The South Carolina Baptist Convention is launching a new resource magazine that will be distributed to churches starting in December.
“Experience Kingdom Life Focus” will be printed quarterly and will provide resource material designed to assist and encourage church staff.
The magazine will help churches learn what it means to Experience Kingdom Life, a new five-year spiritual focus adopted by SCBC messengers at the 2008 annual meeting of the South Carolina Baptist Convention Nov. 11-12. Experience Kingdom Life will build upon the foundation established in the last 15 years, Empowering Kingdom Growth.
The convention created “Experience Kingdom Life Focus” as a consolidated version of three previous publications: “Church Staff Digest,” “Church Staff Leadership Packet” and “Resource Quarterly.” Aspects of the three prior publications are wrapped into “Experience Kingdom Life Focus.”
The inaugural issue focuses on the spiritual vitality within the church in order to create a church that is joyful. According to magazine editor Roger Orman, the topic of spiritual vitality gives contributing writers room to encourage churches, recommend resources and remind the church that it has a purpose as the bride of Christ. Writers will offer insights on topics such as prayer, joy, children, life’s trials and joyful giving.
Each issue will feature special guest writers who will submit articles that coincide with the issue’s theme. Magazine staff writers will also submit theme-based articles. Contributing writers will include people outside the convention along with ministry-related individuals. Each magazine will highlight a special audience, with the first focusing on collegiate ministries.
Various guest writers will also bring professional expertise to readers. Attorneys Matt Gerrald and Tom Strickland of Columbia share with readers legal insights that are important to churches. Also, psychologist Chuck Hannaford will help churches answer tough questions.
A free electronic version of the magazine will contain everything in the printed version. Supplemental pages can be downloaded as PDF files at scbaptist.org/focus.