Presidential Missive
PRESIDENTIAL MISSIVE – FALL SUMMIT 2014
To our host church Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church, Dr. Robert Eadie host Pastor, as well as Tri-States District Association, Dr. A. S. Rhodes, Moderator who serve as Co-Host.
We approach this Summit giving thanks to God for the wonderful things that He has done for us as a State Convention. We are in the final nine months of this Presidential term and our voices rise high to say, “The Lord has done great things for us whereof we are glad”.
I would like to extend congratulations and a warm welcome to the President of the National Baptist Convention of America International, incorporated, The Honorable Reverend Samuel C. Tolbert, M.Div. to the Pacific Northwest on his Presidential tour reaching out to communicate with the delegates of N. B. C. A. for the next few days. We will host a quaint State Dinner in his honor, as well as have a private executive committee meeting with him to discuss how we can partner toward the success of his Presidential journey. On Friday, during our general session President Tolbert will address our Summit Delegation. We will do our best to further Denominational pursuits, and financial partnership with our National Convention affiliations.
This week we will for the first time in this administration use this Summit as the planning summit for the ensuing year of our convention we will receive direction for 2015 and beyond this week.
We welcome back for the second year Dr. James Martin, Senior Pastor of the Mount Olivet Baptist Church, Portland, Oregon for a summit with Pastors and Associate ministers to help pastors cast their vision for their church ministry. We also welcome Dr. David Goatley, Executive Director of Lott Carey Global Missions, as we continue to work on our five year plan to recast missions to the world through our convention.
In the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Jesus comments: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”
Missions is serving Christ throughout the world and it is the compassion of our Lord exemplified by the hands of the Church. While reading “With Head and Heart”, I am moved by the many Pauline-Types of journeying Dr. Thurman took in the third-world countries. The poverty stricken areas that have similar and yet quite a different spirituality of faith, yet his resolve to learn and give the missionary hand of support, the hand of Jesus Christ is precious ministry.
Such is my vision of approach and work within the Convention Work of the Pacific Northwest. The Lott Carey movement was founded in 1897 by African American Baptists who were committed to a substantial foreign missions thrust – especially on the African continent. They believed that nothing should distract the church from executing its primary objective of advancing God’s mission throughout the world. Since the founding, Lott Carey Foreign Mission Convention has single-mindedly invested in Christian missions around the world.
The Movement carries the name of the Reverend Lott Carey, who was one of the first American and Baptist missionaries to West Africa. He was born enslaved in 1780 in Charles City County, Virginia, Lott Carey purchased his freedom in 1813. He led a pioneering missionary team to Liberia in 1821 that engaged in evangelism, education, and health care. Rev. Carey became a well- respected and gifted leader as well as missionary until his death in 1828. He was also the organizing pastor for the First Baptist Church in Liberia – the Providence Baptist Church in Monrovia (Lott Carey History page).
In and through the engagement of our adult parent body as well as what I trust will be the bringings on so to speak of our Youth – Generation NOW the General Baptist of the Northwest will be richly blessed of the Lord our Christ while we embark on the pursuit to Lift Him Up: “How to reach the masses men of every birth for an answer Jesus gave the key. And I if I be lifted up from the earth I’ll draw all men unto me. Oh, the world is hungry for the living bread lift the Savior up for men to see. Trust Him and do not doubt a word that He says, I’ll draw all men unto me. Don’t exalt the preacher, don’t exalt the pew, Preach the Gospel simple, full and free; Prove Him and you will find that promise is true, “I’ll draw all men unto Me.” Lift Him up by living as a Christian ought, Let the world in you the Savior see; Then men will gladly follow Him Who once taught, “I’ll draw all men unto Me.” Lift Him up, Lift Him up, Still He speaks from eternity: “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto Me.”
The Reverend Albert Wayne Johnson
President
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