VBMB Announces ‘Kingdom Advance’ Design Teams; Releases Official Registration Totals
By Robert O’Brien

RICHMOND, Va. – Four design teams have begun to form to gather more grassroots input for the development of “Kingdom Advance,” an initiative endorsed overwhelmingly on May 10 in Charlottesville at a special called meeting of the Baptist General Association of Virginia.

Kingdom Advance would envision the BGAV and its Virginia Baptist Mission Board (VBMB) as an umbrella under which diverse Baptists can cooperate on the “main thing” — spreading the gospel and ministry of Jesus Christ while maintaining their church autonomy and freedom to choose.

BGAV Executive Director John Upton anticipates a finished design by the end of the summer and then a “realistic look at budgeting and staffing” in late summer and early fall. Virginia Baptists take a final vote on Kingdom Advance at the BGAV’s regular annual meeting, Nov. 8– 9 in Virginia Beach, Va.

The four design teams also will use input gleaned in “town hall” sessions at the special called meeting, attended by some 2,000 Baptists.

A Model for Unity

Kingdom Advance did not originate as a response to controversy, Upton said, but as a way to expand and magnify missions and evangelism at a time when the state population growth outstrips Christian growth, when there is a growing crisis in church leadership development, and when ministries are opening up all around the world.

But messengers at the special meeting embraced Kingdom Advance as a way for diverse Baptists to work together in unity in a time of denominational controversy.

Upton said four design teams “will begin with a blank slate” and draw input from across the state to develop four elements of Kingdom Advance.

Upton has described the four elements of Kingdom Advance like this:

(1) Empowering Leaders: Churches are seeking better ways to identify and call their leaders, and ministers need help in finding places to serve, Upton said. A more effective staff placement process that does not infringe on congregational autonomy must be developed, and “assimilation” of new ministers into Virginia Baptist life must be intentional and strategic, he said. In addition, he said, “burnout” among ministers is an increasing concern that must be addressed.

(2) Courageous Churches: “If our churches are not healthy and vibrant, the Baptist General Association of Virginia cannot be strong,” Upton said. Accomplishing that goal will require starting more churches, rejuvenating existing churches, offering customized discipleship and Bible study curriculum, and helping with conflict resolution, he said.

(3) Emerging Leaders: “Virginia Baptists are about 15 years away from a leadership crisis in our churches,” Upton said. “We’re doing a lot better job of talking people out of their call to ministry than in helping them find their call.” He proposed a deliberate program of leadership development that begins with children and continues through young people, college and seminary students and adults.

(4) “Glocal” Missions: Upton describes Virginia Baptists’ missions philosophy as “glocal” — both global and local — with a mobile missions team as its vehicle.

In 1900, about 87 percent of the world’s Christian churches were in the United States and Europe, he said. In 2000, only 37 percent of the churches were located there, and by 2025, it will be 30 percent.

“What we need is a mobile mission force that can connect with the 70 percent of churches outside our borders and partner with them in sharing the gospel. We need the rest of the Christian family just as much as they need us. We need to join the global Christian family.”

June 2002