Ken and Sharon Floyd announce
ministry transition plan for January 2023
Ken and Sharon Floyd recently announced by letter to the MARBC constituency their plan to complete their current ministry roles with the association on December 31, 2022. Ken has been working with the MARBC Council of 16 leadership for the past four years regarding the MARBC's strategic plan for the future. The focus of meetings this past year has been on an appropriate time for the Floyds to conclude their current ministry and to position the association for effective ministry in subsequent years. The timing of the announcement by Ken was coordinated with preparations for the upcoming annual MARBC Conference on October 11-12 in Grand Rapids. The theme and sessions of the conference will focus upon the strategic plan of the association moving forward. Thus the title of the conference, "Focus on What Matters." Please visit the conference webpage to learn more details about the conference. A link to Ken's announcement letter is included below this paragraph. Please uphold the Floyds and the association in prayer during these exciting days of preparation and anticipation.
floyd_marbc_retirement_letter_08_2021.docx
floyd_marbc_retirement_letter_08_2021.docx
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Ken Floyd has served since 2006 as the Executive Ministry Director of the Michigan Association of Regular Baptist Churches (MARBC), a network of approximately 200 churches in the State of Michigan.
Ken and his wife, Sharon, were married in Ken’s senior year of college during the U.S. Bicentennial year. They declared their love for one another while watching Bicentennial Fourth of July fireworks! They are both first generation Christians. Sharon accepted Christ in fifth grade, Ken as a senior in high school (having never previously been introduced to the gospel). Both of them were reached for Christ by individuals who attended the same small Baptist church in their hometown of Springfield, Ohio. Ken was planning to become a medical doctor until God redirected his life’s path towards pastoral ministry while he was attending Christian college. He credits God’s use of his spiritual mentors at the small Baptist church for softening his heart to God’s call. The Floyds love pastoral ministry. In fact, Sharon started praying to be a pastor’s wife in the seventh grade after being mentored by her pastor’s wife. She began teaching Junior High girls Sunday School classes shortly after graduating from high school and continued to do so for over 40 years. Ken and Sharon enjoy ministering together. They often share in mentoring opportunities, counseling married couples, conducting pre-marital counseling, and sharing at couples’ retreats. After being married for nine years the Floyds were told that they would probably never have children. God had another plan and blessed the Floyds with a daughter, Allison. Allison and her husband live in northeast Ohio with their five children (ages 3 to 12). The Floyds absolutely love being grandparents and feel that God richly blessed them by giving them five grandchildren after raising an only child! |
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Ken’s role with the MARBC involves traveling regularly to churches, speaking in Sunday services, and providing practical ministry assistance. Ken is certified in ministry consultation by Church Consultation University and is also certified in church revitalization through Church Answers, both groups are led by Dr. Thom Rainer. He regularly specializes in working with churches who are seeking pastoral placement. He also counsels pastors in areas of ministry and personal need. A frequent speaker in conferences and school chapels, Ken also conducts seminars pertaining to spiritual leadership, prayer, strategic planning, conflict resolution, and stewardship. He is the author of two ministry books, several ministry related articles, and serves as the editor of MARBC publications and e-newsletter.
Sharon enjoys her life’s calling as a wife, mother, and grandmother (Mamaw!) She has served in the local church in a variety of ways including; ministry as a pastor’s wife, Junior High Sunday School teacher for almost forty years, AWANA Sparks leader, vocalist, mentor, and women’s speaker. She and Ken often share together in mentoring and counseling married couples, conducting pre-marital counseling, and sharing at couples’ retreats. |
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contact ken
Ministry Itinerary
Ken is available for Sunday speaking ministries in 2022. He is also available to share in special ministry seminars, consultations, and pastoral search orientations.
December 14 GRARBC Breakpoint meeting, Grand Rapids, MI
December 14 Lansing Avenue Baptist Church, Jackson, MI, strategic planning committee
January 2 Grace Baptist Church, Canton, OH
January 9 Colon Baptist Church, Colon, MI
January 14 Berean Baptist Church, Portage, MI, leadership retreat
January 15 Alpine Baptist Church, Comstock Park, MI, leadership retreat
January 16 Northwest Baptist Church, Jackson, MI
January 18 GRARBC Breakpoint meeting, Grandville, MI
January 18 First Baptist Church, Clare, MI leadership meeting
January 23 Calvary Baptist Church, Battle Creek, MI
January 26 LEAD board meeting, Grand Rapids, MI
January 30 First Baptist Church, Clare, MI
February 6 North Park Baptist Church, Grand Rapids, MI
February 15 GRARBC Pastors and Wives Appreciation Dinner, Cedar Springs, MI
February 27 First Baptist Church, Allegan, MI
March 4-5 GRARBC Church Ministries Conference, Grand Rapids, MI
March 5 Men Modeling the Master Conference
We are grateful for your prayer support as Ken and Sharon travel and minister.
