LEAN IN AT THE FINISH LINE

By Randy C. Davis
President and executive director, TBMB

The men’s 100-meter race at the 2024 Paris Olympics generated global interest. It was the fastest field ever assembled with the winner not only winning gold but also claiming the titles as “World’s Fastest Man.”

This year’s field was so stacked with speed that for the first time in history, all eight competitors finished in under 10 seconds.

American Noah Lyles came from last to first and won in a photo finish by .005 seconds. The only time he led was exactly at 100 meters, and the difference maker was he pressed hard through the end and leaned in at the finish line.

Tennessee Baptists, we’ve run a strong race and it’s time we lean in at the finish line.

In November 2014, messengers to the Tennessee Baptist Convention unanimously affirmed The Five Objectives, the vision we as a network of churches wanted to pursue over the following 10 years. They were:

1. Seeing at least 50,000 Tennesseans annually saved, baptized and set on the road to discipleship.

2. Having at least 500 Tennessee Baptist churches revitalize.

3. Planting and strategically engaging at least 1,000 new churches.

4. Realizing an increase in annual local church giving through the Cooperative Program that reaches at least 10 percent.

5. Realizing an increase in annual giving for the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions that reaches at least $3 million.

Randy Davis

After I introduced these five bold objectives back then, I received comments like how impossible and impractical they were for the TBC’s focus. I did not disagree.

But if we are alliterating, let’s add one more “I”: Imperative.

Someone advised me when I began serving as TBMB Executive Director 15 years ago that I should never connect goals with numbers and dates if I wanted to survive in this position. Really? That’s counterintuitive to being a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. It is never about our survival. Just the opposite. It is all about the mission. Neither the TBMB nor the TBC has to survive; neither do you nor I.

But the mission does.

The Five Objectives were, and still are, daunting. On paper, it did look impractical and impossible for us to focus on such a massive undertaking. However, we looked at Tennessee’s demographics, it’s spiritual and physical needs, and these Five Objectives demanded an urgency, defined our mission and directed our action.

So, we began a 10-year race whose finish line is in sight. We are down to our last few months.

Runners say the most difficult part of a marathon is the last few miles. Muscles cramp once a runner pushes beyond 20 miles, dehydration sets in, blisters on feet bleed, and the mind screams at the body to quit, shut it down – this is crazy!

But there is something personally satisfying for those who overcome the challenges, push on to the end and reaching their objective.

This Five Objectives marathon has been a challenge at times. No one could have predicted the immediate and long-term impact COVID has had on churches. Despite that, we can glance back through the years and see all the Lord has done and how He has used Tennessee Baptists.

I get weekly calls, texts or e-mails about spiritually lost people coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ, being baptized and set on the road to discipleship at a TBC church. A highlight for me throughout this 10-year journey is that we as Tennessee Baptists regularly talk about lives being transformed as part of our collective conversation.

God has allowed us to be a part of approximately 200,000 Tennesseans coming to know Christ as Savior since 2014.

We’ve also seen hundreds of churches experience new life through an intentional revitalization process, and we’ve seen hundreds of new churches planted.

Our efforts together financially supporting these first three reaching objectives has been strong, and 2024 will mark another record year of generosity in giving through the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions.

I recently reminded your Tennessee Baptist Mission Board staff of the victories won and what we have witnessed God do over the last nearly 10 years. I thanked them for serving your churches well. But I also want to thank you for laying hold of this impossible, impractical and imperative task as we’ve run this Great Commission race together.

But we’re not quite done. The finish line is in sight. Let’s give a final kick.

Let’s press hard through the end and lean in at the finish line.

It is a joy to be with you on this journey.

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