GOBA News Feed

February 2012 Edition of the GOBA E-mag

Staff — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Church Vacation Bible School Dates

Staff — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 06:00:00 GMT

This page will be updated as dates come in.

Apopka, First Baptist
441 S. Highland Ave
Apopka, 32703
407-886-2628
www.fbcapopka.net
June 18 - 22

Dayspring Community
2434 Old Dixie Hwy
Apopka, 32712
407-814-4996
www.dayspringorlando.com
June 25-29 from 6pm-9pm

Delaney Street Baptist Church
Orlando, 32806
407-422-0758
www.delaneychurch.com
June 18-22

Dover Shores Baptist
551 Gaston Foster Rd
Orlando 32807
407-277-5810
www.dsbcorlando.com
June 18-22

Eastside Orlando
1900 Conway Gardens Rd
Orlando, 32806
407-898-1401
www.eastsideorlando.org
June 25-28

Forest City Baptist
721 W. Lake Brantley Rd
Altamonte Springs, 32714
407-869-1278
fbcforestcity@yahoo.com
June 18-22 from 9am-Noon

Killarney Baptist
701 Formosa Ave
Winter Park, 32789
407-644-7741
www.kbcnet.org
June 25-29

Kissimmee, First Baptist
1700 N. John Young Parkway
Kissimmee, 34741
407-847-3138
www.fbckissimmee.com
June 25-29 from 9am-12:15pm

Lifeway Community
1607 S. Sanford Ave
Sanford, 32771
407-330-0549
www.lifeway.cc
June 25-28

Pine Castle, First Baptist
1001 Hoffner Ave
Orlando, 32809
407-855-4741
www.fbcpinecastle.com
June 18-22 from 6pm-8:30pm

South Orlando Baptist
11513 S. Orange Blossom Tr.
Orlando 32837
407-859-1536
www.southorlandobaptist.org
June 18-22

Windermere Lakeside Campus
8464 Winter Garden Vineland Rd
Windermere, 32836
407-909-4310
www.fbcwindermere.com
June 18-22

Windermere, First Baptist
300 N. Main St
Windermere, 34786
407-876-2234
www.fbcwindermere.com
June 25-29
Evening & Special Needs
June 24-28

Getting Younger

Staff — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Mark Weible, Church Planting Director

According to 2010 census data, the Orlando metro population is getting younger. Over a third of the local population is between the ages of 20 - 44 with the median age at 36.7. If GOBA churches are representative of national SBC trends, then most of the people attending corporate worship services are over the age of 50.

Here is an important question, “Does the Church exist to serve the people who already comprise the Church, or to make disciples of unreached people?” Since Mark 10:45 is my life verse, I would say that followers of Christ live beyond themselves and make personal sacrifices so that others can be reached with the gospel. If you agree with me, then you would also agree that the decisions that we make in local churches should be based upon Biblical missional mandates vs personal preferences.

This is an important issue, because the personal preferences of most of our church members are geared toward serving the needs and desires of an aging group of people who are already a part of the church family. If we follow the Bible, we will not let that happen. Instead, we would honor our older members by teaching them to train younger adults to develop healthy families (Titus 2:1-5). It is these young families who will reach the next generation.

We should not allow anyone to use personal preferences as a foundation for decision-making in the local church. We must insist that we function as the body of Christ, with Jesus as the head and that we follow His commands. If we are following Christ, then we are intentionally discipling the younger generation.

Church Planters often focus on reaching younger adults because this is a huge unreached population segment. New churches can design new ministries and outreach strategies that target young families without the fear of personal-preference backlash. However, that does not mean that these churches are ignoring older adults. Often, new churches attract mature Christ followers who have a heart-felt burden for seeing the next generation come to Christ.

In order to reach Central Florida with the good news of Jesus Christ, we need to plant more churches and revitalize legacy churches. The motivation for doing so comes from a deep commitment to Jesus Christ and a desire to be obedient to His commands. Your GOBA staff is here to help to be more effective at accomplishing the mission that Christ has given to your church. We can help give you a unique perspective on your mission field and your church’s effectiveness in accomplishing the great commission. We can connect you with the resources, training, coaching and expertise that you need to be more effective. Get in touch at www.GOBA.org.

Top Challenges Facing Today’s Church Planters

Staff — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Church Planters.Com

Staff — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Great resources for you!

Coaching Leaders
Partners
Conferences
Networking
Free Stuff
More!

Go here for details!

Exponential Conference 2012

Staff — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Sifted - the theme of Exponential 2012 - emphasizes the planter's spiritual, physical and emotional health as the very foundation for reproducing. In Luke 22:31-32, Jesus' reference to Peter being "sifted" is based on the process of sifting wheat from its chaff during harvest, a form of refining and distilling the good from the bad and removing impurities. As Believers, we have been perfectly sifted by Christ's blood and are being continually sifted to extract our chaff (sin). Life's troubles and difficulties serve in some measure like the winnowing fork. What if we could be better prepared to deal with life's troubles? Join sage and seasoned leaders at Exponential 2012 as they impart their years of wisdom to help you in your journey and lay out a plan for finishing strong.

Call to PRAYER!

Staff — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT

The North American Mission Board exist to assist churches, associations and state convention, as we all seek to penetrate lostness in North America. Please go here for more information to help encourage your church to choose a Sunday in January to participate in the SBC Call to Prayer.

Orlando Mission Trips

Staff — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Mission Trip Orlando, in partnership with the Greater Orlando Baptist Association, desires to give an exciting mission opportunity to groups of individuals and churches ready to serve Jesus here in the always exciting, roller coaster filled Orlando, Florida. Your group will be able to serve the homeless, care for the elderly, and be involved in many other projects that will change lives all over the globe. Mission Trip Orlando will provide every service you need to make your stay as exciting and affordable as possible, even for the smaller sized groups!

