A message from our Chairman...

Thanks to everyone who gave us their email address.  Let me encourage you to participate in the March meeting at Faith Baptist Church in Sarasota.  Pastor David has put together an exciting meeting.  Please don't forget to email him your responses to the questionnaire he gave to us at the last meeting.

Also, I'd like to encourage you to email any suggestions on how we could improve our monthly meetings to me at pastor@sonshinebaptist.com.

See you in March,
Bill Bales

Calling all Youth Pastors and Workers...

Here are some comments on what has been happening with our Youth Pastors Meetings:

"When I went to the meeting on February 9th, I had other things I needed to do in Winter Haven but I went anyway. Once I got to the meeting and starting talking with the other youth pastors, I realized that I really needed to be there. Throughout our time together we were able to talk about some issues that I have been dealing with in my ministry. The advice and support that I got from the other youth pastors has really helped me personally and helped my ministry. Having a group of youth pastors that aren't there to judge you but to help you is a wonderful thing. Every youth pastor meeting I have been to, I have taken something home with me that I can apply to my ministry."
Nathan Braymer
Winter Haven Baptist Church

"I love going to the BBF Youth Meetings for many reasons. First I must say that the fellowship and the friendships that I have made are a great encouragement to my life and ministry. Second I am so thankful that I have a group of guys that I can go to and share some of the burdens of ministry with. Many of these guys have great advice and encouragement because they have already experienced the same struggles. Finally, I thoroughly enjoy the meetings because of our strategy sessions. I often find myself running out of new and fresh ideas, but as we come together and share ideas of different sermon series, different activities and much more it is easy to keep things fresh and exciting here at Suncoast Youth Group! Thanks BBFI Youth Pastors!" -
Lee Tomlin
Suncoast Baptist Church

Youth Pastors, we would love to see you at the March Meeting at Faith Baptist Church in Sarasota.  It will be a time of sharing burdens, prayer and having some ideas and information that you can take back to your ministries.  In our youth pastors meeting we'll be discussing creative ideas to get students to help lead in ministry.  Make plans to be with us!

Tim Hawkins - Corporate Worship Songs

smile.

Fellowship Meeting -March 9, 2009 -Faith Baptist Church, Sarasota FL

Program Schedule

10:30am – Officer’s Meeting

12:00-1:00pm LUNCH and  Business Meeting

                   (Separate Lunch Meeting for Youth Pastors)

1:00-2:00pm  What Do We Pastors Often Forget?

2:00-2:45pm – Pastor George Mulford

3:15pm – Golfing at Tatum Ridge Golf Course ($20 – 9 holes)

                 Paintballing at the FBC course  ($10 for one hour)

                 Guns, paintballs and goggles provided 

Directions: 

Directions to Faith Baptist Church
(from the North or the South)
take I-75 to exit 210 (Fruitville Road)
travel east on Frutiville Road about 3 miles
FBC will be on your left

    We hope you will join us for a great day of encouragement and edification.  In the first hour, we will have a delicious home-cooked luncheon, while we conduct two separate meetings.  1) The senior pastors will meet to discuss FBBF business and have prayer while 2) the Youth Pastors meet to discuss group activities, rallies, camps, and how to better network with each other. 

     In the next hour, we will hear each other’s 3-5 minute responses to the question, What do we pastors often forget?   (If you did not receive the handout with the selection of answers,see below,  if you have not yet emailed Pastor Anderson with your choice, please email him at pastordave@faithbaptistsarasota.com)

     We will also hear the answers that our wives provided to the question, What do I wish my husband remembered about how the ministry affects our family?  These anonymous answers will be read aloud Pastor Anderson’s wife, Colleen.  Please make sure that your wife’s answer has been emailed to the same email address.

