Several years ago I was the pastor of a main line Southern Baptist Church in the same Association where two of the larger churches were served by Pastor Ken Kemphill and Pastor Max Brunson. You know them as nationally known SBC pastor personalities. I know both of them well and know they are just as human as you and I. Often I and other main line Baptist pastors were hurt when members left us and went to the larger churches. I made a prayer determination that I would be a friend and seek to learn whatever I could in my relationship with these pastors and churches that would strengthen me and the ministry of the church where I was pastor. It took a great deal of prayer, spiritual discipline, and working hard at keeping a Kingdom vision. I found that Holy Spirit synergy was the more effective approach than thinking negative competition thoughts about the larger churches. I spent more time declaring the mission and positive ministry of the main-line Baptist Church where I was pastor and limited time thinking negative thoughts about the larger churches. I don’t have all the answers to that issue. However, I do realize that the real reason our over all churches are declining is not a simple answer as members are moving from the smaller to the larger churches.

I want you to know that I am here for what I call the “main-line” Baptist church, the church planters, the smaller membership church, and the struggling churches seeking to survive in today’s changing culture.. I am hear to develop friendship support with all pastors, revitalization for churches and pastors in need, spiritual support groups with pastors and church leaders. Currently, I am helping three churches in some form of revitalization and participate with those in the Sunday and Wednesday Worship services. In one sense I am a not voting member at large at each of our churches. I have been participating in a Tuesday Evening FAITH evangelism with Michael Lewis. It is sharpening my skills in personal evangelism. I have had the joy of leading two to Christ. I am convinced that some plan is essential for each of our churches to grow. I am open to come along side of another pastor and church during the first of the new year and offer services to develop an evangelism outreach program on site of that specific church. One of our main line churches may invite me to assist and we might invite other surrounding pastors and church laity to participate with them going out into their community following the training.

Our churches and pastors are going through a tremendous transition. It is much more difficult to build bridges with one another and deal with the changing church culture. Some of you have indicated that you and your church are going through budget cuts and even some with pastor and staff salary reduction. That is not easy and I know that in some cases it will lessen your giving to missions and to the Association. That is why that I sent out a notice for our Administrative/Stewardship team to review our needs in December before the New Year begins. My human wish would be that the larger churches and the few who are doing well with their budget would make increases to the Association. That does not seem to be their passion. God’s call is for us not to lean on them but on Him and to be faithful realizing that God’s real call is for us to really do and be missionaries.

In the coming weeks I will be talking with you and taking notes of how we might make the kind of transitions that would be a great advantage for our pastors and churches. It is important to me that I be a greater blessing to you and your ministry. Also, it is important that you give open and honest information with me that would help us move toward being a greater Kingdom builder together.

We are one church as the body of Christ but we are on mission together in different demographics, people groups, and mission points to fulfill God’s Kingdom. It is important that we strengthen our smaller churches and new churches focused on ministry and mission points reaching people that the larger church can not reach.

In closing, I have felt a serious God calling need for us to become more acquainted, connected, and work together with other evangelical pastors and churches and evangelical outreach groups in our community. One of the ways I am recommending to do that is by developing prayer together and considers forming a International Evangelism Network. It begins here at home and reaches around the world. Actually the world and the international leaders have come to us. Thinking about that along with today’s technology it is only fitting that we think “International.”