The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 9,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 3 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
Disclaimer: The thoughts, beliefs, and conclusions drawn belong solely to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Port Royal Baptist Church.
This is the second in a series of posts relating to what I believe are the contributing factors to the current decline and future demise of the Baptist association. The first two factors were:
1. Failure to properly train leaders.
2. The choice of pastors/church leaders to be involved in networks as opposed to associations.
3. Inability to effectively assist member churches in navigating the changing culture. The New Testament church is on the front line of ministry, not the Baptist association, or the state conventions for that matter. This may sound a bit strong and even offensive to some. Associations are made up of local churches from which leadership and funding is drawn. Local churches make up the state and national conventions from which leadership and funding is drawn. Our mission boards are made up of missionaries who were called out of and have a relationship with a local church. Funding to keep them on the field comes from local churches that give generously and consistently. Because the local church comes first, associations would not exist without it. It is my belief that the Baptist association exists to assist its member churches with their ministry and not engage in ministry on their behalf. This is the lens that I view everything through.
As the cultural landscape is changing and the church is routinely faced with difficult and problematic scenarios within areas such as traditional marriage, right to life issues, building and constructions needs, child protection, religious liberty, and legal considerations (bylaws, property, human resources, etc.) I believe this is an area where the association can get out front and be of greater assistance. More often than not churches with concerns and needs within these areas are referred to the state convention or other agencies. To be fair, it would be impossible for an association with limited staff and resources to anticipate every need of every member church. I get that. However, if a church feels as if they are on their own when it comes to these challenges in ministry, the association becomes less and less of a priority. The days of “call us if you need us” are long gone. Let me share at least two questions that are not being asked by associational leadership, in my experiences.
1. “What challenges are you facing for the first time as a local church that are the result of a cultural shift?”
2. “How can we walk with you through it?”
4. Duplication of resources. As I mentioned in the previous post in this series, the Baptist association is made up of ministry departments such as Youth Ministry, Men’s Ministry, Women’s Ministry, WMU, Sunday School, Discipleship Training, Stewardship, Pastoral Ministries, VBS. and others. Baptist state conventions have similar departments within their structure as well. As the pastor of a church who is member church of an association and a state convention, I receive a great deal of information and publications twice. Everything I have access to at the associational level I also have access to at the state level. I believe this will grow to be more problematic for the association as time goes on. Churches will begin, if they have not done so already, asking questions such as this one: “If there are resources that I can only find at the state level, and everything I can find at the association can also be found at the state, why not skip the association?” I believe this is a fair question. To be honest, when I am in need or training and assistance, I prefer the state convention. Why? Well, there is a possibility that I may be referred there anyway and we can be resourced faster at the state level. As more and more leadership, training aids, and resources are made available to the churches from the state convention, the Baptist association will find itself in the position of an awkward middleman. This is an unintended consequence of the state convention’s work. I am not sure how the Baptist associations can reverse this trend and become the first choice of its member churches.
Today is Christmas. It is a day of birth. The gospel writer Luke speaks of it. “10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” This is very important. It marks the entry into this world the One whom the prophets of old had spoken. It marks the entry into this world the One who would lay aside all claims of royalty and live as a servant to all. It marks the entry into this world the One who would make the journey from the manger to the cross securing for fallen man his redemption and forgiveness. This is reason to celebrate. If no Christmas, there is no Easter. If no Easter, there is no hope. It is no secret that this is my favorite time of the year. I look forward to this season more than any other. This season brings with it a sense of amazement and child-like wonder. The carols, family gatherings, gift giving, and the sense of good will on behalf of and toward our fellow man only add to the enjoyment of the true reason for this season. To God I am thankful for this day of birth for it brings a reason to believe and One in whom to believe.
Today is a day of death as well. I lost my dad on December 25th, 2012 after a brief six-month battle with lung cancer. It still doesn’t seem real. I remember the events of that day clearly. We were spending Christmas vacation with Terri’s parents in Tallahassee, Florida. Dad was in a nursing home in Tifton, Georgia, about two hours away. We had seen him the day before and knew his conditioning was worsening quickly. We received a call from my step-mother around 6:00am that if we wanted to see him we needed to do so. We made the trip to Tifton. The Hospice nurse was in the room and shared with us what we could expect over the next few hours. I have sat with many, many families as the same information was shared. I must admit, it was very different being on the other side of the conversation. I had the privilege of being in the room alone with my dad when he took his last breath. To have been there to do so, I am very thankful.
My relationship with my dad was better the last ten years than it was the previous thirty. As I shared at his funeral, my dad battled many personal demons that at time led to turmoil and distance. My dad was a Christian. He came to know the Jesus as his Savior through a faith-based alcohol treatment program at the rescue mission where he was living. For this I am thankful. I miss my dad terribly. There are many things I would love to share with him. I would give anything to be able to join him at the Waffle House (his favorite restaurant) and talk over a cup of coffee. One day. Two profound events. Countless emotions. I am thankful that the baby born in the manger is now the Prince of Peace. More than ever, the words of Isaiah 26:3 ring true, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You. Because he trusts in You”.
