Add 6,000 new churches to the Southern Bap

>> by Jonathan Howe and Amy Whit eld

SBC EC VICE PRESIDENT & ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee (SBC EC) President Ronnie Floyd announced a new  ve-year initiative in conjunction with multiple entities to reach every person with the Gospel in every town, every city, every state and every nation.

In his address Monday night Feb. 17, Floyd presented this Convention-wide initiative to members of the EC and a packed crowd in attendance for the group’s February 2020 meeting.

“Vision 2025 is not a slogan or rallying cry,” Floyd said. “It’s a path forward to help us reimagine a new future together of reaching the world for Jesus Christ—every person, every town, every city, every state and every nation.”

Vision 2025 contains  ve major strategic actions for the SBC to take on over the next  ve years:

1. Increase the total number of full-time, fully funded missionaries by a net gain of 500, giving the SBC 4,200 full-time, fully funded missionaries through the International Mission Board (IMB).

2. Add 6,000 new churches to the Southern Baptist family, giving the SBC more than 50,000 cooperating churches.

3. Increase the total number of workers in the  eld through a new emphasis on “calling out the called,” and then preparing those who are called out by the Lord.

4. Turn around the ongoing decline in the SBC in reaching, baptizing and discipling 12- to 17-yearolds in the prime of their teenage years.

5. Increase SBC-wide annual giving in successive years to reach and surpass $500 million given through the Cooperative Program.

Joining the call for this new vision in the SBC were the presidents of both mission boards.

“I know of no better way to bring His presence into a community than with a new, evangelistically-focused church,” said Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board (NAMB). “We have to stay committed and focused on planting Gospel-proclamation outposts where they are needed most in North America.”

The SBC currently boasts more than 47,000 churches across the United States. The goal of 6,000 new churches allows for growth through church planting, new a liations, and multisite campus multiplication, as well as retention through replanting and revitalization.

Paul Chitwood, president of the IMB added: “We live in the most populous century in the history of humanity where 155,252 lost people die every day. By growing our mission force by 500, and many of those 500 being devoted to training churches overseas to send their own missionaries, Southern Baptists will see an exponential impact from their Great Commission faithfulness.”

As of January 2020, the IMB had 3,673 missionaries deployed around the globe. The goal of 500 new missionaries is also one of IMB’s internal goals for the next  ve years.

Vision 2025 also addresses the continued decline of baptisms among 12- to 17-year-olds. Floyd shared his personal story of coming to Christ as a teenager in the wake of the Jesus Movement in 1972. That year there were 25 million Americans between the ages of 12 and 17, and baptisms of this age group in the SBC totaled 137,667. In 2018—the most recent year with available data—there were only 57,552 baptisms reported of 12-to 17-yearolds, but there were still 25 million Americans in that age group.

“We must focus on evangelizing and discipling this next generation while we still have the opportunity,” Alex Himaya, pastor of Broken Arrow, The Church at BattleCreek, said in a statement. “Our student ministries need to be known more for intentional evangelism and discipleship than for events and games. May we raise up a mighty generation of men and women passionate for taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth.” Cooperative funding is also integral to reaching the goals set forth by Vision 2025. In 2018, Cooperative Program giving totaled $463,076,368. An increase of 1.25 percent per year through 2025 would see this goal attained and funding needs met to attain others—especially the sending of 500 new missionaries and planting of new churches.

“All our talk about more missionaries, more church planters and more seminary students is just that, talk, unless we show our willingness to pay for them,” Hance Dilbeck, executive director-treasurer for Oklahoma Baptists, told Baptist Press.

The SBC EC voted Tuesday, Feb. 18, to recommend Vision 2025 to the messengers at the 2020 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting to be held June 9-10 in Orlando, Fla.

