"We are living in exciting times. Look at what is happening around the world and in the Middle East in particular," the fellowship's leadership team said in an email about the annual meeting. "We look forward to what the will do in Jewish evangelism this next year."
The fellowship's annual meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Friday, June 15, with praise and worship and a teaching session at First Baptist Church in Kenner, La., at 1400 Williams Boulevard.
On Saturday, worship will begin at 9:30 a.m. with Stuart Lee, a Messianic Jew who has served in music for more than 20 years.
"My desire and goal as a worship leader is to remind people that we serve and worship a holy God who is more than we can ever fathom," Lee said. "Sometimes I feel that we take God for granted and go about our week without ever encountering Him and recognizing Him for the Holy One that He is."
Lee is a worship leader at The Rock of Israel Messianic congregation in Long Grove, Ill., who also previously planted a Southern Baptist Messianic Jewish congregation.
Also on Saturday morning, Sam Nadler, president of Word of Messiah Ministries, will speak about a balanced Messianic approach to discipleship, particularly as it relates to congregation planting.
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"Sam is a dear brother and a good friend of the Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship," the group's website said. "He has compiled a congregational planting training program that is a powerful addition to the SBMF, 'New Works Leadership' discipleship program. In December there was a congregational leadership boot camp at the Word of Messiah facilities where several of our members attended."
Nadler is described by the fellowship as a Jewish believer in Jesus who has a passion to communicate the Good News to his people and to see discipleship established in Jewish communities around the world. He has been in fulltime ministry since the 1970s, first as a leader with Jews for Jesus, establishing their New York City ministry.
At noon on Saturday, the group will dismiss for lunch offsite, and they'll reconvene at 1:30 p.m. for worship with Lee followed by a question-and-answer session at 2 p.m. and a business meeting at 3 p.m. Dinner will be offsite at 5 p.m., and at 7 p.m. they'll have a Havdalah service, which will include music and teaching.
The fellowship voted last year to change its membership policy, effective this year. As part of that, a revised constitution will be available in June.
Individual membership dues for the Messianic fellowship are $25 per year, and congregational membership for a congregation of fewer than 50 people is $250 per year. Congregations with 50 to 100 members are asked to submit membership dues of $350 per year. Along with dues, congregations should provide the names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of members who desire to be listed as members of the Messianic fellowship.
Membership dues may be mailed to Marjorie Bohning, the fellowship's treasurer, at 5943 North Kansas Avenue, Gladstone, MO 64119.
The fellowship's leaders have asked that members consider including donations to offset annual meeting costs, such as for brochures and other literature to be distributed in the exhibit hall at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in New Orleans.
The Messianics will be included in an SBC ethnic ministries booth sponsored by the North American Mission Board at the annual meeting.
"Our booth activity in the past has been a wonderful networking resource for the SBMF," the leaders said on the website. "We meet local church leadership people who can help us send missionaries and plant Messianic congregations.
"This year all the ethnic ministries of the SBC can come together to make new friends and tell the brothers and sisters about our specific evangelism outreaches."
The leaders added a word of gratitude to NAMB for the mission board's assistance through the years. "What a blessing they have been to our fellowship," the group said.
For planning purposes, the Messianic fellowship's leaders would like to know in advance who will attend their annual meeting. Those who plan to attend may email sbmf@sbmessianic.net.
Compiled by Baptist Press assistant editor Erin Roach. For more information about the Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship, visit sbmessianic.net. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter (@BaptistPress), Facebook (Facebook.com/BaptistPress) and in your email (baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp).
Copyright (c) 2012 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press www.BPNews.net
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