We are in this Together - Values, Part 1

As I continue this week in pointing out some of the statements you will read on the Mission Wall in the HBA Mission Center, I want to begin focusing on a list entitled, Our Values. One might ask about the origin of this list of values. I will be honest, the list came out of a prayer when I came to HBA in 2008. I had been on board about two months when I asked the Lord to show me what He wanted me to focus on and pour my energy and passion into. What He impressed on my mind and heart was that I shouldn't focus on activities and events, but on the values that would determine what kind of ministries might be developed. A list of six values came out of this time of prayer and seeking the Lord. I will highlight them one at a time for the next six weeks. The first statement on the list ...

Fellowship: Building trusting and supportive relationships for Kingdom purposes.

Now, when Baptists talk fellowship, we often think of food. While food and friends sometimes accompany fellowship, there is nothing particularly Christian about eating and visiting. What we are talking about is building community within the association family. Note the words trusting and supportive. If HBA is truly going to be a missional community of cooperative congregations, we have to know each other. We have different methodolgies and passions, but as we share this journey together, we will support and trust one another for the sake of fulfilling the Lord's Kingdom purposes. Let us not isolate into individual congregations whose only overlap is that we use some of the same resources and send money to the same address. Let us network together, trusting one another, and supporting one another for the sake of the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Assisting, Not Enlisting

Last week's blog addressed the strategic language rationale for calling our building in Decatur the Mission Center instead of the office. For the next few weeks I want to highlight some of the components on what I refer to as the Mission Wall in the Mission Center. As you enter the front door of the Mission Center and step into the reception area, you would notice a wall to your right with several framed statements. One of them says,

Harvest Baptist Association exists for the purpose of assisting our partner congregations, individually and collectively, in fulfilling the Great Commission. Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV), Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

The Mission Wall reinforces the mission of the association. Our partner congregations are called to the Great Commission. The association does not enlist congregations to "help with" or "participate in" association activities. The association exists to assist these congregations in fulfilling their mission. In other words, the organizational methodology is assisting, not enlisting. So, the question of the week is, "How may we assist you in fulfilling you mission?"

Strategically Speaking - The Mission Center

Since I came on board as Director of Missions of HBA, I have started using some different terminology that sometimes causes confusion. The building at 603 N. Business 287 is most commonly referred to as the association or HBA office. I refer to it as the Mission Center. As a result of that, sometimes people have gone to the wrong location for a meeting. I really don't take wicked pleasure in confusing people (I promise). The motivation behind it is to speak and think strategically--by that I mean to look at the desired result and cast the vision over and over until the message gets first into the eyes and ears, then into the mind, and finally into the DNA of the organization. So, now I say that association staff members have offices in the association Mission Center. Harvest Baptist Association is not a building. It is a missional network of cooperating congregations who are connected by the MISSION of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. An office is a place for work, for meetings, for decisions. Those things are all necessary components of what we do, but the mission is our heartbeat. The mission is our center. The mission is why we go to our offices. The Mission Center should be a visible reminder of the mission for every person who walks through the doors. It may not have reached DNA level yet, but we are on the way.

On Mission

Got word from one of our HBA Churches today that they voted yesterday to be missional in their approach. Now, the word "missional" wasn't used in the meeting, nor was there a motion for the church to become something new. What happened was that they voted to take two actions. The first is to add much-needed space to their small facilities. This congregation of about 50 people is almost at the capacity of their current meeting space. They also voted to begin monthly financial support of a sister congregation in need as a part of our partnership with Bay Lakes Baptist Association in northeastern Wisconsin. Here's where the missional mindset shows up. For their building, they voted to begin the process of planning and of exploring what their financial resources might be and to build when the resources are there. For the financial support of a sister congregation, they put a dollar figure--a very generous one for a congregation their size--with no end date specified. In other words, they are on mission for the sake of the kingdom of God first and for their own needs second. They could easily have said, "Let's see what resources we have for missions after we get our building done." Rather, they said, "Let's see what resources we have for building after we fulfill our mission calling." Missional. On mission from God. Just one example, but a good one. What's your church's story? I'd love to share it here.

