Ventures of Young Pastors Do you remember being hired for your

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1 J U N / J u l GeorgiaVisions Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of the pastor s Sounding Board Here is the nineteenth in a series of articles called The Pastor s Sounding Board. This series gives you a chance to hear from senior pastors of CBF/GA. Jonathan Barlow, pastor of Royston Baptist Church in Royston, is the writer for this issue. A sounding board is a structure over a pulpit or rostrum to give distinctness to a speaker s voice. In these articles, we expect to hear about some of the best practices occurring in our churches, and we hope to hear some of the best thoughts that our lead pastors have. We hope these words will challenge you and your church to open new vistas of ministry in Georgia and around the world. Ventures of Young Pastors Do you remember being hired for your first real full-time job? Do you remember the feeling you had when you walked into the office, saw your name on the door, and realized it was actually your name? Can you call to mind the feeling of butterflies in your stomach, the nervous energy of meeting with other coworkers, the excitement of hanging your pictures and your degrees on the wall, and setting up your desk? Each of us remembers our first job. You can retell the terrifying and exciting firsts that came with the job. You can remember learning how to make the calls, close the deal, keep control of the classroom, boardroom, or showroom, depending on what your first job entailed. Most of you look back on those firsts in the workforce with nostalgia. You remember the people who took you under their wing and mentored you. You can still hear the sage advice you were given and the lasting impact it made. You remember the funny things you didn t know, and how you grew into the person who slowly, but surely took control of that job and how you flourished into the person you are today. It is a natural process. I am grateful for those mentors as well. In fact, some of those seasoned pastors began a conversation about how they could best support and aid Inside... 2 Events & Updates 5 National General Assembly 7 From Our Leadership 10 Discernment Report 15 Financial Report 16 On the Calendar 4 Jonathan Barlow jbarlow@roystonbaptistchurch.org pastors who were in their first years of ministry. Looking at a model used in the past, they suggested gathering young pastors together to share their knowledge and their experience as a way to aid and support those who were entering the pastorate for the first time. There are fifteen young pastors in our Georgia CBF churches, most of whom are entering their first call in the senior pastorate. From Moultrie to Royston, Rome to Lyons, these pastors have in the past five years gone from the learning environment of the classroom to the excitement, butterflies, and responsibilities of the lead pastor s office. I am grateful CBF/GA took the advice of those seasoned pastors and started the Young Pastors Gathering. I have been a participant for the past two years. It has been life giving to me. The conversations are rich, the fellowship is restorative, and the speakers are on point! The young pastors I have been privileged to learn alongside are leading the way to new thought about church, to new ways of bringing about salvation, and new paths to encounter and be the church in the community. I am grateful for the meeting. I am grateful for the seasoned leaders who saw the need and asked the question, How can we best help young pastors to succeed? (continues on page 15)

2 Events & Updates MMM Augusta 223 Total Participants Community Baptist Church Joel Beasley Evergreen Baptist Church Teresa Rose FBC Augusta Kyle Boyer and Brian Layman FBC Jefferson Justin Safley FBC Pendleton, SC Jennifer McClung Rygg FBC Roswell Robert Turnbull FBC Savannah Lauren Colwell Harlem Baptist Church Carson Britt Haven Fellowship Danny Harrell New Life Christian Ministries Alethea Johnekins Royston Baptist Church Caleb Brewer Sardis Baptist Church Richard Douglas Towne View Baptist Church Chris Robertson Wieuca Road Baptist Church Adam Tarver MMM Commerce 285 Total Participants Central Baptist Church, Newnan Daniel Nance FBC Commerce Lee Ritchie FBC Rome John Uldrick FBC Warm Springs Adam Bounds Highland Hills Baptist Church Cass DuCharme Johns Creek Baptist Church Chris Moore Madison Baptist Church Doug Adkins Milledge Avenue Baptist Church Will Abney Vineville Baptist Church Angela Blizzard... you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. Worship Leaders Preacher Jonathan Barlow Band Kainos from Carrollton, Georgia (Members: Stuart Morris (leader), Hannah Beam, Nathan Beam, CeCe Jefferson, Keely Jones, Jordan Nix, Aaron Rodriguez) Photography Augusta Courtney Vaughan Commerce Rachel Greco Who is my neighbor? 2 June/July 2014 VISIONS

3 events & updates MMI Atlanta 54 Total Participants FBC Morrow Laura Jackson Garden Lakes Baptist Church Melissa Kremer Haddock Baptist Church Edmund Grant Heritage Baptist Fellowship Jennifer Greeson Horizon Baptist Fellowship Brittani Tuggle Worship Leadership Jen and Trey Lyon Photography Meggie Dant This year at March Mission Immersion CBF/GA partnered with Park Avenue Baptist Church and Jen and Trey Lyon to provide a unique opportunity for students to come together and learn more about issues of homelessness and poverty. June/July 2014 VISIONS 3

