March 2011 Press toward the Mark

“In like a lion, out like a lamb,” is a common description of March.  March Madness and St. Patrick’s Day are to be found among other March occurrences.

Many will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day for significantly different reasons.  Some will celebrate it to honor the historical and cultural contributions of the country of Ireland while others will remember the priest Patrick who introduced Catholicism to Ireland.  Still yet, others may celebrate the day indulging in intoxicating revelry while others merely wear green as an acknowledgment of Irish friends and for clean fun.

Celebrations are an important part of life, family, community, and country.  What we celebrate reflects our values.  March provides several personal occasions for celebration: my birthday, the birthday of one of my sisters, and the anniversary of the first sermon I preached in a church.

Calvary Baptist Church sponsored a mission in the Pfeiffer community north of Batesville, Arkansas.  Our youth group led a weekend revival at the mission.  Before I preached my first sermon in a church on that Saturday night, my younger Arkansas sister was born.  While I hesitate to reveal her age, I preached my first sermon in a church 46 years ago March 27.  Later, I became a church planter in that community using the same facility.  That church continues today reaching people for Jesus.

Southern Baptists celebrate “Start a Church Sunday” on March 27 this year.  Mission Ohio exists to assist Ohio Southern Baptist churches and associations obey the Great Commission in part by reaching 1,000,000 believers in Ohio through 2,020 congregations by the end of 2020.  Our Father has blessed us with 202 new congregations since 1995.  That number represents 28% of our total congregations.  The last Annual Church Profile report revealed that 24% of all baptisms in Ohio Southern Baptist churches came from these 202 congregations.

The Cooperative Mission Program, the North American Mission Board, and the Ray Roberts State Mission Offering have supported these church starts and other ministries.  Thank you for your support of Mission Ohio.

All of this is worthy of celebration.  The celebration of people being saved and discipled through the ministry of New Testament churches is most worthy.  Yet, millions of lost people have yet to hear a clear and accurate presentation of the Gospel in Ohio.  Until Jesus calls us home, Mission Ohio is committed to taking the gospel to Ohio and to the ends of the earth.  Let’s press toward that mark.