Messenger Summer 2018

w w w. G e n e r a l B a p t i s t . c o m

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Messenger J erus ale m

J u d e a & Sa m a r ia

G en e ral B ap ti st

S u m m e r 20 1 8

En d s o f th e Earth

UNITED For His G lory “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.” John 17:22

Come join us for the annual Camp Meeting Days

BRANSON, MO on SEPTEMBER 4-6 BE CHALLENGED & STRENGTHENED as you hear the Word from Larry Rascoe.

BE UPLIFTED & INSPIRED as you worship and sing along with the Camp Meeting Days Band and Quartet.

Tickle your funny bone with a special Tuesday evening dinner and entertainment at the Radisson Hotel featuring Comedian and Musician, Tim Lovelace, and enjoy all the entertainment shopping and dining that Branson has to offer!

Radisson Hotel Branson, MO

Larry Rascoe

Tim Lovelace

Keynote Speaker

Entertainment

Contact Congregational Ministries at cmofc@generalbaptist.com for more information.

Register by phone at 573.785.7746

See You In Springfield!

SEE YOU IN SPRINGFIELD! Every year General Baptist Ministries organizes its annual Mission & Ministry Summit. This year our Summit will be held July 16-17-18 at the University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center, in Springfield, Missouri.

What is the Mission & Ministry Summit? The Summit is the international gathering of General Baptists from the United States and several other countries. While most participants hail from the Midwestern states others come from farther north, east, west and south of the United States where General Baptists have planted churches. In addition to the stateside participants there will also be General Baptists from Mexico, Honduras, Jamaica, The Philippines and India who are scheduled to participate.

Who can participate? Every person connected to a General Baptist church is welcome to attend.

Churches that choose to send a group of folks may take advantage of a $400 block registration rather than the individual early registration of $55 per person.

Why does The Summit meet at different locations? Historically the General Association of General Baptists has met in a different location each year since its organization in 1870. In those days a local church or group would invite the organization to meet with them. In later days denominational officials secure meeting space about three years out based on available space and proximity to local churches who can provide needed volunteers. Additionally by meeting in different locations a larger number of local folks can take advantage of all or part of The Summit by commuting to the meeting location.

What can I expect at The Summit? The three days of The Summit are built around Meaningful Worship, Practical Training and Missional Challenges. Main stage worship in both morning and evening sessions will present daily inspiration through music and message. Guest musicians from several churches will combine into an all-star praise team and keynoters will address the theme “For His Glory”.

Practical training will come from specialized large group settings but also from the more than 40 workshops that have been planned.

Throughout the main sessions, in the workshops and in the exhibit hall participants will have occasions to have up-close-and-personal connections with missionaries, national workers from other countries and stateside church planters.

Special meal based features at breakfast (Monday and Wednesday), lunch (Monday and Tuesday) and dinner (Wednesday) will be made available for those who purchase or pick up tickets in advance.

What are the benefits of The Summit? General Baptists who attend The Summit will discover the power of networking and connecting. When several hundred leaders converge in one location folks automatically find those kindred spirits who are serving in similar settings in other parts of the country or those folks who are coping with the same ministry challenges. What a delight it is to discover that we are not alone!

In the pages of this Summer 2018 Messenger you will find a complete program book for The Summit.

Notice our special features and special events. Plan your workshop attendance. Make your hotel reservations.

Use the information included to encourage others to attend with you. Then bring this copy with you when we “See You In Springfield!”

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 3

Messenger General Baptist

Summer 2018

Table of Contents 3 For His Glory 7 Reaching the World 8 Opening a New Missions Field 10 Niger, West Africa… A New Beginning 13 One Life 15 Saipan 70th Anniversary 16 Clinica Mision Bautista: Open and Active 18 Moving Forward : Church Planting Honduras 20 Launch Boot Camp

For His Glory

22 Be a Missionary Without Leaving Town 25 10 Things That Demonstrate The World You Grew Up In No Longer Exists 28 Recalibrate: 10 Steps Every Church Must Take This Year, Or Be Dead In A Decade 34 Hope in the Darkness 37 Making It On a Pastor’s Pay 40 Inside Out 41 Who Moved Our Lines?

