Having a plan is just the starting point.
Let me begin with a big THANK YOU for your support through the Edna McMillian State Missions offering. Because of your generosity and willingness to give cooperatively, we all get to see lives changed…in eternal ways… all over Oklahoma as we minister together! You can see a full list of where those dollars that we gave are allocated if you visit statemissionok.org/funds-allocation.
THANK YOU to Janice Maynard, Tanya Bruton, Pastor Joel McReynolds, Eddie Battershell, and everyone at Chandler Southern Baptist Church, and all those whose time and efforts went into making our annual meeting a blessing and wonderful time of fellowship. We were blessed with messages from Pastor Jerry Grey and Dr. Heath Thomas!
Also, THANK YOU to all those who have been serving on the Church Life, Together, Communication, and Support Teams over this past year! Being in transition is always challenging, even when we are surrounded by loving, mature, Christ-centered friends! Strategic planning begins and ends with our response to the question, “Do we want to change?” Change involves growth, new ideas, new opportunities, and new vision. Change also involves building upon what God has done in our past…especially giving Him the glory for His innumerable blessings. “Change is not a threat; change is an opportunity to grow, and change is an opportunity to discover what is really important in our lives. Don’t be afraid of change. Accept it from the hand of God and let Him work in your life according to His gracious will. And please keep in mind the fact that there are some things in life that never, never change.”1
Do we want to change? I believe the answer to that question is “Yes!” Yes, God wants us to grow and reach more people for the gospel. Yes, God wants us to be stronger as churches impacting Lincoln & Pottawatomie Counties! And because our hearts are in tune with His heart, we desire to embrace His change! This is who we are! We are a family of believers in Jesus Christ who worship God and share His love with others. God is sending us folks who are ripe for the harvest, and they are children, youth, students, young professionals, and adults in every stage of life. Reaching them with the gospel, discipling them in their walk and service to the Lord, and joining them in corporate worship is the direction in which we are going! We are also going across the street to our neighbor and down the road to our surrounding communities. We are going across the state and our country, meeting ministry needs. We are going to other countries where the name of Jesus needs to be heard! This is where we are going. We get there by continuing to pray…seeking the Lord’s will and guidance. He has shown us some things that we must address now and in the near future as we all work to appropriate His will and blessings in our lives together. We move cautiously and carefully, and intentionally…knowing that God opens doors of opportunity when we least expect it. This is how we get there!
Listen to the words of Nehemiah’s story:
Three days after my arrival at Jerusalem, I slipped out during the night, taking only a few others with me. I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. We took no pack animals with us, except the donkey that I myself was riding. I went out through the Valley Gate, past the Jackal's Well, and over to the Dung Gate to inspect the broken walls and burned gates. Then I went to the Fountain Gate and to the King's Pool, but my donkey couldn't get through the rubble. So I went up the Kidron Valley instead, inspecting the wall before I turned back and entered again at the Valley Gate. The city officials did not know I had been out there or what I was doing, for I had not yet said anything to anyone about my plans. I had not yet spoken to the religious and political leaders, the officials, or anyone else in the administration. But now I said to them, "You know full well the tragedy of our city. It lies in ruins, and its gates are burned. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and rid ourselves of this disgrace!" Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king. They replied at once, "Good! Let's rebuild the wall!" So they began the good work. (Nehemiah 2:11-18 NLT)
Nehemiah was convinced that he was moving within the will of God. From that moment on, until the task was finished, the man, the task, and the God were one. Put yourself in Nehemiah’s shoes. Are you ready for change? Are you willing to move from the starting point of a plan? Nehemiah found his destiny in doing something with God for others.
James
