The beauty of the local church lies in its diverse expressions, unique personalities, and God-given gifts—all coming together to glorify God. But no church was ever meant to walk this journey alone. Since 1707, Baptist associations have existed because local congregations recognized a deeply encouraging truth: we can accomplish far more for the Kingdom when we link arms than we ever could on our own.

Just like your local congregation, an association is a completely autonomous voluntary partnership. We rely entirely on the prayerful generosity and direct support of our member churches. Many leaders are surprised to learn that local associations receive no financial funding from the Cooperative Program, state conventions, or the Southern Baptist Convention. Every resource, training, and ministry initiative provided by the San Felipe Baptist Association is funded exclusively by local churches choosing to invest a portion of their budget into our shared mission.

You can think of your local association as a trusted doctor who still makes house calls. We know your unique community context, understand your specific leadership needs, and stand ready to jump in quickly whenever a season of crisis or transition arises. We bring practical care, trusted relationships, and broad resources directly to your doorstep so your leadership team always has someone there to support them and their ministry.

As we realign the San Felipe Baptist Association, we are evaluating our purpose with deep gratitude and enthusiasm for what lies ahead. Our heart is simply to serve, support, and resource the gospel impact of your local church. Through our bold Vision 50/50, we are trusting God to help us plant 50 new churches by 2050. Together, we are collaborating in Christ to reach the lost in every neighborhood, raise up the next generation of church leaders, and revitalize existing congregations.

We see this collaboration in action every day as churches share their unique strengths. Smaller congregations gain access to life-changing student events like Splash Camp through pooled resources, while leaders gather for our 3rd Thursday Lunch and Learns to receive practical training on governance, counseling, succession planning, and community engagement.

Investing in your local association doesn't mean giving up any authority—it means multiplying your gospel effectiveness. You give up zero autonomy, but you gain a family  of pastors and ministry leaders, deep encouragement, and a united front for the gospel. As your church settles into this new semester and begins planning for 2027, we prayerfully ask you to consider making the San Felipe Baptist Association a regular part of your church’s budget. Reach out to us, invite us to visit, and let us know how we can better serve you. We are honored to stand with you, because together, we are building up the bride of Christ.

Our vision as an association is simple yet profound: Collaborating in Christ to Reach the Lost, Raise up the next generation of church leaders, and Revitalize the church. 

One of the single best investments we can make in our churches today is in Next Generation Ministry—specifically those serving in Children’s, Youth, and Worship ministries. While the timeless truth of the Gospel never changes, culture and technology shift rapidly. We want to help equip, equip, and encourage the leaders on the front lines of ministering to our kids and youth.

To help with this, the San Felipe Baptist Association is partnering with the South Central Baptist Association for their upcoming 2nd Chair Leader Retreat at Camp Tejas!

Retreat Details:
• When: Thursday–Saturday, September 24–26
• Where: Camp Tejas
• Who: Full-time staff, part-time staff, or volunteer point-persons in Children's, Youth, or Worship ministry.
• What: Joint worship services, practical breakout sessions, fellowship, and encouragement.
• Learn More: https://www.southcentralarea.net/2

Scholarship Opportunity for Your Church:
We want to invest directly in your congregation! The San Felipe Baptist Association is offering ONE full scholarship per church to attend this retreat (covering registration and costs—they just need to handle transportation to and from Camp Tejas). We have resources available to scholarship up to 20 churches total on a first-come, first-served basis.

Email Jon Davis to ask about scholarship opportunities for your church: jon@sfbatx.org.