Recently, I shared in conversation with five pastors of newly planted churches in the Washington Region. Dr. Robert Cochran, of DCBC’s Center for Congregational Health, Evangelism, and Discipleship has convened church planters and new pastors for several years, helping them to cultivate relationships with each other, and introducing them to a larger network of people and resources regionally and nationally. Three of the pastors in that conversation were born outside North America, and serve persons of diverse ethnic backgrounds for whom English is not their primary language. The two English-speaking pastors each articulated unique and compelling visions of the outreach and discipling ministries that God is calling them to lead.

As I became better acquainted with these pastors over lunch, I shared from my heart concerning DCBC’s purpose and Vision 2010: Congregations Cooperating In Missions. As these pastors discussed their own sense of call and passion for ministry, the Holy Spirit fanned the flame within my soul for the urgency of our Christian mission and the criticality of Baptist unity to a faithful expression of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Washington Region. I was also moved by the thought that our heritage as DC Baptists is really one of sharing God’s gifts among Baptists from all walks of life in order that we might empower and compel one another to share Christ with the whole world.

Our regional population has grown steadily in recent years. The diversity of un-churched persons converging here from around the world is staggering. No one church can reach all the people in our region. Through sharing, however, we can make a huge impact for advancing God’s reign in the hearts and minds of unbelievers.

DCBC’s mission is to share a vision of the scale and scope of ministry and mission possible in the national Capital region and beyond. Through our four mission centers, we are sharing resources given by God in the form of the gifts and talents embodied in DCBC staff, church leaders, volunteers, and denominational partners. We are sharing curricula and tools for healthy churches that pray, worship and proclaim the Gospel faithfully; that disciple believers, evangelize the neighbors, give sacrificially, provide for ministerial leadership, and practice community ministries. We are sharing ministry strategies that work in our complex environment. Also, we are sharing a myriad of financial and material resources through partnerships, grants, scholarships, loans, facilities, consultation, denominational products and services, and much more.

Representatives from the whole world have gathered in our yard, Praise God! Like the first church at Pentecost that was gifted with many languages to proclaim God’s wonderful works to all who gathered in Jerusalem, so too DC Baptists are called out men and women that are gifted with many languages, talents and passions to declare the year of the Lord to contemporary generations. What a wonderful assignment! What an amazing field of mission upon which to tell the story both in word and deed of God’s bleeding love for humanity.
I challenge you to prayerfully consider how you can share your resources with the wider Baptists family in our region to fulfill Christ’s mission for the church. The Lord Loves Cheerful Givers!