2008 ABCOM Missions

American Baptist Churchesof MaineMaineMission EventMay 31, 2008 : 

American Baptist Churchesof MaineMaineMission EventMay 31, 2008

An Affirmation of Mission : 

An Affirmation of Mission Scriptures affirm the local church as the fundamental unit of mission; and our priority as a denomination is to affirm, support and challenge congregations as they live out their mission “in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NIV) - American Baptist Churches of Maine, Bylaws, Article 1

New Life 2010 : 

New Life 2010 ABC-USA Initiative Planting of 1010 new churches 1,000,010 new disciples Multitude of caring ministries (1 per church) Transforming all of our existing congregations

New Life 2010 : 

New Life 2010 ABC-USA Progress Report Evangelism 44,208 Estimated baptisms-2006 485,687 Total estimated baptisms 1998–2006 New Church Planting Caring Ministries

New Life 2010 : 

New Life 2010 ABC-USA Progress Report Evangelism New Church Planting 362 New church plants (January 2000 - April 2007) 44 Churches planted by women pastors Caring Ministries

New Life 2010 : 

New Life 2010 ABC-USA Progress Report Evangelism New Church Planting Caring Ministries Gulf Coast Recovery Project $3,530,466 Donated through January 2006

New Life 2010 : 

New Life 2010 ABCOM’s 2000 Goals: 20,001 New members (baptisms) 21 New Church Plants 210 Caring Ministries New Life 2010 American Baptist Churches of Maine

New Life 2010 : 

New Life 2010 Results 2079 Baptisms reported through 2006. (Thank God for the tithe) 210 Caring Ministriesachieved in 2002/03 No new churchplants as of 6/08

Prayer Journals 2003First Strategic Planning Cycle : 

Prayer Journals 2003First Strategic Planning Cycle Regional Prayer – Local churches in associations Priorities Church transformation Pastoral leadership Evangelism Youth

Priorities : 

Priorities Church Transformation – Many local American Baptist Churches are plateaued or in decline. Pastoral leadership Evangelism Youth

Priorities : 

Priorities Church transformation Pastoral leadership – the professional church leader model has failed to produce renewal and growth. Evangelism Youth

Priorities : 

Priorities Church transformation Pastoral leadership Evangelism – Baptisms arelow and congregationsstruggle with sharingtheir faith. Youth

Priorities : 

Priorities Church transformation Pastoral leadership Evangelism Youth – Many local American Baptist Churches of Maineare graying

Church Transformation Initiatives : 

Church Transformation Initiatives Refurbish China Lake Conference Center Implement Insight Conferences Revamp Annual Meetings Preaching targeted to renew local churches Provide local church consultations Coach pastors and lay leaders Provide Missional Church training Transition Interim Ministries Offer Congregational Transformation seminars Revitalize American Baptist Men

Church Transformation : 

Church Transformation Refurbish China Lake Conference Center by implementing a five-year strategic plan. All aspects of the plan, save one, are implemented. Kaleidoscope consultation revised plan and new priorities are being set.

Church Transformation : 

Church Transformation Insight Conferences provide local churches with insight into what God is doing. Also meant to challenge local churches in mission/ministry. Dan Southerland- Tim Brown- David Laubach- Jeff Johnson- Anne Graham Lotz

Church Transformation : 

Church Transformation Annual Meetings are revamped according to a five-year cycle that is meant to encourage and challenge local churches

Church Transformation : 

Church Transformation 4. Preaching in local churches is targeted to challenge local churches to renew their commitment to Christ and to mission.

Church Transformation : 

Church Transformation 5. Local church leadership consultations and training

Church Transformation : 

Church Transformation Coaching of pastors and lay leaders (partnership with Green Lake, our National Conference Center)

Church Transformation : 

Church Transformation Missional Church Training includes 10externally focused churches. (A National Ministries partnership)

Church Transformation : 

Church Transformation Transitional Interim Ministries training (An American Baptist Churches, USAInterim Ministries partnership)

Church Transformation : 

Church Transformation 12 Steps to Congregational Transformation Seminar with David Laubach (A National Ministries partnership)

Church Transformation : 

Church Transformation Renew men’s ministry through ABMen’s Conference at China Lake.

Pastoral Leadership Initiatives : 

Pastoral Leadership Initiatives Forming Leadership Transformation Groups Renewing of the American Baptist Churches of Maine’s Institute for Ministry Hosting Pastor prayer days Providing Pastor workshops and seminars Recruiting quality Pastoral leadership Making available Career Counseling to Pastors Added Women in Ministry Advocate

Pastoral Leadership : 

Pastoral Leadership Leadership Transformation Groups (LTG) are formed. Fifty pastors are involved in a monthly leadership group. Several non-American Baptist pastors are included in a leadership group. (An American Baptist Churches, USA Ministers’ Council partnership)

Pastoral Leadership : 

Pastoral Leadership Renewing of the American Baptist Churches of Maine’s Institute for Ministry (AIM). Courses are decentralized and offered in each association. Presently,there areforty-five studentstaking coursesin AIM.

Pastoral Leadership : 

Pastoral Leadership Pastoral Prayer Days. Opportunities are provided annually for pastors to pray for and with each other at the China Lake Conference Center.

Pastoral Leadership : 

Pastoral Leadership Pastoral workshops and seminars with Continuing Education Units (CEU). Preaching Workshop Stephen Olford Ministries (A Day Foundation partnership) Member of Willow Creek Association Annual Meeting Workshops Fanning the Flame Pastor’s Gathering (A partnership with ABC-USA Regional Ministries)

Pastoral Leadership : 

Pastoral Leadership Pastoral recruitment from seminaries and Bible schools

Pastoral Leadership : 

Pastoral Leadership Career counseling available to pastors (Career Counseling Centers, ABCUSA partnership)

Pastoral Leadership : 

Pastoral Leadership 7. Women in Ministry Advocate, Rev. Dr. Susan Crane called to encourage women in Pastoral ministry in Maine and to work with women who are being called into ministry.

