Now that budget season is well behind us, I’m 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 (yep…I’m still thinking about the impact of Covid among other things) and in ways that simply cannot be anticipated.
People close to me know I spent the first four months of 2024 serving with a remarkable ministry called Frontline Policy helping with what I certainly hope is the first annual Run 2 Win Conference. Frontline Policy is two distinct organizations: Frontline Policy Action is a 501(c)4 dedicated to forging public policy and electing champions for conservative family values (if you know me, you know that’s my heart). Frontline Policy Council is a 501(c)3 dedicated to educating and equipping Christians to engage in the political sphere. Though two distinctly different entities, both work towards a common goal of glorifying God in the public sphere.
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.
Friends, the state convention is more than just a meeting. It is a powerful gathering where God’s Word is proclaimed, hearts are encouraged, and souls are stirred to action. It is an opportunity to embrace the biblical vision of unity, collaboration, and discipleship. This is a moment for us to stand together and affirm our commitment to the inerrancy of Scripture, the preaching of the gospel, and the winning the lost across Georgia.
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.
Just what am I going on about you might ask? I’m talking about saying “yes” to God and seeing where He may choose to send me to be hands and feet. I know that sounds a little vague and probably a bit “super spiritual’ but when it comes down to it, that really is what I’m going on about. I suppose a bit more explanation is in order.
itial thoughts about what had taken place at the convention midway through and expressed my plan to provide a more thorough overview once our team returned to Valdosta. In fact, I had begun gathering my thoughts on the convention but then my plans changed.
I had thought I would be writing about ministries resuming, in-person gatherings growing, the 2020 election campaigns behind us, and the end of the global pandemic in sight. I still want to write on those topics but I have paused any writing I might do so that I might process the events of January 6, 2021, in Washington DC, the hurried events that followed, and the revelations about famed apologist Ravi Zacharias.
Goodness gracious! Like so many people literally around the world, I thought 2020 lingered far longer than was welcome. This…
Resuming on-campus worship on Sunday morning was just the first step in our plan to slowly transition back to a normal schedule. Sunday will mark our fourth week of on-campus worship services. The last three weeks have gone very smoothly and we anticipate that to continue to be the case as we transition into the next phase of our reopening plan. I strongly believe one of the key reasons for that is part of our plan from the beginning included communication. There are four key groups we knew we needed to have clear communication with.
If there is someone who wants to resume on-campus worship services more than our team, I don’t know him! Seriously, since our church last met on March 15th for worship, we have been closely following the guidance of our local, state, and national leaders working hard to keep the members of our congregation safe.
Those are fun discussions, but there was a different question that inspired this post. That question: why do I blog? It’s a good question and one I have actually given a considerable bit of thought to!
You’re probably hearing a lot of people saying something similar to what I am hearing: where did this year go? As the years pass by, they do seem to do so more quickly than I remember as a child or even as a young adult. With the year coming to a close in a few short weeks, I have been reflecting on all God has allowed me to be a part of and the ways in which He has blessed me and my family. Believe me, it’s a lot!
The Georgia Baptist Convention was earlier this week and as I expected it flew by. Any discussion of this year’s meeting that neglects to praise the folks at New Hope Baptist Church for the amazing job they did hosting us this year is simply incomplete. They are blessed with great facilities and amazing volunteers that represented their church and the Lord Jesus Christ so well as they served Georgia Baptists. Thank you!
I hear it all the time: “I’m not a numbers person!” Sometimes someone will say something like, “I sure am glad you’re the numbers guy and not me.” The truth is I am a numbers guy and I love me a spreadsheet where I can track a lot of different, complex things and put together a simple report that helps us see what’s happening in our ministry. To do that, I track a lot of different metrics.
If you are looking for practical training for just about any ministry in your church, you’ll find it at GO Georgia! It is a total church leadership equipping event that helps in more way than you might think.
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