Sept/Oct 2006 fellowship!

fellowship!

CBF

COOPERATIVE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP | WWW.THEFELLOWSHIP.INFO

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006

Fellowship, schools, churches work together to discover, develop, nurture leaders

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n the classrooms of theological schools across the country, the future of Baptist life studies, learns, writes, reflects, discerns, engages and

follows vocational callings.

in the number of women,” said Central Baptist Theological Seminary president Molly T. Marshall, who is the first female to lead a Baptist seminary. “I think culturally ministry is much more open to women as a vocation. Some of the traditional barriers have broken down in all denominations, and for moderate and progressive Baptists, we have done the theological homework that welcomes

theological education does Gardner-Webb University, not end there. The supportive first felt a vocational call in relationship between theologicollege, but a variety of obstacal schools and congregations cles, including what she deis essential to the existence of scribes as a “gender wall,” kept each, especially with the reher from pursuing a degree. cent increase in the number of At the age of 42, Naish was Baptist seminaries. Half of the encouraged to attend GardnerFellowship’s partner schools Webb by her pastor, Dixon were started in the Free, at First Baptist past 15 years. They Church of Lincoln- “Communities face the challenge of ton, N.C. With two need centers most new schools, children in high of study and including building school, Naish activerefl ection, and relationships with ly applied for scholtheological churches and comarships, knowing she couldn’t afford schools need to munities and estabto use her children’s prepare people lishing sources for funding. (See pages college fund to pay for service in 6-7 for a timeline of for seminary. Naish communities school starts.) was named a CBF “Communities leadership scholar, of faith.” need centers of receiving a scholarstudy and reflection, and theoship for three years. logical schools need to prepare The Fellowship provides people for service in commuscholarships to 87 students nities of faith,” said Aleshire. distributed among the partner “If you let go of either side of schools. Recipients, who receive that relationship, then you $4,000 a year toward tuition, have just another school.” books and fees, are selected by Tabernacle Baptist Church the individual schools. in Richmond, Va., supports Churches like FBC of Linstudents at the Baptist Theocolnton support theological logical Seminary in Richmond education by encouraging by nurturing student interns individuals such as Naish to and participating in the follow their calling, but congregational involvement in — Continued on page 4

Photo courtesy BSK

female students equal or outMore than 2,000 students number male students. (See attend the Cooperative Bappages 4-5 for information on tist Fellowship’s 14 partner partner schools.) schools in theological educaAccording to ATS statistics, tion. These students spend an the number of female students average of three to four years preparing for careers as ministers, chaplains, counselors, missions workers, teachers and leaders in non-profit and faith-based organizations.

The majority of students are enrolled in master of divinity proGlenn Hinson (center), who has more than 30 years of teaching experience, is now a professor grams, the traat the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary. ditional degree women to pastoral leadership at Baptist seminaries in the of church leaders. But there and other specialized ministries, U.S. and Canada has increased are a growing number of but we have far to go in being more than 50 percent in the master’s degrees and areas of fully inclusive.” past 10 years. concentration at seminaries, Kathy Naish, a 2006 gradu“Since the time I started including counseling, busiate of the M. Christopher seminary in the early 70s there ness administration, missional White School of Divinity at has been a remarkable surge church studies and urban mission, a concentration recently started at McAfee School of Theology. (See page 5 for more on McAfee’s concentration.)

“There is a broadening of while Mississippi the areas of ministerial work,” Chosen based IT’S BEEN five years of listenhas channeled much said Daniel Aleshire, execuon 1995 federal ing, learning and growth for Toof its work through tive director of the Association poverty statistics, gether for Hope, the Cooperative churches in its foof Theological Schools (ATS), the 20 counties Baptist Fellowship’s rural poverty cal counties. And which accredits schools in the are in seven states initiative, which launched in in Appalachia work United States and Canada.

— Alabama, Ar2001 as a new way of addressis characterized by “When I went to school, you kansas, Kentucky, ing domestic poverty in 20 rural construction projwere either going to be a pastor, Louisiana, Missiscounties across the nation. ects and a strong musician or educator. There sippi, South DaThat new way involves using summer ministry are so many more kinds of kota and Texas. By the model of asset-based comin one county. work for which ministerial de2003, efforts had munity development, which Chris Thompson (right), TFH economic development adviser, has Investing in grees are relevant. Students are started in eight of values the community’s existing worked with South Dakota resident Ben Elk Eagle. children and youth now confronted with so many the 20 counties. and potential assets, the ability — the future leadership of these more options. They are coming TFH coordinator Tom Prevost.

Currently, Together for Hope of residents to change their own counties — has been a signifiwith the same call and this huge “And then we try to come along(TFH) efforts exist in 17 councommunity, and the mutual cant area of TFH work. Felrange of choices in which they side them and address poverty ties, with the efforts in these learning that can occur between lowship partner churches help can choose to invest that call.” together. This is not top-down. counties as unique as the counrelationships with residents and conduct children’s camp proAnother trend at FellowThis is not pre-packaged. This is ties themselves. the Fellowship’s personnel and grams in Kentucky, Arkansas, ship partner schools is the a learning process.”

“When we go into a commuvolunteers. Combined with Alabama and Texas. Annual increasing number of feFor example, efforts in Louinity, we try to listen to the peoTogether for Hope’s Christ-cencollections of backpacks and male students. At four of the siana have revolved around lople and learn from them what tered approach and other prinistry, Fellowship’s partner schools, cal schools and prison min their resources are,” said national ciples, it is proving effective.

— Continued on page 3 Carla Wynn photo

Together for Hope marks five years of addressing poverty in rural U.S. counties

GLOBAL MISSIONS

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‘Celebrate Jesus’

Middle East violence interrupts ministry

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few times a year, hundreds gather to celebrate Jesus in Lebanon or surrounding countries. They sing, they learn and many

respond. Last year more than 1,500 people expressed new faith in

Vol. 16, No. 5 COORDINATOR • Daniel Vestal COORDINATOR, COMMUNICATIONS & RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT • Ben McDade EDITOR • Lance Wallace MANAGING EDITOR • Patricia Heys ASSOCIATE EDITOR • Carla Wynn PHONE • (770) 220-1600 FAX • (770) 220-1685 E-MAIL • fellowship@thefellowship.info WEB SITE • www.thefellowship.info

f fellowship! is published 7 times a year in Sept./ Oct., Special I (Oct.), Nov./Dec., Jan./Feb., Mar./Apr., May/June, Special II (Aug.) by The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Inc., 3001 Mercer University Dr., Atlanta, GA 30341-4115. Periodicals postage paid at Atlanta, GA, and additional mailing offices. USPS #015-625 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to “fellowship!” ffellowship!” Newsletter, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, P.O. Box 450329, Atlanta, GA 31145-0329

C O O P E R AT I V E B A P T I S T F E L L O W S H I P

planned for this fall and winter.

“We are experiencing a mighty change in the Middle East, causing government leaders to be more open to religious tolerance,” Chaouki said. “We will be playing an important role during this transitional time.”

In Lebanon, about 39 percent of the population is Christian and 59 percent Muslim. It’s not uncommon for non-Christians to attend a Celebrate Jesus meeting because “different religions talk about Jesus, so it makes it easy for people from all backgrounds to come,” Chaouki said.

U.S. volunteers have also helped with the meetings, including more than 60 in the past two years. Teams have taught basketball clinics, prayed around the city, visited local churches, done street evangelism and visited orphanages in conjunction with celebrations.

In 1999, the Bouloses felt a calling

Since 2000, Chaouki Boulos has helped bring 15 Celebrate Jesus meetings to the Middle East.

to share the gospel among people in the Middle East. Chaouki took some preliminary trips to Lebanon to form relationships with local evangelical churches. In 2000, the Bouloses went with 35 volunteers to conduct the first Celebrate Jesus meeting in Lebanon. Six

years later, more than 15 similar meetings have occurred. f!

GIVE – To give to the Offering for Global Missions, go to www.thefellowship.info/ landing/giving.icm.

By Carla Wynn, CBF Communications

AsYouGo affiliates minister among isolated in Mexico where they RELYING ON faith and a strong lived off consense of calling to minister tributions from among isolated peoples, Connie family, friends and Rod Johnson spent the past and ministry five years in Oaxaca, Mexico, supporters. alleviating human need and As indepenstriving to make spiritual condent missionarnections with local residents. ies, the Johnsons Appointed in June as Coopdeveloped a erative Baptist Fellowship Global broad ministry Missions AsYouGo affiliate perto meet the sonnel, the Johnsons minister to wide array of people in extreme poverty, particneed in Oaxaca. ularly families left behind by illegal Although not immigrants to the United States.

Rod and Connie Johnson medical special“The further south you go, the ists, the Johnsons were sometimes the closmore people head to the United States,” est thing to medical assistance that Oaxaca Rod said. “They come to try to escape exresidents had. They also provided food, contreme poverty.” struction help and friendship for the people Many people in the southern Mexican of Oaxaca. state of Oaxaca, which borders the Pa“Almost all of our evangelism starts cific Ocean, don’t have access to running with establishing relationships as friends,” water or medical care, and there are high Rod said. “You become their friends. You rates of infant mortality and diseases like eat what they eat. You hug their kids, and tuberculosis. People are still martyred for over time, they begin to see something in their faith, and 190 spoken dialects create you that they haven’t seen.” communications challenges.

