Mission & Ministry Summit

Take the Land

by Clint Cook, Executive Director

Clint Cook - Summit Keynote Speaker - possessIn 1994, I was privileged to speak at the General Association held in Nashville, Tennessee. My scripture portion was from Joshua 1. “Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the Lord said to him: You are old, advanced in years and there remains much land yet to be possessed.”

This passage is very similar to the key scripture chosen for the 2017 Summit theme: Take the Land. Deuteronomy 1:8 says, “See I have set the land before you. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore to your fathers….”

These two passages have some interesting similarities: they both deal with the Promised Land, and they are both statements to Joshua. The difference between the two passages is Joshua’s age.

In Deuteronomy, we see a younger Joshua who was following a senior leader. Later we have a seasoned, mature Joshua who had encountered many ups and downs over a 40-year span of time. Joshua 1 shows us a man who had weathered the death of Moses, navigated his growth from warrior to national leader, and saw the result of disobedience. It was under Joshua’s leadership that the people of God finally conquered and possessed the Promised Land.

Then, in Joshua 13, the Lord gives a very clear analysis: “There remains yet very much land to possess.”

Like Joshua and the nation of Israel, each of us is given a similar directive by God to Take the Land. Disciples of Jesus are commanded in the Great Commission to go and make disciples. I see a direct correlation between God’s directive to Joshua and the Great Commission to the church.

As a 32-year-old pastor at that G.A., I was a lot like Joshua: young, impetuous, and intimidated. I knew the Great Commission commanded me to share the gospel and make disciples. I also knew of many older General Baptist pastors and preachers who had been blessed with fruitful ministries and growing churches. I recall that I reminded the 1994 audience that the General Baptist movement needs young, middle-aged, and older disciple makers, because, “There remains very much land yet to be possessed.”

Our movement has made wonderful progress for the Kingdom through souls saved, thousands of disciples trained, new churches organized and new international fields opened. Yet, have we run out of communities to change? Has every person we know been won to faith in Christ? No!

Just because General Baptists have had some successes, our assignment is not finished. In the midst of our praise to the Lord for these blessings, we must never lose sight of God’s mandate that remains unfulfilled: “There remains very much land yet to be possessed.”

So what can we learn from these passages?

First, whatever the age of your church, the age of your members, or the age of your pastor, we will give an account one day not only for what we have accomplished, but for what still needs to be done.

Second, the Great Commission is an ongoing, never-ending, retirement-free directive to the church. Church member, leader, pastor: our assignment is not complete. There is more land yet to possess!

Third, let us remember that making disciples is like fighting those Old Testament Canaanites. Sharing our faith is a spiritual battle that is full of obstacles, obstructions, and strongholds. But it is a battle we must continue to fight. The children of Israel dwelt on the obstacles. They asked, “Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts saying the people are greater and taller than we are. The cities are great and fortified up to the heaven.” (Deuteronomy 1:28)

We’re in this fight together. When we Stay Connected, we Stay Strong. Let’s hold fast to God’s response to the nay-sayers in verse 29: “Do not be terrified or afraid of them. The Lord your God who goes before you, He will fight for you.”

My prayer is that 2017 will be the year every General Baptist church renews its commitment and obligation to Take the Land for, “There remains very much land yet to be possessed.” Join us at the 2017 Summit where we will challenged even more to Take the Land!

2017 Mission & Ministry Summit

Take the Land – Mission & Ministry Summit 2017

By Lance Johnson, Host/Moderator

Lance Johnson - Moderator of the 2017 Mission & Ministry SummitWe are already in full swing making plans for the 2017 edition of the Missions & Ministry Summit and I couldn’t be more excited. I want to take this opportunity to invite you to be part of this incredible journey.

Our theme for the 2017 Summit will be “Take the Land.” I believe God has placed your church in just the right location to make an eternal impact on those around you and He is calling you to “Take the Land”. This has been our calling from the very beginning of our movement. We unapologetically proclaim the truth that Jesus tasted death for every man, woman, boy and girl. As General Baptists, we want to do anything we possibly can, while we trust God to do the impossible so we may take the land He has given us by sharing this life changing message.

That’s why I believe the Missions & Ministry Summit is so important for each of our churches. Each year, General Baptists from all across the globe gather together to encourage and strengthen one another. Our focus is always on learning how we can make a greater impact in growing God’s Kingdom. We challenge each other to further develop our respective ministries through meaningful worship, purposeful training, and missional challenges.

At next year’s Summit, we will continue to challenge and encourage one another on July 17th-19th at the Old National Events Plaza in Evansville, Indiana. It is already shaping up to be an incredible event.