4 events & updates Senior Celebration was held Monday- Tuesday, May 5-6, at Smoke Rise Baptist Church and First Baptist Church of Fitzgerald. Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain hosted 127 senior adults and their leaders on Monday. Paul Baxley was the keynote speaker for the morning worship service. 8th of January provided the afternoon entertainment with selections of traditional and progressive bluegrass music. First Baptist Church of Fitzgerald hosted 94 senior adults and their leaders on Tuesday. The morning worship service keynote speaker was Jake Hall. After lunch, Claude Hicks played country, Broadway, and traditional American sacred and secular music. Several hundred Georgia Fellowship Baptists gathered on May 5-6 for our annual Senior Celebrations. The theme selected for this year was The Power to Bless. 4 June/July 2014 VISIONS

5 events & updates 2014 CBF/Georgia Fall General Assembly Join Us at First Baptist Church of Athens on Sunday-Monday, November 2-3! There will be opportunities for worship, fellowship, meals, workshops, and networks. The event will start Sunday evening and continue through Monday afternoon. Childcare will be available! Make your reservations now! The Classic City Hilton Garden Inn 390 East Washington Street, Athens, GA Phone: Fax: Rates: $109 (standard king room) $109 (two queen beds room) Parking is complimentary. Group name: Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia-HGl Group code: SMERF Keep up to date: CBF/National General Assembly Links Holiday Inn Athens 197 E. Broad Street, Athens, GA Phone: Fax: Rates: $85 (standard queen room) $85 (standard two doubles room) Parking is complimentary. Group name: Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia-HI Group code: SMERF CBF/National General Assembly, June 23-27, Atlanta Learn how you can help Visit the home page Check out the schedule! Join us for the Georgia meeting at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday, June 26 We will convene in the International Ballroom South. Learn more about the CBF/GA meeting at General Assembly June/July 2014 VISIONS 5

6 events & updates Disaster Response: WOW! WHAT A WINTER Tommy Deal, disaster response coordinator tdeal@cbfga.org You have to admit that when most of us think of disaster response we tend to imagine hurricanes and tornadoes. When we hear about impending snow and ice, we get that childhood excitement and can t wait for the beauty of a winter wonderland. There is no need to remind us of the now famous Snowpocalypse which literally froze the metro Atlanta area. Many Atlanta area churches reached out with warmth and shelter for stranded motorists. Very few accolades were sounded because they did it naturally as part of their ministry to the community. Some of us were in Macon for the Coordinating Council meeting. When I began my venture north to return home it looked pretty hopeless, so I and the Holiday Inn Express in Forsyth got to know one another pretty well for two nights. Then just two weeks later we began to brace for what some in emergency management were saying could be a major ice event with power outages that could last weeks. I sent out notices and information to encourage churches and individuals to make preparations. I prepared my home and got my provisions ready. In northwest Georgia we had a beautiful 7 inches of snow, and roads were clear by midday. I heard, however, that east Georgia around Augusta did not fare quite as well. The next day I spoke with Andy Jones, Minister of Missions and Faith Development, at First Baptist Church of Augusta. He reported that the ice was extensive and was causing many trees to fall and pull down power lines. In fact, we had to cut our conversation short because his cell phone was about to die and he had no power to charge it. We agreed to talk again soon. What I appreciate so much about Andy and First Baptist Church of Augusta is they did not wait to get busy in their community. In fact, they took the lead and immediately began coordinating teams of their folks to go to assess needs. They organized requests for help, sent teams out to clear debris, patch roofs, and cut downed trees, etc. They became Christ s hands and feet in their world! Now I know that there are many stories just like this one that go unnoticed by news media and even friends like us. But, this is an example of Christ s people being fully present within their community helping neighbors in Jesus name! This is why we do what we do in disaster response. As I write this it is now been over two months (eleven weeks!) and they have finished all the requests for help! Early on many groups showed up to offer assistance. But after about two weeks, they needed to pack up and go home. Well, for FBC Augusta, this is home. Many of the groups which left had requests for help which they turned over to the church. Graciously, Andy and his slew of volunteers added these requests to their own and methodically continued to address each one. Andy sent me the final report: We completed 139 projects, 33 for church members and the rest for community members. FBC Eatonton sent 10 people and did 7 projects in one day. CBF/SC sent 3 people for 1.5 days and did 3 projects (both of those are included in the total). We had 30 volunteers in the field and 7 in the office at different times. Now I know that there are many stories just like this one that go unnoticed by news media and even friends like us. But, this is an example of Christ s people being fully present within their community helping neighbors in Jesus name! This is why we do what we do in disaster response. Thank you First Baptist Church of Augusta for making our Master proud! 6 June/July 2014 VISIONS