The spiritual message was received far The difficulty of living in rural southbetter than the Johnsons thought. Many ern Mexico is something Rod knows times, it is the Oaxaca residents that initifirsthand as a third-generation missionary ate conversations about faith, Rod said. kid who lived in Mexico until he was 18 The Johnsons have helped plant four years old. In 2000, Rod quit his job, the churches led by Oaxaca residents, and family sold everything and took the fullthey’ve also created volunteer experiences time missions plunge, moving to Oaxaca,

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CBF photo

It’s a part of Operation Antioch, an interdenominational effort among Middle East evangelical churches to “reach people for Christ,” said Maha Boulos, who leads the effort along with her husband Chaouki.

The Bouloses, two of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Global Mission’s field personnel, work in the Middle East with a large part of their ministry focusing on evangelistic revival meetings they call Celebrate Jesus.

The meetings typically involve worship, a sermon and time for prayer. Local churches follow up with those who attend or make faith decisions at the meetings.

The interdenominational aspect is important to the Bouloses, and so far they have involved about 40 local churches in working to share the gospel in the Middle East.

The Bouloses were amid a Celebrate Jesus meeting in late July when nearing military combat — associated with recent conflict between Israel and Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon — made it too dangerous to continue. Shortly thereafter, the Bouloses and their two teenage sons were evacuated to the United States. Thousands of southern Lebanon residents fled to universities, schools and other public places to avoid danger.

“We have a huge open door with refugees,” Chaouki said. “We’ll be extremely busy doing aid with people for several months.”

Some of the same interdenominational networks formed through Celebrate Jesus meetings have helped to distribute packages of food and relief supplies to refugees.

The Bouloses plan to return to the region to continue their ministry. Three Celebrate Jesus meetings have been

Photo courtesy of the Bouloses

Jesus Christ.

for U.S.-based individuals and churches to experience the ministry. The Johnsons’ church, University Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, sent medical volunteer teams to Oaxaca, where they treated more than 700 people within one week.

Since February, the Johnsons have been living in Houston, letting the Oaxaca ministry “thrive by itself and stand on its own two feet,” Rod said. They have led several volunteer trips to Oaxaca, including youth groups for humanitarian efforts and a medical team. They have started a new ministry in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila, a desert area with extreme poverty in many scattered, lowpopulated villages.

Closer proximity to the United States — a 12-hour drive to Coahuila as opposed to a three-day drive to Oaxaca — will enable more U.S. volunteers to participate in the creation of a new ministry. As AsYouGo affiliates, the Johnsons aim to facilitate more short-term missions experiences for Fellowship partner churches. f!

SERVE – For more information on the Johnsons’ ministry, contact them at oaxacamission@hotmail.com. For more information on the AsYouGo affiliate program, visit www.destinationmissions.net or contact Matt Norman at (770) 220-1609 or mnorman@thefellowship.info.

By Carla Wynn, CBF Communications

Mi d d l e E a st Vi ol e n c e Inte r r upt s Mini str y

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A s Yo u G o A f f i l i a t e s i n M e x i c o

GLOBAL MISSIONS

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Volunteer Missions spotlight

Antiphony to challenge students to respond to God’s call

Texas couple sponsors Kosovo student in United States

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s a young teen, Barlet Gojani’s knack for languages and entrepreneurial spirit put him in the path of Dick and Jesmarie

Hurst, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship missions volunteers.

Photo courtesy Dick Hurst

of faith at the Hursts’ church, First Baptist A native of Gajokova, Kosovo, Gojani Church of Tyler. was an interpreter for an English as a Sec“The Brook Hill high school taught me ond Language course Jesmarie, who passed to be patient and producaway in January, was teaching in Kosovo while tive with my time and on a mission trip. gave birth to my Christian “We recognized how roots,” said Gojani. “I have bright and intelligent he grown tall on those roots, was and the leadership and I have tried to direct skills he had,” Dick Hurst my life and serve the said. “We met his family purpose for which I have and established a relabeen brought to earth.”

With the help of the tionship.”

Hursts and a number of That relationship led Barlet Gojani and Jesmarie Hurst other sponsors who are to a sponsorship to the paying for his tuition, Gojani has just comUnited States and an additional family in the Hursts. While living with the Hursts, pleted his freshman year at Baylor UniverGojani attended and graduated from The sity. A pre-med major, Gojani finished his Brook Hill School, a private Christian first year with a 3.42 grade point average. school located just outside Tyler, Texas.

Gojani works in the library while takDuring that time he also made a profession ing a full course load, and he has found a

Together for Hope — Continued from page 1

school supplies by churches and individuals are distributed to children in Louisiana and Mississippi. Books of Hope, a children’s book distribution project, was an effort to combat illiteracy, a systemic problem that often begins during childhood. In several counties, partnerships have been made with early education centers. Teenagers from some regions have participated in an annual TFH basketball tournament in Helena, Ark. Teens benefit from seeing a different part of the United States and forming friendships with teens from different cultures.

These projects have emerged from TFH personnel’s and volunteers’ listening to community members and learning what efforts would be meaningful to the community. In many counties, the Fellowship has worked with people of faith and other anti-poverty organizations.

But Together for Hope has had its challenges. While not a new idea, local assetbased community development requires a shift from the traditional need-based approach to doing missions. Federal poverty statistics brought TFH to these 20 counties, but viewing community members as impoverished undermines an underlying and foundational principle of TFH — that all people are valuable, each with hopes, dreams and the ability to transform their own community, according to Jeremy Lewis, TFH program manager.

Vo l u n t e e r M i s s i o n s S p o t l i g h t

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“There is a real challenge that we face when we go into a community to not have a superiority complex,” Lewis said. “We have a sincere desire to help and to also solve problems, but we shouldn’t look always to change or influence community members’ decision-making. It’s important that they are the ones determining the way their assets are used.”

The next 15 years of TFH efforts may look much like the first five — a lot of listening and learning how to best be involved.

TFH will continue to forge partnerships with local leaders and organizations. Prevost hopes TFH begins better advocacy efforts on behalf of the counties, encouraging public policy that could promote economic and educational development in rural areas.

“It’s easy to come in and help people by doing something for them, but that’s not the kind of organization that we’re trying to be,” said Jennifer McClung, who served as a TFH intern last summer in Kentucky. “It’s really hard to do something for people and at the same time move in a different direction, to create systems [of change].”

Fellowship partner churches and individuals have responded to the biblical mandate to come alongside the poor. In 2005, more than 6,000 volunteer contacts were made in TFH focal counties.

Many volunteers have connected with TFH through state CBF organizations physically near TFH focal counties.

“It gives our churches and people an opportunity to do holistic missions right here in our

Antiphony Conference

friend and mentor in John Wilson, director of library advancement and special projects at Baylor, and a friend of the Hursts.

“He is tenacious,” said Wilson. “I think he wants to make his parents proud, be a role model for his siblings, and wants to go back and make a difference in his country. And the kindness that the Hursts have shown him, he would like to do that for others.”

Gojani has the opportunity to visit his parents and two sisters once a year. He travelled to Kosovo this summer and worked in Rajavek with Rick Shaw, one of CBF’s Global Missions field personnel.

“We need to educate the young people to be leaders over there — that is one of the most critical things we can do,” Hurst said. f!

SERVE – To volunteer with CBF Global Missions contact Timothy Wood, volunteer program manager, at (800) 782-2451 or volunteer@thefellowship.info. Also, visit www. thefellowship.info/globalmissions/volunteers.

By contributing writer Alison Wingfield, Dallas, Texas

state,” said Ray Higgins, CBF of Arkansas coordinator. “It gives our people the opportunity to be evangelistic in authentic, practical ways.”

The steady teams of volunteers mostly come from churches. The creation of annual missions blitzes like the two-week All Church Challenge in Helena, Ark., and KidsHeart activities in Texas have encouraged churches to make long-term commitments to TFH counties by making repeated trips to a particular area.

Prevost hopes that more Fellowship volunteers will make a personal long-term commitment to counties, particularly by living in the rural communities and being a physical presence among residents.

TFH’s second objective involves addressing poverty not just in the 20 focal counties but in other communities around the United States. Recognizing poverty in their own communities, several state CBF organizations have done work in seven additional rural counties. Many Fellowship partner churches also have taken on new ministries in their own communities because of their TFH volunteer experiences.

“We are hoping that those who participate will take back home the lessons they have learned and that they will address poverty in their own community,” Prevost said. “We’re genuinely hoping this becomes a movement.” f!

UNIVERSITY AND graduate students will have the opportunity to talk about things that matter during the Antiphony conference Dec. 29-Jan. 2, 2007, in Atlanta at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Under the theme “Call and Response,” the conference will challenge students to reflect on God’s call and their response amid a global context of need, change, conflict and disparity.

“Antiphony literally means a reciprocal exchange of voices,” said Amy Derrick, who chairs the Antiphony steering committee. “The Antiphony conference creates a space where a reciprocal exchange of thoughts, ideas, questions, convictions and hopes can happen through facilitating conversations about topics and issues that matter.

“Our hope is that in doing so, the students are able to listen for the call of God, enter into deeper conversation with God and consider their response to God’s call to them.”

The event is co-sponsored by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Global Missions and The Samuel Project, which includes Passport Inc. and Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond.

Students will engage in dialogue through small group sessions and relevant “chat rooms” on topics including social justice, poverty, HIV/AIDS, life between college and graduate school and global activism.

