Discover, Develop, & Demonstrate ...

I’ve been the pastor here for five months and let me let you in on what I’ve been doing. Not that it’s a secret! I’ve been spending a lot of time hearing the stories of this congregation. Hearing your life stories and your hopes and dreams for First Baptist. The spectrum has been shared with me. From hearing frightening personal accounts of 9/11 to personal joys of weddings and new grandchildren. Throughout these encounters, I have initiated what I like to call, the “3-D’s” approach to ministry. The first “D” is to Discover what the gifts, strengths, and needs of the congregation are through our conversations. In spring, we will begin the Developing phase, where we will look at our vision, mission, and dream together where we sense God is calling us to be and how we can accomplish that reality together. The next phase will be to Demonstrate that vision and celebrate together as we live into God’s promise for us. It’s important to note that these “3-D’s” not static but are an ongoing process, where we are always discovering, developing, and demonstrating God’s amazing possibilities.

Make no mistake; we have amazing possibilities before us. Our job is to discover, develop, and demonstrate these opportunities within ourselves and within our congregation. That’s what being a disciple of Christ is all about: learning to see ourselves as God see’s us – the beloved children of God, and helping others to realize this truth for themselves. The Gospel message of love, grace, compassion and mercy is too important not to be shared. It reminds me of an exchange I read in the popular adolescent fiction trilogy Divergent, where a mother is asking her son to help her in leading group of people who have are leaderless and he responds that he is not important. His mother responds, “Fair enough, but what I’m asking of you is to become important!”

Are we ready to become important to White Plains as a congregation? Are we ready to invest is the messy process of creating a community that sees nothing more important than extending the table of Christ’s love and reconciliation with the world? I think that I’ve discovered that Frist Baptist is and that gets me excited to be your pastor as we seek to discover, develop and demonstrate the loving possibilities of God! If you are seeking a church home, we might just be the place for you as we embark upon a mission of God's leading. Come grow with us!