Almost everybody who discovers a vaccine thinks about multiplying its effects as widely as possible. Ralph Winter taught us that if any good discovery is made in ministry we should think how to multiply its effects in other churches.

God has given us a ready-made avenue for such impact: the Baptist General Conference. We belong to a small Baptist denomination of about 800 churches. If we believe God is doing things at Bethlehem that should be multiplied for the cause of Christ, this is the place to start.

Two exhortations:

1. I would like to see every household of Bethlehem subscribe to The Standard. This is the monthly magazine for news and comment in our Conference. Here you see what God is doing in our world mission strategies and our home mission tactics. You get in on the discussions of issues in the Conference. You hear how other churches go about the ministry. And you get to know our Conference leadership and priorities.

This is the only ongoing Conference-wide forum for discussion. If we at Bethlehem believe in the strategy of leavening the Conference with distinctives that we cherish, it is imperative that we be in on the discussions and workings of the Conference. I urge you to become part of that strategy by receiving The Standard in 1985. Here’s how.

The regular subscription rate for The Standard is $10.35 per year. However, if we order as a group the rate goes down to $8.50 per year. All you need to do to order through the church is to make a check out to Bethlehem Baptist for $8.50 and earmark it “The Standard.” Then put it in the offering plate or drop it off in the office. We will send our 1985 subscription list in by the end of December, so checks should be in by December 30.

2. Let’s send 50 people to the annual meeting next June 26-30 (Wed. - Sun.) in Wheaton, Illinois (an 8 hour drive). There are double dorm rooms for $28 a night (4 or 5 nights). The registration fee is nominal. There are terrific programs for kids of all ages to free mom and dad to be in the sessions.

Maybe we could get a whole dorm floor of BBC people. What a caucus!

For the multiplication of the vision,

Pastor John