General Assembly 2007 fellowship! by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

fellowship!

CBF

Cooperative baptist fellowship | www.thefellowship.info

General Assembly 2007

Historic moments highlight 17th annual CBF General Assembly

n a historic city, more than 2,500 Fellowship

Baptists gathered for a historic event June 2829. The 17th annual Cooperative Baptist Fellowship was held in Washington, D.C., for the first time and featured a first-ever joint gathering with the American Baptist

inside

this issue...

• Page 5

CBF’s Rob Nash, right, and ABCUSA’s Reid Trulson, left, offer a blessing for jointly supported missions personnel, Marcia and Duane Binkley and Nancy and Steve James.

tion for the good of God’s kingare risk-takers.” initiatives relating to human dom in the world.” Fellowship Baptists gave rights and, specifically, religious The previous evening, the more than $22,000 to the liberty issues. Fellowship commissioned 16 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Emmanuel McCall, who other CBF Global Missions field Offering for Religious Liberty ended his term as CBF personnel to serve moderator and among the world’s introduced most neglected Fort Worth, people. Baptist Texas, World Alliance laywoman president David Harriet Harral Coffee affirmed as the next and challenged moderator, the new field spoke to the personnel and Assembly the Fellowship about covenant to continue to relationships. “face the world of “How does spiritual lostness” CBF fulfill General Assembly attendees had an opportunity to fellowship and learn by knowing covenant with about Fellowship resources such as “It’s Time.” the world and God?” McCall knowing the Bible. and Human Rights. The said. “We continue doing more “If you are going to be the Baptist World Alliance receives of what we are doing. We are presence of Christ in a broken one-third of the Offering evangelizing by loving people world, it will not happen proceeds; the other two-thirds into a relationship with God. without risk-taking,” Coffey is administered through the We are evangelizing by dealing said. “These people you’ve seen Fellowship through partnering with the needs that people commissioned here tonight with organizations with existing have, which if not addressed Rod Reilly photo

Fellowship Baptists celebrated religious freedom; addressed global concerns of poverty, hunger and HIV/AIDS; and participated in events featuring topics such as spiritual formation, congregational life, the missional church and social justice. At the concluding general session, the Fellowship joined together in worship with ABCUSA, which was holding its biennial meeting and celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding. Together CBF and ABCUSA co-commissioned two couples to global missions service – Marcia and Duane Binkley, who will serve in the U.S. among Karen refugees, and Nancy and Steve James, who have been serving in Haiti as CBF affiliates. “I am delighted that we are cooperating with American Baptists in joint appointments of the Binkleys and the Jameses to their respective places of ministry,” said CBF Global Missions Coordinator Rob Nash. “These joint ventures send the signal that mission engagement in the 21st century is about collabora-

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Churches USA.

— Nash

announces new global missions strategy

• Pages 6-7

— New CBF

Global Missions field personnel

• Page 8-9

— Resources

for missional churches

obscure our message. We are evangelizing by challenging unjust situations, the disparities and inequities of life.” Throughout the Assembly excitement built for another gathering of Baptists — the New Baptist Covenant Celebration, which will be held Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2008, in Atlanta and feature Baptists from more than 36 organizations. “There’s a great deal of energy about the convergence of Baptists who are coming together to find fellowship, community and address great issues of our day, particularly around the issue of poverty,” said CBF Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal. “I’ve never experienced anything like this in my lifetime.” The 2008 CBF General Assembly will be held June 19-20 in Memphis, Tenn. By Patricia Heys, CBF Communications

• Page 11

— Teaching

missions to all ages

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Inside CBF

G e n e r a l A s s e m b ly 2 0 0 7

general assembly

Roundup

New officers begin term

Harriet Harral, of Fort Worth, Texas, officially began her term as moderator of CBF at the conclusion of the 2007 General Assembly. Harral is the founder of The Harral Group, an organizational consulting firm. Jack Glasglow, pastor of Zebulon Baptist Church in Wake Forest, N.C., is the moderator-elect. Emmanuel McCall, pastor of The Fellowship Group Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga., is the past-moderator. And Hal Bass, of Arkadelphia, Ark., serves as recorder.

Assembly approves budget

The 2007 General Assembly approved a $16,481,000 budget, along with the nominating committee’s recommendations. An amendment to the bylaws that recognizes a CBF regional organization in the Midwest was also approved. Additionally, the Assembly approved a motion that instructs the CBF Coordinating Council “to investigate the feasibility and means by which the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship might be involved in acting with other bodies to reach the United Nations Millenium Development Goals.”

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Whitsitt Society honors Bethell Emmanuel McCall, right, presents Harriet Harral as CBF’s new moderator.

Council affirms 2008 Celebration During its June 27 meeting, the national Coordinating Council approved a statement of support for the New Baptist Covenant. The statement’s concluding sentences are as follows: “We encourage the full involvement of the Fellowship and its leaders in continuing to promote the Covenant and the upcoming 2008 Convocation. Finally, we encourage congregations and individuals in our Fellowship to pray for the New Baptist Covenant, to be involved in this new movement of cooperation and fellowship, and to be present in Atlanta in January for the New Baptist Covenant Convocation.”

