CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Transforming Lives Through
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
By Larry Hovis CBFNC Executive Coordinator
This article is the seventh and final in a series on CBFNC’s organizational values. In this issue we focus on CHRISTIAN EDUCATION: We are committed to Christian higher education and lifelong learning to equip all baptized believers for mission and ministry. We also support equipping persons called by God to vocational ministry through quality theological education.
When I received my call to vocational ministry as a college student and announced that I planned to go to seminary after college, there were a handful of folks in my home church (thankfully not many) who warned me to be careful of what I might be taught in seminary. There was, on the part of some, a suspicion of theological education.
While a stream of Baptist life has been anti-education, Cooperative Baptists have always placed a high value on education. We have taken seriously the exhortation of the Shema, which Jesus called “the greatest commandment,” to “love God with our mind.” Cooperative Baptists are heirs to a holistic understanding of Christian education that is expressed in at least three areas of focus.
Congregational Christian Education
After home and family, the local church has been the most common vehicle for the delivery of Christian education. Through programs such as Sunday School, Discipleship Training, Vacation Bible School, age-graded choirs, missions education and youth ministry, Baptists have devoted a significant amount of time, energy and resources to Christian education for children, youth and adults. In a time when Sundays had little competition from other pursuits, and people would often attend church services two or more times per week, these programs were successful at imparting the basic concepts of the Christian faith.
Today, few Baptist churches function with all of the Christian education programs of the 20th century. In our time, Sunday morning Bible study carries most of the weight for the spiritual nurture of church members, even though most people attend less frequently. Some churches have developed “through the week” small group opportunities that meet at different times and places. Children
and youth ministries rely on special programs, retreats, trips and summer camp experiences, because the weekly rhythm is less consistent.
Today, Christian education is more “on the go” rather than purely classroom based. To be honest, the jury is still out as to how effective this newer approach will be. But we have no choice but to experiment with a new delivery system for Christian education because the old system no longer commands the loyalty of congregants.
Christian Higher Education
Most colleges and universities in the United States were established by churches and denominations. North Carolina Baptists prioritized higher education, not only for training clergy, but for other vocations as well. While some of these institutions admitted only males, some were dedicated to educating women and girls.
In addition to schools that were distinctly Baptist, another important ministry was Baptist student work in Baptist schools and state universities. Commonly called “Baptist Student Union,” these ministries sought to address the spiritual needs of students during their college years, regardless of whether the school was Baptist or not.
Today, the gap has widened between historically Baptist institutions of higher education and the churches that founded them. Trustees are chosen by the schools themselves. Little, if any, funding comes from churches. Students are no longer likely to have been raised in the denomination that founded the school. Classes in religious studies are more likely to be optional instead of mandatory.
Rather than a “funding and governance” model, CBFNC has sought to cultivate a “partnership model” in its relationship with historic Baptist institutions. We provide a small amount of funding, often earmarked for scholarships and spiritual life, rather than general support. We seek to partner in specific, rather than general, ways.
On these campuses, as well as state universities, CBFNC ministers to college students through “Cooperative Baptist Student Fellowship” groups, our version of the Baptist Student Union model. These ministries are led by full-time and part-time campus ministers, employed by CBFNC, and seek to address the spiritual needs of students during their undergraduate years.
See “Christian Education” on page 4.
Christian Education, cont’d.
Theological Education
When I decided to attend seminary, there were only six main schools from which to choose. I quickly narrowed it to two and then to the one closest to home. Still, it required that I move to the seminary campus for three years to pursue a 90-hour Master of Divinity degree. That school provided a high-quality education for a very low cost.
When CBF was born, theological education was still “outsourced” to schools, but the institutions like the one I attended were no longer good options. New schools were formed, often connected to Baptist universities. Whereas before we had six large schools, in the CBF ecosystem, we developed around 16 smaller schools. Still, throughout much of our history as Cooperative Baptists we called upon schools to meet the leadership needs of our churches.
Today, the theological education landscape is changing rapidly. Students are less likely to travel to a faraway campus to spend three or more years as a residential student.
