Now that budget season is well behind us, Iโm taking a little time to reflect on the budget process in my current church. It can be challenging to anticipate how an entire year will unfold, much less try to do so months before that year even begins. We all know too well that things can change very quickly (yepโฆIโm still thinking about the impact of Covid among other things) and in ways that simply cannot be anticipated.
As we approach the end of 2024, I’m excited to share some of the highlights from the second half of this eventful year. Despite intentionally stepping back from writing during the latter half of the year, there have been several joyous occasions and significant changes in our family’s life that I’d like to celebrate with you.
Letโs face it, people donโt always agree with us. Thatโs a fact of life my parents taught me growing up. Even later, in the different facets of my career, from large multinational corporations to local small businesses, my dad and I would talk about those sorts of relationships. With Fatherโs Day having just passed, heโs been on my mind (like just about everyone else!), and I’ve been missing him since 2020.
A few days ago I shared across my social media accounts that I have concluded my role as Executive Pastor at Flat Creek Baptist Church. It was not an easy decision, but one we believe aligns with Godโs will for our lives and the church.
In a world that seems to be evolving at an ever-accelerating pace, Southern Baptist churches face their own unique set of challenges as we look ahead to the next two decades. As believers, it is essential to approach these challenges with a positive and thoughtful mindset, fueled by a steadfast commitment to the gospel and an unwavering trust in the providence of God.
Every year, the SBC holds an annual meeting in different places around the country where members gather to worship, conduct business, and make important decisions about the future of our network of churches. This year’s meeting will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, and there are many compelling reasons why you should attend. Here are four reasons I think you should consider attending the Southern Baptist Convention in New Orleans
Transitions can be both exciting and challenging, especially when it comes to moving from one ministry to another. It can be an emotional time as you say goodbye to the people and work that you have been invested in, and prepare to move on to new challenges and opportunities. I understand both aspects of this firsthand, having begun a new ministry on January 1st of this year.
As a committed Southern Baptist, I believe that the Cooperative Program is one of the most significant and effective means of supporting our churches and ministries. The Cooperative Program is our unified giving program that enables Southern Baptist churches to come together in support of missions and ministries nationally and globally.
Since announcing we were entering a time of transition, our family has received hundreds and hundreds of phone calls (yepโฆ still a thing!), emails, text messages, and encouraging words across a variety of social media platforms, all wishing us well.
There is so much I have learned these last four years that I could write pages and pages about. I could share about all of the training I received in seminary and how I have been able to apply it over that time. I could also write about the things I wished I had learned in seminary that I have had to learn along the way.