The
Wright Word
October-December 2006
Is Good Preaching Enough to Grow a Church?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Church growth requires a plan for growth and
hard work every day from every member. The five MBA emphases are each important
for healthy consistent growth. Please encourage your leaders to attend our
prayer and evangelistic ministry training options. Become involved in the church
planting, church development, and partnership missions options. Let us help you
lead and participate in church growth.
Associational Budget Missions Gifts Cards
We have received 27 budget cards back so far. As you complete your ‘07 budget
planning, please return the cards to our office to let us know how much your
church will be able to give toward associational missions next year. If you have
misplaced your card please let us know to send a replacement or visit
www.mobilebaptists.org for a
downloadable version. Please consider increasing your support to join those who
already give 3% or more of their undesignated gifts to associational missions.
We are working hard to be excellent stewards of every dime that you entrust to
us. Note the churches that are giving 3 percent or more to associational
missions. They are listed on the insert of this newsletter.
Welcome New Churches
Please contact pastor Jeff Bryan and New Home Citronelle to welcome them to the
MBA under Watchcare as of September 12. Also, welcome pastor James Jones and the
new African-American mission church. They are meeting at Forest Hill
Elementary. See the Church Planting column or online for more information.
Visit
www.mobilebaptists.org
We have redesigned our web pages to answer questions and provide a lot more
information, downloads, and resources. Take a look and let us know what else you
would like to see included.
Join Us For the Walk for International Missions
It is not too late to enlist a team captain and to sponsor walkers to be
directly involved in local missions. Giving to mission budgets is essential in
the Cooperative Program. Individual gifts and personal involvement bring
missions individually alive. Visit our website for detailed information for
captains, walkers and other participants.
Camp Whispering Pines Katrina Repairs Continue
Another opportunity for personal involvement in local missions is the
reconstruction of the Katrina-damaged facilities at CWP. We need individuals and
teams who can help for one day or multiple days. Please contact Kevin for more
information and current needs, 866-7868.
Volunteer Newsletter Editor and Volunteer Web Master Needed
Please join us in praying for the Lord to lead someone to serve as the Volunteer
Editor of our newsletter and print communications. The editor will help collect
content and design each edition of the newsletter. Please contact me for more
information.
We also are praying for the Lord to send us someone to help us improve the look of our Web presence. Please pass the word to those in your church that have the skill and interest to help us communicate through the Internet. Please have them contact Chuck or me.
Autonomy and Biblical Truth
Baptists recognize the biblical truth that churches are autonomous. That
biblical responsibility is given because each believer is a priest through the
filling of the Holy Spirit.
The leading of the Holy
Spirit is always consistent with the Word of God.
Otherwise human emotion and human opinion will try to over rule the Word of God.
Autonomy should not be a license to accept any “wind of false doctrine.”
Churches should be conscientious to discover and obey biblical truth.
Associational Affiliation
Every organization, every company and every nation has guidelines for
membership. The MBA guidelines are identical to the SBC guidelines. In the MBA
constitution, we call these guidelines the guidelines for affiliation. We do not
call them guidelines for fellowship. As Christians we have fellowship with many
other believers who are not affiliated with our association. Each member has the
responsibility to follow the guidelines for affiliation. When a congregation
determines that those guidelines do not match their beliefs they can, and
should, withdraw. If a congregation chooses to violate those guidelines and will
not withdraw, the association has a constitutional obligation to vote for
disaffiliation. The MBA constitution and manual of procedures is available
under the resources button on the web page.
Interpreting Scripture
How do believers determine what is the correct interpretation of Scripture?
Good interpretation is always consistent with other passages of Scripture. We
should not create doctrine based solely on single verses of Scripture. We need
to understand when Scripture describes events or activities and when Scripture
gives direct instruction. Where Scripture seems to provide legitimate alternate
interpretations we turn to the collective wisdom of the body of Christ for
discussion and clarification. Southern Baptists have documented the prevailing
interpretation of Scripture in our
Baptist Faith and Message.
This is why the MBA has chosen the
Baptist Faith and Message
as our doctrinal guidelines for affiliation. It is
not a creed, dictating what we must believe. Rather, it provides clarity in a
world where individuals often try to impose on God their expectations and
opinions. We can have complete confidence in the biblical interpretation
presented in the current
Baptist Faith and Message.
In the Lamb,
Bro. Thomas