What’s In A Name?
We, the member churches of the Confessional Baptist Association, want to follow the pattern of our Particular Baptist forefathers in expressing publicly an explanation for our recent actions. In March of 2022, the assembled messengers of the member churches of ARBCA voted unanimously to change the name of our association of churches, and it seems good to us to explain publicly our reasons for this action.
In short, over the last two years the member churches of ARBCA determined that the entire structure and focus of our association of churches needed to change. The member churches agreed together that our structure ought to more thoroughly reflect what we believe the Scriptures, our Confession of Faith, and prudence commend to us regarding the formal association of churches together.
Many aspects of our heritage cause us to give thanks to our Lord and to seek His help in remaining committed to preserving those core commitments:
strict confessionalism, including the affirmation of the historic and creedal expressions of the doctrine of God;
planting fully confessional churches;
assistance for member churches;
ministerial preparation and training; and
mutual accountability among our member churches for doctrine and practice.
But at the same time, we recognized that our former structure allowed for the possibility of individual men or committees to have an oversized impact on the overall association, and potentially without the full knowledge or consent of the member churches. So we began what would become a two year process of creating an entirely new organizational structure, including new Bylaws and policies. Early in the process, we established the goals of greater fidelity to the Word of God and to our Confession of Faith, along with expressing structurally our commitment to a system of decision making that is grounded in local church polity and expressed in full transparency to member churches of any and every decision.
Under our new structure, the member churches of CBA have renewed their commitment to the centrality and preeminence of God’s Holy Word; the supremacy of Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King in and among His churches; and the necessity and Power of the Holy Spirit calling, justifying, sanctifying, and preserving His people and planting and edifying the churches of Jesus Christ. These commitments are manifested in some key changes in our structure as expressed in our new Bylaws and policies.
All decision-making for CBA is now vested in the General Assembly, including the election and oversight of a Moderator and Deputy Moderators. Operational authority has been divested from any administrative or executive committee, and now rests under the immediate oversight of the member churches in the General Assembly.
The General Assembly will meet annually, and the Moderator has the ability to call a special session of the General Assembly to handle urgent matters. No committee can dictate the direction of the Association or advise member churches, that prerogative being reserved for the General Assembly.
The member churches of CBA have demonstrated in our new documents our shared commitment to transparency in all decisions within the Association of churches, including CBA’s membership application process, all financial matters, church planting, doctrinal and theological conclusions, and conflict resolution within or among any member church or churches.
CBA has established a standing committee selected by member churches to respond to any difficulty or difference within or among our member churches. This committee is required to present all data, testimony, or other information gathered to all member churches in the General Assembly for advice or decisions.
All committees and all representatives acting on behalf of CBA are explicitly proscribed from creating or maintaining sealed documents or reports regarding the business of CBA or its churches.
The member churches have renewed and focused our priority of assisting one another in the planting of fully Confessional Baptist churches.
Following a wholesale structural change, it seemed best to us to adopt a new name to reflect the fact that the old organization, along with its structure, no longer exists. We’re thankful for the spirit of unity among our member churches and for the kindness of our Lord to provide opportunity for us to re-covenant together as member churches of the Confessional Baptist Association.
We hereby extend an invitation to other fully Confessional Baptist churches in North America to consider joining with us, cooperating with and encouraging one another to fulfill our Lord’s Great Commission.