We will be offering a wide array of breakout sessions that will help you better impact your community. We will build on the excitement generated by the Go Project at the 2016 Summit and once again have a focus track on children’s ministry development. You will have an opportunity to explore technology in the church with workshops on service planning and volunteer ministry through Planning Center Online, working with presentation software like Pro Presenter, as well as resources for graphics and video editing. Other possible tracks we are discussing involve leadership development in the church, personal enrichment, and much more.

All of our breakout sessions will be designed to equip you to “Take the Land” God has given you. It would be an incredible opportunity for your church to bring staff, leaders, and volunteers to grow in their respective ministries.

There is also an inspiring roster of keynote speakers for the 2017 Summit. We will welcome to the main stage one of our very own difference makers, Gary Baldus. Pastor Gary has been intentional as he planted New Walk Church in Zephyrhills, Florida to “Take the Land” God called him to. New Walk has now grown to become the largest church in General Baptist history.

We will be challenged by Aaron Broyles. Aaron is a Christian author of the book “Do Great Things”, a speaker, and entrepreneur. As a successful businessman and leadership developer, his focus is on discovering purpose, helping people see opportunities that others don’t see, and achieving success in those opportunities.

And finally, we will welcome back to the Summit none other than Alex Himaya. Alex serves as pastor of TheChurch.at in Oklahoma and was a special part of the 2015 Missions and Ministry Summit.

This year’s Summit is going to be incredible. As always, you are going to be able to reconnect with old friends and have the opportunity to network with new ones. But even more than that, we will all be equipped and encouraged to make a difference in the world around us. With God leading the way, I believe with all of my heart that you and your church can make that difference. So I am challenging you to prepare yourself for God-sized things in your ministry by inviting you to be part of this amazing event.

Make plans now to attend the 2017 Missions and Ministry Summit on July 17th-19th. For more details and information, visit the Summit website at www.gbSummit.org.

Summit Keynoter Speakers

Meet Our 2016 Mission & Ministry Summit Keynote Speakers

Clint Cook – Executive Director of General Baptist Ministries

Clint Cook - Summit Keynote SpeakerBorn in 1962, Clint was called into the ministry at the age of 16 and ordained as a minister at the age of 20. Graduating from St.Louis Christian College in 1986 Clint began his first pastorate at Real Life Church in Springfield, IL in September 1985. At that time the church was known as First General Baptist Church.

In 2011, Clint was called by the General Baptist Council of Associations to act as the interim Executive Director following the resignation of Dr. James Murray. After less than a year serving as Interim, Clint was elected to fill the Executive Director position on a permanent basis.

As Executive Director, Clint has continued his ministry as Lead Pastor at Real Life Church and continued and expanded the Next Level Coaching Network among General Baptist pastors and leaders.

Phil Cooke – Co-Founder and CEO of Cooke Pictures

Phil Cooke - Summit Keynote SpeakerAn internationally known writer and speaker, Phil Cooke has actually produced media programming in nearly 50 countries around the world. During that time—through his company Cooke Pictures in Burbank, California—he’s helped some of the largest nonprofit organizations and leaders in the world use the media to tell their story in a changing, disrupted culture.

Through his best-selling book Branding Faith: Why Some Churches and Non-Profits Make a Difference and Other’s Don’t, Phil helps churches and ministry leaders understand that they have to “tell a better stories.”

Ted Cunningham – Lead Pastor of Woodland Hills Family Church

Ted Cunningham - Summit Keynote SpeakerTed Cunningham is the founding pastor of Woodland Hills Family Church in Branson, MO. He is the author of Fun Loving You, Trophy Child and Young and In Love and coauthor of four books with Dr. Gary Smalley: The Language of Sex; From Anger to Intimacy; Great Parents, Lousy Lovers and As Long as We Both Shall Live.

He is a graduate of Liberty University and Dallas Theological Seminary. Ted and his wife, Amy, have been married for 17 years and live in Branson, MO with their two children, Corynn and Carson.

Gary McIntosh – President of the Church Growth Network

Gary McIntosh - Summit Keynote SpeakerDr. Gary L. McIntosh, has over 27 years of experience in the field of church growth consultation, coaching of church leaders, and workshop presentations. As President of the McIntosh Church Growth Network, Gary has analyzed over 1,000 churches, representing some 87 denominations throughout the United States, Canada and Southeast Asia. His articles have appeared in Global Church Growth, New Results, the Win Arn Growth Report, Leadership, Church Growth America, Growing Churches, and numerous denominational publications.

Gary is currently Professor of Christian Ministry and Leadership at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, where he teaches courses in the field of Pastoral Theology.

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