Navigating the Perfect Storm

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Navigating the Perfect Storm

The perfect storm, a phrase popularized by the film of the same name, describes a weather occurrence when two or more major systems combine to form a super storm of extreme magnitude. In late October of 1991, a cold front crossing the east coast met a ridge of high pressure from the north, forcing it westward into the Atlantic. When the resulting storm combined with hurricane Grace, the three systems formed a semi-tropical cyclone producing hurricane force winds and waves up to 73 feet high. Thirteen lives were lost, including the entire crew of the fishing boat Andrea Gail.

You can see, I hope, why I would use the phrase in describing the ministry landscape pastors and congregational leaders face today. The challenges within your church are not simply the result of one situation. They emerge from a collision of storms that have converged upon us. And leaders who miss this point run the risk making decisions that not only fail to accomplish what they hope, but even exacerbate things.

Your particular church may have additional storms to consider, depending on your community, but at least three affect us all. Most obvious is the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic, which lately brings another variant. Two years ago we prayed for a quick resolution and return to normal. Today we question whether there’s enough Greek alphabet to name all the new variants. This amplifies tensions within congregations concerning masks, mandates, vaccines, and the pace at which members feel comfortable returning to certain activities.

The other major storm is the demise of cultural Christianity. Proponents of its replacement, the liberal secular society, not only fail to understand our Christian motivations, but consider many of our values the source for greater problems. This means that many of the attractional ministry approaches most churches practice will not connect with the unbelieving people we’re called to reach. Now, rather than sit at church expecting them to come to us, the church must find ways to engage unbelievers out in the world. Many would argue that this is a more biblical approach, but even they find it hard to change habits.

Another storm coming down hard is the generational divide. There has long been a sense of misalignment between people of different ages. The term generation gap dates to the 60’s. But the era of social media has turned the generation gap into a canyon. Consider how, even among committed, biblically solid Southern Baptists, the values, methods, and expectations of those who are younger differ from those who are older. Boomers sought out assertive leaders who would point out the direction and lead the way. Millennials and Gen Z seek collaborative leadership that helps them to discover next steps. Boomers and their predecessors went to church. Persons of younger generations are encouraged to be the church. These differences fuel numerous conflicts that will tear up a church if godly wisdom does not prevail.

I could go on and note politics, racial relationships, and a range of other matters, but my point is a simple one. The state of ministry in your church, it’s growth or decline, the condition of relationships and health of leadership is affected by multiple factors, a perfect storm.

How do Christians, and especially ministry leaders navigate the perfect storm? While there is no short, sweet, and easy answer, let me share a few thoughts to consider.

  1. Remember that our God remains in control, and He continues to love and work through His church. In the Great Commission, the command to make disciples is prefaced by the reminder, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me,” (Jesus, Matt. 28:18). He concludes, “And behold, I am with you always,” (vs. 20). That means, even now, Christ is with His church. His power is at work.

  2. Understand that, while you may believe you know what’s happening and how to fix it, none of us know all we need to know. It’s tempting to assess the landscape, identify something as the problem, then push a solution. But I’ve yet to meet any single individual with a perfect grasp on God’s word or their congregation. There is just too much of that fallen nature still within us. And so, we need each other.

    I find it interesting that, in Romans 15, Paul calls the strong to “…bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good,” (vs. 1-2). Part of the concern here, I believe, is that we can’t let secondary matters divide us. We discern His path through the storms as we serve Him together.

  3. Double down on grace and kindness, for relationships matter. Storms bring stress. Multiple storms bring more stress. Stressed leaders may not know the next step as quickly as members would like. And, speaking from experience, stress often brings out the worst aspects of our character.

    My point is that, in times of great stress, it is essential that God’s people show grace and kindness to one another, even amidst frustration or disagreement. I love how, even though Paul publicly rebuked Peter at Antioch (Gal. 2:11-14), Peter later affirms Paul’s ministry, calling him “our beloved brother,” (2 Peter 3:15). I can’t say what exactly transpired, but somehow these two great men of God realized they were inseparably bound together in Christ. So should we all.

  4. Finally, make disciples for Jesus Christ. This is the Great Commission. We’re called to make disciples, who in turn make disciples. When the storm hits, the captain must have a steady hand on the wheel, a firm understanding where he is on the charts, and apply his seamanship to his situation. He knows what his ship can take and how to steer it through rough currents. But, ultimately, his task is to reach his destination. If he doesn’t do that, none of the rest matters.

    Our task is making disciples. Whenever the storms push us off course and away from disciple making, we need to assess our situation and take the clearest path back to the task, lest we get lost in the storm.

The perfect storm of 1991 sank the Andrea Gail, but the perfect storm of 2021 need not claim yours or any congregation. So batten down the hatches, get a steady hand on the wheel, and let’s sail into 2022 for His glory.

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Blessed Be the Tie That Binds

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Blessed Be the Tie That Binds

That society around us is fragmenting comes as no surprise. In a fallen world, it’s hard to expect anything different than communities dissolving into isolated pockets with different, often opposing, goals. That such dissension invades the church isn’t a surprise, either, but it should be a concern.

Discord among Baptists is nothing new. Years ago church historian Walter Shurden wrote Not a Silent People, tracing the fights that have historically shaped Southern Baptists. But today, the controversies seem to hit at a pandemic level.

Now certainly, there are matters warranting a clear stand, and even hard words among fellow believers. But as we navigate them, it’s important to remember what binds us together in the first place.

When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, multiple fault lines fractured their congregation. Yet, even before addressing the conflicts in particular, he says, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and judgment,” (1 Cor. 1:10).

How would a church so conflicted arrive at such unity and agreement? Paul would explain that it rests on their focus upon the word of the cross, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God,” (1 Cor. 1:18). It’s the message of the cross that transcends our favored leaders (1 Cor. 1:12-17). It trumps all human wisdom (vs. 18-31). And it overshadows our talents and overcomes our weakness (1 Cor. 2).

Paul’s point, I believe, is that, whenever personalities or worldly philosophies pull us apart, Christians must return to our roots. Our unity rests on the fact that we are ALL sinners, that Jesus took our sin onto Himself as he hung on that cross, and that he arose victoriously so that, by faith in Him, our sin is forgiven and we follow Him as Lord. Anything that distracts from this core truth is just that, a distraction. What elevates this truth empowers the church and binds us more tightly together.

