Tag Archives: networking

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July 28, 2015

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Christian Life, Congregrational Ministries, Executive Office, General Baptists, International Missions, Leadership, National Missions, Pastoring, Women's Ministries

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Life in Those Old Denominations: 3 Reasons for Belonging AND Participating

By Dr. Franklin Dumond

Having just completed our annual Mission & Ministry Summit I have been reminded not only of the history of our own denomination but also the value of belonging and participating in a denominational network. Hundreds of General Baptist leaders gathered in Collinsville, Illinois for Powerful Worship, Practical Training and Personal Missionary Connections.

Powerful Worship was made possible by a Collective Worship Team of musicians and vocalists from several churches. The main sessions were completed by powerful preaching from both General Baptist and guest preachers who obviously had a message to share. Each preacher (Mark Powell, Darren Patrick, Alex Himaya, and Clint Cook) shared passionately and effectively. (Note: DVD copies of the main sessions are available for purchase from Congregational Ministries.)

Practical Training came from workshop sessions offered throughout the week. Workshop tracks allowed participants options to build a series of connected workshops or to enjoy highlights from several workshop tracks. Along with missionary connections, special training came from our own Church Planting Team and guests assisted with rural church, discipleship, personal enrichment, church systems and other topics. To conserve the learning, audio recordings were made of most workshops and access to those downloadable recordings is available through a drop card system that may be purchased from Congregational Ministries.

Missionary Connections were not only available in the workshops but were also part of the main stage event, a featured element of the exhibit hall, and an important part of two very powerful group prayers. On Tuesday evening Executive Director Clint Cook presided over a very moving commissioning service as the assembled leaders laid hands on newly appointed International Missions Director Mark Powell and newly appointed church planter Steve Gill to commission them to their new tasks. On Wednesday evening all the current missionaries, church planters and ethnic ministries were grouped together for a special joint prayer of blessing on their lives and service.

Looking back over the week I was reminded of three very important reasons for being part of a denominational network.

First, we do together what we cannot do alone. No one church can accomplish individually what we accomplish collectively. What one church can supervise the gathering of 42 churches in India? What one church can undertake the management of an orphanage in Honduras? What one church can plant a series of fast-growing, high-impact churches to reach thousands with the gospel? What one church can set the stage for revitalization of hundreds of existing churches? While no one church can undertake these ministries, when we work together they are rather easily accomplished!

Second, as part of a network of churches we are exposed to the help and encouragement needed to be more effective in our local ministries. One of the amazing things about The Summit is that since the meetings were re-engineered in 2007 a broader connection among and between General Baptists from different parts of the nation and different parts of the world have developed. With these new connections there is a synergy of effort as well as a keen reassurance that we are not alone in the struggle.

Third, as part of a denominational connection I can take advantage of services and programs that are offered to assist and expand my own ministry. Conferences and events offered by the denomination are provided at very modest costs and in convenient locations. If I accessed similar services as a private payee I would spend hundreds of dollars more for the same or similar conferences and events. Consultation services, missionary presence and church planter connections are all designed to assist and expand each local ministry to more effectively reach the world.

Executive Director Clint Cook puts it like this, “General Baptist Ministries exists to maximize Kingdom impact by starting, equipping and inspiring local churches to accomplish the Great Commission.”

Brand name loyalty is not what it once was. Markets for automobiles and dishwashing detergent can no longer depend on a buying public that is motivated by brand name loyalty. Church connections, too, are often driven by factors other than brand name loyalty. For me, however, there are compelling reasons for connecting to those old denominational structures, so I want to do my part to establish and improve my connections.

 

To purchase recordings of the workshops or General Sessions, contact Congregational Ministries at cmofc@generalbaptist or by calling 573-785-7746.

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August 21, 2014

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Congregrational Ministries, Family, General Baptists

Family Does Matter

By Franklin Dumond

The concept of family continues to change in our secular culture. Despite the rapidly changing dimensions of nuclear family, however, a genuine sense of family continues to characterize our Christian gatherings. Bill Gaither wrote a description a generation ago that continues to be descriptive of local churches and other gatherings of like-minded believers: “You will notice we say brother and sister around here, it’s because we are family and these folks are so dear.”

During our recent international General Baptist gathering, the Mission & Ministry Summit, the sense of family could be felt everywhere. I saw it in at least four variations.

1. There was the atmosphere of a family reunion during hallway chats, shared meals, and photos exchanged by folks who had not seen each other recently and were now able to get reacquainted. During our new afternoon break in the exhibit hall and our reception in honor of our missionaries, even more of this family reunion atmosphere was present.

2. There was the discovery of new friends and acquaintances that added to the family connection. With several hundred church leaders present it was obvious that not everyone knew everyone else, but it is always amazing to find that we have so much in common—once we get acquainted.Summit Crowd Prayer

Since I travel throughout the denomination I am acquainted with several folks. It was my delight to introduce two of our pastors to one another late one evening. They were standing on either end of the lobby and as I walked by I realized “They are both originally from Canada and probably don’t know they form a Canadian caucus among General Baptists!” What a surprise to learn that they had both immigrated to the United States in the same year and had both become naturalized citizens in the South.

