2022 Annual Reports
Letter from the AMS
Tom Pasquarella
Dear brothers and sisters of Big Lake Baptist Association,
What a privilege it is to serve the Big Lake Baptist Association. God has been very good to this association. As an association, churches are becoming more involved. Two local churches made it possible for the AMS to go and represent BLBA at the national Southern Baptist Convention. What a gratifying experience it is to see the people of God providing for the important work of the BLBA. Tommaso Pasquarella, the Association Missions Strategist and Cathy Womble, the Administrative Assistant have been walking carefully in the task of making the association a vital tool in the hands of the churches.
The admin team is on board with doing what must be done to encourage churches and their pastors. Pastor Chuck Silvey has begun to have prayer meetings for our pastors and his bride Cindy has also begun one for pastors' wives and had the brilliant idea that this could happen simultaneously. They have encouraged hearts. This summer was hard with losses in their family, and they are planning to restart in the coming weeks.
God has provided for this association of cooperating churches. The Lord has seen fit to impress upon my heart to go and visit each church. I have begun to fulfill this commitment, but this takes time, and the summer was busy. Because I am only able to visit on Wednesday nights, it has been a slow process. I have been able to visit many, but there are still more to visit.
God has allowed me to preach on Sunday mornings at some of the churches of BLBA when there was need. This association has been called to be servants to the churches and to encourage pastors and their congregation and even equip them with valuable resources for the furtherance of the gospel.
Partnering together for the gospel is important and so this partnership is meant to help churches struggling like Brighton Baptist Church without a pastor. For this reason, I have committed to helping Brighton be a self-sustaining, God glorifying light of the gospel to the community there in the Brighton. Please pray, as there is a pastoral candidate the desires to be a part of what God is doing at Brighton
Missions Engagement
Pastor Jim Womble
During the past year, we thoroughly cleaned the party trailer and replaced many of the supplies. We also purchased new tires. It is good to go for any church interested in using it for an event. We are seeking suggestions for equipment on the trailer that may be more relevant to the neighborhood where you serve. At this time, the trailer has a cotton candy machine, a popcorn machine and a snow cone machine. For a $100 usage fee, all supplies are provided except a generator to run the electricity and ice, although a large cooler is included. If your church would like to use the trailer and cannot afford the fee, just give us a call, and I'm sure we can work something out. Please let us know how we can help you serve the Lord.
Equipping and Education
Pastor Doug Nickalson
In 2 Thessalonians 1:3 Paul writes, “We ought always to give thanks to God for you brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” In this verse, Paul gives thanks for the growing faith and growing love that the Thessalonian believers have for one another! It would be my hope and prayer that the same thing could be said of each of us this year not only as individual churches, but also as a network of churches.
Please know that I am willing to help anyway that I can to help your church grow in the grace and knowledge of God. I am willing to help train your church leaders and teachers in learning how to share the gospel, learning how to lead a small group, and how to care for one another.
As a network of churches, I would like to see us provide some pastoral development training, a pastor’s conference, and helpful resources to strengthen and equip our churches.
If I can be of assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me via the Big Lake Baptist office and I will be happy to connect with you. May the Lord grow us in love and grow us in our faith this coming year!
In Christ,
Doug Nickalson
