Last Saturday our Church Council met to discuss plans for 2010. Many of the Ministry Teams shared upcoming plan and events that are now on our church calendar. It’s exciting to see God’s people working and serving and ministering together for His Glory. We’ve got a lot ahead of us – it will be hard work – but it will also be rewarding work.
Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (NIV). One of the exciting works which I believe God has prepared in advance for us here at Rock Bridge Baptist Church is to participate in Across Georgia 2010. Below is a summary of the Across Georgia ministry. Take time to read through this and then begin to ask the Lord how you can be involved in carrying the gospel to those who need Christ in our community.
Did You Know?
Georgia’s population is 9.7 million. Approximately 6.8 million do not know Christ as Savior. There are almost 2000 lost people for every Georgia Baptist church
“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:37b-38 NKJV
What If?
What if every Georgia Baptist church prayed and partnered together to saturate Georgia’s communities with the seed of the Gospel using their unique gifts and resources? What if the sowing occurred simultaneously to maximize the possibility that every member of the communities would hear the Gospel? That is what Across Georgia 2010 is all about.
The Plan
The North American Mission Board and the Georgia Baptist Convention are partnering together with Georgia’s associations and churches to navigate more energy toward reaching the lost. The plan is called God’s Plan for Sharing (GPS). Effectiveness in evangelism will occur as every church engages in:
** Praying for those who do not know Christ.
** Engaging believers in effectively sharing their faith.
** Sowing the Gospel so that the lost community hears the good news.
** Harvesting as congregations celebrate those who trust in Christ.
A Flexible Strategy
Georgia Baptists believe that there is only one way to a relationship with God and that is through Jesus Christ. They also understand that there are many ways to sow and share the Gospel so that unbelievers have an opportunity to trust Christ as their Savior. Every pastor, staff, and congregation possesses their own unique strengths and preferences. A “one size fits all” strategy of evangelism will never work.
Christians have one Gospel and we have many ways to share. Churches are challenged to implement the strategy that best utilizes its strengths and resources. Every church, new and established, contemporary, traditional or blended in style, North, South, East, and West can connect to this strategy.
Every Georgia Baptist church is challenged to engage their congregation in one or more of the following intentional evangelistic initiatives:
1. Prepare and host an evangelistic revival.
2. Implement a servant or community evangelism project.
3. Take the scripture to every home in its community.
4. Train every member to share the Gospel through their Sunday School or in small groups.
OR
5. Implement a personalized local evangelistic effort that you have found to be effective.
This sounds exciting doesn’t it? I hope each of you will want to be involved in saturating our community with prayer and with invitations to hear and receive the gospel. This Across Georgia 2010 ministry will help us to keep our focus on Kingdom work. Here’s a reminder of our Ministry and Mission Vision as we formed Rock Bridge Baptist church jut 10 months ago:
Ministry and Mission Vision
We believe combining to form a new church will provide the resources (property, people, and prayer) for successful Kingdom work in our area. We will focus those resources with a new vision for ministry (internal) and mission (external outreach).
Ministry vision
1. Focus on top-notch music and worship with a greater variety of styles including combined choirs and a praise band with modern worship songs.
2. Focus on Senior Adults, drawing on their spiritual maturity and strength while providing support and encouragement.
3. Focus on Biblical training (Discipleship) for all age groups.
Mission vision
1. Outreach to Children and youth. Virtually every student in the Norcross area will be functional with the English language. Reaching these students through Sunday School, AWANA, youth programs, VBS, etc. will provide an avenue to reach families in the community.
2. Partner with civic and social groups to provide life-changing programs on basic life issues (such as parenting classes, money management, language classes, etc.)
3. Outreach with community programs, such as a family life center, sports programs, etc.
Plan now to join with us in the exciting adventure of walking with Christ in our community.
May God Bless
Pastor Greg