Bring every dispute back to this point and work from there. Because the cross is the tie that binds.

Blessings,

Jim

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More than Nickels and Noses

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More than Nickels and Noses

“What are you running?” It’s a question almost always asked soon after two or more pastors begin a conversation, with “What’s your budget?” following close thereafter. While these questions often emerge from an unhealthy way by which those in ministry assess their self worth, they do reflect important matrices for evaluating the overall health of a church. Nickels and noses, the two measures everyone wants to know.

Except….

These statistics, as important as they are, don’t reveal much. In fact, they reveal no more about congregational health than a thermometer says about the presence of cancer.

And no, this isn’t a “bash the big church” post. Most larger churches, at least in the Southern Baptist faith tribe, grew through the practice of biblical, healthy ministry systems.

But churches can be large, report high numbers of baptisms, or run their budget “in the black” and still fall short of the Lord’s mission. I know a church that closed with only five remaining members after leading their association in baptisms four years straight. Two funerals and four years of losing more people than they discipled precipitated their end.

The other problem with the nickels and noses scorecard is that, when decline occurs, we’re drawn to simplistic, knee-jerk assessments of the problem. So, when the church misses the budget, the deacons conclude the pastor must not be preaching enough on tithing. Multiple families leave the church, it’s the _____’s fault (insert responsible pastoral staff position here).

Of course there are multiple reasons why people leave or finances decline. Some can be identified with a particular offense or mistake, others the political or economic environment, change in family circumstance, or strategic misalignment. And many defy explanation.

So, if measuring nickels and noses is not enough, what else should we measure? I’ll not answer that question here. Thom Rainer, Christian Schwartz, Mark Dever and others have assessments they favor. Instead, I’ll leave you with some questions to consider with your team.

  1. How will you assess worship gatherings to assure you are fulfilling Christ’s purpose for His gathered church? What is His purpose? What different elements comprise your congregational worship? How does each support the purpose?

  2. How will you measure whether your disciple making pathways accomplish their intended purpose? What are your disciple making pathways? What outcomes are you teaching toward? How do you know when they are met? Do your groups actually work together to support these outcomes?

  3. How will you measure deployment of disciples for Christ’s mission through His church? How are disciples connecting with unbelievers? How do disciples draw new people into your church? How do you deploy disciples for Great Commission and Great Commandment ministry beyond the church?

  4. How will you discern whether church assets, facilities and budget in particular, align to support God’s mission? How much is mission and how much is “fluff?”

Of course, church health and vitality should always be assessed based on what scripture reveals is Christ’s intent for local congregations. As you consider these questions, I’d like to know what you think. Besides nickels and noses, what would you measure as an indicator of your congregation’s ministry health and vitality?

Bro. Jim

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What's Your Next Step?

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What's Your Next Step?

Leaders often compare the church’s ministry to a journey. There’s a destination, fulfillment of Christ’s Great Commandment and Great Commission. There’s also a pathway for reaching said destination, revealed in the teachings of Christ and the apostles as recorded in scripture. And provision for the journey comes through the Holy Spirit as Christians faithfully commune with Him through the spiritual disciplines. These base elements, though described differently by different sources, are universal for all congregations. Any difference comes from context. In the same way a hike through the Piney Woods of East Texas differs from one up a mountain in Colorado, the path to fruitful ministry will look different from one congregation to the next.

An essential question for every congregation, then, is “What’s your next step?” What is the next decision you must make together so that your church proceeds along the pathway God has placed it on?

Failure to answer this question leaves a congregation stuck. For more on this, read my previous series of posts Getting Unstuck.

How does a congregation determine the next step?

First, you must remember your destination. Many congregations don’t understand their mission. Oh, members can quote you the Great Commandment and Great Commission. But they often are unclear about what this means. So they fill calendars and budgets with tons of activity, but show little movement. I recommend asking this question: If our church was fully faithful and fruitful for the Lord, what would that look like? The answer will reveal how you understand your the destination.

Second, you must follow a path leading to your destination. Today even Southern Baptist churches, once know for their commonalities, are as different as are the persons who comprise them. Consider the infinite variety of music, Bible studies, programs, and disciple making tracks now available. The question is, do the ministries of your church construct a clear path to the destination? Or, are they simply a hodgepodge of spiritual activity? As stated above, the scripture provides us with the essentials, among them corporate worship, Bible teaching, accountability, fellowship, equipping, and deployment. Which of these elements, if any, are missing in your church? And is the way you employ them fruitful?

Finally, you must know where your church is located along it’s developmental path. I realize I am using the language of the journey in two ways. There is the journey people take through your church by which they become disciples and disciple makers. Then there’s the path your church follows in becoming a disciple making church. Some churches remain on the trailhead, having yet to define their destination or pathway. Still others have begun the journey, but have run into obstacles along the way. Every journey has it’s rest stops, refueling stations, course corrections or repairs to make. As your church seeks to fulfill Christ’s mission in your context, where are you?

When you know these three things, you are ready to ask, “What is our next step?” Because your church is in a different context and a different place along your path, your next step is likely different from the congregation down the street. But it’s important. It’s necessary.

Because no church will fulfill God’s purpose until their next step is taken. And then there’s the next, and the next, then the next.

Your ministry journey, after all, occurs one next step at a time.

Bro. Jim

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Annual Meeting October 17, 2021

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Annual Meeting October 17, 2021

The 2021 GTBN Annual Meeting has come and gone. By all accounts, JimBo Stewart with the North American Mission Board preached an outstanding message. Messengers approved the 2022 Executive Board, East Texas Baptist Encampment trustees, and the 2022 Budget after hearing reports about this past year in ministry through our partnership together.

Minutes will be posted soon. JimBo’s sermon will be posted once Lizz completes editing. Links to the video summary of our ministry together and the book of reports (which now includes the accidentally omitted Executive Director’s Report) are below.

Thank you again for the privilege of serving as your missionary. I look forward to our taking the next step in ministry together, elevating the name of Jesus for all to see.

Blessings,

Bro. Jim

GTBN 2021 Book of Reports

GTBN 2021 Year in Ministry Video

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Why We Count or Let's Hear it for the Good Ol' ACP

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Why We Count or Let's Hear it for the Good Ol' ACP

It’s that time again. Yes, your church will soon receive emails from your state convention and GTBN about completing the good ol’ ACP, the Annual Church Profile. The good news is that our convention partners have simplified it since it’s days as the Annual Church Letter. Back then, it brought as much joy as completing your tax returns.