Evangelism Initiatives : 

Evangelism Initiatives Introduction of GOT STYLE at Annual Meeting Development of GOT STYLE through Insight Conference GOT STYLE consultant trained Purchased GOT STYLE library GOT STYLE implemented in local churches

Evangelism : 

Evangelism Annual Meeting invited Rev. Jeff Johnson, Director of Evangelism, ABCUSA to introduce broadly “Got Style”. GOT STYLE is a long-term, prayer-based, natural and relational strategy for inviting (and involving) your entire church into an intentional, informed, and effective personality-based approach to introducing Jesus Christ to your community.

Evangelism : 

Evangelism Insight Conference invited Rev. Jeff Johnson, Director of Evangelism, ABCUSA, to develop further for local churches the philosophy of “Got Style”.

Evangelism : 

Evangelism Rev. Scott Records, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Bar Harbor is trained as a regional consultant in “Got Style” and is available for local church consultations.

Evangelism : 

Evangelism The American Baptist Churches of Maine purchased a “Got Style” resource library. Programs Books and study guides Studies, information and data

Evangelism : 

Evangelism Got Style is getting into our churches: Five local churches have completed in depth training of “Got Style”. Three local churches are waiting for a “Got Style” consultation. Presentations have been made in two association meetings and two association gatherings. Introduced “Got Style” to representatives of twenty local churches.

Youth Initiatives : 

Youth Initiatives Formation of Camping Ministry Association Camp Staff Training Continuing Education scholarships offered Discipleship for Youth through STRIVE Development of KidJam for elementary children Training offered for local church youth leadership Xtreme Team involvement (A partnership with International Ministries) Delegates sent to 2004 National Youth Gathering, Encounter (A partnership with International Ministries)

Youth : 

Youth Camping Ministry Association (CMA) is founded. The purpose is to work together as American Baptist camps within the state of Maine to resource and encourage quality camping experiences for campers. Training * Policy Review * Budget Development Professional Standards * Resource Sharing

Youth : 

Youth Camp Staff training is held annually. Staff from all three ABCOM related camps attend. - Baptist Park - Baptist Youth Camp - China Lake Camp

Youth : 

Youth Conferences and scholarships are provided to directors/leaders of the three American Baptist related camps. Christian Camps and Conference Association American Baptist Institute for Camps and Conferences

Youth : 

Youth STRIVE is an annual Youth Discipleship conference to encourage and challenge middle school and high school students to live their lives for Christ Challenging Youth to a higher level of commitment – not just for a weekend, but in a life-long journey of discipleship. Featuring:Duffy Robbins * John Reuben

Youth : 

Youth KidJam, an annual program designed to encourage and challenge elementary school children to live their lives for Christ.

Youth : 

Youth Training is offered to local church youth leadership

Youth : 

Youth Xtreme Team Member “I am from Livermore Falls, Maine. I attend First Baptist Church of Livermore Falls, and Henderson Memorial Baptist Church. During this trip I xpect to xpand my view of God and the world around me. Becky Hall

Youth : 

Youth Xtreme Team Member “ Being on the Xtreme team confirmed for me that God wants me to go into the mission field. Before I left for the trip I wasn't sure what He wanted me to do. I had put in the paper work to change my major, but while on the trip I realized that wasn't what God wanted me to do. So when I got home I went to change my major back and found out that a process that normally takes two weeks was in its thirteenth week. I was able to stop the process. Since then God has made it very clear what he wants me to do and how to go about it. I'm xcited with what he may have in store for me.” Carrie Hadley-Rood

Youth : 

Youth 8. Send participants to the National Gathering of American Baptist Youth in Colorado

Prayer Journals 2008 Second Strategic Planning Cycle : 

Prayer Journals 2008 Second Strategic Planning Cycle Regional Prayer – Local churches in associations Priorities Discipleship Christian Education Community Outreach Restructure Recapture Discerning Prayer Target Young Adults

Discipleship : 

Discipleship Spiritually deepening local lay leadership

Christian Education : 

Christian Education Relevance

Community Outreach : 

Community Outreach Mission and ministry

Restructure : 

Restructure Simplify and set churches free from institutional structures and constraints so that churches become gathered communities of professing believers

Recapture Discerning Prayer : 

Recapture Discerning Prayer Discerning God’s will and purpose for local churches

Target Young Adults : 

Target Young Adults Reach and challenge young adults to full time Christian service

Mission Initiative : 

Mission Initiative Send two American Baptist Churches of Maine pastors annually to a mission field of one of our seven Maine missionaries (An International Ministries partnership)

A Mission Worthy of Support? : 

A Mission Worthy of Support? American Baptist Churches of Maine faithfully challenges local churches in mission and ministry.

A Mission Worthy of Support? : 

A Mission Worthy of Support? American Baptist Churches of Maine continues to do more with less financial mission support from our churches.

A Mission Worthy of Support? : 

A Mission Worthy of Support? In 2006, our churches gave: $383,031 for United Mission** $790,563 for total American Baptist Mission Support $708,944 to non-ABC missions. ** United Mission supports all American Baptist Missions, including ABCOM.

A Mission Worthy of Support? : 

A Mission Worthy of Support? In 2007 our churches gave: $290,272.00 in support of American Baptist Churches of Maine. The operating budget for 2008 is $666,786

Thank You for Your Support! : 

Thank You for Your Support! American Baptist Churches of Maine are called to challenge local churches to be all that God has called them to be.