Worship will blend Web-cam interviews with those ministering around the world, innovative music facilitated by guest artist Kate Campbell and worship leader John Wiles, and sermons from guest speakers Amy Mears of Glendale Baptist Church, Nashville, Tenn., and Reggie Blount, pastor of Trinity African Methodist Episcopal Church in Waukegan, Ill. Other activities include a New Year’s Eve gala, a coffeehouse including a concert by Campbell, a luau party, square dance and film festival focusing on the conference theme. Students are invited to create a 10-12 minute video on the conference theme “Call and Response.” Films must be submitted by Oct. 15.

Registration costs start at $200, based on lodging four people per hotel room. The registration fee covers four nights lodging, conference fees, two lunches and the New Year’s Eve gala. Registration opens Aug. 15 and closes Nov. 15.

For more information or to register, visit www.antiphonyonline.org.

By Carla Wynn, CBF communications

LEARN – For more information on Together for Hope, visit www.ruralpoverty.net.

By Carla Wynn, CBF Communications

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006

THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

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Truett offers opportunities for global learning

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n 2001, Truett Seminary introduced a missions emphasis to its master of divinity degree, and now, five years later, nearly a

fourth of Truett’s 400 students are enrolled in the missions and world Christianity concentration.

Fellowship, schools, churches — Continued from page 1

Fellowship’s residency program for recent graduates. (See page 7 for more on Tabernacle Baptist.)

The Fellowship encourages this relationship between schools and congregations, especially as students graduate and pursue full-time ministry.

Terry Hamrick, the Fellowship’s coordinator for leadership development, said the Fellowship’s goal is to eventually partner with 200 churches to establish teaching congregations.

“One reason that fewer people are feeling called into congregational ministry is that they don’t have positive role models, and that’s the value of teaching congregations” said Hamrick. “We not only want to discover leaders, but also develop and nurture leaders.”

Through a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., the Fellowship has provided nine residencies to graduates from five partner schools in the past two years. Residents serve in churches for two years, learning and developing in an environment where they receive mentoring, collegial and congregational support. “[The residency program] is an added aspect that we didn’t have,” said Thomas Brisco, dean of Logsdon Seminary. “It’s been a good program for the student and church. It’s the kind of experience that you would covet for every graduate. It’s a valuable experience that prepares them more accurately for the ministries that lie ahead.” f!

LEARN To learn more about the Fellowship’s partner schools and leadership development, contact Hamrick at (770) 220-

“The important take-away from student’s practical experience is to see that missions are more complicated that they’ve read about or imagined,” said Stroope. “There’s a whole world of issues — culture, history, religion — to be opened up to them, to try to understand as best they can in four or five weeks.

The goal is in learning how to do that, then transfer that to another culture or ministry setting.” f!

that mission is about our learning from other cultures. We receive, in relationship and in friendship, with the people we’re ministering to. It’s not about hierarchies, but about walking alongside.”

Michael Stroope, associate professor of By contributing writer Cindy Bell, Christian missions at Truett, oversees the Atlanta, Ga. missions and world Christianity concentration. He brings with him more than 20 years of experience serving in missions fields that include Sri Lanka, England, Germany and Hong Kong.

“One of the strengths of Truett is, I believe, the balance between the theological and the practical,” said Stroope.

“Theology is in need of good practice and good practice is in need of good theology.

Students get to see the connection between what they’re learning in the classroom and how it applies to ministry.”

The concentration includes four core courses on understanding cross-cultural living, focus on biblical/theological themes, the history of missions and exploration of religion and world views. Stu- Surrounded by children of India, Truett student Sarah Rochelle Montoya learned cross-cultural missions first-hand as part of an immersion course. dents are also required to parPhoto courtesy Truett Seminary

The concentration is a popular one at Truett, which is part of Baylor University, and many graduates enter the field of mission service after graduation, including more than 20 who are serving with CBF Global Missions.

“I had always been taught that missions is about us being the ones to offer our knowledge or gifts, that we are the ones to do the giving,” said Lizzie Fortenberry, a Truett graduate commissioned in June as a CBF Global Service Corps member. “But [classes at Truett] teach

ticipate in a mentoring program and work with ministers and missions workers in the local community of Waco, Texas, and as far away as Turkey, Cypress, India and Ghana.

Select students in the global missions concentration have the opportunity to participate in a five-week summer course that includes a trip overseas. Students visit with people working full-time in missions and work alongside them. This summer, Stroope led the students through eight cities in India, and they had the opportunity to work in Mother Theresa’s Calcutta ministry, doing laundry and serving food.

Fellowship Partner School Profiles Baptist Seminary of Kentucky

www.bsky.org Location: Lexington, Ky. Started: 2002 Student body: 50 (40% female, 60% male) Degrees: Master of Divinity Concentrations: Pastoral Care and Counseling Interesting fact: Baptist Seminary of Kentucky started with just three full-time staff, which included the president, one faculty member and one office staff person.

Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond

www.btsr.edu Location: Richmond, Va. Started: 1991 Student body: 333 (46% female, 54% male) Degrees: Master of Divinity, Doctor of Ministry, Master of Divinity and Master of Social Work, Master of Divinity and Master of Science in Patient Counseling Concentrations: Church Music, Christian Education, Youth and Student Ministry, Children and Family Ministry Interesting fact: In addition to advanced theological programs, BTSR remains a frontline resource for congregations providing training for laity via its on-line School of Christian Ministry

1615 or thamrick@thefellowship.info or go to http://www.thefellowship.info/LD/.

Baptist Studies Program at Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University

www.brite.tcu.edu Location: Fort Worth, Texas Started: 1914 Student Body: 300 (52% female, 48% male) Degrees: Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Arts in Christian Service, Master of Theology, Doctor of Ministry, Doctor of Philosophy Interesting fact: Brite offers a newly renovated housing community for seminary students – Leibrock Village.

Campbell University Divinity School

www.campbell.edu/divinity Location: Buies Creek, N.C. Started: 1996 Student body: 209 (42% female, 58% male) Degrees: Master of Divinity, Master of Divinity and Master of Business Administration, Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Community Counseling, Master of Arts in Christian Education, Doctor of Ministry Concentrations: Biblical Studies, Christian Education, Counseling and Chaplaincy, Church Music and Worship, Historical and Theological Studies, Missions and Evangelism, Preaching and Pastoral Ministry Interesting fact: Campbell’s spiritual and vocational formation program has produced a retention rate among students that is more than 15% higher than the average for ATS-accredited schools.

Baptist Studies Program at Candler School of Theology, Emory University

http://candler.emory.edu Location: Atlanta, Ga. Started: 1991 Student body: 70 (50% female, 50% male) Degrees: Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Theology, Doctor of Theology in Pastoral Counseling, Interesting fact: Candler houses the second largest theological library in the country.

Central Baptist Theological Seminary

www.cbts.edu Location: Kansas City, Kan. Started: 1901 as Kansas City Baptist Theological Seminary Student body: 130 (53% female, 47% male) Degrees: Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Theological Studies, Master of Arts in Missional Church Studies, Master of Arts in Christian Spirituality Interesting fact: Central president Molly T. Marshall is the only female president of a Baptist seminary in the United States.

By Patricia Heys, CBF Communications

C O O P E R AT I V E B A P T I S T F E L L O W S H I P

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Tr u e t t O f f e r s G l o b a l L e a r n i n g

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Partner School Profiles

THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

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Urban mission concentration equips McAfee students for inner city ministry

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tlanta’s size, rapid growth and diversity make it an important laboratory for seminary students to learn how to do ministry

in urban settings. Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology in Atlanta, Ga., has launched an urban mission concentration to equip

Bakke Graduate University of Ministry “McAfee is located in the most in Seattle, Wash., is founder and diverse, challenging and exciting urban executive director of International Urban environment in the entire Southeast,” Associates, which networks more than said McAfee professor Larry McSwain, 100 church and missions leaders in urban who coordinates the concentration. “If areas around the world. The conference we can help students understand how the will also be a resource to church can be a resource to its Atlanta area churches. larger community, we will help “We believe the city is an students and be of assistance to “I believe that God’s immense important arena for doing congregations.” mission in a global context,” The concentration provides creativity is McSwain said. “If we can’t do it greater understanding of urban evidenced in in Atlanta, we probably cannot systems and how churches can the eclectic anywhere else in the world. We collaborate with government blend of are too important a laboratory and community agencies. A not to offer [training], and three-year, $100,000 grant from culture drawn we believe bringing leaders in Atlanta-based Faith in the City to the urban urban mission to our campus helps to fund adjunctive faculty setting.” will help church leaders and and guest speakers, an annual students.” urban mission conference Through studying public policy and on McAfee’s campus and stipends for the relationship between churches and urban mission students to work in a twocities, students become equipped for semester internship. vocational service in inner city churches The inaugural conference will be or communities.