But why complete the ACP? Why is it necessary to count attendance, baptisms, giving, etc.? And why report it to the denomination?

Certainly, ministry is not all about the numbers. It’s about loving the Lord through worship and disciple making. But the numbers, and especially the changes in numbers over time, provide you, your church, and your denominational partners with some important information.

The numbers provide a snapshot of your congregation’s participation, the current reach of your worship, small groups, and other ministries. And, while a number alone cannot adequately indicate the health of these ministries, the trendlines over time often do.

Numbers do not always say what we assume they say. For example, a year with zero baptisms may indicate the loss of evangelistic zeal. But it might also reveal cultural change within a community, or the community’s population decline. This is why any examination of the numbers should include the question “why?” What is it about our church and ministry context that explains the number?

As I consult and coach congregational leaders, I use the numbers collected over time to help them understand present realities and the options they have to advance their mission. State convention and SBC leaders use them similarly, as well as for assessing the overall health of our Southern Baptist movement. All of your partners rely on the numbers to determine priorities for the mission gifts provided through your church.

So, when you receive that ACP email (and GTBN will surely send you one) don’t brush past it, leaving it as one among many unread emails within the inbox. Please take the time to consider the questions, gather the data, and complete the survey. It’s not the most important thing, but it serves so many of the important things we’re about.

Blessings,

Jim

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When Gathering Becomes Optional

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When Gathering Becomes Optional

Where have all the people gone? This is a question I hear often as pastors discuss worship attendance. Most of us expected in person worship participation would return to pre-pandemic norms by now. But only a few churches report as much. Across America weekly worship attendance is down 20 percent from the period before COVID 19 entered our vocabulary.

We can, of course, attribute much of this to the Delta variant and ongoing concerns with the pandemic. But a recent post by Trevin Wax for The Gospel Coalition notes a cultural shift that for me is much more concerning.

Wax’ post digests the work of sociologists Christian Smith and Amy Adamczyk, published in their book Handing Down the Faith: How Parents Pass Their Religion on to the Next Generation. They argue that, while historically society valued religion as a contributor to “community solidarity”, today it’s viewed as an optional means for individual development (emphasis mine). There’s little if any need to gather publicly when faith becomes a mere “personal identity accessory.”

That society functions this way does not surprise me. This is to be expected from a secular world. But what happens when professing believers embrace this mindset?

Many consider their faith in Christ only in terms of how God blesses them, making their lives better. They assess their worship gathering by how uplifting and encouraging it is for them. Attending worship is good for them, like visiting the Chiropractor or therapist. For fear of appearing legalistic, gathering is anything but essential. It’s optional. And when gathered worship is optional, why gather?

But gathered worship with your church family is not optional. It’s essential! True, a church may suspend gatherings for a season on account of a global pandemic. Also true, attendance at a worship service is no prerequisite for salvation. But for the disciple of Jesus Christ, worship in the company of your church family is as essential as food and drink. Scripture commands it (Heb. 10:25). Jesus models it (Luke 4:16-37).

Yet for too many professing Christians, gathered worship is a nice spiritual accessory to better your life rather than an essential appointment to join others in declaring, praising and responding to the glory of our Risen King! Only when we repent of this individualized religion and treasure our place in the gathered community will the tide turn.

Bro. Jim

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Hurricane Ida Response Update

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Hurricane Ida Response Update

Despite a slight interruption by Hurricane / Tropical Storm Nicholas, the response to Hurricane Ida in southeast Louisiana continues. SBC Disaster Relief units remain deployed, as are Samaritans Purse, Team Rubicon, Salvation Army, Operation Blue Roof, and Crisis Clean Up.

There remains a need for volunteers to help with clean-up or recovery. One of the hardest hit areas is the Northshore Baptist Association, serving the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain in Southeast Louisiana. Their director, Don Pucik, has a list of churches willing to host self-contained groups (responsible for own tools, supplies, and feeding). These groups will assist with mud out, chainsaw & recovery, and debris removal. Contact Don by email at don@northshorebaptists.net. You may also contact your state convention Disaster Relief leadership or Samaritan’s Purse about volunteering.

If your church has collected items and need the GTBN to facilitate delivery to the disaster area, please contact the office at 409-832-1110 or office@gtbn.us. Updates to the needed supply list and distribution locations can be found at the Louisiana Baptist Convention Disaster Relief website.

Several churches have partnered with churches in the affected area to assist their recovery. If you would like to join the Louisiana Baptist Convention Churches Helping Churches initiative, click here.

You may give to support the hurricane Ida response through GTBN, or the Disaster Relief Ministries of Texas Baptist Men, Southern Baptists of Texas, NAMB, or the Louisiana Baptist Convention.

Update, 1:53 PM, 9/16/2022

I just received the following email from Don Pucik with Northshore Association in Louisiana:

Jim – per our conversation I am sending you this information and copying Joe Arnold. We are still needing teams to do chainsaw, tarping, and mud out in the Northshore, but we are getting plenty of supplies.  Joe’s churches were harder hit closer to landfall. He supplied me with the list below for his area…

 Joe Arnold, Director of Missions, Bayou Baptist Association, bayoubaptistbj@bellsouth.net, cell: 985-856-2224

 Drop Sites

  1. Covenant Church (FBC, Houma) 4863 W Park Ave., Houma, LA 70364 Contact: Jan Folmar 985-209-5003

  2. Raceland First Baptist Church, 104 Mississippi Street, Raceland, LA 70394 Contact: Billy Taylor 434-942-3286

  3. Golden Meadow First Baptist Church, 169 Oakridge Dr, Golden Meadow, LA 70357 Contact: Matt Chouest 985-291-1120

  4. Coteau Baptist Church, 2066 Coteau Rd, Houma, LA 70364 Contact: Wayne Hunt 985-227-3100

 Supplies needed:

Work gloves

Diapers (all sizes, especially sizes 4,5,6)

Cleaning supplies (bleach, Lysol spray and wipes, rags for cleaning)

Snack foods

Trash bags

Shampoo

Deodorant

Dishwashing liquid

Laundry detergent

Baby wipes

Soap

Toilet paper

Paper towels

Washcloths

Batteries

Gatorade

Crystal light for water bottles

Mops

Brooms

Duct tape

Body wash

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For His Glory!

