By Ted Traylor
A church on mission must have eyes wide open to the old and the new.
There are ministry avenues that many churches use consistently, including VBS, small groups, evangelism training, and disaster relief. To be relevant a church must evaluate each program on a regular basis and continue in the ways that remain effective.
Our eyes must also be open and prayerfully looking for new doors of on mission opportunities.
For many years Olive has attempted to have a presence on a college campus less than two miles from our church. In recent days we have prayed for God to open doors. God answered as two on mission opportunities opened to us. Never before had we been allowed to have an official presence on the campus. After making appeals, we were given the green light. This has allowed us to be on the campus among the students like never before.
This year is the first year for college football at the university next to us. Out of the blue a request came to us to provide transportation for the team on game days to the stadium. They do not have a field on campus at this time and need to transport the team to and from the downtown location. Our college ministry and lay leaders from Olive jumped on this opportunity to serve and build relationships with players, coaches and others.
My encouragement and exhortation here is twofold.
Pray for God to open new doors of mission. Do not be fearful of new ideas.
Watch for the new fields of opportunity. Ours is on a campus. Yours maybe a nursing home or an elementary school. Do not throw out the proven mission paths that are bearing fruit. And be looking for the next road to travel with the gospel. Our Lord is always doing a new thing.
Ted Traylor is pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Fla.