March 19-20, 2007, featuring Ray Bakke, “I hope that through this concentration a noted international urban mission I will be able to further connect my life strategist. Bakke, the distinguished and ministry with the great human need professor of global urban ministry at

Baptist House of Studies at Duke Divinity School

International Baptist Theological Seminary

Baptist University of the Américas

M. Christopher White School of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University

www.divinity.duke.edu Location: Durham, N.C. Started: 1980 Student body: 100 (42% female, 58% male) Degrees: Master of Divinity, Master of Theological Studies, Master in Christian Ministries, Master of Theology, Doctor of Theology, Doctor of Philosophy Interesting fact: Eight full-time faculty members work with the Baptist House director to care for the formation of Baptist students.

www.ibts.cz Location: Prague, Czech Republic Started: 1949 Student body: 137 (23% female, 77% male) Degrees: Master of Theology, Master of Philosophy, Doctorate of Philosophy, Magister of Theology Concentrations: Applied Theology, Baptist/Anabaptist studies, Biblical Studies, Contextual Missiology Interesting fact: IBTS students come from 36 different countries.

www.bua.edu Location: San Antonio, Texas Started: 1947 Student body: 200 (34% female, 66% male) Degrees: Bachelor of Arts in Biblical/Theological Studies, Associates of Arts Degree in Cross-Cultural Studies Interesting fact: BUA is dedicated to the formation of cross-cultural Christian leaders from a Hispanic context.

McAfee Urban Mission Concentration

www.divinity.gardner-webb.edu Location: Boiling Springs, N.C. Started: 1992 Student body: 190 (24% female, 86% male) Degrees: Master of Divinity, Master of Divinity and Master of Business Administration, Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in English, Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Religion, Doctor of Ministry Concentrations: Pastoral Studies, Pastoral Care and Counseling, Missions, Christian Education, Biblical Studies for Teaching Interesting fact: Gardner-Webb was the first moderate Baptist divinity school in the state of North Carolina.

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Partner School Profiles

Carla Wynn photo

students for the unique challenges and demands of urban ministry.

Third-year McAfee student Katye Parker teaches children at Northwoods Baptist Church, where she is doing an urban mission internship.

extensively in urban ministry settings bring real-world experience to the classroom.

“The urban minister does far more than just preaching, teaching or leading worship,” said adjunct professor Emmanuel McCall, the Fellowship’s moderator and an Atlanta pastor with more than 20 years of urban ministry experience. “Urban ministry involves interaction with governmental, educational, political, sociological environmental and economic realities.” f!

and divine presence found in cities,” said third-year urban mission student Katye Parker, who is completing her urban mission internship as minister to children and outreach at Northwoods Baptist Church in Atlanta.

Parker’s church ministry involves using her fluency in Spanish to work with primarily Latino children, including forming relationships with families.

“I love the vibrancy and diversity found in cities,” she said. “I believe that God’s immense creativity is evidenced in the eclectic blend of culture drawn to the urban setting.”

Adjunct faculty who have served

By Carla Wynn, CBF Communications

Logsdon School of Theology at Hardin-Simmons University

George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University

www.logsdonseminary.org Location: Abilene, Texas Started: 1983 Student body: 101 (20% female, 80% male) Degrees: Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Family Ministry, Master of Arts in Religion Concentrations: Pastoral Ministry, Educational Ministry, Family Ministry, Spiritual Care Ministry, Missions and Cross-Cultural Ministry Interesting fact: Logsdon offers satellite programs at three campuses – Corpus Christi, Lubbock, San Antonio – where students can take two-thirds of the necessary courses toward a master of divinity degree or master of arts degree.

James and Carolyn McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University

http://theology.mercer.edu Location: Atlanta, Ga. Started: 1996 Student body: 211 (50% female, 50% male) Degrees: Master of Divinity, Master of Divinity and Master of Business Administration, Master of Divinity and Master of Science in Community Counseling, Doctor of Ministry Concentrations: Academic Research, Business Administration, Christian Education, Church Music, Pastoral Care and Counseling, Urban Mission Interesting fact: McAfee will celebrate its 10th anniversary this fall.

www.baylor.edu/truett/ Location: Waco, Texas Started: 1994 Student body: 385 (32% female, 68% male) Degrees: Master of Divinity, Master of Divinity and Master of Social Work, Master of Divinity and Master of Music, Master of Theological Studies, Doctor of Ministry Concentrations: Theology, Christian Religious Education, Global Missions, Student Ministry Interesting fact: Baylor is the largest Baptist university in the world and the oldest university in continuous operation in Texas.

Wake Forest University Divinity School

http://divinity.wfu.edu/ Location: Winston-Salem, N.C. Started: 1999 Student body: 93 (48% female, 52% male) Degrees: Master of Divinity Interesting fact: Since 2001, the Wake Forest endowment has given over $1,248,000 to its CBF students, who comprise approximately 43 percent of each graduating class.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006

THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

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‘New day in theological education’

CBF helps usher in young Baptist seminaries

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hen Jayne Davis started studies at Campbell University Divinity School, she didn’t see herself working in a church

But with guidance from a dedicated faculty, an innovative curriculum and a nurturing congregation, Davis found herself exactly where she didn’t envision — as minister of spiritual formation and leadership development at First Baptist Church, Wilmington, N.C., where she leads adult education initiatives and preaches.

“The Divinity School helped clarify my vocation and gave me the affirmation to do whatever I feel called to do,” said Davis.

Davis is one of hundreds of graduates from the 14 seminaries, theology schools and Baptist studies programs in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s network of ministry partnerships. Eight of those

schools have emerged in the last 15 years.

With their formation, more than 2,000 students are currently enrolled in CBF partner schools.

The reasons for the increase in theological schools are many — among them the conservative shift in some Baptist seminaries over the last 20 years, said Campbell dean Michael Cogdill.

Cogdill leads one of the young Baptist schools — Campbell observed its 10th anniversary during the 2005-06 school year.

Two other Fellowship partner schools are also celebrating significant anniversaries in 2006. McAfee School of Theology is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and Baptist Seminary of Kentucky will mark its

Q&A with Terry Hamrick

There are several current trends in theological education. One is the debate between classical theological education and practical theology. There’s a tendency to make it an either-or situation — either traditional education or practical education.

Where CBF is trying to work with schools is making this a “both-and” discussion.

Terry Hamrick is the Fellowship’s coordinator of leadership development.

Our primary involvement is through relationships rather than control. We have 14 theological education partners. These schools have more than 2,000 students enrolled. Obviously, one part of that relationship is CBF’s financial support of both schools and their students. These relationships provide a powerful and effective way for CBF to advocate for solid theological education and the development of congregational leaders.

How is theological education changing?

Theological education is facing changes because congregations and culture are facing changes. There was a time when the relationship between church and culture was fairly stable. The church was going about doing its work, and the culture was in the background cheering the church on. The cheering has stopped, and the culture has moved from encouraging churches to not caring what the church is doing. That changes the challenges for leaders, churches and schools.

1901 Central Baptist Theological Seminary

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CBF photo

How is the Fellowship involved in theological education?

Terry Hamrick

How can congregations support theological education?

Schools need to see the churches as a valuable asset in developing leaders, and churches need to see part of their mission as helping train leaders. I think the future of ministerial formation is going to be a robust partnership between theological schools and congregations. We can’t expect the school to provide practical training or expect the congregation to be the

Photo courtesy of Campbell University

— and she certainly didn’t see herself as a preacher.

mation and the practice of ministry and responds to today’s culture and world.

“Baptist schools are forming ministers holistically by paying attention to a student’s spiritual journey, academics and skills for ministry,” said Terry Hamrick, the Fellowship’s coordinator for leadership deCampbell students Carlton Bradshaw, left, and Traci Alston are two of the more than 2,000 students at Fellowship partner schools. velopment. “This hofifth anniversary this fall. listic approach creates The creation of these schools has done effective leaders who can help Christians more than fill an educational void, said and churches discover and fulfill their GodBaptist Seminary of Kentucky president given mission, and that is CBF’s goal.” f!

Greg Earwood. He calls it a “new day in theological education,” where cuttingBy contributing writer Melanie Kieve, edge curriculum focuses on spiritual forAlabaster, Ala.

sole provider of classic theological education, but together they can provide the experiences a minister needs.

What is the Fellowship’s vision for the future of theological education?

We are hoping to put theological education in the larger context of the CBF world. Our focus is on how we discover, develop and nurture leaders.

We can discover leaders through groups like the Shiloh Network, a group of pastors and churches committed to focusing on vocational discovery and call. We are hoping that the niche CBF’s collegiate ministry can have is focusing on providing resources for vocational discovery to college students.

We hope to develop leaders by increasing congregational ownership and participation in training leaders.

We hope to develop as many as 200 teaching congregations, who will host ministry residents and provide strategic internships, summer placement and learning laboratories for seminary classes. Schools can also provide a place

for learning, helping congregations with theological education and reflection.

Theological schools have a great concern about their graduates once they leave.

It’s important to the church, student and school that these graduates are successful. We are going to be looking at a very intentional system to care for — to nurture — graduates, especially in the critical first five years. Statistics show that the greatest drop-out rate from congregational ministry is during this time. The critical care strategy would provide mentors, coaches, peer learning groups and other support.

What is the role of students in the Fellowship?

The reason CBF is committed to theological education is because we think the best way to ensure effective leaders for the future is to have them theologically trained. Today’s students are current and future leaders — they aren’t leaders-in-waiting, they are leading already. The future of the moderate Baptist movement will be greatly influenced by the quality of graduates from theological seminaries. f!

LEARN To learn more about the Fellowship’s partner schools and leadership development, contact Hamrick at 770-2201615 or thamrick@thefellowship.info or go to http://www.thefellowship.info/LD/.

