ADVISOR. Bro. Don, Greg, and Sarah. associational. Pastor/Deacon Training. Caregivers Conference. Lo e Moon Christmas Offering. POBA Annual Mee ng

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1 associational ADVISOR December Alice Street, Waycross phone (912) fax (912) Associational Missionary: Don Patterson Missions Strategist: Greg Benfield Ministry Assistant: Sarah Rozier POBA Mission Statement: The Piedmont-Okefenokee Baptist Association exists to equip, enable, serve, and encourage a cooperating partnership of Southern Baptist Churches to effectively build the kingdom of God through evangelism, missions, discipleship, ministry and prayer. Bro. Don, Greg, and Sarah Caregivers Conference Saturday, December 2 Jamestown Bap st See page 6 Pastor/Deacon Training Saturday, January 6 FBC Nahunta See page 7 Lo e Moon Christmas Offering December 3-10 See page 7 POBA Annual Mee ng Thursday, January 25 Hebardville Bap st See page 5 Christmas Holidays December 25-January 1 POBA Office Closed in this ISSUE: Points From The Missionary s Pen 2 News, Churches w/o Pastors, Prayer, Caregivers, MSM 3 Missions 4 What We Believe, CE, Annual Meeting, RAs 5 Points from the Missionary s Pen, #ReachingNextGen 6 Lottie Moon, Church Security, Pastor/Deacon Training 7 Calendar 8

2 Page 2 The Associational Advisor P OINTS FROM THE MISSIONARY S PEN Rev. Don Patterson, cell (912) What a blessing to see so many of our pastors and lay leaders at the Georgia Bap st Conven on at North Metro Bap st Church in Lawrenceville. We as an associa on are blessed to have Bro. Mike Stone as our new president of the Georgia Bap st Conven on. The following ar cle was wri en by Gerald Harris, editor of the Chris an Index, no ng the Conven on s selec on of Bro. Mike: The elec on of officers at the Georgia Bap st Conven on mee ng always draws a lot of a en on and the corridors and exhibit areas were nearly empty when it came me for the nomina on speeches. Messengers swarmed into the church s spacious worship center to par cipate in what has essen ally become a biennial presiden al elec- on. Mike Stone, pastor of Emmanuel Bap st Church in Blackshear, was elected president over Fred Lodge, pastor of First Bap st Church in Blairsville. A total of 946 votes were cast for president with Stone receiving 553 votes to Lodge s 391 votes. There were 1,301 messengers registered over the course of the two-day mee ng. During his 15-year pastorate at Emmanuel, the new president has led his church in a remarkable way. According to Don Ha away, pastor of Tabernacle Bap st Church in Cartersville, who announced Stone s candidacy on The Chris an Index website September 27 and nominated him Tuesday a ernoon, Emmanuel s Sunday morning worship a endance now averages over 1,000 and undesignated receipts have increased from $ to just over $2 million. Emmanuel has had a long history of being a 10 percent contributor through the Coopera ve Program and has increased its support of the Coopera ve Program by 32 percent in the last three years alone. The newly elected president has served Georgia Bap sts in a mul tude of ways and for the past two years been the chairman of the Georgia Bap st Conven on Execu ve Commi ee,. He will relinquish that role when a new chairman is elected at the December mee ng. A FOCUS ON WINNING GEORGIA, VICE PRESIDENTS ELECTED Upon being announced as the new president Stone declared that he wanted to lead Georgia Bap sts to focus on winning Georgia [to Christ] together. Mike Stone and his wife, Andrea, have four children: Michaela, Andrew, Sarah, and Ma hew. Fred Lodge, also a worthy presiden al candidate and a highlyrespected Georgia Bap st leader, is known as a gi ed preacher and teacher and pastors a church that gives 18 percent of its undesignated receipts to the Coopera ve Program. Lodge has a record of mentoring young men. He and his wife, Valeria, have three sons, all of whom are in the ministry. Out of seven nominees for vice president there were four men