FaithSoaring is about strengthening relationships

By George Bullard

BSC Acting Executive Director-treasurer

It appears the first decade of the 21st century will find its gravity in the midst of building relationships and community rather than in tasks and maintaining isolation. People want to come together face-to-face.

Just as Hollywood producers feared that videotape players would kill movie theaters, the long-term trends in movie house attendance is up.

In spite being able to watch almost every college and NFL football game through a special satellite package, the long-term trend is to join your friends in tailgating festivals and watching your favorite team live on location.

Even though radio, television and Internet simulcasts allow people to enjoy their favorite preacher while reading the Sunday newspaper, people continue to gather in increasing numbers at congregations where deepening relationships with God and one another builds a valuable spiritual community.

For these and other reasons, the first priority of FaithSoaring is to strengthen relationships. Our goal is to broaden and deepen relationships with leaders, congregations and associations affiliated with the Baptist State Convention (BSC).

Connecting at a deeper level with our constituents is an important priority. Often during an interim period relationships can become tentative and passive. Our priority is actually to make progress in relationships between the Convention staff and the North Carolina Baptists we claim to lead.

We intend to focus around two emphases in fulfilling this priority. First, we want to tell the stories of our leaders, congregations and associations. North Carolina Baptists are involved in numerous wonderful Great Commission activities faithful to Matthew chapters 25 and 28. These stories need to be better told in print, audio, video, and face-to-face form.

Second, we are guilty as your Convention staff of hiding, even hoarding, the great resources we have to offer our congregations. During this time of FaithSoaring we want to highlight for leaders, congregations and associations the benefits and services of BSC that enhance their ministry.

We need your help! It is hard for us to know about all the great things God is doing through North Carolina Baptist churches. We have only a limited number of eyes and ears. We want you to tell us about churches having great success in fulfilling the Great Commission. Perhaps it is even your church. We want to highlight those successes to encourage others.

Here are five ways you can do that.

First, mail them to me at George Bullard, P.O. Box 1107, Cary, NC 27512-1107. Second, fax them to me at (919) 460-7507. Third, call the FaithSoaring response line at (800) 395-5102, ext. 111. Fourth, e-mail them to me at FaithSoaring@bscnc.org. Fifth, go to www.FaithSoaring.org and post them as a comment on a web log.

Your comments can affirm our strengths, reveal our weaknesses and inform our direction. Thank you for participating.