1914 Brite Divinity School

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C O O P E R AT I V E B A P T I S T F E L L O W S H I P

1947 Baptist University of the Americas

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1949 1950 International Baptist Theological Seminary

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‘ N e w D a y i n T h e o l o g i c a l E d u c a t i o n’

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Q & A w i t h Te r r y H a m r i c k

THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION

7

Churches play important role in education

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s with most theological degree programs, Renee Kenley’s master

not going to do church work, but these internships can give them a new of divinity degree includes a practical ministry component perspective,” said Tracy Hartman, assistant professor of practical theology — interning in a church setting. Her two semesters at the re-emerging at BTSR. “For instance, students are often adamant that they will never do work Tabernacle Baptist Church in inner-city Richmond were, for her in institutional churches again. They have been burned by bad situations, but seminary experience, “the most valuable experience I have had.”

BTSR and churches open to equipping interns give them room to work through Now in her fourth year at Baptist Theo- month with a ministry consultation comthat, to fall in love logical Seminary at Richmond (BTSR), mittee composed of and find a place in the Kenley had not considered a vocation four to five church church again.” ministering within the church setting, members, giving Seventy percent of but her internship experience changed both students and BTSR graduates go on her perspective. With an undergraduate members the opto work in the church degree in biology and chemistry, Kenley portunity to ask setting, and Hartman thought she would become a physical questions of each believes that the therapist. Now, she dreams of a different other. teaching churches and kind of therapy for people: building self“My committee the laypeople are a key sustaining programs that minister to the was a great source component. wide range of demographics inner-city of affirmation and “The role of the layfamilies represent. encouragement,” “We know [the internship] is highly said Kenley. people is critical to [the beneficial to the students,” said Tabernacle Kenley’s ininternship] process,” said pastor Sterling Severns, who is a BTSR Severns. “Our laity have ternship focused graduate. “But we’ve found that it’s also what I feel is the right on ministering highly beneficial to the church as well. approach to mentoring to children and Equipping them doesn’t suck the life out students. Their frame of their families. Set BTSR student Renee Kenley ministered to children and their families while interning at Tabernacle of us, but instead, it creates energy.” mind is not ‘What’s in it in the heart of Baptist Church.

Rooting Kenley on in her journey is for us?’ but “What’s in it Richmond’s Fan an unexpected team of cheerleaders and for this young minister?’” f! district, a diverse demographic has conchurches. Most are located in the Richa critical component of BTSR’s internship verged upon Tabernacle’s Family Ministry mond area, but some are in other states program: church laypeople. Students in program, both from within the city center and even other countries.

By contributing writer Cindy Bell, BTSR’s internship program meet each and areas lying outside it.

“Many of our students say they’re Atlanta, Ga Photo courtesy of Sterling Severns

“As interns, we strive to create programs that are self-sustaining,” said Kenley. “The goal is to work closely with the congregation so that, when my period of service has ended, congregants are participating in activities and events for children and families that they are invested in and believe in, rather than my individual ideas.”

At any given time, BTSR has about 35 students interning at approximately 30

Central’s satellite campuses expand opportunities for theological education

Photo courtesy of CBTS

Bethany, ministers to children in the area CENTRAL BAPTIST Theological Semithrough worship services, Bible study, nary has expanded beyond the walls of its tutoring, field trips and other outings. At Kansas City, Kansas, campus, giving people like Tim Malugin convenient access to theological education.

Malugin works as a computer consultant and runs Toenail Ministries, which serves neighborhood children. With these commitments, Malugin hasn’t had time to drive hundreds of miles to pursue a master of divinity degree. So when Central established a satellite campus Central faculty member Laura Moore (center) traveled to just down the street at First Murfreesboro, Tenn., to teach Introduction to Hebrew Bible.

Baptist Church of Murfreesboro, their weekly Tuesday evening worship Tenn., Malugin took advantage of the service, the Malugins welcome 25 to 40 opportunity. children into their home.

“I wanted to go to seminary to educate Currently, 45 students are enrolled in myself, so that when the kids I work with classes at Central’s four satellite locations. ask the hard questions, I can help answer At the Murfreesboro and Milwaukee them,” said Malugin. satellite centers, courses are arranged so Malugin, 45, lives in inner city that students can graduate with a master Murfreesboro and along with his wife,

of divinity degree in four years. Each semester, two classes are offered in a traditional setting and one class is offered online.

“Central has offered my classmates and me the opportunity to make the academic transition in life without the upheaval of a change in our jobs, our involvement and ministry in our churches, and uprooting our families,” said LuAnne Prevost, who also attends the Murfreesboro campus.

Central also offers classes in Oklahoma City and Omaha, Nebraska, with plans to expand these programs so that they also offer the necessary courses for a master of divinity degree. Courses are taught by Kansas City faculty and local instructors such as Ircel Harrison, coordinator for Tennessee Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Charles “T” Thomas, coordinator for CBF of Oklahoma, and Lavonn Brown, pastor and former Fellowship moderator.

“We are being responsive to the needs of the churches we serve,” said

1980 Baptist House of Studies at Duke Divinity School

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C h u r c h’s R o l e i n E d u c a t i o n

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1980

Satellite Campus Expanding Opportunities

1983 Logsdon School of Theology

1991 Baptist Studies Program at Candler School of Theology

1991 Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond

Lisa Allen, Central’s dean and vice president for institutional advancement.

“We have people who can’t move to a traditional campus because of their life commitments, and so the satellite campuses were a response to people’s needs, and it draws from the best of academic teaching and their own context of ministry.”

This fall, Central president Molly T. Marshall will teach Constructive Theology I at all four satellite campuses using DVDs, the Web and conference calls.

“In our previous online offerings students from the four satellites and Kansas City formed learning communities across geographical boundaries,” Marshall said. “I am looking forward to using technology to help students deepen their theological formation and ministry identity in all of our sites.” f!

By Patricia Heys, CBF Communications 1992 Christopher M. White School of Divinity

1996 2000 Truett Campbell 1996 Theological Divinity McAfee Seminary School School of Theology

2002 Baptist Seminary of Kentucky

1990 1994

2010

1999 Wake Forest Divinity School

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006

CONGREGATIONAL LIFE

8

New church start spotlight

CBF African-American church start reaches, restores people in Baltimore

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n a handful of Baltimore houses and a recreation center on the city’s east side, a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship church start is

reaching and restoring people.

providing warm clothes and blankets for the city’s homeless. The church has also ministered among alcoholics, addicts and people with AIDS. Recently, the church launched a ministry to a local nursing home.

The church is diverse, with members from Liberia, Kenya, Jamaica and Ghana. Worship integrates multicultural songs and practical teaching focused toward the many members who are new Christians unfamiliar Bernard and Andrea Roberson with traditional Andrea feels equally called to this churchchurch practices. For example, the church planting effort, particularly among the started with one person who tithed and church’s children and youth, who account now everyone does. The same growth for two-thirds of the church’s members. happened with prayer.

“They have such a desire to be a part, “At the beginning, no wanted to lead and we use them,” she said. “The children in prayer,” Bernard said. “It’s been a joy like that because they don’t feel that they’re to watch them go from people who didn’t Photo courtesy of the Robersons

New Jerusalem Christian Church is one of the Fellowship’s four African-American church starts. The church was launched two years ago and has grown to about 50 members, primarily new Christians hailing from a variety of countries and large families.

After some setbacks but with an undaunted sense of call to start a church, pastor Bernard Roberson and his wife, Andrea, relocated from nearby Westminster to Baltimore, rented the Leith Walk Recreation Center, purchased a sound system and launched their efforts through a community dinner. The church now has people involved in home-based cell groups, Bible study and recovery groups.

The church’s mission is reaching the lost, restoring the broken and reclaiming the kingdom, all of which require an outward focus on reaching people where they are, Bernard said.

“We don’t expect [people] to come in clean,” he said. “We expect people to have problems and to be hurt. We want to try to help people become healthy.”

The church has partnered with several other churches to engage in missions work throughout Baltimore, including feeding and

pray at all to people who pray in public.”

While the church has grown, the congregation has remained close-knit, partly because of the cell groups and also because of the family nature of the congregation.

“Our church is very, very close,” Bernard said. “The people are in and out of each other’s houses all week long.”

Although Bernard is the church’s pastor,

left out. That makes them eager to come back and be a part of the ministry.”

Children and youth are heavily included in worship services through drama and singing, operating the sound system, collecting the offering and serving as ushers.

They also have their own cell groups that meet twice a month.

Bernard and Andrea have a vision that the church will maintain its multicultural and close-knit components while growing to meet even more practical needs of people.

“I see the church as a healing place to restore people,” Andrea said.

Bernard, who has held ministry roles at three other churches, serves as a bivocational pastor, relying on financial support from his occupation as an addictions specialist at Total Health Care in Baltimore. Andrea works as a child support enforcement specialist for Baltimore City Child Support.

“Urban church starts can be instrumental for CBF,” said Edgar Berryman, director of the Fellowship’s African-American network. “Urban ministry is important because I think that’s where Christ is, and that’s where Christ wants us to be.” f!

LEARN – For information about CBF church starts, visit www.thefellowship.info/ CL/ChurchStarts.

