Over the next two weeks, First Baptist Church has to make three very important decisions.

We will elect deacons who will serve for the next two years, we must ratify the 2016 budget for FBC, and we must decide whether to move forward with our new building.

I don’t think I have to tell you how important these decisions are for the future and ministry of our church. I, and the church, need you to be active, informed, and present for these decisions.

Only members of First Baptist Church are eligible to vote on these decisions.

You are a member if you have specifically chosen to apply for membership at First Baptist Church and have been elected by the church to the church membership.

We want those who love Christ and want to follow Him in obedience to be members of our church. You can apply for membership in one of several ways: you can walk to the front and talk with a  pastor during the time of the invitation at the end of the sermon. You can attend our discovery class Sunday, November 15, at 5 PM in the fellowship hall. At that time, we will discuss the process of becoming a member of First Baptist Church. Or, you can meet privately with one of the pastors and let us walk you through the process.

We hope you will let us do that with you.

Today, we are voting on those men who will serve as assistants to the pastors of First Baptist Church. They visit in the hospitals, deal with emergencies, and become encouragers to the pastors of our church. We thank God for these men who have agreed to serve.

Wednesday, November 18, at 6:30 PM, in the Worship Center we will meet for our Congregational meeting. At that time we will discuss (but not vote on) the budget of the church for 2016. The vote on the budget will come in the weekend worship services December 5 and 6 of this year.

At the November 18 congregational meeting, we will also vote on whether or not to move forward with our new building. If the church votes to do so, we will immediately begin the process of building a preschool and children’s building, a large commons area for fellowship, and a new 2400 seat Worship Center. The present worship center will be used for Bible studies, weddings and funerals, and as a new, larger Fellowship Hall for the congregation.

We want you to help us as we make decisions regarding the future and the ministry of FBC.

I write daily about Pastoral Leadership and Christian Living. If you would like to receive my daily blog, please subscribe at the top of the page.