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Florida Baptists celebrate evangelism, church planting & church strengthening priorities
Nov 20, 2009
By MARGARET DEMPSEY-COLSON
Florida Baptist Convention

PENSACOLA (FBC)—Reflecting the Florida Baptist State Convention’s 2009 annual meeting theme, “Imagine If ..,” video reports highlighted the Florida Baptist Convention’s three priorities of evangelism, church planting and church strengthening during the two-day meeting Nov. 9-10.

EVANGELISM

In 2004 as Pensacola was recovering from Hurricane Ivan’s vicious assault, wave after wave of Hispanic laborers arrived in the hard-hit area, ready to clear debris, repair damage, and rebuild the city. Coming alongside the Hispanic laborers was Pastor Agustin Rodriguez.

“The Lord knew we would have a huge influx of Hispanics following the hurricane. He brought from Puerto Rico the best, tender-hearted, passionate man of God that we could possibly have,” said Ron Lentine, pastor of Pensacola’s Myrtle Grove Baptist Church, which opened its facility for Pastor Rodriguez to house his new church. Last year, Myrtle Grove Hispanic Church was a leader in baptisms among Florida Baptists, baptizing one person for every three members.

Every week 57 Florida Baptist churches share Jesus while teaching conversational English. Through literacy missions, which includes adult reading and writing, tutoring children and youth and English as a second language, Christian volunteers incorporate the teaching of biblical truth. Through the years, thousands of these students, desperate to learn English and become productive and contributing members of American society, have made commitments to Christ.

Each year approximately 2,000 uninsured and under-insured Floridians receive free dental care through Florida Baptist’s mobile dental unit. Along with dental care, each person also receives a Christian witness, with more than 100 professions of faith annually. Through another 15 church-based health clinics throughout the Sunshine State, more than 70,000 uninsured Floridians receive medical care each year, with more than 600 individuals making life-changing professions of faith annually.

“Imagine if tomorrow you could start living a whole brand new life filled with God’s glory. That’s what happened to me,” said Kathleen McDaniel, who along with Jan Miller, a member of Jacksonville’s Southside Baptist Church, are taking their faith to the streets. The women, through Grace Ministry of Helping Hands, reach out to prostitutes along the urban blighted end of Philips Highway.

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