First, Anita and I
want to wish all of you
a Happy Thanksgiving,
a wonderful Christmas,
and a great New Year.
Thank you for your
prayers and support
this past year and for
the past ten years.
Next, I want to
thank all of the
churches for the
financial support this
past year. I could give
examples of how many of our churches have
given sacrificially and over and above many
times. Every time I mention those that do
something I know there are those who will say, I
wonder why he did not tell about how our
church has contributed. So I hope you hear me
clearly, I am telling you about two churches that
are examples of many of our BBA churches.
First Baptist Palmyra is just one example
of our larger churches contributions. FBC
monthly gives 7% of their undesignated receipts
to the support of our association ministries.
Over and above this commitment, they have
given $1,000.00 per year to support the on going
expenses of Camp Inlow. This year they joined
many of our churches in committing $1,000.00
per year for three years to help us build the new
sports pavilion at Camp Inlow. Palmyra FBC is
just one example of how one of our larger
churches supports the on going ministry of
Bethel Baptist Association.
Warren Baptist Church is an example of
one of our smaller churches’ commitments to
BBA. Warren Baptist Church monthly gives 5%
of their undesignated receipts to support our association ministries. Over and above this
commitment they have given to our Annual BBA
Mission Offering. This year they received some
extra funds and decided some of those
unexpected funds should be used to support the
new sports pavilion at Camp Inlow. They gave
$16,000.00 to the sports pavilion project.
I could go on and on about our churches’
support, but I must stop. So let me end with
this. In addition to many of our churches giving
5% or more to support our annual ministries
and giving to our annual mission offering, this
year over and above all of this, many of our
churches gave to help Joplin. Together we sent
$6547.36 to Joplin.
Finally, let me remind you that if every
church gave 5% or more to the ministries of
BBA and to our annual mission offering we
could meet our budget needs and do even more
ministries. If your church would like to
contribute 5% or more, you could do as some
have done, which is increase your giving by
1/2% per year until you reach this goal.
I also ask that you begin praying that we
will enter into a partnership with Lee County,
Iowa to plant new churches. There are 3 SBC
churches in Lee County with a population of
almost 40,000 people. Iowa has asked MBC to
partner with them to plant churches in Iowa.
MBC signed this partnership at the Annual
Meeting November 2, 2011. Also, pray with me
as I invite BBA churches that want to stop
declining and start growing to begin a new
ministry of church revitalization. I will be
contacting every BBA church about how we can
help.