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For His Glory!

Much of what occurs through the Golden Triangle Baptist Network happens behind the scenes. For every event like DMU, Leadership Luncheon or Pastor’s Prayer Meeting, there are many consultations, coaching sessions, trainings, or other interventions directed to helping churches fulfill their calling before the Lord. Our priorities include planting new churches, supporting leaders, awakening (revitalization), and networking for cooperative mission. But at the heart of it all is God’s glory.

That’s the theme for this year’s GTBN Annual Meeting, For His Glory. As messengers from cooperating congregations gather, we will recall the many ways God is glorified through our combined efforts. Dr. Mark Clifton, Director for Church RePlanting for the North American Mission Board, will bring our message. The worship team from our host church, First Baptist Church of Hamshire, will lead musically. Representatives from the two state conventions and ministry partners will join us as well.

I invite you to join us Sunday, October 17, at FBC Hamshire. Dinner is at 5:00 PM, with the meeting beginning at 6:00 PM. Links to register messengers from your church and your personal attendance are in the announcement below.

In preparation for the annual meeting, please make sure your church selects messengers. Each actively participating church may have 5 messengers, plus 1 additional messenger for every 100 members or fraction thereof, to a maximum of 12.

I look forward to seeing you then. Please call if you have questions, or if we can serve you or your church.

Bro. Jim

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Do We Value our Values, Part 5

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Do We Value our Values, Part 5

Churches of the GTBN share five core values, the last of which is support. According to our values statement, support is "Responding to church needs in relational, relevant, and productive ways.”

This should be an easy explanation. Every individual experiences seasons when they need help beyond their own abilities. And most see times when they are blessed beyond their needs, finding themselves in a position to bless others. Last year many of you needed help when hurricane Laura hit our region. Now many are gearing up to help our neighbors in Louisiana after hurricane Ida.

Congregations and those who serve through them have similar experiences. As I write, I know some for whom this is a season of frustration, challenge, and even hardship. For others it’s a season of blessing, fruitfulness, and abundance.

Part of the commitment we make through the GTBN is to celebrate together the victories as we help one another through the hardship. Jason Burden, pastor at FBC Nederland, reminded me of this when I first began serving as your missionary. He said the best resource we have to serve the churches of GTBN are the churches themselves. He’s right. We support one another.

When we say our support is relational, we mean it’s personal. Whether it is through the pastors’ prayer gathering or an informal group of ministry leaders you meet with, the personal connections you have with leaders in other churches provide ongoing encouragement. I believe these connections matter, The best way to have connections when you most need them is by forming them beforehand.

When we say support is relevant, we say it matters. A congregation struggling to recover from storm damage doesn’t need a denominational sales pitch. They need help with the matter at hand. The key for relevant support is listening, understanding the particulars of a need in order to prepare a response that really does matter.

When we say support is productive, we mean it’s fruitful. We all should seek to be fruitful in the Lord’s mission. Support that simply scratches an itch but leaves a problem in place is really not support. It can feel like support, and, if it relives pressure for a while, might satisfy some. But ultimately the support we give should help churches to be fruitful in their mission for the Lord’s glory. Each church within GTBN fills a particular role in His work across SETX. When more churches are fruitful, our Lord receives more glory.

There’s a far simpler way to say all this: we have each other’s backs.

I’m grateful for the opportunity through GTBN to serve those congregations seeking help, as I am for the chance to serve those blessed with wisdom, experience, and resources by which support is given. Soon the roles may change, but that’s ok because we’re in this together.

Blessings,

Jim

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Do We Value our Values, Part 4

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Do We Value our Values, Part 4

“Missions - Expanding God’s Kingdom by making Him known and helping people come to know Him through Jesus Christ.” GTBN Values Statement

One cannot be a Southern Baptist very long without hearing about missions. It’s at the heart of why autonomous, independent congregations form associations, state conventions, and national entities. But what do we mean when we say missions?

Missions is, of course, THE MISSION… the Great CoMISSION. You know, that verse where Jesus tells the church that all authority is His. Then, with this authority, he says to them, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” That’s the mission.

But one might say, “What about loving the Lord with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself?” Good question. The answer: this is precisely what disciples do. When the church values the Great Commission, more people will love the the Lord wholeheartedly and their neighbors as themselves.

Another asks, “But shouldn’t the church be an agent of community transformation or justice? Answer: In a world broken from sin, only the gospel brings lasting solutions. When more people love the Lord wholeheartedly and their neighbors as themselves, their influence will only enhance their communities. Justice isn’t the goal of missions, it’s an outcome when lives are transformed through missions.

Finally one asks, “So, you’re saying that we should ignore the problems in our community and just preach the gospel?” No, No, NO! Just as Jesus and the first disciples did, today’s disciples minister within their world, but we do so not as an end in itself. They are means for elevating Christ as we continue the mission.

So the mission God has given His church is, as we gather to love and worship Him and to build up one another, to make Him known that more will respond in repentance and faith and follow Him as do we.

As I write, having just reviewed today’s news, my heart is heavy (at least the old newspapers had “the funnies”). There’s so much hurt and evil going on. It’s hard to know where to begin, what need to address, that peace would reign over the chaos.

But God gives His church a clear place to start, the mission. The value statement begins with “Expanding God’s kingdom…” Because where the Prince of Peace reigns, order emerges from chaos.

And this is why everything we do in partnership with GTBN is about missions. It’s why we exist.

Blessings,

Bro. Jim

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Do We Value our Values, Part 3

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Do We Value our Values, Part 3

The churches of GTBN value cooperation and diversity, but we also value autonomy. The GTBN values statement defines autonomy as “Respecting each church’s right and freedom to self-govern and make it’s own decisions in the context of cooperation.” Quite simply, I’m not a bishop and nothing we do through the Network shall impede each congregation’s standing before the Lord to discern how they will conduct their ministries.

But this isn’t just a GTBN thing. Autonomy it is at the heart of the Baptist way. We believe it’s the scriptural way. And so, for generations Baptist missionaries facilitated the planting of churches that ultimately became self governing, self supporting, and self reproducing. We still do.

