Harps Crossing Baptist Church

Overview. In a nutshell, tell us about your church. What was it like when you came? What is happening now?

Harp’s Crossing Baptist Church is 30 years old.  We currently have five fulltime pastors—Senior Pastor, Minister of Education, Associate Pastor, Minister of Music and Student Pastor.  We also have a fulltime Director of Preschool and Children’s Ministry.  In addition there are seven fulltime Administrative Assistants and a fulltime Assets Manager.  There are many additional part time associates.

Currently our average Sunday School attendance is 712 which has increased steadily since 2006 when the average was 618.  In 2006 we built a new worship center and converted our old worship center to adult education space.

I have been here since 1982, arriving about eight months after the church first started meeting as a mission of Fayetteville First Baptist Church.  When I came there were 43 members.  There was one adult SS class, one youth class, one children’s class and one preschool class.  The focus from the beginning was to build the church by growing and building the Sunday School.  In the early days we built utility sheds to serve as children and youth classes.  Also in the early days all of our adult classes were in homes.

The Sunday School and the church grew rapidly.  We moved into our first “permanent” building in the spring of 1984 and immediately went to two morning worship times and two Sunday School hours.  Most of our history (all but about eighteen months) we have had two morning worship and Sunday School times which continues today.

We began with four Sunday School classes.  Currently there are 70 classes plus our Chinese church and our other campus in Hollonville.  We are regularly adding new classes at every age level.  Just since the first of this year (three months) there have been three new adult classes started.  The starting of new classes has been going on for a long time but it seems like only recently has it caught on and people have actually gotten excited about it.

Our staff has long tenure.  I have been here for 29 years.  Keith Turner our Minister of Education has been here 27 years.  Ken Helms our Associate Pastor has been here for 23 years.  Steve Owens, Minister of Music has been here 21 years.  Chris Watson, Student Pastor has been here for 7 years.  Judi Knowles our Director of Preschool and Children’s Ministry has been here for 23 years.  The average among out support staff is probably around 15 years.

Victories. What were 2 or 3 real moments of victory for you?

In 1984 our first fulltime staff member came.  Keith Turner came at that time as Minister of Youth and Education.  His first Sunday was the day we started our first multiple morning Sunday Schools.  Keith has been a true blessing to our church and especially to our Sunday School!  Having a Minister of Education who believes in Sunday School and is not fearful to do what makes it work is a real and ongoing victory.

In 1997 we were suffering from an identity crisis.  The pastors went on their annual retreat heavy hearted about where we were.  We carefully studied Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Church.  We returned with a plan to identify our mission, purpose and vision.   We stopped Sunday School for 13 weeks.  During that time I taught the adults regarding our mission, purpose and vision.  Our Youth Pastor at the time did the same with out youth.  We lost some people but the church was better than ever prepared to move forward.  I look back to that time and remember the pain due to the people who left.  But it was also a time of new beginning!

One of our greatest victories was completing our new worship center and the renovation of the old worship center in 2006.  The cost was just over $5.5 million.  The work was all completed totally without debt!  The newly renovated adult space was the first totally dedicated adult space we ever had!  The newly renovated space has brought about a new vitality to our adult Sunday School work!

1. Failures. We learn from these. Tell us what didn’t work.

We attempted to have a “Family Sunday Class.”  This has also been called “Intergenerational Sunday School.”   We attempted it and it grew.  However, it became a church within the church.  We asked the group to disband and move into our more traditional age-graded Sunday School but most of the participants left.  It was an attempt to accommodate a group to meet their perceived needs.  However, it did not work for us.

We also tried “cell” or “family” groups but that did not work for us.  We had some roof structural problems several years ago and had to evacuate our main worship and adult and youth Sunday School space for a period of 12 weeks.  Most all adult classes moved into homes close to our campus.  Some met at other times during the week.  We tried to keep those going but in just a short while they came back to the campus and the Sunday morning time.  For us, to have cell groups or small groups was like trying to fix something that was not broken—our age-graded Sunday School.  Age-graded Sunday morning Sunday School still works!

Learnings. What have been some of your big ones? What you have learned along the way?

Starting new classes vs splitting classes

Early on we divided classes.  This was necessary since we started with only one adult class.  It became necessary to start new classes.  Splitting classes has a negative connotation.  We encourage existing classes to start new classes from a small group in the class.  This has really worked very well.  Not all classes jumped on board at first but as time passed more and more classes have seen the advantage of starting new classes.  New classes grow faster than existing classes and usually bring in new and inactive people.

