New from Shawneetown First Baptist

The Saline Baptist Association Annual Evangelism Conference is coming up soon.  I tell my church family that this is the event that I am responsible for each year as Evangelism Director for the association.  This year’s conference is scheduled for March 11-13, at First Baptist Church in Galatia.  Phil Miglioratti, Prayer Coordinator for Illinois Baptist State Association, will be our speaker this year.

   We will begin on Sunday evening, March 11, with a training session for everyone at 5:30 p.m.  That session will be followed by a worship rally at 6:30 p.m. with the Galatia Praise Team leading us in praise and Brother Phil preaching.

   On Monday, there will be a noon luncheon for pastors and any leaders that they want to bring.  Following the lunch prepared by the ladies of Galatia First Baptist, Brother Phil will share another training session.  Then, at 6:30 p.m., we will have another worship rally.

   There will be another luncheon on Tuesday and training session for the pastors and leaders.  But Tuesday evening will be different.  At 5:30 p.m. there will be a meal catered by Barbecue Barn for all who will come and go out to witness in the community.  At 6:00, we will assign teams to go to the community and visit.  And, at 7:00 p.m. we will come back to the church and report on the visits and have another brief worship rally.

   Phil Miglioratti, our speaker has suggested that we make all of this a matter of intense prayer as we plan and prepare for this conference.  Here are some guidelines for prayer:

Praying toward our Evangelism Conference

(1) Give thanks for the wonder and joy of your own salvation in Jesus Christ.  

(2) Ask the Lord for an unprecedented participation of leaders and members from our congregation...

(3) and that we will be open to a fresh perspective on how to witness in a transitioning culture. 

(4) Welcome the Holy Spirit's presence at the conference as the one who enlightens and enables, equips and empowers us for prayer driven evangelism. 

(5) Begin to pray for the people, places, and things (ideas & issues) of our communities.

   There are some other very important events in the future for Saline Baptist Association.  In case you are unaware, Saline Baptist Association is made of 33 churches in Saline, Gallatin, White, and Williamson County that cooperate together to impact our area for the Lord Jesus Christ.  But, not just our area; our state, our nation and our world as well!  That reflects our obedience to the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus Christ that is recorded in Matthew 28:19-20.

   The Missions and Ministry Committee of Saline Baptist Association is planning two opportunities for people from the churches of Saline Baptist Association to be involved in mission activities first hand.

   One is a mission trip to Jordan that is scheduled for July.  They need people to sign up for this trip soon.  If you are interested, I would be glad to get you the information you need to make plans to go on this mission trip.

   The other mission trip is to Michigan and is scheduled for August.  Again, there is a need for people to sign up for this trip as soon as possible.  I can get you information for this trip as well.

   As I think of the word “mission”, it comes to my mind that I need to tell you that Brother Mike Rushing and I are working on a new Mission Statement for First Baptist Church of Shawneetown.  We will be presenting this to you and preaching about it in the near future.  During the month of March, we are planning a special preaching schedule through which Mike and I will be alternating preaching opportunities.  Our goal will be to see “revival” in all areas of our church, especially in our Sunday School.  By the way, Brother Mike will be preaching in the Morning Worship this week during my absence.  And, Brother Gene Porter will lead the Evening Worship

   So, I would like to ask you to pray for our Sunday School.  Pray for our teachers as they pray and prepare to teach each Sunday.  Pray for more people to step up and be willing to teach a Sunday School Class.  Pray that we will be able to start some new Sunday School classes in our church.  Pray that you will have a renewed interest in studying God’s Word in a small group situation.

   I have been encouraged at the possibilities of growing our Sunday School by the participation in our “Courageous Living” Bible Study that we have had the last three Sundays.  Last week we had 23 in that class.  Pray that God’s people will have a new desire to study the Word of God!

See you in Sunday School              Bro Jack

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Bro Jack
I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)