00:00:00.000 - 00:00:24.080

[ Silence ] [ Music ] >> Southern Baptists in the last quarter of the 20th century are uniquely equipped to carry out the Great Commission.

00:00:24.080 - 00:00:44.700

And a major effort toward this goal is bold mission thrust. The energies of 35,000 churches and 13 million members are being turned toward giving every person an opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel, and a chance to worship and minister in a New Testament fellowship of believers.

00:00:44.700 - 00:01:06.260

Within this mission effort, there are four target areas of concern, cultural and lifestyle groups, transitional communities, key counties, and cities. [MUSIC PLAYING] Large numbers of persons are separated

00:01:06.260 - 00:01:22.380

from the mainstream of Christian witness because of their language, culture, or lifestyle. They need to be shown God's love and Christian fellowship. but often they're isolated, out of reach and out of touch.

00:01:22.380 - 00:01:35.460

In the last census, 48% of the population identified themselves as belonging to a cultural group other than Anglo-American. This group includes not only blacks, but Spanish, Indian,

00:01:35.460 - 00:01:49.820

and 122 other ethnic backgrounds. Half of all blacks live in the South, but less than 1/4 of 1% of Southern Baptist Convention membership is black. Ethnics comprise only one to one and a half percent of

00:01:49.820 - 00:02:14.540

Southern Baptists. In addition, the U.S. is presently seeing its third largest era of immigration. More than 54 percent of all Asians immigrating to the U.S. in its 200-year history have arrived in the past 25 years, and about 90 percent of all ethnics live in urban areas. Other persons are isolated by behavior, role, or

00:02:14.540 - 00:02:43.960

or lifestyle. This bold mission thrust target of concern includes them as well. Some examples are alcoholics, criminals, the mentally or emotionally disturbed, singles, divorcees, migrants, the aging, mentally retarded or handicapped. Catalytic missionaries work with one or more language groups to initiate new work and discover leadership for new ethnic

00:02:43.960 - 00:02:59.380

congregations. Laser church growth teams conduct intensive community surveys to locate ethnic groups, share the gospel in the language and culture of the people, and begin new congregational expressions.

00:02:59.380 - 00:03:16.800

Like a laser beam focuses light, the project focuses attention on the needs of the ethnic community. churches can participate in either of these ethnic ministries or begin cross-cultural outreach such as language department Sunday schools, English

00:03:16.800 - 00:03:40.420

classes, assistance in shopping, home Bible fellowships, and citizenship classes. Persons in lifestyle groups often are responsive to visitation, chaplaincy work, meals on wheels, and other types of ministries which emphasize personal relationships. It used to be such a nice neighborhood, but when all kinds of people

00:03:40.420 - 00:04:00.600

began moving in, the property values dropped. We thought it was time to get out. Southern Baptists have often fled transitional communities, yet the 40 million Americans living in the nation's inner cities compose a mission field equal to the population of these 11 states. Most of the people living in the

00:04:00.600 - 00:04:20.680

inner city are untouched by the church. Do we think God's love and the fellowship of Christians are only for middle-class Americans? If not, we need to show it through bold mission thrusts effort to help churches cope with change and minister where they are. We must support pastors and churches who

00:04:20.680 - 00:04:44.440

minister in transitional communities and encourage them to stay. Their job isn't easy. They experience loss of leadership, relating to a new culture, generation gaps among members, and declines in membership and financial support. Often such churches are branded as failures in the eyes of success-oriented Baptists. As

00:04:44.440 - 00:05:04.920

part of bold mission thrust, the Home Mission Board's Department of Metropolitan Missions is cooperating with SBC agencies and state leadership to administer PROJECT, Assistance for Churches in Transition. The PROJECT puts trained consultants and denominational resources in touch with churches who need

00:05:04.920 - 00:05:22.400

help. PACT consultants lead the church to redefine its identity, define needs and adjust church programs according to the people in the community. The people are urged to cooperate with other churches in the association because the problems

00:05:22.400 - 00:05:38.320

easily exceed the resources of a single church. Suburban churches can be partners spiritually and financially in supporting mission ministries in transitional areas. Ministries like remedial education, recreation,

00:05:38.320 - 00:05:53.960

music, language, culture, evangelism, family and children services, rehabilitation groups, chaplaincy, medical care, food, and clothing. Significant growth may or may not take place.

