That’s why over 130 churches in the Kansas City area have joined together to form an association of Baptist churches.

130+ Baptist churches.
1 church network.
1 shared mission.

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Our Covenant

We, as member churches forming the Blue River-Kansas City Baptist Association, covenant with each other to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ in the best traditions of churches which have affiliated with each other in the Baptist bodies known as associations, state conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention during the period beginning with the formation of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1845.

We, as member churches of the Association, covenant to support missions through contributions to BRKC, develop and exercise our own programs of ministries under the leadership of Christ, and to do so with a spirit of Christian love and respect for the other churches in the Association. In this endeavor, each church covenants to be mindful of the corporate Baptist witness in the area and to uphold the good name of Baptists as a people who profess a living faith which is rooted and grounded in Jesus Christ as revealed in the Holy Scriptures.

We, as member churches of the Association, covenant to uphold this living faith as expressed in a confession of faith which is to guide the Association in establishing and maintaining a doctrinal relationship among the member churches. This covenant includes the agreement that there are certain definite doctrines that Baptists believe and cherish, and with which we have been, and do now closely identify. This covenant, therefore, includes the agreement of the churches that these doctrines are expressed in The Baptist Faith and Message, to which the Association will reference in dealing with any church on doctrinal issues.

We, as member churches of the Association, covenant to take a Biblical stand on contemporary moral and spiritual issues concerning deviate and sinful behavior, such as, but not limited to, crime, pornography, gambling, alcohol and drug abuse, sexual sins (including adultery, fornication and homosexuality), racial prejudice, abortion, corruption in government, and family related
abuses.

We, as member churches of the Association, covenant to work with each other within the framework of the Association’s Bylaws and to keep the commitments made in this covenant. Each church agrees that if for any reason it cannot work in keeping this covenant, or function within the Bylaws of the Association, it shall withdraw from membership in the Association. If such a church does not do this, then the member churches acknowledge that the Association will take actions to dismiss that church from the Association.

Membership FAQ

It costs time, effort and resources.

TIME: Our hope is that you will attend Semi-Annual Meetings in April and October.

EFFORT: We hope that you, or some of your leaders, will participate in our volunteer Ministry Teams. These teams oversee the planning and execution of our ministries and are open-membership, meaning that you can participate as your schedule allows. We also hope that you and some of your church members will give of your energy and gifts to participate in our partner ministry activities.

RESOURCES in that all of our churches are required to contribute to the work of the Association a portion of their undesignated offerings each month. The amount your church will contribute is determined by a vote of your church members. The Association does not have dues or fees. You give as God has blessed you so that you can be a blessing to others.

None! Each of our churches are individual autonomous Baptist churches. Joining BRKC doesn’t change that fact.

When you join our network…

  • You become a part of Vision 2020 and our Master Ministry Plan for the coming decade (see #6 below). You join with others to extend the Kingdom, partake of opportunities and resources for growth, and make your unique contribution to our shared Kingdom work.
  • You gain the fellowship of a network of like-minded churches.You will be connected to thousands of Baptists across the areas where our churches are located. You gain the opportunity to be a blessing to sister churches, and to be blessed by other churches.
  • You will see the ministry impact of your church multiplied as the dollars and manpower you provide are channeled to address the needs of our area and abroad. You are instantly part of Kingdom work that goes far beyond yourself and your church.

Just as your church is autonomous, the Association is also autonomous. You do not have to belong to any other Baptist group to be a member of BRKC.

However, we hope that you will explore the possibilities and advantages of belonging to the state and national conventions. Much of our work is funded by the North American Mission Board of the SBC, and we actively promote and participate in the ministries of the Missouri Baptist Convention. Membership in these two conventions connects you to 2,000 churches in Missouri and over 44,000 churches nationwide. Together we fund the work of over 10,000 missionaries in North America and around the world.

Great question! Here’s the short version.

  1. Read about BRKC and make sure you understand who we are and what we’re about
  2. Fill out the Member Application form on the right
  3. One of our staff will schedule a meeting with you to visit about why you want to join BRKC
  4. Our Credentials Committee will meet with you and your key leaders. They’ll want to see your church’s bylaws or constitution, a copy of your budget, a map showing your location/target population, a photo of your church, and your completed Member Application
  5. If all goes well, at the Executive Board Meeting or Annual Meeting (whichever comes first), your church will be received into the Association.

Want the long version? Here you go.

BRKC Membership Bylaws

The Bylaws of the Association state the following in regard to membership:

4 Membership

4.1 Qualifications. Members of the Association shall be individual Baptist churches which:

4.1.1 are in sympathy with the purpose of the Association as described in these Bylaws;

4.1.2 participate in a covenant relationship with the other Members of the Association as that covenant may be established and amended by the Association.

4.2 Application. An organized Baptist Church desiring to become a member in the Association shall apply in writing to the Association’s Director of Missions who will refer the matter to the Credentials Committee for review, investigation and recommendation to the Association for action by the Association. Churches recommended for membership which have been sponsored by a Member may be received immediately into the Association upon majority vote of the Association. Churches applying for membership which have not been sponsored by a Member may be received under the watch-care of the Association for one year upon majority vote of the Association. Upon completion of the year under the Association’s watchcare, the Association may vote to receive the church as a full member in the Association.

Once you contact us about membership, one of the association staff will schedule a meeting with you to visit about your reasons for wanting to join the Association. This meeting will take place at your church, or in the neighborhood where you are starting a church. We will want to know what you understand about Southern Baptists and Blue River-Kansas City Baptist Association. We’ll want to know a brief history of your church and why you believe that membership in the Association will help your church to fulfill its Kingdom mandate. What do you expect to gain from being a member? How will your church help the Association fulfill its ministry goals?

These, and other questions about your church and your vision will help give us an insight into how we can best serve your needs and how you might be able to assist others in the Association. There will also be ample time for you to ask questions about BR-KC.

If you want to continue the process after this meeting, a meeting will be scheduled with you and your key leaders and the Association’s Credentials Committee. The meeting with the Credentials Committee will be an opportunity for you to share your church’s vision and answer a few questions regarding your doctrine and polity (see the section titled Doctrinal Statements on page 6.)

The Credentials Committee of the Association will want to see the following documents from your church:

  • Your church’s Constitution and Bylaws, or a statement on how your church is organized
  • A copy of your Church Budget
  • A map showing the location of the church, or in the case of a new work, the target area for the new start
  • A photo of the church
  • The Membership Request Form signed by the appropriate church leaders

The Credentials Committee will also want to see a copy of your church’s doctrinal statement if you have written one. In lieu of your own written statement, you may affirm the 2000 version of The Baptist Faith and Messages being representative of your beliefs.

If you use one of these two statements, but find individual areas where your church would not be in agreement, we would expect that you would call this to the committee’s attention and explain your points of disagreement.

Upon a favorable vote by the Credentials Committee, a motion will be brought at the next meeting of the Executive Board, or at the next Annual Meeting, whichever comes first, that your church be received into the Association either directly or by watch-care (see Bylaw 4.2 above).

Ready to join our network and be part of accelerating hope?

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