Mission Opportunities:

Backyard Bible Club
Coalition for the Homeless - www.centralfloridahomeless.org
Give Kids the World – www.gktw.org/
Share the Care – www.helpforcaregivers.org
Matthews Hope – www.mathewshopeministries.org
Christian Service Center – www.christianservicecenter.org
Clean the World – www.cleantheworld.org
New Missions

How can you get involved? Follow the link to find all of the information you need. You can also contact Scott Homan at 1-352-516-2338 or email him at scott@missiontriporlando.com.

Annual Meeting Message

Staff — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT

A New Direction for a New Day!

Joshua 1:1-11; Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Dr. Tom Cheyney, Executive Director of Missions

October 17, 2011

I stand before you tonight totally amazed at the marvelous handiwork of my heavenly Father! Life is so full of unexpected twists, of unforeseen bends in the road and of unsolicited detours. Never in my imagination had I imagined that God would bless me with the honor of leading the Greater Orlando Baptist Association into new days and with new directions. Seldom does life ever go just the way we plan, our plans are re-routed as we are sent down a new road, one that we never thought we would travel. Yet as we are guided in making turns that we never anticipated God has a way to show Himself real and direct our paths. He often does that by a challenging charge, an inspiring change or a stirring transition in ones calling in ministry! It’s all part of every day life as a minister of the Gospel. We are living in a world of change and we need to be open to the new changes that the Lord brings to us.

The Greater Orlando Baptist Association is the process of dealing with change. A former leader has retired and moved away while a new leader has picked up the mantel and moved into this leadership role. Some of what we have done in the past we will not be doing in the future and yet much of what needs to be done has been built upon those past successes and victories. I have been listening to our pastors as well as our active laity all across this association! Many of you who have been part of these listening sessions, which I have coined the phrase as Caffeinated Conversations and we have begun to redesign what the growing association of the future will look like.

The association of the future will be much more of a network of networks working together to reach Central Florida with the gospel. As you can see from the visual on the screen we have heard from our association leadership and our pastoral leaders and the future will be focused on three primary ministry areas with one additional ministry area being the connection point to bring together these networks. Yes we will still do training in key areas of ministry for our churches, but we will become an association which seeks to do more than train workers.

Church Planting Networks

We will be focused on developing a church-planting network that works to unite our church planters and Church Planting Center Churches together to advance the cause of church planting in central Florida through church planting and church sponsoring. We have been praying for God to raise up four Church Planting Churches across our association which would seek to develop Church Planting Centers where young men could intern and learn how to grow an effective church plant.

Church Revitalization Networks

We will also be focused on developing a Church Revitalization Network that works to unite our churches in need of church revitalization with a team of individuals trained to assist these churches in all areas of revitalization. We have been praying for God to raise up at least one church to serve as a Restoration Church committed to assisting the association in working to renew and revitalize those churches that find themselves in need of revitalization. Additionally, your Greater Orlando Baptist Association administrative committee has created the Church Revitalization Assistance Team task force with leaders across our association who has committed to learn and help in this revitalization effort. I am please to announce this evening that Pastors Todd Lamphere and Ron Smith have committed First Baptist Church of Altamonte Springs. I envision a day where we have three of these Restoration Churches across Central Florida strategically placed across our association. Some of our churches in need of revitalization are starting to see renewed vitality and growth, yet if you look across central Florida there is still the need for even a greater effort in this critical area.

Language Missions Networks

Central Florida has changed around us and some of those things, which helped us reach people in the past, just does not do it any more! We need to do more in reaching out to the changing cultures by embracing our brothers who are growing churches of all types of ethnic, ethno linguistic, and people groups. The reality of the past has been that we should have done more to reach the ever-changing population around the Greater Orlando Baptist Association. We are working hard through your Church Planting Director, Mark Weible, to embrace all language groups and not only invite them into the life and ministry of GOBA but to ask these Godly leaders to boldly lead our churches in developing new ministries and new churches to reach the multi-cultural population in which we minister.

G.O.A.L (Greater Orlando Adventures in Leadership)

The one additional ministry area, which serves as the connection point to bring together these three other networks, is GOAL. Goal stands for the Greater Orlando Adventures in Leadership and with this emphasis of developing new and existing leaders through leadership training and resourcing, we will seek to connect those connected to a single area of ministry together. It is through GOAL and the supporting resourcing networks that go with it that we will prepare those who will lead our churches in the future.

The question that we must all ask ourselves is how do we cope with these changes? How do we embrace the new? Do we greet these changes fearlessly with a smile looking for the tremendous opportunity, or do we remain entrenched in the old paradigm more comfortable with being comfortable in the way things were? Do we open ourselves up to new beginnings, new blessings, and new territories or do we refuse to stretch ourselves? Are we willing to become comfortable with being a little uncomfortable at times in order to step outside of our own worlds and create new ones for Jesus’ sake?

We as an association of 176 churches and missions today are in the midst of a great opportunity for change. A year ago you were saying farewell to a leader of the association satisfied. But today, life has occurred, change is inevitable, and we are all standing on the brink of a tremendous opportunity and challenge for a blessed future. We are all teetering on the edge of new opportunities to reach Central Florida for Jesus’ sake, new blessings of revitalized and renewed churches because the cause is great. New challenges to plant more churches because the land has yet to be fully conquered. New emerging leaders raised up from all of our churches because now is the time to prepare others to take up the mantle along with the previous generations and do their part for touching, reaching, and saving this community we all care about called central Florida.

Ladies and gentlemen, today is a day for new direction and tomorrow is the beginning of that new day for ministry all across central Florida through the Greater Orlando Baptist Association! Now while it is an exciting beginning, I recognize that it is also a demanding beginning. If Central Florida is going to be reached through Southern Baptist it will be as we work together to reach all of the five counties that have GOBA Churches. None of us are as strong as all of us and we need to cooperate one with another so that Southern Baptist will once again become a name known by our communities as a group of churches that are Bible believing, evangelistic in our witness, soul saving, and reaching out together to touch this world for Jesus.

