership in the Waco Regional Baptist Association, including discussions with each applicant (pastor and key lay leaders) regarding doctrine, church polity, support of the Association, the role of the Association in church life, and the responsibility of cooperating churches to the Association.
2. Support and develop existing mission churches by:
- Reviewing monthly and quarterly report forms of mission churches in cooperative covenants with the Association and the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
- Meeting with the pastor and/or church representatives as needed.
- Making recommendations regarding cooperative covenants and financial support from the Association for mission churches.
- Reviewing church loan applications, supplemental ministerial salary support, and land purchase agreements in which the Association is involved.
COMPOSITION: The Missions Development Ministry Team is composed of sufficient members to accomplish its work as determined by the Administrative Team. Members serve three (3) year rotating terms. The Officers and Director are ex-officio members of the Team.
ACCOUNTABILITY: The Missions Development Ministry Team works in cooperation and consultation with the Director and is accountable to the Association.
MEETING FREQUENCY: The Missions Development Ministry Team meets quarterly or as often as deemed necessary by circumstances or as requested by the Director. Meetings should be held in mission churches whenever possible.
Establishing New Churches in Waco Regional Baptist Association
The Missions Development Ministry Team will study demographic information, identify growing population centers and unreached people groups to indentify the need for new congregations. The Team will also review of applications for membership into the Waco Regional Baptist Association. This review will include receiving and discussing each application in regards to Baptist Doctrine, church polity, and support of the Waco Regional Baptist Association. This review will also include personal interviews with applying church pastors and key leaders to explain the role of the Association in church life and the responsibility of cooperating churches to the Association.
Support and Development of Existing Mission Churches
The Missions Development Ministry Team will review monthly and quarterly report forms of mission churches in a Cooperative Covenant with the Waco Regional Baptist Association and Baptist General Convention of Texas. The Missions Development Ministry Team will meet with the Pastor and/or church representatives as needed.
The Missions Development Ministry Team will make recommendations regarding Cooperative Covenants and financial support from the Waco Regional Baptist Association for mission churches. The Missions Development Ministry Team will review church loan applications, supplemental ministerial salary support, and land purchase agreements.
Brief Outline of Church Starting Process
In order to be considered as a church planter in the WRBA, the person desiring to serve must complete an employment application, agree to a comprehensive background check, receive the endorsement of a sponsoring WRBA congregation and go through the WRBA church planter assessment process. The WRBA Assessment process will include a comprehensive personality inventory. This assessment will also include a thorough interview conducted by a panel of at least three experienced church planters.
When the WRBA finds that a candidate’s call and experience meet the needs for the proposed ministry they may recommend proceeding with signed a covenant with this candidate and to partner in this new church start. They may also recommend funding for this church planter and this new church start at a level that meets the needs of the ministry.
Missions Development Team
