Tag Archive - baptists

Biennial Day Three Live Blog

June 26, 2011 in American Baptist Churches, biennial with 0 Comments

Business Session

3:55 p.m. Session ended.

3:54 p.m. Statement #4 has a speaking for the Statement of Concern. Statement passed. I did see one or two people against this one on war.

3:49 p.m. Statement #3 passed.

3:47 p.m. Statement #2 passed.

3:43 p.m. Statement of Concern presenting.  Voting with no speakers for or against. Vote by raising ballot.  #1 Statement passed.

3:25 p.m. Roy Medley bringing the report for the Office of the General Secretary. Puerto Rico church is the #1 giving church to United Mission.

3:11 p.m. International Ministries report. 10 new missionaries. Signs of the Holy Spirit.

3:00 p.m. Report from American Baptist Home Mission Society and video.

2:49 p.m. Motion: approval of ABC USA officers Ruth Clark, Donald Ng, James Raliff. President, VP, and budget officer (respectively). Ballots collected.

2:47 p.m. Motion passed with show of ballots. No’s asked to stand. No one standing.

2:45 p.m. Motion to approve the slate of nominees for the Board of General Ministries.

2:40 p.m. New bylaws passed: 518 favored 44 against. Near 90% favored. Room cheered and applauded. Vice President Patty Stratton praying and asked us to lift our hands to God.

2:39 p.m. Business session starting. Room not as full as yesterday.

2:35 p.m. Still waiting to begin. Room slowly filling up.

2:20 p.m. Discernment Session focusing on Bylaw changes, Program Board reports, Statements of Concern Voting, and Election of Officers. Everything starts at 2:30 EST.

Morning

This morning I had the pleasure of attending the American Baptist Home Mission Societies breakfast which featured Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith Sr.  Dr. Smith is J. Alfred the pastor emeritus of Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland, California, and professor of Preaching and Church Ministries at American Baptist Seminary of the West.  He spoke on having hope in uncertain times and challenged us to embody Jesus’ mission as found in Luke 4.

Later in the morning everyone was invited to attend worship in local churches.

Biennial Pics Day One

June 24, 2011 in American Baptist Churches, celebrate2011 with 0 Comments

Day One:

 

 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/64437656@N02/

#celebrate11

Biennial: Day One

June 24, 2011 in abc, American Baptist Churches, biennial with 0 Comments

6:45 p.m. Major internet outage. Here are my notes from the afternoon celebration:

Rev. Dr. Gary Nelson, a Baptist:

 

1950’s 75% of people thought it was a good idea to go to church.

Less than 10% of urban Canadians now attend

Now, Canadians not mad 80% believe in God but 83% believe in God.

The church needs to reintroduce its self to the community

Luke 19 – Zaccheus

  1.  Jesus is in the crowd, not synagogue (God is a seeking God)
  2. Jesus knows him by name (Walmart syndrome: greet people at the door, greet at the church)
  3.  Jesus identities with this man.

Are you willing to be in the crowd? We are not to judge what has been.

MODERATION Panel:

Differences between Canadian and US?  – Context Urban vs. Country – Still a sense to go to church in US, not so much in Canada.

“Borderline Church” – book

How do I challenge people to cross the cultural border?

Faith, unfaith, and other faith intersect – Borders

Don’t change a congregation that you don’t love.

“Missional church conversation occurs with 50 year old white guys.”

2:00 p.m. “What is the lifespan of a church? When should a church die?” – Good question

Question: Where are the young people in ministry? (My public comment: Young people are going into ministry but the future of the traditional M. Div program is changing and seminaries and churches need to know the new changes.)

1:45 p.m. People still flowing in.  About 75 in the room now. Glad I found a spot by a power outlet.”What are the current trends and needs in culture that need to be addressed?”

Comment: “Have faith” from the pulpit not working any more.

Comment: Communities are changing with diversity. How are we to change?

Comment: “My church is growing and have young and old.”

Comment: Emerging and missional churches are future. Moderator: How many are a part of an emergent church? A few people raise their hands.

1:30 p.m. Statement of Concern: Envisioning Our Church in the 21st Century. This gathering is an open conversation on declining attendance and income for church budgets, changing societal norms and needs, the struggle to be relevant to younger generations, waning denominational loyalty, and inability to recognize and respond to new opportunities for ministry.

Good mix of young, old, culture, and geography.

Awaiting moderation and comment.