What does this mean to you? It means the role of GTBN is not to direct the path of our churches, but to help each church as they seek the Lord’s direction in their ministries. Some seek help discovering His direction, and we’re glad to assist. Others have a clear sense of what God is leading them to do, but seek assistance discerning how they will do it. Again, we’re here. Then there are those churches that have a firm sense of God’s mission and discernable movement toward it’s fulfillment. For these congregations, GTBN is a platform for resourcing their leaders and leveraging their strengths to fortify sister congregations.

Our autonomy also means that our cooperation isn’t compulsory. No one likes being dictated to, hence the public resistance to COVID 19 mandates. But our cooperation is voluntary. GTBN has roughly 100 congregations, some elder led, others with a single pastor, with a mix of rural and urban, and about half in one state convention with half in the other. Yet as we respect these differences we choose to cooperate, that together we may plant new churches, support ministry leaders, promote awakening and revitalization within our sister churches, and network together for mission work across SETX and around the world.

I believe the Lord has and will continue to honor this choice.

Blessings,

Bro. Jim

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Do We Value our Values, Part 2

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Do We Value our Values, Part 2

Last week I raised the question, “Do we value our values?” Aubrey Malphurs defines core values as “…the constant, passionate core beliefs that empower and guide the ministry.” The implication here is that, for values to be genuine, they must actually direct the course of a church or ministry. If they do not then they are aspirational at best, or in the worst case fraudulent. So it’s good and proper for ministry leaders to regularly review and ask themselves, “Do we value our values?”

Last week we considered cooperation, the belief that the churches of GTBN bring greater glory to the Lord on mission together than we would otherwise. Our focus this week is diversity.

Our values statement defines diversity as, “valuing, leveraging and rejoicing in our differences as the body of Christ.” In other words, we believe it’s good for our fellowship to represent the diversity of our communities AND the varied strands of ministry common to Southern Baptist life. This does not mean that there are no lines which, when crossed, would make cooperation impossible. Personally, I believe the Baptist Faith and Message (2000) more than adequately establishes those. It does suggest, however, that our Baptist distinctives provide a big tent for churches large and small, urban or rural, and people of all races to cooperate in obedience to Christ’s Great Commission.

But rejoice in our differences? Differences complicate things. Yes, yes they do.

But I believe the benefits of diversity make pressing through the complications worthwhile. A diverse fellowship guards us from extremes which might hinder gospel movement. It provides broader perspective into the ministry needs of a community, including the church. Most of all, I believe it gives us a greater mission force for carrying the gospel across our communities and around the world.

Today’s cultural chaos drives many to surround themselves with others who look, think and largely act like they do. But, while this can be affirming, there’s a danger of pushing away those who on the most important matters are allies with us in the gospel. As contemporary society pushes harder to marginalize the Christian worldview, I believe it is increasingly important that those of us sharing our core Baptist-Christian convictions stand together.

It’s another reason we’re better together.

Bro. Jim

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Do We Value our Values, Part 1

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Do We Value our Values, Part 1

If you’ve been around GTBN long enough, you are familiar with our PLAN, the four strategic priorities that drive network ministries. But what do you know about our values, the guiding principles supporting the PLAN?

In his book, Values Driven Leadership, Aubrey Malphurs describes core values as the character of an organization, explaining why we do what we do. They explain why this certain set of congregations choose to network together. You can find a brief description of GTBN’s five values by clicking here.

The question I pose to you here, which we will consider through the next several posts, is do we really value our values?

We’ll start with the first, cooperation. The value statement says, “We value being and doing more for the cause of Christ together than we can being alone.” It’s a basic principle for all denominational ministry, that a group of congregations working together accomplish more for the Lord than they would otherwise do individually.

Evidence indicates that like minded Baptists began associating together as early as 1644, with the first formal association meeting in 1650. In the USA, the Baptist churches in and around Philadelphia formed their association in 1707. The entity we now call GTBN formed in 1888. All this, as I’ve shared before, was meant to follow the example given in the New Testament.

Leaders of these congregations knew the isolation pastors and Christians felt amidst an unbelieving world. Here in SETX, the lack of gospel centered churches amidst the population boom following Spindletop led churches to work together and deploy missionaries into the oil field settlements, campaign for moral restraint, plant churches and grow disciples. As much as they valued local church autonomy (a value we will discuss later), they were fully convinced that God’s people must work together to assure every person had the opportunity to hear the gospel and follow Christ.

Today’s GTBN stands on this heritage. We live to help each church realize its God ordained purpose, but we do so with the conviction that no single congregation can fully meet the ministry needs of southeast Texas. We’re better together.

I confess this is an easy value for me, given my role. My work depends on our cooperation. On the other hand, today’s ministry landscape makes it easy for churches to draw into themselves. Just sustaining ministry in one local church consumes so much energy and many resources.

But when we actually value the value, we understand cooperation as significant to each church. We sincerely believe that, when we cooperate, the Lord works through us. Consider as examples the help given one another after recent storms, our efforts to assist struggling congregations, and our partnership to equip pastors in Belize. Upcoming efforts to engage our local corrections facilities, and partnering with sister churches for things like Night to Shine and Beast Feast likewise make this point.

I suppose, if one worked at it, he could find reasons to disengage. Cooperation, after all, requires effort and a degree of patience due to our diversity (another value we’ll consider). But I am fully convinced that the Savior is glad when you and I, along with our sister congregations, work together.

Thank you for sharing this value, and for your participation in our cooperative work.

Bro. Jim

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Strategy Is Not a Four-Letter Word

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Strategy Is Not a Four-Letter Word

Years ago I asked a pastor I knew, “What are you doing at your church? What’s your strategy?” He looked at me as if I had cursed, then said, “I don’t believe in strategy. I just do what the Lord says?” I replied, “Great, what is He saying?” “To preach the Bible?” “But what does that involve? What does the Bible tell us about local church ministry?” Our conversation didn’t advance much after that.

The Bible is sufficient. It reveals everything one must know to follow the Lord, including the mission of the church. Too often, however, leaders in the church ignore the significance of strategy for fulfilling said mission. I’ve heard people say, “Don’t talk to me about strategy. We don’t need that corporate thinking in the church.” It’s as if they believe I’m asking them to choose man’s ways as opposed to God’s, strategy being defined by them as a worldly attempt to do what only God can do.

