At the recent denominational meeting of the Baptist General Conference members were treated to the unveiling of a new ministry emphasis. Wizards of marketing in the employ of our corporate office have cast us in a new light. We are now Converge Worldwide.
"And there was silence in heaven for about half an hour..." Revelation 8:1.
There was also silence among the delegates and attenders, no doubt accompanied by looks of puzzlement and stupefaction. But our leaders had anticipated this
Converge Worldwide (CW) is our new "Missional Name" - "it complements our formal legal name: Baptist General Conference" says the glossy, full color brochure. "By converge we picture those intersection points where God's people converge with God's purposes for the world," said JS our President. "CW is designed to communicate a reliance on God in everything and a commitment together as churches and people to serve Him," added our Senior Vice President PJ.
"...and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake." Revelation 8:5.
In concord with our leaders and caught up in the inexorable tide of energy flowing from this christening the pastoral staff of Trinity Baptist has taken unto themselves Missional Names.
Pastor Ken Lewis is now Flash Dynamo. "I'm not setting aside my legal name you understand," said Pastor Lewis, in grave tones, "instead I am adding the missional name Flash Dynamo. It's who I am deep inside." Pensive, his eyes moistened as he gazed toward the distant horizon. "Anyway, it looks great monogrammed on my pajamas."
Pastor Bob Struck - and this will come as no surprise to those who know him - will now also be known as The Bob Wonder. His excitement was palpable - "Everything changed for me that day. When I left the BGC-CW conference I saw the sky was blue, the sun was shining, the water was wet. It was about 80 degrees and not too humid at all - and I thought to myself, 'I too, must have a missional name.' When I found Pastor Ken was now Flash Dynamo I just knew the Lord was in this."
"...and the glory of the LORD filled the temple." Ezekiel 43:5
While working to change all the church's printed materials to include these names has been a big challenge - not to mention training people not to say "Pastoral Staff" but "dynamic duo" - we just know that doing ministry as Flash Dynamo and The Bob Wonder will never be the same.
