First Baptist Church of Oklahoma City

FBC OKC Cabin at Falls Creek	FBC OKC Celebrates Progress, Decides to Sell Retreat Facilities
	In a set of business meetings in July, First Baptist Church of Oklahoma City celebrated a series of encouraging reports on the growth of the church and made a significant decision related to the disposition of its two retreat facilities. Sunday morning Bible study reports reflect a 35% increase in attendance and a 19% increase in enrollment over the same period last year. The church also heard that 51 members joined the congregation over the last six months, with 24 of those joining through the Chin-Burmese refugee ministry. The financial reports were more complex. Undesignated giving is up 4% over last year in the first six months of the year. Giving to the $1.7 million dollar facility renovations capital campaign remained on schedule. While the economic recession has created some short term cash issues, overall giving has remained strong. The facility renovations are nearing completion and everything should be in order for the 120th Anniversary Celebration and Building Rededication set for November 1, 2009. The Renew First facility renovations reflect the congregation’s renewed commitment to its downtown location and its community ministry. The Finance Committee also announced that it will host a Financial Peace University class and will launch a new Legacy in Giving program in the fall. The Legacy of Giving Campaign is designed to assist congregation members in including the church in their trust and estate giving plans. The church also acknowledged the launch of a bi-lingual Hispanic ministry, representing the start of the fourth new church planting effort in the last five years. In a called church business meeting the congregation dealt with the proposed disposition of its cabin at Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center and its smaller lodge at the Lifeway Glorieta Conference Center. A church committee had explored the renovation of the 100 bed cabin at Falls Creek with a respected contractor, an architect, and a designer. While the plan was impressive, the committee, the deacons, and ultimately the church, decided it was in the best interest of the congregation to focus renovation efforts on its historic facility in downtown Oklahoma City. By an overwhelming majority vote of the congregation it was decided it was best to sell the Falls Creek cabin to another congregation to ensure its continued use, while giving FBC OKC the opportunity to explore other options in the future. In the same vote, the congregation decided to sell its retreat lodge at Glorieta. With reduced programming offered at the Glorieta Conference Center, coupled with the consistently less frequent use of the lodge by congregation members, the decision was obvious. A recent accident at the lodge triggered a $125,000 update of the lodge and its furnishings. Congregational leaders felt that its renewed condition would make the lodge more appealing at this particular moment to potential buyers. A primary benefit of selling the two retreat facilities will be that it will provide immediate liquid resources to the congregation which will be of value in the nation’s current economic environment. An additional benefit is that the congregation will be able to focus more financial and volunteer resources in its current facilities and ministries, rather than having to divert them toward maintaining auxiliary retreat facilities. “I am excited to see what God is doing in the life of First Baptist Church,” said Senior Pastor Tom Ogburn. “I believe the best days of ministry for the congregation lay before us rather than behind us.” For additional information contact Dr. Tom Ogburn at 405.232.4255.