News & Notes Staff Updates
Students are as likely to be older, with families and broader life experiences, than fresh out of college. Master of Divinity programs are getting shorter and other more flexible programs are being developed. Online education is becoming more commonplace. In most CBF-related schools, enrollment is declining. Many churches are looking within their membership or their local community for ministerial leadership, then determining how best to educate them.
CBFNC is the largest single funder of theological education in all of CBF life. Most of our financial support goes to the four partner theological schools in North Carolina— Campbell, Duke, Gardner-Webb and Wake Forest.
Both the church and higher education are experiencing significant transformation in our time. Christian education, in all expressions, remains a high value for CBFNC. It should be no surprise that how we experience and express that value is undergoing rapid change as well.
CBFNC recently added two interim staff members to our team. Rev. Randy Carter will serve as interim Welcome Network director and Rev. Wanda Kidd will serve as temporary Helene disaster response director. Randy Carter is pastor of Temple Baptist, Durham, and previously served as pastor of First Baptist, Hillsborough and New Hope Baptist, Raleigh. He is a member of the CBFNC Missions Engagement team and has been involved in the Welcome Network ministry for several years, including engaging in the ministry through his church’s Welcome House. In his new role with CBFNC, he will resource churches seeking to start new or strengthen existing Welcome Houses and other ministries of housing and hospitality. Randy will serve in dual ministry roles as pastor of Temple Baptist, Durham and with CBFNC. Connect with Randy at Welcome@cbfnc.org.
Wanda Kidd is no stranger to CBFNC, having served for 15 years as CBFNC’s collegiate ministry coordinator. In this new contract role, Wanda will work with existing CBFNC disaster response leadership to support churches in communities affected by Helene and coordinate volunteers working in recovery efforts in the region. Wanda is a long-time resident of western NC and is familiar with all of the partner churches in the region. Since the storm hit, she has been an integral part of the disaster response effort in and around Mars Hill. Connect with Wanda at DR@cbfnc.org.
Hudgins Receives Reflective Leadership Grant from Duke Divinity Leadership Education
Congratulations to our own Scott Hudgins, director of Helping Pastors Thrive, who has been selected to receive a 2024 Reflective Leadership Grant from Leadership Education at Duke Divinity. These grants of up to $15,000 support an opportunity for structured reflection for leaders of Christian organizations that are advancing their mission in the midst of today’s rapidly changing context. Thirty-one Christian leaders from a variety of faith-based organizations are funded in this second year of the Reflective Leadership Grant program.
Scott’s central focus during the grant period will be on revisiting and rediscovering significant sources, experiences, people and places in his formation for ministry in an effort to discern and prepare for the next chapter in his work with pastors. Leadership Education is a non-degree-granting initiative of Duke Divinity School funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. and based in Durham, NC.
Randy Carter
Wanda Kidd
Scott Hudgins
Meet the 2024 Lolley Scholar
Providing support and scholarship assistance to students engaged in theological education is an essential part of CBFNC’s work. In 2008, the late Dr. Randall and Lou Lolley worked with CBFNC to establish the Randall and Lou Lolley Endowment for Theological Education to fulfill their dreams of supporting men and women preparing for ministry in the form of scholarships for theological education. The Lolley Scholarship is CBFNC’s most prestigious scholarship, offered to future Baptist ministers pursuing a Master of Divinity at any of the four partner divinity schools in North Carolina. Candidates are nominated by someone who can speak to their outstanding promise for Christian ministry. Through generous individual and congregational gifts to the Lolley fund, CBFNC is able to support students for all three years of their Master of Divinity program. Please join us in congratulating the 2024–2027 Lolley Scholarship recipient.
Rebecca Majorel began to sense a call to ministry as a middle school student. Her involvement in Clemmons First Baptist Church and youth church camps nurtured her faith and provided spaces for her to learn, explore and ask questions.
“As I began to think about what my involvement in ministry would look like, I remember believing that I would one day be a church secretary; not because my gifts aligned with the position, but because at the time, I thought that was where women could be in the church,” said Rebecca.
