Division heads share how ministries fulfill Great Commission

DAYTONA BEACH (FBC)—Each year during the annual meeting of the Florida Baptist State Convention the program divisions of the Florida Baptist Convention give an account of how they serve Florida Baptists and their churches. In Daytona Beach Nov. 12-13 at the 146th annual meeting division staff reported their stewardship for the past year. These reports are designed to give a better understanding of how these respective ministries are fulfilling Florida Baptists' commitment to the great commission.

Church Services Division

The Church Services Division desires to aid churches with ministries that are "vital for the church to operate at optimum speed," said Glen Owens, division director, in a videotaped report.

During the presentation, Owens asks Florida Baptists to call on the division for help with stewardship, insurance and retirement plans, capital giving campaigns and legal matters related to wills, trusts and estates.

The division's department directors and associates also outlined their areas of ministry during the presentation.

The Stewardship Department, led by Clarence Hackett, has programs to help churches handle money and budgeting. We're finding that working one-on-one with pastors results in churches making a great turn around, said Hackett. "It all starts with giving."

Attorney Brenda McCollum directs of the Strategic Endowed Giving. Through well planned will, estates and trusts, Florida Baptist can protect their families and also give "something to the Lord's work so that work will still be there in the future," said McCollum.

The Annuity Promotion Department "works with churches to help them understand their role as employers," said Gary Townsend, department director.

"The people that you heard from are people that have character, integrity and expertise," said Owens in conclusion. "They are excellent at what they do and have a heart to come to you for your church to be all Christ wants it to be."

Evangelism Division

Evangelism Division Director David Burton highlighted the "Crossover" Daytona baseball clinic that took place before the Convention meeting in his live report and encouraged church messengers to call on the division for creative ways to reach their communities.

The baseball clinic resulted in 43 professions of faith and brought together parents, their children, and churches in the association, said Burton. A video aired showed clinic activities and highlighted testimonies of the clinicians.

Burton concluded his report by asking Florida Baptists to pray for, train and mobilize, "an army of God to reach the millions of spiritually lost in Florida."

Language Division

Frank Moreno, director of the Language Division, called Florida Baptists to build a bridge to reach the different language groups of the state during a video report.

"The explosive increase and the astounding projections regarding future growh of the language population in Florida magnifies the urgency of consistently presenting the Gospel in their heart language and worldview," said Moreno.

The video highlighted testimonies from Usler Auguste, pastor of Eglise Baptiste Bethanie in Ft. Lauderdale, and Alfonso Puerto, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Biblica in Lake Worth. They spoke to the importance of having churches that relate to people on a cultural level.

Moreno concluded his report with a challenge to Florida Baptists to "change lives to change the world."

"The future of millions of language people depend on us," said Moreno. "The challenge is big. The opportunity is great. The time is now."

Missions Division

In his Missions Division report, Cecil Seagle, director, emphasized the many ways his staff is helping Florida Baptists spread the Gospel, focusing on the new South Florida Urban Impact Ministries.

"Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties comprise one of the largest and most challenging mission fields in the United States," said Seagle. "The Convention is working with 42 pastors and congregations through a coaching process, seeking to challenge and encourage pastors and assist each congregation in developing a Kingdom impact process."

Seagle concluded, "The priority and purpose are to share the life changing Gospel of Jesus Christ with South Florida and beyond."

The video report, aired Tuesday afternoon at the Convention meeting, highlighted church and community ministries; church planning and revitalization; church planting; disaster relief and recovery; men's missions and ministries; new work assistance; partnership missions; and women's missions and ministries.

Church Development Division

In a live report, Church Development Division Director Bob Bumgarner shared convictions that drive the division as they aid Florida churches.

"The church is the basic unit of mission in the world," said Bumgarner. "It has a bright future because Jesus promised to build it."

The second conviction, Bumgarner said, is the division's mission to "to encourage and add value to pastors and church leaders."

Saying "conversations change eternity," Bumgarner then explained the importance of the presence of the Holy Spirit when Florida Baptists work together.

Finally the division desires to help churches where they are. "We believe how a church does ministry is shaped by who, when and where of the culture."

The Church Development Division desires to help Florida's churches "navigate the barriers" to becoming the church of the future, said Bumgarner. "We want to come along side you and help you accomplish what God has called you to do."

African-American Division

In a video report, Maxie Miller, director of the African-American Ministries Division, said it is their responsibility to "educate, equip, empower and engage people in being discipled and efficient ministers" while planting churches.

"We assist pastors in starting new churches and work with existing churches to reach African-Americans within their contextual culture," said Miller. "Since the existence of the division we have established 230 churches in this great state with hopes of allowing them to minister to African-Americans. We have also partnered with many other churches of other ethnicities to reach African-Americans."

The video featured two pastors, Timothy Bennett in Miramar and Erik Cummings in Carol City, who are planting churches that reach "contextual" areas.

Miller said that he and his staff are ready to assist Florida churches in reaching "African-Americans in their cultural context."

The division set a goal of starting 30 churches in the African-American community between 2007 and 2008. In the past year, 19 new predominantly African-American churches have been started.