Vol. 17, No. 3 Coordinator • Daniel Vestal Coordinator, Fellowship Advancement • 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

fellowship! is published 6 times a year in Sept./ Oct., Special I (Oct.), Nov./Dec., Feb./Mar., Apr./May, Special II (July) by The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Inc., 3001 Mercer University Dr., Atlanta, GA 303414115. Periodicals postage paid at Atlanta, GA, and additional mailing offices. USPS #015-625 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to “fellowship!” Newsletter, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, P.O. Box 450329, Atlanta, GA 31145-0329

For creating a ministry to help victims of the international sex trade, Lauran Bethell was presented the 2007 Whitsitt Society Courage Award at the General Assembly. A former Baptist missionary, Bethell is the founder of New Life Center, a shelter in Chiang Mai, Thailand, for women looking to escape the throes of the sex trade.

CBF endorses chaplains, pastoral counselors On June 27, the CBF Council on Endorsement met to consider the applications of new endorsees. The following were endorsed: Susan Allen, Lexington, Ky., hospital; Larry Baker, San Francisco, Calif., hospital; Nancy Campbell, Lenoir, N.C., hospice; Robert Cooke, Raleigh, N.C., pastoral counselor; Paul Hamilton, Orangeburg, S.C., hospital; Karen Heistand, Charleston, S.C., hospital; Wayne Hyatt, Spartanburg, S.C., pastoral counselor; Robert Marsh, Richmond, Va., military; Cynthia Meadows, Roanoke, Va., hospital; Susan Rogerson, Farmville, N.C., hospice; Susan Stephenson, Oklahoma City, Okla., hospital; Keith Tekell, Beaumont, Texas, hospital; Debra Walters, Atlanta, Ga., hospital; Mary Yates, Louisville, Ky., pastoral counselor.

BWIM releases second report Fellowship partner Baptist Women in Ministry (BWIM) released the second annual “State of Women in Baptist Life” during its gathering. Eileen CampbellReed and Pam Durso continued the BWIM-sponsored research by

launching the State of Women in Baptist Life Attitudes Survey, which gauged Baptists’ attitudes about women in roles throughout society and church. BWIM also announced the creation of “BWIM Registry for Ordained and Professional Women in Ministry,” an online registry which will continue to document female Baptist ministers.

Bountiful Feast focuses on spiritual formation Glenn Hinson, senior professor of church history and spirituality at Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, a CBF-partner school, spoke to more than 170 at the Bountiful Feast event June 27, which was sponsored by the Fellowship’s Spiritual Formation Network. Following Hinson’s remarks, Rick Bennett, the Fellowship’s congregational life specialist, announced that an initial gift of $5,000 had been made to establish a scholarship in Hinson’s honor at the Academy for Spiritual Formation, which is sponsored by Fellowship partner Upper Room. The gift was made by one of Hinson’s students.

Young leaders gather during Assembly The Fellowship’s network of young leaders, Current, gathered during the workshop “Bono and Billy Graham: Ministering to All Without Losing Me” to address challenges young leaders face in ministry, generational divides and the future of the Fellowship. While affirming the Fellowship’s Initiative for Ministerial Excellence residency program, many attendees voiced concern about the lack of ministerial positions available. They said this trend has caused ministers to seek positions in other areas of ministry. Additionally, Current participants voiced their desire to bridge generational gaps in Fellowship congregations and began to brainstorm about ways to include multiple generations in Current’s annual retreat and events. Many attendees also expressed an eagerness to participate in the ministry of Fellowship churches and ministries that address social justice issues like poverty, HIV/AIDS and community development.

Attendees urged to be advocates More than 100 people gathered June 28 to learn how to use their voice on behalf of hungry and poor people around the world. Sponsored by the Fellowship and partners Bread for the World and Baylor University’s Center for Family and Community Ministries, the “Freedom from Hunger and Poverty” event explored the role of advocacy in influencing legislation that would reduce global hunger and poverty. Attendees heard from Bread for the World president David Beckmann, U.S. congressman Artur David (D-Ala.) and former undersecretary of state Alan Larson.

‘Free to be the Presence of Christ’ By CBF Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal Below is a portion of the remarks made by CBF Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal at the CBF General Assembly. To read Vestal’s complete remarks, go to www.thefellowship.info/News/ GAcoverage/070629vestal.icm. To access the audio file, go to www.thefellowship. info/News/GAcoverage/GA07audio.icm. The question I would ask is “How free are you on the inside?” How much of the freedom that is yours in Christ do you realize and experience? How free are you? Not only from external tyranny but from internal tyranny. How free are you from the impulses, passions and attitudes that keep you from loving God and loving neighbor? “Free to be the Presence of Christ” is a declaration, an affirmation, a celebration of our birthright as Christians. God says to us “you are free.” You are free to dream, to love, to serve, to give, to hope. You are free to be responsive and responsible. You are free to live in community. You are free to be compassionate and courageous. You are free to be the presence of Christ to one another and to the world. I believe that within this Fellowship there is a growing awareness of this freedom and a growing commitment to this vision. We are less and less concerned about Baptist politics and Baptist turf. But we are more and more concerned about what God has done for this world in Jesus Christ and more committed to being his presence in the world. We are increasingly free from the pain of the past and fear of the future. We are free from the institutions of the past even as we birth and build a new institution for the present. We are free to work with other people of faith for social justice and racial reconciliation. We are free to celebrate what other groups are doing, even as we celebrate what we are doing. We are free to experiment, to explore and even to fail. The theme of this General Assembly is not only an affirmation and declaration of reality. It is also a challenge. It is a challenge to us as individuals, as families, as congregations, as a Fellowship. The challenge is — “Be the Presence of Christ” where you live and around the world, among the most neglected, on behalf of the poor and powerless. The challenge is — “Be the Presence of Christ” in community with one another, by word and deed, in the power of the Spirit. The challenge is – “Be the Presence of Christ” whether or not you’re successful by the world’s standards, even if you don’t see results, to the point of death. You are free — “Be the Presence of Christ.” 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

Inside CBF

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Fellowship People

Church S potlight

First Baptist Church of Washington, D.C.

the church also reaches out to the city’s international residents and the homeless, who are “no farther away from us than the doorstep of the church,” Somerville said. “We are working to become — more and more — a living, vibrant, bursting-at-theseams community of Christ in the nation’s capital,” Somerville said. “It’s the hardest work in the world, but also the best.”

