Prattville Reflections

We wrapped up things with the On Mission Celebration in Prattville, AL last night... I made alot of new friends (imagine that), and finished my "rookie" OMC intact. ;-)

Yesterday morning at Cornerstone Baptist Church went really well... I preached from here, and was received awesomely. Cornerstone is a small, storefront church... and they were so attentive, they treated me like I was an expert on Church Planting (which is really, really funny). The pastor, Dr. Ray Robinson, has planted two churches, but he's still such a learner... it was a tremendous experience for me!

In the evening, I preached at Glynwood Baptist Church, one of the Autuaga Baptist Association's larger churches... again, great time, and they received me really well. I preached from here, on the subject "Following Jesus." It wasn't so much a "Call to Missions" message, but I feel like preachers can stand up and shout the rallying cry for everyone to get involved in missions... and still see minimal results! I think it's much more effective to encourage people to passionate and persistently pursue Jesus... because if we're intentional and serious about following Him, then wherever He goes, we'll go... wherever He leads , we'll follow... and that includes missions/church planting.

Overall... a great weekend! Here's a shout out to some of my new Prattville friends:

- Dr. & Mrs. Robinson... thanks for being such wonderful hosts! I'll be listening out for a return invite! ;-)
- Rev. & Mrs. Chappell... great meeting you guys! Keep pressing on with Doc Robinson!
- EDGAR!!! YOU ARE DA MAN!!! Glad we've connected... let's stay in touch! ;-)
- Sarah, Phil, Max, Kelli... keep walking with Jesus!
- Chloe, Macy, and friends... you guys rock! :-) Thanks for "adopting" me as your missionary!

Prattville, AL - Day One

10:53 - I'm here in Prattville at an On Mission Celebration, representing the North American Mission Board as a Missionary Church Planter... headed to lunch now at Camellia Baptist Church. Hungry... :-)

1:00 - Just got back to the hotel room from lunch, where I ate a grilled cheese sandwich w/vegetable soup... reminded me of summer camp when I was a kid. :-) Found out our schedule for the weekend: at 4pm today, the Missionary Fair will begin, in the fellowship hall at Camellia. Of course, this is my first OMC., so I didn't know what to expect and wasn't given much instruction... everybody's got their display tables all jazzed up... man! But I brought some pictures with me and picked up a display board from Target this morning... so, I'll have to work with that. Tonight at 6:30 is the actual celebration... Then, tomorrow morning, I'll be preaching at Cornerstone Baptist Church, a small African-American church (wonder why they picked me for that... haha!), and at 6pm tomorrow, I'll be preaching at Glynwood Baptist Church, to a larger mainly-white congregation.

I might try get my "hoop" on tomorrow morning... haha! And I'm sure Keda is crackin' up at even the thought of that! :-)

People Matter to God

Spent a good part of the day today with Ben, Alan, and Lindsey from the college ministry of Calvary Baptist in Tuscaloosa, AL... and Mark Lydecker, the North American Mission Board Collegiate Ministry Director. AWESOME TIME! Just hearing the vision and passion of Ben, Alan, and Lindsey for college students... what they're doing to reach them... and how they might be able to partner with us to reach students at Univ. of MD, prayerfully starting in January 2008... just got my ministry mojo's going, baby! THIS IS GOING TO WORK!! It seems like a total God-thing, and we're just riding the wave as He provides it!

I asked myself this question: "What would make a college ministry... down in ALABAMA no less... exert their energy to send good people who they've trained... to come over 800 miles to do college ministry alongside of a new church?" BECAUSE PEOPLE MATTER TO GOD!!! And these guys are committed to reaching people fwho are far from Him. SO committed to that end, that even if it means sending quality people... who could no doubt be put to good use there in AL... miles away from home to lead college students in College Park, MD to become growing and passionate followers of Jesus... then that's what they're willing to do!

And that's what it takes... a heart commitment to do whatever is necessary to reach people far from God. And these guys understand that.

People matter to God...

We need to do whatever is necessary to reach them...

... even if it means giving up what's most valuable to us in order to do so.

BIG UPS to Geoff Hammond!

Wow... this is HUGE...

The trustees at SBC's North American Mission Board (NAMB) will be voting on Geoff Hammond as their new president... HUGE!!!!

For those who don't know, Geoff is the Senior Associate Director of the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia, the state convention of which I am a church planter (though I reside in Maryland... long story... God's all in it).

I mean, this is MAJORLY HUGE!!!

Although we will miss Geoff terribly (he's personally been a huge advocate, encourager, and supporter for Mosaic), NAMB couldn't be getting a better dude. I'm a newbie in the SBC - and I'm from Takoma Park, MD and don't know all there is to know - but I think Geoff is going to do a bang-up job... he loves church planters and missionaries, he's very approachable, and he's an awesome leader... of leaders!!

"Introducing... the new President of the North American Mission Board..."

edited at 5:47pm