44 Trending Now 46 National Missions Sunday

Summit Special Events

Summit Children’s Ministry Schedule

7 10 17

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Messenger General Baptist

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The General Baptist Messenger is published by General Baptist Ministries (General Baptist Council of Associations, inc),

Meanwhile, In Rural Arkansas

100 Stinson dr, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 under the direction of an editorial team composed of the denominational leadership team, and Executive Director, Clint Cook

editorial team:

42

Kairos Church A Chuch Plant Update

Franklin Dumond Mark Powell Linda McDonough Patti Thornton

layout & design: Stinson Press - Kenrick Nobles General Baptist Ministries

We Would Love to Hear from You! The Messenger

100 Stinson dr.

Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 573.785.7746 Send mailing list updates attention: info@gbmessenger.org

Find Us Online

The Messenger is viewable online @ www.gbmessenger.org

Summit Workship Schedule

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Full Tablet Support @ General Baptist Ministries @ GeneralBaptist

@ GeneralBaptist General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 5

Unified GIVING ... . doing together what we cannot do alone The early Church knew while not all were called to travel the known world preaching the Gospel, all were expected to financially and spiritually support the work of those who were, as well as give toward emergency relief.

Paul mentions on numerous occasions the help he receives from the established churches and the offerings he delivers to the poor. (Romans 15:23-24, Galatians 2:10, Philippians 4:16) People from all over would come together in support of a few, so that the Gospel could branch out to even more places.

Unified Giving allows us to follow the example of the first believers and gather our resources to send and support more missionaries than ever before to all corners of the world, and to provide relief to the poor, the widowed, the orphaned, and the disaster-stricken.

It enables us to do greater things together than what we can do alone.

General Baptist Ministries 100 Stinson Dr. | Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 573.785.7746 | www.GeneralBaptist.com

by Jeff Roth, 2018 Host/Moderator

The theme for the Mission and Ministry Summit this year is “For His Glory.” It’s just three simple words, but living out those three words changes everything. We hear the word glory used often when people use idioms like, “no guts, no glory” or they start to reminisce about the “glory days.” But what does “glory” really mean?

glory: praise, honor, recognition In this life we both give and receive glory.

We give glory to others when they have done something extraordinary, selfless, or kind that moves us to respond.

We praise them for what they have done. We honor them for their actions. We recognize that what they have done is worthy of a response.

We also receive glory from others when we have done something that they deem praiseworthy.

It could be through a post on social media, a thank you note in the mail, or a simple pat on the back. It’s their way of saying “Thanks”, “I’m proud of you”, or “You’re amazing!”

If we aren’t careful we can spend our entire existence trying to receive glory from and give glory to other people.

That existence is a sad existence. It is an existence that never satisfies our deepest longings and always leaves us wanting.

During our life there is one whom we should give glory to and desire to receive glory from above all others. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you who that is, but just in case: it’s our Heavenly Father.

Our created purpose is to give glory to Him and seek glory that comes from Him. I think we are most familiar with the Scriptures that remind us that we are to give glory to God. Verses like Matthew 5:16 (ESV) when Jesus

says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” This verse reminds us that our lives lived in obedience to Christ will give glory to our Heavenly Father.

Psalm 19:1 (ESV) also paints a picture of declaring the glory of God when it says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

Have you ever stared into a sunset and thought you got a glimpse of the glory of God? Whether it’s a Southeast Missouri sunset or the stars on a clear spring night, when we look into the sky we are looking at the work of His hands. May it be so with our lives. When people see us living a life that has been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit they are looking at the handiwork of God and He receives glory from it.

What about receiving glory from God? Should we seek that? Is that even a thing? Well, according to Jesus in John 5:44, it is a thing and we should pursue it. Jesus said to the Jews, “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” These men fell into the glory trap. They were so focused on receiving glory from other people that they General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018

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never sought to receive glory from God. They thirsted for the praise, recognition, and honor that came from other men.

That is a very relevant trap today as well. In our social media hyped culture it is so easy to be driven to receive likes, shares, and followers. We want the world to praise us for our good deeds. We want to be recognized for our offerings. We want to be honored for our service.

Those desires to receive glory, while natural, run contrary to what Jesus instructs us about giving, praying, and fasting in Matthew 6. Instead, Jesus tells us to do those things for the glory of God alone and when He sees what we have done in secret (for His glory) He will reward us.

If we let the opinions of mankind dictate our faith we are in trouble. Seeking glory from other people seriously hinders our ability to be faithful to Christ. We can get the glory from mankind, but that usually means we are choosing man’s glory over God’s. It’s not that it is a bad thing to receive glory from mankind, but it can never be our goal. God’s glory is always our goal and motivation.

We must desire to be a people that are shaped by the presence of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word, not by the opinions of others.

For His Glory.

