Dr. Nathan Finn from North Greenville University writes in The Baptist Association: Assisting Churches, Advancing the Gospel (p.34), “Today, associations continue to play a strategic role in Southern Baptist life. They continue to foster fraternal relationships among pastors, offering pastors a natural pathway to building friendships with like-minded ministers. Many associations continue to provide a measure of doctrinal accountability, especially when a church begins to embrace views most Baptists consider beyond the pale. . . . Church planting has remained an important associational emphasis, often partnering with state conventions and/or NAMB.”