Insight – June 2019

October 22-23, messengers from all over the state will converge on Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon for the annual meeting of California Southern Baptist Convention.

In this edition of Insight I want to give you some … insight … into what the annual meeting seeks to accomplish and why it is important.

We seek several important outcomes:

Fellowship with friends you may only see at the annual meeting.

With loneliness being a major issue faced by church leaders, linking up with long-time friends is very important to the health of the Convention.

Conducting business that affects Southern Baptist work and ministry in the state.

Each year issues are addressed that impact our churches. The annual meeting gives church leaders the opportunity to speak to those issues and help chart the course for the next year.

Inspiration and spiritual renewal.

The annual meeting schedule is filled with times of worship and praise along with challenges from the Word of God.

A key element this year will be highlighting churches that accept my Step-Up Challenge in 2020 to

• baptize 20 percent more people
• pray for and find ways to partner with other churches
• increase church starts by 20 percent, starting 100 new congregations
• involve 20 percent more people in your church being “on mission and going,” and taking 20 percent more mission trips than in 2019
• increase giving to the California Mission Offering by 20 percent.

The annual meeting will also feature specific times of prayer for our state and churches as we “step up” to meet the challenge of reaching California.

The annual meeting provides an opportunity to partner in achieving a common goal — to realize we are all in this together and that no one is alone.

The annual meeting is a very important time for the churches to get a better understanding of what the Convention offers to assist them in their ministry. The staff has a desire to help and empower you as you seek to fulfill the vision God has given you and your church.

Plan to make the annual meeting part of your scheduled activities this year. The San Diego area is beautiful, and October is a great time to gather with friends, be inspired and challenged, do the business of the Convention, and form new bonds with fellow pastors and church leaders.

I hope to see you this year as we all step up and accept the challenge to see the Kingdom grow and see lives eternally changed by the power of God.

Read Dr. Agee’s report to the CSBC Executive Board about the Step-Up Challenge.

See archives of Dr. Agee’s previous Insights.