Monthly Archives: August 2014

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August 26, 2014

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Executive Office, General Baptists, Leadership

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Turnaround Denominations

By Clint Cook

In his 2010 book entitled Breakout Churches, Thom Rainer studied churches that had gone from declining attendance to unprecedented growth.  What Thom and his research team discovered was a statistical approach to identifying key patterns and characteristics common in churches that experience turnarounds.  I certainly enjoyed reading this insightful book.

Reflecting upon this issue, I started looking at our General Baptist network of churches.  When looking closely at our denomination, one would discover that even though we are making great strides in church planting and international missions, we still find ourselves facing areas of decline.  This is a very disheartening observation, but as Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, recommends, we church leaders must confront brutal facts so that we can push forward to advance the Great Commission.

So what would it take to turn around an entire denomination?  How can we realize unprecedented growth, resulting in more and more people hearing the message of Christ?

First, I believe it requires very focused prayer. Summit Clint Prayer If there is one thing we can discover from the Bible it is that God chose to work only as God’s people prayed.  Today, He has chosen to limit his work until pastors, church leaders, and church members pray.  Many verses come to mind to support this, but perhaps it is said best in 2 Chronicles 7:14:

“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Second, I believe it would require church leaders to have a “holy discontent”, a dissatisfaction with the status quo in their church.  As Rainer writes, “It is a sin to be good if God calls you to be great!”  This is especially true living in a world with so many who need to hear the Gospel!  As a pastor, I understand and believe in the need to provide care for church members; but as Jesus reminds us, we must also be passionate about reaching those who do not yet believe the gospel.  This requires church leaders who will exhibit bold faith and a willingness to take risks.  I know there is criticism with this idea, and that we must not be “numbers-driven,” but we cannot forget that behind every number is a soul, and every person won to Christ is therefore a number in God’s Kingdom.  Jim Garlow, pastor and speaker, has said that in any organization someone needs to stay focused on the numbers.

Third, I believe it would require pastors and church leaders to humble themselves and be willing to be trained and coached.  Church work in the 21st century has to be approached differently and in a more strategic and efficient manner.  This is more true today than perhaps at any other time in the history of the church.  I can personally testify to the benefits of receiving coaching and the impact it has had on the church I have pastored for 29 years.  I have also been privileged to coach more than 100 p 18-19 workshopchurches over the past five years and am amazed to hear their inspiring stories.  Many of these churches were plateaued or declining, but are now experiencing growth with conversions and baptisms.  Their ability to embrace and implement new concepts with a renewed passion to reach their communities has caused me to have hope for more and more General Baptist churches to have similar results.  This is also the reasoning behind the decision to change our national meeting from the G.A. (three-day business session) to the Summit, which is a training environment where we receive encouragement through worship as well as training and resources that can automatically be implemented into our churches.

General Baptists are at a critical crossroads.  We must do something now to turnaround our denomination.  Pastors and church leaders, it is of great importance that you take the time to pray diligently and resolve to be trained and coached so you may fully attain God’s purpose for your church.  Church member, it is essential that you pray and support your church leadership and present a strong, united front to Satan.

Over the next few weeks I will break down the changes, vision, and determination essential to becoming a turnaround denomination.  Read part 2 of what it takes to turn around an entire denomination here.

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August 21, 2014

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Congregrational Ministries, Family, General Baptists

Family Does Matter

By Franklin Dumond

The concept of family continues to change in our secular culture. Despite the rapidly changing dimensions of nuclear family, however, a genuine sense of family continues to characterize our Christian gatherings. Bill Gaither wrote a description a generation ago that continues to be descriptive of local churches and other gatherings of like-minded believers: “You will notice we say brother and sister around here, it’s because we are family and these folks are so dear.”

During our recent international General Baptist gathering, the Mission & Ministry Summit, the sense of family could be felt everywhere. I saw it in at least four variations.

1. There was the atmosphere of a family reunion during hallway chats, shared meals, and photos exchanged by folks who had not seen each other recently and were now able to get reacquainted. During our new afternoon break in the exhibit hall and our reception in honor of our missionaries, even more of this family reunion atmosphere was present.

2. There was the discovery of new friends and acquaintances that added to the family connection. With several hundred church leaders present it was obvious that not everyone knew everyone else, but it is always amazing to find that we have so much in common—once we get acquainted.Summit Crowd Prayer

Since I travel throughout the denomination I am acquainted with several folks. It was my delight to introduce two of our pastors to one another late one evening. They were standing on either end of the lobby and as I walked by I realized “They are both originally from Canada and probably don’t know they form a Canadian caucus among General Baptists!” What a surprise to learn that they had both immigrated to the United States in the same year and had both become naturalized citizens in the South.