A series of encounters in her youth broadened her own vision and expanded her imagination to the possibilities of service and ministry. It was during a CBF North Carolina gathering that she first experienced women preaching from the pulpit. A short time later, her church called a woman as associate pastor.
“These events drastically altered my understanding of my calling. And I began to quickly realize that God was calling me to full-time ministry, and that a church secretary position was not where my gifts could best serve the church,” she recalled.
After graduation she moved to Boiling Springs to begin her undergraduate studies at Gardner-Webb University,
By Scott Hudgins Director of Helping Pastors Thrive
majoring in religious studies. Her love for learning and her desire for God found support and nurture in her college years.
She added, “I was so blessed during my time at Gardner-Webb. I was supported as a woman with a calling for ministry and I also got to develop my scholarly skills. At Gardner-Webb, I created friendships and developed a network of colleagues and professors that will last a lifetime.”
While at Gardner-Webb, Rebecca was awarded the University’s Religious Studies Service Award for her “demonstration of academic excellence, participation in other campus leadership positions and exemplary Christian character, lifestyle, promise and commitment to the field of Christian ministry.”
During her undergraduate years, she attended First Baptist, Forest City where Pastor Garin Hill and the congregation provided support as well as opportunities to preach and lead bible studies. In the summer of 2023, she interned in Winston-Salem at Westside Baptist, a CBFNC congregation led by Pastor Christa Warise, an important model and mentor in ministry for Rebecca.
Rebecca’s dedication and commitment to her vocation led her to further her education by enrolling in the Master of Divinity program at Duke Divinity School last fall.
“I hope to become a person equipped with the skills displayed in those who have shaped me spiritually. I hope to balance questions and knowledge; to lead with love; to cultivate safe space; to provide encouragement to those within my faith community; and to always reach beyond,” she said.
CBF of North Carolina celebrates the awarding of the Randall and Lou Lolley Scholarship to Rebecca Majorel. The scholarship provides financial support for up to three years while enrolled in her studies and continues the legacy of the Lolleys’ courage and integrity in Christian ministry.
Rebecca Majorel
I Love to Tell the Story?
Why Christian testimony among Generation Z needs redefinition for resilient faith.
For the last three years, I have been on an educational journey toward my Doctor of Ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary. This year, my reading and research focused on practical theology, specifically theological lenses for framing youth, family and culture topics. Drawing on experiences from my own time in a youth group and 17 years of full-time youth ministry, I began thinking about the concept of testimony, and how it has changed over the years. I questioned if the concept of Christian testimony needs to be updated or redefined to better reflect younger generations’ faith journeys, and if so, what practices do churches, ministry leaders and adults need to adopt in order to better understand young people’s stories and support their faith formation?
Research shows that excitement and support for evangelism among Generation Z is in decline. Familiarity with the “Great Commission” has decreased. Churches prioritize outreach less than other elements of ministry, and even the more traditional ties between evangelism and youth mission trips are fraying as the goals and outcomes are diversifying.
Contributing factors to this decline include today’s secular, relativistic society, proliferation of digital communication and a lack of training and resources in subjects like storytelling and faith-sharing.
Causey Fund Scholarships
The Jack and Mary Lib Causey Fund provides scholarships for individuals enrolled in accredited degree programs or grants to those seeking continuing education in non-degree courses or programs.
Causey scholarships and grants are competitive and limited, with priority given to applicants who are currently members of CBFNC or CBF partner congregations or committed to serving those congregations. Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis.
Scan the code to learn more and apply.
Why, then, do teenagers find sharing their faith to be so uncompelling?
By Dane Jackson CBFNC Causey Scholar; Manager for Mission Service, CBF Global
Faith conversations today are happening in very different ways and the markers of “success” are also changing. For those that are having them, guilt and shame-centered conversations that induce fear, insecurity and distrust are being replaced with a warmer experience based on trust, curiosity and relationship. And for those that are not even engaging in faith conversations—avoidance, apathy and ambivalence are some of the bigger reasons why.
So why not re-define or re-claim the concept of testimony to better reflect younger generations’ priorities, environments and spiritual journeys so that adults can help them grow to have resilient faith?
