WOODSTOCK, Ga. (BP)–An historic service celebrating the launch of the Acts 1:8 Challenge will be webcast live beginning at 7 p.m. ET May 19 from First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Ga. The webcast is available through www.ActsOne8.com.
Associations, state conventions, the North American Mission Board and International Mission Board will join in the celebration, including the full NAMB and IMB trustee boards.
This service will highlight Southern Baptist mission efforts taking place at the local, state, national and international levels. The Acts 1:8 Challenge is designed to help churches as they partner with local associations, state conventions and the mission boards to more effectively reach the world around them for Christ.
“It will be a massive celebration of one of the most historic events Southern Baptists will ever have,” NAMB President Robert E. “Bob” Reccord said. “The two major mission boards are coming together along with associations and state conventions to say, ‘We’re going to do everything we can to work together to assist the churches as they live out the biblical call to missions.”
“I’m really excited about this vision and the level of cooperation between our … denominational entities — not to focus on promoting our own programs, but to facilitate how Southern Baptists fulfill that Kingdom vision of reaching our world for Jesus Christ,” IMB President Jerry Rankin said.
The Acts 1:8 Challenge encourages churches to think of their associations, state conventions and national and international mission boards as partners in reaching “Jerusalem,” “Judea,” “Samaria,” and “the ends of the earth” as Jesus describes in Acts 1:8. The concept will be reinforced at each level by simplified, coordinated communications designed to assist local churches in becoming worldwide mission centers.
The Acts 1:8 Challenge is a cooperative missions challenge to the local church from partner entities of the Southern Baptist Convention. The shared goal is Empowering Kingdom Growth through the local church.
For those unable to participate in the live webcast, the celebration service will also be archived for on-demand viewing. For more information, visit www. ActsOne8.com, call 800-4ACTS18 (800-422-8718) or send e-mail to [email protected].
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