Rejoicing in God’s Work These Last 8 Years

Eight years ago today I began my service as the Executive Director of the BCNE. It is a great joy to serve the churches. From my very first day, my passion has been to help the churches multiply Christ-followers through partnering, equipping, and encouraging. I’m thankful the Lord has chosen to honor my humble efforts with His favor. 

The last 8 years have had some great moments, and some significant challenges. I think we are all glad COVID has finally subsided. That was a three year challenge I hope none of us have to repeat. 

As I reflect on what the Lord has done these last 8 years, I praise Him that the number of churches in the BCNE has risen from 337 to 363, and that does not include the 20-25 church plants currently in various stages of launching. Our total church membership has grown from 28,386 to 30,290 and worship attendance has grown from 27,325 to 43,156. God is growing His Kingdom in New England as churches become more numerous and healthier across our region.

“Eight years ago today I began my service as the Executive Director of the BCNE. It is a great joy to serve the churches.”

The Lord also deserves praise that He has grown the number of people attending Bible study. It is one thing to show up for an hour of worship and just observe. It is quite another to become a vital part of a small group that prays together, studies the Word together, and holds each other accountable for Christian living. It is good to see that our Bible study attendance has grown from 13,473 to 17,772. In some ways this is a better indication of church health than worship attendance alone. Praise the Lord!

Lastly, I want to rejoice that since 2015 we have seen a total of 12,933 new believers baptized. Though not essential for salvation, baptism is the outward way we demonstrate our inner faith. When new believers are baptized, they are making a public statement about their commitment to Christ and buck the growing trend in America to be “non-religious.” To think that in the last 8 years 12,933 people have made that declaration is perhaps the greatest joy I have as a servant to the churches. Rejoice in what God has done! Pray for Him to continue doing it.

“From my very first day, my passion has been to help the churches multiply Christ-followers through partnering, equipping, and encouraging.”

Please pray for me as I continue to serve the churches. I often have to deal with complex issues that do not have easy answers. It requires a constant inflow of heavenly wisdom. Pray for God to give me His wisdom in growing measure. I also have to devote a lot of time to raising the funds needed to assist new church plants and our smaller churches that are in need, especially our immigrant majority churches that often lack the resources that an American majority church might have access to. This is a never ending task on my “to do” list. Lastly, pray for me as I continue to stand with my wife during her ongoing battle with pancreatic cancer. God has the power to heal through miracles or medicine. Continue to pray towards that end.

I like the words the Apostle Paul used in asking people to pray for him, “Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:28 ). My concern for the churches is great, but our God is powerful and more than able to empower a nobody like me to carry that load. With the help of the Lord, I look forward to many more years of service to our BCNE churches.

Dr. Terry W. Dorsett serves as the executive director of the Baptist Churches of New England.