Provide the space

The growth spiral is a great planning tool.  It will not make Sunday School grow but it has helped us prepare for and plan for growth.  Providing space has been a big deal.  We have used every available space double and at times triple.  New classes cannot be started without space for the class.  We are encountering this with our new campus at Hollonville.  Space is limited.  We are already looking at using the space twice on Sunday mornings with two worship services and two Sunday School hours.

Advantage of multiple hours

People have bemoaned for years two Sunday School hours and two worship hours.  My answer has been, if one is good, two is twice as good.  The multiples provides opportunities and options.

The importance of Sunday School

I was telling our members 29 years ago if they only had one hour on Sunday morning I would prefer they go to Sunday School.  Our Minister of Education has reminded me for years, “the most powerful place of promotion is the pulpit and the most powerful person of promotion is the pastor.”  I give emphasis to Sunday School on a regular basis and really drive it home in our new members class.

What most pastors need to know? What are the take aways? What can we learn from your story?

Emphasize SS

The church is kept small in the Sunday School.  No matter how large a church grows the smallness and the personal factor is preserved in the Sunday School.  People can establish connections in Sunday School that would never happen in a large worship service.  The pastor must give attention to and emphasis to Sunday School.  Ministry, fellowship, discipleship and outreach can best be organized and accomplished through the Sunday School

Be a pastor

I love what I am privileged to be—a pastor.  It is no doubt a calling and a blessing.  For me this is a lifelong connection to the people of Harp’s Crossing.  I believe that for the past 29 years I have been becoming a pastor.  I have not arrived and will never arrive.  It is a lifelong experience and relationship.  It is important to connect with the people, love them and lead them and not to drive them.

Is it okay to just be a pastor?  After 29 years as a pastor I think I am about to feel pretty good about that role.  That may sound strange but it seems like since day one perhaps I have aspired to be something more or maybe, if possible be something more.  I read apologists like J.P. Moreland, Ravi Zacharias, and William Land Craig and I aspire to be an apologist traveling the world speaking and debating the atheists and agnostics.  I listen to the traveling preacher and evangelists like Tom Elliff, Bill Stafford and the late Ron Dunn, and I want to hit the road and begin preaching meetings in churches.  I have listened to preachers like Charles Stanley, the late Adrien Rogers and W.A. Criswell and I want to be like those guys.  I hear people talk about what great preachers they are or were, and they are and were!   I read the writings of Max Lucado, and other prolific writers and I want to be an author.  I hear about the preachers who have arrived and have teams to do research for them and they are the “Preaching Pastor” and I wonder when I will be a preaching pastor or maybe an administrative pastor or perhaps a teaching pastor.  Do I have and identity crisis!?

Well, I think I am about to the place to where I can more than ever love what I am called to be—just a pastor.  That means sometimes I need to be administrative.  At other times I need to take on the role of an apologist.  At other times I need to write down some things.  I preach, teach, perform weddings, counsel members and nonmembers.  I get to preach at the funerals of members and nonmembers.  I conduct prayer meetings, staff meetings, attend Deacon’s meetings and on occasion meetings about money, personnel and all kinds of other things to meet about.  I am just a pastor and all of a sudden I am fine with it!  That is what God called me to be!  I am not called to be an executive or denominational leader that I may have to do that kind of thing from time to time.  I am not called to be a politician although I need to have input and impact on the political scene.  I believe that it is important for those of us called to be pastors would be content with just that—just a pastor.

Dennis Watson
Harps Crossing Baptist Church
http://www.harpscrossing.com/
Fayetteville, GA

Blackshear Place Baptist Church

Overview. In a nutshell, tell us about your church. What was it like when you came? What is happening now?

When Pastor Jeff came in January of 2004, the church was averaging 1,200 in worship and 1,100 in Sunday School. They had not made budget in the last couple of years and really had just a handful of staff members. They had been 32 months without a senior pastor and morale was low. Since that time, God has blessed in extraordinary ways. Today, BPBC has more than 7,000 members. She has consistently been in the top of the state in baptisms and the top of the SBC in missions giving. Average weekly worship attendance exceeds 2,800 and the Sunday School ministry touches over 2,000 weekly.

Victories.