• • • • • •

Susan Deal Susan Deal served as the music and worship leader for the 2007 General Assembly, helping to plan the three General Sessions and the joint worship with ABCUSA. Currently the music minister at College Park Baptist Church in Orlando, Fla., Deal has more than 17 years of experience leading worship services. Deal, who spent the week prior to Assembly in Washington with her youth choir, said the biggest challenge she faced was encouraging intimate

By Carla Wynn Davis, CBF Communications

congregational participation in such a vast space.

Susan Deal

“In a large event setting, encouraging each attendee to be an active participant instead of a passive observer is foremost in my mind,” Deal said. “I ask myself the question, ‘How can I help the individual feel she or he is vital to the worship of God?’ We want those who attend to join hearts and hands and voices in glorious praise of our God.” • • • • • •

Jake Myers For Jake Myers, every time the General Assembly schedule listed “workshops” he had a session to lead. Myers led “Emergent Tradecraft: Homiletics, Hermeneutics, and the Missional Ethos,” which focused on one of his passions — the emergent conversation. He also co-led “An Opportunity to Meet with Other CBF Church Starters.”

Carla Wynn Davis photo

mong the stained glass windows at the 205-year-old First Baptist Church are depictions of 28 historic Baptist leaders, including Lottie Moon and George W. Truett. “It’s a pictorial Baptist history,” said pastor Jim Somerville. Located eight blocks from the White House and just down the street from Dupont Circle, First Baptist helped host attendees at the Fellowship’s General Assembly in June. Many church members served as volunteers, the church hosted auxiliary events and Somerville served as the Assembly’s planning committee chairman. In a city where the main industry is government, many church members are government employees. The church has been home to U.S. Supreme Court justices, foreign ambassadors, members of U.S. Congress and two U.S. Presidents — Jimmy Carter and Harry Truman. But

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“I am passionate about equipping and empowering people to live missional and culturally relevant lives,” said Myers, who serves as the coordinator

Jake Myers

for missional community at Wieuca Road Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga. “This First Baptist is located eight blocks from the White House.

translates to leading sessions, connecting leaders and engaging in dialogue with other free and faithful Baptists. I try to ask myself the question, ‘What would I like to have a good conversation about?’ The answers typically fuel the scope of my session proposals.”

meet Terry Walton Terry Walton is a special projects manager for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Walton facilitates the logistical planning of the Fellowship’s General Assembly each year. Working closely with others who plan the event, Walton develops timelines for the event, manages the budget and together with the production company creates scripts. She also coordinates program events, such as the children and youth assemblies. Hometown: Fairhope, Ala. Education: University of Mobile, Mobile, Ala.

• • • • • •

Ed and Laura Anne Vick Ed and Laura Vick have attended every CBF General Assembly, including the 17th annual in Washington, D.C. last month. At the second General Assembly in 1991, attendees were voting on a name for the new Baptist body. The name United Baptist Fellowship was being considered, when Ed stood and said,

Experience: Previously, Walton worked as an assistant producer for the weekly televised services of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, and ran her own communications and marketing consulting business. Since she began at the Fellowship 10 years ago, Walton has worked in various capacities, including marketing Fellowship products and facilitating the speaker’s bureau.

“Baptists have never been united,

Interesting Fact: Walton organized a trip of mission leaders from CBF to China. The group observed women leaders and witnessed first hand the work of CBF representatives in China.

attending and finding out what’s going on,” said Ed, a CBF Foundation trustee.

but we can cooperate.” He proposed

Ed and Laura Anne Vick

the name Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. “We’re very interested in the work of CBF and want to support it in that way by Members of First Baptist Church of Raleigh, N.C., the Vicks have three daughters and six grandchildren, two of which live in Switzerland. Ed was one of

“I believe that every aspect of my work helps to empower the work of the local church, equip individuals to fulfill their call and supports CBF’s value of partnering with other organizations. General Assembly is a visual reminder of what CBF is about. Empowering the local church and equipping individuals and partnering happens 365 days a year, but General Assembly is the one time we visually experience that with one another.” Contact Terry Walton at twalton@thefellowship.info or (770) 220-1653.

three founding owners of Kimley-Horn and Associates, an engineering firm from which he retired in 2000. • • • • • •

Nancy Stanton McDaniel Nancy Stanton McDaniel traveled 70 miles from her church in Rhoadesville, Va., to Washington, D.C., to attend the CBF General Assembly. McDaniel, pastor of Rhoadesville Baptist Church, was one

A Look Back

of the worship leaders at the Thursday morning

opportunity to fellowship with like-minded Baptists,”

17 years ago

In Atlanta, Ga., CBF held its first General Assembly.