Thanks in part to a scholarship from CBFNC’s Causey Fund, I have been able to focus my research on finding practical ideas that can be applied to local churches in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina that can enhance our ministry to teenagers:
• Listen to teenagers.
• Express your own faith and beliefs to teenagers.
• Be empathetic, curious and open to conversation as a way for teenagers to explore possibilities.
• Help young people develop conversation skills with trusted relationships in a safe community.
• Help teenagers cultivate relationships with peers and adults in which they can be fully present and vulnerable.
• Rethink corporate worship as an environment in which teenagers can experience a formative, consequential faith that is rooted in the story of God and important enough to extend beyond adolescence.
The story of teenagers is a story of young people who are hurting, anxious and afraid. Churches must seize the opportunity to create environments that instill in teenagers a language of faith that grows over time and tells God’s story. The unified goal is to see churches and their leaders, as well as other influential adults, come alongside teenagers and empower them with confidence to talk about how faith intersects with their lives. We want to see them begin to make the connections between their everyday, ordinary life—their sleeping, eating, going-to-class and walking-around life—and the faith that sustains them. And, yes, we want them to tell others the good news of Jesus.
Lolley Scholarship Nominations Now Open!
DO YOU KNOW
Nominations are now open for CBFNC’s Lolley Fund Scholarship, our most prestigious theological education scholarship that requires potential recipients to be nominated by someone who can speak to their outstanding promise for Christian ministry and excellent potential for graduate-level work.
a student beginning to pursue a Master of Divinity?
NOMINATION DEADLINE is March 3, 2025 (for fall term 2025)
Students must be entering an M.Div. program. Those enrolled in NC partner schools will receive a matching award. Each Lolley Scholarship is valued at $5,000 per year and is renewable for up to three years in a Master of Divinity program.
Find more info and the nomination form at cbfnc.org/engage/scholarships
Registration Now Open!
The Annual CBSF Mid-Winter Retreat is a gathering for college students and young adults from college campuses and CBFNC congregations across North Carolina. It’s a time of growing in faith and relationships while building community across the state. Our 2025 theme of “Around the Table” will put our faith into practice through acknowledging differences, listening well, speaking graciously and extending hospitality.
"...Through love serve one another." –Galatians 5:13
"...Through love serve one another." –Galatians 5:13
FEATURING KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
cbfnc.org/annualgathering
End, Charlotte
Bill Stanfield Founder & CEO Metanoia
Anita Thompson Pastor, First Baptist, Wadesboro
Annual Gathering 2025
SERVING TOGETHER
"...Through love serve one another." – Galatians 5:13
"...Through love serve one another." – Galatians 5:13
cbfnc.org/annualgathering
WE BAPTISTS VALUE FREEDOM AND AUTONOMY. These are some of our strengths. But extreme autonomy can lead to isolationism. At our best, we cherish our freedom while devoting ourselves to cooperating with others in pursuit of God’s mission in the world. In a world full of division, the basis of our cooperation is not agreement on all issues, but a shared commitment to cooperate with each other in our service to Jesus Christ. What we can all agree on, cooperate with, and respond to is our belief in serving Christ and one another.
Based on Galatians 5:13, we will celebrate, explore and discover new ways of SERVING TOGETHER as a fellowship at Annual Gathering on March 27–28, 2025. We invite you to think about what your serving story is and how you share it? What is your church’s serving story? How can we as a fellowship come together, Serving Together?
As we gather in Charlotte at Pritchard Church in the spring to reconnect, network and build new relationships, there will be opportunities to explore learning through workshops, participate in meaningful and intentional worship, engage in a mission project and be welcomed into hospitable gathering places. We hope to see you at Annual Gathering!