To be fair, after sitting through too many poor strategy presentations, I see how one might draw such conclusions. But at it’s root, strategy is a rather simple and essential concept for ministry leaders.

Strategy is simply what you and your team will do in fulfillment of your mission. It’s the path from where you are to where you believe God is leading you.

Building on this pathway metaphor, strategy has several elements:

  • A destination: Where are you heading? For congregations, what does scripture describe as the work of the church, and what outcomes should you expect?

  • A beginning point: Where are you now? What do you understand about the current state of the church in relation to what scripture says the church should be?

  • A route: Where will you go to get there? What steps should the church take in order to move toward the destination?

  • A team: Who will do what? The church is a corporate entity, described by Paul as “the body of Christ.” So who will fill what functions so the body goes where it needs to go?

  • A supply: What resources do you need to support the journey, and where will they come from?

Anyone who has completed anything has processed these points. Jesus certainly did. His destination was the redemption of a people for the Father’s glory. Though He is eternal, we might define the fall as a beginning point. His route led him through the cross, resurrection, and His offer of salvation. His team included the apostles, and now includes you. His supply included the scriptures, the Father at work through Him, and the resources supporting He and the disciples.

My point: Strategy is not a four-letter word. It’s a clear understanding of the path your church will follow in fulfillment of God’s will. It’s spiritual. It’s about obedience to Him. Never ignore it. He who knows not where he is going seldom ends up where he needs to be.

For a great post on the relationship between strategy and vision, read this recent blog entry by Sam Rainer.

Blessings,

Bro. Jim

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Senior Adults, We Need You!

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Senior Adults, We Need You!

Through all my adult life I’ve been blessed by a number of godly, senior adults. Most were respected leaders in the churches I’d served. Many were members who appreciated the ministry Karen and I shared with them. All were dear friends whose prayers and encouragement the Lord used to fuel our service to His glory.

While I have always appreciated our elder saints, as I get closer myself to wearing the title “senior adult”, I have learned a few things.

Some older Christians have concerns the world has passed them by and they no longer have a role to play in the community or their church. Others believe they have done their part, and now is their time to reap the benefits as they enjoy their “golden years.” Still others feel tired and, though they see multiple needs around them, believe they have little energy to give.

Some time ago, these were young adults, most raising families. Churches would order entire ministries providing an environment through which they and their children would receive the gospel and grow in their faith. Today, as many churches strive to reach younger generations they have either lost or missed, some of our elders are unsure where they fit. Others worship with churches almost exclusively comprised of their peers, with few younger Christians to carry ministry forward. They wonder how many days their church has remaining.

Now, I can’t answer this last question. I can say that, through the GTBN, we are developing a framework for bringing the strength of our stronger congregations to help. And I can tell you that any idea that our senior adults are not needed is balderdash (youngsters, look it up).

Senior adults, we, as in your church and our family of churches, need you! We need your wisdom. We need your prayers. We need your availability. Many of you have more flexible schedules than those still in the workforce. We need your stability, and your mentoring, especially for persons new to the faith. And yes, we need your willingness to yield some personal preferences when those changes might help us reach people we’re not reaching. And we need your support, when others struggle with these changes.

And we need you as examples of a missionary spirit. I read in scripture this morning Psalm 71:18, where an elder psalmist wrote, “So even to old age and grey hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.” While he prays for many things, our writer’s concern is to declare the mighty glory of the Lord to the next generation. May this be true of all of us.

So, senior adults, do not for a moment think your time has passed. We need you more than ever. And younger folks, let’s appreciate our elders and bring them with us as we share Christ with this generation.

Bro. Jim

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A Busy Summer and Fall Is Approaching

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A Busy Summer and Fall Is Approaching

It’s been a while since I’ve written, almost a month. Returning from the SBC annual meeting, I ran straight into final preparation for Purpose Week (the GTBN Youth Camp) followed by the camp itself last week. But the work was well worth the effort, as the Lord’s hand was with us and 17 teens professed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, with 33 expressing their renewed commitment to follow Him wholeheartedly. Twelve students believe the Lord is calling them to an area of Christian ministry. Please pray for these students.

This is just one example of the fruit born through our cooperative ministry. Add to this the many other camps GTBN churches joined in, the resumption of mission trips and Vacation Bible Schools, this is definitely a busy but fruitful summer.

And fall is just around the corner. At the Network level, there’s a full agenda. Leadership luncheons resume in August. We’re working to finalize a GTBN mission trip for the fall. Progress continues toward replanting a bilingual congregation in Beaumont. On October 2, churches across GTBN will partner with the Bill Glass Behind the Walls ministry, serving corrections officers. And our special guest for the GTBN Annual Meeting, October 17, is Mark Clifton, Senior Director for Replanting and Rural Strategy with the North American Mission Board.

Aside from this, the Network continues coaching several pastor search teams and ministry leaders, supporting ministry in Belize and Haifa, Israel, and fostering church-to-church partnerships for strengthening churches across SETX.

I share this snapshot of our ministry as a reminder that God is working through our partnership. Thank you for your prayers, your participation, and your gifts that make possible the ministry we share. And know how grateful I am to serve beside you as we elevate Jesus Christ across SETX and around the world.

Bro. Jim

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My Thoughts About the Upcoming SBC Meeting

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My Thoughts About the Upcoming SBC Meeting

In less than a week, many from SETX will join Southern Baptists from across North America in Nashville for the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting. Unlike most convention meetings, where interested persons had only a few months to express concerns, thanks to the COVID pandemic Southern Baptists have had two years to vent their frustrations, and even anger, over one or more aspects of SBC ministry. At times the rhetoric has been as shrill as anything heard in our recent elections, leading many to question how the SBC family can remain intact.

I pray that we do. I am a Christian through the faithful witness of a Southern Baptist church. My call to ministry came while a student at an SBC related university, with my ministry largely shaped by the godly professors and fellow students at two SBC seminaries. Service as a missionary with the North American Mission Board and later two Baptist associations carried me across the country, providing a birds eye view of SBC missions. I realize that other means exist for resourcing congregations and cooperative ministries, but I’ve not seen any that maintain the commitments both to core doctrines and global mission like the Southern Baptist Convention on our best days.