7 ...from our leadership The Power to Bless Paul Baxley, moderator God is not a God of barrenness, but rather of blessing. In Jesus Christ, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. (Ephesians 1:3) Through the Holy Spirit, God s people are always given exactly what we need to do what God calls us to do, as is attested over and over in the book of Acts. Grace, power, mercy, and love are still breaking out among us. Several hundred Georgia Fellowship Baptists gathered on May 5-6 for our annual Senior Celebrations. Some of us met at Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain, and others gathered at First Baptist in Fitzgerald. The hospitality of the host congregations was absolutely wonderful, and our Senior Celebration planning committee did a tremendous job, in collaboration with our staff, in preparing for these days of celebration. The theme selected for this year was The Power to Bless. It was my privilege to preach for the celebration at Smoke Rise Baptist Church, and I selected the story of Abram s call preserved in Genesis 12:1-4 as the primary text. The Lord calls Abram in the seventy-fifth year of his life, and prior to God s appearance, Abram s entire life story was likely marked by frustration. He and his wife Sarai were childless. Beyond that, years earlier Abram had set out with his father to travel to the land of Canaan, but that journey ended prematurely in Haran. I can easily imagine that Abram spent much of his time thinking about what might have been but was not. As Walter Brueggemann points out in his provocative commentary on Genesis, by the end of Genesis 11, it appears that Abram s story has ended in barrenness. But God steps into the midst of that barrenness with a promise of blessing. God promises to bless Abram, to make him the father of a great nation, to bless all the families of the earth through him. Without warning, there is an outbreak of unimaginable grace. It is as though Abram encounters a mighty river of blessing in the midst of a land of barrenness. According to the decree of the Lord, Abram is going to receive previously unimaginable blessing and he is going to be a blessing. Blessing is coming into his life in such a way that he will have the power to bless. This promise of blessing runs against everything we know of Abram s experience prior to Genesis 12:1. For Abram to respond to this promise of blessing, he must consciously step out of a life framed by barrenness and make himself available to a life defined by grace. He must stop thinking in terms of what might have been but was not, and instead start thinking in terms of what could be through God s astonishing and abundant grace. The outbreak of grace in Abram s life must have been stunning and overwhelming, but Abram must gather himself enough to step into the current of grace and allow his life to be redefined by it. Sometimes I wonder if that s not where we are as Fellowship Baptists. For the last several decades, so much of our shared conversation has been about what was lost, what was taken, what used to be. At the same time, forces at work in our larger culture constantly tell us that we don t have enough, that the church is losing its influence, that the Gospel doesn t quite communicate in the way it used to. In the immediacy of our Baptist family and in the larger culture in which we move, we face the constant temptation to think in terms of barrenness. However, Abram s story, and many others in the pages of Scripture, remind us that God is not a God of barrenness, but rather of blessing. In Jesus Christ, we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3). Through the Holy Spirit, God s people are always given exactly what we need to do what God calls us to do, as is attested over and over in the book of Acts. Grace, power, mercy and love are still breaking out among us. As Cooperative Baptists in Georgia, we face the same question that confronted Abram in his encounter with the Almighty. Will we step out of the barrenness that frames so much life around us, and offer ourselves to the astonishing ways God is pouring grace into our lives? Will we live into the promise God makes us even now, that we can be a blessing? June/July 2014 VISIONS 7

8 from our leadership Frankly Speaking Frank Broome, coordinator Since I became your coordinator in September of 1997, I have had the privilege of working with several individuals who served as the national global missions coordinator. The list includes Keith Parks, Barbara and Gary Baldridge, Jack Snell, Rob Nash, and Jim Smith. All of these individuals placed their mark on the global missions program. That process will now continue under the leadership of Steven Porter. Here is what Suzii Paynter, our national CBF coordinator, had to say about Stephen: Steven is a strategic and innovative former CBF field personnel and former director of one the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship s flagship urban ministries. He served as the executive director of Touching Miami with Love from 2001 to Touching Miami with Love was founded in 1995 with the aim to share the love of Christ by providing hope, opportunities, and resources with the city s Overtown community. Steven holds ordination in the National Baptist Convention (USA) and currently teaches courses on the history and theology of Christian missions, including one titled Evangelism: A Contextual Approach, at one of CBF s partner schools, George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University. His academic pursuits have provided connections to other CBF partner schools as well. He earned a M.Div. at Candler School of Theology and is pursuing a Th.D. from Duke University Divinity School, where he has been involved in the Baptist House of Studies. He has also taught courses in evangelism at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo., and served as a teaching assistant at Duke Divinity. Steven was commissioned as field personnel on CBF s Urban Team in 1998 and served in Miami until During that time, he was also pastor of Downtown Mission, Central Baptist Church in Miami. In his work with Touching Miami with Love and through his various academic pursuits, he has connected with many of CBF s state and regional organizations, including CBF of Florida, the Kentucky Baptist Fellowship, CBF of Missouri (now CBF Heartland), CBF of Texas, and CBF of North Carolina. In North Carolina, he served on the Wealth and Poverty Task Force and in Texas, on the global CBF Missions Council. He currently is chair-elect of the CBF Missions Council. At CBF, Steven looks to build on the organization s strengths to help it become more collaborative in its global missions work, including closer integration with local congregations and the congregational ministries side of CBF. Internationally, Steven has developed a passion for building relationships with Christians from the Global South, having served three stints as an international student, leading an international student ministry in Miami, and participating in the work of the Baptist World Alliance and the International Association of Mission Studies. In 2010, he was the recipient of a Henry Luce Foundation Research Grant for work at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. I, along with Moderator Paul Baxley, greeted Stephen and his wife, Jodi, along with their three-year-old daughter, Ruth, at a press conference recently in Decatur. They are a delightful family and a wonderful addition to our national staff. I know you will pray for them as they relocate to Atlanta. Front: Linda Jones (chair of search committee), Suzii Paynter, Ryan Clark. Back: Steven Porter, Bill McConnell, Paul Baxley, Frank Broome June/July Jun/July 2014 VISIONS

