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“A New Thing" - Isaiah
43:18-19
Iowa Baptist Conference
Annual Meeting, May 2nd-3rd,
2008
Hosted by: Edgewood Family
Fellowship, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Moderator: Pastor Craig Bex
Parliamentarian: Pastor Jarol
Duerksen
Recording Secretary: Pastor Paul
Smalley
I. Celebration and Inspiration
(Friday Evening, May 2nd)
A. Welcome and Worship
1. Pastor Craig Bex welcomed
us to Edgewood Family Fellowship and to the IBC Annual Meeting.
2. We worshiped God through
Christ, led by the praise team of Edgewood Family Fellowship.
B. IBC Church Plant Videos
1. The River’s Edge, Iowa
Falls, shared a video of their cool, contemporary worship
service, including skits, use of video clips, baptisms, and lots
of enthusiasm.
2. Daybreak Family Worship,
Des Moines, presented a video of their move to Des Moines to
start a multi-media, racially-diverse, culturally-relevant,
Bible-teaching church a year ago serving 8 neighborhoods where
50% of the people live below poverty level.
3. Two other church plants,
Genesis Church, in North Liberty, and Ironridge Church, Waukon,
were not able to share a video, but did write reports on their
progress.
*** Announcement: In the Quad
Cities the John Deere Classic golf tournament allows charities
to fundraise. We will be taking pledges to help fund our camp
counselors. Brochures are available.
C. Special Music: The
Redemption Missionary Baptist Gospel Choir from Cedar Rapids led
us in a remarkable time of rejoicing in the Lord.
D. Paul Johnson, Senior Vice
President of the Baptist General Conference
(Paul is the senior
pastor of Woodridge Church, Minnesota.)
Prayer for Dawn
Sheveland and Craig Bex. Scripture: Isaiah 43:14-24,
especially vv.18-19, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on
the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do
you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams
in the wasteland.”
Main Idea: What does it
mean when God wants to do a new thing? Was I going to live in
the comfort of my tradition, or was I willing to enter into
something new for my children? Expect God to do new things
in the desert times through dependence.
1. God does new things.
These are not our own ideas, but God’s ideas. God never stays
with the same ideas, but constantly comes up with new ideas, so
that he gets the glory. We are always more comfortable with the
tried and true.
2. God does new things in
desolate times. Notice: God does a new thing in “the
desert”—in the desperate times. Why? Verse 21, “that they may
proclaim my praise,” his holiness, his glory. God has the IBC
where he wants us; he has our attention. He is a faithful God.
God works in the desert. God opposes the proud, but gives grace
to the humble (1 Pet. 5:5). What are you expecting from God?
What are you expecting from God in the desert times?
3. God does this through
dependence: “you have not called upon me, O Jacob, you have not
wearied yourselves for me, O Israel.” (verse 22). We want to
stay in control. But it is the people who come with a heart of
dependence who see the new thing God wants to accomplish. When
was the last time you prayed for a solid hour? We need to do
that, for our prayers start so selfishly but as we continue over
time we begin to seek his will. When was the last time you
wearied yourself in prayer for God?
II. Reflection
and Information (Saturday Morning, May 3rd)
A. Skip Hansen, Iowa District
Executive Minister
1. The purpose of the Iowa
Baptist Conference is to magnify God by mobilizing and
multiplying healthy churches. It’s not just about mobilizing
and multiplying—it’s about magnifying God.
2. Consider what has
happened since 2000. Started LEAD Teams. Planted a new church
every year for the last four years. Engaged with churches
outside the conference. Sustained our finances, in part through
the funds gained by the sale of the Carlisle churches.
3. Heart Partners and Five
Loaves and Two Fishes have raised more funds, but not enough.
We need an additional $100,000 each year to keep doing what we
have done. Therefore we are here to ask the delegates
permission to explore another pathway that is sustainable. We
are asking permission to “date” our options, but not to “get
engaged.”
4. The IBC offered surveys
to over 400 people seeking their input. About 150 responded,
creating a database of ideas. Skip and Sue filtered and
organized these ideas into 12 categories. Over the last two
days, the pastors and wives have worked to create a list of
priorities. The complete list will be available on the IBC
website.
5. Short List of Options
Created by Statewide LEAD Team
a) Restart district in
Iowa
b) Become subregion of
another district
c) Merge with another
district without retaining Iowa identity
d) Divide by geography
and join neighboring district
6. The BGC will be offering
analysis and counsel, along with the other districts.
B. Worship, led by the praise
team of Edgewood Family Fellowship
C. Roman Bevz, Crossroads Youth
Ministry, Ukraine
The Ukraine Youth
Ministry travels to public schools in various villages to
preach, although they cannot pray or have an altar call. They
also do summer camps, where they can share the gospel freely.
