A Pivotal Opportunity for Our Family of Churches: Investing in the Future
On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, the Northeast Florida Baptist Association Executive Committee will gather at the Northeast Florida Baptist Associational Office to vote on a significant proposal: whether to sell the Associational Office property to First Baptist Church Fernandina for $550,000. RSVP Below so we can get an accurate lunch count.
This decision represents far more than a real estate transaction.
It is an opportunity to position our Family of Churches for the next season of Kingdom expansion across Northeast Florida.
Why This Matters
The sale of the property would allow the association to establish a dedicated endowment — a long-term, sustainable source of funding to directly strengthen the churches and leaders in our region. Rather than maintaining a property built for a different era and purpose, this would release vital resources into the mission field, fueling ministry and gospel movement where it is most needed today.
Through this reinvestment, we would be able to:
✅ Strengthen churches in Northeast Florida in their ongoing missional ministry
✅ Invest intentionally in church renewal and revitalization efforts
✅ Support church planting and replanting in a rapidly growing and diversifying region
✅ Equip pastors and leaders through pastoral care, leadership development, and gospel-centered initiatives
Rather than remaining tied to the past, this decision is about stewarding today’s resources to meet tomorrow’s mission challenges.
It is about preparing for the future harvest God is sending — families, individuals, and entire communities who need to encounter the transforming hope of Jesus Christ through healthy, vibrant local churches.
A Spirit-Led Approach
Following last month’s Q&A session, feedback from our pastors and leaders was shared with the lay leadership team of First Baptist Fernandina, including Steve Simmons, a trusted, kingdom-minded partner in our associational work.
Their team has demonstrated a spirit of humility, wisdom, and a deep desire to steward this opportunity faithfully — seeking what is best not only for their church but for the broader Kingdom mission we share together.
In light of this, and to ensure that all sides have the time needed to prayerfully review and discern the next best steps, the vote was delayed 30 days from its originally proposed date. This added time has allowed space for careful reflection, prayer, and ongoing conversations rooted in unity, not urgency.
Looking Ahead
We firmly believe that regardless of the outcome, God is writing a bigger story for His glory through the collaborative witness of our Family of Churches. He is calling us to dream bigger, to trust deeper, and to invest wisely for the sake of gospel advancement in Northeast Florida.
We ask that you continue to pray for clarity, unity, and Spirit-led wisdom as we move toward the vote.
📅 Vote Details:
🗓 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
📍 Northeast Florida Baptist Associational Office
🕦 11:30 AM
Let us continue to seek God’s best together — for His glory, for the good of His Church, and for the harvest fields He is preparing all around us.