Our text this evening is a powerful depiction of the human experience. It is a story of a people, much like ourselves, who lived in community with one another. They worshiped together. They worked together. They ate together. They lived together. And they celebrated one leader, a leader they greatly revered, one they greatly loved. You have probably heard the story before. It’s the story of the Israelite people and their leader, Moses. Moses, we are told was a leader who was unequaled. Never again would there be anyone like him. And when Moses died the people grieved. They missed him. They didn’t want him to go. And they certainly did not want a new leader.

Can you relate to them? I know you can. I am honored today to be following a great Director of Missions in Bill Faulkner and the other Leaders we have had since this Association was formed in 1870. I want to celebrate the work of this association with you. These leaders have been godly leaders. Their gifts and graces were needed and the fruits of their ministry are evident as I look all around. But we need to get ready for a new day, because our Lord God has great things still in store for us as an association of churches to achieve.

This passage in Joshua and Deuteronomy reminds us that: GOD’S PLANS ARE NOT DEPENDENT UPON ONE PERSON. His plans are advanced or fulfilled using different people at different times for different purposes.

IT REMINDS US THAT WE CANNOT LIVE IN THE PAST AND CONTINUE TO ADVANCE INTO THE FUTURE.

Jesus warned, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God”.

Paul encouraged the Philippians when he wrote, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:13-14).

IT REMINDS US THAT WE ARE NOT YET WHERE GOD WANTS US TO BE.

To Joshua it meant there were rivers to cross, battles to fight, problems to solve. The nation of Israel was standing on the banks of the Jordan River. The Promised Land was on the other side. But their leader is dead. Then comes the message to Joshua. “Moses…is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them to the Israelites".

They were not yet where God wanted them to be. For us as an association it means there are rivers as well for us to cross, battles to fight, problems to solve. Our churches need a renewed commitment to reach our communities while there is still time. Young men need to be sent out of our churches to minister across central Florida. Young couples need to be commissioned and sent around the world through missions. The association is standing on the banks of a river, looking across. On the other side are the good things God has planned for us that will strengthen and grow us in the future. It is at this point that we need to hear God’s message, “Now then… get ready to cross the river." Just like the nation of Israel, crossing the river will mean a new beginning.

I want to tell you that I believe that our presence here is part of God’s plan. This is no accident. We are all here for a reason. Just as God chose Joshua to continue the leadership of the people of Israel and to lead them into the Promised Land, so God has given me the honor of being your next Association leader. I believe that there is a promised land ahead! It is ours for the taking. But in order to do so we must overcome a major challenge.

Do you remember what it was that separated the people of Israel from the Promised Land? It was the Jordan River! As long as they were on this side of the Jordan River things were safe, they were comfortable, they we sure of the daily routine. They could visit Mount Nebo, where Moses died, to remember him. But if they were to cross that River they would be in danger. Things would get frightening. There were giants in the land. They were strangers in a new land. The people were afraid.

Ladies and Gentlemen: there are giants in the land ahead. There will be smooth days and there will be rough days. There will be days where the advancement is easy. There will be times when you will want to turn back. But Listen to what God said to Joshua: “Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them. Only be strong and very courageous”. And again he says in verse 9, “be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed for the Lord God is with you wherever you go”. This same promise is ours today as well. Do not be afraid. Yes, there are giants in the land. But the Lord God will be with us wherever we go! We have no need for fear!"

Finally, here are God’s instructions to Joshua: “Pass through the camp and command the people: “Prepare your provisions; for in three days you are to cross over the Jordan, to go and take possession of the land that the Lord your God gives you to possess”. The people had been wandering around in the wilderness for forty years waiting for this very moment. You would think that they would be excited about finally moving into the Promised Land, wouldn’t you? But this was a change for them. And I am sure that just like any other group of people, they did their share of worrying. This was a difficult thing for them to do. I do not think they were overly excited. In fact I imagine that there were some who were leery about their new leader. “He’s not doing things like Moses did them”. “Moses would be more methodical than this”. “Moses was a better organizer than this fellow Joshua”. “I wish Moses were here”. Sound familiar? Some things have not changed that much over the past few millenniums.

These people were probably every bit as resistant to change as we are today. But change was inevitable. And now it was time for them to make their move with their new leader. And they did. And God was faithful to them. They claimed the Promised Land, but before they could, they had to take that leap of faith and cross the Jordan River.

Friends, its time for all of us to cross the Jordan! We have done what we have needed to do in the past. And now God wants us to grasp a new vision, to climb the wall of opportunity and jump forward in boldness and faith! Our churches need a renewed faith and vitality to continue to reach Central Florida! We as leaders need to keep evangelism as a priority in our ministries, We as laity need to embrace our leaders and work a long side of them to reach our ministry areas. The days of eating our pastors for dinner each week needs to cease and a renewed commitment to work with them must take place. I would never as a lay person want to stand in the way of Gods anointed and blessing for a church!

As I stand here today I am excited about where God wants to take us! I am excited about the work that I know God has planned for us as an association of churches working together. Many seeds have been planted. And there has been a great deal of harvesting. But the years to come have a great deal of harvesting yet to be finished! God wants to use this group of churches as a beacon of light in the five counties and 1000+ communities around it to share the good news of Jesus Christ with those who are hurting. God wants to use Southern Baptist again to reach this key strategic area for Christ like never before. I pray each day that God will give you as a pastor or leader around GOBA favor in the community. I pray that God will give our churches favor like never before. I believe God wants to honor your commitment to support the community in prayer, service, fellowship and worship! And God wants to bring many new faces into many new places, so they too can meet the same Jesus that has changed both you and me!

Today we’re standing on the riverbank of the Jordan looking across the river of uncertainty not fully aware of what lies ahead, yet knowing it is the Lord who we follow. One thing is for certain: there will be change. Things will be different on the other side. We may have to do things like we have never done them before. Personal and corporate repentance might need to be offered in order for God to bless us once more. We may encounter giants along the way. There may be rough waters. But, through it all God will be with us.