My first pastor, Lamar Anderson, whom I was called to the ministry under used to say, “It is a sorry frog that won’t croak over his own pond”. So, let me croak. At Port Royal Baptist Church we place a high priority on community ministry and missions. The reason: God’s Word teaches that we are to care for and serve others in the name of Jesus Christ. I must say that our people take seriously the missions mandate given to the local New Testament church. They are compassionate, generous, and caring. When presented with a ministry opportunity, they always rise to the occasion. I have at times challenged our people to invest more in current ministries and add new. I have never been disappointed and our community has been the beneficiary of their love and care. I appreciate Port Royal Baptist Church greatly for placing such a high priority on the care of our community. Your commitment to minister to all people, regardless of their race and economic background, surpasses any place I have ever been a part of.
We have had a full and fulfilling year in 2013. We have been able to touch our community in many, many ways. From mentoring elementary school children to assisting families with staying in their home, we put them first. From helping a sister church minister to migrant workers in VBS to serving lunch to state park workers just to say thank you, we put them first. From assisting families provide Christmas gifts for their children to food baskets for nourishing meals at Thanksgiving and Christmas, we put them first. From community improvement projects to giving out free cold water in the summer, we put them first. From giving and going to meet the needs of those in the mountains of Kentucky to giving the most basic needs such as laundry detergent to our partner apartment complex. We have used these opportunities, along with others, not to make our name known, but to foster relationships and build bridges for gospel conversations. Through all of this, I have learned two lessons this year that I would like to share with you here.
Lesson #1. Be Open. You must be willing to be taken advantage of in order to reach your community. I have often shared with our people that we must give to our community with no expectation of return. Many find this troubling. There are those who believe that everyone we help during the week should be in church with us on Sunday. That would be nice. The hard truth is that most of those we serve in our community will not attend Port Royal Baptist for one reason or another. What really matter is the opportunity to minister to them where they are. If our willingness to serve is taken advantage of, so be it. In the course of this year’s ministry opportunities, has our giving been taken advantage of? I know it has. In the course of this year’s ministry opportunities, have we suffered offense through the actions and responses of those we were helping? Absolutely. In the end, I have learned that we are only responsible for why we do ministry. If we give and serve with the sole motive of being obedient to Christ and a blessing to our community, we have nothing to worry about. The possibility that we may be taken advantage of is real, but it should not stop us from serving our community.
Lesson #2: Be Intentional. You must plan and prepare. Life-changing ministry doesn’t “just happen”. I am proud to say that our missions and ministries leaders see the value of being prepared. Some ministry opportunities require very little planning while other opportunities require a great deal of planning. Nothing could be more counterproductive than to arrive at a ministry site and not have the food, the supplies, the craft, the gift, the lesson that is needed to be a blessing. Being prepared shows the community we care. Being prepared shows the community that we have thought about them in advance. As I said earlier, our ministry calendar was very full this past year and I expect it to be the same this coming year. I have learned that without planning we would be far less effective than we were. I am so thankful that our people are opposed to flying by the seat of their pants. I am a firm believer in the old adage that says “when you fail to plan you are planning to fail”.
Disclaimer: The thoughts, beliefs, and conclusions drawn belong solely to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Port Royal Baptist Church.
Lately I have been giving serious thought to the work and ministry of the local Baptist association. Three years ago I wrote about the purpose, challenges facing, and future of the Baptist association. You can read my thoughts here, here, and here. So why write about it again you may ask. Have my thoughts and opinions changed? No. The reason for writing: Good or bad, the Baptist association is part of our church’s life. What it does or does not do effects us. We choose to willingly cooperate with a group of like-minded churches tethered by similar and agreed upon doctrinal standards. Member churches are asked to support the association’s work through financial revenue and manpower. It is important to me that our investments be utilized for the greatest good possible. I am not anti-association. However, I do believe the Baptist association has a major uphill battle before it.
I have been in the gospel ministry for fifteen years and have been part of four associations in two different states. During this time I have served in leadership roles at different times and in different capacities. This participation has led me to a position of belief. Simply, the importance and significance of the Baptist association is in decline and if no correction is made, will one day cease to exist in its current form. Over the next three posts, I will share what I believe are the (7) factors that are contributing to the current decline, and future demise, of the Baptist association.
1. Failure to properly train leaders. John Maxwell is credited with the words, “everything rises and falls on leadership”. This statement is true whether leadership the offered is secular or spiritual. Most associations have a similar structure which consists of departments (ministries) such as Men’s Ministry, Women’s Ministry, WMU, Youth Ministry, Evangelism, etc. Directors of these ministries make sure that their respective ministries are planned, promoted, and carried out. At times however, there is a breakdown in ensuring proper leadership training takes place. In my experiences, I have observed a two-fold failure in this area.
