BCM/D Annual Meeting

And that’s a wrap! (sort of…)

Our team of live bloggers did an awesome job! We had bloggers from Hagerstown, Baltimore, Dover, the list goes on… Not a bad mix!  It’s not too late to join the team and post your thoughts. Just register and post!

The convention is over, but the blogging doesn’t have to be. Come back and post more of your thoughts and reflections as they come to you on your long (or short) drive home. Thanks to all who participated.  We’ll see you next year!

Delaware Baptist Association welcomes the annual BCM/D meeting

Dover, Delaware was the site of inspiring preaching, uplifting music, and wonderful fellowship as messengers gathered to celebrate what God was doing in our midst. We heard testimonies and challenges that convicted us of other areas of opportunities that we needed to embrace as Christians. All of us went away from our annual meeting with ideas, new materials, deeper friendships, and a desire to be more involved in kingdom work. I wouldlike to hear from some of you as to one idea that youtook away from this time together or a piece of literature that you discovered or if you were convicted in anyway to become involved in an area of ministry that you are not presently involved in.

Comments about Baltimore Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware

This convention has been the perfect combination of wonderful worship and powerful preaching while conducting productive business.  I am the pastor of an inner city church in Baltimore.  The amount of BCM/D resources targeted for ministries like mine is incredible.  Presently, I am seeking the Lord’s direction concerning getting involved with the cooperative program and the Embrace Baltimore initiative.  If anyone feels led to give me information regarding what to expect if we decide to become involved contact me at elingram at verizon.net.

Interview from the booth

After speaking with very important influences in my life, I have decided to take a few moments and interview a couple of people as they pass by our “snack bar”.

Doris P. Jordan

What is your most memorable event from this years convention?

“The speakers were great this year. Sunday nights speaker and also Dr. Lee’s message”

Did you take the time to meet any one new friends?

“No, I am anti-social. I am only friends with Milli. Not really! I met two new child care workers, from Delaware.”

Do you plan on coming back next year?

“If I am alive.”

What did you think of the Skycroft booth?

“The coffee was cold”

I love her, she is a great person. (Doug)

Steve Woverton from the Church at Canton

What is your most memorable event from this years convention?

“The Skycroft booth, as always” (he is a suck up)

Did you take the time to meet any one new friends

“I met a few new people but I don’t know their names. I did meet the hotel clerk”

Do you plan on coming back next year?

“Since it will be close to home I would say yes”

What did you think of the Skycroft booth?

“It was awesome except for the guy hanging. The coffee was good and Grace needs to ‘work harder’”

Bruce from Immanuel in Salisbury

What is your most memorable event from this years convention?

“I would have to say the partnership with missions and doing work around the world”

Did you take the time to meet any one new friends

“Yes, I sat with people I didn’t know at dinners. The real best part of the convention is networking with other pastors from around the states”

Do you plan on coming back next year?

“Yes, I like for it to be closer to home”

What did you think of the Skycroft booth?

“I loved it. I like the coffee, the cookies, and the expresso”

For now this is it. I have to go get water for more coffee.

Director Doug out

BCM/D Annual Message - Reflections by a Gen-X’er

(This post was origninally posted by Bryan Patrick at pursuingyahweh.typepad.com.  Permission granted for reprint to this blog)

Dr. David Lee, Executive Director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/ Delaware, gave his annual message tonight at the BCM/D annual meeting in Dover, DE.  Titled, “In The Eye of the Storm,” this message was focused on our current economic crisis and the tendencies Baptists have historically exhibited.

According to Dr. Lee, we have just experienced the landfall of the storm.  We are now in the eye of a storm with an apparent reprisal on the horizon.  I must agree.  After last week’s elections, there seems to be a release in the air (whether you liked the results or not.)

While we are in the eye, Dr. Lee challenged the messengers of the convention to strengthen faith, strengthen hope, and figure out how to love.

Indeed our faith has been shaken.  As a Gen-X’er, I never expected to experience financial markets like we are seeing now.  I’m seeing men of strong faith that have a raised brow concerning their future retirement, which until 2008, was a few years away.

In our haste, we must not be reactionary – we must be steady in Jesus. “We can’t fix what we are about to face without Jesus.” (Dr. Lee)

On the subject of hope, that is what we have to offer the world:

Finally, we must love!

I cannot and do not speak for Dr. Lee as to what the next part of the storm will be.  However, I have my own opinions.

As I am listening to this, I am personally wondering what the future holds for Southern Baptists in general.  Southern Baptists are facing, in MY opinion, a crisis that will either bring certain destruction, or certain change.

My parent’s generation was fully sold on the Cooperative Program. They gave their tithe, and a portion went to support missions.  Some of those dollars were put to use locally, others around the world.
My generation, and especially the generation behind me, is not content to “blindly” giving to a mission that cannot be experienced first hand.  Gen X’ers, and those who follow, want to see, touch, smell, and feel missions first hand.

This translates to a decline in Cooperative Program giving. Without CP, Southern Baptists, as we know it now, do not exist.

What’s the answer? I have no idea.  At some point, we must figure out a way to support long-term missionaries while engaging the church in hands-on missions.  This balance of ministry is the only way, again in MY opinion, for us to survive as Southern Baptists.

Dr. Lee – thank you for an inspiring and challenging message tonight.  Thank you for your leadership.  I agree that we must love and continue to dream.  It took a dreamer to go to China for the Gospel.  It took a dreamer to hold large stadium crusades for the Gospel.  It will take dreamers to carry the Gospel to our world and culture.