I do not know about you this evening, but I believe God is saying to us it is time to take the land! It is time to stop worrying about our obstacles. It is time to stop worrying about our limitations. It is time to stop worrying about our problems. It is time to start believing God is able, Jesus is willing, and the Holy Spirit is anxious for all of us to take the land.

Two ways in which we can take the land is through our Florida Baptist Convention Partnerships with Indianapolis and the country of Haiti! God has blessed this association with great leaders to lead us for the next three years in both of these endeavors. I see a day very soon where we will have GOBA churches doing mission projects and church planting projects in both of these key strategic areas. I am please to announce this evening that Pastor Antoine Fils-Aime of the First Haitian Baptist Church of Orlando has agreed to lead our Mission Haiti effort to challenge our churches to get involved in ministries all across the country of Haiti!

Like wise I am please to announce tonight that Pastor John Holloway from First Baptist Church Sweetwater has agreed to lead our Association’s Mission Indy effort to challenge our churches to get involved in mission projects all around this key strategic city of Indianapolis!

We can take the land! Not because I am a great leader. Not because you are great leaders. We can take the land because we serve a big God who is able.

The Lord is challenging us through His Biblical challenge to Joshua to lay aside all of the thoughts and attitudes that are holding him and the people back. Lay aside your fear. Lay aside your worry. Lay aside your inadequacies. Lay aside your limitations. Lay aside your hurts. Our God in Heaven tells Joshua to lay all of this aside "because he will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them".

I ask you as visitors, leaders and messengers of our 176 churches and missions, will you come along with me? Will you help to revitalize our churches all across central Florida through a deliberate effort of Revitalization and Renewal? Will you seek the face of the almighty about planting churches of all kinds through all of central Florida? Will you pray for the young men of God who will be raised up out of your churches and our churches to plant new churches and become pastors of our GOBA churches?

Oh I pray you will for the sake of Christ. I pray you will for the sake of evangelism remembering that men and women still need Christ in central Florida! I pray you will for the sake of Southern Baptist! I pray you will because the need is great and it is our time to step up and step out in Jesus’ name. It’s time to cross the Jordan and get ready for a new day!

Vision for the Greater Orlando Baptist Association Click here by Dr. Cheyney

Power Point Presentation of Dr. Cheyney's Message Click here

GOBA December 2011 E-Magazine

Staff — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:00:00 GMT

GOAL Podcast: Ron Smith - Revitalizing Vintage Churches

Staff — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT

On this week's podcast, Ron Smith and Tom Cheyney talk about revitalizing vintage churches. Ron is Executive Pastor of First Baptist Church of Altamonte Springs.

G.O.A.L. Podcast: Greater Orlando Adventures in Leadership - Tom Cheyney and Mark Weible

Staff — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT

Tom Cheyney and Mark Weible talk about Greater Orlando Adventures in Leadership peer learning groups. G.O.A.L. groups are composed of church planters, pastors, and other church leaders who commit to walk together for two years of personal leadership development resulting in leadership multiplication in the local church.

Building Momentum in a New Church Plant

Staff — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT

From Your Executive Director of Missions
Dr. Tom Cheyney
tcheyney@goba.org
1-678-576-9798
407-293-0450

You are waiting at the starting line for the starter’s horn to sound, and the sailing race to begin! It’s going to be a while, that much you know, because most of the boats are still at a dead standstill. Suddenly, with ten minutes to go before the start, you hear and see a new wave of activity begin as the boats display life and begin to move towards the starting line. Some start fast, and others start out ever so slowly, it seems to take the larger boats so long to get going! When I was younger, I raced sailboats of all sizes. It was so easy to get a 14 foot “Hobie Cat” moving as compared to the 69 foot Morgan deep hull. Once that larger sailboat began to move, the wind within its sails had no problem maintaining hull speed and plowing through the water with great efficiency! It’s the principle of inertia at work: things at rest tend to want to stay at rest, and things in motion, tend to want to stay in motion. That is also true in beginning a new church: now and then the greatest risk is in doing nothing.

The inertia that a moving object builds up is called momentum. It takes lots of energy to build up momentum, but it takes far less energy to maintain it. Momentum is more that a principle of physics. It’s a principle we can apply to our personal lives and to the life of a new church plant as well.

Jesus Told a Story about Momentum
Momentum played a role in one of the stories Jesus told. The story is about a wealthy man who had to be away o business for an extended period of time. He called together his three associates, and gave them his wealth to invest while he was gone. One was given five-talents, another was given two, and the third was given one talent to oversee.

A talent was what a worker could earn in 20 years. For comparison, if a worker’s salary today is $30,000, then one talent would equal $600,000. That means one worker was given $3 million (5 talents), another $1.2 million (2 talents), and the third $600.000 (1 talent). After a long period of time, the wealthy man returned and found that the first associate invested the $3 million and doubled it to $6 million. The second associate had invested his as well, and also doubled it to $2.5 million. The third, however, had simply hidden his $600,000 and gave the same $600,000 back to his boss.

The boss was very pleased with the first two men for doubling his money, but he was angry with the third man. He took the $600,000 he had given to that man and gave it to the one with $6 million. Jesus wants His followers to see the importance of using whatever God gives us in life. We’re to invest wisely what He’s given us in opportunities, finances, abilities, and time. Jesus indicates that when we attempt to do something with what we’ve been given, we’re going to end up with more, and this increase will increase even more. In Jesus’ story, the man who acquired the ten talents was given an eleventh (the one taken from the man who did nothing) presumably to continue to multiply his boss’s wealth.

Jesus summarized the story by saying, “For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” (Matthew 25:29). That’s the muscle of momentum at work. The one who works and takes risks to multiply what he has been given by God has even more, and the one who doesn’t do anything to gain more will lose what he has. Often the greatest risk is in doing nothing.

Things that Cause Us to Lose Momentum
There are many things that cause us to lose our momentum:

· Discouragement
· Failure
· A lack of focus
· Ungratefulness
· Inattention
· Fear

Intentional Steps Toward Building Momentum
There are several steps we can take to build momentum: understand it takes time and persistence to grow a new church!

