♦O 8, 2020
Montgomery Bap st Priori es: We will priori ze the…
 Gospel above all by mee ng human need and plan ng gospel seed
 Star ng and replan ng of churches for all people
 Equipping and sending of pastors and missionaries to the River Region and the ends of the earth.
Serving Through the Numbness
I do not have to tell you these are dire times.
Montgomery Baptists continue to manage through
the challenging waters of a pandemic, but it is
hard. Thom Rainer recently gave some pointers on
how to be your best in dire times:
- Though you may fall flat for a season, detachment
is not the answer.
- Listen more to your confidants than your feelings.
- Find joy in little victories.
- Focus more on relationships and less on strategy.
Neal Hughes - Stop blaming individuals and start solving
Director of Missions problems.
- Serve your way through the numbness.
Several of our MBA volunteer missionaries are serving through the
numbness. Conversational English has been stable for years,
hosting close to 200 internationals annually and giving them the
gospel through "English as a Second Language." Rather than face
defeat that they could not meet at First Baptist Church, they
organized leaders into several Zoom teams. Now they are reaching
out not just to Montgomery, but people in Pakistan, India, and the
ends of the earth through this electronic teaching tool.
Hurricanes do not take a day off. America has had its share, with
Alabama taking a recent hit. Despite the pandemic, Montgomery
churches organized their "Yellow Shirt Army" of Disaster Relief and
have served faithfully in Baldwin and Mobile counties. Whether it
was the chainsaw teams, chaplaincy, administration, or feeder units,
several have made their way south to minister in Jesus' name.
Credit: Reid Foster, Heritage
Montgomery Baptist Association • 20 Interstate Park Dr. • Montgomery, Alabama 36109 • 334-271-6227 • www.mgmbaptists.org
This publication is made possible by your churches’ contributions to Associational Missions.
Construction Teams have been remodeling the Love Loud Lowndes
County Mobilization Center since October 2019. It had to be done in
stages because of the extensive work and needed funds. The roof
came first, then the inside after a little fundraising. They mobilized to
renovate the interior in March when COVID-19 shut the teams down
as the pandemic swept through Lowndes County with a vengeance.
As we are climbing out of that season, a faithful few, led by Ron
Parnell and Trevor Perry, have bravely served in
risky conditions. The stages included first gutting
the interior. Next was the installation of new
electrical and plumbing followed by the ceiling
and framing. Then the HVAC was installed.
Finally, the paneling and flooring were the wrap-
ups. We will soon be able to let Hope Inspired
Ministries back into the Mobilization Center. A
small pantry will extend the Montgomery Food
Bank's reach for our MBA Lowndes County
churches to serve through.
The Center will help mobilize
teams to rural points of the
county for the ongoing ministries
into these uttermost areas. In the
Mobilization Center, along with
training stations for students from
Hope Inspired Ministries
(hopeinspiredministries.org), one
will find restrooms, a station to
make lunch, and training tables to
get missionaries organized for
deployment. There is even a shower for missionaries who serve more
than a day at a time. None of the work could have taken place without
these faithful construction workers and the faithful giving of
Montgomery Baptist churches. Thank you!
I look forward to the next steps we will take together to open up more
churches, start more Sunday schools, dare to reach out to our
communities, and serve our way through the numbness of a
pandemic. Let us pray for God's wisdom and protection. Be reminded
of the words from Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be
strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for
the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Together We Can! Neal