11 years ago

The General Assembly voted that CBF would not become a convention.

7 years ago

The General Assembly voted to partner with the Ministers and Missionaries Board of the American Baptist Churches USA.

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General Session. “At the General Assembly, I love having the said McDaniel, who has attended five General Assemblies. “The workshops give me creative ideas

Nancy Stanton McDaniel

for ministry, and the worship is so uplifting and inspiring. And it’s such a blessing to celebrate the Lord’s Supper together with all of my brothers and sisters at the General Assembly — that’s always a highlight for me.” A Virginia native, Stanton McDaniel has been pastor of Rhoadesville Baptist for seven years and previously served as moderator of CBF of Virginia.

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General Assembly

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Fellowship Baptists celebrate religious freedom

K. Hollyn Hollman, general counsel for the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, discusses the road ahead for separation of church and state issues at the Baptist Unity Rally.

ith the theme “Free to be the presence of Christ,” attendees at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

celebrated religious freedom during a number of events at the

More than 200 Baptists gathered in

29, following a reading of

Senate Park, adjacent to the U.S. Capitol,

excerpts from that speech,

June 29 for the Baptist Unity Rally

BJC general counsel K.

Sponsored by Fellowship partner Chris-

During the June 29 joint worship

tian Ethics Today, the conference featured

By contributing writer Bob Perkins Jr.,

with CBF and ABCUSA, the first-ever

panelists Jim Wallis, president and execu-

Atlanta, Ga. 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

General Assembly

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Nash announces new direction, restructuring of CBF Global Missions

n his keynote address at the General Assembly June 29,

CBF Global Missions coordinator Rob Nash cast a new vision for the Fellowship’s approach to global missions, outlining a plan that will elevate local congregations in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s global missions strategies. “It is time for congregations to engage the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ,” Nash said. “It is time for a whole new paradigm in mission and in partnership with sister congregations all around the world for the purpose of learning from each other and of sharing the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Nash, who described the twenty-first

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which congregations join together in global

Rob Nash addressed the crowd at the third general session and challenged local congregations to partner with CBF in global missions.

century as the century of the local con-

The creation of the missional church team

give it life and vitality and purpose. Con-

world, nurturing relationships and creating

gregation in global mission, announced

is the first stage in the process of integrat-

gregations and CBF field personnel have

ministries that are fully sustainable. In the

the formation of a missional church team,

ing congregations. The second stage will

been hard at work alongside each other for

future, this process of collaborative engage-

which will begin work at the CBF Resource

focus on engaging congregations more

more than 16 years now, ministering in the

ment will continue with a great deal more

Center in Atlanta Aug. 1. The team will

intentionally. The

intentionality given to the connection and

work alongside the existing field ministries

missional church

with the conviction that congregations are

team in the CBF Global Missions initiative

team will work

area and be divided into two sub-teams

with congrega-

that connect with the Congregational Life

tions to determine

and Leadership Development initiatives.

a model of engage-

“[CBF is] ready to implement a viable

ment.

How CBF will facilitate the engagement of congregations in global missions

I am convinced that it is this kind of collaboration that will make all of the difference in God’s kingdom in the world.”

• Consult with congregations in formulating global missions strategy

By Patricia Heys, CBF Communications

model for global mission engagement in the

“There is no

twenty-first century that encourages and fa-

way to say exactly

• Offer congregations training for cross-cultural engagement

cilitates congregational participation in global

what this model

mission, affirms and supports the significant

of congregational

• Assist congregations in short-term mission engagements

work and ministry of field personnel, and en-

engagement will

courages a collaborative and network-based

look like in the

missiological framework that values partner-

end,” Nash said.

ship and engagement with other Christians,

“Together, congre-

churches, and institutions,” Nash said.

gations, partners

• Connect congregations to the work of field personnel and partners • Nurture networks of collaboration among congregations and partners that focus on particular kinds of ministries and geographical regions

and field personnel

• Build global connections for congregations

lows a year of conversation with congrega-

around the world

• Develop missional leaders in congregations

tions, mission leaders and field personnel.

will shape it and

This new vision and restructuring fol-

as necessary to the effort as field personnel.

To read Nash’s complete remarks, go to www.thefellowship.info/News/GAcoverage/ 070629Nash.icm. To access the audio file, go to www. thefellowship.info/News/GAcoverage/ GA07audio.icm. SERVE – To learn about partnership opportunities through CBF, contact the Fellowship at (800) 352-8741.

With more than 80 booths, the CBF Resource Fair at the General Assembly provided attendees with opportunities to reconnect and fellowship, learn about resources available through CBF and partner organizations, meet CBF Global Missions field personnel and shop for handmade crafts from around the world. The Missions Marketplace, left, featured products from Rod Reilly photo

some of the world’s most marginalized people.

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Embrace the World

Karen Affiliate Southeast Asia Medical riverboat Home church: Bayshore Baptist Church, Tampa, Fla. “I’m attracted to CBF’s philosophy of building partnership networks between field personnel and churches, community organizations and private individuals. I believe those networks will allow each party to touch more lives within their respective communities than either would achieve alone.”

Clista and Glen Adkins Global Service Corps Hungary Gandhi School Home church: First Baptist Church, Greenville, S.C. “Through the years, our sense of call and commitment to missions has never wavered. We have been listening, and now we hear a specific call to a specific people in a specific place. Our two trips to work with CBF Global Missions field personnel Ralph and Tammy Stocks at the Gandhi School have been life changing. We feel that God has revealed to us a place where he can use us — our individual gifts — to bring the Good News of hope in Jesus Christ to people who need it so much.”