10:30 a.m.  The San Juan convention center is new and beautiful.  You are greeted with local music. Very festive in here.  Great to see many American Baptists. There are few kinks to work out with registration and arrangements.  The expo room is open. Check back for more posts.  3:00 p.m. starts off the celebration time. This location is wonderful. Remember to use the hastag on twitter #celebrate11 for updates and interaction with others.

Looking forward to the “The New Normal” event which will feature Dr. Peggy Kendall, associate professor of Communication Studies at Bethel University, and author of Reboot: Refreshing Your Faith in a High Tech World.  Dr. Kendall also hosts a website on Technology and Faith (http://pkendall.squarespace.com). Friday morning’s session will feature Dr. Gary Nelson. An urban missiologist, Dr. Nelson is President of Canada’s Tyndale University College and Seminary, former General Secretary of Canadian Baptist Ministries and author of Borderland Churches: a Congregation’s Introduction to Missional Living.  Both sessions of “The New Normal” will encourage conversation among Dr. Kendall, Dr. Nelson and those in attendance.

My Social Media in Puerto Rico

June 21, 2011 in abc, American Baptist Churches, biennial, celebrate2011 with 2 Comments

Check out the blog this week as I will be live blogging at the American Baptist Churches Biennial in San Juan, Puerto Rico. For you Baptist folks, or observers, I’ll give all the live coverage of events, business meetings, votes, and festivities.

In addition, I’m giving an interactive lecture on social media entitled, “Sink or Swim: Treading the Sea of Social Media” on Saturday at the Pavilion Experiences during the Biennial. Three 50 minute repeating sessions 9 – 9:50, 10 – 10:50, 11 – 11:50 (morning) on June 25th at the Puerto Rico Convention Center. The immediate application will be how to better connect and integrate social media for you, your church, non-profit, or even business.

Make sure you stay tuned into On The Bema and follow me on twitter: @alanrud  Here is a little sneak peak of a social media tip we’ll talk about:

http://flash.locamoda.com/wiffiti.com/cloud/cataclysm.swf?id=66244&title=1

Churches Stop Decline in UK

November 11, 2010 in Churches with 3 Comments

For years we have heard reports and studies tracking how churches are dying and God is slowly “disappearing” from Europe. Personal stories persist too. Despite what Fox News and other news outlets like to spin, there are counter reports that suggest otherwise. In 2007, the Wall Street Journal reported that churches are growing in the face of modernization:

Most scholars used to believe that modernization would extinguish religion in the long run. But that view always had trouble explaining why America, a nation in the vanguard of modernity, is so religious.

One study, by Christian Research, who published a widely-respected Religious Trends survey discovered:

…that Church of England attendance has held steady for the past decade (not including Fresh Expressions), the Catholic Church has held steady for the past five years, and Baptist Union attendance has actually been growing.

Secularism is often also thought to contribute to empty churches and forgotten stories of God’s people. However, it is not an issue concerning if people in the United Kingdom believe in God, it is their participation.  The following graph shows some surprising facts about Christian belief in the UK:

Continue Reading…

Early Baptist Use of "Sacraments"

July 8, 2010 in Baptists with 1 Comment

Sacrament or Ordinance (Part II) This is the second installment in this series.  You can read the first installment here.

Much to the ignorance of many modern day Baptists, the word “sacrament” was used by Baptist framers in their creeds and confessions.  Yes, I said it.  I used the words “Baptist” and “creed” in the same sentence.  Recent Baptist history upholds that Baptists are non-creedal, however it is clear that Baptists in the 17th and 18th centuries used creeds.  Later, Baptists called these creeds “confessions of faith” as did many other protestant groups.

Baptists affirm the theological statements in the creeds but do not use them to be  identified as a “Baptist.”  But, some Baptists used confessions of faith as creeds.  This is the paradoxical nature of Baptists and their confessions of faith because their statements were directed at excluding other completing theologies. That is exactly what the creeds do, among with affirm what people believe. We receive the word “creed” from the Greek word credo meaning “to believe.”  Clearly, the Baptists were using creedal statements and formulas, but many Baptists did not want to call these doctrinal statements creeds in reaction to the creeds of the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church.

Alright, on to the use of the word “sacrament” in early Baptist thought and writings. William Joseph McGlothlin compiled a collection of early creeds and confessions of faith that our modern day Baptist life is modeled from.  McGlothin’s,  Baptist Confessions of Faith, was written in 1911 is a very helpful source book to understand how Baptists used “sacraments.”

