Large gatherings of three national Baptist groups — the Southern Baptist Convention, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the American Baptist Churches/USA — fill much of my calendar for the next few weeks. So what better time to consider denominational life?

The summer of 1978 provided a welcomed opportunity for me — steeped in Southern Baptist experience and loyalty — to attend my first SBC annual meeting just before the convention-wide war began. As a summer youth minister at suburban First Baptist Church of Roswell, Ga., I took in convention activities in Atlanta on a rare day free of youth activities.

Soft-spoken John Claypool addressed the SBC Music Conference at Wieuca Road Baptist Church and offered biblical insights into how Jesus tended to hold women in higher regard than most of us. As usual, he was inspiring and ahead of his time.

At the big meeting downtown that evening, the legendary and contrasting W.A. Criswell, dressed in his spotlighted white suit and in full voice, confessed that his sermons sound alike because no matter the biblical text, he “makes a beeline for the cross.” The Amens flowed freely.

My daylong experience pleased me to point of purchasing a T-shirt in the exhibit hall emblazoned with the then-new SBC logo and “1978 Southern Baptist Convention Atlanta.” It was the first of many conventions to be attended over more turbulent years to come.

Today, there is a lot of talk about denominational demise. We’ve all heard it. “Young people aren’t interested in denominational labels.” “The churches that are really growing are non-denominational.”

What does this mean for Baptists? Denominational life has always been a bit more difficult for a faith tradition that emphasizes — or should emphasize — the full autonomy of local congregations.

In fact, Baptists don’t fit some technical definitions of a denomination. The Free Dictionary by Farlex defines a denomination as “a large group of religious congregations united under a common faith and name — [So far, so good] — and organized under a single administrative and legal hierarchy.” Not us!

Even with all our fussing and fighting, few Baptists would embrace that understanding. Denominational life, for Baptists, is always a voluntary affiliation free of ecclesiastical authority.

We even struggle with semantics. Some Baptists use “denomination” and “convention” interchangeably. Others speak of a broader identification with all Baptists as “denomination” and affiliation with and participation in a particular group of Baptists as one’s “convention” — or fellowship, alliance, association, etc.

Attending these “conventions” over the next few weeks — in varying roles as press and participant — provides a chance to observe the accomplishments and challenges of Baptist life beyond the local congregation.

Observation one: clearly, denominational life is not the same as in previous generations when loyalty could be assumed and overflowing offering plates built Baptist bureaucracies that now eat up funds and find fewer hands willing to feed them. Needed streamlining usually comes only out of financial necessity.

Two: Baptist bodies lose whether they embrace certain social issues or not. Southern Baptists, by embracing far-right theological and political positions that disregard diverse opinion and local church autonomy, have many wearing the tag of former Southern Baptist.

Likewise, American Baptists and Cooperative Baptists are criticized by those who want the “denominational-like” groups to take more definitive positions on divisive issues such as the current hot potato — homosexuality. Rightly placing the responsibility for such decision-making about membership, ordination, etc., in the hands of local congregations does not always satisfy.

Three: Baptists are getting more comfortable with looser and multi-affiliations. As churches assume increased responsibility for ministry and missions —from their own communities to overseas — they are more interested in helpful partners than mercenaries and official spokespersons.

The rise of loyal critics in the SBC — mostly through Internet blogging — gives challenge to a once-closed authoritarian enclave of leadership. These often-younger voices are shaking the status quo — especially the excessive use of mission funds feeding the bureaucracy.

American Baptists have been in financial crisis for years and are exploring ways to carry out their work without the dinosaur structures of the past. The “For Sale” sign on their large headquarters in Valley Forge is just one, more-obvious indicator.

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship leaders still find loyalists on both sides of the debate about whether the group should more formally and technically become a “convention.” The partnership model — establishing mutually beneficial relationships with theology schools and other autonomous ministries with shared values — seems to be a preferred method though creating a “societal” approach that requires those ministries to be in a constant state of fund-raising.

Whether you call conventions, denominations, or whatever, these Baptist bodies face challenging futures. Leaders should note that churches and individuals are generally looking for two things from them — identification and opportunities.

Even the most independent of Baptists likes fellowship with those who share their name and major convictions. Belonging to a larger Baptist group is still attractive to many.

Most importantly, however, new-era Baptists are looking for connections that enable them to carry out their ministries more effectively. Baptist groups with an emphasis on doing that well — rather than preserving old structures — will survive and perhaps even thrive.