One of the biggest blessings of my life is the opportunity to preach the Word on a weekly basis. I am so thankful for the pulpit ministry that the Lord has given to me. I was just telling somebody earlier today how much I enjoy preaching at Parkview. Years ago (about 20) I heard a pastor talk about the responsibility of the listener when it came to preaching. I can’t say I remember any specific quote or saying from his message but the overarching theme has stuck with me. In the message the speaker shared about the responsibility that the listener has to listen and about how listening is actively engaging in the preaching of the sermon. In light of that sermon I heard, I would like to share some thoughts with you about how you can help me preach the sermon:

• Let God speak to you during the week through His Word
• Before you come to church pray that God will speak to your heart
• Bring your Bible (a worn out Bible is usually owned by somebody who is not)
• Take notes (writing significantly increases retainage)
• Come to church rested as opposed to exhausted
• Use the bathroom before the service starts. Getting up during the sermon not only distracts you but others around you.
• Utilize the amazing learning environments for your children (if applicable) where they learn on their level from incredible, loving teachers.
• Expect God to speak to you
• Talk about the sermon with others after the service

What I believe to be true is that the power of God’s Word has the ability to change our lives. I don’t want to miss anything that God is trying to say to me and I don’t want you to miss anything that God wants to say to you. Let’s come to church this weekend and both of us preach the sermon!!

I rest confident that God’s agenda has been accomplished(one of our core values is Driven by God’s Agenda)! Our leadership did everything we could do in regards to the potential merger with the Hammock and then we left the outcome in the hands of the Lord. This afternoon the Hammock First Baptist Church voted in favor of the merger 11-8. Yet, because the vote required a  75% approval the motion failed. (Update: After the initial blog post I was told the vote was 10-8 against the merger, as opposed to what I understood earlier to be the vote as stated in the previous sentence. Regardless, the outcome is the same.)So what exactly do I think now:

• I really had a desire to see a strong gospel voice in the Hammock and I still have a desire to see that happen.
• I am spiritually sad we will not have that opportunity in the next couple months.
• I love the people of Hammock First and I thank them for considering this matter.
• I hurt for the people of First Hammock – for years they have experienced great pain.
• I am sad that they fired their pastor a few weeks ago. I have shared very openly with their leadership my feelings on that matter.
• I have heard about what people at the church said about the vote today and I hurt for them. Some are very sad about where this leaves them as a church. The church is now running less than 20 – wow I wish that weren’t the case!
• I am not disappointed by the outcome. I truly believe God has something better in store for Parkview!!
• If the merger went through I had some strong concerns about a couple matters. I believe the Lord’s timing is perfect and His way is perfect. I see His closing this door being the potential opening to another door.
• The elders, staff and I will continue to seek God’s face about how to expand His Kingdom.
• Matthew 7:7 is in the continuous voice.
• I see multisite church being a great way to expand the kingdom and a great way to leverage resources.
• I love pastoring Parkview and this has been a tremendous weekend.
• I spent a good portion of the afternoon with a church planter and his wife who visited Parkview and I was privileged to share with them what an honor it is to serve at Parkview.
• I can’t wait to see what God is going to do in the near future.
• Let’s remember our mission – Guiding People to Life Change in Jesus Christ!

It has been a great week at Parkview! We have been celebrating the blessings of Easter and the stories of Life Change.

In regards to the potential merger at Hammock First Baptist I wanted to give you a couple links for you to read. Please click here to read an FAQ piece that we put together. The FAQ not only gives the Hammock church some clarity but it also serves as a communication piece for Parkview as well.

This past week Pastor Mike Wehde forwarded me a great article about church mergers. Click here to read the article written by Pastor Mark Driscoll. I posted the preceding article on our church’s Facebook page and one of our members posted the following comment: Very thought provoking article. This statement taken from it, makes what we’re considering a very good option and Biblically sound: “Rather it’s about two churches uniting to do more together than they could apart. It’s about putting aside personal agendas, and realizing that Jesus is the Senior Pastor of the Church and that we have one mission: to make disciples”

After reading the FAQ or the article, if you have any questions please feel free to email me at greg@parkviewlife.com. Most importantly please make the merger a matter of prayer.

Through announcements, blog posts, a video and conversations we have tried to keep our Parkview family informed in regards to conversations we are having in regards to the Hammock 1st Baptist potentially merging with our church. Last week the elders of our church, with the help of our consultant, Jim Tomberlin, put together and FAQ sheet for the Hammock 1st Baptist. This FAQ sheet has been made available to the Hammock congregation and I wanted to make it available to our church family. A print version will be available this weekend at church but I wanted to make an e-copy available here. Please feel free to email me (greg@parkviewlife.com) if you have any questions.

During December 2011, Pastor John “JD” Friel of Hammock First Baptist Church (HFBC) initiated a conversation with Greg Peters, lead pastor of Parkview Baptist Church, to determine if Parkview would consider merging the two congregations into a single multi-campus church.  This initial conversation developed into a prayerful interaction.  During April 2012, JD and Greg publicly announced plans to have formal conversations around a potential church merger. If approved, the merger would create one church in two locations under a single vision.

Why are we considering a merger?

From the very beginning, our two churches have been about guiding people to life change in Jesus Christ.  Through much prayer and discussion during merger conversations, our pastors felt God’s strong call to come together for the good of His Kingdom.  By joining teams, we have faith that more people throughout our area will be changed by the Gospel.  By leveraging our strengths and focusing our efforts as one Body, with a unified vision, we have an opportunity to be a healthy church that is united for the good of the greater Palm Coast area and ultimately the good of the Kingdom.

What is the goal of this merger?

