Nov 24, 2015
Alliance in Ministry
Rob Appel
Executive Director
Mission: The reason for our existence
At the General Conference sessions in July 2015, the General Council shared with all in attendance a document called the “Vision Map.” This document laid out for the reader and viewer four distinct areas that the General Council believes define and move forward Seventh Day Baptists as we advance God’s Kingdom. These four sides are:
Mission — The reason for our existence
Core Values — Commitments that everybody lives by that are nonnegotiable
Focus — What is the most important thing we do day in and day out
Culture — Society we must create to realize our potential
For over 300 years, SDBs have been commissioned by Jesus Christ to use their gifts and resources to share His gospel. Today, we continue to advance His mission in North America in a unique way. We believe that this Vision Map generally demonstrates the way in which God has been and will continue to work through us to make new disciples and transform us into greater Christ-likeness.
During the next four months I will be attempting to explain the four sides of the Vision Map. This month we will start with the Mission. In the Vision Map we
explained our mission in these words:
Our mission is to equip our churches to actively advance God’s Kingdom.
Mission — The reason for our existence
The mission of the Seventh Day Baptist Conference of the USA & Canada is to simply provide, furnish, supply, prepare and train our people, our leaders, and our churches to vigorously and energetically move forward God’s Kingdom work. This means we don’t move forward on anything that does not champion God’s work in proceeding with the Gospel message!
Our Conference of churches has so many talented, gifted and intelligent people in it. I can’t help but feel that we received the lion’s share when God was handing out blessings. I believe that is one of the reasons that God has kept Seventh Day Baptists around for so long…for a day just like this!
So, what is the Conference doing for you and your local church in these areas? I am glad you asked!
1. Provide — Pastoral Training, Pastoral Search,
Missions Opportunities, Website Development,
Research, Counseling and Advice.
2. Furnish — This magazine that you are reading, the
Sabbath Recorder, is one of the oldest publications
of its kind. And it is free! Yes, free! And available to
all who want it!
3. Supply — Christian Education materials (Helping
Hand), Tracts, Training through Seminars, Ongoing
Pastors’ Education, Summer Institute
4. Prepare & Train — Pastors, Lay People, Children,
Teenagers, Young Adults through Seminary, Missions,
Schooling, Seminars, SCSC, Dedicated Service
Many of our people serve on one of our Councils, or have served. These opportunities also help us identity our future leaders. The Women’s Society’s program, Summer Christian Service Corps (SCSC), also provides this future leadership training. Many of our pastors today have come through the SCSC program.
You see our Conference’s mission really is about equipping our churches to actively advance God’s Kingdom!
This equipping ministry is to provide the tools to the individual and to the churches that will move them forward, always advancing God’s Kingdom! Some of the advanced equipping will even help those in leadership to sharpen their ministry tools!