Jesus said God’s kingdom grows in influence like yeast does in bread dough. Who wants to sit and watch bread rise? Bread rises really slowly, but it does happen! Getting positive momentum going from a dead stop, takes time and persistence. New churches gain momentum slowly. Research has show that a minister doesn’t become truly effective as a leader until after a few years at a church. (This will vary with each leader). New churches are not served well when there is a change of pastoral leadership every three or four years. Momentum is a new church – takes time to build.

Just Do Something – Almost Anything
Doing nothing won’t change anything; in fact, it usually makes things worse. In Jesus’ story of the three men given the talents, the criticism of the man with one talent was that he did nothing. We can begin by just doing a little something, being obedient to God in little ways. After all, most of life’s greatest achievements are made up of small things.

Building positive momentum in a new church involves identifying small and manageable goals that, with prayer and some effort, can be achieved. It requires moving beyond the momentum-killing idea that “We’ve never done it that way before.” For that matter in a new plant, “You’ve never done it before!”

Build on Your Successes
Focus on your latest forward progress. Many of the Psalms were written by people in trouble who reviewed in their psalms that ways God had helped them in the past. This gave them the confidence to move forward and seize the future, and their psalms usually end on that confident note. One word of warning! Even those positive experiences and memories can either hamper or build momentum. A nostalgic wishing list can hurt even a brand new church! Don’t’ get buried in such lists, but remember, God is the giver of good gifts.

Remember the Muscle of Momentum
It takes a great deal of energy to get a yacht moving across the water, but once it gets going, it’s unstoppable! That’s the muscle of momentum. The little play craft was able to get moving more quickly, but the larger yacht is able to stand up to the rough seas while the smaller craft is thrown about by turbulence. Momentum helps you with assimilating new people into the life of a new work. Momentum allows you to grow past levels that might otherwise stall your new work. Momentum helps you create more momentum. Momentum is that little extra that allows a new church to keep its focus on what is worthy and right for this hour without sinking at the most crucial time, just at the beginning of the race. Learn to harness the muscles of momentum and they will greatly assist your new work in moving across the starting line of growing a healthy church. Keep the wind in your sails!

Dr. Tom Cheyney is the Executive Director of the Greater Orlando Baptist Association and is passionate about seeing churches revitalized and become healthy once more! He is a frequent conference speaker on church planting, church revitalization, and leadership development. He is the co-author of Spin-off Churches by B&H Publishing Group. For more information, go to www.goba.org.

G.O.A.L. Podcast: Jason Dukes - Being the Church in the Marketplace

Staff — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Jason Dukes, pastor of Westpoint Church, talks about being the church in the Marketplace. Westpoint Church started Restoration Concept to create opportunities for followers of Christ to Live Sent in the marketplace. The flagship project of Restoration Concept is House Blend Cafe in Ocoee, FL. House Blend Cafe is a for-profit business that gives 100% of its net profit to community service projects locally and around the world.

G.O.A.L. Podcast: Confessions of an Organic Church Planter

Staff — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT

In this edition of the G.O.A.L. podcast...

At the 2010 SBC convention, Mark Weible interviewed Bill Tummons as he was about to start Wedgefield Community Church. Bill left a paid staff postion at a local church to go to work in the marketplace and start an organic church with no salary and no church budget. His friends thought he was crazy, but Bill says that he was just following God. Wedgefield Community Church is sponsored by First Baptist Church of Union Park.

Texas Ranger, Josh Hamilton, would rather be second.

Staff — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Revision Florida: Great Commission Resurgence Florida

Staff — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT

ReVision Florida is an effort to assist pastors and key church leaders as they seek to inspire and involve Florida Baptists in a renewed emphasis upon personal spiritual development and refocused commitment to the Great Commission. Read more.

G.O.A.L. Podcast: Starting Spanish-Speaking Churches

Staff — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT

In this edition of the Greater Orlando Adventures in Leadership Podcast...

Tom Cheyney and Mark Weible talk to Orlando Robles, church planter and pastor of a new Spanish-Speaking church in the North Orlando neighborhood of Lockhart. Iglesia La Verdadera Fe, which was started on Father's Day 2011, is sponsored by Lockhart Baptist Church. Listen in as pastor Robles talks about the importance of having a good sponsor church with a helpful pastor like Rob Arnold.

For more information about Iglesia La Verdadera Fe, visit http://LaverdaderaFe.com

October edition of the GOBA E-Magazine

Staff — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT

5 ways tablets will change church & ministry

Staff — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 05:00:00 GMT

An Association is What the Churches Make It!

Staff — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Dr. Tom Cheyney, Executive Director of Missions

tcheyney@goba.org
1-678-576-9798 cell
407-293-0450 office

An Association is what churches make it. This truth is widely recognized: A particular church is what the members of that church make it. Of course, a church cannot be reduced to only that. There are biblical and theological norms for what a church should become, and there are historical and contextual variables that fairly well limit what you can become. The primary determinant of what it will become, is whatever the members decide to make it.

The same is true about a Baptist Association. The Greater Orlando Baptist Association will become what the churches of GOBA make it. Whether your Association is or is not what it should be, the churches have shaped it. If changes are desirable, the churches determine what they will be.

How do the churches shape it? How do the churches determine what their Association will be? How do they make it what it becomes? Churches shape the Greater Orlando Baptist Association in at least the following ways.

Churches shape their Association by their expectations. Those unstated expectations perhaps of what they feel the Association should be!

People do the same regarding their church. They imagine it in a particular way, and then gradually move, often unconsciously, to implement that vision.

How should an Association be viewed or imagined? A definition thathas found wide support among Southern Baptist during the last 15 to 25 years is that “an Association is churches in fellowship on mission in their setting.” Those churches are autonomous. The fellowship is self-governing. The fellowship of 177 churches in the Greater Orlando Baptist Association share a common faith, and if those churches are true to their essential missionary nature as a Southern Baptist church, they are actively on mission both home and abroad.

