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WELLNESS continued from page 1
Wellness is to advance the gospel by investing in pastors and their families, particularly in their spiritual, physical, relational, vocational and financial health.
The team is relatively new, as is this min- istry in Georgia Baptist life. Needless to say, 2020 was quite an adjustment. With the ar- rival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the atten-
tion of the Pastor Wellness team was aimed at providing as much support as possible for the mental, emotional and spiritual health of Georgia Baptist pastors and their families. Pastors were also navigating the uncharted decisions needing to be made to survive the the pandemic and its ramifications, while car- rying out the mission of the church.
Now in 2021, Georgia Baptists are still dealing with the pandemic, so Pastor Well-
ness will still be focused on providing sup- port, encouragement and assistance for physi- cal, mental/emotional, relational and spiritual well-being. However, there are other areas of ministry that the team hopes will be a help to more pastors and their families.
The Pastor Wellness staff is ready to assist pastors and their families. The regional cat- alysts are excellent resources for pastors and are ready to serve you.
Full calendar available online.
Looking Ahead gabaptist.org/pastorwellness
April
Pastors’ Golf Fellowship
Stone Creek Valdosta
26
Resources through Pastor Wellness
Pastor/Staff and Family Counseling
The Pastor Wellness ministry has an agreement with Eagle’s Landing Christian Counseling Center to provide professional counsel-
ing for our pastors and their
families. There is a limited schol-
arship opportunity for Georgia Bap- tist pastors and their immediate families to alleviate some of the cost.
If the pastor/staff member or a family member needs professional Christian counseling, contact the center at 778-289-6981 or use the secure con- tact form at ELCCC.org. You can also view coun- selors and bios on the website. When you call, say that you are a pastor, ministry leader or fam- ily member of a pastor with the Georgia Baptist Convention. Provide them with the name of your church and your position with the church or your relationship with the staff member at the church. They will match you with a counselor and get you scheduled as soon as possible. Face-to-face coun- seling is available in McDonough, Covington and Locust Grove. Distance counseling through HI- PAA-compliant video chat is also available.
Mediation for Church Conflict
If the need for mediation to resolve conflict within a church body arises, please contact our office at 770-936-5380 or pastorwellness@gabap- tist.org. Pastor Wellness will provide a diagnostic assessment and personal assistance to hopefully result in a godly and healthy resolution.
For more information about these resources, scan the QR code or visit gabaptist.org/pastorwellness.
Pastor Search Team Training & Resources
The team is available to help train pastor search teams/commit- tees as they begin the process of searching for a new pastor. Pastor Wellness can help church- es connect with an interim pastor or
transitional pastor.
There is also a new job board that will help
churches connect with pastor/staff candidates and provide the opportunity for churches to post staff openings. The job board is connected to several state conventions throughout the Southern Bap- tist Convention. If you are a pastor seeking a job in a GBC church or a GBC church seeking to fill an open ministry position, please visit georgiabap- tistjobs.com to register as a job seeker or to post a job.
Candidates looking for ministry positions and desiring to post their resumes nationwide or churches that have an open ministry position and would like to submit a job nationwide can submit the requested information at http://www.sbc.net/ jobs/.
Note: Churches you will need your SBCID Number. Call 770-936-5362 with questions.
Transitional Pastor Training & Certification
Pastor Wellness will also be providing the training and certification for transitional pastors for our Georgia Baptist churches. The transitional pas- tor role is a tremendous opportunity for pastors who have retired or are not presently serving in church ministry who have a desire to help church- es through a time of transition.
May
01
13
Pastors’ Wives Dinner
Peach Barn Tifton
One-Day Health Care Summit
West Central Region FBC Villa Rica
Pastors’ wives in all cultures often ask themselves, “Who am I? Where do I fit in the church? What is expected of me?” We all have a cookie-cutter image of what we think a pastor’s wife should be. She should always be sweet, loving, caring to all people, serving in all gatherings, perfect wife, perfect mother, and she should always look good while doing it! The reality is that we are all made in His image, but we are all created uniquely. We have been created exactly the way God wanted. Each of us has our own gifts, talents, personalities, and passions.
Over the years I have been amazed to see how God has used pastors’ wives in different roles. Some are teachers, some serve in the nursery, children’s or youth areas. Some love to serve in hospitality or be the church host- ess. Some are amazing prayer warriors and en- couragers. Some have great music ability, and some not so much! You may feel overwhelmed by the role, inadequate and lonely. But God created you and chose you for this role.
Jill Briscoe says, “It isn’t a matter of how much Christian activity we can generate, or
whose expectations we can meet, but rather how well we know, love, and serve the Lord. God created us, painted us with the colors of our culture, and crafted us marvelously for the special calling He had in mind for us to do. My
“
I will praise You because I
have been remarkably and
wonderfully made. Psalms 139:14, HSB
”
love for God drives all my spiritual activity in my life as a pastor’s wife. Because I love Him, I want to witness and lead others to Christ. Be- cause He came as a servant, I want to serve others. He bore other people’s burdens, and I
September
01 Pastors’ Wives Dinner The Foundry
Augusta
20 Pastors’ Golf Fellowship Mirror Lake
Villa Rica
23 One-Day Health Care Summit Northwest Region
FBC Cartersville
want to do the same. The more I spend time with Him, the more I want to become like Him.”
We have the wonderful privilege of being married to a man who has a high calling as pas- tor. We can double our impact by combining our gifts and efforts. Peter said that a believ- ing husband and wife are Heirs together of the gracious gift of life (1 Peter 3:7). Together we have a common Savior and a common cause serving Christ.
So, who is the pastor’s wife? She is made in the image of God to love and serve Him forev- er. She is graced with the gift of a husband who loves and serves the Lord as her partner. She may be called to motherhood, a great privilege and responsibility to nurture her children in the Lord. She loves the church Christ died for and seeks to serve as best she can.
Let us always remember that God created us to serve Him in the role of a pastor’s wife. What a great privilege that He chose us!
Mary Cox | Pastors’ Wives Catalyst mcox@gabaptist.org, 770-936-5253
August
09- Transitional Pastor Training 10 Bethany Baptist Church
Juliette
One-Day Health Care Summit
26
East Central Region
Turning Point at Mabel White, Macon
October
Pastors and Wives Retreat
22-
24 Lake Lanier Legacy Lodge
Northeast Region
GEORGIA BAPTIST MISSION BOARD SPECIAL EDITION Who is the pastor’s wife?