By Carla Wynn, CBF Communications

Lubbock church uses visual art to enhance worship experience

C O O P E R AT I V E B A P T I S T F E L L O W S H I P

portunity to explore a variety of creative senior pastor of Second Baptist. “Although in visual things,” said Pennington. “Many expressions. The classes have included everymost of the artwork is religious, it isn’t people learn and grow visually. We have the thing from watercolor to creative writing. kitschy. The purpose of the art is to commuspoken word and music, and the visual arts “I’ve always had a great love for the nicate both what we believe about God and can provide another pathway to worship.” arts,” said Nash. “As a Christian educawhat we feel about these buildings which Most of the works have been a gift to tor, one of my passions is to help the church, commissioned for people get in touch with their special occasions or donated in creativity. I see that as part of our honor or memory of a memspiritual stewardship — to find ber of the congregation. The whatever gifts of creativity we may stainless steel dove that hangs possess and develop them.” in the foyer of the church was There is also a quilters’ group a gift from a local synagogue that meets weekly, designing and that worshipped at the church quilting banners, vestments and while its new building was unother creative worship aids. The der construction. The purchase quilters present a new quilt to each of a glass sculpture of a man, baby born in the church, as well as woman and child was made From an aerial view of Second Baptist Church of Lubbock, an icthus can to the children served by a church possible by a memorial gift be seen in the building’s structure. ministry to homeless families. from a church member.

“Everyone has different artistic tastes, so a have been dedicated to God. We wouldn’t One of the church’s main arteries, the variety of styles and genres will be representthink of having bare walls in our homes and circular grand hall, contains eight differed in the artwork throughout the church,” we don’t think we should have bare walls in ent pieces of art — sculptures, tapestries Nash said. “Hopefully, the art will show that God’s house.” and modern prints. While all the art is not we take creativity seriously. I don’t know if That creativity has not been limited to overtly religious, each piece has a spiritual Baptists have done that historically, but maydisplay, but has become a hands-on activity dimension. be it’s something we want to reclaim.” f! among members of the congregation. Nash “At Second Baptist, the intentional use organizes Wednesday evening classes called of selected artwork creates an atmosphere Windows that provide people with the opof openness and warmth,” said Philip Wise,

By Patricia Heys, CBF Communications

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Photo courtesy of Second Baptist Church

WHEN THE congregation of Second Baptist Church of Lubbock, Texas, moved into its new building five years ago, it saw an opportunity to enhance the worship experience with religious art.

From its conception, the new building was designed to be artistic. Even the structure of the building is a work of art, forming an icthus, the ancient symbol of the fish, that can be seen from overhead.

“It has always been part of the fabric of our church to appreciate artistic expression,” said Stephanie Nash, Second Baptist’s pastor of Christian education and outreach. “And that was true in our former building, but that building didn’t lend itself as well to the display of art.”

Artists and church members Beth Pennington and Jonanna George have led the interior design committee, which was involved in the original interior design of the new building as well as serving as a voice in the art selection process for donations or memorials.

“We see artistic expression as being a part of what God created us to be as whole beings, including our creative side, appreciating the beauty and the meaning that is found

African-American Church Start

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A r t E n h a n c i n g Wo r s h i p

MISSIONAL CHURCH

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Dallas church transforms with community

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liff Temple Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, provided an

for many years, provides food and clothing to 20,000 to 30,000 people a year. After a fire to the Center’s building in 2005, the food ministry is now housed in Cliff Temple’s fellowship hall and the clothing ministry is housed in a neighboring church.

Photo courtesy Sandra Martinez

Photo courtesy Judy Lewis

grams that minister to parents. Construction is scheduled to begin in July 2006. example of a missional church before the word missional was “The reason we went into the partnership with Buckner is because it became clear even in use. to us that the needs were going to outstrip partnering with other organizations and our resources in a hurry,” said Schmucker.

Located in North Oak Cliff, a sharing its considerable space.

“The key word is partnering. It is the only southwestern suburb of Dallas, Cliff In addition to the hope for churches like ours.”

Temple saw the neighborhood change predominantly white In addition, the church in the 1970s from predominantly congregation of Cliff reaches out to the community white, middle to upper class residents Temple, three indepenwith a thriving youth service to a poor, predominantly Hispanic and on Wednesday nights called black community. While the majority dent churches meet in 24/7. The youth walk to the of churches in the area relocated, Cliff its building — Mission church from area schools to Temple decided to stay where it had been Central, a Hispanic attend the 90-minute worsince 1899 and minister in the changing congregation; Union community.

Cathedral, a predomiship/celebration time led by Cliff Temple pastor Glen Schmucker, Cliff Temple’s youth minister, nately African-Ameria member of the Cooperative Baptist Kenny Cheshier. Following can congregation; and Fellowship’s Coordinating Council, called the worship time, choir memThe Well, which is the the church’s decision bers from the church drive the “proactive.” students home.

“They decided this is “It has been a transformwhere their mission was ing experience for a lot of our Each year Cliff Temple’s Child Development Center holds a Fourth and have spent the last older adults who have comof July parade.

25 years determining mitted to take these kids, some of what missional means,” As a result of a $1 million gift from whom are pretty rough,” Schmucker said.

Schmucker said. church member Jeannette Sadler, Cliff “They’ve grown to love each other.” f!

The diverse Temple is partnering with Buckner Chilcommunities dren and Family Services to build a comBy contributing writer Alison Wingfield, surrounding the church munity center. This new center will replace Dallas, Texas offer many challenges. the Goslin Care Center building and exA variety of people pand the ministry to provide English as a What is a As part of its community ministry, Cliff Temple hosted a neighborhood call the area home Second Language classes, adult and family health fair in the church’s parking lot. missional church?

— first through third education, and programs for senior adults. generation Hispanics, blacks, whites, In a recent community needs assessment only church in the United States exclusively Missional is an adjective that describes the way in which churches do all activities, rather people with disabilities and occupants of conducted by Buckner, the number one for people with disabilities. than identifying one particular activity. To halfway houses. Part of Cliff Temple’s need indicated by people was parenting The Goslin Care Center, which has be missional is to align all of the program, response to these challenges includes skills, so the expansion will include probeen a primary ministry of Cliff Temple

Missional takes church ‘here, there and everywhere’

Photo courtesy of Scott Dean

world, and us participating in and helping you get the bug and start understanding AS HARLEM Baptist Church has emwith that,” Vestal said. all the needs that are out there,” said Scott braced the idea of being a missional In Harlem, the church’s local ministries Dean, who has been a part of the first two church, it has also adopted the motto include construction projects to repair trips to Guatemala. “The ‘everywhere’ in “Here, there and everywhere” to describe our motto refers the reach of its to international ministries. communities, and Under the leadit’s been a process ership of pastor to push church Phillip Vestal, the members to do congregation has more and see how begun to identify God works outside itself as a missional of their comfort church, focusing zone.” activities around Harlem Baptist, its participation which works with in God’s mission Cooperative Baptist in the world. With Fellowship partner this missional foMembers of Harlem Baptist Church ministered to children at a Guatemala orphanage.

Buckner Orphan cus, the church has Care International in Guatemala, has sent homes for senior adults and partnering expanded its outreach from its local comchurch members to Guatemala for three with six churches to help meet the needs munity of Harlem, Ga., to international years in a row — each year sending more of people in the community. Church locations like Guatemala. people and expanding its ministry. This members have previously participated in “I think there are many churches that year, church members worked in two missions trips to New York, and this year say, ‘this is what we want to do and let’s orphanages, participated in construction a group is headed to Alaska. In 2004, the pray that God blesses us,’ when I think projects and worked with senior adults. church participated in its first internaliving missionally means discovering “I’ve seen what missions trips mean to what God’s plan is in Harlem, in nearby tional mission trip. the people participating in them,” Vestal Augusta, around the state and around the “Once you go on a foreign mission trip,

Dallas Church Changing with Community

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Harlem Baptist Expands Ministr y

function and activities of the church around the mission of God in the world.

The missional church movement leads congregations to ask, “What is God wanting us to be, become and do to continue the ministry of Christ within our present community and global context?“ Instead of focusing on denominational templates and traditional programming, each church determines its own unique answer to the question. Church members play a more active role in activities such as missions, pastoral care and education, and the church refocuses itself on participating in God’s mission.

For more information and resources on the missional church movement, visit www. thefellowship.info/CL/FF/MC/Home.icm.

Contact Bo Prosser at (770) 220-1631 or bprosser@thefellowship.info or contact Rick Bennett at (770) 220-1605 or rbennett@thefellowship.info.

said. “Everyone who goes expects to have an impact in some way on the place they are visiting. What many probably don’t expect is the impact these trips have on them.

It changes their perspectives on the way they do missions, the way they do church.

It changes their spiritual formation.” f!

By contributing writer Bob Perkins Jr., Atlanta, Ga.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006

INSIDE CBF

10

journey As We

By CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal

Social justice JESUS SAID, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” which compels those of us who say we are his disciples to work for peace. Both Scripture and history teach us that apart from truth, righteousness and justice, there can be no peace. How then are those of us who would be activists and advocates to live in the struggle for social justice?

Enter into rest Before we can be a peacemaker, we must ourselves experience peace, real peace,

inward peace, peace that passes understanding. Before we can be an instrument of reconciliation, renewal and community, we must become a partaker and participant in these realities. They are already true, but they must become true for us and in us.

The joy of the Lord must become our joy.

Richard Rohr wrote recently, “You can bear the hardness of life and see through failure if your soul is resting in a wonderful and comforting sweetness and softness.

That’s why people in love have such an energy for others. If your truth does not set you free, it is not the truth at all. If God cannot be rested in, he must not be much of a God.”