      In the third hour, we will hear from Bro. George Mulford, the pastor of Grace Bible Baptist Church in Fruitland Park.  In addition to pastoring GBBC for the past 18 years, Brother Mulford has served faithfully in various capacities in the FBBF.  Prior to his ministry at GBBC, Brother George served as the Associate Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Sarasota, under the ministry of Dr. John McCall.

      After the meetings, we have two great opportunities for fun and fellowship.  For those who like golfing, we have arranged the chance to play 9 holes at the Tatum Ridge Golf Course (about 2 miles from FBC) for only $20.  Tatum Ridge is a wide-open and long golf course – lots of fun.  For those interested in shooting at each other, we have a competition grade Paintball Course.  You can play for one hour for only $10.  We provide the guns, the paintballs and the goggles – you supply the pain.  If you would like to golf or play paintball, please let Pastor Anderson know as soon as possible. 

3 Minute Sermons
Would you participate in a group exercise to answer the question - "What do we as pastors have a tendency to forget?"  Your individual answer to this question should be 3-5 minutes long. It may incorporate a Bible verse, a story, a personal testimony, a Powerpoint presentation, a movie clip, or whatever you deem appropriate. Collectively, our answers should produce an encouraging and thought provoking afternoon.

Please choose a response angle from the list below. Don't worry about repeating what someone else chose. If more than one of us choose the same answer, we will probably explain it differently anyway, and the repetition might prove worthwhile.

Once you've made your selection, please email me at pastordave@faithbaptistsarasota.com  to let me know what you have chosen.  I will then place your names in order and give you each a schedule so you know when you speak at the meeting.

What do we as pastors have a tendency to forget?

• Prayer is truly essential
• All meaningful results are produced by God
• Methods and strategies are not as important as God's power
• The Bible does not need my illustrations to be powerful
• There are probably people smarter than me in my congregation
• There are probably people in my congregation with greater spiritual depth than me
• God can use the weak and foolish to perform His will
• It is acceptable for me to take time off
• My reflection of Christ is clearly seen in my reaction to opposition
• How an unsaved person would interpret my actions or words
• Difficulty and adversity can have a positive purpose
• It is very important to express appreciation
• I am not called to drive the sheep, but to feed and lead the sheep
• My time alone with God is as important as my public ministry
• The fruit of my labor may take years to reveal (and maybe not in my lifetime)
• ___________________________________________( your own answer)

THIS IS FOR YOUR WIFE - What do I wish my husband would remember about how the ministry affects our family?  Her response should be about 1 minute long.  Please ask her to email me her response in written form.  Her name will not be used, but at the meeting, a DVD will be presented with my wife reading all the ladies' answers.

Thanks,

Dave Anderson, Faith Baptist Sarasota, (941) 232-1621

When you email me, Please let me know if you are interested in either one of the following activities scheduled for after our meeting.

Golf - 9 holes at Tatum Ridge Golf Course - $20 per person

Paint Ball - Shooting each other ;-) on our own Paint Ball Course. - 1 hour for $10

http://www.fbcsarasota.com/ 

2009 FBBF Meeting Schedule

January 19th - Winter Haven Baptist Church (Central)

February 9th - New Testament Baptist Church, Largo (Central)

March 9th -  Faith Baptist Church, Sarasota (South)

April 13th - Lighthouse Baptist Church, Lake Mary (Central)

May: 4th - No May Meeting - Enjoy some Fellowship
June 8th - Eastpointe Church Jacksonville (North) 

July13th - Palm Springs Dr. Baptist Church, Altamonte Springs (Central)
August 10th - Liberty Baptist Church, Tavares (Central)
September 14th - Park Street Baptist Church, St. Petersburg (Central)
October 12th - Sonshine Baptist Church, Port Charlotte  (South)
November 9th - Orlando Baptist Church, Orlando (Central)
December 14th - First Coast Baptist, Jacksonville (North)

Welcome to Jr. High Ministry

February FBBF Meeting - New Testament Baptist - Largo

Increase Your Influence
God has placed us in strategic places at a critical time.  It is our responsibility and privilege to serve Him with every aspect of our lives.  Education, personal interests, outreach, and new avenues of ministry present opportunities to reach the world while we can.  We should also be doing what we can to increase our sphere of influence.  Join us as we increase our influence for the Master’s cause.

