The Future Focus initiative for Alabama Baptists for the next seven years was approved in 2012.  A part of that initiative is the affirmation of starting 220 healthy, intentional churches by 2020 in Alabama and beyond.

During the past several days, I have been asked if we are just planting churches in Alabama or in other places as well.  It was my privilege to introduce a short video at our recent Alabama Baptist Convention meeting in Huntsville. This video introduced Michael and Cheryl Johnson who are moving to Yakima Valley, Washington, to start a church in January 2014.  They were a part of the church planter residency program at Hillcrest Church in Enterprise. View the video here: https://vimeo.com/79225599

Justin and Chandra Martin are going to Portland, Oregon, to plant soon after the first of the year, after serving on the staff at Emmanuel Church in Tuscaloosa.  The Johnsons and the Martins were both featured at the Northwest Baptist Convention annual gathering that was held simultaneously with ours, so they could not be present in person in Huntsville.

Randy and Kelli Burns are going to Vermont to plant a church in March. Randy has been serving as  church planting intern at Westmeade Church in Decatur, his home church. A video featuring Randy and his pastor, Scotty Hogan, can be seen here: https://vimeo.com/79501517

We do need many new churches in Alabama as there are two million people in Alabama who are not in anyone’s church on any given Sunday.  However, we also believe that Alabama is a great platform from which to launch church starts in other far-flung places all over the North American continent and beyond…

Please see www.alsbom/upcomingevents for ways we can help you further with your church planting needs.

– Lamar Duke
State Missionary/Church Planting Strategist