A Family of Baptist Congregations in the Midlands of South Carolina
Our One Priority: Starting and Strengthening Churches to Serve as Vital and Vibrant Missional Communities.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Worship Celebration, Monday, January 17th
(See the full announcement Here.)
Dr. David Emmanuel Goatley will be the keynote speaker at the 2022
Martin Luther King Jr Celebration Worship Service held January 17 at 6:00 p.m. in the Boyce Chapel at First Baptist Columbia. Dr. Goatley is the former executive director of the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Society and current Associate Dean for Academic and Vocational Formation, Research Professor of Theology and Christian Ministry and Director of Black Church Studies at Duke Divinity School of Duke University. He is also a friend and ministry colleague of CMBA Executive Director George Bullard for more than 20 years.
Bullard observed, “I am pleased to have David Goatley as our speaker this year. His work among Baptists throughout the world empowers him to speak with experience, authority, and spiritual maturity into the issues of racial reconciliation in the Baptist Christian experience. He is an insightful and inspiring speaker regarding how we should encounter one another in the diversity of our faith and our world. He was scheduled to be our speaker last year, but we did not conduct an on-site celebration due to the pandemic. I urge Baptists throughout the Midlands and the state to join us for this Celebration Worship Service.”
Dr. Andre Rogers, CMBA Mobilizer and pastor of Concord Fellowship, says Dr. Goatley’s address is timely for the unique challenges facing churches in 2022, including the pandemic and Critical Race Theory. “Our churches are looking for answers and direction as we fulfill the Great Commandment in light of the Great Commission. Dr. Goatley is a seasoned scholar and churchman. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. paved the way for schools like Duke University to consider African American scholars. I’m particularly excited about celebrating MLK Day because this gives our churches a chance to live out Dr. King’s dream. Dr. Goatley will inspire our churches with a common touch without tainting us.”
Pray for Our Family of Congregations in the Midlands of South Carolina
- Pray for the Executive Director Search Team as they seek the next Executive Director. Send recommendations through January 21st to chairperson – Ryan Dupree — ryandupree@fbccola.com.
- Pray for two congregations in dialogue about merging with one another.
- Pray for a congregation who is running out of resources to function in a community of 7,000 people who needs partner congregations, and perhaps one who will fully adopt this community.
- Pray for continuing wisdom for each congregation to know how to best respond to the pandemic.
Our One Priority Briefing and the Our One Priority Briefing Online Gathering are made possible by the financial gifts of the member and network connection congregations of the Columbia Metro Baptist Association at www.ColumbiaMetro.org, CMBA@ColumbiaMetro.org, or 803.619.7110. To donate to CMBA go to https://www.columbiametro.org/donate/. Congregations can make their general contributions through this link. Congregations, missions groups and individuals can designate gifts to the Congregational Grant Fund, hunger ministry, disaster response, and Baptist Collegiate Ministry.