You may be wondering what the vote in New Orleans means for our local association. With all the news reports flying around and legitimate questions being asked, I first felt it was important for us to remember our history and who we are as an association.
The fellowship we have within UBA is sweet, and it enables us to be an effective team.
Better together: Everything we do as an association depends on this concept. We believe that ministry is a team sport, that our teammates matter, and that we win and lose as a team. Our game is deadly serious: we are about spreading the good news of Jesus Christ as effectively, strategically, and quickly as we can. We are better when we work together.
United Across Our Differences
The name “Union” is interesting for the oldest association in Texas. “The Association,” as it was called at its onset, was a collection of churches consisting of different theological streams of Baptist life. Some were planted by missionaries in the northern United States, while some came from the South.
“From its onset, our association was a collection of churches consisting of different theological streams of Baptist life.”
The most significant theological divide in the beginning was an almost even split between “anti-missionary” (reformed) and “missionary” Baptists. The association started in 1840. When Texas joined the confederacy in 1861, the name Union remained.
Today, The Union Baptist Association consists of more than 425 churches, only a third of which have majority Anglo attendance on Sunday mornings. Approximately a quarter of our churches are predominantly Hispanic, about twenty percent are predominantly Black, and the remainder are churches that worship in languages other than Spanish or English. Like many associations in Texas, most of our churches relate to one Baptist state convention or the other. Some relate to both conventions, and a small percentage of churches relate to neither.
Like many associations in Texas, UBA asks that its churches have a faith statement that aligns with one of the Baptist Faith and Messages (1925, 1963, 2000). This stance has served us well locally as we seek to reach the greater Houston area for Christ while not constraining our member churches as they partner with their respective state conventions and other larger networks. This stance has further allowed us to have peace of mind regarding primary theological and sociological concerns while allowing us to cooperate in the midst of differing opinions on secondary and tertiary issues.
Our Past, Our Present, and Our Future
Associations are autonomous bodies. Therefore, only the member churches of our association determine how UBA operates. Throughout its history, when the team concept of associationalism has been threatened by secondary or tertiary issues, the churches of UBA have proactively cared for their teammates. When playing a team sport, the team matters. Teammates must know they are valued. The fellowship we have within UBA is sweet, and it enables us to be an effective team.
Part of what makes UBA so effective is its many relationships across Houston and the world. We helped plant churches with the Houston Church Planting Network (HCPN) and both state conventions. We have worked hard to have good relationships and a good reputation with our state conventions, and I believe those friendships make us stronger.
Our Sending Pathways initiative depends on the leadership of local churches but benefits from unique partnerships with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and the International Mission Board (IMB).
“Part of what makes UBA so effective is its many relationships across Houston and the world. ”
Our Renewal Pathway began with resources and knowledge gleaned from a relationship with the NAMB Replant Team.
Our Collaborative Pathway includes an innovative partnership with HCPN and Houston Responds to facilitate PastorGroups.com. These are just a few examples of how our team works with other teams across Houston to chase our goal of accomplishing the Great Commission.
I will have further thoughts on the Southern Baptist Convention in New Orleans in the coming days. For now, I thought it was important to remember who we are and who we have been for the last 25 years.
Thank you for being part of this team that I love so much and am honored to serve. Thank you, on behalf of the staff, for allowing us to serve you and work alongside you in this team effort.
Truly we are better together.
Josh Ellis is Executive Director of Union Baptist Association. He has a PhD in Leadership Studies and has served on the UBA staff since 2005. With both practical and scholarly knowledge, he leads the association into innovative collaboration for the sake of strategic gospel advancement.
UBA is a relational network of churches working toward a common goal, and the best way to understand it is to experience it yourself.. Join us for dinner on February 29 to better understand what UBA is and see how we all play a role in working toward the Great Commission together.