To God’s Beloved At Cloverdale Baptist Church:
Why should you come to a congregational meeting?
Especially if your favourite TV show is on, or your kids are playing in a game, or need a babysitter?
We have our Annual Spring General Meeting on Tuesday, June 10, why should you come?
It is important for you to come so that we can meet our quorum and continue to function as a church in this society…but that is actually the least important of the four reasons that rise to the top.
Belonging to a local church is an essential of being a follower of Jesus, and we belong to one another. It is impossible to be a healthy Christian without belonging to a local church, and I know of NO Christian in history or now that is growing and vibrant that is not a part of a local church.
This is God’s will for us in obeying one another’s, using our spiritual gifts (Ephesians 4:11-16), and receiving nourishment and accountability (Hebrews 13:7, 17). It is God’s plan A and there is no plan B for reaching the world and growing His people.
There is much more, but if you are a member of our church family you should attend our congregational meetings because:
#1: You are a part of God’s Family:
This is a family meeting that is seeking God’s will together and it is helpful to be informed and partner with us in the Gospel pursuits he wills.
As a part of our family we want to communicate what God is doing as well as call our hearts to investing our lives in eternal ways.
Family meetings are a high priority for God’s people and usually we only have two of these kind of meetings a year…
#2: You have made a commitment to come:
When you became a member of Cloverdale Baptist Church you committed to attend these meetings. This is in the context of its importance, and our identity together as followers of Jesus…and keeping your commitment is important.
There are good reasons not to come, and grace functions as an important part of who we are, but for those who have said they are a part of our family and committed to His work here, this is a follow-through of that commitment.
This commitment is because of the value you place on following God’s Word with us, and worth following!
#3: God uses these meetings to direct His church in His ways:
As a congregationally governed church, this is actually one of our priorities in terms of seeking God’s will and God’s glory. Together we want to follow God and His Word and so we prayerfully come and commit to invest our lives in His work here and around the world.
We will at this meeting ask Sam to be a director of youth, such an important role in impacting our church family and the next generation. We will affirm elders and vote for deacons who will join our Joint Servant Team and seek to help us effectively invest the resources God has blessed us with for His glory in our budget. We believe that these are all eternity-impacting things and your joining us in pursuing God’s will is important!
I plan on being there to join you in seeking God’s will and being a part of the family of God and look forward to seeing in eternity how God used our prayers and this meeting to make a difference for His glory.
It is worth your time and effort as a part of the family of God to pray and participate for the glory of God and the good of His people!
Thankful to be a part of CBC,
Pastor Rob
PS: Lori and I are so thankful to be on our sabbatical. We love the church and are so privileged to minister to you and partner with you and are now praising God for our time together away for a short season. We are also SO THANKFUL for the treasure of a dream cruise to Hawaii!