I asked readers of my last article, “What do you tell people when they ask, ‘What is the BMA?’” The responses were thoughtful, passionate and remarkably consistent. They reminded me that, while our association is diverse in geography and ministry style, we remain incredibly united in heart.
Between disciple-making, cooperative missions, gospel action and biblical faithfulness, your responses affirmed something remarkable about the BMA — our strength comes from our shared convictions.
I want to share with you what I’ve heard from readers and reflect on the origins of these convictions. After all, I see the precious blessing of convictions inherited from Scripture and reinforced by decades of faithfulness.
We Make Disciples
One sister summarized her understanding of the BMA this way: “It’s in my DNA — Disciple. Nurture. Act.” At first, I was impressed by the power of this slogan. Now, I marvel at how formative this is as a theology of spiritual formation.
From our earliest days, the BMA has prioritized making disciples who know and obey the Word of God at the center of our identity. When Paul wrote to Timothy, he told him to “entrust what you have heard from me… to faithful men who will be able to disciple others also” (II Tim. 2:2). The biblical model of church growth and kingdom expansion has constantly been multiplying disciples through relational investment.
We Work Together
Another respondent described the BMA as “an association of individual churches that cooperate together to accomplish the Great Commission more effectively than we could do alone.” Scripture shows churches working together to increase their effectiveness, from the Antioch Church in Acts 13 to the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. The BMA was born out of that same spirit of collaboration. Our challenge in re-examining our collaborative convictions is to avoid becoming bureaucratic while remaining faithful to biblical principles.
We Take the Gospel Seriously
Several people emphasized how the BMA shaped them personally. Many mentioned how faithful men and women poured into them and helped them grow in love for Christ. It reminds me that our association is about people being disciples, equipped, and sent. The gospel is personal to us. We preach the gospel and embody it in our relationships. We put the Word into practice.
This trait protects our departments from becoming silos. We are part of something with ministry partners. Every publication, missionary effort and leadership cohort is one more way to equip believers to live the gospel where they are.
We’re Rooted in Scripture
In a thoughtful reply, one person reminded us that our identity should mimic “The cooperative practices of the early churches described in Scripture.”
From my perspective, this is the key to everything. We are a people rooted in the Word. We don’t invent our mission. We received it. We don’t shape the gospel to fit our institutions; we shape our institutions around the gospel.
Our identity must always be anchored in the Word of God (Prov.s 29:18). That’s how we avoid scattering. That’s how we move forward.
Where Do We Go from Here?
Together, we have a rich legacy. While we’ve come to the BMA from different backgrounds and serve in various contexts, we share a beautiful common identity. The people of the BMA can easily reaffirm who we already are.
We equip believers.
We establish churches.
We extend the gospel.
In a future where denominational skepticism is high and attention spans are short, we need to convey our message clearly, simply and with unity. That’s what a shared vision offers. We don’t need a top-down mandate but a bottom-up conversation.
