Reflections from Dr. Judy Stamey

In 1979, Dr. Bill Caldwell and I attended the first Southern Baptist Business Officers Conference (SBBOC) hosted by Guidestone Financial Resources in Dallas, Texas. There were about eight business administrators present at this meeting and most of the time was spent discussing administrative situations and solutions. Looking back, this meeting was my first experience in Training, Fellowship, and Networking with other Baptist Church Business Administrators and I looked forward to attending it each year.

During the next ten years, there was much discussion about organizing a Southern Baptist Church Business Administrators organization, which would meet simultaneously with the SBBOC meeting in March and the NACBA meeting in July. Since all the Baptist Church Business Administrators attending the SBBOC meeting were members of the National Association of Church Business Administrators organization, there was a consensus that we should move in that direction. Therefore in 1989, the SBCBAA organization was established. The foundation was strong and everyone was eager to reach every Baptist Church Business Administrator. Calls, mailing, visits to Lifeway, state conventions and associations were very productive and 282 church business administrators joined this new organization. Bentley Foster was the president, Bill Fogarty, the Vice President and I was privileged to serve as Certification Coordinator for over 20 years as the Certification Coordinator.

Membership has moved up and down through the years, but as I reflect upon the beginnings of SBCBAA, I am grateful that the goal of making this organization available to every Baptist Church Business Administrator is still a priority. May the past successes rekindle our desire to involve Baptist Leaders in Administration in an organization that understands the uniqueness of Baptists and is committed to serving the Lord with excellence.

In 2014 we are still a healthy and viable organization that has a vision of reaching Baptist Leaders, who serve in Church Administration with Excellent Training Opportunities, Fellowship with Colleagues and Networking that results in long lasting friendships. The organization changed the name to Baptist Leader Network (BLN) at the 2014 March meeting in Dallas; however, it did not change the organization, it only broadened the avenues of communicating our desire to reach every Baptist Leader who serves in the area of administration.

An unknown author said, “If there were no change, there would be no butterflies.” As a charter member of BLN (SBCBAA), I give thanks for the changes that have contributed to the making of so many beautiful servants in the work of Baptist Church Business Administration. “To God Be the Glory”

Judy J. Stamey, PhD

Charter member of BLN (SBCBAA)

April, 2014