9 from our leadership Current CBF s Network of Young Leaders Martha Kate Hall, associate coordinator for congregational life mkhall@cbfga.org If you take a look at the staff page on the CBF/GA website, you will see beside my name a rather long list of job responsibilities. I would imagine you recognize several of the items and events which are well known among CBF/GA life. There is however, one item on the list that you may not be familiar with: Current. I m sure you all know the meaning of this word but I would imagine that many of you do not know the meaning of Current within CBF life. Current, in simple terms, is CBF s network for leaders under the age of forty. Current exists to connect young leaders and support the mission and vision of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Current accomplishes this mission through networking opportunities and events throughout the year including retreats, conferences, and a presence at the CBF/National General Assembly. We are individuals who share a passion for the work of CBF and its churches. Current has been part of my job description even before I accepted the job of Associate Coordinator. I have had the pleasure of serving on the Current steering committee for three years and have been serving as the coordinator for this group for the past year. We thrive on being together and try to gather at as many meetings, assemblies and conferences as we are able. The steering committee is working hard to be intentional about finding times in which Current people can get together to network, share ideas and fellowship with one another. We hope you will join us for the CBF/National General Assembly in Atlanta June and more specifically at the Current dinner party! Our steering committee has also placed an emphasis on adding regional gatherings for Current to begin this fall. We will have more details about these gatherings available at the National General Assembly in Atlanta. It is my hope that these gatherings will enable us to strengthen the Current group within the state of Georgia. I hope you will continue to look for ways you can be a part of or support Current. I knew hosting March Mission Madness (MMM) would be a good experience for our congregation. I was excited, nervous, anxious, and hopeful, but I could never have imagined all the wonderment that took place at First Baptist Church of Commerce the weekend of March MMM wasn t just a good weekend. I believe it was a GREAT weekend! I am amazed at all that God did through MMM. Being a host church blessed our students, our congregation, and our community. Our students are always surprised at how meaningful the work of serving others is. They feel empowered to continue to serve Christ at home and realize that they have something valuable to offer God s Kingdom. Our students benefited from hosting MMM because it allowed them to see more needs within our own community. Being a host church allowed our congregation to see firsthand what our students come home talking about each year. Many church members marveled at the number of students in attendance, the hard work of the youth, and all that they accomplished. Our church rallied together to support the students through being site leaders, serving meals, and welcoming students. It was a special blessing to see so many of our church members coming together to serve God and the youth. We had seventy families in the You re invited to the Current Dinner Party at CBF/National General Assembly What? Young-Baptist-Friendly, Family-Friendly, Budget-Friendly, Vegetarian-Friendly dinner When? Friday, June 27 at 5:30 pm Where? Max Lager s located at the corner of Peachtree and West Peachtree just one block north of the Hyatt Regency Cost? $20 per person, kids 12 and under eat FREE! Space is limited so please RSVP to mkhall@cbfga.org... Memoir from a Mission Madness Host Church Lee Ritchie lee@fbc-commerce.org church come together to make MMM happen. Strictly speaking, we may have had more volunteers than we needed, but they were all able to connect with one another in the context of service. Best of all, the Commerce and Jackson County community received help from willing students. So often we hear about what young people do wrong, but through MMM, students from all over the state came together to serve the people of our community. The students worked at thirty-seven mission sites! As you can imagine it has made a huge impact. When you have this many students come together to serve Christ, their actions make a difference. (continues on page 15) June/July 2014 VISIONS 9

