wfn.org | American Baptists Plan National Ministries Initiatives

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@wfn.org>]

AMERICAN BAPTIST NEWS SERVICE
Office of Communication
American Baptist Churches USA
P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
Phone: (610)768-2077 / Fax: (610)768-2320
Web: www.abc-usa.org
Richard W. Schramm, Director
  E-mail: richard.schramm@abc-usa.org

GENERAL BOARD/BIENNIAL MEETING UPDATE: June 25, 1999

NEWS FROM THE GENERAL BOARD/PROGRAM BOARDS
Des Moines, Ia. / June 18-21, 1999
WRIGHT-RIGGINS PROPOSES NEW LIFE 2010 MISSION INITIATIVES;
NATIONAL MINISTRIES BOARD VOTES TO AFFIRM AND FUND
INITIATIVES
   DES MOINES,  IA.--National Ministries Executive
Director Dr. Aidsand F. Wright-Riggins III, speaking to the
National Ministries Board meeting in its semiannual
sessions, presented four new mission initiatives as
proposals for the Board's action. The initiatives address
the goals of the denominational emphasis NEW LIFE 2010 and
focus on needs that are not met under current programs and
services.
  The Board unanimously affirmed the pursuit of the
mission initiatives.  The Board also heard several funding
options for the proposals and voted to appropriate
$1,000,000 a year for seven years to support the mission
initiatives.
  Wright-Riggins proposed the following initiatives for
implementation beginning in 2000.
  1. Regionally Focused Initiative: "There are area in
the U.S. that are full of possibilities for home mission but
are beyond the ability of a region to handle alone. National
Ministries, with its mission partners, can reach into these
areas with home missionaries.  We can help to begin new
mission and ministry that can be sustained. Preliminary work
has been done to determine the possibility of focusing on
particular geographic areas; Florida could be a
demonstration of this mission initiative."
  2. Congregational Transformation Initiative:  "For
American Baptists to reach new Christians, many existing
churches and church leaders must seek renewal, if not
revival. National Ministries will enable congregations to
become fellowships of transformed transformers that will win
and welcome new Christians, sponsor new congregations and
start new caring ministries.  An Institute for
Congregational Transformation (via satellite downlink) is a
key part of this initiative."
  3.   Mission Mobilization Initiative:  "American
Baptists not only want to support mission, they want to be
involved in it.  The level of involvement they seek is a
hands-on experience that leads to measurable growth in their
own lives.  New models for mission engagement that
incorporate spiritual formation and compassionate solidarity
can be developed.  In such a model, Home Mission Action
teams of youth and adult volunteers as well as deployment of
retired staff and Board members would serve as missionary
leaders."
  4.  Church in Community Initiative: "Every American
Baptist church is in some way a mission station.  National
Ministries, as the home mission agency of American Baptist
Churches, can enter into partnership with groups of churches
that want to work together to address community needs in a
number of ways, including establishing new Neighborhood
Action Centers. Another focus of this initiative is to
establish an Urban Mission Training Center."
    The Board received a report of plans underway to
address the denominational church planting goal.  The goal
is part of NEW LIFE 2010, the American Baptist emphasis to
plant 1,010 new congregations, reach 1,000,010 new believers
and vitalize a multitude of caring ministries.  The Rev.
David Laubach, National Ministries associate executive
director for Evangelism and Church Renewal, said, "Our
belief that God is calling us to this work continues to
grow.  We are building on the successes and learnings from
the '500 More By '94' church planting campaign."
  One of those learnings, said the Rev. Michael Cox,
director of New Church Planting for National Ministries, is
"to focus on designing an infrastructure to support new
church planters."  Cox reported the work of the Church
Planting Institute would begin in April 2000.  All American
Baptist church planters will receive leadership development
training via the Institute for one week twice a year for two
years.  Training of the faculty for the Institute begins in
August 1999. An ongoing focus, Cox, said, is to enable
regions to develop contextualized strategies for church
planting. "And all American Baptists must see the need to
reach the lost and unchurched for Jesus Christ. If we see
lost and unchurched people as the Number One priority in our
lives, 1,010 new churches will just be a drop in the
bucket."