First, associational leadership has failed to train the department leaders. Often, leaders are elected to a position and then left to figure out for themselves what their duties and responsibilities are. How can a department leader train and equip leaders from the member churches if they have not been properly trained themselves? What happens in this case is that leaders either create their own way to carry out their jobs or thy settle into that safe place of tradition. Second, department leaders have failed to provide and ensure training for those within their own department. There are a number of departments within associational life that are tiered based on age-related or ministry-specific needs (Sunday School, Discipleship Training, WMU, etc). Enlisting people to serve without proper training leads to frustration, embarrassment, and a reluctance to serve in the future. I could only speculate as to why leaders are not training leaders. I do know that training is available so the issue has to lie somewhere else. If the next generation of ministry leaders are not prepared and trained for service, the Baptist association will be ill-prepared to face the ministry challenges of the future.
2. The choice of pastors/church leaders to be involved in networks as opposed to associations. Traditionally, Baptist associations are defined and determined by rigid geographical boundaries such as city limits, counties, and townships. As a result, pastors/church leaders become part of the association because the church they serve is a member of that association. Some pastors/church leaders find that within that association of churches there are differing theological preferences. Over the past couple of years, networks have begun to offer a different means of communication and fellowship. Pastors/church leaders are connecting with other like-minded leaders not based on a geographical location. Instead, they are connecting based on passion, theological interpretation, and ministry practice. Within these networks there is something tribal about the loyalty given to the leader. Consider this example. A pastor whose church is a member of a Baptist association and is reformed in his theology and influenced by the teachings of John Piper and J.I. Packer may choose to network with other like-minded pastors whether they are Methodist, Church of God, or Presbyterian. In the years to come, I believe that more and more pastors/church leaders will prefer networks over associations. It is here that they will be able to enjoy the freedom of collaborating with those they most closely identify with without the baggage that comes with the Baptist association.
As a pastor, the ministry to which the bulk of my time is devoted is the preaching/teaching ministry. My goal is to share a God’s Word in a relevant and interesting way. However, this is not my only ministry. With time being so valuable, it is important to have good resources in place to aid in the research, preparation, and delivery of a sermon. I am always on the look-out for inspiration and help that would allow me to better do what I have been called to do. One such resource is Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook, Volume 3, edited by Dr. O.S. Hawkins, former pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas and President of Guidestone Financial Resources. Dr. Hawkins pulls together outlines, examples, and advice from many of today’s well-known preachers, seminary professors/presidents, and Bible scholars in a beautiful collaborative work. Contributors to the book are:
Daniel L. Aiken, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Mark L. Bailey, President and Professor of Biblical Exposition at Dallas Theological Seminary
Matt Carter, Pastor of Preaching and Vision, Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, TX
Steve Dighton, Senior Pastor, Lenexa Baptist Church in Lenexa, KS
David Epstein, Senior Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, New York, NY
JD Greear, PhD, Lead Pastor, The Summit Church
Jeff Iorg, President, Golden Gate Seminary, Mill Valley, CA
James MacDonald, Senior Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago, IL
Adrian Rogers, Pastor Emeritus, Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, TN
K. Marshall Williams, Pastor, Nazarene Baptist Church in Philadelphia, PA
Jim Henry, Pastor Emeritus at First Baptist Church, Orlando, FL
I was hesitant to pick up this book. Because it contains sermon outlines, I was not sure what kind of message it may send. Dr. Hawkins states in the beginning how this book should be used. He writes, “It is not designed as an ‘easy fix’ for late Saturday night sermon preparation. Rather, it is a sourcebook designed to lay alongside all your other tools of word studies, exegesis, commentaries, prayer and analytical thought that goes into a fully developed and crafted sermon.” This sourcebook also contains a DVD with all the notes and outlines that are printed inside. Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook is about 600 pages long and contains far more material than can be used in a single year. At the end of the book, Dr. Hawkins has included sample forms and suggested further reading in the form of essays. As he does every year, Dr. Hawkins has put out a great work that will be asset to preacher and other ministry leaders. A word of caution is due here. At one time in my life, I worked for a construction contractor. He had one simple rule which he was passionate about. His rule was that tools were to be used for their intended purpose only. Those who utilize this book should take great care that is serves as a means of inspiration and does not become a liability which brings reproach upon the preacher or the church which he serves. Great work. I will be looking forward to volume four.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
“…if the death of Christ on the cross is the true meaning of the Incarnation, then there is no gospel without the cross. Christmas by itself is no gospel. The life of Christ is no gospel. Even the resurrection, important as it is in the total scheme of things, is no gospel by itself. For the good news is not just that God became man, nor that God has spoken to reveal a proper way of life for us, or even that death, the great enemy, is conquered. Rather, the good news is that sin has been dealt with (of which the resurrection is a proof); that Jesus has suffered its penalty for us as our representative, so that we might never have to suffer it; and that therefore all who believe in him can look forward to heaven. …Emulation of Christ’s life and teaching is possible only to those who enter into a new relationship with God through faith in Jesus as their substitute. The resurrection is not merely a victory over death (though it is that) but a proof that the atonement was a satisfactory atonement in the sight of the Father; and that death, the result of sin, is abolished on that basis.
Any gospel that talks merely of the Christ-event, meaning the Incarnation without the atonement, is a false gospel. Any gospel that talks about the love of God without pointing out that his love led him to pay the ultimate price for sin in the person of his Son on the cross is a false gospel. The only true gospel is of the ‘one mediator’, who gave himself for us.”
James Montgomery Boice
The Road Less Traveled 