April 2010
Update Update from Pittsfield, IL
F p StarEatrly-sUtage funding h for churc plants
up Builtod Aid and mission g n struggli s h churc e
irst Baptist Church of Pittsfield in western Illinois needed revitalization. It received a BBC grant through Columbus Road Baptist Church in Quincy, Ill., which is sponsoring the revitalization effort. With the help of three other Illinois churches— Calvary Baptist, Quincy; Faith Baptist, Camp Point; and First Baptist, Littleton— it has started a church replant. Recently Michael Nolan, BBC Director had the opportunity to speak with Bob Cowman, pastor of Columbus Road Baptist. He reported on the progress of the Pittsfield replant and sent a letter over to share with all the BBC members. Read below what what Pastor Cowman had to say: I want to express my gratitude for your prayer and support of the Pittsfield church replant. We experienced several setbacks, beginning in October 2009. First, one of the core families relocated to Georgia. Then we discovered a major structural problem with the church roof, which has brought construction to a halt until we determine the best way to fix this issue. We have gained several but varying professional opinions. Third, we recently lost one of our core members, who passed away after a long battle with leukemia. His illness required lots of pastoral care and travel. These circumstances have led us to realize that God has a different plan involving different people to take part in the replant of the church in Pittsfield. In addition to these setbacks, several blessings have taken place in the last months: • First, the chairman of the deacon board of the Columbus Road Baptist Church in Quincy
has stepped down to invest himself fully in the work at Pittsfield. • A missionary candidate being sent out from Columbus Road Baptist Church will be
ministering to the Pittsfield community for a time. • Plans are in the works to have a church planter be living in the Pittsfield community
parsonage by May. • Ongoing financial support from local churches has been maintained. • As a result of the death of one of the core members, new relationships have been formed. We have several prayer requests: • We are looking for a temporary place to hold services while we determine the best
Up r p l e H Assistance fotist ar Bap Regul s that e church ce ien exper phic ro catast ion ct u r dest
solution for the roof issue. • We are praying for two more families from Columbus Road to join the planting effort. • We are looking for clear direction and a solution to the roof issue.
I know that our God is faithful and that He has known these plans from the beginning. So I look forward to seeing HIS plan continue to unfold. Sincerely, Bob Cowman
Help Wanted: Prayer Partners (No Experience Necessary)
Baptist Builders Club • USA Michael Nolan, Director 1300 North Meacham Rd. Schaumburg, IL 60173-4806 (888) 588-1600 ext. 803 www.BaptistBuildersClub.org
Please Pray For: • God to give increase in BBC member base • Board of Administrators & Director • Heightened awareness about BBC
• Godly Men with a heart for church planting • 2010 GARBC National Conference (June 21-25) • Churches that have submitted BBC applications (4 currently)
Make BBC Part of A Group Giving Project
No dollar amount or prayer that you will commit is too small. Someone once sent in five dollars and wrote a note that they wanted to give something and that is all they had. They continued by saying “if everyone would give a little it would make a lot”. Please, prayerfully consider Baptist Builders Club for your next “Group Giving Project”. Offerings can be mailed to BBC at 1300 N. Meacham Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60173. Also, we would love it if you would include a note of how and why you felt God burdened you to give to this important ministry.
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aptist Builders Club is made up of mostly individual donors and churches. Every now and again we will receive a donation from a specific group. This is such a great idea and others may think so too. If your Sunday School Class, Jr. Church Program, Ladies Fellowship, or some other group is looking for a ministry to support or collect a special offering, consider Baptist Builders Club. Funds you send in will go directly to help a church that has had an emergency, provide a church with funds needed for a specific building project, or even plant a brand new Regular Baptist Church.
Church Planters
Spotlight
2009 GARBC National Conference
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Church Planters
t takes a unique individual called by God to plant a church. The above photo represents church-planting pastors and their wives who attended the 2009 GARBC Annual Conference in Elyria, Ohio. I am looking forward to seeing the number of people in this photograph grow. I would like to encourage all church planters attending the 2010 Annual Conference to stop by the BBC booth and let us know you are there so we can schedule a time for an updated photo. I would also like to start a prayer list of all GARBCChurch planters. If you or someone you know is planting a church drop an e-mail to Kristen at knolan@garbc.org, and she will gladly collect your information and pass it along to me and to praying BBC members. —Michael Nolan
A Note A Note
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from the Director
e sure to check out the May/June issue of the Baptist Bulletin for an exciting announcement about the expansion of the BBC StartUp ministry. Summer is fast approaching, and my family and I will begin traveling to churches to share the vision and needs of Baptist Builders Club. More importantly, I get the privilege of sharing God’s Word. To schedule a time for my family to visit your church, give Kristen a call at 1-888588-1600, ext. 803, or send her an e-mail at knolan@ garbc.org. She would love to hear from you. I know that the need for new partners has already been mentioned in the “Help Wanted” section of this newsletter, but I want to ask you personally to pray for God to burden more hearts to become prayer and financial partners with BBC. Your brother in the battle, Michael Nolan, Director
Start Up Help Up Build Up
Project Group Giving Project