elected to serve Georgia Bap sts for They were: (1) Greg Bentley, associa onal missionary for the Altamaha and New Sunbury Bap st Associa on, first vice president. (2) Rando Acres, pastor of Center Hill Bap st Church in Loganville, second vice president. (3) Bill Marle e, pastor of First Bap st Church in Adel, third vice president, and (3) Michael Wilkes, pastor of Center Bap st Church in Helen, was fourth vice president. As associa onal missionary of POBA it is my prayer that we as a family of churches will support Bro. Mike in his sacrificial service to all the churches of our State Conven on. We need to remember that with this challenge of serving as President comes great demands on Mike s me with his wife and family as well as his me in pastoral care of his church family at Emmanuel. I am so grateful that Bro. Mike has one of the strongest staffs to assist him with the ministry of the church and I believe we need to pray for them especially as they seek to further lighten the load of their pastor to carry out the great challenges of this next two years. Bro. Mike we love you and are praying for you as you move out into this grand new adventure as President of the Georgia Bap st Conven on. Thanks for your service on the Execu ve Commi ee and for your excellent handling of the business issues related to Con nued on page 6

3 December 2017 Page 3 N EWS AND INFORMATION: First Bap st Folkston is looking for a bivoca onal Minister of Students/Young Adults. Submit resumes by December 15 to: cfolkston@windstream.net Offerman Bap st is looking for a bivoca onal Minister of Music. Contact James Lightsey ( ) for more informa on. Lulaton Bap st is seeking a bivoca onal pastor. Resumes may be sent to: Lulaton Bap st Church, PO Box 961, Nahunta GA Jamestown Bap st is accep ng applica ons for the posi on of custodian (36 hours/week). Applica ons can be obtained from the church office or call Deenwood Bap st has a 1998 GMC 3500 Bus (31 passenger, 47k miles, $7500) for sale. Contact Offerman Bap st is accep ng resumes for a bivoca- onal Youth/Children s Pastor. Contact James Lightsey ( ) for more informa on. CHURCHES SEEKING PASTORS Remember these churches in prayer as they seek pastors: Beulah Bristol Lulaton Mt. Calvary Spring Hill Youmans Chapel DECEMBER PRAYER FOCUS This month, please remember these pastors and their families in prayer. Pleasant Valley: David Marshall (Briana) Rehobeth: Phil Jordan (Elaine) Riverside Chapel: Randy Wainright Sand Hill: Trent Long (Jimmy Nell) Sa lla: Terry Jackson (Karen) Second: Derwin Griffin (Debbie) Shady Grove: Edmund Thri (Robin) South Gate: Edward Colley (Carol) Sweat Memorial: Freddie Smith (Vera) SweetWater: Tim Corey (Raquel) CAREGIVERS CONFERENCE Date: Saturday, December 2 Loca on: Jamestown Bap st Church Time: 9:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. This conference is designed to provide love, support, and encouragement to those in our churches who are seeking to care for loved ones who can no longer care for themselves. It will feature a me of worship and inspira on, a wonderful meal, breakout sessions and inspira on, and giveaways. All caregivers are invited to a end. MISSIONS COLLEGE IMB Missions College Dates: January 16-19, 2018 Loca on: Richmond, VA Registra on Now Open Visit: h ps://info.imb.org/missions-college/2018?mail01 MARY STREET MISSION THANKSGIVING DINNER Mary St. Mission held their annual Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday, November 18 at The Waycross Railroad Depot. Approximately 100 people were fed through Mary Street Mission. Over 40 churches from our associa on were represented. In addi on to feeding those from Mary Street Mission, we were also able to provide food to: Bethesda House Magnolia House Serenity Shelter SweetWater Men s Shelter Waycross Police Department Ware Count Sheriff s Department 911 Call Center Thank you to all of the churches, volunteers, and Mrs. Tammy Carson for making this year s Thanksgiving Dinner a success!

