If someone had told me as a young pastor starting out in ministry that sometime later in my ministry church members would use technology and social media to the extent they are now, I am not sure I would have believed it.

I have the opportunity to speak and visit in many of our North Carolina Baptist churches, and it is not uncommon for me to see someone following along with the sermon text using the Bible on their smartphone or iPad.

It seems that nearly every organization now has a website. Actually, for an organization or church to only have a website is becoming the exception. More and more they are also using blogs and social media.

Your Convention staff has worked hard to utilize various forms of technology. They have not done so just to keep up with a trend (because we know trends come and go). They have done so because they want to serve North Carolina Baptists as best as they possibly can. Everything we do as a Convention staff is driven by one goal: assist churches in fulfilling their divinely appointed mission. If we can more effectively get ministry resources to churches by utilizing technology, then that is what we strive to do.

You may not be aware of the different ways this Convention is utilizing technology. Of course ncbaptist.org remains a vital source of information. Several of our ministry areas now feature blogs, and you can find links to those blogs on our website. Our use of Skype and webinars has allowed us to involve more North Carolina Baptists in training and equipping opportunities.

The convention Facebook page is another way you can stay up-to-date on events, trainings and ministry resources. Through Twitter (you can follow us: @ncbaptist) we are often able to provide you with more instantaneous news coverage, such as keeping you updated on disaster relief efforts and letting you know how you can respond after a disaster strikes.

All these forms of technology are tools that allow us a greater opportunity to communicate. I should also say that we don’t want to just communicate; we want to engage. We want to connect you with resources to help you in your ministry. We want to learn from you and hear how God is working through people in your church and community.

God has given us many tools to use when it comes to ministry and carrying out the Great Commission. No matter the approach, the purpose is to share the gospel and to help believers be obedient to God’s call on their life.

We want to increase our use of technology and seek to use it more effectively so that we can better serve God and better help North Carolina Baptists serve God. In all we say and do, may it be an expression of our love and desire to honor our Savior.

(EDITOR’S NOTE — This item is part of a package about escalating technology improvements to benefit ministry. The Biblical Recorder is focusing on the Seven Pillars for Christian Ministry adopted by the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. For more stories on technology in ministry or to find out about the entire package, please visit here.)

During our Convention’s annual meeting are so many unique opportunities, from the pastor’s conference and break out sessions to times of meeting with staff and exhibitors. One of the opportunities I am blessed to participate in during the Annual Session is the Heavenly Banquet. If you are not familiar with the Heavenly Banquet, it is a luncheon hosted by our Convention’s Multicultural Team and is, as our Multicultural Team Leader Ken Tan likes to say, “a taste of heaven on earth.”

I have a feeling that the reason Ken says this is because the people who come to this banquet represent all kinds of ethnicities and backgrounds – people who now live in North Carolina but who have roots in other countries throughout the world. More than 230 languages are now spoken in N.C.

God has truly brought the nations to our door step. I shared with you in my last column that North Carolina has the 11th highest Hispanic population and sixth highest African-American population in the country. No longer do we have to get on an airplane and travel a great distance in order to meet people from other countries.

I believe ministering to the international community is critical because Scripture tells us of God’s desire to see all people come to know Him as Lord and Savior. Many internationals you meet will tell you they are very religious – and they are. However, practicing religious rituals does not equal a relationship with the living God. The only way to salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ.

Your Convention staff is focused on leading churches not only to disciple, but to evangelize, people from all places and all backgrounds. We are equipping Asian pastors in ministry areas such as discipleship, stewardship and young leadership development.

More of our resources are being translated into Spanish, and we are also working closely with more African-American pastors.

Our church planting efforts continue to reach out to many different internationals. Approximately two thirds of the 125 churches we helped start in N.C. last year were non-English speaking fellowships. If you stop and notice all the different places you go each week, whether to the bank, grocery store, or your child’s school, I think you might be surprised at how many internationals you have an opportunity to meet.

Please don’t miss these opportunities to build relationships and to share the gospel.

One day the nations will gather together to worship around God’s throne. I pray we will start doing more of that now. The gospel is for all – let’s go tell them!

“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9-10).

(EDITOR’S NOTE — This item is part of a package highlighting increasing work with the international community. The Biblical Recorder is focusing on the Seven Pillars for Christian Ministry adopted by the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. For more stories on reaching internationals or to find out about the entire package, please visit here.)