Reflections
D. Leslie Hollon, Ph.D., Senior Pastor
Dear Brave One,
Sunday by Sunday God is renewing Trinity Baptist Church. All of which naturally connects to our May 2nd focus of “We Can Meet the Challenge.”
Our growth trends during the last year include: 250 additional worshipers on Sunday mornings & with more baptisms; positive growth trend with new members; 50% attendance growth in our Wednesday evening service & programs; an expanding music ministry; TBC members serving in Costa Rica & Ghana; doubling the number of children & families participating in Palm Sunday & Easter events; forming our Pastoral Staff Team & soon to call a new Youth Pastor; TriPoint becoming a central S.A. gathering place where the gospel is shared; launching young adult Sunday School classes; beginning online ministries and connecting with hundreds of people through Facebook, live streaming our worship services, Twitter, “My Prayer for You”; Segue, our Monday evening college worship service, more than doubling ... and the continued strengthening of many existing ministries, like our Creative Life Center, and Alpha Home.
All of this is happening by God’s grace and the dedicated service of many people. Our specific ministry plans, guided by 6 objectives, are accomplishing their intended purposes. Our May 2nd goal of a $500,000 offering is doable. The McCreless family is donating approximately $100,000 which then means our remaining goal is $400,000. By each of our 900 giving units contributing $444 - we can reach our goal. One TBC couple told me last Sunday that they will contribute $1,000 on May 2nd for the special offering and an additional $1,000 for the next 12 months. Their response conveys the contagious spirit of our Trinity family.
We are connecting the vision God is setting before us to the required financial resources for that vision to be fully realized. We immediately stepped into a $1,000,000 challenge with our 2009-10 budget, which includes a 2.5% increase in missions; returning to a needed 5.25 % for major maintenance for our mission minded facilities, not using endowment earnings from the Grantham Funds; not having cash reserves; bringing all of TriPoint into our budget; expanding other needed ministries, e.g., music, children, youth, and students
WE CAN MEET THE CHALLENGE – God’s renewed work through Trinity is made possible by the stewardship of our lives, including our finances. Our 2009-10 Ministry Plans & Budget set the direction we are pursuing. Our monthly giving ranges from 4% to 13% more than we gave last year, which is remarkably different than the decreasing trends for other churches & organizations around the country. But we boldly & unanimously approved a $4.3 million budget which called for a 26% increase in giving from 2008-09. Consequently we have a gap to close.
My image is that of a coach speaking to his team at half time (April 1 began the second half of our ministry year). “We Can Meet The Challenge” is a two prong approach that includes how to defer certain ministry expenses until later this year (or if necessary into 2010-11) and the special offering which will then close our $500,000 gap.
“We are more than conquerors through Him that loves us,” wrote the Apostle Paul to Christians in the midst of major life challenges. This promise reminds us who we are and encourages us to be strong. God sees us through to fulfill the challenges He places before us. Which is why the great renewal of Trinity Baptist Church grows stronger. Lives are being transformed through the missions & ministries that God is placing before us.
What an exciting time to be a Christ follower as a member of Trinity Baptist Church. What an important time to know “We Can Meet The Challenge.”