What Does an Association of Churches Do? 
An association of churches does what your local church does with one huge difference. It does it with churches, not with individuals. An association of churches trains churches; encourages churches; visits churches when they are sick; helps churches have babies (start new churches); helps bury old churches when they die; counsels churches when they are confused or wayward; and celebrates special occasions with churches. An association of churches is the formal expression of love and concern to a church from all the other churches. It harnesses the synergy that exists when churches team together in a common endeavor. It magnifies the Christian influence and sense of Christian presence in a community. 

What type of relationship holds an association of churches together? It’s called a covenant relationship. This is a sacred covenant between churches to help one another and to love one another. 

Why does an association need an office and a full-time staff? The same reason a church does: to coordinate, guide and aid the work of the ministry.

In other words,  Sacramento Association does the following for your church:

• Provides you with professional representation in the larger denomination and community through the services of an executive director.
• Opens your church and ministry to national resources by linking you to the California Southern Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention. You become eligible to receive training and eligible for loans and grants.
• Gives your church an uninterrupted gateway to world ministry through linking you to the Southern Baptist Convention and the larger denomination.
• Provides the leaders of your church with a support group unparalleled in other Christian networks and denominations.
• Keeps you in touch with your sister churches through newsletters, directories, meetings, and conversations with other ministers and the Executive Director.
• Lends legitimacy to your ministry by associating your church with the good reputations and long history of a larger group of churches that hold you accountable to a higher standard.
• Provides training to pastors & churches through the Church Growth and Missions Growth Councils of the association.
• Gives your church help in finding quality staff and pastors through the national and world-wide networking activities of the Executive Director's office.
• Offers professional church consulting and strategy planning through the training and experience of Dr. Bob.
• Puts together short-term mission trip opportunities and Christian travel opportunities for the benefit of the pastors and churches.
• Coordinates and coaches church planters and congregations that wish to plant new churches through the expertise, network and training provided by the association staff.
• Serves as a hub and corporate umbrella for a class of community ministries not usually sponsored by the local congregation by seeking out church members of calling and passion to match up with pressing community ministry needs. by seeking out church members of calling and passion to match up with pressing community ministry needs.

Although not an exhaustive list, this gets to the heart of what SASBC provides for your local mission dollar.