BCM/D Annual Meeting

The following is also available on my Church Multiplication Blog: Moving at the Speed of God.

For the past several years, the BCM/D has held a pre-convention worship experience on Sunday evening, prior to the Annual Meeting.  This year the convention and its auxiliary events are being held at the Sheraton Hotel in Dover, Delaware.  Approximately one hundred and fifty people are present for the service.

The service is being led by the worship team from Greensboro Baptist Church, who began with “Reign in Me,” “Awesome God,” and “You are Holy (Prince of Peace),” “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name.” and “I Stand in Awe of You.”  First Vice-President of the Convention Rev. Byron Day led in prayer.  The DBA Mass Choir then sang “Jehovah,” led by Bill Archer, who helped form the choir last year for the 50th anniversary of the association.

The Greensboro Baptist Worship Team is back to lead us in “Seek Ye First,” “Holy Holy Lord God Almighty,” “Seekers of Your Heart,” and “Heart of Worship.”  Rev. Day reminded us of Mark 1:35 and the need for prayer, calling us to pray together in small groups for the events of these days, for the churches and for our nation.

After a season of prayer, the choir led us in worship again as they sang “Jesus Saves.”  The crowd has grown to about two hundred people, it appears.  The speaker remarked that those present are truly Baptists, since the crowd is all sitting in the back!

Rev. Byron Day introduced Rev. Loren Russell, BCM/D’s regional coordinator with the North American Mission Board, who is bringing the message from God’s Word today.  He is preaching from Romans 5:1-5 on the theme “The Audacity of Hope.”

Russell points outs that Paul notes the doctrine of salvation in Romans, the greatest exposition in the New Testament, focused on God’s righteousness.  In spite of our sinfulness, God is righteous.  Believers suffer, but God is still righteous.  Hope is binding our trials on the one side and on the other!  God gives us a reason to hope, no matter what our experience in this life.  Hope is confidence, particularly in the return of Christ.  Rejoice in the hope of Jesus, because hope doesn’t disappoint.  Remember, Paul is talking to the church, not lost people!  Yes, he notes that we will go THROUGH things (trials), but we won’t get stuck there!  Don’t forget: ALL things (not some or many) work together for good to them who love God and are called according to HIs purposes.

Overcoming suffering takes perseverance (which teaches us patience); this builds character in our life.  This produces hope in our lives! There is nothing that Satan can throw at you that you can’t handle as a child of the King!  The difference is having the Light of God in our life.  Eight promises of God’s care and provision are found here in verses 1-11 (peace, access to God by grace, hope, joy in tribulation, love poured out in our hearts, the Holy Spirit living in you, salvation from His wrath, and joy in Christ).

With great power comes great responsibility.  We must not hide away our Christianity in our hearts; that’s not why God sent His Son.  We must share with others…we must do our part to rescue those without Christ.

Church planting personnel sighted include Samuel Cho, Chad Cravens, Robert Kim and Rolando Castro.