BY: Donny Parrish
Lifeword
lifeword.org

I like to think about the future. Potential, possibilities, and dreams for what tomorrow could be ignite my imagination and really light my fire. But you can’t divorce tomorrow from yesterday. In fact, if there had been no yesterday, if there hadn’t been pioneers and dreamers and achievers yesterday, there would be no tomorrow to build upon. 

The Baptist Missionary Association (BMA) is changing. A new generation of leaders are taking their place and taking our association of churches in new, challenging directions. I like it. I believe there’s Bible precedence for it. 

Moses was a great leader who poured into a great leader, Joshua. When Moses died, Joshua took his place and led the people. Joshua became a great leader. Great leaders always prepare people for leadership that transcends their time to lead. What’s the cost of not building into new leaders? 

Judges 2:8-10 says, “And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel (italics mine). Evidently, Joshua didn’t follow Moses’ example to prepare a new leader to take his place. 

As important and right as it is to pour into new leaders, it’s also important to honor those who have blazed a trail for us. In this edition of mission:world you will read about some of our senior leadership that are moving aside for a new generation to take their place. They have served well. They have laid a solid foundation upon which to build. It is right that we should honor them. And it is also right that the world of Christ move forward. 

I hope that you will enjoy each article. Our goal for this edition of mission:world is to honor our past while looking to our future. Let’s honor those who are leaving a tremendous legacy and rejoice in the glorious future He is preparing for our association.