SAVE THE DATE. Kingdom Growth in 3D: Discipling Disciples to Disciple FALL MEANS.

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1 Kingdom Growth in 3D: Discipling Disciples to Disciple Old Highway 49 Gulfport, Mississippi (228) FAX (228) FALL MEANS MEETINGS ARE COMING YOU WON T WANT TO MISS: Monday October 7PM Executive Board GCBA Training Center Monday October 6:45pm Association Fall Lakeshore Baptist Church SAVE THE DATE NOVEMBER 16, 6:30pm GCBA Training Center, GCBA S Annual Ministers and Mates Banquet JANUARY 16, am-1pm New Hope Baptist Church, Senior Adult Conference JANUARY 20, am-2pm GCBA Training Center, Protecting Your Reputation and Your Church Vol 53 No. 8 October 2017

2 AMD s DESK Dr. Steve Mooneyham What is our purpose? Perhaps you have heard the old joke about a man running past a neighbor s house. The neighbor asked, Where are you going in such a hurry? The breathless reply came, I m headed down to the Baptist church. Why? What is going on? the neighbor asked. The running man said, There is a scrap going on down there, and I want to get in on it! It is sad at times that we are known more for our fussing and feuding than our loving and soul-winning. Sometimes we get too caught up in peripheral things and allow those things that promote our calling and purpose as people of God to be pushed aside. I hear comments to the effect that attendance is down, finances are down, etc. Those are very real situations, for sure. But, I have a question. If this is true in your church, what are you doing to address those problems? There may be a myriad of answers offered in response. May I offer an observation? There is an adage, The resources are in the harvest. Is attendance declining? Reach out to the community. Are offerings down? Reach people. If baptisms are down, and have been down over several years, that is one reason for the decline churches see on several fronts. Now, I know what some will say, We will just take what God sends us, or God must have not wanted us to grow more last year. My response to that is this, isn t this something of a cop out? The same God who calls us to share the gospel is the same God who said through Peter, The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (2Peter 3:9 NASV) If the heart of our Father is for all to come to repentance, then our goal should be to reach them with the gospel, so that they may repent, be saved by our Father and grow in faith as part of the church of God. So, what is your church s purpose? Is it not to make disciples as reflected in Matthew 28:18-20? I encourage you to take steps to reclaim your purpose in the plan of God. October is the month set aside by Southern Baptists as Pastor/Staff Appreciation month. Your pastor and staff could use a pat on the back. Give them a gift card to a restaurant and pay the baby sitter. Why not give him a Sunday off, unexpected, just because! Have Children s SS classes write appreciation notes. If you have trouble thinking of appropriate ways, give us a call. We will be glad to help you come up with a good way to say, Thanks! Remember : Complete your ACP and return it by October 5, Elect messengers for Fall meeting (October 16 at Lakeshore Baptist, Bay St Louis) Pray for one another. Blessed to serve you, Dr. Steve Please support Gulf Coast Community Ministries! Slow Smoked Daddy s BBQ Award Winning Pork Bu Sale Dona on of $40 each; 8lb. Average Hot, foil wrapped, ready to serve Pickup will be Thurs., Oct. 26, Bayou View Bap st Church To Volunteer for this event or ques ons call FEED THE COAST MOBILE FOOD PANTRY WILL BE COMING IN NOVEMBER For more informa on call h p:// Ministers Conference: When: Tuesday October 3, 2017 Guest Speaker: Dr. Bill Warren, pastor, Jacobs Well and Professor of New Testament and Greek at NOBTS Time: 10am-Noon (Note time change, we will be meeting earlier than usual to cover the bible study overview. Fellowship 9:30am) Place: GCBA Training Center Dr. Warren will lead the overview of the 2018 January Bible Study. The study will be the book of 1Peter, a timely study. Peter wrote to Gentile believers facing suffering and persecution because of their faith in Jesus. The message...has great relevance for today as more pressure is being exerted by a growing secular mindset cloaked in tolerance. (back cover of study guide)

