Would you give an opportunity for your church to participate in the community of CB churches nationwide as we seek the
resources to bring vitality
to our associations?
The CBAmerica Board, in conjunction with the Regional Directors, is calling for CB churches across the land to pick a Sunday in May to receive this special gift for CBAmerica.
We ask each congregation to pick a Sunday in May to receive a special offering forCBAmerica. These funds are necessary in this transitional phase to continue our ministry operations in networking and serving the Regional fellowships. This is an opportunity for churches to give beyond their regular support of their Regional ministries and to unite in the bigger scope of national service.
UPCOMING EVENTS
2008 Ministry Retreats
Retreats are planned to bring ministry singles and couples together for refreshment, relaxation and recreation. Plan to attend one of the following in 2008:
Sunday-Tuesday, April 20-22, 2008 - Ministry Retreat at First Baptist, Douglas, WY
(Click here to downlaod a Retreat Flyer with information about accomidations.)
Monday-Wednesday, September 15-17, 2008 - Ministry Retreat at St. Malo's, Estes Park, CO
Watch your mail and/or email for place and time details of these activities.
“This is what the kingdom of God is like.
A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.
All by itself the soil produces grain
—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
Mark 4:26-29 (NIV)
Natural Church Development (NCD) is a way of understanding church health and growth that views the church as a living organism. The focus is not on numerical growth, but on improving the health of the church, with the understanding –impressively documented by research– that when a church is sufficiently healthy, numerical growth will follow. These concepts are explained in the book Natural Church Development by Christian A. Schwarz.
The Natural Church Development survey measures the health of a local church in eight areas that have been found to be essential to healthy church growth. Developed by the Institute of Natural Church Development in Germany, this survey grows out of what was probably the most extensive study of church growth ever conducted, involving over 1000 churches in 32 countries on every continent except Antarctica. This study revealed a clear positive correlation between these eight Quality Characteristics and church growth.
NCD is all about releasing the potential God has already implanted in our lives. Based on research in more than 50,000 churches on all six continents, NCD describes universal principles that are applicable regardless of culture or spiritual style.
(CLICK here for the NCD story.)
HIS MYSTERIOUS WAYS
We are just putting things away here at FBC after one of the most incredible nights. Realizing that to be externally focused we must invest in the lost, we took a huge step tonight. We brought in an illusionist team and paid more money than we ever have for an outreach event. Our Children's Ministry asked me how many counselors we should train and before I could think I suggested we get 50. They thought I was a little high - but they agreed and gathered 50 people together for an afternoon of training. We trained 50 counselors thinking that we were stretching our faith. We invited the community and 500 people showed up - and God gave us a tithe. Over 50 kids and parents gave their lives to Christ. I prayed with one young girl and then turned to her mother who was sitting with us. The mom then prayed with me to receive Christ. What a night!