For detailed reports on the SBC EC meeting, visit baptistmessenger.com SBC were the presidents of both mis- “I know of no better way to bring His presence into a comwhere they are needed most

The SBC currently boasts more than 47,000 churches across the United States. The That year there were 25 million Americans between the ages of 12 and 17, and baptisms of this age group in the SBC totaled 137,667. In 2018—the most recent year with available data—there were only 57,552 baptisms reported of 12-to 17-yearolds, but there were still 25 million Americans in that age group. portunity,” Alex Himaya, pastor of Broken Arrow, The Church at BattleCreek, said in a statement. “Our student ministries need to be known more for intentional evangelism and discipleship than for events and games. May we raise up a mighty >> PHOTO: ERIC BROWN SBC Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd announced a new  ve-year initiative.

Atoka Coal Association continues mission support in Guererro /// PREVIEWED ON COVER

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>> by Chris Doyle

MANAGING EDITOR

GUERRERO, Mexico—A missions team of four from Atoka Coal Association witnessed a move of the Lord in January. During a nine-day mission trip to Altamirano, a city in Guerrero, Mexico, this team experienced 164 people make professions of faith in Christ.

The team consisted of Randy Hurt, director of missions in Atoka Coal Association; Jim Lewis, pastor of Coalgate, First; Tristan Robinson, missions leader at Coalgate, First; and Brock Woolf, youth pastor at Coalgate, First. Woolf shared with the Baptist Messenger a journal on the mission trip, reporting the team served with Fishers of Men medical caravan. Overall, this mission team served 808 people with the medical caravan.

Woolf’s journal began with the team’s travelling experience,  ying from Dallas to Mexico City and then to Acapulco. From there, the team caravanned to Altamirano, which was an all-day journey that included a truck breaking down and congested roads of political groups blocking the roads.

Once in Altamirano, the missions team spent two days helping people with medical treatments.

>> PHOTOS: RANDY HURT 1) Missionary Norberto De La Cruz, right, helps a boy test his new glasses in the optometry department; 2) From left, Coalgate, First’s Pastor Jim Lewis, Mexico church planters Conny and Antonio with baby Zabdi, Coalgate, First’s Missions Leader Tristan Robinson, Coalgate, First’s Youth Pastor Brock Woolf and Atoka Coal Association Director of Missions Randy Hurt; 3) Guerrero Baptist Convention President Santos Rodriguez and evangelism team member Elizabeth Santana lead a mother and daughter in prayer to receive Christ.

“We had many di erent stations for people to get medical help, optometry and dentistry,” Woolf said. “We had a nurse who administered shots and minor treatments. A small pharmacy was set up to provide medication, and a doctor gave examinations and advised patients.

“The evangelism team was there to share the Gospel with the people,” Woolf continued. “They were ready to sit and talk and answer questions that people had about the Bible, and (we) were excited to share what the Bible says and what God had done in (our) lives.”

Woolf gave his thoughts about sharing the Gospel with more than 800 people and experiencing the 164 professions of faith in Christ. “It was incredible to see and to be a part of God working in their lives,” he said. On their journey back to Acapulco, the team had some minor encounters but “nothing too terrible,” Woolf said. After stopping for lunch, they encountered another truck breakdown, but Woolf said one of the national Christians named Juan who was part of their team knew how to get the truck working again. “He is kind of a magician when it comes to  xing vehicles,” Woolf said about Juan. After arriving safely back in Acapulco, the team decided to stay an extra day and worship with their friends on Sunday. Rescheduling their  ights turned out to be another blessing, as Woolf explained.

“We found out that the road in Teloloapan was blocked again with cars backed up,” he said. Tra c was at a standstill all day. “If we had stuck to the (original) plan, our way back would have been blocked, and we would have missed our  ights back home. It reminded me of Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Woolf concluded his mission trip report acknowledging God’s sovereignty.

“Even though our world is crazy, and things don’t always go the way we think they should, God still has a plan for us,” he said.

Atoka Coal Association will continue to do mission work in Guerrero, speci cally in Altamirano, the association’s adopted region. The association provides ongoing support to Caplet Lorenzano, Guerrero state director of missions, as well as  ve churches and missionary pastors.