Fairburn Baptist Association

08/21/2026

We put more effort into a 1-day wedding than a 50-year marriage—and churches do the exact same thing with baptism. We celebrate the Sunday splash but completely leave the new believer to figure out the Monday walk on their own. It’s time to stop building tomorrow’s "Ghost Roster". Read my latest post, After the Splash, and let's get serious about discipleship: www.fairburnba.org/post/beyond-the-splash

08/06/2026

Ask a pastor two questions:
“How many members does your church have?”

Then ask, “How many of them are actually connected?”

Now enjoy the awkward silence.

That silence has a name: the Ghost Roster.

It is the gap between the people a church claims and those it can actually know, shepherd, disciple and hold to a meaningful covenant.

The sanctuary may look like a large church. The volunteer schedule, giving base and leadership core may say otherwise. Guess who is usually expected to carry the difference?

In Part Two of The Ghost Roster, I examine how this confusion creates pastoral overload, distorted expectations, isolation, shame and the temptation to quietly settle for keeping the weekly event running.
Your pastor is an under-shepherd—not an event planner who happens to own a Bible.

Read “The Pastoral Toll of the Ghost Roster.”
https://www.fairburnba.org/post/the-pastoral-toll-of-the-ghost-roster-pt-2-of-2

07/30/2026

Your church may be fuller on Sunday—and smaller on paper.

Some membership rolls still carry people last seen in the 1994 Christmas pageant. Meanwhile, others worship, give, serve, and feel like part of the family—but never formally join.

Welcome to the “Ghost Roster.”

This is more than an administrative problem. It reveals changing beliefs about belonging, accountability and the local church itself.

In the first article of my new series, The State of the Local Church, I explore the forces behind this growing gap—from “DIY Christianity” and church hurt to consumerism and overly complicated membership processes.

Here is the question every church should ask:

Are we simply gathering attenders—or forming a covenant family?

Read “The Ghost Roster: Why Your Pews Are Full but Your Membership Is Dying.”

https://www.fairburnba.org/post/the-ghost-roster-why-your-pews-are-full-but-your-membership-is-dying-part-1

07/27/2026

www.fairburnba.org/events-1

07/23/2026

Sometimes one reason is enough.

One reason to hold on.
One reason to ask for help.
One reason to believe that pain does not have the final word.

Join us for One Reason to Live, a free Leader Lunch & Learn presented by Dr. Ken “Lou” Koon. Together, we will address the difficult realities of mental health and su***de while exploring the sustaining power of Christian gospel hope and the development of genuine resilience.

This seminar is especially valuable for pastors, ministry leaders, counselors, educators, caregivers, and anyone who wants to respond more wisely and compassionately to people in crisis.

The event is free. Lunch is provided. Every participant will also receive a complimentary copy of Dr. Koon’s book, One Reason to Live.

Register today at www.Fairburnba.org/events-1.

A life may depend upon someone knowing how to offer hope.

07/18/2026

07/07/2026

After a long series, eventually you have to ask the plain question:

So what does all this mean?

The final blog in Wide Witness, Deep Roots pulls together seventeen principles for growing Christian character. Not shortcuts. Not quick fixes. Not spiritual cosmetics.

This is about roots, fruit, grace, the Holy Spirit, pruning, seasons, community, and the slow work of becoming more like Jesus.

Stop stapling on fruit.
Stop polishing the bark while starving the roots.
Stop calling every pruning cut a failure.

The fruit does not lie.

And thanks be to God, the Orchardist does not quit.

Read the conclusion here:
https://www.fairburnba.org/post/lessons-from-wide-witness-deep-roots