Janée Angel

Wanda Ashworth

Affiliate

Brussels, Belgium Home church: First Baptist Church, Burleson, Texas

Homestead, Fla. Executive director, Open House Ministries Inc. Home church: First Baptist Church, York, S.C.

“As a teacher in Belgium, I meet the people in my community and then build relationships with them as friends. The heart of every relationship that I have is being the presence of Christ to so many who have never known a Christian.”

“My encourager church is First Baptist Church of York, S.C., and even though I am no longer a member there, I consider myself an ambassador of that church. First Baptist prepared me for my role in Homestead and continues to support me through prayers, finances and service.”

Casey and John

Christy Craddock

Amanda Hambrick

Global Service Corps

Southeast Asia Earthquake relief and development coordinators Home church: First Baptist Church of Christ, Macon, Ga.

Miami, Fla. Touching Miami With Love Home church: Calvary Baptist Church, Waco, Texas

New York City, N.Y. Metro BaptistRauschenbusch Ministry Center Home church: Tabernacle Baptist Church, Richmond, Va.

“The opportunity to meet a person’s present needs while seeking to establish permanent improvements in their standard of living really fits with our sense of calling. We do not desire to simply give a hand-out to someone and walk away, feeling better about ourselves for having done so. We would rather engage in work that will continue to sustain itself even when we are taken out of the equation.”

“After spending the summer of 2001 serving at Touching Miami with Love, I felt called to commit my life to both social work and ministry. Through my experiences at TML, it was confirmed that God desired to use my life through social work and ministry with children, youth, families and individuals in need of hope.”

“I have been involved in urban ministry for the past several years, and I have seen how the city is truly a place where there is a great need for the light of Christ. I love the diverse picture of God in the faces of the people in metropolitan cities. They remind me that God is so much bigger and more creative than my often homogenous circles.”

* Due to global security concerns, names and specific locations of some of CBF’s field personnel will not be publicized. * Due to global security concerns, names and specific locations of some of CBF’s field personnel will not be publicized.

GIVE |

The CBF Offering for Global Missions is the funding mechanism for field personnel salaries, benefits and ministry and operating expenses. By giving to the Offering, Fellowship Baptists enable field personnel to be the presence of Christ around the world. To give, call (800) 352-8741 or go to www.thefellowship.info/involved/give.

SERVE |

Extend the ministries of your church from local communities to global communities by becoming a CBF partner church. You can partner with CBF Global Missions field personnel in a variety of ways — from prayer and emotional support to hands-on missions immersion. To learn more about partnerships, call (800) 352-8741. 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

CBF Global Missions

Newly Commissioned Field Personnel CBF Global Missions commissioned these new field personnel June 28 at the General Assembly in Washington, D.C.

Duane and Marcia Binkley Career North America Strategic coordinators of Karen refugee resettlement Home church: First Baptist Church, Jefferson, Ohio “The goals of CBF compliment our interest in helping the Karen refugees from Burma who have been severely persecuted and marginalized by the government of their own country for many decades. With tens of thousands of Karen expected in the U.S. in the next few years, we felt we needed to be a part of the resettlement process and help integrate the Karen into the life of our churches.”

Mary Helen

Diana Bridges

Affiliate

Middle East Non-governmental organization assistant and teacher Home church: First Baptist Church, Tallahassee, Fla.

Starkville, Miss. Strategic catalyst for work among internationals Home church: University Baptist Church, Mississippi State, Miss.

“The motivation to make my calling known was the realization that I would be far more effective if I joined with others who were like-minded regarding missions, and that I needed the prayerful support of other Christians.”

“The more I learned about CBF’s commitment to global missions, the more I realized that CBF provides a framework for effective ministry — people to learn from and minister alongside and the freedom to try new things.”

Paula Settle

Fran Stevenson

Tori Wentz

Affiliate

Eastern Kentucky Rural poverty initiative Home church: First Baptist Church, Winchester, Ky.

Fremont, Calif. Advocate for Afghan immigrant families Home church: Crossroads Church, Fremont, Calif.

Fredericksburg, Va. Medical missions registered nurse Home church: Fredericksburg Baptist Church, Fredericksburg, Va.

“Through watching CBF field personnel reach out to the Afghan community here in Fremont, I have seen lives changed by the love of Christ. I wanted to be a part of something this powerful.”

“CBF wants to be ‘the presence of Christ’ to those in the world who are the most neglected and the most marginalized. When I heard that, something clicked. I just knew that God was calling me to join them because, suddenly, I couldn’t forget or ignore all that I knew to be true about the devastation on the continent of Africa.”

“My current calling is to serve among the poor and neglected here in eastern Kentucky in the area of Nada and Owsley County. I am seeking new ways to minister to individuals and families that will give them hope and a future in the midst of the dire poverty that surrounds them. I want to serve as an advocate for them in the school system and with other agencies that are trying to address poverty issues. Being the presence of Christ to the poor has been a lifelong passion of mine.”

PRAY |

“Praying the Seasons,” a yearly prayer resource that focuses on the ministries of CBF field personnel, is available free through the CBF Store at (888) 801-4223. CBF also distributes a monthly list of prayer requests from field personnel — sign up for Prayer Associates at www.thefellowship. info/involved/pray.