LEADERSHIP FORUM
Thursday, March 27 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Leadership Forum is a professional/spiritual development seminar for clergy and laity that kicks off our Annual Gathering each year. This year, the Leadership Forum features Rev. Dr. Victoria White, managing director of Grants and Awards at Leadership Education at Duke Divinity School. She facilitates capacity building within traditionally marginalized and under-resourced institutions serving pastors and congregations. Victoria regularly speaks, writes, consults and coaches on topics such as wicked problems, design thinking, strategy and sustainability, Christian social entrepreneurship, traditioned innovation, faith-rooted leadership, and holy friendship. She is an ordained pastor within the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and is the author of “Holy Friendships: Nurturing Relationships that Sustain Pastors and Leaders.”
During Leadership Forum, Victoria will lead three sessions on:
• Why Holy Friendships Matter
• Holy Friendships and The Work We Are Called To Do
• Holy Friendships In The Face of Crisis and Change
Registration for Leadership Forum is $25, which includes lunch and a copy of Victoria White’s book, “Holy Friendships.” Select tickets for Leadership Forum on the Annual Gathering registration form.
Annual Gathering Speakers
REV. BILL STANFIELD
Founder and CEO of Metanoia
Rev. Bill Stanfield is a founder and CEO of Metanoia, a ministry begun by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of South Carolina in 2002 within the zip codes of South Carolina with the highest concentrations of child poverty. The organization has become a leader in development efforts that are rooted in a process of listening constantly to communities and walking with families in those neighborhoods to build on their own strengths and release their brilliance. Metanoia does this in areas of youth leadership development, economic development and affordable housing. Bill is also an associate minister at St. Matthew Baptist Church, a National Baptist Congregation that also houses Metanoia’s programs. He has strong ties to North Carolina Baptists, having grown up within First Baptist, Greensboro and being involved in Baptist student ministries at Campbell University and UNC Chapel Hill. Bill will be preaching in the Opening Worship Session on Thursday, March 27 from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m.
"...Through love serve one another." – Galatians 5:13
REV. ANITA THOMPSON
Pastor, First Baptist, Wadesboro
Rev. Anita Thompson began her ministry as pastor of First Baptist, Wadesboro on June 1, 2024. Previously she served on the ministry staff of First Baptist, Ahoskie for 22 years in the roles of associate pastor and minister of music. With her childhood congregation’s (FBC Ahoskie) blessing, she said yes to God’s call on her life and pursued an education which would support full time ministry, first in music and worship, then, as her calling broadened, in an associate pastor role. One of her greatest joys is weaving and leading thoughtful, participatory worship services; another is ministry with children. Anita has been active in CBFNC life throughout her ministry and has previously served on the CBFNC Coordinating Council.
Anita will be preaching in the Closing Worship Session on Friday, March 28 from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Annual Gathering 2025 Schedule
Thursday, Ma rch 27
9:30 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
1:00 p.m.
2:30 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
5:00 p.m.
6:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Friday, March 28
8:00 a.m.
8:45 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
10:45 a.m.
11:45 a.m.
1:00 p.m.
Leadership Forum Registration Opens
Leadership Forum
Registration & Exhibit Hall Open
Welcome Gathering
Workshop Session 1
Dinner & Fellowship
(Join us at Pritchard Church for a delicious buffet dinner and celebration of Larry Hovis’ 20 years of serving CBFNC. $20/person; select “Thursday Dinner” in the ticket options on the registration form. Must be preordered. No dinner sold on site.)
Opening Worship
Registration & Exhibit Hall Open
Morning Gathering
Workshop Session 2
Workshop Session 3
Lunch
Get more details and register by March 13 at cbfnc.org/AnnualGathering.
($12/person; select Friday Lunch in the ticket options on the registration form. Must be preordered. No lunch sold on site.)
Annual Business Meeting & Closing Worship
Buckets of Love: Christian Education Through Missions
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s devastation in western North Carolina, the children of Winter Park Baptist Church in Wilmington found a meaningful way to support those impacted. Even though an adult team from Winter Park traveled to Marshall to assist with recovery efforts through Praying Pelican Missions, the church wanted a way for the children to participate as well. After contacting CBFNC, the church received a suggestion from
As they worked, the children packed buckets with essential items like laundry detergent, clotheslines, gloves, cleaning supplies and bug spray. Each bucket was carefully prepared to help families begin rebuilding their lives. Throughout the bucket build, the children asked thoughtful questions and enjoyed this hands-on project. Once the buckets were assembled, each child held a bucket and prayed for the recipients of these small gifts.
