Florida Baptist Association

Association Emphasis Week of Prayer

May 16-22

This is a great time to present information about your Association to your church family.

Help us spread the word about how the Florida Baptist Association can serve your church.

Florida Baptist Association DVD’s and bulletin inserts will be available to churches.

National Day of Prayer

Thursday, May 6

59th Annual Observance

PRAYER: FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

FSU Baptist Collegiate Ministries

Please pray for our summer missionaries:

South Asia

Christa Bosenberg, Jessica Roman, Kayla Burnett, Beth Pramschufer, Melinda Deacon, Nick Martin, Daniel Davis

Germany

Undivided (Music ensemble) - Amy Brown, Kayla Ealum, Kaitlyn Toms, Bill Dixon – Director

Panama

Matt Gowens

Annual Furniture Drive for International Ministry

Have any furniture that you need to get rid of?  Friends of Internationals has an annual furniture drive every August where we give away new and used furniture to incoming international students at Florida State University.  We are trying to get a head start on finding furniture in the Tallahassee area.  Around 100 students receive furniture from us every year.  We would be glad to come by and pick it up.  We have had televisions, beds, couches, recliners, bicycles, chests, bookshelves, desks, carpets, silverware, cups, plates, and all kitchen supplies donated in years past.  We would gladly accept any type of donation.

If you would like to donate, please contact Matthew Gille at (850)222-4444.

Event Rescheduled

Pastor and Deacon Ministry Workshop

New Date - Saturday, October 9, 2010

9:00 - 10:30am

Florida Baptist Association, 1839 Jaclif Court, Tallahassee

Target Group: Pastors and the Chairmen of Deacons

Leaders: Rick Stewart, Immanuel Baptist Church

David Southerland, Florida Baptist Association

Florida Baptist Children's Home

The annual Mother's Day Offering is critically important to our ability to serve the abused, neglected, and orphaned children in our care, which includes food, housing, clothing, transportation, round-the-clock care, medical care, counseling, and other professional services. It provides nearly 10% of our income each year. Our goal this year is $1.4 million.

Here's how you can help!

• Ask your pastor to receive a Mother's Day Offering for the Children’s Homes

• Be sure your church promotes the Mother’s Day Offering by using our materials, which includes posters, video, bulletin inserts, and offering envelopes

• Ask every family to make a gift of at least $77, which is the cost of caring for a child in our residential care program for one day

• Ask youth to make a gift equal to the price of a hamburger, fries, and a soft drink

• Invite someone from the Florida Baptist Children's Homes to speak in your church

• Pray for the annual Mother’s Day Offering

Project Big Bend Update

Please pray for Project Big Bend. This is our local mission project for middle and high school students and adult chaperones.  During the week of July 12-16 they will do light renovations on homes selected by the City of Tallahassee. Each evening will include worship and small groups. We have 10 churches involved with over 120 participants.

Dinner for Music Directors

Prime Rib and the trimmings!

Monday, May 10

6:00 PM

Thomasville Road Baptist Church

3131 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee

David Lauen, Minister of Music at First Baptist, Bonifay, will lead a demonstration rehearsal on “how-to’s” in directing a choir.  You can take free copies of the music home to work with your choir. Cost is free!  This is an evening to appreciate your tireless efforts in leading music in your church! Please contact Bill Davis to confirm plans to attend, billdavis@thomasvilleroad.org. Spouses are invited, too!

An Inexpensive Option for

Student Summer Camp

   Regenerate Student Ministries, in partnership with First Baptist Church Tampa, wants to be a blessing to a church that is not able to afford to send their students to summer camp.

   First Baptist Church of Tampa can house up to 100 people in a facility similar to what can be found at a World Changers camp facility. Students and leaders should bring air mattresses and sleeping bags. We have showers, worship space, a gym, and kitchen facilities.

   This is what First Baptist Church of Tampa will provide free for a church group:

1) A place to sleep

2) A Bible study program in the morning (optional, especially if they will be doing missions projects and need more time)

3) A worship service each evening

4) All meals

5) Devotional guide for the week

For more information, contact Garry Goodin at the Florida Baptist Association at 877-7600.

"Do We Have Enough Churches?"

Brian Mimbs, Pastor, Chaple Hill Baptist Church

   In the four years since we began our church, one of the quizzable questions I have fielded from people is this:  "In a city with churches everywhere, and certainly enough Baptist churches, why did you all need to start a new one?"

    That's a great question.  But it assumes that churches are like other institutions in one's community.  As such, the church must reflect modern efficiencies, consolidation and streamlining.

    Should we be satisfied with the number of churches that exist?  We're pretty much happy with the number of hospitals we have, and the number of libraries that dot our community.  Why not be okay with the churches we have?

   Here are some basic facts that we know:

   The longer a church exists, the less they win souls to Christ.  Churches can become set in their ways, reluctant to change, and complacent about the priorities of a New Testament church.  Just because a number of churches actively gather in buildings that dot the landscape is not a sure-sign the community is being exposed to the Gospel.

   The priority of planting churches is biblical.  That can hardly be argued against, bolstered by the compelling Commission Christ gave to share the Gospel.  If new churches effectively share the Gospel, then the question is answered.

   The multitude of reasons NOT to plant churches has plagued evangelicals of the last century.  Try a few on for size: 

 • If we're interested in growing our own kingdoms, then we hardly want to plant churches that might pull from our "flocks".

 • Maybe we could spend countless years trying to rehabilitate the made-up minds of churches not willing to budge from their traditions, and too caught up in yesterday's memories to think about today's missionary call.

 • Because churches get as territorial as roosters with their hens, we probably shouldn't plant churches in neighborhoods with existing churches, since they reserve the right to evangelize there (even if they don't).

    Obviously, none of the above make sense. What does is the clear command of Christ that He would grow His church.  As much as he has equipped the saints and birthed Kingdom vision in our hearts, we are compelled to plant churches, expand the Kingdom's reach, and be relentless in our efforts until He comes.