God's Amazing Road Trip, Day 7

We thank God for a wonderful Sunday in Worship and Service. We held our Annual Christian Education Day. Our church is blessed to have multiple certified schools operating within the church. Our church doesn't always have the resources to go the the National Convention meetings so I had to find a way to bring the convention back home to the church.

Our Sunday School Discipleship school is certified with our National Baptist Convention USA, INC. We offer this as an alternative to the uniform Sunday School lessons. Our attendance increased and our application improved. We thank Sister Maureen Johnson who is our Discipleship Coordinator.

We also have our Church School where our Bible Studies are certified. This Christian Education calendar year includes for Bible Study, The Synoptic Gospels, The Gospel of John, Romans, James, and The Book of Revelation. We thank our newly certified church dean, Sister Cynthia Bellephant for all of her hard work.

Our Henry L. Turner Christian Leadership School is held three times a year. In these sessions we have taught, Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts, Spiritual Formation. Conflict Management and The Development of the Male and Female roles in the Promotion of the family. Pastor Michael and Lady Lawana Griffin are our facilitators for our men and women's conference this year where we will expand the discussion on the roles of the man and woman in the family structure.

All of this works because I am blessed with an outstanding Christian Education Director who takes the Pastor's Vision and enlarges it within the Educational Department of the church. Our church is blessed to have Deacon Chris Dudley as our Christian Ed Director.

We are trying to enlarge on the concept of NEIGHBORHOOD this week and this 100 day period. We look forward to what God will do during this time.

Owens

Creating a Neighborhood Day 1

Been a while since I have been in this forum. Finishing this week Summer School at Midwestern Theological Seminary, it has been an interesting summer refreshing notes and increasing knowledge that I pray God will transform into ministry use. I encourage everyone finish school while young. As my mom always says, I should have two doctorates by now and still don't have my Masters of Divinity.

I am (finally) starting my 100 day campaign for 2014. I always set aside 100 days to try and meet with every member of my church, set and cast vision, spend time with my members in discovery of gifts, member alignment or in some cases realignment.

I am very behind this year. I am usually done by the first Sunday in June but I am nonetheless very excited to sit and talk with every member about where I feel the Lord is leading Macedonia. I have been moved and challenged by God about the concept of NEIGHBORHOOD, The place where we ought to be enacting and living out the principles and precepts of God on earth to the people of this world as they deal with the problems of this life.

As I was evaluating where Macedonia was as I enter my 7th Summer as Pastor, I am thankful for Spiritual, numerical and financial growth, I thank God for less debt and a plan for the future but even with all of that, WHAT DOES OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK LIKE?

WHAT DOES THE FAMILY STRUCTURE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK LIKE/

WHAT DO THE CHILDREN LOOK LIKE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD/

HOW CAN WE HELP THE YOUNG ADULT FAMILIES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD/

HOW DO WE HELP THE HURT AND HOPELESS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

HOW FAR DOES OUR SCOPE OF POWER REACH IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL CLIMATE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD

IF OUR CHURCH CLOSED ITS DOORS TOMORROW, HOW LONG WOULD IT BE BEFORE WE WERE MISSED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD/

ARE WE MAKING THINGS BETTER OUTSIDE OUR WALLS OR JUST HAVING SERVICE ON THE INSIDE

Over this campaign, I will share as God gives me direction and as I learn from conversations with our members. Pray for us on this 100 day journey that we will hear confirmation from God.

Owens