Who are we?  What exactly is the World Baptist Fellowship?  What difference does it make anyway?  As we seek God’s leadership and direction, and confront the needs and challenges in our world and in our church ministries, I have found that it is often helpful to come back to our identity and purpose as a fellowship of churches.  I believe our name says it all:

World – World missions, world evangelism, and church planting is our passion, inspired by the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Baptist – We clearly and unapologetically adhere to Baptist distinctives and doctrine.  From Biblical authority and the autonomy of the local church to the two offices and ordinances given to the local church, we share a common doctrine that has uniquely identified our faith and forefathers back to the very times of Christ and the apostles.  As fundamental Baptists we hold to the “fundamentals” that have been under attack in recent centuries, such as the inerrancy and infallibility of the Scriptures, the virgin birth and deity of Christ, and the bodily resurrection and return of Christ.
Fellowship – We are not a denomination, but an informal network of churches, distinct and diverse in many ways, but united and like-minded in our commitment to the Word of God and to the Great Commission, believing that together we can accomplish far more for the cause of Christ than any of our churches could ever accomplish alone.

If you believe in these principles, and have a broken heart for the unreached millions around our nation and around the world, I invite you to be a part of World Baptist Fellowship.  I want to challenge all pastors and churches, that are connected in any way to World Baptist Fellowship, to commit to helping us engage one another as churches and expand our partnerships around the country.  Imagine the impact we could have every year for the Kingdom of God:

• If pastors challenged and led their congregations to multiply and plant a new church in the next 12 to 18 months (in their own region or even further away)
• If regional fellowships committed their resources (volunteer teams and equipment) to rally around a new or struggling church with outreach events or targeted efforts
• If the national fellowship selected a home missions church planter to highlight each year with a strategic project that would give them a massive boost forward
• If pastors in unengaged regions prayed about starting new regional fellowships, such as on the west coast, the central plains, or the northeast
• If missionaries had a constantly growing and multiplying network of churches that they could contact for financial partnerships in their global calling

Yes, we need to gather for inspiration and encouragement with other pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders.  But one of the greatest ways to fuel that inspiration and encouragement as a fellowship is to cast and pursue a strategic vision together, and to gather to celebrate specific goals that have been accomplished by serving together.  We must not just be a fellowship of convictions and values, but of actions and teamwork.  Imagine what God will do!

I invite you to get engaged (or re-engaged) with World Baptist Fellowship, through our national and regional conferences, through our fellowship projects and initiatives, and through our Mission Agency and college.  Our next national meeting will be hosted by Connersville Baptist Temple, in Connersville, Indiana, under the leadership of Pastor Tim Billups (October 10-12, 2016).  Join World Baptist Fellowship in our efforts to partner together to reach the world.