A Word from Your Mission Strategist, Steve Laughman
This time of year seems to be a time of change. The weather is changing. Our schedules are changing. Church attendance even feels like a roller coaster for many of our churches as people are taking much needed vacation. For the Centennial Baptist Association churches, change can be very positive and beneficial, even when it is unexpected.
On May 19th, two of our churches became one. Fellowship and New Hope Thomaston joined together to form one body, meeting regularly on the Hannah’s Mill Road campus. The sign out front says, “Fellowship Baptist Church, New Hope for the Future.” We are hopeful and thankful for what God has done and what He will continue to do through this newly formed body of believers.
While these two were working through what a union would look like, several of us have been praying for and working with the members of The Rock Baptist Church regarding their future. After 99 years of ministry, we are certain that the Lord still has work for The Rock to complete in their community. We are currently working on a strategy to restart this church with the blessing of her current members. Pray for us as we seek the Lord’s direction and as we seek people to serve in this work. If you are interested in being a part of what God is doing at The Rock, please give me a call.
Other changes in our churches may not be as big or as obvious, but for those who are affected, they may seem a little overwhelming. I challenge you to pray for one another. Change is not always easy nor is it always good. The future can be uncertain and scary. Our convention has big decisions to make at our annual meeting this month that will impact our effectiveness moving forward. Pray for peace and unity, as well as wisdom for our chosen leaders and for every messenger. I believe God has placed us here in this time and location to lift up the name of Jesus in ways that no one else can. That applies to each local body and the entire SBC. Let’s keep the Gospel central to all we do.
Pray for those of us who are going to Pennsylvania in July. We will be working with Travis Ross and the Riverbend Church Planting Network once again. If you or someone in your church would like to join us, please contact the CBA office as soon as possible. Space is limited, and we need to purchase plane tickets very soon.
We are working diligently to have the Outreach Trailer ready as soon as possible. With the approval of the Steering and Budget & Finance Committees, we have purchased a trailer and will begin filling it up with equipment when it arrives in about 6-8 weeks. Look for the policies and procedures on our website in the next month or so. Thank you for supporting the work of the CBA. Your continued support makes resources like this a possibility. We look forward to seeing you this summer!