It is my sincere hope that at Summit 2018 we can be reminded of these three simple words and that it would change everything about our movement. That our churches would be driven to glorify God more as a church in every worship service, event, or outreach we do. That our pastors would yearn more for the glory of God than the glory we can receive from men. That the congregants that make up our churches would care more about what gives God the most glory than their long held personal opinions. That together, unified as the people of God, we would make a decision to live for His glory alone. And as we seek His glory above all else it is my prayer that God would, by His grace, use us to start revival and awakening in our communities.

above all else it is my prayer that God would, by His grace, use us to start revival and awakening in our communities.

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Theological Connections

A home-grown religious movement had its beginnings in the 1820s in Evansville, Indiana. General Baptists came into existence because of the revival preaching of Elder Benoni Stinson. He boldly and frequently proclaimed the good news of the gospel that “Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for everyman” with the result that “whosoever will may be saved”. This preaching from texts found in the New Testament books of Hebrews and Romans resulted in the planting of new churches, a networking with other like-minded groups, and the birthing of a national organization in 1870.

But why General Baptist? The name is actually a summary of the core theology of the movement reflecting belief in a general atonement that anyone who is willing to trust Jesus as Savior may be saved. This theological name stood in contrast to those groups of the 19th century who advocated a particular or limited atonement for in their theology only a few, not the many, could be saved.

Though the term “atonement” is not in the General Baptist Statements of Faith, few terms are more important to our historical identity. The “general” in General Baptist is derived from our position on atonement.

Atonement can mean the compensation, the restitution paid, or expiation given by God through Jesus Christ for our sin. Atonement can describe the actions of Jesus to secure our salvation, and thus the redemptive work of Jesus can be described as the atonement.

Many Protestants continue to disagree over whether atonement is general (i.e., for all) or particular (i.e., only for those who are “elect”).

General Baptists argue that the atonement is for all, but the benefits of the atonement “can be received only through repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Statement of Faith IV). Because we believe in a general atonement we are naturally evangelistic and intentionally missionary. How else will our world hear the Good News?

For more information visit: www.GeneralBaptist.com.

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 9

Special Events @ summit 2018

General Baptist International to host two breakfast opportunities at the 2018 Summit General Baptist International is pleased to announce two up-close-and-personal opportunities for Summit attendees to meet missionaries and learn more about two of our ministry areas.

The first opportunity will be on Monday morning in the John Q room with Christina Massey, Director of Faith Home Honduras. It has been a couple of years since we have seen Christina at the Summit and we wanted to give attendees the opportunity to meet her and allow her to share a more detailed insider look at Faith Home than can be shared in other venues. The cost will be $25/plate and attendance is limited to the first 100 who respond to this rare and exciting opportunity. Doors will open at 7 a.m. and the session will conclude in ample time for participants to make their way to the Summit General Session.

The second opportunity will be on Wednesday morning also in the John Q room with the Yeomans family. The Yeomans will launch a new field for General Baptists in Niger, West Africa later this year. On Tuesday evening the Yeomans will not only be commissioned as missionaries but we will also commission work in an entirely new field. You will not want to miss the afterglow of the excitement from that event as a select few will have the opportunity to have breakfast with the Yeomans family on Wednesday morning.

Cost per plate will be $25 and attendance is limited to 100.

Doors will open at 7 a.m. and the session will conclude in ample time for participants to make their way to the Summit General Session.

We strongly encourage you to get in on these unique opportunities as early as possible since we anticipate tickets will go fast. Both venues will also receive a free will offering completely designated for either Faith Home or Niger.

Please come prepared to be blessed and to share a blessing as well. For further information or to reserve advance tickets please contact the Mission office at 573-748-7746.

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Special Events @ summit 2018 One goal for the new format was developed for the Mission & Ministry Summit in 2007 was to introduce more of our local church leaders to national and internationally known leaders. Over the years this has been done through keynote addresses and workshop training provided by men and women from a variety of denominational frameworks and from a variety of ministry settings.

Keynote Luncheons Let’s do Lunch!

This year in partnership with Congregational Ministries two special events are being organized to enhance a more personal connection to our guest keynoters. These will be done in luncheon settings, hosted at the University Plaza. These lunch sessions will extend into the afternoon workshop time and will provide a different level of interaction with these special guests.

On Monday of The Summit our keynote luncheon will feature time with Karl Vaters. A self-proclaimed small church pastor Karl will be sharing from his passion for the church and his experience of over 30 years in the pastorate. Lunch will be served in the John Q Room, just off the central atrium of the hotel.

On Tuesday of The Summit our keynote luncheon will feature time with Carey Nieuwhof. Although trained as a lawyer Carey serves as pastor of Connexus Church in Montreal, Canada. He has keen insight into connecting with secular culture in the 21st century. Lunch will be served in the John Q Room, just off the central atrium of the hotel.