Theological education is a renewal movement

viewpoint: Michael Goodman IT’S COMMON for church members to warn theology students that “seminary will change you.” Often, this is accompanied with advice that the student must be especially sure to hold on to his/her faith while in school.

Sometimes these conversations are motivated by the concern that theological educaMichael Goodman tion is contrary to faith and/or disruptive to church life. Other times these conversations are based on the awareness that theological education is rigorous, full of new ideas about God and scripture and how to express the Christian faith in daily life. Students have important decisions to make about these ideas — which to hold fast and which to let go.

Both of these concerns carry validity.

The first concern prompts one of two responses — either the process of theological education is flawed and wrongly encourages students to leave healthy and vibrant traditions or the departing Christian found a good reason for leaving.

It is possible for a theological school to go rogue, failing in its mission to recover and apply the best of the Christian tradition for the benefit of the local church. Hopefully, this is prevented by academic openness to dialogue with other committed scholars and schools across the varied theological spectrum.

This concern might be based on the fear that some church traditions will be left in light of different ones, but this is often a part of the process. Theological education is a renewal movement — it renews the individual student and it renews the community in which that student leads and worships, hopefully in order to pro-

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vide a clearer witness to God’s Kingdom.

The second concern, based on the awareness that theological education is challenging on many levels, is a pastoral concern. It is true that theological education is intense. Along with the stresses of study, students have the added pressure of having long-cherished theological notions challenged and sometimes changed. Having a solid church home, where students can worship and participate throughout the week, is an invaluable source of grounding throughout a student’s career.

Of course theological education is not free, and another pressing concern may be — what is the real benefit of supporting students throughout the educational process?

The fact that the world and the church had not yet been fully redeemed was not a lost realization to me before I entered seminary. The reality of a painful and hurting world that badly needs redemption is blatantly obvious to most theology students. And we are left with the question — how can we respond?

We entered seminary out of our firm conviction that God redeems and renews the world through local faith communities and a call to work with God in that renewing action. We entered knowing that loving God with all of our minds includes understanding how God is involved in renewing the world.

Theological education is a renewal movement itself; therefore, it has the ability to feed the renewal movement that is the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. f!

Michael Goodman is a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship leadership scholar at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology and is schedule to graduate in 2007. Goodman attends Peachtree Baptist Church in Atlanta.

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Engage the powers This kind of language may be uncomfortable for some of us because we are such rationalists. But when we address social ills such as HIV/AIDS, poverty, racism and violence, it doesn’t take long to discover the presence and reality of entrenched, systemic, long term evil. It is what I call institutional and structured sin.

Scripture tells us that “we wrestle not with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers.” How shall we engage them?

First, we engage the powers by naming them, identifying them for what they are.

After the Enron verdicts, I read a number of articles saying that Enron was evidence of a system and structure of greed. A lot of people believe that Washington is trapped in a “culture of corruption.” The justice system in this country isn’t the same for a poor person as it is for an affluent person. Neither is the health care system or the educational system. These are powers of injustice.

Second, we engage the powers through prayer. It was instructive for me to hear the prayers of Baptists from the developing world during the BWA Congress last year in England. They would begin their petitions with “O, God of justice” because they live in poverty and powerlessness. Intense petition and intercession is one of the

weapons in this spiritual struggle for justice.

Third, we engage the powers with prophetic words and actions. If Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela and Dorothy Day taught us anything, they taught us the prophetic power of non-violent speech and deeds. Let us seek wisdom and the courage to do the same in our present context.

Embrace suffering While governments, NGOs and churches discuss, debate and analyze HIV/AIDS, human beings continue to suffer. The question for us is, “Will we embrace those that suffer?” An acid test of faith is what we do with pain, first our own and then of others. Will we anesthetize ourselves to suffering? Or will we be present with those that suffer and become instruments of comfort and relief? If so, we will be changed in the process.

I remember specifically in 1981 when I first read about HIV/AIDS in a Time magazine article. In May of this year, the cover story of Newsweek described how HIV/AIDS has changed America in the past 25 years. I confess that it has changed me and many of my perspectives.

My prayer is that I will continue to be changed that I might truly be the presence of Christ to others. f!

O F F I C I A L H O T E L I N F O R M AT I O N

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 2007 General Assembly Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C. June 27-30, 2007 (Auxiliary events only will be held June 27 and June 30, main General Assembly meeting will be held June 28-29.)

H O T E L I N F O R M AT I O N Grand Hyatt Washington (headquarter hotel) – 1000 H Street NW • Washington, DC 20001 Single/Double – $160 plus tax (Current room tax 14.5%) Triple/Quad – $180 plus tax (Current room tax 14.5%) Renaissance Washington DC Hotel – 999 Ninth St. NW • Washington, DC 20001 Single/Double/Triple/Quad – $160.00 plus tax (Current room tax 14.5%) Pre-registration for the 2007 General Assembly is required before making a hotel reservation at the Grand Hyatt or Renaissance.

Please make your hotel reservations by phone or online by May 30, 2007.

Online — For pre-registration and reservations, go to www.thefellowship.info/CL/General Assembly/reg.icm. After registering online, you will be directed to the room reservation Web site for the Grand Hyatt or Renaissance. You will be asked for a credit card number to hold the reservation, and your credit card will be charged at that time. The deposit is refundable if cancelled 7 days prior to arrival.

Phone — Please call the CBF Resource Center at (800) 352-8741 to pre-register for the General Assembly.

After registering, you will be given instructions to make your reservations by phone at either the Grand Hyatt or Renaissance. Once in touch with a hotel, you will be asked for a credit card number to hold the reservation and your credit card will be charged at that time. The deposit is refundable if cancelled 7 days prior to arrival.

Helpful Reminders 1. Reservations should be made by May 30, 2007, to receive advertised room rate. Reservations received after the cut-off date will be accepted on a space available basis and at the hotel’s prevailing room rate.

2. Sharing a room: Please make only one reservation per room, listing all occupants in the room. A confirmation listing each occupant will be mailed to you (the primary occupant) if reservation is completed by phone. Please print your confirmation if completed online.

3. All reservations holding more than 10 rooms will be required to forward a nonrefundable, one night’s deposit for each room by April 1, 2007. If not, all rooms held will be released back to the CBF housing room block for re-sale.

4. Changes/Cancellations: Please call the Grand Hyatt or Renaissance hotels directly for all changes/cancellations and reference your confirmation number. When canceling a reservation, please be sure to ask for a cancellation number and keep a record of the number.

5. RATES DO NOT INCLUDE the current room tax of 14.5%.

A s We J o u r n e y

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Vi e w p oint

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2007 General Assembly Hotel Info

INSIDE CBF

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Fellowship Roundup: News from CBF’s states, regions and national offices ■ Arkansas Sam Chaffin was named Rotarian of the Year by Little Rock Rotary Club 99, the eighth largest in the world, for his leadership in Lacombe, La., where Rotary partnered with CBF of Louisiana and CBF of Arkansas in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. The club helped rebuild five homes in Lacombe, a small African-American community that flooded during Katrina.

were distributed through churches and clinics to those most in need. Later this year, a smaller distribution will take place in Kenya and plans will be laid for further distributions in Burkina Faso. A larger group of Oklahomans, from five churches, traveled to Texas and spent a week working with KidsHeart.

■ South Carolina

Carolyn Anderson, coordinator of CBF of Florida, announced at the Florida meeting of the General Assembly her intent to retire effective December 31, 2006. Candace McKibben, moderator of the Florida Fellowship, will be appointing a search committee. Contact McKibben at ccmckibben@earthlink.net.

Rob Nash, CBF Global Missions coordinator, will be on a “Florida Tour” hosted by Anderson and the CBF of Florida staff from September 20-28.

The group will be visiting with Fellowship churches and people from Pensacola to Homestead, giving Fellowship people the opportunity to meet Nash and vice-versa. There will be regional groups hosting these events in each major city where CBF Florida has churches. They will also visit Touching Miami with Love and Open House Ministries in Homestead.

Rivertown Community Church in Conway, S.C., is small, but that doesn’t keep the congregation of 48 from pursuing its many goals. The church’s youth recently participated in a summer outreach/mission project to Appalachia. The group also decided to sponsor a student at the Ruth School in Romania and is now raising funds to meet that goal. In missions, church members serve meals at the local homeless shelter, work at the food bank and at a center for homeless teens, and in the summer distribute Bibles and food to lifeguards at nearby Myrtle Beach.

Members of First Baptist Church in Blackville, S.C., have discovered they don’t have to venture far from home to find missions opportunities. Recently the congregation held a Missions Blitz during which members worked in the yards of people with disabilities, baked and delivered cookies to show appreciation to local teachers and town leaders, and helped beautify the small town.

■ Georgia

■ Tennessee

■ Florida

For the second year, Central Baptist Theological Seminary of Kansas City, Kansas, will offer classes at First Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, as part of the Teaching Church Initiative. The Teaching Church Initiative was created with non-traditional, working students in mind. The two degrees offered are the master of divinity (75 credit hours) and the master of arts in theological studies (48 hours). Currently, the seminary is ■ Oklahoma offering two classes in Murfreesboro Following the Oklahoma General per semester and one online class, Assembly in Stillwater, the coordinating giving a student the opportunity to council held its first retreat. The time of be full-time with three classes. Each class taught in Murfreesboro meets during four weekend sessions on Friday night and all day on Saturday with three to five weeks between sessions. For more information, contact Steve Guinn at (800) Four Oklahoma churches distributed mosquito nets to the 677-CBTS or go Ghana Children’s Home. to the seminary fellowship included a visioning process Web site www.cbts.edu. to consider “who we are” and “what we “Celebrating the Preaching Voices are becoming.” of Women,” the first women’s preachThe summer months offered opporing conference sponsored by the tunities for several mission endeavors.

