The Mobile Baptist

March - May 2020
Volume 23 Issue 1

MBA Office Closing:
May 25 - Memorial Day

Stay informed of news and events within the MBA by clicking here and signing up for the weekly email News Alerts. 

Saturate Mobile

Week of Prayer for International Ministries in Mobile March 9-15, 2020

Join us for a

Week of Prayer for International Ministries in Mobile

March 9-15, 2020
kickoff with a lunch ceremony
Monday, March 9, 2020

at Government Street Baptist Church. The ceremony starts at 10:30 a.m. with lunch to follow for $5 per person. The MBA WMU Leadership Team will provide desserts. Visit im.mobilebaptists.org. Register for the lunch at forms.gle/5CKuMxfVHde8Lxy19.

Volunteer Port Chaplains Needed

International Language School (ILS) Needs

Executive Committee Meeting April 13, 2020

Executive Committee Meeting

Monday, April 13, 2020

11:30 a.m.

Government Street Baptist Church

Lunch will be available for $5 p/person.

Every MBA church member is welcome. Every senior pastor is a member of the Executive Committee. Join us to help communicate why churches support Associational Missions.

• Update and testimonies from Saturate Mobile

• Future Focus Committee update on the impending sale of the International Ministries Center/building

• Camp Whispering Pines update and meet new director, Jimmy Tucker

• International Ministries update

• Church Development update

• Metro Mobile Baptist Campus Ministries update

***Our Executive Committee has overall responsibility for the directions, strategy, and processes of the MBA. It is composed of the general officers of the Association, the Executive Officer of each of the several Associational programs, the Chair of each standing committee, the pastors of the churches, and one lay member of each church in the Association having a membership of up to and including 1,000, and one additional member for each additional 1,000 members or fraction thereof, providing that no church shall have more than a total of four members.

Disaster Relief Training Opportunities

Alabama Association of Baptist Secretaries 58th Annual Conference March 8-11, 2020

at Shocco Springs Conference Center, Talladega, Alabama
http://www.alabamabaptistsecretaries.com/
https://www.facebook.com/1AABS/

Click here to register

Secretaries/Ministry Assistants Luncheon May 14, 2020

Click here to make reservations.

WMU/Women's Ministry Annual Celebration April 30, 2020

WMU/Women's Ministry Annual Celebration

Thursday, April 30, 2020
6:00 p.m.
Location to be determined

Come enjoy a great meal, encouraging word, fellowship, and door prizes. Witness the Passing of the Gavel to the church that has the most participants. Meet the Associational WMU Leadership Team who are here to help you with your WMU, Women’s Ministries, and youth and children mission programs and activities in your church. Look for more information to come soon.

Church Development Training Opportunities and Events

Click here to register for a training event.

Legal Issues for Churches

Monday, March 2, 2020
10:30 a.m.
Government Street Baptist Church
OR
6:00 p.m. at the MBA office

Churches are exposed to the risk of being sued. Various requirements are imposed on us by the state and federal governments, and churches sometimes fail to comply. Churches have been hit with judgments, some of which have been multi-million dollar judgments. They have been subjected to government intrusion into their internal dealings. The main reason this happens is church leaders were operating with no knowledge of the legal requirements. The conference deals directly with what can be done to reduce the risk of litigation.

State missionary Jim Swedenburg will lead this conference.

Please pre-register at mobilebaptists.org/register-for-training-opportunities, or by contacting the MBA office no later than Thursday, February 27.

Please note: this conference is subject to cancellation if not enough participants pre-register.

This, and other like events, are made possible by donations to Associational Missions and the Cooperative Program.

 ______________________________________________________

Building Effective Care Groups

Tuesday, March 17, 2020
6:30 p.m.
MBA office (616 Azalea Road)

The age-old saying “People Don’t Care How Much You Know, Until They Know How Much You Care” is especially true in Sunday School or Small Groups. This conference will equip leaders to organize their classes into care groups. This class is geared for pastors, staff, Small Group Leaders, Sunday School Directors and teachers.

State missionary, Jamie Baldwin will lead this conference.

Please register at mobilebaptists.org/register-for-training-opportunities, or by contacting the MBA office no later than Thursday, March 12.

Please note: this conference is subject to cancellation if not enough participants register.

This, and other like events, are made possible by donations to Associational Missions and the Cooperative Program.

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Who's Your One District Training

Thursday, March 19, 2020
10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
MBA office (616 Azalea Road)

District training consists of the following:

• Who’s Your One evangelism

• The Best News evangelism training

• Interceding on behalf of the lost

• Giving an evangelistic invitation

• Planning a special Baptism Sunday

• Articulating a Christian Worldview

WHO’S YOUR ONE? is an effort to encourage each believer to identify one lost person with whom they can intentionally seek to share the Gospel. Can you imagine what would happen if every believer was praying by name for their one lost person and then seeking opportunities to share Christ with that person?

This event is presented by the Evangelism Office at the Alabama Baptist Sate Board of Missions. Evangelism resources will be given away. The training lasts two hours and the Evangelism Office at ALSBOM will cover the cost of lunch afterwards for all who attend.

The event is FREE, but registration is required. Visit alsbom.org/whosyourone to register.

This, and other like events, are made possible by donations to Associational Missions and the Cooperative Program.

 ___________________________________________________________

Bible Drill and Speakers Tournament

Thursday, April 16, 2020
begins at 5:30 p.m. but flight times will be assigned upon pre-registration
Cottage Hill Baptist Church

___________________________________________________________

Protect Your Church and Pastor from Sexual Misconduct

Monday, April 27, 2020
10:30 a.m.
Government Street Baptist Church

This 45 minute conference deals with sexual misconduct among ministers.

State missionary Jim Swedenburg will lead this conference.

Please pre-register at mobilebaptists.org/register-for-training-opportunities, or by contacting the MBA office no later than Thursday, April 23.

Please note: this conference is subject to cancellation if not enough participants pre-register.

This, and other like events, are made possible by donations to Associational Missions and the Cooperative Program.

___________________________________________________________

VBS Clinic

Tuesday, April 28, 2020
6:30 p.m.
Dauphin Way Baptist Church

This clinic is for ALL VBS workers.

Dinner on the Grounds BBQ Cook-off and Cake Auction March 27, 2020

SUPPORT COLLEGIATE MISSIONS

Join with us to support BCM collegiate missions with a BBQ Cook-Off between our local Mobile Baptists. A Cake Auction will feature some of the best cakes Mobile Baptist Churches have to offer!

The person with the most votes for their BBQ will receive the Title of "Mobile's Best Baptist BBQ Master 2020." Delicious cakes will be auctioned off to the highest bidder-so come prepared to buy your favorite cake! The cake that sells for the highest amount will be declared “Mobile’s Baptist Baking Champion 2020.”

Will you purchase tickets for this event (whether you can attend or not)?

They are only $10 and ALL of the proceeds will support collegiate missions through our State BCM Missions Program. Check out our program here at onemissionstudents.org. Contact us at themetromobilebcm@gmail.com or 251-344-5904 to reserve tickets.

Will you prepare some BBQ for this event? You can grill, smoke, or BBQ any meat of your choice. Smoke a Boston Butt, grill some burgers or chicken or BBQ some ribs. All we ask is that you prepare enough for 50 small (bite-size) tasting servings. We also need you to invite as many of your church members to come and vote for your BBQ to win! Will you help us support collegiate missions? If you would, please contact Campus Minister Jerrod Brown, jbrown@alsbom.org, to reserve a spot.

Will you prepare one of your famous cakes for this event? We know that every church has those great bakers who make their special cakes that everyone loves. Would you share those delicious cakes with us to support collegiate missions? All we ask is that you prepare your famous cake, package it on a disposable plate or pan, and invite as many of your church members to come and bid on your cake! Will you help us support collegiate missions? If you would, please contact Campus Minister Jerrod Brown, jbrown@alsbom.org, to reserve a spot.

Camp Whispering Pines

Volunteers Needed to Help with Renovating On-Campus House for the New Camp Director and His Family

CWP needs help refurbishing the on-campus house for the new CWP director and his family before they arrive March 5, 2020. Volunteers are needed for the renovation. Contact Larry Parker at larryfp1971@gmail.com if interested in volunteering. See the list of needs below:

• Electricians – Multiple electrical issues, Install new light fixtures, wall plugs and light switches.

• Carpenters – Bedroom walls, a closet and an air conditioning chase needs to be built. Installation of kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanity, counter tops, moldings and trim, and doors.

• Drywall / Painting – Drywall needs to be installed and finished. Entire interior of house needs to be painted. Walls, cabinets, trim and moldings.

• Floor repair – Areas of repaired hardwood need staining. Floors need to be scrubbed, cleaned and shined.

• Cleaning – Entire interior of house needs to be cleaned. Exterior needs to be pressure washed and debris removed from around the house.

• Tree Trimmers – Multiple trees need to be trimmed. Limbs on roof and encroaching on house.

Visit campwhisperingpines.com or call 251-866-7868.

The Wright Word March - May 2020

A New Decade
The rapid passage of time proves humanity was created for eternity. It should be another busy year. One sees in Matthew 14:22-23 how Jesus responded to a busy day. “Then He directed the disciples to get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent away the crowds. After He had dismissed the multitudes, He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was still there alone” (AMP). Our tendency is, do a little but more. Jesus models our desperate need to get away for personal prayer. May 2020 be less stressful and more spiritually productive if we follow the example of Jesus.

Future Focus Committee (FFC) NEEDS YOUR HELP
Please pray for the FFC and the location to combine the two current facilities.

• The International Ministries Center (IMC) facility is under contract with a contingency to rezone. We had to delay the rezoning until April 7, 2020 to prevent an imminent no vote. We need strong participation from MBA pastors, staff and members to show our support for the rezoning. Please pray for and contact Councilman Levon Manzie to approve the rezoning. His email address is lcmanzie@gmail.com and his phone is 251-786-3293.

• The FFC has a unanimously approved assignment from the October 2014 Annual Session to sell and combine the IMC and MBA office buildings. Expenses will stay within the amount received from the sales.

• We are awaiting the Lord to provide a donation of the 3.5 to 5 developed acres, or an existing 8,000-10,000 sf facility. The income from the sales of both buildings is not adequate to build on undeveloped property.

• Myers Memorial Baptist Church is generously allowing us to store furniture from the IMC until the new building is ready.

• The IM van is at the MBA office. Teams continue to go to the ships with great evangelistic ministry. More volunteers are needed.

• The efficiency at the Port of Mobile now allows some ships to unload and load in as little as 8 hours. Others are in port for as long as three days. We will wait to sell the MBA office until a new location is completed using proceeds from the sale of the IMC. MBA Finance and Executive Committees have approved a possible bridge loan from the MBA until the MBA office is sold.

• Committee members continue to approach, individuals, MBA and other congregations to help find an existing 8,000-12,000 sf building. Options so far have not been viable due to location or refurbishing needed.

• Please continue praying, looking and talking to find the person who will be the answer to the prayers for a new location.

Read more

Church News and Events 

For more information and to register visit 3circlechurch.com/events.

Click here to see January 2020 Receipts Report.

Click here for the Calendar of Events

Mobile Baptist Association Emphasizing:

• Biblical Prayer

• Evangelistic Ministries

• Church Development

• Church Planting

• Partnership Missions