Q & A with Our New Fellowship President

Recently, Thrive had the opportunity to talk with Steven Jones, the new president of The Fellowship. He answered tough questions about The Fellowship and gave insight into his background and goals for moving forward. He will officially begin his role at the national office in Guelph at the beginning of August, 2011.

 

Thrive: What are your initial thoughts as you begin your new role as President?

Steven Jones: I feel humbled and hopeful—humbled by our National Council’s decision to ask me to take the role of President.  I’ve been a local church pastor for over 25 years.  This is a vastly different role.  I have so much to learn.  I am also very hopeful.  During the interview process, I met over several months with many of our Fellowship’s leaders.  I was greatly encouraged by the commitment of our servant leaders to work as a team to accomplish the mission.  This has left me very hopeful regarding our movement’s future.

 

How has God led and prepared you for your new role?

I believe many of the skills I have learned as a pastor will be transferable to the role of national president.  I have sought to be a creative visionary who works through others to define, refine and evaluate mission progress.  I’ve been a strategic thinker who implemented and innovated ministries relevant to the mission.

I’ve been an effective communicator and will use this skill to communicate clearly our movement’s mission, sustain the National Fellowship’s servant role and maintain doctrinal purity.  I’ve sought to be a shepherd and will seek to be a shepherd to our national staff and their families, championing the initiatives of our Regional Directors and becoming an available shepherd to our shepherds in our local churches and mission fields.

I also believe I’ve been a proven problem solver, team player, passionate evangelist and fund raiser.  I believe the Lord has prepared me with these qualities to help me in this new role.

I have also had significant experience serving our movement over the years.  I have served as Chair of The Fellowship (2000-2002), a member of FEB Central’s re-visioning Task Force Team (2008-2009), as a founding member of Fellowship Leadership Training Agency, our National Leadership-Development Team (1995-2003), as a member of our Chaplaincy Agency (2000-2001), and I have visited Fellowship International missionaries in Kazakhstan, Belgium, Turkey, France and Indonesia.

God has used The Fellowship to prepare me for this new role.  I am especially grateful for my mentor Dr. Roy Lawson, one of our movement’s most significant leaders.  Our relationship over the past 15 years has been part of God’s plan in preparing me for this new role.

 

There have been significant changes related to the structure of the National Fellowship over the past 4-5 years.  What has not changed?

Our beliefs and values have not changed.  We remain faithful to God’s Word and we must ensure this never changes.  Our distinct values have largely remained unchanged.  We value evangelism, church planting, international missions, fidelity to Biblical preaching and compassion toward the hurting, the poor and the powerless.  Structures may change, but our beliefs and values remain strong.  They are the engine that will successfully move the structure forward.

One other thing has largely not changed in the past 4-5 years.  Many of our people, leaders, pastors, and missionaries are still a part of the Fellowship family.  But will we value our family seeking to pray for it, support it and be active in stewarding its mission progress?  We will succeed to the degree that we come together as a team.  No other denomination or fellowship will do this on our behalf.  Will we?

 

How do the Regions and National function?

The previous question mentioned the significant changes that have occurred in The Fellowship over the past 4-5 years.  The National and Regions’ relationship is one of those significant “structural” changes.  I have recently been on a crash course learning about these changes.  In simple terms, our mission motto says it:

“The Fellowship Serves, Regions Deliver, Churches Thrive.”

National exists to discover God-ordained initiatives to help support our Regions in delivering helpful, effective and challenging services/ministries to enable our Churches to become all God wants them to be.

National and Regions are completely autonomous to one another as are each of our churches.  We have a long heritage and love for one another.  This covenant relationship compels us to serve one another and bring glory to God and great benefit to Fellowship Baptists and those we’re reaching with the Gospel.  Presently, the National President, the Senior Ministry Team and our five Regional Directors meet bi-monthly for mutual support and ministry initiative.  This Team is referred to as the FLT (Fellowship Leadership Team).  I recently met with the FLT and sensed a tremendous amount of chemistry between them.  They are a solid team.  I look forward to being a part of this team.

 

What are some of the challenges facing The Fellowship going forward?

It would be presumptuous for me to say I have identified all of our challenges and have defined a path forward toward success.  I have not.  I’ve only been on the job less than a month.  However, here is a short list of some of National’s challenges.  There are others; some of which National should not pick up as they are much better suited as Regional challenges.

• The new National and Regional relationship—it has been hammered out these past few years; however, to date it is largely untested.  Pray that our Regions and National will team together in a strong working relationship.

• The needs of our Fellowship International and Chaplaincy ministries must receive special focus, especially the recruitment of International missionaries.

• We must continue to steward our French Mission transition which has completed the first of its five year plan.

• A national fund-raising plan needs to be carefully prepared.

A pastor recently told me that he had reread an article I wrote in our Evangelical Baptist magazine in 2001, entitled, “Where have all our Davids and Deborahs gone?”  I remain concerned that we are losing some of our sharpest young leaders because they don’t feel connected to our Movement.  Our 20-30s are the future of our Fellowship.  Old guys like me need to come alongside of them and champion the vision God has given them.  I’m going on record with our young leaders; we are open for business.  I want to hear from you.

I would covet your prayer support for my family and me as we continue this major transition.  God has been so good to us.  We are resting in the knowledge of his faithfulness.  I’m presently building a “President’s Prayer Partner Team.”  I’m searching for partners to pray daily for my family and me over a twelve month commitment.  Email me (sjones@fellowship.ca) if you would like to join.  You’ll receive regular updates with news and prayer requests.

Thank you for the privilege to serve you and our Fellowship family.  I look forward to meeting with you as I visit our churches across our beautiful country.