4 Page 4 EFFECTIVE MISSION USE PARTNERS The defini on of missions I communicated earlier is following biblical models for church plan ng (IMB Missions Scope). There are many places in the Bible where teams of people were sent out to accomplish a given task or mission. Ma hew 18:19 indicates that when two or more followers of Christ agree, then it will be done by the Father in heaven according to His will. This is not a name it and claim it approach but rather when two believers are seeking God and God is clearly showing them both the task to be accomplished, then in His ming and His way the Father will see it through. Mark 6:7 tells of Jesus sending out disciples in pairs. Luke 5:6-7 tells of when one boat of disciples was catching fish they asked their partners in the other boat to come assist them in bringing in the overwhelming catch. Later on in Luke 10:1, Jesus sends of seventy disciple -makers two by two. It is effec ve to use partners in missions. Many churches have said, "we are a small church, so we could not do...(fill in the blank)" The church was given the task to fulfill the Great Commission. So, there is no excuse for any one church, regardless of size, to excuse itself from God's clear command to go and make disciples of all na- ons. Rather, churches can work together to see the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Some mes the burden may be overwhelming for a church to take on adop ng a people group by itself. A simple solu on is to look for part- The Associational Advisor ners, other churches, to share the joy and decrease any perceived burdens. This is true beyond our local and regional mission field. When missions and ministry partners are in place across the USA or with na onal partners in the place God has led you on mission across the globe, then the mission is most effec ve when we join forces in following biblical models for church plan ng. Churches can partner with the Piedmont Okefenokee Bap st Associa on (POBA), Georgia Bap st Mission Board (GBMB), North American Mission Board (NAMB), and Interna onal Mission Board (IMB) all coopera ng with the Southern Bap st Conven on (SBC). These are partnerships that currently exist. We cooperate in giving to the local associa on (POBA), Mission Georgia Offering (GBMB), Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (NAMB), Lo e Moon Christmas Offering (IMB), and by giving through the Coopera ve Program (CP) which provides some support to all these but your local associa on. We currently have missionaries in the POBA, GBMB, NAMB, and IMB that we already support and pray for who are already in the field. Some of the churches in the associa on have developed partnerships with church plants and other ministries with some of these exis ng partners in ministry. When we have these partnerships in place it makes sense that we work through and with our exis ng partners, especially when it comes to mission efforts - following biblical models for church plan ng. Effec ve mission efforts leverages exis ng partnerships. MISSION OPPORTUNITIES Please contact Greg Benfield at the POBA Office ( ) for more informa on or to sign up for one of these mission opportuni es. Mexico Partnership Missions Oaxaca, Mexico February 13-20, 2018 Es mated cost: $1,000 Deposit due: $400 - December 1, 2017 Ecuador Mission Trip Tangali, Ecuador May 15-22, 2018 Es mated cost: $1,500 Deposit due: $600 - February 2, 2018

5 December 2017 Page 5 W HAT WE BELIEVE AS SOUTHERN B APTISTS Each month we focus on a different topic in the Bap st Faith and Message (BFM). You may obtain a copy of the BFM (in print or by ) by contac ng our office. II.C. God the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumina on He enables men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls men to the Saviour, and effects regenera on. At the moment of regenera on He bap zes every believer into the Body of Christ. He cul vates Chris an character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gi s by which they serve God through His church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemp on. His presence in the Chris an is the guarantee that God will bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service. Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; 139:7ff.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Ma hew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32; 28:19; Mark 1:10,12; Luke 1:35; 4:1,18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; John 4:24; 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17,39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6; Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 3:16; 12:3-11,13; Gala ans 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13; 5:6-7; Revela on 1:10; 22:17. CONTINUING EDUCATION (Buddy Griner) This is just a note from the Con nued Educa- on classes. A new class began in Brantley County in October. That class is going great. We are excited about the things that God is doing through these classes. We are growing in the knowledge of Christ. We are understanding the Bible be er and are learning how to prepare messages. We are pastors, Sunday school leaders and those that just want to learn. We will begin new classes in January. We will begin Preaching Biblical Messages in Brantley County and in Pierce County we will begin Personal Spiritual Growth. We at the associa on would like to invite you to begin one of these classes. The benefits are eternal and prac cal. As we are learning that when we expose what the scripture says our lives are changing. Please come and join us on our journey. POBA ANNUAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON JANUARY 25 The POBA Annual Mee ng will be held on Thursday, January 25 at Hebardville Bap st Church. A meal will be served at 5:30 p.m. and the Annual Mee ng will begin with praise and worship at 6:45 p.m. The meal is free, but please RSVP by Friday, January 19. You may call the POBA Office ( ) or register online at pobaonline.com/annualmee ng. SANCTITY OF LIFE SUNDAY Sunday, January 21, 2018 Informa on about the Life Chain will be available in January. POBA RA Derby Saturday, January 27 Jamestown Bap st Church More informa on to come next month!

