State convention leaders weigh in on NAMB “reinvention”

Fifteen years after the adoption of a strategy called a “Covenant for a New Century” turned the Home Mission Board into the North American Mission Board (NAMB), the Southern Baptist Convention is once again considering recommendations from a national study committee to “reinvent” the North American missions agency. In its initial report, members of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force (GCRTF) hope to see changes in NAMB’s missions strategies, responsibilities, and partnerships in keeping the entity focused on a church planting priority.

Released as a progress report on Feb. 22, seven pages of the 32-page draft outlined Component 2 of the task force’s vision ? the reinvention and release of NAMB “to plant churches ? reach our nation’s cities, and clarify its role to lead and accomplish efforts to reach North America with the gospel.”

The report addresses two basic questions about NAMB: what should the agency do, and how should it do that work?

What should NAMB do?
With the adoption of the “Covenant for a New Century” in 1996, NAMB was tapped with nine ministry assignments to assist churches:

? Supporting missionaries

? Evangelism

? Establishing new congregations

? Christian social ministries

? Volunteer missions

? Missions involvement and education

? Communication technologies

? Service to associations

? Disaster relief

According to the GCRTF progress report, the “reinvented” NAMB will focus on five areas:

? Church planting

? Evangelism and discipleship

? Leadership

? Sending and supporting missionaries

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