The incorporation of those ideas, newly stated, but a part of associational understanding from the first, results in the following definition:

“A Baptist Association is a self-governing fellowship of autonomous churches sharing a common faith and active on mission in their setting."

The purpose of an Association then is to enable churches to be in fellowship and to be on mission both individually and together. In the days ahead as we gather together for our Annual Meeting Celebration, I would like to talk with you further about some exciting ways we could corporately work together both locally and internationally!

Churches shape their Association by the significance they give to the role of their Messengers and Executive Board members.

First, consider how the messengers are selected. Have you ever seen anything happen like the following? Imagine we are looking in on a church business meeting in September or October. Both the old and new business has been conducted.The reports have all been given the moderator asks, “Anything else before we adjourn?”

Someone says, “Brother Moderator is it not time for the Greater Orlando Baptist Association meeting this month?”

“That's right since the moderator has almost forgotten who can go to the Association meeting next Monday night?”

A few raised their hands. Someone says the Smiths usually like to go.”

Then someone gets up and says, “Brother moderator, I make a motion that those who raised their hands, the Smiths, and anyone else who finds out they can go, up to the number of messengers we are allowed, be elected as our messengers."

“I second the motion!” “All in favor raise your right hand. Any opposition, by like sign.” “If there is no further business, let us stand and brother Ray Byam would you dismiss us in prayer?”

Now, how will that church contribute to the shaping of its local Association? How seriously will the people of that church take the actions of their Association?

Early Southern Baptist associational documents going back over 300 years now (304) indicate that Associations have given far greater attention to protecting the autonomy of the charges than they have to claiming any authority for the Association. Yet, they had authority. Their actions were not binding on the churches so they had no ecclesiastical authority. Associations could take nothing from a church except what it had given, and that was fellowship.

Associational actions were taken seriously by the churches. So where did Associations get their authority or power of influence? It was derived from the confidence which the churches out of their own messengers, the wisest, most spiritually mature leaders of their church, and from their confidence that the other churches had likewise chosen their messengers with care.

What are messengers supposed to do? If a church thinks anything of much significance is occurring in the Association, they would probably want to hear about it. Messengers should carry messages both ways from the church to the local Association from the Association to the church. What kind of information? Regardless of anything else, a church should expect to sense the life and heartbeat of other churches within the Association. That is what I will be trying to share with you in the days ahead. Imagine 177 churches and missions strong seeking to reach Central Florida for the cause of Christ! That ought to make each and every one of our ministers and church members excited that they live in one of the most strategic mission fields in this country and the world.

Churches shape their Association by the manner in which they relate to associational planning.

The Greater Orlando Baptist Association is an instrument of the churches created by the churches for the well-being and advancement of the churches. If Associations are to be so church oriented, then associational planning needs to be anchored in what the churches intend to do, in response to God's guidance, in addressing the opportunities and needs they confront.

A church that does not intend to do anything has no basis for deciding what kind of assistance it needs, and an Association's efforts to be responsive may wind up as nothing more than an effort to do something the churches “like” instead of what the churches identified they needed.

Churches can have a positive influence on their associations planning efforts in at least three ways:

One - the actions of the association influence the pattern of church’s work. This body, made up of messengers from the churches, reflects the sensitivity of the churches as it decides on the major directions and priorities.

Two - the leaders of the church's various programs presumably understand the opportunities, needs, and resources available to their church better than anyone else. An associational program has a primary responsibility of assisting the counterpart programs in the churches. If the associational program leader does not have a detailed knowledge of the needs of the program in each single church, then he lacks the most important information he needs for his part in planning the association’s total overall program.

A church leader needs to view his association counterpart as a “consumer representative” for the churches of that Association. The associational leader, armed with an understanding of the churches he serves, goes to the denominational marketplace to “shop” for those churches. Everything in the marketplace looks wonderful, and if he has not gained a careful understanding of his churches before he leaves, there is no telling what he will bring back! Everything may be of highest quality, but not everything is designed for or suitable for his churches. His job is not to go to the marketing get some of everything in order to “sell” the churches on various programs. No, he shops for the churches, and he interprets the needs of his churches to his program counterparts in the Convention.

Three -churches can also have a positive influence through participation in Associational Strategy Planning. We have a great opportunity to consider our options regarding what the Lord would have us to do and be as we begin together this new journey. As you know, I will begin sharing (October 17, 6:45 PM @ Lockhart Baptist Church) some of the things I see as well as your Association EDOM Search Committee saw as they were considering a new Executive Director. Over the last several months through your EDOM Search Committee, your Association has been working diligently in reshaping some of the primary ideas and strategy planning for the days to come. Many Associations engage in associational strategy planning about every five years. In the course of the strategy planning process, the intensive involvement of the churches is necessary at several points. Strategy planning offers a primary “shaping time” when churches help mold the Association into what they want it to become, or allow it to ooze out into other shapes because it lacks direction.

Churches shape their Association when they make decisions about their church budget.

To be or not to be missionary in budgeting that is the question. As Southern Baptists, we are a missionary people doing missionary activities all in order that we might reach some for Christ. You see a church budget is a theological document. It reflects the values and priorities of a local church. It is referred to more often throughout any given year than any church-adopted Statement of Faith, than any church covenant, or anything else. It does in fact reflect a church’s values.

Now I have to question today! Is your church missionary? Will your church become missionary? Does your church participate in missional activities in order that people might be brought to Christ in the Greater Orlando area? The one scripture that is perhaps more revealing than any other on this issue is found in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. The Lord knows the heart of His missionary churches and “He will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times" (2 Corinthians 9:11 Good News Bible). Whether it is in personal giving or in the church’s budgeted giving to missions, the question is, “Are you generous?”The issue is not obviously just an amount given, but also a spirit of giving. Does your church operate in a way that causes it to be constantly asking, as a church, how much more it can give to missions without weakening the base?