3. Family also shows itself in the shared tasks that require cooperation. As I lookedour GB family comes together to complete tasks around the exhibit hall before the Summit began I saw a group of folks organizing one of the T-shirt tables. Sitting on the floor, working at a table, or reaching into boxes I saw folks from several states sharing the load. Then, just next to Executive Director Clint Cook sat Jemima Prakash from India. She was just as busy folding and organizing T-shirts as everyone else was. Isn’t it incredible that our General Baptist family is international in scope?

The worship team that lead our main sessions showed that same sense of family cooperation. Musicians from four different churches each brought their gifts and talents and worked together to lead us in praise.

On Tuesday evening we joined as one large family to pray a blessing over our Summit Clint Prayermissionaries and church planters. These folks assembled at the front while we all crowded around them. I looked out at the crowd and noticed that joining in our prayers for these missionaries was Dr. David Cummings. He was our guest speaker from Australia, but on Tuesday evening he became part of the family as we prayed for God’s blessings on our missionary spokesmen.

I loved the way Moderator Elect Josh Carpenter summarized his experience in 1999. He attended the old General Association meetings that year for the first time. There, he admitted, he found a connection to the larger family of General Baptists.

Cousins of mine recently showed up at the family reunion. As one of them reported, “I baked my casserole and hurried to the meeting place.” She went on to say, “There sure seemed to be a different crowd this year and one of the ladies kept quizzing me about the family.” Finally she discovered she had the right place and had baked the proper casserole but had come one month early. She concluded her story with a quick laugh as she summarized the event by saying, “No wonder they asked so many questions!” Among General Baptists there is a common connection that binds us together—even if we arrive at the wrong time!

In an increasingly secular culture there will always be many dimensions to family, but among General Baptists there remains a deep sense of family. We remain connected by that core theology that Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man. Aren’t you glad he has included you in the family?

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August 19, 2014

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Christian Life, General Baptists, International Missions

The Journey

By Patti Thornton

The journey to El Paso, Texas was almost as long as the flight to the Philippines, and seating space in the two cars that burned up the road between small town Missouri and the desert city was about as spacious as a standard airline seat.  But the comparison ends there; we didn’t have to pull the shades to fool our bodies into nighttime rest, and we slept overnight in a horizontal position with real pillows and a shower shared by just a few in a roadside hotel.

Still, it was a long drive.  It was fascinating to watch the landscape change from the green, rolling hills of southwest Missouri, to the endless flat-ness of Oklahoma, to the sandy, stark brown-ness of southern Texas.  And every town we passed through was home to a myriad of churches.

On Monday, we crossed the United States border.

mexico 1Geographically speaking, El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico are no different.  With the exception of meticulously watered landscapes of affluent homes and businesses in Texas, sightings of green in the brownish-grays of sand, dirt and concrete are rare.  Honestly, there is very little change in culture as you cross the Rio Grande from a mostly Hispanic population in an American state to that of Mexico.

But there IS a difference.  The further we drove into Mexico, the more obvious it became; both economically and spiritually.  The Bible Belt’s church on every corner was replaced by Tienditas (small convenience stores) as the subdivisions of the United States gave way to the “colonias” of Mexico.

Pastor Pedro and Elida Quezada have been trekking across the border almost daily for years.  With hearts swollen huge with love for a people of few resources, opportunities, or churches, they have been watching the ripe sheaves of harvest wave in the wind of a swollen field, desperate for harvesters. the people of Juarez make the journey to a small stucco house for worship

Not only does Pastor Pedro successfully pastor a packed house of dedicated workers at Agua Viva General Baptist Church in Juarez, but  this church has planted another ministry further into the city that meets in a borrowed stucco home smaller than most of your garages.  There, in the midst of a colony of such homes where no other church exists, residents (mostly children and women) follow the sounds of worship music to activities in the front sand yard as if the Pied Piper had beckoned them.  And there, ministry happens.

Stumbling over language barriers, our small team of seven (bolstered by two when Sid and Wilbur joined us as driving, packing, hauling, praying, fixing companions extraordinaire) was privileged to worship, play, craft, dispense school supplies and snacks, and huddle closely together as a sudden storm chased all 80 or so of us inside the small house.

Our team was unique in its makeup.  Of the seven of us, only one had never traveled outside the U.S. With three former missionaries and two repeat MVP teamers along, there was plenty of experience to go around.  And that experience validates our excitement for the ministry potential in Mexico.the long journey to Juarez was well worth the time and effort for the WM MVP team

There are many opportunities for you to partner in this ministry that crosses geographical borders, as well as other burgeoning ministries within our denomination that speak to the  relevance of Hispanic ministry in these times.  Start listening as the Holy Spirit calls harvesters to gather.

If you would like to know more about the many ways that you can partner with General Baptist mission efforts in Mexico and all around the globe, visit www.generalbaptist.com or call 573-785-7746.