Today I took the time to participate in Bethel Seminary's Transformational Church Series. It was great as always. This year the featured church was First Baptist Church of Glenarden. I have had the opportunity of meeting and interacting with the Sr. Pastor John Jenkins a number of times this past year through my work as the President of the Seminary's Student Senate. Pastor Jenkins serves on the Board of Trustees for the Seminary. I also had the opportunity to catch up with Justin Irving, whom I was a teaching assistant for last school year. I had not seen Justin since last May, so it was good to catch up with things about school and life. He passed on to me that while "Googling" his name, his mother found my blog!
A bit about First Baptist Church of Glenarden:
Pastor John Jenkins didn’t have to lead his thriving African American congregation to become part of the Baptist General Conference, a predominantly white fellowship. But First Baptist Church of Glenarden did just that, because of Jenkins’ conviction that "we need diversity—we need each other." And if Bethel Seminary and our constituency are to achieve our calling, we repeat his conviction: "We need diversity—we need each other." So we are thrilled to partner with First Baptist Church, host to Bethel Seminary of the East’s metro Washington, D.C. teaching center in Landover, Maryland.
From any biblical standard of evaluation, First Baptist Church is among those high-impact churches whose influence ripples in ever-widening circles—locally, nationally, and internationally.
* With more than 100 separate ministries, First Baptist Church reaches people and offers them the power of the gospel.
* Evangelism and discipleship lie at the heart of their ministry.
* First Baptist Church is a teaching church, where 1,000 pastors and leaders annually come for instruction and inspiration.
* Devotion to Christ, stewardship of resources, servant leadership, and broad participation of members are manifested in the growth of the congregation from 500 to 7,000 during the past 14 years.
Pastor Jenkins leads this transformational church with a powerful combination of gifts and values, including anointed preaching, unusual discernment in selecting outstanding staff, compelling vision, cross-cultural commitments, and astute implementation of strategic plans. He and nearly 30 of his key staff and leaders will join us for the 11th annual Transformational Church Series on Friday, October 13.
Related Tags: Transformational Church Series, Transformational Church, Bethel University, Bethel Seminary, Justin Irving, First Baptist Church of Glenarden, First Baptist, Glenarden, John Jenkins, Pastor John Jenkins, Baptist General Conference, Benson Great Hall, Diversity, Washington, D.C., Washington Church, Landover, Maryland, Landover church, Maryland Church, Landover, Maryland church, Megachurch, Mega-Church, Mega Church, Transformational Leadership
1 comment:
Hello, I just came across this on Google. Being a member of First Baptist Church of Glenarden, I thank you for your wonderful words about the church, its leadership and congregation. I, too, am looking forward to more diversity within our congregation. My prayer is that "the church" will become a unified, homogenous church for all with no tags.
Again, thank you.
Ann Morgan
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