What did you hear tonight? What do you think about our future as Southern Baptists?

Monday Evening Session LIVE BLOGGING–part II

Dr. David Lee is preaching on “In the Eye of the Storm” from 1 Corinthians 13:13.  He notes that Paul was the master of the summary statement (e.g., Romans 6:23; Romans 8:28).  “And now abideth faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love.”  He served in hurricane-ravaged Mississippi in his early ministry storm.  He never has experienced the “eye” of a storm, though some of his friends have. In the eye itself the wind is calm, the sky is clear. In the eye of the storm, some go out and tidy up and even clean up the mess that’s started.  But you have to do it quickly, because the other half of the storm was coming.

The Corinthian church was in the eye of such a storm, with more to come in the days to come.  He believes the BCM/D is in the same “eye” of the storm.  He’s afraid that the backside of the storm may be even more difficult.  However, we have time to prepare.

1. We must strengthen our faith….”now abideth faith.”  There is a theology of faith, “what should I believe about God?” and the key question is “How big is God?” Then there is the theopraxy of faith, “what I do in my life based on my faith?” Here the key question is “Is God big enough?” It’s not always easy; it may be really tough.  Doing what we’ve been trained to do may not be enough.  We can’t fix what we’re facing without Him.  Just surviving the storm is not good enough.  It’s going to take faith! Do Baptists hoard money just like the banks in American are accused of doing that brought about this economic questions? BCM/D is known for being bold, to take the steps necessary even in the eye of the storm.

2. We must get busy telling the story of hope…”now abideth hope.” The landscape around us has changed but it has done nothing more than make things clearer for us.  The changing world and our economy has made a difference.  The generations following us have a very different view of denominationalism from those who have gone before.  What does our world need most? The hope of the Gospel. What do we have to offer? The Gospel of hope.  We know exactly what we need to do. Soon we will launch a futuring initiative for our convention. For 10 years we have been doing business on a previous plan.  But now we must look forward to a new plan and vision.  The core of what we must do is get the message of hope to a world that needs to hear it.  It’s not time to go independent; now more than before we need each other.

3. We must figure out this whole love thing…”now abideth love; and the greatest of these is love.” At the end of the day love is the only thing that will win us a hearing with others.  Love is all that really gives us credibility in a culture that is quickly running away from God.  Most of our churches are plateaued or declining.  Why is that happening?  True, some have past their relevancy.  Some are just trying to keep the institutional machinery going.  But the main issue is that those who call themselves followers don’t get along with each other.  Paul encouraged the Corinthians to consider a better way.  Love never fails.

The church has always done better in times of Kingdom expansion during persecution.  But not usually with Baptists “on the front end.” Baptists want to silence the “dreamers.”  We cannot stop dreaming and trusting.  Keep move forward boldly as we plant churches…as we do missions… Be sure to tell the story of hope. Take it to the people who so deperately need it.  There is not a limited supply of the love of God!  In fact, the more we give, the more our capacity to receive it.

Dare we ignore the wise counsel of the apostle Paul?

Partnership Dinner

40 attenders for the 2008 Partnership Dinner

“Boy the food was delicious!”

Guest speakers from the BGR (Baptist Global Repsonse) and our Kentucky Partnership brought exciting updates and news on multiple ways Maryland/Delaware Baptist can join in partnership with them in ministry endeavors.  Food, Fellowship and Mission opportunities were enjoyed by all who attended!

Ministers’ Wives Conference

Ministers Wives Brunch a refreshing time of connection and reflection

I always enjoy attending the annual BCM/D Ministers’ Wives Brunch. For me, it’s a time to take off my journalist hat and put on my minister’s wife hat. It’s a time to connect with other women who understand the unique calling on our lives and to hear encouraging words that sustain us through the next few months until we meet again.

This morning was especially refreshing as Tammy Lashey from Calling Levi shared her heart in word and song. The music was breathtaking. Tammy’s words of encouragement were equally powerful.

One of her comments really struck me. “With these uncertain days and economic times, we tend to make it all about us,” she shared. “We forget that God holds the world in His hands.”

You know, it seems like a simple statement. But do we really take it to heart? God is in control. Not only does He have the world in His hands, He has my world in His hands. What an incredible blessing!

Language Ministry

The language ministry leader, Rolando Castro, has encouraged all the language pastors and lay people to reach the goal that God gave them.  The goal is that God reach all cultures.

Telling the story of hope in our neighborhood

Wonderful Glorious LORD thank you for such a great day and experience here at the BCMD Annual Meeting 2008.

I feel sorry for those who missed this event. It has been an occasion of blessings.

Personally I missed Sunday nights meeting because of sickness which was disappointing.  However my loss was overcome by the  outstanding preaching of Ed Stetzer today.

He answered many question I had concerning contextual evangelism (reaching the lost in a multicultural environment). Like “How do we reach the 21 century people groups flooding into our community?” “How do we stop telling the lost what we think they should hear and start telling the story of hope “the Gospel” in a way that answers their questions about salvation?” All I can think of now after hearing his presentation is “opportunities, opportunities, opportunities”.

Does that sound like a business meeting to you?

Well the event has been far from the traditional meetings that I have attended.

If anything the displays are absolutely amazing and very professional. I have picked up information that members of my church have been requesting for some time.

It is nice to know that the Southern Baptists in this state are resourceful and here to help even a small church like might experience God in the community without feeling isolated, outdated and having limited ability to accomplish Gods work.

Peace and hope all will come next year.

Pastor Scott Johnston

Maugansville Baptist