After the basic issue is settled of whether church’s values are indeed missionary and whether its budget accurately reflects its values, it then must decide how to allocate its budgeted gifts.

Essentially there are three church budgeted channels for missions giving:

Initially, for the direct missions effort of the individual church.

Secondly, for Associational missions as the churches work together on mission in their particular area.

Thirdly, for the Cooperative Program, which is the means through which Southern Baptists work cooperatively all over the world.

The percentage of the church budget goes to associational missions should be appropriate in relation to Cooperative Program giving, and it should be adequate in relation to what the Association is doing. Some churches need to recognize that their Association needs to be self-supporting and assertively missionary for the same reasons that churches should. Associations should be sustained by the local churches; the advancement of the work of the churches - individually and together - provides the very reason for the Association's existence.

Churches shape the association by the priority they place on the Association when they write the checks.

In some churches the problem is not with the budget, but with the method of getting the gifts to the association. The percentage of their budget for missions may be adequate and appropriate, but they pay the missions items (association and Cooperative Program) after everything else has been paid. “We’ll pay it if we have enough left over to afford" is the attitude some churches. Have you ever heard of anyone preaching or teaching that concept of individual giving to its individual members at church? While the we’ll-pay-it-if-we-can-afford-it view, is more frequently expressed regarding church giving for missions it is no more valid.

If missions in general or associational missions specifically, is based on “what we can afford,” it clearly shapes the association in a particular way and the converse is true.

Churches shape their association by their attitudes and actions toward providing leadership for the Association.

There is an long standing church saying that goes: “you cannot have first-class programs with second-class leaders." The same missionary impulse that causes the church to be generous (missionary) in giving money should result in a church’s generosity towards its giving of leaders to assist the association in accomplishing its work.

Churches should have a kingdom vision, not of building a kingdom out of their church, but of seeing that their church is one part of the much larger whole of God's eternal Kingdom.

Let me give you a faith principle. The Lord God on high has supplied all the resources needed, including leadership, for our local association to be completely obedient to His plan of mission or His will for our Association. The church that has a kingdom vision recognizes that some of its very best leaders may, in the providence and plan of God, be entrusted to that church for the benefit of all the churches in that local Association. Hardly anything should please a church more than to have leaders emerge whose influence for Christ goes beyond that one individual church.

Churches either make their Association a vital force for advancing God's work, or they hamstring it, by their attitudes and actions in supplying leaders who benefit all the churches.

Begin checking out the GOBA website regularly for useful downloadable tools our pastors, planters, and revitalizers can utilize within their ministries. With the new website capabilities, we will begin to provide new tools delivered in new formats within the next few weeks. Look for these resources under Downloadable Resources icon.

Changing the Way You Think About the Association!
Tom Cheyney, Col 4:6

New Orlando church plant baptizes 13 people

Mark Weible — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 05:00:00 GMT

On Easter Sunday 2011, New Covenant Fellowship Church held their first Sunday morning worship gathering. On September 18, 2011, the church baptized 13 people in their first baptism service. New Covenant was started by First Haitian Baptist Church of Orlando as an English-speaking multi-cultural church body. The former youth pastor for First Haitian, Charles Jones is the church planter / pastor of New Covenant.

View more photos

Southern Baptist May Change Their Name

Staff — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 05:00:00 GMT

The Southern Baptist Convention is considering changing its name — a move that is seen by some as a necessary step to attracting more members in diverse geographic localities.

SBC President Bryant Wright said Monday that he’s appointing a task force to study the idea. Wright says the denomination’s name is too location-specific and creates challenges as the SBC tries to grow. In an interview with Fox News Radio, he said: go here to continue.

What is a Southern Baptist Association?

Tom Cheyney — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT

From your Executive Director of Missions

Dr. Tom Cheyney

tcheyney@goba.org

1-678-576-9798 cell - 407-293-0450 office

A Baptist Association is a self-governing Fellowship of autonomous churches sharing a common faith and active on mission in their local setting.

The churches that compromise an Association are free, independent, self-governing, autonomous churches that decide to associate themselves together to do certain things jointly that they could not do themselves.

The fellowship of churches involves oneness, shared life, mutuality and koinonia. It is a “family” of churches in a network in which churches give and receive assistance. The Association as a fellowship emphasizes the relationship existing among the churches.

Sharing a common faith. The fellowship of an Association is grounded in harmony in faith and practice. Associations differ in regard to their particular doctrinal issues that are important to their fellowship in regard to the amount of diversity encouraged or tolerated on those issues. Nevertheless, the Association, unlike State Conventions is a doctrinally based Fellowship.

Active on mission reflects to God's mission for the churches individually and the churches together in Association. The first responsibility of each church is to deal with that same question - What is God's mission for us together?

In their setting deals with everything anyone means when he says of his Association, “But I am in a peculiar situation." Every Association is pecular, that is, it is unique; and it is in the uniqueness of that situation that an Association has a very special responsibility to be on mission.

Associations differ from one another in such ways as size; territory geography, population, cultural, ethnic, religious, socio-economic and demographic characteristics of the area; number of churches; strength of churches, types of churches, history, relationship to the State Convention, and stage of development.

Self-governing. An Association is created by the churches and is accountable to those churches through the messengers. An Association like other general bodies of Southern Baptists such as State Conventions, Southern Baptist Convention are self-governing.

Your local Southern Baptist Association is what your local church and other churches decide to make it. The Messengers and Executive Board members selected by the churches make those basic decisions. The churches decide again what their Association will become when they decide what percentage of their church budget will go to Associational Missions. In some areas churches give 5% and in other areas churches give to the local Southern Baptist Association 3%. In other areas churches give 2%. As a church planter I was always encourage by my church to give 3.5% to the local Association.

Southern Baptists are committed to missions in various ways. May I challenge you and remind you that your church can be part of what is happening in a specific way through involvement. In the mission activities that are designed to strengthen all of our churches within the Greater Orlando Baptist Association. Individuals within our churches can commit to give of their time to help strengthen local churches in many ways through working together.

