A Word from Your Missionary, Steve Laughman
A fellow Associational Missionary recently asked his fellow AMs the question: What’s going on in your association that has you excited and energized? His goal was to encourage our fellow AMs by sharing stories of how God is working throughout our state. I didn’t have to think long for an answer. To tell the truth, there are so many great things that I struggled to keep my answer short. In fact, this article is too short to include all the positive things I see God doing in the Centennial Baptist Association. He is at work bringing life back to struggling churches, drawing new congregations into partnership, and building connections between churches that show the world what church is about. What an exciting time to serve the Lord in this place! I hope you feel the same way.
The question my friend, Bobby Braswell, asked our fellow AMs is a good one, so I am going to ask it myself in a different way. What is God doing in your church that has you excited and energized? How is He moving and how does this encourage you and your people? We can all get discouraged in ministry, even when things are going well. Let’s take some time to encourage one another with some good news. It’s OK to brag on Jesus for a minute. In fact, Paul wrote that he boasted only in the Lord.
Here is how this will work: most of you have a facebook page. If you don’t already follow the Centennial Baptist Association page, do that now. I have posted this question on our page. Just add your comment and take the time to read the ones from your fellow believers. My hope is that we will all find encouragement and comradery in this exercise. If you don’t have facebook, I’m sure you can find a fellow church member who can post something for you.
Be sure to make plans to attend our upcoming business meetings to hear more details about what God is doing through the Centennial Association. Executive Committee will meet at Maynard, September 7th at 6:30. We will share a meal and conduct business around the table. This meeting is for all pastors, full-time staff, elected executive committee members, CBA officers, CBA ministry directors and the chairmen of each CBA committee. Our Annual Fall Meeting will be held at Antioch on October 24th beginning at 4:30. We will have a longer business meeting due to extended reports from several committees including our Strategy Planning Team. We will also be collecting backpacks for our partnership with the Bethel Association. This meeting is open to anyone who would like to attend. Messengers from each church will be allowed to vote, so be sure to elect your messengers prior to the meeting.
Thank you for making my job so much fun. We truly do have some of the best churches in the world right here in the Centennial Baptist Association.