Tennessee Cooperative Baptist FellowIn June, a group of six, representing ship, was held in Crossville. Thirty-five four churches, participated in a distriparticipants were involved in worship bution of insecticide treated mosquito experiences that featured women nets. The group traveled to Ghana with preachers and attended two seminars His Nets, where more than 2,000 nets on preaching skills.

Photo courtesy of CBF Oklahoma

The Cooperative Student Fellowship (CSF) is a new organization at Mercer University this year. With the help and encouragement of CBF/GA, CSF strives to continually build a Christian faith community that welcomes others, serves others, and develops the whole person in relationship with God. If you are interested in finding out more about CSF, email dparnell@cbfga.org.

Fellowship Roundup

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Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events SEPT. 7

OCT. 23-24

Church and State in the 2006 Elections

IME Regional Learning Event

Religious Life Center, Mercer University, Macon

University Baptist Church, Charlottesville, Va.

A morning with J. Brent Walker of the Baptist Joint Committee on Religious Liberty

“Dancing with Your Dream: Remaining Vibrant All of Your Life” will be led by Scott Walker, pastor of First Baptist Church of Waco, Texas.

Cosponsored by the Center for Baptist Studies, Mercer University, and CBF/GA. Info: (478) 301-5467, www.centerforbaptiststudies.org

Info: http://www.healthychurch.org/program. asp?permanent_id=-1&id=26

SEPT. 10

OCT. 24

11-on-11

Missional Church Conference

Multiple locations Current, the Fellowship’s network of young Baptists, will host its annual 11-on-11 event, involving young Baptists in simultaneous missions projects in different states. This fall, Current will begin accepting registration for its annual retreat Feb. 7-9, 2007, in Austin, Texas.

Info: www.thefellowship.info/current

CBF of North Carolina is partnering with the Wake Forest University Divinity School to host a day-long conference on the missional/emergent church featuring speaker Brian McLaren. The cost is $50 per person.

Info: (877) 336-6426, www.cbfnc.org NOV. 4 IME Regional Learning Event

SEPT. 30

First Baptist Church, El Paso, Texas

Congregational Leadership Training

“Leadership for the Missional Church” will be led by Reggie McNeal. This workshop will explore questions regarding the rise of the missional church. The event is sponsored by the El Paso Baptist Association, CBF and Center for Congregational Health. There is no charge for the event.

Clemmons First Baptist Church, Clemmons, N.C. CBF of North Carolina is sponsoring training for lay leaders and ministers, which will include more than 25 workshops. The cost is $25 per person including lunch.

Info: Josue-epba@bcglobal.net or epba@sbcglobal.net or call at (915) 544-8671

Info: (888) 822-1944, www.cbfnc.org OCT. 6-7

NOV. 5-6

Bringing Singles Together for Christ First Baptist Church, Wilmington, N.C. Sponsored by CBF of North Carolina, the single adult retreat will feature speaker Kathy Gore Chappell, director for student life and the director of The Samuel Project. The cost, which does not include lodging, is $30.

Info: (888) 822-1944, www.cbfnc.org

“A Gift Too Good to Keep!” is the theme for the fall convocation. Speakers include Rob Nash, CBF Global Missions coordinator, and Bill Underwood, Mercer University president.

Info: (877) 336-6426, www.cbfga.org NOV. 12-15

OCT. 7 CBF Midwest Gathering Ashworth Baptist Church, Des Moines, Iowa This is a first-ever event for Fellowship Baptists in five states to connect, inform and inspire with each other. This is a collaborative event sponsored by Ashworth Road Baptist Church, CBF North Central Region and CBF of Missouri.

Info: Tim Deatrick at tim@ashworthroadbc.com

Youth Workers Summit Walt Disney World’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Fellowship is one of 11 religious organizations sponsoring an ecumenical conference for youth ministers and workers. The conference cost is $275.

Room costs are $387 for a single room and $195 for a double.

Info: (800) 769-0210, www.youthworkerssummit.org

OCT. 16-17

NOV. 13

IME Regional Learning Event Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky. “Dancing with Your Dream: Remaining Vibrant All of Your Life” will be led by Scott Walker, pastor of First Baptist Church of Waco, Texas.

Info: http://www.healthychurch.org/program. asp?permanent_id=-1&id=26

CBF of South Carolina Fall Convocation First Baptist Church, Clinton, S.C. Speakers include Evelyn Oliveira, SC/CBF urban minister in N. Charleston, and CBF moderator Emmanuel McCall. The theme of the event is “Missions: The Heart of CBF.” Info: Contact Marion Aldridge at coordinator@cbfofsc.org or visit www.cbfofsc.org

OCT. 16-18 Interim Ministry for Today’s Church CBF National Office, Rm 225, McAfee Theology Bldg, 2nd Floor, Atlanta, Ga. Sponsored by the Center for Congregational Health in Winston-Salem, N.C., and CBF, this conference is designed to meet the needs of interim pastors and to prepare them to assist a church in making wise decisions about choosing their next pastor. A pastor can qualify for 15 hours toward training as an intentional interim pastor.

Info: Robin Danner (336) 716-9722, congreg@wfubmc.edu or www.healthychurch.org

CBF/GA Fall Convocation First Baptist Church of Christ of Macon, Ga.

To submit an event to be listed on the calendar, email contact@thefellowship.info.

Check out the CBF Calendar online at www.thefellowship.info/Inside%20CBF/Calendar/.

Correction: There was an error in the partner school commencements listing in the May-June issue of fellowship! Chuck Bugg is dean of the M. Christopher White School of Divinity at Gardner-Webb University.

We regret the error.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006

Photo courtesy of Mandy Lockhart

C O O P E R AT I V E B A P T I S T F E L L O W S H I P

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Lozano,” Lockhart said.

MANDY LOCKHART, a member of First In May and June, Lockhart traveled Baptist Church in Bryan, Texas, experienced with Lozano’s team around the Matamoros a partnership first-hand when she spent four area, treating patients with minor colds, weeks on a medical mission trip. arthritis, gastritis, hypertension and diaLockhart, a second year medical student betes, and even assisting with laparoscopic at the University of Texas Medical Branch at surgeries, including Galveston, had been the removal of a coninvolved with misgenital hernia from a sions work in col4-year-old boy. lege through several Lozano’s team spent avenues, but it was one to two days at each through Laura Cachurch clinic, dependdena, Cooperative ing on the need, and Baptist Fellowship saw 100 patients a missions partnerday on average. Every ship relationship patient that came to a manager, that she clinic was given multibecame familiar vitamins, a toothbrush with the Baptist and toothpaste.

Medical Dental Fel“[Lozano] really lowship (BMDF) understood how to and an opportunity treat the patients and to serve alongside was sensitive to those Guillermo Lozano The pastor’s children, Genesis and Jaime, welwho needed to conin free medical clin- comed the medical team to the church in San Rafael, where the team saw more than 300 nect with someone ics in Matamoros, patients in three days. on a personal level,” Mexico, a border Lockhart said. “He just put it out there: ‘I’m city of approximately 450,000. a Christian, and no matter what, I will be “CBF Global Missions partners with praying for your spiritual and physical conorganizations because it allows us to share dition because that’s how I’m put together.’ resources and creates more options for I think that for patients, whether they are churches and individuals,” said Cadena.

Christian or not, that builds a bond of trust.

With a mission to enhance and change They know you’re not just using what you’ve lives through fellowship and health care mislearned in medical school, but also love sions throughout the world, the BMDF has — what the Lord has gifted you with.” f! had a formal partnership with CBF since 2000. Shared goals of the partnership include SERVE – For information on volunteering creating a congregationally-based medical/ through CBF Global Missions, contact Timodental clinic network, providing medical and thy Wood, volunteer program manager, at dental care in poor rural counties in the Unitvolunteer@thefellowship.info or call (800) ed States and developing a medical missions 782-2451 or visit www.thefellowship.info/glomentoring program for young professionals. balmissions/volunteers.

“I was searching for someone who was truly making use of his medical skills for

By Laurie Entrekin, contributing writer, the Lord. That’s exactly what I found in Dr. Atlanta, Ga.

CBF volunteer serves in Mexico with Baptist Medical Dental Fellowship

Partner Spotlight

Photo courtesy of Truett Seminary

(800) 352-8741

www.thefellowship.info

P.O. Box 450329 • Atlanta, Georgia 31145-0329

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

Together For Hope marks 5th anniversary

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2006

Celebrating Jesus in Lebanon

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New Church Start spotlight

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Cliff Temple embraces missional perspective

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Upcoming events

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As part of Truett Seminary’s mission emphasis, CBF leadership scholar Josh Brewer traveled to Kochi, India, where a local child walked up and took his hand as he rested outside a synagogue.

Stories on pages 4-7

The landscape of theological education

Serving Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission

COOPERATIVE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP | WWW.THEFELLOWSHIP.INFO

f fellowship!

CBF