10 D i s c e r n m e n t report Report and Recommendations by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia Coordinating Council Discernment Process As Unanimously Approved by the Coordinating Council Tuesday, May 20, 2014 In late 2012, then Moderator, Jimmy Gentry, appointed a discernment task force chaired by Matt Marston, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Moultrie. The committee has been at work for the past two years. The process was encouraged and expanded under the leadership of subsequent Moderators, Joyce McCartney and Paul Baxley. At the May 20, 2014, Coordinating Council meeting, Matt Marston gave the following report. It was unanimously affirmed by the Council and will be presented to those gathered at the CBF/GA state meeting during the June CBF/National General Assembly for approval. We hope you will be there to consider the recommendations in this report. Introduction to Discernment Recommendations What is the future of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia? The Discernment Task force has been pondering this question the last couple of years. Fortunately, CBF/GA already has a strong foundation of successful events and initiatives to build on. We are eager to share our recommendations of how these successes can be supplemented and enhanced. As Frank Broome has noted before, CBF began as a movement of pastors, denomination leaders, and interested lay persons. While CBF has celebrated many successes, the CBF identity has not always deeply taken root in our churches. We believe CBF/GA is equipped and called to share this identity at the local, congregational level. CBF/GA can best accomplish this mission by focusing on connecting CBF Baptists across our state in ministry and mission. We envision a spring statewide meeting well attended by clergy and laity. We imagine fall regional gatherings where CBF Baptists get together for fellowship, deacon and Sunday school training, and sharing practical ideas. We hope to see our churches join together for mission work in neighborhoods and towns across Georgia. In this vision, CBF/GA serves as the connective tissue between our congregations, helping us to be better together than we can be on our own and be better servants on behalf of God s coming kingdom. The five recommendations come from the Discernment Team over the course of the last year and a half. The more detailed reports on mission and partnership were drafted by working groups headed by team members but including others from our state. Another working group prepared revisions to the mission statement. We hope you will receive these recommendations in the spirit in which they were written a spirit of joy and gratitude. We are grateful for where we ve been as CBF/GA and are excited about what God will do in our midst in the years to come. 10 June/July 2014 VISIONS

11 FIVE Recommendations of the Discernment Team 1 In an effort to build on our strength of bringing Baptists together, we recommend moving the CBF/GA Assembly to the spring. We also recommend holding the General Assembly on Friday and Saturday to allow for greater lay participation. We believe fall regional gatherings can boost participation, deepen connections, and expand interest across the state. 2 We recommend a new logo and a new mission statement to reflect more clearly our focus on Georgia and to differentiate CBF/GA from CBF/ National. 3 We recommend CBF/GA focus on mission efforts in GA, bringing individuals and congregations together in work across our state. 4 We recommend CBF/GA transition from a passive/responsive approach to partnerships to a more proactive/strategic approach. 5 We recommend CBF partner churches in Georgia prayerfully consider increasing their giving to CBF/GA as part of a growing relationship. The five recommendations come from the Discernment Team over the course of the last year and a half. The more detailed reports on mission and partnership were drafted by working groups headed by team members but including others from our state. Another working group prepared revisions to the mission statement. We hope you will receive these recommendations in the spirit in which they were written a spirit of joy and gratitude. We are grateful for where we ve been as CBF/GA and are excited about what God will do in our midst in the years to come.... Recommended Mission Statement Equipping the free and faithful fellowship of Baptist Churches and individuals in Georgia to live out the Great Commission of Jesus Christ as they discover and follow Christ in God-inspired missions. In situations that call for a concise, yet detailed statement of CBF/GA s calling, we offer the following: Our Identity: We are a fellowship of free and faithful Baptist Churches and individuals in Georgia. Our Vision: Christians and churches will live out the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. Our Mission: To serve and equip churches in Georgia as they discover and follow Christ in God-inspired missions. June/July 2014 VISIONS 11

