{"id":16530,"date":"2018-08-09T13:20:21","date_gmt":"2018-08-09T17:20:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/floridabaptist.wpengine.com\/?p=16530"},"modified":"2025-11-04T15:55:55","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T20:55:55","slug":"fbcs-write-beside-kicks-off-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flbaptist.org\/fbcs-write-beside-kicks-off-today\/","title":{"rendered":"FBC’s Write Beside You kicks off today"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Tommy Green<\/a>, executive director-treasurer of the Florida Baptist Convention<\/a>, was contacted by Hershel Lyons, chancellor of public schools for the Florida Department of Education, about churches partnering with schools, Green knew Florida Baptist churches were on the cusp of a new opportunity with eternal ramifications.<\/p>\n

Thus began the Write Beside You<\/a> initiative to equip churches to partner with schools in order to make a difference in the lives of students across the state. Today nearly 200 church representatives are gathering at Idlewild Baptist Church<\/a> in Lutz to learn about ways to engage the culture through public schools, making a difference in the lives of students, their families and the communities in which they serve.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Write Beside You meeting is the first step in encouraging our Florida Baptist churches to engage in our public schools,\u201d Green said. \u201cWe have been requested to provide volunteers to mentor and serve Florida students.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ken Whitten, senior pastor of Idlewild, said churches have the opportunity to be a bridge between God and their communities as God has mandated that we take the gospel to our communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not about insulation where we stay in our own huddles and it\u2019s not isolation where we abandon them \u2013 it\u2019s infiltration, where we are salt and light and have a message of hope,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s part of the calling of God on our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Freddie Hinson, pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church<\/a> in Hudson, is one Florida Baptist pastor attending the training. He said part of being a Great Commission church is understanding and meeting the desperate need for the presence of God in our schools. He believes that by impacting students<\/a>, Florida Baptists can reach into families and ultimately impact communities for Christ. He said being able to meet them where they are, in school, can have eternal implications.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have the opportunity to build relationships where they know they can come on our campus,\u201d he said. \u201cStatistics tell us if we\u2019re not winning kids by the time they\u2019re out of elementary school it becomes very difficult to reach them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hinson added that this is a great opportunity for the local church to be equipped to respond to the invitation being offered by the Florida Department of Education.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Jeffery Singletary speaks about the importance of school partnerships at the Write Beside You conference.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jeffery Singletary, Florida Baptist Convention Catalyst for Central<\/a> Florida, said this is an opportunity for churches to speak truth and love into some of the issues that plague our communities. And while the approach will be different, the message is ultimately the same. Singletary acknowledged that while the laws that separate church and state have hindered the ability of some to be salt and light in this environment, Florida Baptists now have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children and ultimately families.<\/p>\n

Some ways churches can help include:<\/p>\n