Monday, February 9

11:30 a.m.          Dr. Richard Stratton
                             President of Clearwater Christian College



Upon his graduation from Bob Jones University Dr. Richard Stratton took a position with the firm of Deloitte and Touche, one of the Big Four accounting firms.  Two years later, he began teaching accounting at his alma mater.  After receiving his doctorate in business administration, he became the dean of the business school at Bob Jones.  In May Dr. Richard Stratton will complete his sixth year as president of Clearwater Christian College.

Throughout the years he has been active in various ministries of his church, including teaching Sunday school and serving as a deacon. He also served on the board of Carolina Hope Christian Adoption Agency, an international adoption agency. He is currently on the board of Bob Shelton Evangelistic Ministries.  Dr. Stratton and his wife, the former Holly Burket, have two children.


12:30 p.m.         Lunch

1:00 p.m.            Business Meeting

1:30 p.m.            J. O. Purcell
                             Pastor, Tri County Baptist Church

J. O. Purcell and his wife Juanita have been in pastoral ministry for over forty years.  They have written several books and Bible study curriculum published by Regular Baptist Press, including “How to Stay Sane When Life Doesn’t Make Sense.”  In recent years, he came out of retirement to start a new church in The Villages.  This is the third church they have started. The Purcells have three adult sons and ten grandchildren.

2:15 p.m.           Anthony Wilson
                             Attorney

Anthony Wilson was born on January 15, 1982.  In April of 1988, Anthony was born again into the family of God through the children's ministry of Calvary Baptist Church in Fort Walton Beach, Florida where his family attended.  He graduated from Clearwater Christian College with a Bachelor's Degree in Business in 2004 and from Stetson University College of Law with a Juris Doctor Degree in 2007.  Anthony, his wife Jennifer, and there son Elijah live in Clearwater, Florida where Anthony is an attorney.  Currently, Anthony and Jennifer are active in many ministries at New Testament Baptist Church in Largo, Florida, including Sunday school, choir, and Vacation Bible School.  Their primary ministry is teaching the Sunday school class and Wednesday night Bible study class for the college-aged students at NTBC.



Google Map


Directions:

From North via I-75

Take exit 274 to merge onto I-275 S toward Tampa/St Petersburg - 28.9 mi
Take exit 31 for State Hwy 688 W/Ulmerton Rd - 0.7 mi
Merge onto SR-688/Ulmerton Rd - 4.7 mi
Continue straight to stay on SR-688/Ulmerton Rd - 1.1 mi
Turn right at Belcher Rd S – Church is on the left

From I-4

Merge onto I-275 S in Tampa - 12.6 mi
Take exit 31 for State Hwy 688 W/Ulmerton Rd - 0.7 mi
Merge onto SR-688/Ulmerton Rd - 4.7 mi
Continue straight to stay on SR-688/Ulmerton Rd - 1.1 mi
Turn right at Belcher Rd S – Church is on the left

From US 19 N

Continue south to Ulmerton Rd. exit.
Turn right on Ulmerton Rd
Turn right on Belcher Rd S – Church is on the left.

From South via I-75:

Take exit 228 to merge onto I-275 N toward St Petersburg (Toll at Sunshine Skyway bridge) - 29.4 miles
Take exit 30 for Roosevelt Blvd/State Hwy 686 W - 0.9 mi
Merge onto Roosevelt Blvd/SR-686 - 1.4 mi
Slight right at SR-686/SR-688/Ulmerton Rd / Continue to follow SR-688/Ulmerton Rd - 3.0 mi
Continue straight to stay on SR-688/Ulmerton Rd - 1.1 mi
Turn right at Belcher Rd S – Church is on the left.