Jesus told His followers that the Holy Spirit would give them power to be His witnesses here, there, and everywhere (Acts 1:8). Here are five kinds of witnesses. Which one describes you?
1. The Frog – Sit around waiting for someone to ask how to be saved
2. The Lizard – Stay constantly on the hunt by yourself to find someone to introduce to Jesus.
3. The Can-Can: You can do it, too! Look around at what everyone else is doing and do that, too. Block party time, oh yeah.
4. WIGtake – ask the question “What’s It Gonna Take?” to reach my community for Jesus and work back from that goal. Beware the trap of analysis paralysis!
5. Work the Plan: Establish good missiology first for disciple-making, then intentionally pray, budget, train, and carry out the plan with an intentional team.
Planning is underway for CABA's next year. CABA’s budget year goes from October to September each year, if the Lord tarries. Our budgeting process begins six months ahead of taking it to the Messengers for approval. This allows time for prayer, administrative overview, and a series of checks for progress.
That said, we don’t live in a bubble. So, I looked around at the SBC emphasis. For Baptist Associations next year, the theme is, “Community Engagement.” I love it! Also, I looked at the culture – it’s a major election year and two wars are underway – in the Ukraine and in Gaza. And tensions continue to escalate in places like the Yemen Houthis, Iran elections, China and Taiwan, Myanmar, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
Then there are challenges from the SBC level. NAMB’s Send City Vice President is Vance Pitman. He suggested to his leaders a goal of baptizing 1% of America in the next ten years. In Cincinnati’s 9 counties that totals 18,724 people. Easy, right? Well… Now, for the past 10 years, CABA churches have baptized about 500 per year. At the current rate of baptisms, it would take CABA churches 37 years. And given the current rate, we’d need to plant 18 churches every year if they grew to 114 members, which is our average.
Finally, I talked with folks that are trying very hard to break the norm. Church planters typically are trying hard. One of them called me to tell me of a man who accepted Christ. Their wives had been friends. Another told me about his vision for a city-wide soccer league that didn’t meet on Sunday morning. And then there was the immigrant pastor who was winning people to Jesus in a hospital. Among his people, it was considered a punishment by their gods if you ended up in the hospital. Finally, one of our pastors who entered into a consulting relationship with me said, “I’ve reached the point I realize our church must reach out and get involved in the community. It used to be that people would regularly come to church on their own. They’re not even doing that anymore. We’ve got to go to them.”
So, planning, praying, fasting, and dreaming will continue. Cincinnati is worth it. CABA is worth it. My life is worth it to the glory of God. How about you and your church?
--Mark Snowden directs the Cincinnati Area Baptist Association
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