By Mike Womble
Larry Hovis to assemble disaster relief buckets. Assembling disaster buckets during Sunday School became the perfect opportunity, combining service with a valuable lesson in Christian compassion. The goal was to teach the children that “praying with our feet” is a way for followers of Jesus to show love in times of need.
This simple yet powerful service project, inspired by CBFNC, fostered empathy and action among Winter Park’s youngest members, showing them how to pray both on their knees and with their feet. So if you ever receive a disaster bucket and hear the laughter of children when you remove the lid, know that it was packed with love from children at the beach.
Associate Pastor for Senior Adults & Missions at Winter Park Baptist, Wilmington
Responding Together in the Aftermath of Hurricane Helene
In the months since Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc in western North Carolina, our fellowship has come together in many ways to address the needs in the communities directly affected by the devastation. As a reminder, CBFNC is not primarily a disaster response organization, and we are definitely not first responders. Our approach to disaster response is to connect with other partners and local churches to address long-term needs in areas affected by disasters. We began responding in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene as reports of the horrific devastation started to emerge at the end of September. Our collective efforts as a fellowship have included:
Care and Communication
First and foremost, CBFNC leaders began attempting to contact partner church pastors and leaders in the mountain communities to ensure their safety and assess response opportunities. Through many text messages, phone calls and emails, we were able to connect with almost all of our churches in the affected areas. Our staff immediately began to facilitate communication with our larger fellowship and ministry planning. In the days and weeks that followed, we also convened several weekly Zoom gatherings to bring pastors and church leaders across the western region together for prayer, emotional support and to listen to the needs in their specific communities.
Coordination of Response Opportunities
Response and recovery efforts in the communities that were significantly impacted will be a long-term development, well after the publication of this issue of “The Gathering.” As of press time, CBFNC’s response has included:
• Facilitating the deployment of three shower trailers
• Delivering over 1,000 disaster relief buckets with an additional 400+ stored for deployment when needed
• Purchasing and delivering 1,089 plastic storage totes
• Coordinating “Christmas for the Mountains” gift card collection
• Collecting disaster relief funds that have been distributed as grants to local churches
• Providing funds to assist First Baptist, Mars Hill with the purchase of mattresses to house work teams
• Connecting groups with volunteer opportunities through partners such as Baptists on Mission
Dedicated Leadership
By Jamie Rorrer CBFNC Director of Communications
As we have learned from pervious disasters, the recovery will be long-term and the needs change rapidly. We are grateful that Wanda Kidd, former CBFNC collegiate engagement coordinator and long-time western NC leader, agreed to come on board as CBFNC’s temporary Helene disaster response director. In addition to serving as CBFNC’s primary contact for Helene disaster response, Wanda is working directly with churches in the affected communities and coordinating our response initiatives. Contact Wanda at DR@cbfnc.org or 828-507-5723.
CBFNC is incredibly grateful for the many ways in which our churches, pastors and partners have responded with the love and hope of Christ for our neighbors in western North Carolina. Please continue to pray for our beloved mountain communities and all those who are helping in the recovery. Follow CBFNC’s communications (emails, website and social media) to guide your prayers and inform future opportunities to be engaged.
Financial Support for WNC
One of the best ways to help is to make a financial gift to CBFNC’s Disaster Response Fund, where 100% of the money goes to help people in the affected communities. CBFNC uses these funds to provide grants to churches to meet specific needs and to purchase larger items in mass quantities to support the recovery efforts. Scan the code to give online or mail a donation to CBFNC, 2640 Reynolda Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27106. Please note “Disaster Response” on the check.
Disaster Relief Grants
The Disaster Relief Grant is for CBFNC churches that seek to reach out to their community during a time of immediate crisis. Churches in western North Carolina are encouraged to apply as needs and projects arise. Partnership with community organizations and other churches of any denomination is encouraged. Grant funds are made possible from gifts to CBFNC’s Disaster Response Fund and applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Complete the online Disaster Relief Grant application by scanning the above code.