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LEARN |

Cokie and Jay Westfall Affiliates Bangalore, India Medical liaison and advocate for holistic ministries Home church: Winter Park Baptist Church, Wilmington, N.C. “We’ve had the privilege of working alongside CBF personnel in India over the last four years through trips with Winter Park Baptist Church in Wilmington, N.C. This positive experience, along with sharing CBF’s mission statement and philosophies, helped us choose CBF as a mission’s partner. Our hope is to bring the deep love of Jesus to those in our path of service.”

CBF missions education resources Form, Spark, Ignite and Affect provide opportunities for preschoolers, children, youth and adults to learn about missions. To order resources call (888) 801-4223 or go to www.missionseducation.org.

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Resources

Equipping missional M

issional churches seek to minister by being the presence of Christ both in their local communities and the global community of God’s world. These visionary churches ask, “What is God wanting us to be, become and do to continue the ministry of Christ in our present community and global context?”

The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship assists churches in many aspects of their missional journey. To learn more about the opportunities offered through CBF,

call (800) 352-8741 or go to www.thefellowship.info.

Missional Church

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

Resources

churches

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Missional church resources It’s Time! ... a Journey Toward Missional Faithfulness The “It’s Time” study series is designed to help congregations discover their • Call to mission • Passion for ministry • Relationship with God

“It’s Time” study participants work together as a group to respond to the questions of becoming and being a missional church. The typically eight-week study is flexible, to be used in different formats and times, including as a retreat. The kits include:

Book: “It’s Time: An Urgent Call to Christian Mission” by Daniel Vestal. The work from which the study was born, this book challenges believers to participate with God on mission.

Member Guide: The student component of the study, The Member Journey Guide includes devotional material, space for journaling and reflecting, and guides to study information.

Also within the resource are: Administrative Guide – guides church leaders in praying, planning and organizing the study Teacher Guide – steps for facilitators in leading class and small group sessions DVD – contains resources for carrying out the study.

More resources Klesis: God’s Call and the Journey of Faith. Klesis help Christians discover how God is calling them and how they can be the presence of Christ. More than a spiritual gifts study, Klesis leads to holistic consideration of unique callings.

Christianity for Beginners: A Short Course in Knowing, Loving and Following Jesus. Designed to be taught in small groups, the six-week guide helps you introduce unchurched persons to the Christian faith and provides basic information to new believers.

The Missional Journey: Being the Presence of Christ in the World. Stories from the New Testament church, missional examples, and suggested resources and processes for focusing a church on its mission.

Light for the Path: A Guide to Spiritual Formation Resources. For both individual spiritual formation and congregational, chapters introduce and recommend resources and approaches to spiritual formation for Baptists.

Destinations: A Resource for Missional Church Planning. This new resource helps churches decide as a community their “destination” – discern their direction together and map out ways to reach it. Web aides, resource suggestions, ideas for ministry events, and discussion guides are all part of its planning process.

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Resources

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Missions education for the whole congregation

ongregations are finding the new missions education resources from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship give them just what they need

— and a little more. And one of the unique aspects of the curriculum is that it’s church-wide. For example, on one Wednesday night a young girl studies what it’s like to be a missionary kid in Thailand — learning about tuk-tuks (motorcycle taxis), eating fried worms as a delicacy and how one pickup truck can change a farming community. That same night, the girls’ parents lead teenagers in a discussion about Thailand’s Palaung people. The teenagers learn about CBF Global Missions field personnel who work alongside the Palaung as they face challenges to obtain food and water. Inspired by the discussion, the youth

plan an Earth Day awareness service that includes ideas on sustainable agriculture as a way to answer Christ’s call to care for the earth and its people. And on that same evening, the girl’s grandparents meet in their book club. Guided by their missions education resource, the book club discusses the presence of CBF missions personnel in Thailand — including how their ministry with Christians and Buddhists demonstrates God’s concern for the whole person and for creation. The suggested

book the group chose for the month is Wendell Barry’s “The Gift of Good Land.” In its second year of production, the newly revised resources for missions education have been met with enthusiasm by hundreds of church groups. At one point, subscriptions had become so popular that a second printing was necessary. Each quarter, the colorful, interactive resources include the same theme in each of the age group publications, so that everyone in a church can study the same topic at the same time.

• Brooklyn: Arab Americans • Guangxi Provence: Living simply in China • Zambia: Voices for justice • Greece: Albanians in Greece • Washington, DC: Discerning a call to missions • Miami: Transforming communities • Alabama: Forgiveness and reconciliation • Haiti: Medical ministries • New York: Living in the face of death

Upcoming Themes

If your church or group is interested in trying Form, Spark, Ignite or Affect, please contact the Resource Center in Atlanta and request a free issue. Call (800) 352-8741 ext. 625 or email requests to MissionsEducation@thefellowship.info.

Across the congregation’s study of missions, these topics and themes will be appearing in the upcoming months: • Bali/Indonesia: Art and expression • Los Angeles: Welcoming internationals

Try it for free

Form

Spark

Each issue of Form includes three months’ of lessons; eight pages of color resource items, such as puzzles, pictures and cutouts; suggestions for arranging learning centers for small groups; and recommendations for leading large group time. Lessons (four per month) include:

“Our boys’ group uses Spark at our church,” says Ben Curry of First Baptist in Lithonia, Ga. “It’s helpful, I think, to divide the group up by ages. We switch off teaching to make that easier, but we can share the same picture packs and resources for the interest areas.”

