January 2007

It’s been anything but quiet the past few weeks in the General Church offices in Grantham as we’ve counted downthe days to year-end, and this despite Moderator Warren Hoffman’s absence for much of December. He and his wife, Connie, traveled to Thailand, where they visited daughter Erin, her husband, Matt, and their three children, including new baby, Ian Michael. Almost immediately upon returning home, Warren headed for Youth Quest in Niagara Falls, Ontario, where the Spirit-filled programming and high energy of close to 1,000 BIC youth and their young-at-heart leaders took care of his lingering jet lag. In Warren’s absence, Rebekah Basinger, director of congregational relations, has stepped in as co-editor of this edition of Momentum.

Resolved: To strengthen distinguishing traits of health in our congregations

As we close out 2006 (actually, the Finance Office will continue to book Cooperative Ministries contributions from churches that are designated for 2006 through January 15), our thoughts and prayers have turned toward ministry opportunities in 2007. And so this first Momentum of the New Year comes with a handful of resolutions and resources in support of church health, picking up on the theme of this past summer’s General Conference.

Fervent prayer

We will pray and fast for the life-changing grace of God to renew our church.

Prayer is central to our life together as a people of God. In fact, fully 76 percent of respondents to a survey of adults who attend BIC churches report that they pray daily—a discipline that is encouraged by our church-wide practice of beginning the year with a week of prayer and fasting. For resources focused on fervent prayer, read more>>

Joyful generosity

We will clear away the clutter in our lives so we can love boldly, give generously, serve joyfully, and honor God with our time, talent, and treasure.

As post-Christmas credit card bills begin arriving in mailboxes, hopes for a less cluttered and debt-free lifestyle will be high for many people within our churches. Will we be ready to help families and individuals out of their financial dilemmas? Read more>>

Active compassion

We will actively respond to human need in the name of Christ.

If you are looking for ideas about how your church can offer a proverbial “cup of cold water” to persons in need, inspiration is only a DVD away. Watch and learn about a wide range of BIC-specific opportunities that support resolutions to encourage active compassion. Read more>>

 

Leadership development

We will develop men and women as workers and leaders for an expanding network of congregations and ministries.

The first six months of 2007 come with two great opportunities for encouraging the ongoing development of women and men in ministry and leadership within the BIC Church. Read more>>

 

Bold communication

We will boldly declare the enduring biblical message with fresh words and enthusiasm.

If you’re looking for ways to infuse the ministries of Sunday school teachers, youth workers, and small group leaders with fresh words and new enthusiasm, consider adding tuition reimbursement dollars for Directed Study Program (DSP) courses to your 2007 ministry spending plan. The price per course—just $125 each—is an educational bargain. Read more>>

And a few more resolutions

On a road trip late in 2005, Atlantic Conference leaders John Pletcher, Craig Sider, Doug Sider, Jr., and Nate Yoder used the driving time to think up a few New Year's resolutions for congregations. We ran this list in the January 2006 issue of Momentum, but we think the resolutions are worth repeating. Read more>>

Share your insights

You receive Momentum because you are a leader in the church within a congregation, a regional conference, the General Church, or all three. You may have asked to be included on the mailing list for Momentum or your name may have been picked up automatically when you entered your current position of leadership. Regardless of how you have come to Momentum, your feedback is important. Please let us hear from you.  

Don McNiven and Rebekah Basinger
General Secretary and Director of Congregational Relations

Contact Information:
Email: bic@messiah.edu
Phone: 717.697.2634
Fax: 717.796.4781
Web: www.bic-church.org

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