00:05:53.960 - 00:06:06.680

This is not the issue. Will the church be on mission to its community, sharing the love of God with its neighbors? Jesus dwelt among those to whom he sought to minister.

00:06:06.680 - 00:06:24.840

The church can do no less. All of these needs exist in a particular setting, from teeming cities to scenic countryside. The aim of key counties and key cities target areas

00:06:24.840 - 00:06:36.800

is to coordinate strategy planning to meet the specialized needs of each place. The Home Mission Board has identified 600 counties as under-evangelized counties.

00:06:36.800 - 00:06:52.420

Some have no Christian witness at all. In other counties, the present witness simply cannot reach the entire community. Planned new communities, retirement areas, and apartment complexes are just a few of the special types of witness needs.

00:06:52.420 - 00:07:13.720

As persons exit from the cities to find a quieter, less hectic environment, as new towns and industries develop, there must be churches and Christians there to share the gospel. Resort areas demand a different type of witness strategy in which summer missionaries, volunteers, and mission service corps workers can serve a vital role.

00:07:13.720 - 00:07:34.960

Last, the Sunbelt states have received floods of new residents in the past few years. By AD 2000, nearly half the population is expected to live there. A consultant has been assigned to each state containing key counties. These Home Mission Board staff members are familiar with the process of surveying needs

00:07:34.960 - 00:07:52.820

and planning ministries to meet them. A mission church may be needed in one place, a single parent's Bible study in another. Perhaps a daycare center is the method of ministry in another community. The consultants help local leadership channel the church's and association's energies

00:07:52.820 - 00:08:12.240

in the right direction. The other type of setting is key cities. The map shows the 25 key cities designated as models by the Home Mission Board. Generally, these are urban areas with one million or more residents and a high number of unreached persons.

00:08:12.240 - 00:08:40.340

Other features include political centers, military bases, tourist attractions, and university centers. A key city may include all of the target area needs and more. Its depersonalized mobile setting often hinders efforts to witness. In key city projects, state leadership, local associations, and the Home Mission Board consultants decide on a national strategy.

00:08:40.340 - 00:09:03.020

These trained consultants serve as resource persons to help churches and associations develop strategy for reaching the people of key cities. They determine needs and objectives while working with local leaders. They plan projects and ministries to reach the goals. Part of bold mission thrust success will depend on Mission Service Corps

00:09:03.020 - 00:09:22.900

volunteers and bivocational pastors, perhaps Southern Baptist's greatest untapped resource. Many rural and inner-city churches cannot financially support a pastor to minister and coordinate outreach, but a pastor or volunteer willing to support himself or herself can make the crucial difference

00:09:22.900 - 00:09:42.180

in both situations. Whereas their training is valuable to the church, their bivocation gives them a chance to build relationships within the community they seek to reach. They are just as worthy of being paid for their Christian labor as their fellow workers, but they are willing to sacrifice to serve in the places of greatest need.

00:09:42.180 - 00:10:02.940

Simply stated, Southern Baptists are showing that evangelism is more than just talk. The average American is bombarded with messages every day, selling everything from soap to sandwiches. Ministry must accompany the message if it is to be heard at all.

00:10:02.940 - 00:10:19.500

God created us to relate to him and to relate to each other. So many of the persons we need to reach through bold mission thrust are cut off, not only from God, but from other people. We've declared them unclean, untouchable.

00:10:19.500 - 00:10:34.220

They don't talk like us, dress like us. They're not neat and clean like us. They're old, handicapped, retarded, wealthy, poor, divorced. They're violent, drunk, hungry, angry.

00:10:34.220 - 00:10:52.780

There are a million different things, but they're not like us. Jesus confronted depersonalization at every turn. Today, he'd give a name and face to every person on the street or driver on the highway. He had touched them. No matter what their malady, He had touched them.

00:10:52.780 - 00:11:14.780

Nothing is so meaningful as to take another human being seriously. To touch them. And until someone is touched by the love of a Christian, they'll not be touched by the love of Christ. Bold caring. Bold sharing. Bold going. Bold giving. Bold doing.

00:11:14.780 - 00:11:42.740

It's up to us. [Music] (static) [ Silence ]