Faithful Together (Part 3): We Work Together
“An association of individual churches that cooperate together to accomplish the Great Commission more effectively than we could do alone.” That’s how one brother described the BMA.
The beauty of our associational structure is that we don’t compete with one another; we complete one another. We don’t all look the same, but we carry the same mission. And through the grace of Christ, we get to do it together.
In a world that prizes independence, our cooperative identity might feel outdated. But from the very beginning, God’s family is collaborative by design. Our unity in Christ prompts shared direction.
The BMA’s vision to equip believers, establish churches and extend the gospel only works when we all walk side by side. Our strength comes from structure and shared conviction for collective action.
We Equip Believers: Together, We Strengthen the Whole Body
Christ gave the church pastors and teachers “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12 CSB). Equipping others cannot happen in isolation. The early church thrived because churches shared resources, people, and purpose (Acts 11:29-30; I Cor. 16:1-3).
In the BMA, we embrace that attitude.
• Local churches benefit from shared theological education through our seminary.
• Associations help fund conferences and leadership cohorts to sharpen one another.
• Various departments equip churches with ready-to-use gospel tools.
• Most importantly, we send missionaries to the field together.
From the bottom up, through generosity, shared wisdom and mutual encouragement, churches are a part of strengthening others. When we work together, the equipping ministry of the church becomes stronger. Even small congregations have access to excellent resources and are a part of something bigger, because they are.
We Establish Churches: Together, We Plant and Strengthen Gospel Communities
In Acts 13, the church in Antioch sent out Paul and Barnabas. Their missionary work was funded, supported and governed by churches working together.
Later, in Acts 15, we see churches resolving doctrinal tension in the Jerusalem Council. It’s important to observe that the elders weren’t enforcing a hierarchy but preserving unity for the sake of missional clarity.
That’s the model I have proudly adopted through the faithfulness of the BMA: autonomous churches, connected through loving cooperation, establishing gospel presence in new places and strengthening it in existing ones.
Today, our cooperative effort in establishing churches includes:
• Promoting and supporting new church plants across the U.S. and globally.
• Supporting pastors through revitalization with training and encouragement.
• Connecting churches to one another for guidance, mentorship and joint mission.
Each of these areas is equally crucial. Planting a church is not a “department project” but a local church effort supported by associational strength. Because of associations like ours, no church needs to feel alone in the work of establishing gospel witnesses. We’ve been called to walk in step with God together.
We all celebrate when a new church is planted because we have gained another outpost of disciple-making and gospel hope.
We Extend the Gospel: Together, We Go Further
The gospel is a global message. Preaching it right requires a global mindset. Jesus said, “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). This mission was never meant for one church, one generation or one nation alone. It takes the whole family of God to reach the world.
In the BMA, this cooperative mission takes many forms:
• Lifeword expands the digital footprint of the gospel in multiple languages, across multiple platforms.
• BMA Global supports missionaries through shared giving from local churches and provides church planting grants for native disciples.
• Our VSM team sends partnerships around the world from churches of different sizes to understand and support our missionaries.
Together, we go further. Together, we carry the gospel where one church could never reach alone.
This kind of extension requires trust, humility, and kingdom vision. When we work together, we reflect the heart of Jesus, who prayed that His followers would be one, “…so that the world may believe…” (John 17:21).
Why Our Togetherness Matters More Than Ever
The world I see is fragmented. It’s all too easy to be sucked into individualism, tribalism, and ministry consumerism. Even within the broader evangelical world, many churches are tempted to “go it alone.”
Hear me: Biblical unity is not optional — it’s God’s plan. The unity of the body is the method God has chosen to reveal His power amongst all people. And the good news is we already have it. We are united by doctrine, mission and shared commitment. What we need now is to steward our unity intentionally.
Because we work together:
• Believers are equipped with resources and relationships.
• Churches are established with shared support and strategy.
• The gospel is extended with clarity and reach.
Moving Forward Together
Paul urged the church to stand “firm in one spirit, in one accord, contending together for the faith of the gospel” (Phil. 1:27). That’s our posture. We don’t need to long for the glory days because the gospel promises a bright future ahead of us.