COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (BP) — Colorado Baptists welcomed four new churches to the convention during its 57th annual meeting and heard reports of Kingdom ministry by its entity partners.
Joining the Colorado Baptist General Convention were Karval Fellowship in Karval, led by Alan Carr; Gospel Church in Durango, led by Thomas Thiessen; the River in Monument, led by Michael B. Jiles, and Family Room Fellowship in Grand Junction, led by Ammani Bullock.
As the convention focuses on reaching Colorado’s diverse population, coalitions of associations have formed to strengthen the network of church and associational leadership and to equip church planting catalysts, church planters and directors of missions, convention leaders reported to messengers.
The Baptist Foundation of Colorado, the Ponderosa Retreat & Conference Center and the Rocky Mountain Campus of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, all considered vital parts of the convention, reported on their growth and leadership development in advancing God’s Kingdom in Colorado and beyond.
Colorado missionaries jointly supported by the convention, its associations and the North American Mission Board have taken on new challenges and expanded their territories, with video presentations providing messengers glimpses of their Kingdom impact during the Oct. 16–17 sessions at Vista Grande Baptist Church in Colorado Springs.
Messengers to the annual meeting approved 2013 budgets for the convention, the Baptist Foundation of Colorado and the Ponderosa Retreat and Conference Center in Larkspur.
The 2013 convention budget of $3,811,482 reflects a 5.3 percent increase over the 2012 budget. An anticipated $1,928,748 in Cooperative Program giving from Colorado’s churches is just 1.5 percent less than the $1,957,538 budgeted in 2012. The 2013 budget also includes anticipated income from the North American Mission Board and LifeWay Christian Resources.
Of the CP budget, the Colorado convention allocated $590,000 for outreach and ministry by the state’s Baptists; $590,000 for SBC Cooperative Program missions and ministry; and $590,000 for other world missions endeavors. The remaining $158,748 is allocated to Colorado-SBC shared expenses.
Convention president Tree Cooper addressed the 170 messengers and guests, focusing on the theme of “Abide in the Power, Presence and Purpose of Christ” from John 15:9. Cooper, who said he has spent 2012 in prayer for each of the convention pastors and churches, challenged the messengers to pray for a specific person in the year to come.
Other speakers were Voddie Baucham, pastor of preaching at Grace Family Baptist Church in Spring, Texas; Rick Melick Jr., director of the academic graduate studies program and a distinguished professor of New Testament Studies at Golden Gate Seminary; and Mike Hensley, pastor of Heart of the Springs Church in Colorado Springs.
Hear sermons from the Colorado annual meeting here .
Cooper, pastor of The Alpine Chapel in Telluride, was re-elected as convention president and executive board chairman, as were first vice president William Isaacson, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Gunnison; second vice president Rolland Kenneson, pastor of Summit Baptist Church in Wiggins; and recording secretary Ginger LeBlanc, a convention ministry assistant and preschool ministries director at Arapahoe Road Baptist Church in Centennial.
Messengers approved several resolutions of appreciation recognizing ministry partners, leaders and volunteers, including disaster relief units who responded during the 2012 Colorado wildfires.
The Colorado convention will hold its 2013 annual meeting Oct. 15-16 at the Doubletree Hotel & Conference Center in Grand Junction.
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Compiled by Baptist Ginger LeBlanc, a ministry assistant to the executive team of the Colorado Baptist General Convention.