A few of the ways that I would like to remind you today would be:
· the revitalizing and strengthening of existing churches,
· the planting of new church starts, and
· the development of leaders from within the churches that become an army of committed servants around the Greater Orlando Baptist Association.

If you build it, they won't come

Mark Weible — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it;

Unless the Lord guards the city,

The watchman keeps awake in vain. (Psalm 127:1)

Church planting is much more than starting a gathering or a venue. It is about birthing a body - something that can only be accomplished by God. He has entrusted the Gospel to His human agents who carry it around like a priceless treasure inside of clay pots. But, Jesus is the one who births and builds His Church.

Paul used both organic and inorganic analogies to describe church planting. He wrote to the Corinthians, "...you are God's field, God's building". As planters and builders we work together in partnership with Christ. The only foundation that we can build on is Jesus himself. The only seed that will bear fruit is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

A common misconception about church planting is that you start with a weekly gathering, promote the event and encourage those who attend to invite their friends. This is a technocratic approach that views the church as a machine and assumes, that if properly assembled, it has to work. This technique also assumes so much about our culture that is not true:

Your neighbors are looking for something else to do and if you invite them to an event - they will show up.
Your friends will be so impressed with your pastor's preaching that they will be more likely to accept Christ at his invitation than yours.
People are more likely to accept a proposition from a perfect stranger than to follow the example of a friend.
We learn more by hearing than doing.

If we view the church as a body with Christ as the head and the members working together, our focus shifts from organizing a weekly event to living and breathing all week long. We become more relevant to our culture in a way that Jesus intended for us to live. Then the four misconceptions listed above would be rephrased to look something like this:

My neighbor may want to know Christ after he sees Jesus in me.
My friends will be more likely to believe if I bring them to Jesus before bringing them to church.
Real Truth can only be discovered in a relationship.
Being a disciple of Jesus means becoming like Him and doing what He did.

Church planting is the result of relationship building, people serving, gospel sowing, disciple making, leader developing, and church multiplying. Church planting is the result of good mission work.

Missio-vocational church planting

Mark Weible — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT

I don't like the phrase "bi-vocational pastor" because it implies a dichotomy where one compartmentalizes his work world apart from his ministry. I prefer to use the term "missio-vocational" meaning viewing your work place as your mission field. The International Mission Board uses the phrase "creative access platforms" which are essentially jobs in countries closed to the gospel that allow missionaries to gain access through employment.

Missio-Vocational Resources

We are all missionaries, whether we get paid by a church, para-church organization or a profit-driven business. When I talk to prospective church planters, two questions are usually asked early in the conversation:

How will I get paid?
What is the best way to meet people in Orlando?

I like to give the same answer to both questions, "Get a job!" A job puts you in contact with people 40-60 hours per week. A job is a great conversation starter for men: "Where do you work?" and "What do you do?" are two questions that are extremely relevant in our culture. These are ice-breakers that often lead to deeper conversation.

A job gives you legitimacy in the community and allows to make a tangible contribution through providing a valuable product or service and by paying taxes. A job gives you an opportunity to be salt and light by allowing non-believers to see Christ in you while you respond to every day challenges in the work place.

Now, I don't recommend handing out gospel tracts at work or cornering people in the hallway with probing evangelistic questions. However, if your co-workers see Jesus in you, they may respond positively to your invitation to hang out at the coffee house after work, to come over for dinner or to join you in a community service project where you can engage them in spiritual conversations. These are employer-honoring, acceptable means of being Christ to the people with whom you work.

At this point you may be asking, "How am I supposed to hold down a job, start a church and take care of my family all at the same time?" The latter half of the question is the answer, "all at the same time". If we don't compartmentalize our lives, we can combine these activities for greater effectiveness. For example, you can involve your children in local service projects where you have also invited your co-workers to help. Your children can serve along-side of you and observe your conversation with a lost co-worker. You can be painting a neighbor's house, discipling your children and witnessing to a lost person all at the same time. And, since people tend to remember 70% of what they experience vs 36% of what they hear - you will be more effective than preaching a sermon alone.

It is also important to remember that many churches in the USA are working from a dysfunctional leadership model that results in fat and lazy Christians and burned-out pastors. The Bible says that your role is to equip the church members to do the work of the ministry - not to do it for them. Missio-vocational pastors often have a greater opportunity to focus on equipping because the church knows that he does not have the time to do it all himself. They know that they must step up to the plate and often they will.

The beauty of this model of ministry is that it results in the body of Christ being strengthened and greater unity among the believers. Speaking of unity, it is central to accomplishing the Great Commission. Jesus said that the world will believe in Him when they see unity in us.

Listen to Mark Weible and Tom Cheyney talk about missio-vocational church planting from the NAMB Church Planting Podcast (September 2010).

Free custom demographic reports for GOBA churches

Staff — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT

SEND: North America

Staff — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT

ARE YOU READY TO DO MORE?

Is your church ready to do even more? NAMB's new Send North America strategy makes it easier than ever before for you and your church to be more personally involved in the mission to reach North America for Christ.

Continue here for more of this exciting event!

How you can help start a church for Japanese speakers in Orlando

Mark Weible — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT

As of today, there are no Southern Baptist Japanese language churches in the state of Florida. That is about to change and you can help.

Dover Shores Baptist Church in partnership with GOBA, Florida Baptist Convention, NAMB, and the SBC Japanese Church Planting Network is starting a new church in Orlando for people who's heart language is Japanese. A church planter and his wife will be moving to Orlando from Japan this fall. They will need a place to stay, living expenses, salary support, etc. Most of the needed resources have already been pledged by individuals, churches and mission organizations. However, we are still in need of $550 per month in financial support for the first 3 years of the life of this new church. If you would like to help, please contact Dover Shores Baptist Church at 407-277-5810.

GOBA E-Magazine for August 15

Staff — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 05:00:00 GMT