On Sunday July 24, 2011, long-time FBC Jax Director of Children's Ministry, Shelly Baumgarner-Norman announced to her department that she is stepping down from her position. Next Sunday, July 31st, is her last as FBC Jax Children's Director.She will be leaving to work with her husband in his local business here in Jacksonville.
This leaves two Director or higher vacancies at FBC Jax - Jim Smyrl announced on July 6th he was leaving FBC Jax, and now Shelly is leaving effective July 31st. Members tell me that no plans have been announced yet for a going away party.
Shelly was hired by Homer Lindsay, Jr. back in 1994 or 1995, right out of seminary as I recall. All three of my kids came up through the children's ministry while she was there, and without a doubt Shelly was loved by all. She always held a high standard for ministry - teaching kids to love Jesus, memorize scripture, and to be good citizens. I also recall back in the late 90's when AWANA was implemented at FBC Jax on Sunday nights, she was the minister who led that effort and it was a huge success.
I served one year as a 4th grade "table teacher", and my wife served for many years in the children's ministry. In my one year of service I was absolutely amazed at the dedication of the volunteers working under her that ministered to young children and their families. Shelly and her workers at FBC Jax proved that what makes effective ministry is not fancy buildings or programs or bells and whistles - it is people motivated by love to minister to other people that makes a successful ministry.
Best wishes to Shelly and Ben as she embarks on a new phase of her life.
And I'm sure many parents would join me and say a great big "Thank you Ms. Shelly!!" for the positive impact your ministry had on the life of our children!!
Has anybody done a "body count" of the former staff members that "Mac the Knife" has inherited that are no longer there?
ReplyDelete"Has anybody done a "body count" of the former staff members that "Mac the Knife" has inherited that are no longer there?"
ReplyDeleteOh grow up. Not everything is as you are trying to portray. Some folks have lives and want to do other things.
Right Dawg?
Sure, people leave and go and do other things, for various reasons. I don't consider it a body count. Turn-over happens.
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit surprised that you didn't find a way to blame Mac for this. You must be maturing.
ReplyDeleteYou might want to check out the front page of the Dallas Morning News. There is a great article on FBC, Dallas and their pastor, Robert Jeffress. Since you so like to malign him you might want to read a little bit of the truth for a change.
How are you sure Mac is not to be blamed?
ReplyDelete:)
I maligned Robert Jeffress?
ReplyDeleteWhen did I do that?
Did the article set the record straight on something said here on this blogged that maligned him?
Or is to criticize to malign?
Are you kidding me? TRUTH in the DMN Jeffress article?
ReplyDeleteWould that be the 13,000 members? The staged photos? The $50 million in annual receipts?
There are more fabrications in that article than I can count, from the spotlight seeking pastor and the communications director who finds it for him.
Can someone email me the DMN Jeffress article? I can't seem to access the full article.
ReplyDeleteRe Jeffress article: Please note that the online version is shorter than the front page plus 2 page spread in the printed paper.
ReplyDeleteReading the DMN article reads like Harry Potter. Pure fiction. "If you have a personal need, he is always accessible". What a joke.
ReplyDeleteThis post is about Shelly and her loving, dedicated, and energetic work ethic and personality that helped shape the children's ministry. All of my children came up through the FBCJ ministry under Shelly's leadership. She is "da bomb" as the youth tend to say. We are proud to have had our children under her leadership. She and Ben are a wonderful couple and have much to offer any church they end up at. Ben is Awesome and he is most loved by me and my family as well. We are proud to call them friends.
ReplyDeleteForget about Jeffres. This post is to honor Shelly. I am NOT a member of FBCJ any more and my kids have all left it as well. Actually, they have all left teh Baptist denomination. But, Shelly was a light to a place of legalism, a breath of fresh air to a place that tend to be controlling. This only goes to prove that you may want to criticiae the business church (FBCJ) but within it are some really great people.
Gee Anon 11:55, I thought this was a post about Shelly. Your post sure didn't end on that note.
ReplyDeleteAnon 11:55
ReplyDeleteAMEN !!
Our children also came up under Shelly and Ben's leadership. We feel so blessed to have known them, and wish them the best of luck in their new chapter.
*** WE LOVE YOU MRS. SHELLY ***
Off topic: Jim Smyrl starts his new career as a bivocational pastor today. Best wishes to him.
