LEADERconnect is a new two-year emphasis of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM). It is designed to help Alabama Baptist leaders connect with the person of God, the purpose of God and the people of God. The new theme was presented and interpreted during the annual meeting of the Alabama Baptist State Convention in Mobile Nov. 13–14.
Dale Huff, director of the SBOM office of LeaderCare and church administration, described LEADERconnect as “a challenge to the leaders of our Alabama Baptist churches to continue to grow toward real effectiveness.”
In a later interview, Huff elaborated on the population targeted by the program.
“We are trying to reach leaders, both clergy and lay. This is anyone in a leadership role and will include ministers, Sunday School teachers, missions leaders — anyone in a position of assigned responsibility,” he reported. “I imagine that in a typical church, this would include 20–25 percent of adults.”
Huff said during his presentation that while the challenge is individual, it is also congregational, applying to every leader.
“Great leaders grow great churches. Great churches grow great leaders,” he said.
As for the first part of the emphasis, Huff pointed out that connecting with God is the right place to begin. “Grow spiritually,” he exhorted. “Grow to become what God dreamed of you being the moment He first thought of you.”
A video with Max Croft, retired director of the SBOM office of discipleship and family ministries, illustrated this point.
“The best investment is time spent with connecting with God,” he said. “He makes perfect decisions. If I’m a leader, I want to connect to that leadership.”
On connecting with God’s purpose, Huff said, “Grow to intimately know the Lord and the reason for which He redeemed and gifted you.”
Eric Jackson, pastor of Bethel Baptist Church, Fort Deposit, illustrated the point via video by relating a story about repairing a car engine as a teenager with his father. After the job was completed, the car ran but they had a bucketful of parts left over.
“I’m so glad that we as Alabama Baptists have an opportunity to connect with God’s purposes,” he concluded. “In God’s work, we have no leftover parts. God uses everything.”
For connecting with others, Huff reminded the congregation of the New Testament story in which a lawyer asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” In response, Jesus told the story of the good Samaritan.
In a video clip, Gena Heatherly, literacy missions specialist for the SBOM, described the impact of literacy missions, which includes instruction in English. “People come to learn to speak English,” she said. “But they also learn to know Jesus.”
Huff noted that LEADERconnect has been introduced to some local associations in brief presentations and will be presented in more depth in four-hour clinics. Also presented through associations, the clinics will include more details, including suggestions for ministry projects or events that can be done under each of the three major topics.
For more information about LEADERconnect, visit www.alsbom.org or call 1-800-264-1225, Ext. 263.
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