The guiding focus of this merger is to reach more people to advance the Kingdom of God.  Our goal is to form a healthy, vibrant multi-site church with two campuses.

What is a multi-site church?

A multi-site church is simply one church in multiple locations.  It has multiple “campuses” but operates under one vision, one ministry model, one budget, and one leadership.  On the one hand, being one church pools together the best resources to impact people in ways smaller churches are often unable.  On the other hand, by being in multiple locations, it distributes a larger church family into smaller units in a more neighborhood-based way.

What are the benefits of becoming a multi-site church?

Simply put, we are better together than we could ever be apart.  Both churches bring a commitment to the Word of God in our lives and the work of God in our community.  Both bring a heart for families and the next generation, while wanting to honor those who have brought us to where we are today.  There are several additional advantages for HFBC.  In addition to financial stability, we believe Parkview’s vision, leadership, implementation, systems, and structures will enhance and maximize the impact of the ministry of HFBC people in the community and around the world.  An additional benefit is that we expect a very quick influx of trained and willing volunteers who have attended Parkview but live closer to the Hammock.

How will the merger decision be made?

The merger will be decided at a vote of the members of HFBC on May 6, 2012 (HFBC is currently a congregational-style government), and acceptance by the Parkview Elder Leadership Team which will operate in consideration of the staff, finance team and entire congregation.

What will the leadership structure look like?

Our multi-site church will receive spiritual leadership from our elder team and ministry leadership from the pastoral staff.  Each brings various talents to the table in being accountable to one another and in keeping watch over the church, working together in community, and spearheading new ministry opportunities.  Given his experience, Pastor JD will likely serve as the HFBC campus pastor.  Reporting to Parkview’s Executive Pastor, JD will also transition into a role of church-wide responsibility that optimizes his gifts on the Parkview staff team.

How will the facilities be utilized?

Parkview’s plan is to maximize the use of the HFBC campus for greater Kingdom impact.  The HFBC campus is strategically located in the greater Palm Coast area.  We will encourage families who currently attend Parkview but live in or near the A1A corridor to worship on the HFBC campus.  You will also see facility improvements as we begin to catch up on delayed maintenance and upgrade projects.

What is the timeline?

The following timetable lies before us:

• April 1-4: Presentation of information to both churches
• April 4: Stakeholder/leadership Q&A meeting at HFBC
• April 10: Information on Pastor Greg’s Blog at www.gregpeterslive.com
• April 12: HFBC youth participates in Parkview’s Student Night – 7:00 pm
• April 15: Second Q&A meeting at HFBC – 7:00 pm
• April 16: Q&A meeting with the Parkview congregation – 7:00 pm
• May 6: Member vote at HFBC following the morning service
• May 13: Celebration Service/Vision for the Future (if merger is approved)

What happens if the vote passes?

HFBC will donate its assets and liabilities to Parkview Baptist Church, as provided for in HFBC’s Articles of Incorporation.  HFBC has no mortgage debt or financial responsibilities outside of normal operations for a church its size.  HFBC would begin operating as the Hammock campus of Parkview Baptist Church.  We would be one body joined together under Parkview’s Constitution and By-Laws.  This process would make us one church, with one vision, operating in two locations.

What happens if it is not approved?

Regardless of the outcome of the members’ vote, HFBC recognizes its needs for resurgence and change.  As witnessed by its lack of healthy growth over a number of years, the current status of HFBC does not honor its mission or reflect God’s intention for His Church.  If the HFBC membership does not vote to merge with Parkview, there could be serious financial consequences and its continued existence could be in jeopardy.  Regardless, Parkview will continue its mission of guiding people to life change in Jesus Christ.

What can I do during this process?

First and foremost, you can seek God’s will for Hammock First Baptist Church.  Change is coming to HFBC and it can be a difficult challenge.  We ask that you:

• Celebrate the wonderful new thing God is doing in our two congregations.
• Pray for the leadership and staff as they work out the details of a possible merger.
• Explore the possibilities at Parkview by visiting its website at parkviewlife.com and attending weekend worship services.
• Seek God’s will for the future of HFBC and its impact on His Kingdom.
• Vote on May 6, 2012, to acknowledge what you believe to be God’s will for us.

I would like to thank our entire Parkview family as we prayerfully consider a merger with First Baptist Church of the Hammock. We invited consultant, Jim Tomberlin, (www.multisitesolutions.com) to be with us the last 2 days and guide us from a third party perspective. Last night, Wednesday, both churches met for dinner and an initial discussion. We had about 15 elders, staff and finance team members present and the Hammock had about 25 people present. Because of the size of the Hammock their entire church was invited. Initially it felt like a junior high dance. As the night progressed more hurdles were crossed, relationships were established and clarity was given. Jim did a good job setting the context and environment. I felt very clear in my thinking and communication. God’s Spirit was clearly at work and I give Him all the glory. Today our staff continued to meet with Jim and consider what the path might look like as we move forward. Our elders are currently working on an FAQ piece. In fact, I just received the first rough draft in my inbox. We will be making that available in the next couple days. Along with the FAQ piece we will be making available some dates to be considered as we navigate this potential opportunity.

Our elder team is absolutely committed to hearing God’s voice and following God’s agenda. We are considering everything and our desire is to determine if the Kingdom can be furthered through this merger. Our bottom line is our mission – guiding people to Life Change is Jesus Christ.

This past Monday night at our volunteer and leader training I announced publicly for the first time about the merger conversations that have taken place with Pastor JD Friel of 1st Baptist Hammock and myself. Please watch the video below and most importantly please join with us in prayer as we seek heaven’s agenda. Our desire is to talk through this and simply to hear God’s voice on the matter!