6 Page 6 The Associational Advisor POINTS CONTINUED Con nued from page 2 the conven on. You made us proud. Let me urge you to place on your calendar these events that will be upon us shortly. Pastor/Deacon Training. January 6 at First Bap st Church in Nahunta. 8:30 Breakfast & Registra on 9:00 Session 1 with Dr. Steve Parr leading us in the #ReachingNextGen Challenge 10:00 Session 2 with Bryan Alexander (Church- Minister Rela ons Specialist at GBMB) 11:00 Session 3 with Bryan Alexander 12:00 Lunch with all those a ending. (Good me for fellowship around a simple meal) A li le about Bryan Alexander. Bryan serves with the Church Minister Rela ons of the Georgia Bap st Mission Board. He has pastored 2 churches for the last 28 years prior to his becoming a missionary with GBMB. He has two daughters and one of them is IMB Missionary in Central Asia, the other is an educator in the public school system. His wife of 35 years is Cheryl. Bryan s extensive years in pastoral ministry will be an asset to the me we have with him in Pastor/Deacon Training. Once again put this on your calendar and be blessed at this training event. POBA Annual Mee ng. January 25 at Hebardville Bap st Church. 5:30 Supper 6:45 Worship and Praise 7:00 Business Session 7:45 Message by Mark Cardwell, pastor of Hebardville Bap st 8:30 Dismiss GBMB Evangelism Training. January at Central Bap st Church in Warner Robins. No ce!!!!transi onal Interim Training. February 27-28, POBA Office. This training will be awesome for all of our pastors and supply pastors to a end. It will be worth taking off from work to a end. It will be worth its weight in gold to a end. It will bless your church and our associa on if you a end. Plan now to get some of the richest training you can find. Several years ago I took Bro. Ed Hurst and Bro. Jerry Price to this training in Florida. I heard many of the men who came for the training in that loca on saying that they wished they had had this training while they were pastoring. I agreed with them. Plan now by pu ng this on your calendar. NOW!!!!RIGHT NOW!!!! REACHING THE NEXT GENERATION #ReachingNextGen - Choosing To Reach the Next Genera on is the public presenta on for the U2019 ini a- ve of the Georgia Bap st Mission Board. U2019 is intended to challenge and partner with Bap st leaders to focus on reaching more teens and children from now through The website features: 1. Intro to #ReachingNextGen 2. Video overview of the general strategy. 3. Strategic ac on plans that include video training and support documents for Kids, Teens and C-Bridge (Post High School). 4. A sign-up form for churches to join the ini a ve, receive updates, and a FREE church consulta on. 5. A list of par cipa ng churches. Going forward, every two months, we will add the next shi to the current cycle of the Strategic ac on plans. In total, there are two cycles of six shi s each that carries into We will also be adding tes monials, and other interes ng content. When does the strategy begin? Now. It is never too early to begin. Churches are encouraged to begin planning as soon as possible as we focus greater energy in 2018 and 2019 toward reaching the next genera on. So, help spread the word and let s invite every Georgia Bap st church to get involved in reaching the next genera on! Thanks for all you do! Barry Dollar State Missionary, Communica ons

