When a church decides to focus on missions, the prospect can be overwhelming. With so many areas of need, churches may need help choosing a place to start. That is where events such as missions conferences can help, according to Reggie Quimby, director of the office of global partnerships and volunteers in missions for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions. He said missions conferences are the best way churches have to inform members about missions and encourage participation in missions.
“[This] is one of the best vehicles we have to keep people aware as to how missions dollars are used,” Quimby said. “This is also a way we have as Alabama Baptists to promote the Cooperative Program in local churches.”
He noted two main resources are available to churches that want direction in holding missions conferences. One is Global Focus. Global Focus is a parachurch organization that partners with the International Mission Board, the North American Mission Board and national Woman’s Missionary Union to help churches get involved in missions (see story, this page).
Churches and associations can also use the On Mission Celebration materials that are available through Quimby’s office. Generally associations hold On Mission Celebrations that coordinate events at various churches either during a weekend or during the week. These materials, however, can be customized for individual churches, Quimby noted.
“[These programs] are equipping associations and churches to have personalization of missions education.” And that is crucial to Southern Baptist identity, he said. “You’d be taking the heart out of the church if you took the Great Commission out.”
Quimby noted that from August 2004 until August 2005, 275 churches in 10 associations took part in On Mission Celebrations, with 35,000 people attending. Those celebrations, resulted in 75 decisions, including professions of faith or a call to ministry or missions.
For more information contact Quimby at 1-800-264-1225, Ext. 239.
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