The following are excerpts from, Baptist Confession of Faith, of the “English” living in Amsterdam in 1614, who desired to correct John Smyth‘s “errors” :

Continue Reading…

Haiti Hits Home

January 29, 2010 in Haiti with 1 Comment

The destruction in Haiti continues to sadden and compel people to give.  Over $50 million has been given from “text giving” and tens of millions of dollars continue to flow into relief agencies.  The Haiti earthquake had a personal connection for me and for the people of our church.  One of our members, Jude Pierre, was serving on a mission trip in Haiti when the earthquake struck.  The mission trip team was about 50 miles away from Port-au-Prince, but still felt the earthquake.  Jude and his team return safely a few days later and their return was reported on by NBC13 here in Albany:

Click for video

It was an incredible turn of events and this Sunday morning, Jude will recount his experiences during the 10:15 a.m. worship service at FBC Ballston Spa.   Jude will have pictures and information about his mission trip.  We hope you will join us.

In addition, FBC Ballston spa has given over $1500 to fund Haiti relief efforts through International Ministries of the American Baptist Churches U.S.A.  The American Baptist Women’s group aka “G-Unit” group at FBC also made medical kits with donated supplies that is being sent to Haiti.  Thanks be to God for the generous giving from the good people at FBC Ballston spa.  Also, our denomination has quickly responded to relief efforts.

Here is a summary of what the ABC has done:

Continue Reading…

Adventures in Denominational Leadership

December 14, 2009 in abc with 1 Comment

The ABC headquarters in Valley Forge, PA (The Holy Doughnut).

This past Sunday it was announced in church that I accepted an invitation to serve on the General Board of the American Baptist Churches U.S.A.  I will be one of three New York State American Baptist representatives that will represent our region on the denomination’s leadership board.  No, I’m going anywhere.  I’m still serving as the pastor of The First Baptist Church of Ballston Spa and my ministry here will not be interrupted.

This presents a wonderful personal opportunity and a tremendous opportunity for the church.  The church benefits from having a pastor serving as a voice on our denomination’s leadership board by representing the interests of New York State American Baptists.  In addition, being able to bring a young perspective in a mainline denomination is an exciting prospect.

Many of you maybe wondering, “What  is the General Board and what do they do?”  That is a great question.  In order answer some questions for my church and other interested parties, I have pulled together a quick FAQ on the General Board:

What is the General Board  and what do they do?

Continue Reading…

Pastor Prays for Obama's Death

September 2, 2009 in Obama with 2 Comments

In a truly remarkable news story, a Phoenix pastor gave a sermon in which he opening talked about praying for President Obama’s death.  His sermon was entitled, “Why I hate Barack Obama”.  This pastor, Steven Anderson, even said that his congregation members that God hates Obama, therefore they should hate Obama.  You can also her some of his sermon here.  (Warning, this is very offensive).  In addition, he also wished cancer on the president:

“I hope that God strikes Barack Obama with brain cancer so he can die like Ted Kennedy and I hope it happens today,” he told MyFOXPhoenix on Sunday. He called his message “spiritual warfare” and said he does not condone killing.

What is even more shocking is what he told his congregation next:

I’m gonna pray that he dies and goes to hell when I go to bed tonight. That’s what I’m gonna pray… Look up the word hate. Look up the word abhor, the word loathe. You’ll see there are a lot of people that God hates, and so we should hate. But see, I didn’t write that, that’s in the Bible… I’m going to prove that tonight.”

Where does this guy get this theology?  He sounds like he belongs at the Westboro Baptist Church with Fred Phelps.  How convenient that this pastor can excuse his actions because he takes the easy way out and uses the old “the Bible says so” routine.   In his sermon he even contradicts himself by saying, “I love all of God’s creation.”  Doesn’t that include people?  Like the president?

If that was not enough, things got worse:

Continue Reading…

Dancing in Worship

July 10, 2009 in worship with 0 Comments

If you grew up Baptist there was one thing (among many) that you did NOT do: dance!  I remember my Baptist grandmother telling me stories of how people were reprimanded for dancing in public back in the day.   Baptists were known not to play cards or go to movies.  Wow, it must have been exciting to be a Baptist in the 1930’s.

In 2 Samuel 6:1-5 & 12-19, David dances with all his might.  Why?  David decided to move the capital city of the Israelites from Shiloh to Jerusalem. He wanted to bring the Ark of the Covenant to be in the new religious center of the nation.  It had been a long time since the Israelites had a specific location that would serve as a center for worship.  Now, the Israelites had this  symbol of God’s presence carried into the center of the Jewish people.  You can imagine the excitement.

Continue Reading…

Page 1 of 212»