12 ... Recommended Missions Strategies/Goals 1 Recommendation... Develop a three to five year CBF/GA missions emphasis/focus. 2 Recommendation Plan and promote an annual one day missions challenge for churches to participate in local projects focusing on the long term CBF/GA missions emphasis. (see number 1). 3 Recommendation Document and celebrate the one day mission challenge projects (and other local church mission work) through written materials, verbal sharing times, photos, videos, etc. using online and printed means and CBF/GA meetings. 4 Recommendation Promote regional and/or same focus (churches doing the same type of mission work, but perhaps not in the same region) mission networks coming together for regional or same focus mission events. 12 June/July 2014 VISIONS... Action a. Develop a one or two word phrase that would represent this emphasis/ focus across our state to the CBF/GA family. Action a. Beginning with the Assembly in 2015 offer training and other assistance to local mission leaders in their planning for the one day missions challenge. b. Ask for a commitment of Ambassadors, local church mission leaders, church staff members, and others in the local congregations to commit to the one day challenge. Action a. Request that churches send in their reports of their day of challenge work as well as other local missions work. b. Publish summaries of these reports on local mission projects via a variety of means. c. Consider using a catchy phrase such as This is CBF/GA or We are CBF/ GA much like the I am phrase used by another religious group. This phrase would help all of CBF/GA to own and celebrate what each is doing. Action a. Begin regional work with churches in the regions coming together to brainstorm needs and share about mission work already in place. Encourage and promote opportunities for the regions to work from the ground up on developing ideas and mission projects. b. Enlist mission point people in each region as well as local congregational mission point people to help facilitate the planning and carrying out of the regional mission events. Consider using the Ambassadors as a base group for enlisting the point people. Possibly use the General Assembly breakout time as an opportunity to gather the point people for sharing of ideas and training.... Recommended Guidelines for CBF/GA Partner-Funding Relationships Principles These two principles are instructive for CBF/GA: Ruthless devotion to mission is essential. Partnerships must be evaluated in terms of their contribution to the accomplishment of CBF/GA s mission. The following ideas are offered as a starting place for our consideration of CBF/GA s partnerships and how those relationships are supported financially: We must adopt an attitude of Georgia First. Robust and reciprocal partnerships require some give-and-take. Our goal is genuine mutuality and targeted sharing of resources.

13 ... 5 Recommendation Continue to build a database of missions information for regional point people and local mission representatives to access ideas and assistance when planning projects (short term or long term). 6 Recommendation... Research and develop a rural poverty initiative with the assistance of a local CBF/GA congregation in the rural area.... Encourage and promote regional mission projects based on 4 and 5 above. 7 Recommendation Action a. Request and encourage the forwarding of information on mission work being done at least on an annual basis to CBF/GA. b. Share the database missions information in a variety of ways including online and printed means. Action a. The Missions Committee would research areas of most need in our state. The Missions Committee would communicate with a local congregation in the most impoverished areas. With the help of the local CBF/GA congregation, research would include conversations and receiving information from local government agencies, civic organizations, churches, and schools to determine the most pressing needs and actions needed to address those needs. b. The Missions Committee and Coordinating Council would develop guidelines for the process to begin and move forward regarding the CBF/ GA local congregation s responsibilities and CBF/GA s responsibilities in the initiative. c. Publicize this initiative as it takes shape and how CBF/GA churches can participate in meeting needs and providing for long term progress. d. Look into the possibility of writing grants for some funding. 8 Recommendation Consider other poverty initiatives in urban/suburban areas as an outgrowth of the regional and same focus mission networks coming together and working on common mission projects. (See 4, 5, and 6 above).... We want to eliminate redundancy. We seek to foster and fund genuine cooperation. Guiding Principles We recommend that CBF/GA be proactive in the cultivation of partner relationships that are consistent with our mission and our strategic objectives. We recommend that, in relating to partner organizations, CBF/GA will be guided by the principle of Georgia First. Partner funding opportunities will be evaluated first and foremost by the ways in which they align with the mission of CBF/GA and add value to the work of the state organization. Annual Gifts to Partners We recommend that partner funding be dedicated to projects proposed by the partner rather than the partner s general budget. We recommend the development of categories of partnership: Strategic: long term, mutually beneficial partnerships. Initiative: shorter term (three years) support of initiatives that align with the mission of CBF/GA and said partner. Project: one-time gift supportive of a project proposed by a partner. We recommend that the Executive Coordinator and the Coordinating Council work (continues on page 14) June/July 2014 VISIONS 13