God is Always On Time

In the early 80's I used to watch the A-Team on tv. A line that was heard in almost every episode was, "I love it when a plan comes together." I like that myself, but here's one I like better (that you never heard on tv) - "I love it when a plan comes apart ... and then God shows up with a better one." I had one of those moments yesterday. I have been using open Sundays with no specific invitations from churches to try to finally make it to Sunday morning worship with the few HBA congregations I haven't been to yet. Yesterday, I had decided to attend one church (even posted my plan on facebook) and left the house at 10:00 a.m. for the 40 minute drive to that church. For some reason I decided that I should check on their service time (which really would have been a good idea if I had done it sooner). So, while driving (do not try this at home), I used my phone to find their church website and discovered that their service begins at 10:30. Oops! Since I really didn't want to come in 10-15 minutes after the service started I began searching my mind and map for a previously unvisited congregation that was close enough for me to get to on time. I picked Cates Street Baptist Church in Bridgeport. When I got there I discovered that their regular worship leader was out of town and that they thought they were going to have to function with no one to lead their congregational singing that day. Let's see ... it is my job to assist the churches of Harvest Baptist Association ... I have over 30 years experience leading worship ... I wasn't even planning on being at this church today ... Wow! God showed up with a plan! I am pretty sure God did not lean over to one of the angels and say, "Aren't we lucky that Gerry decided to go to Cates Street this morning?" I suspect that He knew about all of it before I arrived. There was nothing special about my being there. All I did was lead this small congregation in three Christmas songs and an invitation hymn. But, they believed God sent me to meet a need. I agree, even though I wasn't consciously aware of a mission from God when I left my house. I think sometimes we would be amazed at what God would do through us if we would simply make ourselves available to Him. What plans of God have we missed while carrying out our own plans? I am not saying that we shouldn't make plans. Just saying that we should ask God to show up with a better one whenever He chooses to do so. As we move toward the beginning of a new year, let's make a commitment to be available to Him and then watch expectantly for Him to show up.

What Does Thankfulness Look Like?

What does Thankfulness look like in Harvest Baptist Association? That question runs through my mind on the first day back in the office after the Thanksgiving holiday. Does it look like a bunch of Baptists who began the holiday food over-indulgence and won't slow down until the New Year's resolutions kick in? Maybe. Does it look like people who gathered in church buildings in the country and in town and expressed their gratitude out loud to God? Probably. Does it look like people whose gratitude spilled over into loving service of those in need? Certainly. Like one church that fed over 500 guests a free Thanksgiving meal. Like another church that delivered 60 boxes of coats, clothes, and toiletries to Presbyterian Night Shelter in Fort Worth, delivered 9 complete thanksgiving meals to 9 needy families, and delivered over 100 pounds of food to the Wise Area Relief Mission. Like another church that delivered 508 boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Like a lot of other churches that did things just like that, but haven't let me know about it. I love bragging on Jesus! I love bragging on the family of God when they act like Jesus! I'm pretty sure that's what thankfulness looks like.

Kingdom Focus

Last week, I received the following email: Dear Brother Lewis, I wanted to share with you a great blessing our Church received. We have been looking for a van or some other mode of transportation for several years, but always a few dollars short. I inquired with the FBC Montague about their van for sale and told them I would talk to the Church about it. This was Monday and on Wednesday they called saying they have had a business meeting and voted to "donate" the van to us. To say the least I was flabbergasted! We now have this van (in very good condition) and pray that God will help us utilize to the fullest. I wanted to share a praise and thank the FBC of Montague for this most generous gift. Larry Kennedy, Stoneburg Baptist Church This is what Kingdom vision and association ministry is all about! FBC Montague could have sold their van and raised some funds for their own ministries. It would have been completely appropriate for them to do so. But, somehow God facilitated a Kingdom investment that moved their ministry beyond their own congregation by allowing a sister congregation to expand their ministry. The significance of that must not be overlooked. We are on this journey together. Let's celebrate this and look for ways to go and do likewise.