Fellowship Baptists discern the future priorities of the Fellowship June 19 in Memphis during CBF’s General Assembly. Photo by Rod Reilly
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — In the first day of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s General Assembly in Memphis, Tenn., Fellowship Baptists began a two-day prayer and discernment process about CBF’s future ministry priorities.
“Now we have come to a time in the life of this movement when we are healthy and strong enough to step back and ask, ‘What has God prepared for us now?’” CBF moderator Harriet Harral told the Assembly during the June 19 business session. “In what new or improved ways are we now being called to step out on faith to follow Christ and serve God better?”
“We do not yet have answers, but we are excited about the questions we are bringing to this General Assembly for you to pray over so that together we can seek God’s answers,” she said.
The Assembly considered these questions during an hour-long guided discernment Thursday. Divided into groups by state or region, Fellowship Baptists discussed potential priorities in smaller groups. Each group was given a list of potential priorities – determined by nearly a year of discernment times with other groups within the Fellowship. The strategic prioritization began in the fall with CBF staff, the Coordinating Council and state and regional organizational leadership. The priorities fall under seven categories:
o Broadening the CBF community
o Utilization of resources
o Training and development
o Missional engagement
o Honoring race, gender and generations
o Interacting with the world community
o Spirituality
On June 20, the Assembly reconvenes in discernment groups to offer feedback through a survey. Each group will also write their ideas on posters, which will be displayed in the Resource Fair for the remainder of the Assembly.
In his afternoon address to the Assembly, CBF Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal said discernment starts with remembering the providence and presence of God over the Fellowship’s last 17 years.
“We cannot discern the present and future without reflecting on the past,” he said. “Whatever CBF becomes will be determined by providence. But my understanding of providence is that we are asked to make decisions that have real consequences. We help shape the future by our actions and choices.”
Vestal also asked the Assembly to reflect on God’s mission, the vital role of the local church, and how God’s abiding promises are central to the discernment process.
“CBF exists to further the mission of God,” he said. “Our future is as bright as the promises of God and our willingness to believe those promises and act upon them,” he said.
An online version of the ministry priority survey will be available online 10 a.m. June 19 through 5 p.m. June 24. To access the survey, visit www.thefellowship.info/discernment.
CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.