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J.C. Bradley made a stern decision a year ago — he would go down with a “sinking ship” or work fervently to help find a way to rescue the financially ailing Central Triad Baptist Association.

He could have retired and left the problem for the 37 churches in the association to ponder.

The “rescue” is in sight, and Bradley, a CTBA association missionary, will retire March 31 after spending 50 years in ministry.

“It was about time for me to do something else,” Bradley said.

Bradley and many others have worked hard for several months to bring about the merger of Central Triad with the Piedmont Baptist Association in Greensboro. A vote of PBA churches Monday is expected to finalize the merger, which has been approved by the Central Triad group.

In fact, Bradley, now 76, could have retired before coming to High Point 12 years ago to lead the church group. He had served the Home Mission Board (now North American Mission Board) of the Southern Baptist Convention for 19 years and also worked as a church consultant for a couple of years.

After some time off, Bradley probably will help churches as a consultant. His advice and expertise in church work is greatly appreciated by pastors, said the Rev. Darryl Love, pastor of Crossover Community Church (formerly Reavis Memorial Baptist).

“He’s the finest churchman I’ve ever seen,” Love said. “I’ve never seen a man that is more thorough in his relationship with churches. Even 'ordinary’ correspondence from him is like a research paper because it has so much detail.

“Although he was from the old school, he was not afraid of change,” Love added.

“Dr. Bradley is not only a friend of Baptists, but he is especially a friend to pastors,” said the Rev. Robert Steele, executive pastor at Green Street Baptist Church. “I am confident his influence and love for the Lord will continue in the lives of those he has so greatly impacted.”

Larry Doyle, association missionary for the Piedmont Baptist Association, said Bradley is “an incredible resource for understanding the scope and nature of associational work. He has, in every sense of the word, served as a mentor and inspiration for me being relatively new in associational work. I’ve also found in J.C. a loyal friend.”

Most of Doyle’s early church experience was in foreign missions. He and his wife served as missionaries in Ecuador, and he was pastor of a Hispanic church in Winston-Salem. He served in Honduras before working three years with the Metrolina Association (Charlotte).

Doyle and Bradley developed a close working relationship, and their associations did many home mission projects together.

The PBA has 83 churches and “church plants” and will swell to 120 when the merger is completed.

Bradley, Doyle and other leaders in their respective associations believe the merger is good for all churches involved. The Central Triad Baptist Association was formed from churches in the PBA 50 years ago.

A leader among leaders, Bradley is known for his thorough research on church issues and his quiet demeanor in dealing with even the most difficult situations. Last September, the North American Mission Board presented Bradley a lifetime achievement award.

Bradley will remain in High Point. He and his wife, Carolyn, look forward to more frequent trips to Greenville to visit their son Don and family, including grandchildren Julia and Erica. Their other son, David, lives in Kernersville.

Bradley began his ministry in 1958 as part-time minister of music and education at a church in Louisville, Ky., when he was in seminary. Bradley received an undergraduate degree from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., before moving to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville for a master’s degree and a doctorate.

A native of West Helena, Ark., James Curtis Bradley has spent most of his career in churches and other Baptist organizations in the South. He spent two years as an assistant professor of religious education at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary and was a contract professor of missions with New Orleans Theological Seminary.

Leading the financially plagued Central Triad Baptist Association wasn’t easy. Many options were considered in trying to keep the CTBA alive, including “my immediate retirement to cut expenses,” Bradley said.

“Our leadership team determined (and I agreed) that the best available option was to merge with Piedmont. We had commitments to be honored — and that required our seeing a proper and honorable conclusion to this particular chapter in the association’s history.

“The main thing we stressed was the importance of the churches focusing on the mission of the association, not on trying to keep an organization alive,” he said.

Bradley also was known to treat all member churches equally, despite theological differences between conservatives and moderates. Bradley could be found in a different church most Sundays or attending evening meetings to support church events.

Love said Bradley had a passion for his ministry. “He’s following his calling. Hirelings do it because it is a job; shepherds do it because it is a calling of God. Dr. Bradley is a shepherd.”

Contact Bob Burchette at bburchette@triad.rr.com