While Baptist churches rightly affirm the autonomy of each local congregation under Christ’s lordship, the New Testament also presents a clear pattern of voluntary partnership among likeminded churches for the advance of the gospel. New Testament churches were autonomous, yet deeply interconnected—supporting missions and needy believers together (2 Cor. 8–9; Phil. 4:15–16), cooperating in church planting and missionary sending (Acts 13:1–3), and strengthening one another through counsel and encouragement (Acts 15). Pastors and churches did not labor in isolation, but worked side by side for the spread of Christ’s name and the preservation of sound doctrine. Such cooperation does not undermine local church autonomy; rather, it reflects the unity Christ purchased for his people as they gladly partner together in gospel ministry.
For these reasons, Eden Baptist Church seeks deliberate partnership with the following associations:
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Through these partnerships, we are strengthened alongside other faithful churches in areas such as pastoral encouragement, church planting, missions, and gospel ministry. By God's grace, we aim to strengthen pastors, plant healthy churches, and extend the reach of the gospel beyond what we could do alone.