Some campers were so excited after their conversion that they
immediately call their family and friends. The camp this year
will cost $11,000, and already 50% has been raised. If you are
interested in supporting this camp, send your donation to the
IBC.
D. Roger Sutton, Pine Lake Camp
Director
1. Last year camp hosted
about 110 groups, over 2000 people, staying some 3700
camper-days.
2. Their greatest priority
has always been evangelism: Do you know Christ as your own
Savior? There were 45 first-time decisions noted this year,
many of which took place through one-on-one conversations.
These kids need healthy churches and families to go home to.
3. Roger acknowledged the
unwavering love and constant service of the staff at camp:
Cathy, Diana, Sue, and Skip. You don’t understand how hard they
work unless you’re there.
4. Roger challenged 100
people to commit themselves to give $500 a year ($10/week) to
camp for the long term.
E. Paul Johnson, Senior Vice
President of the Baptist General Conference
1. Scripture: Isaiah
43:18-19, Acts 2:1-4.
2. When Paul and Darla
visited their previous churches, they noticed that the old
buildings, which Paul had helped build, were either destroyed or
sold. But in both cases the church took the cross with them.
Iowa Baptist Conference, don’t hold onto the past, but do take
the cross with you.
3. The Baptist General
Conference realized that its name did not communicate much.
They began looking for a new missional name: CONVERGE
WORLDWIDE. People are coming together, and coming together with
God. They also chose other key words. CONNECT together in
relationships; wait for the power of God to IGNITE us to
TRANSFORM lives.
4. Iowa is one of the
regions where “Converge” is happening. If we weary ourselves in
prayer, and are filled with the Spirit, God will lead us in a
new and better direction. Don’t just say, “My church gives to
the IBC.” Give your treasure to the IBC, and you will find that
your heart is with the IBC.
III. Decisions and Directions
(Saturday Morning, May 3rd)
A. Opening of the Business
Meeting
1. The offering for the Des
Moines church plant was $3,047.17; the offering for the Ukraine
youth ministry was $1,376.75.
2. Moderator Craig Bex
exhorted the delegates to remember that this is not a time to
pursue personal agendas or the dominance of one church over
another. Let all things be done decently and in order.
3. Moderator called the
business meeting to order.
4. Motion by Gary Plowman,
seconded, passed to accept the agenda.
B. Recognition and Election of
Leaders
1. New Pastors in the IBC:
Tim Altman (Youth, Algona), David Block (Youth/Associate, Oak
Hill), Peter Beerman (Student Ministries), Mike Fendley (Senior
Pastor, Stratford), Dave Hoffman (Youth, Muscatine), Tony Widdel
(Youth, Washington)
2. IBC Board of Overseers:
Rod Ankrom, Janet Taylor, Jarol Deurksen, Carlton Anderson, Dave
Nee, Kevin Dykstra, Scott Mealhow, Steve Clinkscales, Herb
Turin, Marlys Hocker, Craig Bex, Tony Phillips, Twila Belk
3. Election of officers done
by ballot. All officers on the ballot were overwhelmingly
elected.
C. Affiliation of New Churches
1. Seeking affiliation are
Ironridge Church, Waukon; The Rivers Edge, Iowa Falls; Genesis
Church, North Liberty; Daybreak Family Worship, Des Moines.
2. Motion, seconded, passed
to receive these churches into the IBC.
D. Budget
1. Board of Overseers
Treasurer Janet Taylor presented the Budget Report and 2008-2009
Recommendation. The IBC has no loans. The BGC is willing to
forgive the money owed by the IBC for Xtreme Steps (currently
$35,934). Due to a shortfall in donations, the IBC had to draw
$49,000 from its resources. The recommended budget is $103,000
less than last year’s budget.
2. Motion, seconded to pass
this budget. Discussion was entertained. Skip Hansen said that
the BGC has pledged two $25,000 grants for church planting in
Iowa. Question, vote by ballot. Budget approved 122-5.
E. “A New Thing”
1. Steve Clinkscales
presented a motion from the Board of Overseers that the IBC the
proposal called, “A New Thing,” that is to designate the coming
year a time of transition to explore options for our future
structure and alliance, particularly but not exclusively the
short list of options: restart the district in Iowa, or become
subregion of another BGC district, or merge with another
district without retaining Iowa identity, or divide by geography
and join neighboring district. Motion seconded.
2. Discussion entertained.
Support was expressed for the process outlined by the BOO, and
the ministry of the IBC and LEAD teams to struggling churches.
Concerns were shared that this move is financially driven; that
a merger will move our center hundreds of miles away when
churches are already disconnected. Question, vote by ballot.
Motion passed 122-5.
Motion to adjourn, second, passed.
Respectfully submitted,
Paul Smalley, Secretary
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