What were 2 or 3 real moments of victory for you? It would have to be in the areas of baptisms. For the past 5 years, Blackshear Place has baptized an average of 280 people. That is a 25:1 baptismal ratio that has largely fueled ministry and growth. Special baptism events at Lake Lanier have made evangelism a priority. I would also add the Sunday School success is directly related to new units. As we start new units, we have seen great growth. Failures. We learn from these. Tell us what didn’t work. We have taken some risks and tried some new things that never really took off. We tried a reconnecting campaign through our Sunday School ministry to reclaim inactive members. It was depressing. We also Started a building project that we hoped to be completed in a year that has turned into a multiple-year project with the negative economy.

Learnings.

What have been some of your big ones. What you have learned along the way? You can’t engineer people, but you can motivate them. Some of our biggest challenges have been in the area of having space to accommodate growth. By offering three Sunday School hours and three morning worship services, we are always trying to achieve balance in space utilization. We have learned the art of motivation and persuasion through the scheduling of Sunday School classes and the use of popular S.S. teachers at certain hours to achieve this balance. We have also learned that the greatest organization in your church is your S.S. We have wrapped everything important to us in the Sunday School structure. It is literally “how we do church.”

What most pastors need to know?

What are the take aways? What can we learn from your story? Results in ministry ride on the coattails of consistency in ministry. Don’t try to reinvent yourself or chase every fad. Consistency in the pulpit to faithfully preach God’s Word has been a hallmark of BPBC. It is what people expect. We don’t have to be someone else. We have also learned that it takes hard work. It doesn’t happen overnight. And finally, I would say that balance is so important. Pastor often speaks of our two pillars of ministry: Worship & Sunday School. These are our top priorities for how we do church and having a balanced approach has made all the difference to us. Blackshear Place Baptist Church Flowery Branch, GA

Beulah Baptist Church Douglasville GA

1. Overview. In a nutshell, tell us about your church. What was it like when you came? What is happening now?

Beulah Baptist Church in Douglasville, GA is the most loving church I’ve ever encountered. It has a strong heritage built on a conservative theology and a loving atmosphere. When I came to Beulah in January of 2006, I inherited a church of strong leaders grounded on the Word of God. They averaged 300 in Sunday School and 350 in worship, but these were exclusively times of Bible studies. The Beulah people were very faithful inmissions giving, but had never participated in a mission trip.

Five years later, major focus is on fulfilling the purpose of the entire church through the small groups. Four major purposes, loving others, investigating God’s Word, fellowshipping with the body, and evangelism are all represented in the name of Beulah’s small group ministry, L.I.F.E. Groups. The conservative message has remained the same, but many leaders have risen up to mobilize the message. We now average 425 in SundaySchool, and have over 100 people (25% of small groups) participating in short-term missions around the world.

2. Victories. What were 2 or 3 real moments of victory for you?

#1 Our oldest senior adult ladies class (20-25) willingly moved from their comfortable room in the education building into a temporary SS room that was a converted workout room. Equipment was pushed to one side of the room, and a curtain was hung for appearance. 5 years later, they are still there, and I have never heard one complaint.

#2 Our L.I.F.E. Groups seemed to really begin getting it about one year ago. In aneffort to better fulfill their purpose through small groups, many began working more closely with other ministries in our church such as Celebrate Recovery and F.A.I.T.H. Riders to discover ministry opportunities. We have groups that have gone on a mission trip together, participated in local mission efforts as agroup, and prepared and served the food for our recovery ministry. That hasbeen exciting. Like Alan Taylor says, it’s the church fulfilling its purpose in bite-sized pieces (small groups).

#3 The hiring of our Education Director, Julie Hanes, was instrumental in our mostrecent surge in attendance. She has been efficient in her labor, while consistent in her plan. Her combination of individual creativity and acknowledgement of pastoral leadership have proven to be the perfect characteristics for the job.

3. Failures. We learn from these. Tell us what didn’t work.

I don’t really consider these failures, just lessons learned. Failure can truly only happen when we do nothing or give less than our best.

#1 Power of 10 – Our people did not embrace this GBC evangelism idea like we hoped they would.

#2 Singles – We have been on a roller coaster with young adults.

#3 Language Groups – We have experimented with this idea, and have not given up yet. We started a Spanish only LIFE Group, but people were too intimidated to come to the property. So one of our Spanish speaking couples started a group in their home, and have plans to transition them into an on-campus site. They are running 7 in weekly bible study.