ReplyDeleteHe said something very funny on his Facebook wall this morning, shows he has a good sense of humor through it all:
"I step into corporate America tomorrow. The place where a PhD in Homiletics is as valuable as a grain of sand in Egypt."
Welcome to our world, Jim, the world of layman working an 8 to 6 job, then serving in the church in our "spare" time.
"
ReplyDeleteWelcome to our world, Jim, the world of layman working an 8 to 6 job, then serving in the church in our "spare" time."
July 25, 2011 9:20 AM
This experience will make Smyrl appreciate the works of the layman . . .he won't take them for granted as they truly love the Lord to come home dead tired & then go serve the church (with no pay)
Hey Leaders of FBCJ . . .are you that blinded to see how many are going through the exit doors at FBCJ. The members think you have been duped!
Mac Brunson's team needs to get out of town if you have any hope for rebuilding FBJax. As the sing goes, down, down, down!
Ms. Shelly is awesome!
ReplyDeleteShe is moving out of the nightmare at FBC and into a safer environment.
I bet she never darkens the door at FBC again....I won't
Someone said the FBC Academy headmaster resigned too. Is that true?
ReplyDeleteI wish the Pastor was next...
ReplyDeleteThis ship has so many holes in it that it is sinking quicker than the SS Minnow.
I went to services recently and when Mac got up, immediately I got a migrane from having to hear his voice.
Is it just me....it seems the more weight he loses, the louder he screams....I hope he goes back to those "Little Debbies" that he cherishes, he is costing me a fortune in Advil.
"Someone said the FBC Academy headmaster resigned too. Is that true?"
ReplyDeleteWhy does it or should it matter?
The headmaster and Shelly are moving to LHBC if you really must know!
So shelly Taylor is listed as headmaster fba now. So is she still preschool director too?
ReplyDeleteThe Headmaster and Shelly are moving to LHBC.
ReplyDeleteWhere is that?
Doubt Shelly Taylor would leave she came with The Brunsons. Amazing that FBC is left with Clifton and Blount. Interestingly, Blount has no formal seminary training and yet he is number two over Smyrl?
ReplyDeleteDid someone see that iceberg go by? Is that water coming up the aisle? Folks, the ship is going down. The question will be will the captain Brunson stay on or will he jump before it finally sinks? My guess, he will jump as he did in Dallas!
Wrong, get your facts straight.
ReplyDeleteShelly has been at FBCJ since the Lindsay-Vines era.
Off topic:
Maurillio says there should be no preaching at a Christmas eve service. I can't think of a better time to preach than a Christmas eve service where pastors could preach about Christmas, it's meaning, and what Jesus Christ has to offer every person through Salvation. It's a shame Mac Brunson uses this guy as a consultant for our church. This is why I no longer give to FBCJ. I will never pay for garbage like this.
http://www.ministrymatters.com/all/blog/entry/1478/top-5-ways-to-mess-up-your-christmas-opportunity#.Ti1N-kum6Cw.tweet
Get your eye glasses on...that Shelley comment was about Taylor, not Norman. Taylor came with Brunson.
ReplyDeleteWow! I love your blog, and I'm a liberal human-secularist who may very well not share your view of the world. I was doing research on Steven Furtick, and I stumbled upon your blog. I'm also not a fan of 'my fellow Turkish-American' Ergun Caner. It is amazing that while Ergun and I have the same heritage and we are about the same age, we are radically different people. This is great stuff. Keep up the solid work here.
ReplyDeleteOh, I have a blog as wel, if you're interested I can give you the link.
ReplyDelete"The Headmaster and Shelly (Norman) are moving to LHBC." 12:30
ReplyDeleteIs that Jim Smyrls new church?
"So shelly Taylor is listed as headmaster fba now. So is she still preschool director too?"
ReplyDeleteYES, she is doing both for the moment.
Two Shelly's is confusing isn't it?
hmmm It sure is curiouser and curiouser in J'ville these days
ReplyDeleteand the HS youth minister that left early in the year?
ReplyDeleteTwo high staff members in "one of the largest churches in America", both seminary trained and graduated, are leaving full time ministry to join private enterprise? Is this a trend or is it the exception?
ReplyDeleteI expect it to be announced sometime in the near future that God is calling Mac to some "created new position" with one of the SBC entities.
ReplyDeleteThank you Shelly for years of faithful service.
ReplyDeleteI love Ben Norman like a brother.
May the Lord Bless you both.