But these are not our best days. Southern Baptists, or at least those with a social media audience, are divided along multiple issues. I’ll not rehash them here. Trevin Wax has written an excellent description of the underlying questions. And you can read the priorities of announced candidates for the SBC presidency here. The issues are important, with well established constituencies making their case for how you should vote next week, and what your church should do depending on the outcome.

As you ponder how your church relates to convention, please consider these points.

First, there is much to rejoice about within the SBC ministries. Critical social media dominates the newsfeed, but if you look for it you will find incredible testimonies of church planters and missionaries across North America and around the world. Though it took a while, the Replant efforts from NAMB, together with state convention and associational partners, has brought more engagement with struggling congregations than ever before. We’re finally asking the right questions. And the young pastors and missionaries I meet are driven by a love for the Lord grounded in God’s inerrant word and deep theology. In fact, much about them frustrating to those of an older generation emerges from their faithfulness to God’s word in today’s cultural environment.

Don’t believe me? Whether you go to Nashville or view the livestream, listen to the IMB and NAMB reports. Attend the IMB sending celebration. Hear the seminary presidents. And if you make it to Nashville, take time for meaningful conversations with your missionaries at the NAMB and IMB exhibits. Don’t just vote for the officers and resolutions and then go fellowship in the hall.

Second, while we have legitimate matters for concern, there is nothing before us that people of God cannot work through in a godly manner. I doubt we will resolve these during a two-day meeting to anyone’s satisfaction. But if we remember we are dealing with fellow Christians who share our convictions on most points and we take the time to listen to one another as we seek the Lord, the SBC can emerge from this well prepared for fruitful ministry.

Finally, let’s remember that we are all sinners saved by grace, who continue wrestling with sin even as we serve the Lord. Through 35 years in ministry, the Lord has allowed me access to many SBC leaders. Every one was gospel focused and well intended. But they were all sinners, with the occasional word or deed that would hurt rather than help our witness. Ok, a few more than occasional. But I can say that about myself too, as can you. Here’s my point: By God’s grace He has taken these broken, flawed Baptists and worked through them to raise generations of ministers and missionaries, to share the gospel among peoples who had never before heard, and to raise a generation of disciples poised to elevate Him in this increasingly secular world.

We should always insist on leaders with the highest spiritual and moral integrity, even as we pursue it ourselves. But when the leaders fail, it’s not time to bail out of the partnership. It’s time for accountability, a return to God’s standard, and continued obedience to Him.

If the SBC vanished today, God’s mission would continue unimpeded. He doesn’t need us. But I believe He has given us in scripture a mandate to cooperate, and as far as I can see, the SBC remains the best platform before us by which to do so.

May the Lord reveal Himself in Nashville, that our partnership will be bound more closely together to the praise of His Name.

Bro. Jim

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The Mandate to Cooperate

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The Mandate to Cooperate

Message to the Golden Triangle Baptist Network

Oct. 13: 2019

Dr. Jim Turnbo, Executive Director

Text: Romans 15:22-29

Thesis: Our partnership in ministry is a contemporary manifestation of the biblical pattern for New Testament ministry.

 Open your Bibles this evening to the book of Romans chapter 15, beginning with verse 22.

 I am grateful for the privilege of serving as the missionary for this family of churches we call Golden Triangle Baptist Network. One hundred churches reaching across six counties in southeast Texas, bound together by a series of Biblical convictions we call Baptist and a firm commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Some of us are bigger, some not; some in this convention, some that. We have Orange County, and Jefferson – and East Chambers, with a couple each in Newton, Hardin and Galveston counties as well. We have rural, urban, and multiple ethnicities, diverse life experience, and somewhat different theological perspectives.

And with diversity comes a mountain of issues about which we might disagree. But at the end of the day, we stand together because we love our Lord Jesus Christ and, despite the differences, for the gospel’s sake we’re better together.

This is what I’d like us to focus on this evening. I realize that, due to a variety of issues, relations among a group like ours can become strained. Give me enough time and I’ll offend you (I know my mouth), and you me.

But our mandate to cooperate is greater than this. When the precursor to GTBN was founded in 1888, it wasn’t because a group of preachers said “Let’s start an association.” It wasn’t for just convenience. It wasn’t even solely to advance the gospel. They were engaging in a pattern of ministry as old as the Old Testament itself. As we do today.

One of the clearest examples of this pattern in scripture is in Romans 15.

Paul here is closing out his Roman letter, his deep treatment on the gospel, written to a church that he had neither started nor yet visited. The church was likely started by unknown Christians, sometime between Pentecost and Paul’s missionary journeys. But with his rising status as an apostle to the Gentiles, and several friends of his now residing in Rome, there’s a likely expectation that Paul would have visited them before now.

So in Rom. 15:19-20, he explains how his prime calling, his ambition the text says – is “to preach the gospel, not where Christ had already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation”.

In vs. 19 he says, “I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum.” In other words, he’d planted the gospel in all untouched areas in this part of the world.

And so he says, beginning in vs. 22 (read though vs. 29).

Paul says, “I haven’t visited because I’ve been busy taking the gospel to the untouched territories. But now that mission’s done. Now I can visit you.”

But he says, “When I visit, it’s so can join me as I carry the gospel to Spain, the next untouched field on the map.” Paul the missionary is connecting the Roman church – that he didn’t start – to his missionary task.

But then he says, “Before this, I am going to Jerusalem with a gift for the poverty-stricken saints there, given by churches in Macedonia and Achaia.”

Now, I realize this is a descriptive, not prescriptive text. But it’s descriptive of a pattern apparent throughout the New Testament.

Local churches, independent and autonomous, are nevertheless interconnect by a common faith and a common mission.

Review the book of Acts. The church starts at Pentecost. When Stephen is stoned, Jewish Christians spread the gospel as they flee Jerusalem. Some reach Antioch, where they evangelize Gentiles. The Jerusalem church sends Barnabas to check it out. He fetches Paul. In a year, Paul and Barnabas launch their mission. When concern arose about doctrine in the Gentile churches, the Jerusalem council met. When word of famine and poverty in Jerusalem reached Paul, he encouraged the Gentile churches to receive an offering for them. And now, he enlists the Christians of Rome to join his mission to Spain.

This is the pattern. New Testament congregations were not isolated from one another. And they had their differences. They were certainly not uniform (Rom. 14). But they shared a commitment to stand on particular doctrinal convictions, the expansion of the gospel witness, and a stake in one another’s ministry.