December 14 GRARBC Breakpoint meeting, Grand Rapids, MI
December 14 Lansing Avenue Baptist Church, Jackson, MI, strategic planning committee
January 2 Grace Baptist Church, Canton, OH
January 9 Colon Baptist Church, Colon, MI
January 14 Berean Baptist Church, Portage, MI, leadership retreat
January 15 Alpine Baptist Church, Comstock Park, MI, leadership retreat
January 16 Northwest Baptist Church, Jackson, MI
January 18 GRARBC Breakpoint meeting, Grandville, MI
January 18 First Baptist Church, Clare, MI leadership meeting
January 23 Calvary Baptist Church, Battle Creek, MI
January 26 LEAD board meeting, Grand Rapids, MI
January 30 First Baptist Church, Clare, MI
February 6 North Park Baptist Church, Grand Rapids, MI
February 15 GRARBC Pastors and Wives Appreciation Dinner, Cedar Springs, MI
February 27 First Baptist Church, Allegan, MI
March 4-5 GRARBC Church Ministries Conference, Grand Rapids, MI
March 5 Men Modeling the Master Conference
We are grateful for your prayer support as Ken and Sharon travel and minister.
2021 MARBC Ministry Director's Report
Statistics from 2020-21…
New MARBC Pastors 2020-21…
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Sharon and I consider it an absolute privilege to serve Christ and the churches of the MARBC! The past fifteen years of ministry have allowed us to meet so many choice servants of God and to serve in so many wonderful ministry contexts. Your service for the Lord continues to be a source of great joy as we now embark on the sixteenth and final year of our partnership with you. The coming year also happens to be the 80th anniversary of our association of churches.
Stay Focused! As I write this report, I am reflecting about the launch of yet another MARBC ministry year. This year’s conference and the subsequent implement of a new strategic ministry plan bring much excitement and opportunity. The ministry world in which we all serve today is much different than the one we ministered in when I assumed the role of Ministry Director in 2006. Today we seem to have our outlooks and perspectives somewhat skewed by our instantaneous access to the internet, social media, and the invasion of our privacy by the latest “urgent” news update (a way overused term, in my humble opinion). It is certainly a challenge to stay focused upon that which is both eternal and spiritually edifying. While our ministries are indeed much more fast paced than our predecessors, are they really that much different? In some ways, yes, but in many ways, no. Sin is still sin and grace is still grace. The wide way still leads to destruction. Praise be to God, the narrow way still leads to the cross, the empty tomb, and eternal joy. Are we more oppressed in our current ministry situations, and do we struggle more than our predecessors who served in relative obscurity? Doubtful. Do we have the privilege to serve the same glorious Lord and Savior? Absolutely. It is indeed our joyous privilege to embrace the Christ ward aspirations of Paul the Apostle, who proclaimed, “one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14 ESV). He then challenged his fellow servants, “let those of us who are mature think this way … let us hold true to what we have attained.” (Philippians 3:15-16 ESV). This is my focus as we enter a new ministry season and I encourage you to consider this important goal as your own. Prayerful, Strategic Planning. As you are aware, the shape and demands of ministry continue to rapidly change. This has been especially true in recent years leading up to and through the pandemic. The MARBC leadership collaborated with association pastors and churches to develop a refined set of Core Values five years ago. These values are designed to assist our association churches in understanding both the key dynamics that set us apart as a church partnership as well as define our mission moving forward into the next decade. I began discussing the need with the Council of 16 in 2019 regarding strategic and structural associational changes. I observed that the role of the Ministry Director had expanded to a point where one person would be unable to lead effectively moving forward. It has been my belief for the past few years that our association would benefit greatly from a shared leadership paradigm with an emphasis on stewardship of resources. This past spring the Council established a Future Ministry Task Force comprised of current Council members and other pastors from our association. The Task Force did a wonderful job as they met frequently and prayerfully investigated potential expanded partnerships with other state associations, the role and function of the Ministry Director, and broadening the role and effectiveness of the MARBC regional associations. Sharon and I also began to prayerfully consider when it would be appropriate timing for us to transition/semi-retire from such an active ministry. We asked for the Council’s assistance in helping us plan for this eventual transition. Perhaps more importantly, we asked the Council to consider what the structure and focus of the MARBC would be once there would be new leadership in place. We believe that it is in the best interest of our association, as well as our own personal needs, that we transition from our role with the MARBC at the end of next year, December 31, 2022. During the next 14 months, I will be working with the Council of 16 to not only plan for our transition but also the implementation of a new MARBC ministry paradigm with future leadership. I have been blessed by the support of the Council in considering our future needs and their enthusiasm to consider several strategic options for the MARBC ministry moving forward. We have prayerfully considered as a ministry team the best way to implement these changes to glorify God and benefit all those involved. Revitalization of churches. A major focus of my ministry the past two years has been to encourage and help implement church revitalization partnerships between local churches. While our association is not a revitalization agency, we seek to assist struggling churches to connect with healthy churches who can come alongside them for spiritual and practical assistance. Our willingness as an association to accomplish this requires a sponsoring church to be involved personally and through stewardship investment. Clear, comprehensive assessments are important in helping church leaders and members to face reality and own their decisions. Assessments emphasize accountability and investment. We seek to clearly communicate deadlines and financial requirements with the churches involved in the partnership. A major part of the assessment is to determine what type of church relationship is necessary. Four basic options are shared in the consulting: Revitalization (overhaul of the overall church internally), Repurposing (a milder form of revitalization where current resources are repurposed), Foster care (when a sister church shares resources to help a struggling church move forward, typically a year or so), and Adoption (a blending or merging of two churches). Several such partnerships have shared between churches in the MARBC in the past five years. We give thanks to God for the completion of a revitalization project with First Baptist Church in North Adams. They received sponsoring financial support from First Baptist Church in Allegan. I had the joy to preach a “commencement” message there in August and then share at the new pastor’s installation service at the end of September. We challenge churches to never forget the power of prayer. There is no situation that is beyond God’s ability to answer. Goals for the coming year as we serve. Ministry goals:
Personal goals:
With thanksgiving to God. “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) … Our family greatly appreciates your prayer support, cards, texts, and patience as we were graciously led by our Great Shepherd through the shadowy valley on multiple occasions in the span of five weeks during the summer. We have gained a greater appreciation through our experiences for both the privilege and power of prayer. Our spiritual journey included leading the unanticipated memorial of my sister’s oldest son (40) who died one week prior to our mother. The memorial service of my dear, sweet mom brought great glory to the Savior she so joyfully served. These services were following shortly thereafter by memorials for two godly senior saints on Sharon’s side of the family. I also led the memorial for a long-time ministry friend in August. I have been re-reading the text stream he shared with me assuring me of his prayer support during my mom’s illness and other family related deaths. Little did we know what would soon transpire in his own life as we texted back and forth – but God did – and once again provided grace for the journey. He always does! Our Gentle Shepherd has also been caring and gracious as I dealt with COVID early in October. We are thankful that this has not hindered our ability to participate in the annual conference. I continue to have the daily joy to serve with my godly wife and best friend, Sharon. She is a great personal blessing and cares deeply for our pastoral couples and churches. God has used her greatly to be a source of spiritual support and encouragement during this unusual season of life and ministry. We give thanks for God’s protection and blessing upon our daughter Allison, husband Taylor, and our five grandchildren - Connor (12), Eloise (10), Malachi (7), Emmaline (5), and Camille (4). They are a great joy as they grow as a family who seeks to trust and honor God. We once again thank our faithful co-laborer, Karen Avey, who serves as the MARBC bookkeeper. We are blessed by the many years that we have served with Karen with the MARBC and previously in local church ministry. Finally, we thank God upon every remembrance of each church and ministry friend who supports us through prayer and financial support. You continue to be a great source of encouragement to us in a very challenging time. Please let us know how we can assist you, share a prayer request, or celebrate a blessing in your life or ministry. Partnering with you and praying for you, Ken and Sharon Floyd |
2020 MARBC Ministry Director's Report
2020 Annual Report
Executive Ministry Director Statistics from 2019-20…
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We absolutely love the fact that God has called us to serve for His glory with the MARBC! The past fourteen years of ministry have allowed us to meet so many choice servants of God and to serve in many wonderful ministry contexts. Your service for the Lord continues to be a source of great joy as we embark on year fifteen of our partnership with you. We share these sentiments in a time when ministry is very difficult for all of us. The toll of the pandemic and societal upheaval impacts every person and every church ministry. Heartache and heartbreak are commonplace. Disagreements are amplified due to isolation which robs individuals and groups of the personal nature of interactions and discussions. We are discovering how much we worshipped at the altar of routine while claiming to be moving towards the “cutting edge” of ministry. Now nothing is routine and even the most “cutting edge” pastors catch themselves pining for “the good old days” of pre-COVID life and ministry. Indeed “cut” is a relevant word during the pandemic. Many pastors are experiencing “death by 1,000 cuts” syndrome as they seek to balance the need to regather for God’s glory with regulations and perceptions that are a part of their particular ministry context. Given the many COVID perspectives that are offered daily, it is easy for us to fall into the trap of “analysis paralysis.” We must be prayerfully circumspect as we seek godly wisdom combined with the most accurate information available to us as we seek to shepherd God’s precious flocks. I could write pages giving examples of this and share my perspective as to why this is taking place. Simply stated, we are dealing with spiritual issues that are exposing the true condition of hearts. The discord being sown in society and, sadly, some churches is a graphic reminder that the Enemy is on the prowl. Satan is a liar, deceiver, and destroyer. He revels at sowing discord among believers and enjoys accusing them when they falter. He possesses high definition wisdom from below and understands human nature at a graduate level. We are engaged in real spiritual warfare. We must keep our focus upon God and take up His whole armor, in order to “withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm!” (Ephesians 6:13) The unity of the spirit and bond of peace will only be demonstrated in church bodies that acknowledge that God has a sovereign plan, that His church is a major part of it, and that the battle is only effectively and effectually engaged and won through prayerful, spiritual means (my summarization of Ephesians 4-6). Not the “new normal”. The sidebar to the left of this report lists many aspects of the recent ministry year. The last “normal” day of my ministry was on March 10 when the MARBC Council of 16 met in Mount Pleasant. Ministry and routines changed significantly for all of us since then. I initially invested much time counseling pastors one-on-one and in online group settings. The personal stress upon pastors seemed to only increase in mid-summer. “Push back” is experienced regularly in many churches, and from all sides, as practical decisions are made. Indeed, there are many changes as a result of COVID that challenge our culture and our churches. What hasn’t changed is the fact that God is sovereign, the Word of God abides forever, His grace is always sufficient, Christ will continue to build His Church, and the Gospel is still the only Good News for a desperate and dying world. These are just a few of the rock-solid foundational truths God’s Word declares for which we give thanks to Him Who is able! Church Revitalization and Recruitment. I was able to carve out the time necessary to complete courses and coaching to become certified as a Church Consultant and Revitalization Coach through Thom Rainer’s ministry. I was also able to complete the Accelerate cohort led by Dr. Gary Rohrmyer (Converge MidAmerica). I am appreciative of the Council’s support of my training and found it very beneficial. I now have connections with national church planters and revitalizers and enjoy my interactions with them. We also have exclusive access to church assessment and revitalization evaluation tools that can be used in future projects. There is great potential for church planting and revitalization in post-COVID Michigan communities. I’ve asked our regional associations to aggressively pursue this in their settings. With thanksgiving to God. I dearly love and appreciate my godly wife and best friend, Sharon. She is a great personal blessing and cares deeply for our pastoral couples. God has used her greatly to be a source of spiritual support and encouragement during this unusual season of life and ministry. We give thanks for God’s protection and blessing upon our daughter Allison, husband Taylor, and our five grandchildren - Connor (11), Eloise (9), Malachi (6), Emmaline (4), and Camille (3). It’s never a dull moment in their household and they bring us much joy and brighten the gloomiest day. We also give thanks to God for Karen Avey, our faithful MARBC bookkeeper. She’s a glutton for punishment since she has not only ministered beside us in her current role, but previously served as a secretary during my time as a senior pastor. Kevin Pierpont, the MARBC and Interpas web master continues his faithful role and will help us safely operate our new web vehicle. Finally, we thank God upon every remembrance of each church and ministry friend who supports us through prayer and financial support. You have been a great encouragement to us in a very challenging time. Please let us know how we can assist you, share a prayer request, or celebrate a blessing in your life or ministry. Partnering with you and praying for you, Ken and Sharon Floyd |
