The Baptist Testimony – Volume 52 Number 8 – October 2006

From Where I Stand
Maynard H. Belt
MARBC State Representative

Introducing the New MARBC State Representative Elect
by Pastor Tom Townsend
MARBC Search Committee Chairman
First Baptist Church, Rochester
​
After months of searching, hours of prayer and interviews, it is my privilege to introduce to you our new State Representative for our MARBC. Before I do that, I want to thank the members of the Search Committee: Mark Cizauskas, Doug Compton, Doug Crawford, Will Davis, and Bob McNeil for their wisdom and insight as we fulfilled this assignment. I also want to thank our MARBC Fellowship for their encouragement and input as many shared ideas and potential candidate names, always looking to God for His mind and His direction in this important matter. As a Search Committee, we coveted your prayers and encouragement. Thank you for your investment in this important matter.

​On September 7, 2006, the Council of Fifteen met and received the unanimous recommendation of the Search Committee to call Rev. Kenneth E. Floyd to the position of State Representative of the Michigan Association of Regular Baptist Churches. Ken’s wife Sharon is an important part of his ministry and will be his partner in this vital area of ministry. Our official Council of Fifteen minutes read: “After a time of discussion, Bill Blount moved and Mark Cizauskas seconded that the Council of Fifteen extend a call to Ken and Sharon Floyd to become the State Representative of the MARBC. This motion was passed with unanimous confirmation.”

A graduate of Cedarville College and Grace Theological Seminary, Ken and Sharon became sweethearts during their senior year in high school in Springfield, OH. On November 20 they will have been married for 30 years. After having served in churches in Indiana and Ohio, Ken and Sharon came to North Park Baptist Church in Grand Rapids in 1993. For the last 13 years they have effectively led that congregation including the raising of more than half a million dollars for the eventual re-location and construction of a new facility on nearby property. They have one daughter, Allison, who recently received a degree in elementary education from the Baptist Bible College in Clarks Summit, PA. Along with his Senior Pastor responsibilities, Ken also serves on the MARBC Council of Fifteen and is a member of the Trustee Board of Baptist Bible College and Seminary in Clarks Summit, PA. Ken’s leadership is also seen as he serves as chairman of Closed Door Ministries and the West Michigan Mission Consortium. Ken has also just completed two terms on the GARBC Council of Eighteen.
Brother Floyd has been a conference speaker for our national General Association of Regular Baptist Churches, the Ohio Association of Regular Baptist Churches, as well as our own Michigan Association of Regular Baptist Churches. He has also ministered in Alaska, Northeast India, and Zaparoszhe, Ukraine. Ken has authored Men at Play, published by RBP, and has been published in our own Baptist Bulletin. His latest articles, a series on Prayer, can be found in the January-March, 2006, issues of the Baptist Bulletin.

Ken believes that we have a great potential to see dynamic growth through quality church planting initiatives in our MARBC. He sees himself as a resource person who will provide encouragement through “mini-conferences” that may be unique to a particular region of our Fellowship. This will enable Churches and Pastors, as well as other leaders in our Fellowship, to be more effective in ministry. He also hopes to see a greater connectedness and camaraderie between area Churches and Pastors by establishing mission and church-planting consortiums. Ken will also continue his writing and will deal with leadership issues, practical ministry ideas and encouragement for particular ministry needs.

I hope that you will welcome and support Ken and Sharon as they begin their ministry with our wonderful MARBC Fellowship. They will be officially installed at our State Meeting and begin their new ministry on November 1. If you have not considered financially supporting the MARBC ministry, I would encourage you to do so. If you are currently supporting our State Fellowship, I would ask you to consider an increase. I believe that God is going to use our State Fellowship in a unique and vital way in the days ahead. Our future days are as bright as the promises of God.
​
Editor’s Note: Ann and I just want you to know that we could not be more pleased with the Lord’s choice to serve as the new MARBC State Representative. Ken and Sharon have had a proven ministry over the years, and having pastored and been involved in our MARBC ministries here in Michigan, are familiar with our Fellowship and sense God’s direct leading to serve in this capacity. The Council of Fifteen has asked us to help the Floyds transition into this new ministry during November and December which we are more than willing to do. We also encourage you to invite them to your churches early on so that you can get acquainted with them. Beginning November 1, all MARBC checks, correspondence and requests for speaking engagements may be addressed to: Rev. Kenneth E. Floyd, MARBC Office, 830 Russwood, St. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505 – (616) – 364-5688 – Email.

---