Grace and Peace,
Philadelphia Baptist Church, locations in Deville and Alexandria, recently emphasized to her members, mission opportunities for every member. They displayed as extensively as possible, all the mission endeavors of their church, all the while making sure that each member could and should be involved personally in some mission activity.
As a Southern Baptist Church, they had displays to inform members of their commitment to the SBC's Cooperative Program, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for the International Mission Board, the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for the North American Mission Board, and the Georgia Barnett State Missions Offering for our beloved Louisiana. Everyone was able to see in this beautiful display the miracle of the Cooperative Program and its stunning impact throughout planet Earth in reaching all peoples with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The "Center" for Baptist work in central Louisiana...the Baptist Mission Center...also provided those members with a view into the work of the association of local churches in Rapides and Grant Parishes. The cooperative nature of SBC churches has tremendous impact locally, and members were able to see what happens for the kingdom when the local churches cooperate through their Association.
Additionally, the church has a very well developed network of ministries and missions in her own communities. Members were able to see in an amazing number of displays, the many ways that a local church can impact the culture surrounding the church by simply meeting needs and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
But the most creative emphasis of the Missions Fair may have been the first booth that greeted the members as they entered the display area. The most prominent display, was a booth where each member could fill out an application for a United States Passport! Why? Pastor Clay Fuqua explained it with a personal story. A man was putting together a mission trip to a foreign country and inviting people to go with him. Clay told him that he was interested. The man asked him: "Do you have a passport?" Clay admitted that he did not have a passport. The man declared: "Then you're not really serious about going...you don't even have a passport!" Not only did the church provide passport applications, they also had a drawing to pay 100% of the expenses for a mission trip. There were three individuals who are now going to go on a mission trip outside the USA for the first time!! What a great idea!
That Missions Fair that morning was simply...outstanding! Try it in your church!
On Sunday evening, November 20, 2016, three North Rapides Baptist Association churches held a joint worship service. Now, joint worship services are not uncommon, especially among our more rural churches, but I don't see it too often among churches that are over 400 in attendance. But on this night the members of FBC Pineville, Kingsville, and Philadelphia churches assembled together at FBCP to worship as one family. They had a marvelous combined choir of a hundred or more voices, an Orchestra, and a great children's choir. The music was beyond amazing!
The host pastor, Stewart Holloway greeted the crowd and prepared us for what we were about to experience. Later, Kingsville's pastor, Bart Walker shared about the beauty of the Cooperative Program and the upcoming emphasis for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Then the Philadelphia pastor, Philip Robertson brought a perfectly timed message for this occasion on harmony and joy.
The evening was capped off with a magnificent time of fellowship provided and staffed by the host church. Their gracious hospitality was the perfect way to bring to a close a wonderful evening. A lot of work went into the evening, but I believe it was well worth it all.
Blessings,
Robert Daniel
