By Editor Bob Terry
The theme of this year’s Read The Alabama Baptist Day, which will be observed July 30, makes a bold claim. If one reads the state Baptist paper, then that person will grow in the Lord. The claim is not hyperbole. Rather it is the truth and it is supported by personal testimonies, as well as numerous studies.
Few days pass without a letter, phone call or e-mail from a reader expressing appreciation for The Alabama Baptist and sharing how some part of the state Baptist paper helped him or her.
One wrote about how members of his Sunday School class use the Sunday School lessons in The Alabama Baptist to prepare for the weekly lesson.
Another wrote of becoming involved in disaster relief ministries after reading about this opportunity in the state Baptist paper. Still another wrote about how one article had served as a motivation for action for the entire church congregation.
Readers write of articles being “invigorating,” “uplifting,” “thought-provoking,” “gracious,” “enlightening.” Of course, not all readers are as kind, but the vast majority of responses are.
While anecdotes make good reading, one cannot make generalized statements from a few personal experiences. That is why studies are important. One study repeated several times resulted in the same findings every time.
In this study, churches were divided between those that furnish the state Baptist paper to the majority of active resident families and those that do not provide the state Baptist paper to their families.
The first thing noticed was that churches providing the paper gave more to missions than churches not providing the paper. Missions giving through the Cooperative Program was higher. Giving to the local association was higher. Even per capita giving of resident members was higher.
It is no wonder that the list of Alabama Baptist churches not supporting missions through the Cooperative Program is remarkably similar to the list of churches not providing the state Baptist paper to members as part of the church budget.
A second part of the study compared which set of churches participated more in associational and state convention activities — annual meetings, training sessions, missions projects, etc.
The results showed that churches providing the paper had a significantly higher percentage of participation in associational and state convention activities than churches that did not provide the paper.
Common information is the basis for common activity, and the state Baptist paper provides that reliable information that makes cooperation among Baptists possible.
Another study examined understanding of Baptist life. Again churches were divided by those that provided the state Baptist paper and those that did not.
A questionnaire probed the respondents’ information and understanding of Baptist life.
The results were predictable.
Those that read the state Baptist paper knew more about Baptist life, about Baptist missions work and about issues before Baptists at the time than those without access to the state Baptist paper.
The state Baptist paper is the primary source of information about what God is doing among and through Baptists in the state, the nation and the world.
The state Baptist paper shares factual information through news stories. Feature stories and personal testimonies provide inspiration about how God continues to work in the lives of believers and in challenging situations.
Editorials and news analyses help place events and issues in perspective and provide interpretation for readers. The result is more involvement in Baptist life through personal participation, through pocketbook support and through prayer support.
Reading The Alabama Baptist helps one grow in understanding of moral and ethical issues.
The state Baptist paper provides biblical insights into a wide range of moral issues. It provides a Christian perspective to hot-button issues ranging from the scientific theory of intelligent design to Muslim-Christian relations in the Middle East to the implications of “The Da Vinci Code.”
In the past few months, personal guidance from respected experts has been offered on topics ranging from estate planning to modesty in fashion, from grandparenting to teenage self-mutilation (cutting), from safe driving to vacation planning. All of this is designed to help readers grow in their knowledge and understanding, as well as grow in their service to the Lord.
The Alabama Baptist’s commitment to helping readers grow is reflected in its vision statement that declares, in part, that the paper will help readers “live out the biblical concepts of Christian discipleship in their personal lives, their professional lives and their lives within the community of faith.”
The Alabama Baptist is a necessity for any individual seeking to grow in the Lord as a Christian and a Baptist.
Providing the state Baptist paper through the church budget is indispensable for any church serious about helping members grow in their personal lives, their spiritual lives and their service in the church.
If you have a friend who does not receive The Alabama Baptist, then share your copy with him or her and urge him or her to subscribe. If your church does not provide the paper for its active resident families, then encourage church leaders to make the state Baptist paper a part of the Christian literature it provides for members in the next church budget.
Regular reading of The Alabama Baptist will help people grow in the Lord.
Share with others: