Ed Stevens Offering 2019

Brotherhood Mutual Support. Through an agreement with Brotherhood Mutual Insurance General Baptist Ministries qualifies for a grant based on the claims history of the General Baptist churches purchasing property and liability insurance from them. In 2019 a gift of $25,000 was received. Gwyn Jowers with James Greene & Associates presented the ministry partner check to Executive Director Clint Cook and Financial Officer Linda McDonough. He added, “It is exciting to know that these dollars will be used to impact mission and ministry”. These dollars are earmarked for Ethnic Ministries in California where they continue to make a positive impact on the church planting and church development ministries guided by Pastor Rene Rodriguez through Sheffield Association. General Baptist churches that wish to participate in this program may gain additional details by calling 800-422-3384 and speaking with Esther.

Conferences and workshops were an important part of Congregational Ministries in 2019. In addition to the National Youth Conference, Camp Meeting Days, and Pastor’s Conference a partnership with Freedom Association provided a Small Church Essentials workshop. Presented by Karl Vaters and hosted by Main Street Church of Boonville more than 150+ leaders from more than 30 churches attended.

In Jacksonville, Florida Rev. Pete Lapaz continues to lead All Nations General Baptist Church. This new congregation continues to meet in rented quarters (They are now in their 8th location.) Recently the pastor was asked to “visit another family here in Jacksonville to pray for the blessing of their home. They testified that they always have bad dreams and disturbance in their home. Without any hesitation I went along with my prayer partner and active members of the church. I suggested to the owner of the house, a single mother, that, before I pray for blessings in her home, we shall have a short Bible Study. She immediately agreed. So right away, I used the Roman Road Bible Study. Praise God, two sisters from the Catholic background received Christ as their Lord and Savior…soon they too will follow their Lord in baptism.” Pastor Pete came to faith in Christ in his native Philippines under the ministry of Rev. Cecil Green. He now resides in Jacksonville, Florida where he is leading an effort to eventually plant five General Baptist churches in the metro area.

Rev. Rene Rodriguez and his family came to the United States to escape violence in Central America following an attack that left his wife with a gunshot wound. From Southern California he now directs outreach through Sheffield Association to a number of California communities. In addition students trained through these Bible Institutes have planted General Baptist churches in Iowa, Missouri and Virginia. His contacts throughout Mexico and Central America continue to help General Baptists explore new partnerships for new church planting. Currently seven Bible Institutes provide training in Mexico and recently a new institute was opened in Guatemala.

Churches, like people, have a life cycle that includes birth, growth, maturity, aging and death. While churches can enjoy a new life cycle or renewal or replant, this is not always possible.

CHURCH UPDATES

Sadly in 2019 a few General Baptist churches came to the end of their life cycles. Thankfully the closure rate of General Baptist churches has slowed in recent years when 10 or more churches were reported closed every year. The list of those churches reported closed in 2019 includes five closures and one merger. This includes four older churches in rural settings like Taylor and Union Ridge in Southeast Missouri and older churches in metro areas like Springfield Road in East Peoria, Illinois and South Side in St. Louis, Missouri. In addition a relatively new church, The Solid Rock in Marble Hill, Missouri, also closed in 2019.

In Southern Indiana two rural churches merged. Cornerstone of rural Dale, Indiana merged with Little Zion to form True Life General Baptist Church. The Little Zion congregation, as a relatively new group, always worshipped in rented quarters. Now the combined group enjoys the facilities previously occupied by Cornerstone.

Since 2005 records of closure have been maintained by date. In the course of the last 15 years 146 churches have been reported as closed or merged. Nevertheless at the end of 2019 the roster of stateside General Baptist churches included 797 churches. When reports from 2019 arrive over the next few months several newly planted, adopted or re-aligned churches are expected to be added to that roster. For example, Sheffield Association recently added three (3) new churches to their roster.