GBCJournal_April2021

Be on the lookout for these icons throughout the paper! They represent the major ministries of the mission board.
What is Your Region?
See all of your regional consultants in one place.
> Pages 6 & 7
Tres nuevos líderes Hispanos
Fortalecimiento de las Iglesias Hispanas de Georgia
> Página 11
Leadership
COO David Melber answers questions about his position and vision for the GBMB financially.
> Page 8
Mission Georgia
A love offering to Georgia, from Georgia.
Courtesy | Mark Strange Thomas Hammond speaks at the Georgia Baptist
Convention Annual Meeting in 2019.
Take your
next steps
with Church
Strengthening
By Levi Skipper | Lead Strategist lskipper@gabaptist.org 770-936-5213
The Church Strengthening team exists to help your church take its next step. If Georgia is to be won to Jesus, churches must become increasingly healthy and surrendered to the Great Com- mission. The more we can part- ner together in this endeavor, the greater Kingdom progress we can experience.
Great strides have been taken to ensure this team is made up of highly gifted and spiritually wise leaders who can serve your church. The goal of the Church
See STRENGTHEN, Page 4
Question: What has been your greatest joy in your service to Georgia Baptists in this third year of ministry with us?
The greatest joy for me over the past two years has been getting to know and work alongside our pas- tors to encourage them and resource their churches. There is no doubt the best preachers, leaders and pastors are in the Georgia Baptist Conven- tion. I believe we are laying a foun- dation upon which we will build for many years to come.
Q: You followed Dr. J. Robert White, who for 28 years was a com-
passionate pastor to pastors. How do you see your role as executive director complementing his years of service?
There is no question that Dr. White loved pastors and the work of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. Every day, I stand on his shoulders to further the things accomplished during his tenure as our executive director. Through Dr. White’s lead- ership, the GBC is well positioned to continue being an exemplary state convention, and I am grateful for the valuable contributions he made to
See HAMMOND, Page 12
Georgia Baptist Women
EVERY WOMAN, IN COMMUNITY, ON MISSION
Hammond: Our goal is to support, resource pastors
In an interview with Dr. Gerald Harris, former editor of The Christian Index, Executive Director Thomas Hammond shares the vision of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, as well as insight on the Southern Baptist Convention.

Leadership
MEET MARK MARSHALL, GBMB ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Page 11
SPECIAL EDITION
APRIL 2021
NEWS JOURNAL OF THE GEORGIA BAPTIST MISSION BOARD
Page 9
> Page 8
Photos courtesy of Pastor Wellness (Top left) Pastors’ wives gather for their annual retreat in 2019. (Top right) Pastors enjoy regional golf
fellowships during 2020. (Bottom) Pastors and wives enjoy a dinner and retreat in October 2020.
Team encourages pastors, wives, families
By Tim Dowdy | Lead Strategist tdowdy@gabaptist.org 770-936-5380
A great place to begin under- standing the heartbeat of Pastor Wellness is 3 John — “Beloved, I
pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul” (3 John 1:2, ESV). That is our de- sire for pastors, staff members and their spouses. The mission of Pastor
See WELLNESS, Page 10