4. Learnings. What have been some of your big ones? What you have learned along the way?

-Small groups must be inseparably connected to the purpose of the church.

-Make small groups the means of the mission.

-Only listen to advice from those who are where you desire to be.

-Everything rides on unity and vision.

5. What most pastors need to know? What are the take always? What can we learn from your story?

-Sell the purpose before you purchase the change, or you’ll be bankrupt.

-People will accept the cost if the cause is communicated.

Wayne Bray
pastor@insidebbc.com
Beulah Baptist Church
Douglasville GA

Indian Springs Baptist, Bryant, AR

Harbor Lights Baptist Church

Overview. In a nutshell, tell us about your church. What was it like when you came?

The church is located on 5.6 acres of property and was formerly an elementary school when the members first met with me there was about 15 people left, four deacons and their wives plus a few senior members. One of the deacons’ wives was a realtor and the property was on the market for sale. I really felt the Lord leading me to come to the church which was actually the first church I ever served at and the place I had announced my call to preach. As the deacons begin to meet with me I knew the Lord was leading me to Harbor Lights, I felt I saw their hearts and they were willing to do what ever it took to see the church survive, and they were. The first Sunday morning we met with about twenty people including my wife and my two teenage daughters, it was great. I was where God wanted me. The first few weeks as we began to visit our neighbors many people were less than friendly, I had expected some negative feedback because of the years of many people going through the church but not a lot of lasting members who were committed to the study of the Word of God. We met and begin to talk about changing the name of the church and just trying to start over but as I prayed about it all I could ever get was “God is bigger than this.” The Lord sent us some help right away to start Sunday Schools classes, we had three teachers from deacons and wives and the lord sent more as we began to grow. We started AWANA with no budget and seven kids, God kept sending material and children so we started feeding all the hungry kids that came on Wednesday nights. There have been so many things we have saw happen in the last four and a half years it would fill up a whole book. The roof was leaking everywhere because the building had not been taken care because there was no money. God gave us a $28,000.00 roof in two offerings. When the van died that we picked children up with the Lord provided a 78 passenger bus free and clear. Guess I better move on.

What is happening now?

Now we average 90 children in AWANA, Eleven Sunday School classes averaging 88.

God has called a preacher and many soul winners out of our congregation. We are in the lower income area of town sitting in a neighborhood that God has given us to minister in. We have adopted streets where we visit our neighbors and know many of them and their prayer needs. We pray for those who live on those streets by name and share the gospel with them on visitation nights.

There was a time when mortgage payments were missed or put off and the those few members who were left sacrificed much to keep the doors open, now we’re just 22 months from paying the note off.

Victories. What were 2 or 3 real moments of victory for you?

-A Fall Revival that was scheduled for four days ran for twelve days and 28 professions of faith were made. We learned what prayer and preparation as well as follow-up were about.

-ICE Event sponsored by the NW GA Baptist Association. Event coordinator Mark Yoho was the evangelist who also preached our Revival. He spent a lot of time with us training prayer walkers, soul winners, and following up on the decisions that were made.

-When all the leaders of the church committed to teaching or attending Sunday School. We lead by example, never ask people to do anything that the leaders are not committed to do. By the way those who didn’t commit resigned shortly there after.

-The Lord sent us a Hispanic bible teacher to minister to families that could not speak English well. Or at all.

Failures. We learn from these. Tell us what didn’t work.

-A second revival, without the same prayer and preparation just expecting the Lord to move because we were growing. Never assume last weeks work is enough for this week.

Learnings. What have been some of your big ones. What you have learned along the way.

-Gimmicks don’t grow Sunday School, enrolling new Christians to study God’s Word does.

-Praying specifically for people who make professions of faith and baptizing them soon after makes a difference in the amount of them that stays in church.

-Never assume that someone has a relationship with Christ just because they attend weekly.

What most pastors need to know? What are the take aways? What can we learn from your story?

-When God sends you people with experience that you don’t have learn from them. Old preachers are not fixtures they are mentors absorb all of their knowledge you can.

-Most churches will have to change before they can change communities.

-New Christians don’t know how to act, dress, or talk in church, but they know when they are loved. LOVE them.

Jim Powell

http://www.harborlightsbaptist.com

One on one disicpleship

Ft. Caroline Baptist Church, Jacksonvlle, FL

Sermon based groups

Ft. Caroline Baptist Church, Jacksonville, FL