3. Family also shows itself in the shared tasks that require cooperation. As I lookedour GB family comes together to complete tasks around the exhibit hall before the Summit began I saw a group of folks organizing one of the T-shirt tables. Sitting on the floor, working at a table, or reaching into boxes I saw folks from several states sharing the load. Then, just next to Executive Director Clint Cook sat Jemima Prakash from India. She was just as busy folding and organizing T-shirts as everyone else was. Isn’t it incredible that our General Baptist family is international in scope?

The worship team that lead our main sessions showed that same sense of family cooperation. Musicians from four different churches each brought their gifts and talents and worked together to lead us in praise.

On Tuesday evening we joined as one large family to pray a blessing over our Summit Clint Prayermissionaries and church planters. These folks assembled at the front while we all crowded around them. I looked out at the crowd and noticed that joining in our prayers for these missionaries was Dr. David Cummings. He was our guest speaker from Australia, but on Tuesday evening he became part of the family as we prayed for God’s blessings on our missionary spokesmen.

I loved the way Moderator Elect Josh Carpenter summarized his experience in 1999. He attended the old General Association meetings that year for the first time. There, he admitted, he found a connection to the larger family of General Baptists.

Cousins of mine recently showed up at the family reunion. As one of them reported, “I baked my casserole and hurried to the meeting place.” She went on to say, “There sure seemed to be a different crowd this year and one of the ladies kept quizzing me about the family.” Finally she discovered she had the right place and had baked the proper casserole but had come one month early. She concluded her story with a quick laugh as she summarized the event by saying, “No wonder they asked so many questions!” Among General Baptists there is a common connection that binds us together—even if we arrive at the wrong time!

In an increasingly secular culture there will always be many dimensions to family, but among General Baptists there remains a deep sense of family. We remain connected by that core theology that Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man. Aren’t you glad he has included you in the family?

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May 15, 2014

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Christian Life, Congregrational Ministries, Leadership

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Messy Networks

The older I get the more I realize that I need a network of people, agencies and institutions to get me through life in an imperfect world. Yet the give and take of networking that is so often messy and uncomfortable, remains essential.

Recently it happened again. I needed help. Help was available…eventually!

As I turned off the highway toward my evening appointment I noticed the temperature gauge in my car was registering on the high side of the dial. My routine service appointment earlier that day had told me everything checked out fine. Just as I determined to turn around my temperature light turned a bright red. A few minutes later I was parked on an access ramp ready for my network to kick in with much needed assistance.getting help requires a network of people

Since I pay for a previously unused membership in a roadside assistance program, I started my networking there. While the phone was still ringing three Good Samaritans and one police officer spontaneously joined my network. Unfortunately all they could do was confirm my diagnosis of an apparently ruptured radiator hose. They helped me push the car to a safer location on the highway shoulder. By this time I was in touch with my official network for roadside assistance, but one of the helpful strangers insisted on staying until help was on its way.

Networking became messy at this point. I touched the right buttons and responded to the verbal prompts to reach a real, live person to arrange my needed assistance.

After he determined that no one was in a life threatening situation we started our networking. “My car has overheated and I have an obvious radiator problem”, I explained. “Can you help me arrange for a tow truck?”

“I’m sorry you’ve had a problem. What kind of car are you driving?”

“It’s a small Oldsmobile. Can you help arrange towing?”

“Now what color is your car?”

At this point I was puzzled. How can the color of my vehicle be mission-critical to getting it towed to the garage?

The networking became even more difficult when I had to verify my location. Apparently the information form being completed on the other end of my call asked for landmarks and a visual description, along with the street location I had already given.

As we confirmed other details he kept coming back to the need for a landmark to pinpoint my location. It probably didn’t help that I responded in frustration “I’m at the intersection of US 60 and Missouri 25 near Dexter, Missouri just where the police car is driving away.”

Despite my obvious frustration and his obvious obligation to provide a complete description of location, help did arrive in a timely manner. The messy business of networking seemed a lot more worthwhile once the car was loaded up for delivery to the repair shop.

Networking within the church often becomes messy, too. It happens on the local level with competing preferences for programming and space. It happens on the national and international level with an almost endless list of concerns, missed opportunities or failures in communication.

I believe, however, that networking can be less messy if we follow 3 basic principles included in the Bible.

1. Talk with not about people. Jesus advises that when networking goes awry the first response should be to talk to the people involved (see Matthew 18:15).

2. Be realistic in expectations. Everyone cannot do everything. It seemed to me that my roadside assistance was taking entirely too long until I looked back to realize that my tow truck was on its way within about 20 minutes of my call and that it arrived on schedule.

3. Be patient with your network. Mind reading has become a lost art among denominational officials. Information flow to them often is very, very delayed. This often postpones the start of the response time. Generally, however, once the response process begins it proceeds rapidly.

Networking really is messy business. The more I network, however, the more I realize that a network can do together what could never be done alone.

How well does your network function? What steps do you take to insure your networking is optimized?  Click on ‘Leave A Comment’ at the top of this article to join the discussion!