Immanuel Baptist Church’s Legacy Extends Beyond Its Lifetime
Even in closing, Immanuel Baptist Church in Greenville stayed true to its legacy of faith, generosity and hope. Members distributed proceeds from the sale of their building to bless a multitude of ministries, including the CBF North Carolina.
Four decades ago, Immanuel was the largest Baptist church in town. It averaged 350 to 400 worshipers on Sunday mornings, recalled Greg Rogers, former longtime pastor of nearby Oakmont Baptist Church and now a consultant with the Center for Healthy Churches.
But time and change took their toll, added Pat Dunn, a deacon at Immanuel and former mayor of Greenville. “Our congregation got down to maybe 35 to 40 people,” she said. “We started thinking about what to do.”
In 2023, then-Pastor Asher Panton invited Rogers to coach Immanuel on considering options for its future. When Panton took another pastorate early this year, the church called Rogers as its interim pastor.
“Immanuel’s attendance was down to maybe 10% of what they ran in their heyday,” Rogers noted. “We had these few people occupying a 40,000-square-foot facility — with three floors of education space and a large sanctuary that will fit 400 people.
“Plus, most members were in their mid-70s to early 90s. They were running out of physical stamina for ministry. And they were concerned about how to care for a huge facility while using only a fraction of it.”
“Having Greg as our interim was a great, great help,” Dunn added. “I can’t say how important it was to have a good, strong interim pastor to walk alongside us.”
Panton’s departure broadened Immanuel’s options, Rogers said, noting, “When you no longer have a full-time pastor, it opens the possibility for congregations to dream about their future.”
Together, Immanuel and Rogers answered three vital questions:
1. Are we willing to sell our building? “That was the first question we tackled,” he said. “In May, the church voted to sell.”
Through local inquiries about either giving the property away or selling it, Immanuel found a buyer: Opendoor Church, a mega congregation in nearby Winterville. It had been considering a satellite location in Greenville and named its new site Opendoor Church at Immanuel.
2. Do we find a full-time or part-time pastor and stay in existence?
Even without its over-sized campus, continuing as a church was an option. But Immanuel felt asking a
pastor to take on an ever-shrinking congregation would be unfair, Dunn noted. So, in June, it decided to dissolve by the end of September.
3. We’re getting all this money ($1.5 million) from the sale of our building. What do we do with it?
By Marv Knox Contributing Writer
“We asked everybody in the church to list up to eight nonprofits they wanted to donate to,” Dunn said. “We also wanted to remember the missions and ministries we had been supporting for quite some time.”
The church honored every recommendation, making contributions to more than 70 ministries and nonprofits, she reported. Gifts ranged from $5,000 to $180,000.
Members personally delivered all checks provided to local groups. “If you’re going to close and get this money, then being able to hand-deliver it to organizations and see their joy and see the good it will do in the community — if there’s a reward, that’s it,” she said. “People were very grateful; some were so surprised, they wept.”
and Founder of Fellowship Southwest See “Immanuel Baptist Church...” on page 15.
Pastor Brad Smith of The Memorial Baptist, Greenville receives a donation for its food pantry ministry from the sale of Immanuel Baptist.
Immanuel Baptist Church...,
Immanuel provided CareNet, an eastern North Carolina counseling service, with a major lead gift toward paying off its mortgage. It provided scholarships to East Carolina University, supported the North Carolina Baptist Hospital benevolence fund and Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina, and helped Oakmont Baptist and The Memorial Baptist churches among many others.
“There’s never a shortage of places to put your money,” Dunn said. “This has been helpful to organizations that do a lot of good.”
That includes CBFNC.
When Immanuel invited grant proposals, Larry Hovis, executive coordinator, felt two desires: “I wanted the name of Immanuel to go on. And I wanted to support the kinds of ministries Immanuel cared about.”
