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.
Talk Tomorrow/Tuesday with Ryan Burge About His Newly Released Book on The Nones
Our One Priority Briefing Live! tomorrow/Tuesday, April 27th at 2:00 p.m. will be a videoconference interview with researcher, professor, author, and pastor Ryan Burge. The link for the live session – that will be recorded – is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82096987749.
Ryan Burge is a political science professor and a Baptist church pastor. The book, on unaffiliated people, is The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going. Click here to see and buy the book. Or, if you are from a CMBA congregation and attend the videoconference interview, we will send you one for free.
“People who grew up in faith communities but left them when they moved into adulthood, all have a story to tell.” “We should be seeking out people willing to tell their stories, and inviting them to tell us, and listening—really listening—to them” (p. 129)
Join George Bullard for a Roundtable Gathering for a Meal and Dialogue
CMBA congregational pastors and staff persons are invited to join George Bullard for Roundtable Gathering during May and June that involves a meal and dialogue about the vitality and vibrancy of your congregation and other congregations present for the roundtable. 
We will buy lunch and provide a book or other resource for each person who attends. The goal is to have no more than six or seven people at each gathering so we can have in-depth conversations around a table to build fellowship and to dialogue about the opportunities and challenges of our congregations.
Click here to see the schedule and register for a Roundtable Gathering.
Teaching Generosity in Your Congregation
Tuesday, May 18th is the next Our One Priority Briefing Live! lunch and speakers in the Student Building at North Trenholm Baptist Church. The speakers are Nathan McCarthy, President/CEO, and Jacque Wenger, Director of Ministry Advancement for the Baptist Foundation of SC. The lunch is at noon, the speakers begin at 12:30 p.m. and the program is over by 1:30 p.m. Lunch reservations are needed and may be made HERE.
As we emerge out of the pandemic, this is a great time for congregations to look at how we are encouraging generosity of our members and active attendees. During this session, you will learn methods for using God’s blessings for His purposes and how generosity at its core is a matter of the heart.
CMBA staff and mobilizers are engaged with each of these congregations as part of our focus on new congregational expressions. Lead and assisting congregations in our family are encouraged to pray for and support the ministry of these congregations.