KEVIN SMITH, Executive Director Mid-Atlantic Baptist Network
Greetings Maryland/Delaware Baptists!
It’s been a fast-paced summer since the General Mission Board elected me to serve as Executive Director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware. It has been a privilege to meet many of you, hear your testimonies, and learn about your particular church, church plant, or ministry. I look forward to meeting many more of you.
Since I am a preacher, and many sermons have three points, let me share three points with you.
Call to join us!
First, let me invite you to attend our annual meeting in north Baltimore this November 13-15. There will be some usual features, but I’m most excited to begin our meeting, on Sunday night, with an extended time of prayer. Our conference theme is drawn from the disciples’ model of prayer prior to the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. In light of that scripture, I’m inviting us (as a convention) to be “United in Prayer, Seeking Christ’s Spirit.” As a demonstration of our unity, I’ve invited brothers and sisters from all over the convention to participate in leading various parts of this prayer meeting. Even if you are unable to stay for the entire annual meeting, please make a special effort to gather for this convention-wide time of prayer on Sunday night, November 13.
Call for Prayer
Second, please pray that our state convention will move into a fresh season of strengthening our churches and planting new churches. It is clear that our society is moving in a direction that provides great opportunity to be faithful witnesses of Jesus Christ. This is, certainly, no time for nominal religion or vague spirituality. It is a time to obey Jesus’ commandment (Matthew 22:36-40) and His commission (Matthew 28:18-20). From Annapolis to Dover, Wilmington to Cumberland, Baltimore to Silver Spring, may Jesus Christ be Lord of our thoughts, our words, and our actions – in our homes, our churches, our associations, and our state convention. May we have a fresh season of celebrating evangelism, baptisms, discipleship, holiness, and joy in the Lord!
Call for Cooperation
Third, please pray for a Christ-honoring, cooperative spirit among Southern Baptists in Maryland/Delaware. Cooperation – that’s the Southern Baptist way. Surely it is clear that Baptists can do more together than any of us can do individually. One characteristic of the early church, after they were filled with Jesus’ Spirit, was the way they held things “in common” (Acts 2). They were a family, and they shared like a family. Whether the first national gathering for the purpose of missions in 1814, or the creation of the Cooperative Program in 1925, Baptist have realized the value of cooperative ministry. We cooperate with our fellow church members, other churches in our convention, and with our mission boards – the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board. Let us foster the spiritual traits of humility, graciousness, mercy, patience, selflessness, which strengthen our fellowship. In other words, let us have the mind of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:1-11).
Again, it is a joy to greet you as your newly-elected Executive Director. In the days ahead, I pray that we will be animated by a common desire – Maryland, Delaware, and beyond, for the glory of Jesus Christ!
Brother Kevin