Subsequently, Immanuel provided funds to three CBFNC causes closely tied to the church’s heritage, including two endowments that will perpetuate its name. They include:
CBFNC HONORARY & MEMORIAL GIFTS
August – October 2024
Deborah and Donald Cherry in honor of Dr. Douglas E. Murray and family
Jeremy Goodman in honor of C. Jordan
Mary Ann and Billy Howell in honor of Chris White
Ray Nell Pearsall in honor of Winter Park Baptist, Wilmington
Westwood Baptist, Cary in honor of Rev. Jack Glasgow
Melanie and David Wilkinson in honor of Cathy Morrison
Millicent Flake in memory of Mrs. Libby Austell
Susan Neaves in memory of John Robert Templeton
Alicia and William Port in memory of Cindy Vestal
John Vestal in memory of Cindy Vestal
• Immanuel Baptist Church Young Adult Ministries Endowment Fund, which will support Baptist ministry on college campuses in North Carolina, including East Carolina University, $175,000.
• Immanuel Baptist Church Scholarship of the CBFNC Lolley Endowment Fund for Theological Education, to support seminarians, $175,000.
• Contributions to CBFNC’s Welcome Network, $15,000, and to the Greenville Welcome House, $35,000.
“Immanuel enjoyed a fruitful ministry for over a century,” Hovis reflected. “Because of thoughtful, faithful planning, Immanuel’s ministry will live on in a multitude of ministries in perpetuity.
“The closing of Immanuel does not mean its death but ensures its influence will continue in many other forms.”
MINISTERS ON THE MOVE
Our encouragement and support go to the following ministers who have recently moved:
Abigail Hackworth to First Baptist, Shelby as Minster of Children, Youth and Families
Scott Hagaman to First Baptist, Lincolnton as Pastor
Christian Justice to Hayes Barton Baptist, Raleigh as Minster of Youth
Jon McCargo to The Leland Church, Leland as Lead Pastor
Randy McKinney to Trinity Baptist, Raleigh as Associate Pastor, Missions and Senior Adults
Lawrence Powers to Westwood Baptist, Cary as Pastor
Rudy Ramphal to Temple Baptist, Wilmington as Pastor
Matt Riggsbee to First Baptist, Southern Pines as Pastor
Melissa Willis to Zebulon Baptist, Zebulon as Associate Pastor
When you make a move or know someone who has changed places of ministry, please email transitions@cbfnc.org. For assistance with transitions, visit cbfnc.org/transitions or call us at 336.759.3456.
Bringing Baptists of North Carolina Together for Christ-Centered Ministry www.cbfnc.org
2640 Reynolda Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27106
JANUARY 2025
REGIONAL GATHERING–NORTHEAST
— Encuentro Regional–Nordeste Lakeside Baptist Church, Rocky Mount January 16
SOUL TENDING: THE SPIRITUAL POWER OF PLACE A RETREAT FOR CLERGY
— Cuidando el alma: el poder espiritual del lugar
Un retiro para el clero
St. Francis Springs Prayer Center
Stoneville
January 26–28, 2025
YOUTH SKI RETREAT
— Retiro de esquí para jóvenes Winterplace Resort, WV
January 31–February 2, 2025
FEBRUARY
MID-WINTER COLLEGIATE AND YOUNG ADULT RETREAT
— Retire colegiado de mitad de invierno y adultos jóvenes
Quaker Lake Camp, Climax, NC
February 7–9
PERMIT NO. 162
REGIONAL GATHERING–TRIANGLE
— Encuentro Regional–Triángulo
Wake Forest Baptist Church, Wake Forest
February 20
MARCH
CBSF SPRING BREAK MISSION TRIP
— Callos de misión de vacaciones de primavera de CBSF Charleston, SC March 8–14, 2025
MISSION RIFT: LEADING THE CHURCH THROUGH CONFLICT (A RETREAT FOR CLERGY)
— Mission Rift: Liderar a la Iglesia a través del conflicto (Un retiro para el clero)
Catholic Conference Center, Hickory March 16–18, 2025
CBFNC ANNUAL GATHERING
— Reunión anual de CBFNC
Pritchard Church at South End, Charlotte
March 27–28, 2025 Annual Gathering 2025
March 27-28 Pritchard Church at South End, Charlotte