Visionary Leadership Community Approves Move to Virtual CMBA Office

CMBA

The CMBA Visionary Leadership Community (VLC) met Tues., May 18, at North Trenholm Baptist to conduct business and share ministry updates.

VLC members heard CMBA Team Huddle reports from representatives of the organized subgroups, called squads. These updates covered a variety of direct work with churches including relationship building, leadership development, future visioning and new congregational expressions. VLC members heard upcoming opportunities for CMBA churches including the life design process Life Younique, the association’s Denominee Journey slated to begin in August 2021, Thriving Congregations and partnerships through new congregational expressions.

Of note from ministry reports, six new congregational expressions have connected in 2021 toward CMBA’s goal of starting 30 new congregational expressions by 2030. VLC members also heard updates to cooperative work with the South Carolina Baptist Convention on Hispanic training and leadership development, and the partnership with Columbia International University and the Anderson University Clamp Divinity School to have a future location site hosted by First Baptist Columbia.

VLC voted to approve the following recommendations:

  • New guidelines to New Congregational Expression funding to supply quarterly grant requests of up to $2,400 per year for up to seven years from the date of first grant, and requiring VLC initial and renewed approval annually.
  • A $2,400 grant to Temple Zion Baptist for City of Refuge Church, pastored by JayWill Wilson.
  • A $2,400 grant to St. Andrews Baptist for Haitian Church, pastored by Adony Seizeme and with leadership development support provided by Robbie McAlister and Ryan Dupree.
  • Accepting Beth Shiloh, new Messianic Jewish congregation meeting at Spring Valley Baptist, as a Church Network Connection.
  • To move the rented CMBA office at North Trenholm Baptist, where it has been since the sale of the previous building in December 2019, to a virtual office. This transition would be official by June 30, 2021. VLC members heard details of the transition including staff members continuing to work out of home offices, the intent that staff and VLC meetings be held in CMBA churches as well as an emphasis on staff being in greater direct contact with CMBA churches.

Treasurer Brenda Sheets reported that CMBA spending is under budget in all areas and that the association is financially stable. The VLC also received a four-year contribution report of CMBA member and Church Network churches from Executive Director George Bullard.

VLC will reconvene June 15 at Belmont Baptist Church.

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Julia Bell