By Message Staff
DEVILLE (LBM) – CEO of one of the largest businesses in Central Louisiana, Roy O. Martin III realizes his company is a mission field
Employing more than 1,200 people in the plywood and timber industry, Martin emphasizes each Christ follower has his or her own specific God-given purpose in the workplace and community. And ultimately, all Christians share Jesus’ commandment to make disciples and share the Gospel.
“We are programmed to be disciples of Jesus Christ,” said Martin, a long-time Sunday school teacher at Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria. “We are built for that purpose.”
Martin was the keynote speaker during the ReGroup conference attended by 261 people at Philadelphia Baptist Church in Deville, one of three such sites for the Aug. 12 event. First Baptist Church in Covington drew 248 people while First Baptist Church in Mandeville had 105 at the first-ever Hispanic ReGroup.
The conference also featured music and breakout sessions for small group leadership in the areas of Sunday school, discipleship, bi-vocational pastors, special needs ministry, recovery and support groups, youth and children.
Bee Keen attended ReGroup with others from First Baptist Church in Natchitoches, where he serves as minister of music and senior adults.
“This conference helped me and other leaders to be better at what we do,” Keen said. “It’s helped us achieve our main goal, which is to reach more people for Jesus with the Gospel.”
Randall Strother, a layman from Occupy 2 Baptist Church in Pitkinn, enjoyed learning some new ideas from those who are seasoned in various areas of ministry.
“I came here to get insight of what we can use to reach out to our community and people at church,” Strother said. “That’s what our calling is – to reach the community and the lost and have better walk with Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ReGroup definitely gave me some new ideas on how to do just that.”
Jeff Ingram, adult ministry strategist for Louisiana Baptists, said ReGroup is a great tool for ministers and laypeople to use in their respective ministries.
“We believe the best way to make disciples is through groups,” he said. “The mission and purpose of the church is to share the Gospel with the lost, develop biblical communities, help people grow spiritually and equip people with the tools to share the Great Commission in their context. ReGroup provided ways for them to learn from some of the best people who taught them some new ideas they can take back to their churches.”
