10/20/2019
Greetings!
I know we are facing many changes right now in Georgia Baptist life. Several folks have asked me questions about who, what, and where. As I have been asked, I have shared whatever info I felt would help their questions. With that in mind, I would like to share some information that will help get you up to date on much of what is going on.
With the selection of Thomas Hammond in 2018 as our Executive Director we entered a new era in several ways. CP giving had taken a significant dip bringing an over 1 million dollar shortfall in state convention revenue. But even worse, we had seen a dramatic drop in the number of baptisms reported in Georgia Baptist churches. Even with some grace for fewer churches filling out the ACR, it is still a disturbing statistic. Add to that the rise of the number of people in the US who claimed no religious affiliation and the already disturbing data on plateaued and declining congregations!
Since January, we have seen a reduction in the number of state missionaries in response to the financial state of the Mission Board. And we have seen the rise of a new strategy that has at its core three value statements:
1. Pastors are our heroes
2. Churches are our priority
3. Georgia is our mission field
The strategy is regional, dividing the state into six such areas (see the attached map). There will be a smaller central office (in a smaller building when the one on Sugarloaf sells) with state missionaries deployed and dedicated to each of these regions. So instead of a strategy for 3600 churches statewide, there can be varying strategies, plans, resources, etc. for the 600 or so churches of each of six differing regions of the state.
The information to this point has been disseminated through the Christian Index, GBMB Executive Committee Meetings, and through direct communication with Associational Missionaries (Associational Mission Strategist is the new name). The full roll out of the new strategy with even more info on who the missionaries in each region will be will take place at the state convention this November in Fayetteville. Check out the links below to pages on the Christian Index website for a more detailed explanation of the structure and who will be serving in many of the positions.
This link below is to the topic category on the Christian Index website for GBMB Restructuring. Here you can take a look at info on many of the changes and a good number of your new state missionaries and what they will be doing.
https://christianindex.org/category/gbmb-restructuring/
This link is to an article that I think does the best job of sharing the overall strategic change and vision of the GBMB.
https://christianindex.org/georgia-baptist-restructuring/
Take a look at the articles in the Christian Index Database, talk to your pastor or your associational missionary and maybe connect your church with one of these state missionaries. I think you will be excited about what is taking place. It is a serious and intentional strategic plan to see churches strengthened. It is faithful to the Word of God and it is Kingdom Focused.
Just think what could happen!
Keith
