72 churches, missions welcomed into the GBC

COLLEGE PARK - Georgia Baptists added 72 churches last year through new starts and congregations voting to affiliate with the state convention.

Of those 73 congregations, 42 were new works which were begun between the Sept. 1, 2003 and Aug. 31, 2004 reporting period. Ethnics reported the highest number with 20 of the 42 new launches, followed by 15 Anglo and 7 African-American.

A total of 28 previously existing congregations affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention during the year. Of those, seven were African-American, one was Korean, and the remaining 20 were Anglo.

Two African-American churches which affiliated with the convention but are not currently members of any association were the only churches in the at-large category, bringing the total to 72.

Next year Georgia Baptists have set a goal for starting at least 100 new churches and missions as part of the "What Now, Georgia?" evangelism emphasis.

"Georgia Baptist churches and associations continue to partner together and start healthy kingdom churches throughout the state," said Jim Millirons, who oversees New Church Development Ministries with the GBC. "People are being saved and transformed by the power of the gospel, and are being assimilated into all kinds of Georgia Baptist churches.

"We are making an impact as churches intentionally multiply planters and churches together. We have new city and county churches. We have suburban churches. We even have biker and cowboy churches, as readers learned from a page one story in The Index on Sept. 23."

Millirons noted the ministry of Gary Lamb, who launched Ridge Stone Church in Canton earlier this year with more than 200 in worship. Six individuals came to Christ on that first Sunday.

He also referred to 1027 church in Midtown Atlanta, which was begun in 2003 but already added a second congregation this year.

"Everybody needs a church, but not everyone will come to our churches as they now exist, whether because of their own prejudices or because they do not offer a ministry that touches their perceived need," Millirons said.

"God is orchestrating a church planting movement around the world, and we regularly see indications of His hand at work in our state."

Jerry Baker, who supervises Language Missions Ministries for the convention, said, "The heart of language missions is ethnic church planting. Again this year, we rejoice to see the number of new language/culture congregations started during the 2003-2004 church year. Next year could be a record year with 30 new works begun.

"We pray that each of the new congregations will start another new church/mission in the next two years. These new churches are building the future of the Georgia Baptist Convention."

GBC Executive Director J. Robert White thanked Georgia Baptists for their commitment to church planting.

"Janice and I rejoiced greatly on the occasions of the birth of our three daughters and now we are having grandchildren and the rejoicing continues. We now have five grandchildren under the age of four and a sixth grandbaby on the way this spring.

"God has been so wonderful to our family and we are so grateful. There is very similar rejoicing on the occasion of the birth of each new congregation. Georgia Baptists celebrated the birth of 72 new congregations at this year's convention. Some of these were children and some were grandchildren, but they all came into our Georgia Baptist family and so we rejoice!

"What do I mean by children and grandchildren? When a mother church gives birth to a new church and then that church gives birth to a new church, you have a grandchild. That is also the way we see rapid multiplication. For a church to plant a church brings great joy, but when the mother church sees the church to which it gave birth planting additional churches, the joy is multiplied.

"To God be the glory!"