And our partnership, GTBN, is a contemporary manifestation of this pattern. We’re not perfect, but when we work together, it’s because we seek to follow the New Testament pattern for missionary cooperation.

With this said, notice two purposes illustrated by Paul for this partnership.

1. The first is expansion of the gospel.

Vs. 24, “I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.”

- Paul reaches out to the Romans so they can join in his effort to spread the gospel, especially to places where it has yet to be preached. Some scholars believe this is a driving motivation behind the letter, assuring they are firm on the fundamental truths of the gospel as they join in his mission. But the gospel is a foundational purpose for cooperation.

And this is certainly true for us. We have churches in GTBN whose particulars fall across the Southern Baptist spectrum, but we’re united in a commitment to spread the clear gospel of Jesus to those who haven’t heard or have not believed!

- This is what the PLAN is all about. You need to know that PLAN is not simply a cute acronym cooked up around our conference table by a few guys. It’s a reflection of our commitment to cooperative missions.

- In terms of gospel expansion we see this in the P and N. The P is for church planting, starting new congregations.

- Now somebody asked me recently, why with 100+ churches in GTBN, do we need to plant new churches. “Shouldn’t we help our struggling churches?”

- And the answer is yes, we should help our struggling churches. But it is not an either / or proposition. Our area is expected to grow by about 40% between now and 2050. Most of this growth will be people of different cultural backgrounds than make up most of our churches. And let’s be honest, most of our churches serve best those with some church or Baptist background. People with absolutely no church experience have trouble connecting with them. That’s why new churches are teeming with young people.

- I’ve run some numbers. On any given Sunday only 1.6 percent of a population in our region of over 430,000 people attend any of our churches, 7200 based on your ACP reporting. We have maybe 3 times as many seats. If in ten years we tripled our combined attendance, there would still be more unchurched people in the Golden Triangle than we have total population today. So, if take the gospel seriously, we must plant new congregations.

- (Opposition to new church in Thoreau…)

- My prayer is that we would put peripheral matters aside, work through significant maters in love and godliness, and join to saturate the Golden Triangle and with disciple making churches, so every person of every culture in every place has every opportunity to become a Christ follower.

But then there’s the N in PLAN, for Networking. And this speaks to how we help churches partner across the region and around the world, so that we have a hands-on role God’s mission beyond our home.

- It’s been a joy getting to know the pastors we partner with in Belize, Charles, Ustaquio, Job, and the others. They are growing disciples in their villages and planting new churches, in part through the equipping we provide, and the missionary we support. All of this to follow the Biblical pattern of working together to spread the gospel.

2. The Second Purpose for Partnership is the Welfare of the Churches.

- Vs. 25-27: “At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.”

- Catch what Paul says. “Before we go to Spain, I must visit Jerusalem. The mission churches out in Macedonia and Achaia have taken an offering. They have benefitted by the Jerusalem church, the first recipients of the gospel, from whom all gospel witness originated. Now, they owe them an opportunity to serve them in return.

- There is an obligation. We always think of the sending church taking offerings for the mission church. I love what you have here, the mission churches helping out the sending church. But there’s a partnership, a concern for the welfare of people and churches that are not your own.

At GTBN we exemplify this commitment through the L and A in our PLAN.

- L is for Leadership, our investment in pastors, staff, lay leaders. John Maxwell is right, everything rises and falls with leadership. Churches are only as strong as those who shepherd them. So we want to encourage, strengthen, and develop a pipeline of new ministry leasers.

- A is for awakening, our spin on church revitalization (PLRN just doesn’t flow from the tongue the way PLAN does. But it is our willingness to work together, to pick up a sister church when they are down, and help them return to the ministry God called them to be. There is a lot of this happening right now in response to TD Imelda.

- And again, we do this nor as a matter of convenience or preference. It’s our effort to follow the New Testament pattern.

Conclusion:

I’ll be honest. The advance of God’s work does not depend on the Golden Triangle Baptist Network. If we go away, He’ll raise others to fill this role.

- But we’re here, together, now. I know in the past relationships have been strained. Still, I believe we need each other. I believe our witness is stronger, and our ministries healthier because we encourage, influence, support, and yes, even challenge one another.

- Going forward we’re going do a few things differently. We hope to move our of our building and into borrowed space, lowering overhead costs and feeing funds to invest in ministry. We’re going to invest the savings, at this point in time, on connecting with underserved groups within GTBN, especially our ethnic, non-English, and bivocational churches. We need to give them a reason to engage. We’re going to serve one another through the Network. Jason Burden told me in an early visit that we have talented leaders within our churches to address any need. I think he’s right.

- And as we strengthen the fellowship, we’ll continue to seek God together to see how we together invest in His kingdom work.

- We are better together. Join me, that this will be more than a hash tag, but a reality.

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MileIQ | Teaching Technoid Reviews

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MileIQ | Teaching Technoid Reviews

Guest post by Jon Brinlee

If you are anything like me, you are looking for anything to help with managing your finances. In both your personal expenses and your ministry expenses. There are a couple of great apps that can help you manage these things. Some require a subscription, while some are free.

First of all, let's talk about tracking your miles. The most obvious and probably the most used app for tracking mileage is MileIQ. Created by mobile Data Labs Inc., MileIQ does a great Job tracking your miles. Once downloaded and opened you will be prompted to create an account. Then you will need to enable location tracking, this is how the app works. Once you finish, and after you drive a half mile the app will record it as a drive.

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

When a drive is complete you will need to classify the drive as personal or business. By swiping to the right you are classifying the drive as business. It will record the mileage, then it will give you the potential cost of that drive, based upon current mileage standards. You get 40 drives for free. Anything over 40 drives requires a subscription. The subscription is $5.99/mo or $59.99/yr. This is a great app and many of our pastors use it to track their mileage.

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.


Other mileage trackers include Everlance, Mileage Tracker by Drivers, TripLog, Stride, and Quickbooks Self-Employed. Most of these have in-app purchases, meaning for the whole experience you will have to pay something. All of these apps are available on both Apple and Android devices. Next time we will discuss tracking your expenses.

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

The Teaching Technoid is a series by guest writer Jon Brinlee. If you would like to suggest an app for review or if you have any questions about this or any other app you can email him at ja4slovenia@gmail.com.

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