A Partnership of Georgia Baptist Churches Sowing and Sharing the Gospel
What if?
What if every Georgia Baptist church prayed and partnered
toge ther to saturate Georgia's communities with the seeds
of the Gospel using their unique gifts and resources?
What if?
What if he sowing occurred simultaneously to maximize
the possibility that every member of the communities would
hear the Gospel?
THAT is what ACROSS GEORGIA 2010 is all about...
• Every Church Caring
• Every Believer Sharing
• Every Georgian Hearing
Did you know?
- Georgia’s population is 9.7 million.
- Approximately 6.8 million do not know Christ as Savior.
- There are almost 2000 lost people for every Georgia Baptist church.
“The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
Therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
Matthew 9:37b-38 NKJV
the Task
To fulfill the Great Commission in Georgia by providing inspiration, instruction, and information to Georgia Baptists for the purpose of sharing the Gospel and bringing people to personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
the Plan
The North American Mission Board and the Georgia Baptist Convention are partnering together with Georgia’s associations and churches to navigate more energy toward reaching the lost.
The plan is called God's Plan for Sharing (GPS). Effectiveness in evangelism will occur as every church engages in:
- Praying for those who do not know Christ.
- Engaging/Equipping believers in effectively sharing their faith.
- Sowing the Gospel so that the lost community hears the good news.
- Harvesting as congregations celebrate those who trust in Christ.
the Results
“The stories just keep coming as to how God is using GPS to help our association of churches focus on reaching our lost world for Jesus. Perhaps the testimony below will encourage you!”
--Larry Cheek, Stone Mountain Associational Missionary & Across Georgia Pilot Director
“I wanted you to know that this past Sunday we baptized eight people. Four people in the first service and 12 others in the second made decisions to follow Christ... I had no idea things would line up so beautifully. Thank you for your leadership in the GPS. Keep pressing on.”
--Brandon Stanley, Pastor - CrossRoads Baptist Church, Social Circle
a Flexible Strategy
Every church--new and established; contemporary, traditional or blended in style; north, south, east, and west--can connect to this strategy.
Every Georgia Baptist church is challenged to engage their congregation in one or more of the following intentional evangelistic initiatives:
1. Prepare and host an evangelistic revival.
2. Implement a servant or community evangelism project.
3. Take the scripture to every home in its community.
4. Train every member to share the Gospel through their Sunday School or small group gatherings.
OR -------------
5. Implement a personalized local evangelistic effort that you have found to be effective.
Key Steps for Implementation
1. Consider putting together a leadership team to build a plan to involve your congregation.
2. Determine the timing of implementation.
Three options are suggested:
a. Participate in the wave described on the map below to maximize saturation of the Gospel being shared in your area.
b. Consider implementation during the 30 days leading up to Easter to maximize the openness of the unchurched to attend worship services on that day.
3. Check with your local association for plans, partnership with other congregations, and suggestions applicable to your community.
4. Visit the following websites for suggestions, ideas, resources and training opportunities: evan.gabaptist.org, namb.net, gps2020.net, mv.gabaptist.org.
5. Develop a plan for prayer walking and praying for your community leading up to the implementation.
6. Determine how to engage the greatest number of your congregation as possible in your initiative and how to maximize the number of unchurched who will be touched by your efforts.
7. Implement your plan and sow the Gospel as abundantly as possible using the evangelistic initiative that corresponds best to your church's strengths.
8. Plan and calendar a service for celebrating the harvest of those who trust Christ. Include plans for baptism, follow-up, baptism services, New Believer classes and/or eimploy other follow-up strategies.
A Culminating Challenge - Maximum Participation Will Yield Maximum Results
Consider involving your congregation in a Judean Mission Project. Every mission trip has purpose and value. Take your congregation from your "Jerusalem" to your "Judea" by participating in a mission effort in a Georgia population center in the summer of 2010. See map below: June-July Atlanta Perimeter.
One of the greatest opportunities lies within the perimeter of Georgia's largest city, Atlanta. The city contains a population of over 800,000 people with estimates as high as 90% lost. Within the perimeter of Atlanta there are only 88 Georgia Baptist churches. Almost 10,000 lost people exist for every church inside the perimeter. It is truly a mission field. Please contact Mission Volunteers of the Georgia Baptist Convention to discover a variety of opportunities that are awaiting your congregation in the summer of 2010. Call 770.936.5346 or visit mv.gabaptist.org to get connected.
Click here to learn about Across Georgia 2010 Summer Mission Opportunities in Atlanta and how to register.
Pray! Equip! Sow! Harvest!
Can you envision the possibilities of every Georgia Baptist church participating?
Can you envision the blessing of a majority of your congregation engaging?
It can happen... Let it begin with you!
Click here to download a PowerPoint presentation on Across GA 2010, English Version
Click here to download a PowerPoint presentation on Across GA 2010, Spanish Version
“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” 2 Corinthians 9:6 NKJV
