Launching Social Ministry Team

Launching Social Ministry Team

By Agenskalns Baptist Church

Agenskalns Baptist Church is established in 1884. Experienced different times in the history. During Soviet times the church building was confiscated and used as TV recording studio (demolishing church’s steeple, rebuilding almost the entire church). From 1990 congregation is back in her historical building. Congregation of more than 400 people with old and new forms of worship styles, children and family friendly environment. Congregation that connects to the needs of today’s people. Open to different forms of music and arts. Excellent Children ministry, developing and vibrant youth ministry and lot of different ministries, including teenagers, worship team, seniors, church choir, men’s breakfast and ministry to women called School of King’s Daughters. Sunday morning service is full with variety of generations from families with small children to seniors. Active and challenging preaching, more and more small groups. We are blessed with gifted and talented people who use their gifts to glorify God.

Vision of the church

The reason of the existence of Agenskalns church is making disciples that:

•    Love God
•    Obey God
•    Serve God
•    Help others to become disciple

Church outreach/mission goals and strategy

Evangelization/mission is realized in a number of ways. The way giving immediate visible fruit is Alpha course. It serves as an entering ministry for unbelievers to learn about Jesus Christ and establish personal relations with Him.  During the last 7 years about 80% of baptized church members are graduates of Alpha course. Another way of introducing people with the Gospel of Christ is the course for married couples. Our congregation has also a great opportunity to have services being transmitted in Latvian State TV.  According to the statistics the audience of these broadcasts reaches up to 25000 - 35 000 people. Pastor of the church is involved in leading Bible studies for actors in Latvian National Theatre and for Christian professional musicians. During last 6 years our church has been involved in leading Bible studies, playing sports and creating relationships with orphans in Imanta orphanage.

Launching Social Ministry Team

Our church is located on the left bank of the river Daugava in the green area of the city, called Agenskalns. It is an area of great contrasts – on the one hand the buildings are old and inhabitants are poor, but on the other hand the prestige of the area is rapidly growing as the value of old buildings is rising up – they are being renovated and more and more rich people start to settle in this area.
Our state government has ensured system of education and financial support for those who are in temporary or permanent need. However, it is clear for us, that many of these persons need to receive individual love and care in practical ways like helping to solve hard life situation issues, provide support groups, financial advices and at some level - education etc.
Our church has realised several social helping projects and we have enough volunteers on specific projects, but each project was based on a specific goal and there were not the same persons in the managing team. We understood that we could be more effective if we would have a devoted, constant and functional team of Social, helping ministry managing team and long-term strategy to help those, who have practical, social needs.

 Roles/tasks of collaboration partner team

•    Practical advices from experience during setup of managing team for this ministry. From our side – we would appoint helping ministry leader (at first as a volunteer), then the leader collects the managing team.
•    Advices from experience for organizing projects

•    We need assistance in developing strategy

•    Helping ministry in action. Church could find a way to provide part of the salary but we will need help here, too.

This new ministry may need the financial support

1.    Part of the leader’s salary, support level - 1/2
2.    Organizational costs (transport costs, etc.): support level - 1/2

The team from USA could visit and share their experience with the Social ministry at their church, do some helping projects side by side with the partner team.
It could also be realized by the team of Social, helping ministry visiting a  partner church with positive, successful Social ministry

Planned, desired time for implementing this project

Hard to define, but desirably it should be done in 6 – 12 months.

Person(s) responsible for implementing the project

Chairman of the church board Mr. Marcis Rozkalns, marcis.rozkalns@gmail.com
Riga Agenskalns Baptist Church
Contact information
Marupes str.14, Riga, LV-1002, Latvia, +371 67611528, mob.+37122339118
draudze@agenskalns.org, www.agenskalns.org