While it doesn’t seem quite possible, the year 2022 is fast approaching. I want to share with you some of my goals for the coming year.

Most of my goals are rightly spiritual, goals for me personally and goals for the church. For example, I have goals for my own growth and sanctification and goals for you and for the church. I also have goals for administrative needs in the church.

Today, I want to share two of my administrative goals with you.

First, I want 2022 to be a year when we emphasize strengthening all of the campuses of First Baptist Church. At the present time, FBC Covington is made up of five congregations—FBC Kenner, Metairie Church, Metairie Korean Church, Hope Church of Bush, Louisiana, and, of course, FBC Covington. Each of the other campuses is facing property issues. FBC Kenner had extensive damage from Hurricane Ida. Metairie Church and Metairie Korean Church meet in the same location and need a larger, more conducive place for Connect Groups and children’s ministry. Hope Church’s location, facilities, and proximity to our Covington campus create its own unique issues.

In addition, each congregation has needs to help them grow and become stronger. I want 2022 to be a year when we emphasize and meet these needs to advance the Gospel in each of these communities.

Second, I want 2022 to be a time when we restructure the loan on our FBC Covington worship center and children’s building. I want to make this debt more manageable, allowing the church to pay it off quicker and free up financial resources for future ministry. We are working now on structuring this debt to remove the risk of rising interest rates that may be on the horizon.

Both of these issues and proposed solutions will be discussed at our next congregational meeting on Wednesday, November 17th. At that time we will also discuss the 2022 proposed budget and give you some encouraging information about our current financial situation.

I am looking forward to this meeting, and I hope you will join us.