7 December 2017 Page 7 LOTTIE MOON CHRISTMAS OFFERING December 3-10 is the Week of Prayer for Interna onal Missions and the Lo e Moon Christmas Offering. For 172 years, Southern Bap st churches have sent missionaries to the unreached across the globe. Our collec ve work has built a founda onal iden ty that has shaped IMB. This Christmas season, we con nue that legacy by par cipa ng in the Lo e Moon Christmas Offering. Together we financially support more than 4,000 Southern Bap st missionaries that share the gospel all over the world. This year, the Interna onal Mission Board has set a goal of $160 million. Our collec ve giving enables missionaries to be sent to make disciples and mul ply churches among unreached peoples and places for the glory of God. Prayerfully consider how you can par cipate this year. Bring your offering this Sunday, or give online any me at imb.org/give. CHURCH SECURITY MEETING December 11, 2017 Hillcrest Bap st Church, Hazlehurst 6:00 8:30 p.m. This mee ng is for Pastors, church leaders, and church security teams. RSVP is required. Call PASTOR/DEACON TRAINING Pastor/Deacon Training January 6, 2018 First Bap st Nahunta 8:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 8:30 Breakfast & Registra on 9:00 Session 1 (Steve Parr) 10:00 Session 2 (Bryan Alexander) 11:00 Session 3 (Bryan Alexander) 12:00 Lunch

8 Piedmont Okefenokee Baptist Association 2104 Alice Street, Waycross, GA Phone (912) , Fax (912) CALENDAR December 2 Caregiver Conference 2 Backpacks of Hope, Baker Co Week of Prayer for Interna onal Missions and the Lo e Moon Christmas Offering 24 Christmas Eve 25-1 Christmas Holidays, office closed 31 New Year s Eve January 1 New Year s Day 6 Pastor/Deacon Training 16 Administra ve Team Mee ng Missions College 19 Meal Reserva on Deadline for Annual Mee ng 21 Sanc ty of Life Sunday 25 POBA Annual Mee ng Jacksonville Pastor s Conference 27 POBA RA Derby Evangelism Conference 30 Pastor/Staff Prayer Celebrating in December Active pastors/staff & their spouses celebrating this month February 1 Pastor s Day at the Capitol 2 Deposit for Ecuador mission trip due Focus on WMU Week 12 WMU Annual Inspira on Mee ng Mexico Mission Trip 14 Valen ne s Day 17 Children s Ministry Day 17 State RA Derby 20 Administra ve Team Mee ng 24 Children s Mission Extravaganza Transi onal Interim Training 27 Pastor/Staff Prayer Birthdays Susan Baum 6 Vian Glosson 6 Edmund Thri 14 Richard Golden 14 Danielle Griner 15 Ma Tu le 15 Don Pa erson 16 Lamar Chris e 16 Jessica Cochran 16 Sam Stack 19 Sue Stack 20 Barry Rozier 21 Tim Rowell 22 Juanita Hurst 23 Edward Colley 29 Jason Hayes 31 Anniversaries Sco y & Jadison Hayes 5 Jason & Amanda Hayes 12 Doug & Kathy Todd 18 Johnny & Frances Ware 19 Ben & Dana Smith 19 Ben & Vian Glosson 30 Ma & Jennifer Tu le 31 Download The Associa onal Advisor at pobaonline.com Missionary: don.poba@gmail.com Missions Strategist: greg.poba@gmail.com Ministry Assistant: sarah.poba@gmail.com...connect WITH