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Michigan Conference: ‘Our Best Days Are Still Ahead’

By December 16, 2015January 19th, 2016No Comments

MARBC_inlineFLINT, Mich.—“Pressing On!” for the glory of God in all situations of life and ministry was the focus of the annual conference of the Michigan Association of Regular Baptist Churches. Emmanuel Baptist Church in Flint hosted the conference, and Ken Floyd, MARBC executive director and a Regular Baptist Press author, says the church’s “staff and members were a great blessing to all in attendance.”

Speaking during the main sessions were Floyd, along with MARBC Council of Sixteen members Steve Ayers (pastor, Faith Baptist Church, Benzonia), Jeff Burr (pastor, Forest Hills Baptist Church, Grand Rapids), and Tom Townsend (pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Battle Creek). Each one keyed in on a particular topic from one of the four chapters of Philippians.

Seminars addressed practical ministry matters. For example, Scott Snyder, pastor of South Baptist Church in Flint, talked about ministry burnout. And Jim Howard, pastor of First Baptist Church in Cedar Springs, led a panel discussion regarding how to maintain ministry passion. The panel was comprised of veteran MARBC pastors Jim Barrett (First Baptist Church, Carson City), Doug Compton (Alpine Baptist Church, Comstock Park), and Ron Wigand (First Baptist Church, Caro).

Floyd utilized the conference theme, with its subtitle, “Our Best Days Are Still Ahead,” to talk about the vision of the MARBC. The MARBC, he said in his presentation, is committed to ministry enrichment through conferences and seminars, but also to planting and revitalizing churches. Its ministry called CPR (Church Partnering Relationships—a ministry of Caring, Praying, and Resourcing) consists of churches assisting one another in ministry.

“Dozens of churches have been involved in CPR partnerships in the past eight years throughout Michigan,” he says. “Churches have assisted by sending ministry teams or giving funds to help.”

To further its CPR ministry, the MARBC plans to establish a church-planting fund/endowment in partnership with other groups, coordinate church-planting efforts through the MARBC regional fellowships, and seek assistance from church-planting experts.

Audio and video of the conference are available at www.marbc.net.