• Story about Fellowship missions personnel

Flexible for any age of elementary school child, each unit includes six interest areas:

• Prayer calendar • Word bank for new terms

•

• Art ideas, puzzles and games

• Meeting the missionary • Tasting the food

• Nature segments

• Enjoying the arts

• Home-living ideas

• Playing the games

• Music and movement suggestions

• Experiencing the culture

Preschool

Children

Ignite

Affect

Creative, flexible uses for Ignite abound. Texas pastor Velma Porraz says she doesn’t teach Ignite, she lets the youth use it to teach themselves.

As the missions education resource for adults, Affect inspires participation in the world of missions. Included in the fourpage, full-color issue each month are shared stories, a prayer calendar, images of Fellowship field personnel, topics for discussion and suggestions for books in “The Reading Corner.” A leader’s guide, Using Affect, is provided with every issue to help facilitate sessions. It includes ideas for Bible passages, Web sites, maps, messages for church bulletins, ways to include mission themes in worship, agendas for Sunday school or weekly classes, and plans for large group gatherings.

“A section of each lesson will be picked by one of the youth, who will read it, maybe do a little other research, and then present it to the group,” Porraz said. “They have surprised me at how creative they have been, and how seriously they take their sections.” Volume 2 of Ignite focuses on missions understood through the lens of Christian practices. Each of the 12 units presents a new spiritual discipline and how it relates to youths’ mission and ministry through:

Using the Bible

Who is using Affect? • Small groups

• Knowing the source (Bible study)

• Book clubs • Bible studies

• Understanding the need (mission study)

• Missions-study circles

• Following the example (mission project) • Responding in worship (youth-led worship)

Youth

• Sunday school classes • Individuals

Adu l t s 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

Resources

NETWORK Peer Learning Groups Peer learning groups meet monthly to provide ministers with opportunities for worship, spiritual growth, study, discussion of ministry-related issues and fellowship. Currently, there are 71 peer learning groups of 10-14 members. Groups are a component of the Fellowship’s Inititative for Ministerial Excellence. If you are interested in becoming part of a peer learning group, contact Steve Graham at sgraham@thefellowship.info or (800) 352-8741.

Current The Current young leaders’ network provides opportunities throughout the year for worship, service, networking and fellowship. Current participants include students, ministers and leaders in Baptist life. To learn more about Current, call (800) 352-8741 or go to www.the fellowship. info/current.

Spiritual Formation Network The network provides churches and individuals with resources, opportunities for dialogue and events all related to the practice of spiritual formation. For more information, contact Rick Bennett at rbennett@ thefellowship.info or (800) 3528741.

Ministerial Networks Three networks — Children’s Ministry Network, Youth Ministers Network and Fellowship of Baptist Pastoral Musicians — provide a variety of opportunities for ministers serving on church staffs to connect with their colleagues across the country. For more information, contact Toni Draper at tdraper@ thefellowship.info or (800) 352-8741.

Carla Wynn photo

Young ministers and leaders gather each year for the annual Current retreat.

CBF Foundation The CBF Foundation provides churches and individuals with a range of services, helping churches to expand their mission and ministries. Services include administration of charitable trusts and gift annuities, private consultations on endowment principal, assistance with direct donor solicitation and educational seminars on giving options through wills, bequests and trusts. Contact the CBF Foundation at (800) 352-8741.

Church Benefits Board CBF’s Church Benefits Board enables Fellowship partner churches to provide medical and retirement benefits to their ministers and staff. These benefits improve the quality of life for CBF ministers serving across the country. Contact the Church Benefits Board at (800) 352-8741.

The network allows interim ministers to interact with each other and discuss the unique responsibilities facing pastors who serve during an interim period. CBF also partners with the

meet Joel McLendon Joel McLendon is a development specialist for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. McLendon serves as a liaison between churches and CBF. By managing the Fellowship’s database of contributing churches and donors, McLendon helps guide the strategic growth of CBF. McLendon assists individuals in locating CBF partnering churches when they move to a new area or are looking for a new church home. He also connects churches with other Fellowship churches in their own neighborhood or across the country.

Hometown: Anniston, Ala. Edutation: Berry College in Rome, Ga.; Emory University’s Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, Ga. Experience: At Berry College and Candler, McLendon worked as a research assistant. He also worked on the data integration project for the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council of Georgia. He served as an interim youth minister at First Baptist Church, Lithia Springs, Ga., and currently leads a Sunday school class at Smoke Rise Baptist Church, Stone Mountain, Ga. Church: Smoke Rise Baptist Church, Stone Mountain, Ga. Interesting Fact: While earning his masters of theological studies at Candler, a Fellowship partner school, McLendon became interested in how ideas about God change over time. “Sometimes it’s hard to see the big picture of CBF churches when you’re busy doing the important work of the local congregation, but the Fellowship movement is very broad reaching. My job is to help the Fellowship movement grow — one of the ways I do that is by helping churches and individuals find one another.” Contact Joel McLendon at jmclendon@thefellowship.info or (770) 220-1643.

Center for Congregational Health to offer certification courses. Contact Bo Prosser at bprosser@ thefellowship.info or (800) 352-8741.

Hispanic Network Hispanic pastors and leaders within the Fellowship movement fellowship, dialogue and work together through the network.

Contact Bernie Moraga at bmoraga@ thefellowship.info or (505) 323-1946.

