I am thankful. I want those to be my first words in print as the newly selected editor of the Baptist Bible Tribune. Not only because this is a Thanksgiving issue, but more fittingly because that is truly the way I feel. I am humbled and grateful for this incredible opportunity. Some of you I know personally, but I realize there are many who do not know me at all. I hope that changes over the coming months and years. In the meantime, I would like to introduce myself to you and share a little of how I see God using this ministry.
I grew up in Springdale, AR, where I began going to church as a teenager and was saved under the ministry of Don Elmore at Temple Baptist Church. It was there, while studying engineering at the University of Arkansas, I received my calling to full-time Christian ministry. I enrolled at Baptist Bible College in 1996 and graduated in 1999. While at BBC I was given many opportunities including serving as student body president, resident assistant for three years, and intern for the Tribune. Easily the best thing that happened to me while in Springfield was meeting and eventually marrying my wife, Stacy. I could not have asked for a better partner in ministry over these past 15 years.
After graduation I served as youth pastor at Orlando Baptist Church with Dave Janney. In 2003, I transitioned to a youth/associate role at Bible Baptist Church of Champaign, IL. After a pastoral transition took place, I felt it was time to plant a new church. God moved my small family of three to the Flint, MI, area where we established Solid Rock Baptist Church. I had the privilege of leading this church from its infancy to becoming a mature, self-supporting church. In 2012, my now family of five moved to Texas where I assumed the leadership of North Park Baptist Church in the Houston suburb of Humble.
God provided many other opportunities along the way to help me become the person I am today. In 2009, I completed my Master of Divinity from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary in Lynchburg, VA. I am currently one seminar away from being A.B.D. (all but dissertation) for a Doctor of Ministry from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth. Since 2010, I have served on the Board of Trustees for Baptist Bible College, the past two years as chairman of the board. I have also been an alumni association vice president. In Michigan I served multiple terms as vice president of the state fellowship. I also serve as a board member of the mission organization New Hope Initiative led by Sandy Baird.
I can easily look back over my ministry experience and see how God has prepared me for this new role. It was in Orlando that I truly developed a heart for missions. It was in Michigan that I was able to experience first hand the rigors of church planting. And it was most recently in Houston that I have worked through the challenges of church revitalization. I would not say I am an expert in any of these areas, but I am capable of having an intelligent conversation in each of them.
I wrestled with the decision to leave the local church to lead a ministry that will be vastly different than anything I have ever done in ministry. I sought counsel and advice from many friends and mentors. The question I kept asking myself was, “Can I be a part of making disciples of Christ in a greater way in the local church or as director of communications for the BBFI?” For years I have prayed God would allow me to be a part of something much greater than me alone. Making disciples of Christ in a local church certainly accomplishes that objective, but I am excited by the great potential before me to strengthen, equip, and encourage the leaders in multiple churches across our Fellowship as they carry on the day-to-day task of making disciples. I want to serve leaders who serve in local churches. That is what I want to commit my life to. I want to serve Christ by serving leaders. I want to be a help, a resource, in any way I can.
So what exactly does that look like? What is the future of the Baptist Bible Tribune? What is my role as director of communications for the Baptist Bible Fellowship International? Obviously this will be a work in progress over the next few months as I get settled in. My goal is to build upon the solid foundation of the men who have served before me as Tribune editor. If you look back over the years, each man brought a different skill set and even passion to the position. I have known personally the previous two editors, Mike Randall and Keith Bassham. Both are great men I have much respect for, but I am nothing like either of them. I am not better. I am not worse. I am just different from them.
I want you to know I am extremely excited about the opportunity to lead this ministry. I commit to you I will do my best to lead with integrity, humility, and a passion to make more disciples of Jesus Christ. If there is anything specific I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
MY VISION
Three phases summarize the expansion I see for the Baptist Bible Tribune and communication within the BBFI: in print, online, and in person.
IN PRINT
Many have asked me if I plan to do away with the print edition of the Tribune. My immediate answer is, “No!” I personally find extreme value in a print magazine. Sure, I have some ideas I would like to implement to the print edition, but most of those are procedural matters, such as becoming more thematic in individual issues and expanding our contributing author base and ministry focus.
The primary goal will remain the same as it is now — to produce a magazine pastors, staff, lay ministry leaders, and church members will all benefit from.
ONLINE
Yes, the Tribune and the BBFI have an online presence, but this is an area I’d like to see drastically change. I plan to implement a landing page for the BBFI that allows visitors to navigate various ministries such as state fellowships, national meetings, the Mission Office, our colleges, and APEX. This landing page would also make multiple resources available to visitors including a digital version of the print magazine, webinars, blogs, a bi-weekly podcast, and a diverse presence on multiple social media platforms.
One key to successfully navigating the online world will be to bring everything to a mobile platform. In the near future we will develop at least one BBFI app that allows access to the Tribune, blogs, podcasts, church locators, missionaries, etc.
IN PERSON
This is an entirely new aspect for this ministry. I want to establish a team of leaders to assist churches and pastors in three specific areas — consulting, conferences, and coaching. I also plan to work with several different ministries in establishing a church health assessment that will assist churches in both planting and revitalizing. Finally, we would like to host national and regional leadership conferences in the coming years and launch a BBFI coaching network to inspire, equip, and hold accountable those willing to take the next step in their leadership development.
There are also a few additional resources we hope to make available as soon as possible. In the coming months you will be hearing about church video announcements, sermon bumpers, custom graphics, and presentation designs. We want to maintain an updated directory of state fellowships and be a central location for church staffing, both where candidates can place their resumes and churches can place their openings. We would also like to be a place where those who have a gift and passion to write will be able to have their books published either in a print or eBook form.
SINCE YOU ASKED …
If your head is spinning after reading the above paragraphs, imagine how mine feels. Yes, the scope is large and the vision is daring, but I couldn’t be more excited or more convinced God is going to use this expanded ministry to make a major difference for the cause of Christ.
Maybe you are even asking yourself, “How can I help and/or be involved?” I am glad you asked! One simple thing you can do — join our email list. I don’t have a fancy eBook to offer you for joining yet, but it will be a great way for you to stay up to date as we continue to expand this ministry. Sign up by clicking here.
Also, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. In the near future we will begin a bi-weekly leadership podcast that will include interviews of ministry leaders from all over the world.
I am going to be looking for more regular contributors. We will need content for both our print magazine as well as our blog sites. If you currently have a blog, I would love to know about it. Will you send a link to your blog to my email at raharp@tribune.org?
We also need your help financially. You probably knew that was coming didn’t you? Here is the reality: the Tribune is currently set up financially to do exactly what the Tribune has been doing for years. If we are going to expand the scope of this ministry, it is going to take a significant amount of new partners as well as a greater commitment from current partners. We are seeking monthly support, additional subscriptions, and one-time gifts to help us get set up for the future. You can give by sending support directly to the Tribune, through the Mission Office, or through our upcoming online giving portal.
Most importantly, we need your prayers! I have surrendered this ministry to Christ and have asked Him to show me His plans. Would you covenant with me to pray for God’s blessings as we seek to serve Him? I would love to come to your church or your state fellowship meeting and share more specifically the vision of what we will be doing. I want to serve you as you serve your local church!