FLORIDA CONFERENCE SETS PRIORITIES

by Mike Cauley, D.Min.
Florida Conference President
God asks each of us to become disciple makers. In order to do this, we must first become a disciple. This experience of discipleship comes from staying close to the Master. As disciples of Jesus, we work under authority and may enjoy being a part of something grand and significant. Also, discipleship at its core, involves prioritizing God’s agenda in your life.
Recently, I spent time with our Administrative Committee as we studied areas that we have identified as Conference priorities for the next few years:
Emphasis On Revival and Reformation
The experience of revival and reformation to which our new General Conference president, Ted Wilson, called the Church is foundational. It means a new way of thinking and doing.
Being a faithful follower of Jesus is intertwined with taking unhurried time with Him through emphasis of devotional practices such as: fasting, personal retreats or extended time alone with God, Bible reading, corporate and personal prayer, journaling, and stewardship. It is not so important what you say to God in your devotional time as much as being still before God in an unhurried setting for Him to speak to you through His Word and the impressions of the Holy Spirit.
Repositioning Florida Conference As a Missionary Society
We must reinvigorate our purpose as not being primarily about institutional preservation. We are called to be a “sending movement.” This is our purpose.
The reason for organizing conferences was to send missionaries—at home and abroad. Today, North America is much less permeated with Adventism than most of Central and South America, the Caribbean, or parts of Africa. So, we have to intentionally send volunteer missionaries throughout the state to plant churches by using lay-led small groups. This is especially needed in urban populations where the ratio of Adventists to the general population is so low. The strategy of training missionaries, planting churches in strategic areas, and planting mission schools is the future of Adventism in Florida. This was the vitality of the Adventist Church at the beginning.
Leadership Development
We must continue to develop educators who exhibit key skills to become better leaders, departmental leaders trained in the coaching and leadership process, and pastors who function as leaders of transformation. Training for our pastors began in February, and training for educators continues.
Transformation of the Culture
In order to be a disciple-making missionary movement, we must change the way our churches and schools think and behave. There are opportunities all around us for need-based ministries to utilize such programs as Florida Hospital’s Healthy 100/CREATION Health concepts, reaching people where they are, and ministering to them in a relational setting.
Pastor Dan Forbes caught this transformation concept at a pastors’ meeting and shared it with his church board for their approval. In this story about South Orlando Church, you’ll be inspired to read how the members have caught the vision of disciple making. Also, you can read how Port Charlotte Church, under the direction of Pastor Tim Goff, has begun relational evangelism in that area of our Conference.
Collaborate as Departments
Our American mindset is to be independent. God’s mindset is for us to be interdependent; working together as a team. We have already begun to do this with the Integrated Youth Ministries Department. As we collaborate together in more extensive ways, I think we will become more effective in producing a disciple-making culture.
Being a disciple, who is making disciples, is the most challenging and at the same time the most exciting opportunity God has given to us. It is about making a difference in the lives of people so they become thoroughly changed and transformed into new creations in Christ Jesus.
I invite you to become part of this transformational process. Begin by setting your own priorities of an unhurried devotional life, take advantage of coaching and training availabilities, and then let the Lord lead you in utilizing your talents for Him in your community during 2011.