Korean Network Through this recently formed network, Korean pastors and leaders network, fellowship and work together. Contact Yoo Jong Yoon at yyoon@ thefellowship.info or (972) 242-5977.

As part of CBF’s mission, the Fellowship provides resources to churches and individuals, helping them to “fulfill their God-given mission.” Chaplain and pastoral counselor endorsement The Fellowship serves as an endorsing body for chaplains and pastoral counselors. Currently more than 550 men and women are endorsed by CBF. Contact George Pickle at gpickle@thefellowship.info or (800) 352-8741.

Speaker’s Bureau CBF’s face2face speaker’s bureau schedules speakers at partner churches. Depending on the needs and interests of the congregation, face2face arranges speakers on a variety of topics — from missions to the “It’s Time” resource to the Fellowship movement. Contact the speaker’s bureau at face2face@thefellowship.info or (800) 352-8741.

Scholarships Students at the Fellowship’s partner seminaries are eligible to apply for w w w. t h e f e l l o w s h i p. i n f o

G e n e r a l A s s e m b ly 2 0 0 7

As a fellowship of Christians and churches, CBF helps to connect Fellowship Baptists across the country and around the world through a variety of networks.

Interim Ministers Network

RESOURCE

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meet Clarissa Stickland Clarissa Strickland works as a networking specialist with the Fellowship’s leadership development initiative. She coordinates CBF’s reference and referral program, helping CBF partner churches connect with ministerial candidates. Strickland also provides resources for established ministers looking for a new place of service and recent seminary graduates looking for a first full-time ministry position. She facilitates Leader-Connect CBF, an online resume-matching service. Hometown: Atlanta, Ga.

Education: Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. Experience: Prior to working at CBF, Strickland was a high school teacher and medical technologist. Her extensive experience in Baptist life and denominational matters prepared her for working at the Fellowship. Church: Wieuca Road Baptist Church, Atlanta, Ga. Interesting Fact: Strickland has worked at CBF for 16 years, making her the longest tenured staff member. One of Strickland’s passions is sewing, and she frequently makes liturgical items, such as worship banners and stoles. “Although I am not an ordained minister, I see my responsibilities as true ministry. Helping to connect ministers seeking places of service with churches that are looking for pastors and staff ministers seems to fit perfectly with CBF’s mission of ‘serving Christians and churches’.” Contact Clarissa Strickland at cstrickland@thefellowship.info or (770) 220-1635.

scholarships, which cover tuition, books and General Assembly expenses. To learn more about these scholarships, contact a

partner seminary directly and ask about becoming a CBF leadership scholar.

CBF Global Missions photo

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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It’s time to renew your orders for Ignite as well as preschool, children and adult resources Form, Spark and Affect. Call (800) 801-4223 or go to www.missionseducation.org.

Re-order Ignite

The newest volume of Ignite focuses youth on global mission awareness through the spiritual disciplines. Exploring how personal and community practices intersect with real life, Ignite uses 12 Christian practices as a guide. New this September, Volume 2 can be used weekly, monthly, in retreat formats or in preparation for mission trips and hands-on ministries.

Christian practices for youth

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renda Lisenby serves as a Cooperchurch,” Lisenby said. “By coming alongside ative Baptist Fellowship representative them and offering effective and appropriate in Nanning, Guangxi, China. She currently assistance like prayer support, encouragelives in Hong Kong. ment and training, we learn from each other Background: A Texas native, Lisenby grew and can be mutual encouragers.” up in Duncan Wood and later attended AusAlmost 80 percent of the lay leaders in tin College in Sherman where Guangxi have received training she earned a bachelor of arts at Guangxi Lay Training Center, degree in history and a masters which is financially supported by in elementary education. Lisenby the Fellowship. first began working in Nanning, “We can see the foundation China in 1989, teaching English laid at one level being built upon as a Second Language. as qualified students are identified Ministry: Lisenby is a represenand sent to seminary,” Lisenby said. tative of CBF in Guangxi, one of “The leaders see this new generaBrenda Lisenby three areas of China that statistition as only the first step in raiscally has fewer Christians than any ing up healthy, growing congreother area. One of Lisenby’s main goals is to regations. CBF is a part of coming alongside the cruit English teachers from the U.S. By learning church in Guangxi to encourage them.” English, Chinese students are better equipped to Along with teaching English and working find a job in the international market. with local Chinese churches, Lisenby works with Lisenby also works to develop partnerships the Angel House Rehabilitation and Education among CBF churches and gain funds in order Center, a school for children with cerebral palsy. to train church leaders in Guangxi. CBF of Since becoming involved with Angel House, Arkansas and CBF of Missouri have been inLisenby has become an advocate for children strumental in providing funds for lay training. with disabilities in China. In September, she will There are few ordained leaders and training begin a masters of education in early childhood opportunities for preparing new leaders is limwith an emphasis on special education or mainited in China. Currently, six students are supstreaming at Hong Kong University. ported by CBF subsidies to attend seminary. “Chinese believers and the church in By Courtney Hodges, CBF Communications China have much to share with the global

Brenda Lisenby

Field Personnel S potlight

Rod Reilly photo

(800) 352-8741

www.thefellowship.info

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

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

General Assembly 2007

fellowship!

Church resources Pages 8-11

More than 200 Fellowship and American Baptists gathered near the Capitol in support of religious liberty during the General Assembly in Washington, D.C.

2007 General Assembly

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

Cooperative baptist fellowship | www.thefellowship.info

CBF