14 Recommended Guidelines for CBF/GA Partner Funding Relationships... (continued from page 13) closely together to develop a strategic plan that determines emphases and goals that will be communicated in a timely fashion to potential partners. We recommend that a sub-committee of the Coordinating Council be formed to review annual budget requests from partners, to evaluate their relevance to the mission of CBF/GA in terms of strategic objectives, and to allocate available funds appropriately. Opportunity Fund We recommend the development of a larger opportunity fund to be administered by the Executive Coordinator and the chairs of the Missions Committee and the Congregational Life Committee as a rapid response fund to seize emerging opportunities. A Concluding Appeal Based on available data, we have learned that CBF/GA churches on average allocate 75% of their mission gifts to CBF/National and 25% to CBF/GA. While we affirm, endorse, and fully support the work of CBF National, we strongly encourage our member churches to increase their annual gifts to CBF/GA.... Conclusion The report from the Coordinating Council s Discernment Process recognizes that the mission of CBF/GA is to strengthen and encourage free and faithful Baptist congregations in Georgia as together we pursue God s mission in this state. We see a future for our Fellowship in which we strengthen our relationships with each other and find new and dynamic ways to partner together in ministry. Should CBF Baptists in Georgia adopt this report on Thursday, June 26, you may be assured that the Coordinating Council will move decisively to implement this vision. Many times we suspect that reports such as this will be received, shelved and never heard from again. But the commitment of the leadership of CBF/GA is that we will fully implement this vision. We encourage you to be present in Atlanta for all of the General Assembly, and particularly for our Georgia gathering (Thursday, June 26, 2014, 4:15 pm, Ballroom South, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Atlanta), in which we will have time for discussion and action on these recommendations. Our formal action will take the form of a vote. But we ask you to prayerfully consider extending action in your congregation by doing the following: Encourage your congregation to be more actively involved in CBF life in Georgia. Plan to participate in General Assemblies, statewide special events, regional gatherings and mission projects in your area, and encourage your deacon body to actively engage the Deacon Network. Use your voice to tell the story of CBF in your congregation. Seek out a member of your congregation who can be a CBF/GA Ambassador in your church, to keep your congregation informed of all that is happening in our Fellowship, and also communicate to our officers or staff any questions or concerns your congregation may have. Pray for the ministry of our Fellowship in Georgia. Pray for our dedicated staff in Macon and our elected leaders from across the state. But even more importantly, pray for CBF congregations. The strength of our movement in Georgia, ultimately, is found in the life and ministry of congregations. Prayerfully consider whether your congregation can make a deeper financial investment in the ministry of CBF/GA. This vision sets forth the possibility of more proactive and robust ministry partnerships, expanding mission strategies in our state, and new levels of relationships among our congregations. More generous giving of time, energy, passion and finances will be essential to our fully realizing this vision.... the mission of CBF/GA is to strengthen and encourage free and faithful Baptist congregations in Georgia as together we pursue God s mission in this state. We thank you for taking time to review this report and we look forward to seeing you in Atlanta! 14 June/July 2014 VISIONS

15 Be a CBF/GA Ambassador Based upon action by the Coordinating Council which met Tuesday, May 20, 2014, CBF/GA Advocates will now be called Ambassadors. CBF/National has a new emphasis on Advocacy; therefore, CBF/GA does not want to cause any confusion with our use of the name Advocates for those we consider our Ambassadors in local churches. Thus, the name change from Advocate to Ambassador. You will see more information about this in a future article by Frank Broome, Executive Coordinator, CBF/GA. If you have an interest in being a CBF/GA Ambassador in your congregation, please let us know by contacting Renée Bennett at rbennett@cbfga.org or , ext. 3. We will be glad to send you information on becoming an Ambassador. Ventures of Young Pasters... (continued from page 1) I am grateful for the young pastors I have met: grateful for their friendship, their time, talent, and ideas. I am grateful for the work done by Frank Broome and his staff in Macon to make the idea of a young pastors gathering a reality. The Fellowship in Georgia is growing! The number of young senior pastors is increasing and the ties between those ministers are deepening. I personally feel deeply blessed to be a part of the movement! I am grateful CBF/GA is cultivating young pastors and helping guide them through all those firsts! Jonathan Barlow is the pastor of Royston Baptist Church in Royston. Memoir... (continued from page 9) MMM was a true blessing for First Baptist Church of Commerce. It bonded our people together in even deeper ways. It empowered our students to serve and showed them the needs of our community. The service of all these students through MMM made an impression of love on our community. You can t ask for a better experience for all parties involved. Thank you to CBF/GA for allowing us to host and for providing this event each year. Lee Ritchie is minister to children and youth at First Baptist Church in Commerce. financial update Budget Receipts as of 4/30/2014 (fiscal year begins in January) Year to Date 2014 Budget Receipts: $165, Year to Date 2014 Budget Requirement: $184, April 2014 Budget Receipts: $52, April 2014 Budget Requirement: $46, Year to Date 2014 Designated Receipts: $67, Year to Date 2014 Designated Expenses: $96, Over $6, Under $18, Under $28, K 40K 60K 80K 100K 200K 300K 400K 500K... Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia P.O. Box 4343, Macon, GA phone fax CBF/GA Staff coordinator E. Frank Broome fbroome@cbfga.org associate coordinator for congregational life Martha Kate Hall mkhall@cbfga.org assistant to the coordinator for networking Renée Bennett rbennett@cbfga.org administrative assistant Rachel Greco rgreco@cbfga.org assistant for communications and resources ElizaBeth Ruff eruff@cbfga.org assistant to the coordinator for finance Dawn Williams dwilliams@cbfga.org assistant to the coordinator for advancement Jim Bruner jamescbruner@gmail.com disaster response coordinator Tommy Deal tdeal@cbfga.org campus minister for csf mercer Daniel Elliott delliott@cbfga.org campus minister for csf georgia tech and csf at uga Scott Lee slee@cbfga.org cbf/ga atlanta network coordinator Tony Lankford tlankford033@hotmail.com CBF/GA Coordinating Council moderator Paul Baxley, Athens moderator-elect Sarah Murray, Fitzgerald past-moderator Joyce McCartney, Griffin clerk Larkin Hudson Cunningham, Manchester finance chair Henry Tyson, Fitzgerald treasurer Jim Bruner, Macon Jonathan Barlow, Royston Marc Burcham, Atlanta Timothy Clagg, Alpharetta Ken Corcoran, Columbus Steve Davis, Carrollton Janice Hale, Gainesville Colin Harris, Stone Mountain Tom Hawkins, Morrow Neil Heath, Macon Joy Huddlestun, Jasper Bill Ireland, Dalton Bridget Ivey, Haddock Glenda Kessler, St. Simons Island Matt Marston, Moultrie Craig McMahan, Macon Barrett Owen, Fayetteville Chip Reeves, Augusta Carey Russell, Forsyth David Sapp, Atlanta Charles Smith, Madison Ken Smith, Forsyth Steve Stokes, Thomson Geoff Timms, Hawkinsville Bob Trammell, Newnan Keithen Tucker, Eatonton Lauren Waggoner, Marietta Student Representatives Aimee Yeager, Atlanta Meggie Dant, Atlanta VISIONS is published six times a year by CBF/GA. All questions and comments may be directed to ElizaBeth Ruff, eruff@cbfga.org or , ext. 4. April/May June/July 2014 VISIONS 15