3 CHURCH NEWS CONTRIBUTIONS FOR AUGUST MOUNT CHAPEL Waveland is in need of an energetic and Christ filled individual to help build their Youth Ministry. Call Renell Singleton for more information. NORTH LONG BEACH will be having revival services October Sunday service time 11am & 6pm and October pm. Matt Pittman pastor of Chunky BC with be the speaker. All are invited to attend. PASS CHRISTIAN FBC is overjoyed to welcome their new pastor and his wife, Dr. Ronald and Sue Ballard. PERKINSTON is looking for a part-time Youth Minister for Sundays, Wednesday evenings and occasional weekends for special activities. Contact Nell Murray of more murray258@aol.com. SHORELINE PARK is looking to fill two positions. Someone for 3rd- 6th grade Sunday am & pm services and someone to work with their youth. Call for more information. WOOLMARKET is accepting resumes for a Part-time Minister of Youth. Resume s can be mailed to the church; Lorraine Rd., Biloxi, MS attention Youth Minister Search Team or ed to awguitar@me.com. F aithful Servants is a Southern Gospel Trio looking for opportunities to worship with churches in our area. To schedule please call Steve Moore CHURCHES WITHOUT PASTORS The GCBA is supported by contribu ons from our member churches. These churches are encouraged to give at least 3% of their undesignated offerings to associa onal missions and ministries. Your church s faithful support of the GCBA is greatly encouraged and appreciated.

4 D C Dionne Williams Associate AMD MBCB Events Information Visit MBCB.org/events for the scoop Moving Beyond A One Day Leadership Event with Johnny Hunt on October 3, 2017 at Broadmoor Bap st Church in Madison, MS. Register today h p:// nyurl.com/hunt2017 NetWorlding Summit: Building Chris an Fellowship with Women of All Ethnici es, Garaywa Camp and Conference Center, October 13. Visit mbcb.org/wmu for more informa on. Mother/Daughter Overnight, Garaywa Camp and Conference Center, October 5pm October 2pm Student Day, Bap st Building, October 9am 2:30pm WMU Annual Mee ng, FBC Jackson, October 30, starts at 2pm Mississippi Bap st Conven on, FBC Jackson, October 31 November 1 VISIT TO ACCESS MARGARET LACKEY OFFERING MATERIALS October is Pastor Appreciation Month Here are 6 suggestions by Lifeway to show appreciation to your pastor; 1. Pray for them. 2. Write them encouraging letters. 3. Serve in the church. 4. Give generously. 5. Encourage their families. 6. Speak well of the church.

5 Merry Christmas 2017 For more than 50 years, Mississippi Baptists have enjoyed sending a new suit to pastors in new work areas. Many of these pastors have no suit nor do they have money to buy one. The churches in these areas are usually small and don t pay much, and many of the pastors are bi-vocational. A new suit is a thoughtful gesture; letting these pastors know that we care about them and that we support their work. Since 2001, we have sent the pastor s wives a gift card when we had enough money to do so. Since the ministry s inception in 1963, Mississippi Baptists have provided more than 8,000 suits and close to 2,600 gift cards. Raising money for the Suit Project Ministry can be a special project for any group in your church: Men s Ministry, Royal Ambassadors, Girls in Action, Youth, Sunday School classes or WMU groups. Monetary gifts are accepted year round. Questions regarding The Suit Project can be directed to Deanna Vail, , MBCB Men s Ministry ACP or Annual Church Profile. What is that all about anyway? Why do we even bother? Here s what it means to the Association: Provides base for setting goals Helps determine need for additional services Identifies mission opportunities Useful in updating mailing lists Helps in evaluating past performances Helps determine training needs Helps in developing leadership training Facilitates strategy planning So, if you ve already completed your ACP, THANK YOU! Otherwise, hurry, the deadline is October 5. Please contact or robin@gulfcoastba.com you need help completing the ACP.