16 COOPERATIVE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP GEORGIA P.O. Box 4343 Macon GA On the Calendar June 26 CBF/GA Meeting at National General Assembly Atlanta September Preaching Consultation St. Simons Island October 3-5 ReCharge Woodland Christian Camp November 2-3 Fall General Assembly First Baptist Church of Athens Keep up to date with events... pages 2-3 MMM & MMI D I S C E R N M E N T Report and Recommendations by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia Coordinating Council Discernment Process As Unanimously Approved by the Coordinating Council Tuesday, May 20, June/July 2014 VISIONS ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED REPORT In late 2012, then Moderator, Jimmy Gentry, appointed a discernment task force chaired by Matt Marston, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Moultrie. The committee has been at work for the past two years. The process was encouraged and expanded under the leadership of subsequent Moderators, Joyce McCartney and Paul Baxley. At the May 20, 2014, Coordinating Council meeting, report Matt Marston gave the following report. It was unanimously affirmed by the Council and will be presented to those gathered at the CBF/GA state meeting during the June CBF/National General Assembly for approval. We hope you will be there to consider the recommendations in this report. Introduction to Discernment Recommendations What is the future of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia? The Discernment Task force has been pondering this question the last couple of years. Fortunately, CBF/GA already has a strong foundation of successful events and initiatives to build on. We are eager to share our recommendations of how these successes can be supplemented and enhanced. As Frank Broome has noted before, CBF began as a movement of pastors, denomination leaders, and interested lay persons. While CBF has celebrated many successes, the CBF identity has not always deeply taken root in our churches. We believe CBF/GA is equipped and called to share this identity at the local, congregational level. CBF/GA can best accomplish this mission by focusing on connecting CBF Baptists across our state in ministry and mission. We envision a spring statewide meeting well attended by clergy and laity. We imagine fall regional gatherings where CBF Baptists get together for fellowship, deacon and Sunday school training, and sharing practical ideas. We hope to see our churches join together for mission work in neighborhoods and towns across Georgia. In this vision, CBF/GA serves as the connective tissue between our congregations, helping us to be better together than we can be on our own and be better servants on behalf of God s coming kingdom. The five recommendations come from the Discernment Team over the course of the last year and a half. The more detailed reports on mission and partnership were drafted by working groups headed by team members but including others from our state. Another working group prepared revisions to the mission statement. We hope you will receive these recommendations in the spirit in which they were written a spirit of joy and gratitude. We are grateful for where we ve been as CBF/GA and are excited about what God will do in our midst in the years to come. A weekend for students to sync their chaotic lives with God time. inside on pages 10-14: Don t Miss this important time together: CBF/GA Meeting at the National General Assembly in Atlanta, June 26, 4:15p.m., International Ballroom South. (See page 5.) NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID ATHENS GA PERMIT #11 from our Discernment Task Force What is the future of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia? Report and Recommendations by the CBF/GA Coordinating Council Discernment Process ReCharge! Woodland Christian Camp, October 3-5 Save the Date: CBF/GA General Assembly, November 2-3, First Baptist Church of Athens. (See page 5 for more info.) Our Identity... We are a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission of Jesus Christ and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. Our Vision... To serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission. Our Mission... Being the presence of Christ in the world....