Tickets for each event are required ($10/each) and seating is limited. Tickets may be reserved in advance by contacting Carol Lawrence at 573-785-7746 or cmofc@GeneralBaptist.com. Reserved tickets may be picked up at The Summit where payment will also be made. Tickets will also be available at The Summit on a firstcome-first-served basis.

Pastor & Spouse Dinner Dinner Is Served!

Sponsored by the General Baptist Investment Fund all pastors and spouses are welcome to attend a Wednesday dinner at The Summit. The dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. in the John Q Room, just off the central atrium of the hotel.

Although dinner is a gift to pastors and spouses from GBIF, seating is limited so tickets are required. Tickets may be picked up at The Summit by registering for the dinner at the GBIF booth in the Exhibit Hall.

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 11

Since 1965 our mission has been to fulfill the Great Commission by supporting General Baptist churches and ministries all over the world. A lot has changed since 1965, but our commitment to serving with excellence has not. “Expect Great Things” isn’t just a motto, it’s a standard we hold ourselves to every day.

Our staff is passionate about and dedicated to providing our customers with quality products. With such a wide range of products, it would be difficult to find a ministry we couldn’t help succeed! Stinson Press is a multi-faceted arm of the denomination. We at Stinson Press can create almost anything. From stickers and flyers to signs and banners, we can help your church stand out. We can help you find the church supplies, small group study materials, and curriculum your church needs to thrive. We’d like to thank our customers for allowing us to serve you for 53 years, and we look forward to serving you many more. If you haven’t shopped at Stinson Press lately, we encourage you to do so. We’re confident you’ll be satisfied.

Sincerely, The Stinson Press Staff

1.573.686.6011

Schedule of Events Monday

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. General Session I Keynote Speaker: Karl Vaters 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Discussion Breakout Karl Vaters Lunch 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Workshop 1 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open

3:00 p.m. Afternoon Beverage Break (In Exhibit Hall) 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. General Session II Keynote Speaker: Carey Nieuwhof

Tuesday

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. General Session V Keynote Speaker: Vince Daniel 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Workshop 3 Lunch 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Workshop 4 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open

3:00 p.m. Afternoon Beverage Break (In Exhibit Hall) 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. General Session VI Keynote Speaker: Jeff Roth

REGISTERED FOR THE

SUMMIT? VISIT THE SUMMIT WEBSITE

WWW.GBSUMMIT.ORG CLICK“REGISTRATION”

TO REGISTER ONLINE,

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. General Session III Keynote Speaker: Carey Nieuwhof 10:15 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. Conversations with Carey Nieuwhof and Karl Vaters

11:00 a.m. G. A. Business Session Lunch 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Workshop 2 2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Exhibit Hall Open

3:00 p.m. Afternoon Beverage Break (In Exhibit Hall) 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. General Session IV Keynote Speaker: Clint Cook Missions Commissioning Service

8:30 p.m. Missions Reception (In Exhibit Hall)

Wednesday

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573.785.7746

HOTEL INFO UNIVERSITY PLAZA HOTEL

1.417.864.7333 PHONE

333 S JOHN Q. HAMMONS PARKWAY, SPRINGFIELD , MO 65806 ADDRESS

Summit Registration/Information

Registration for All Participants is located in the University Plaza Hotel Grand Ballroom Lobby.

Sunday || 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Monday || 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. & 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Tuesday || 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 13

Meet Our

Keynoters

2018 Summit

Clint

14 | General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018

Vince

Cook

Daniel

Clint Cook is the Executive Director of General Baptist Ministries.

In 2011, Clint was called by the General Baptist Council of Associations to act as the interim Executive Director following the resignation of Dr. James Murray. After less than a year serving as Interim, Clint was elected as Executive Director.

As Executive Director, Clint has cast the vision of Staying Connected, Staying Strong. No Pastor can be left behind. No mission field can be forgotten. No local church can be cast aside. No General Baptist can be overlooked. We belong to a larger body of believers committed to do more together than we could ever do alone.

Vince Daniel is the Lead Pastor of Real Life Church in Mountain Home Arkansas. Real Life Church launched in 2011 and has seen hundreds of people accept Christ and find their fit in ministry serving the local church.

Vince also serves on the National Missions Team where he helps with Assessment and Planting Churches for our denomination.

He and his wife of 20 years, Jennifer, have 6 children ranging from 19 years old to 1 year old. He is a second generation General Baptist Church planter.

Carey

Jeff

Karl

Nieuwhof

Roth

Vaters

Carey is teaching and the founding pastor of Connexus Church and has been serving in ministry since 1995.

He is their primary communicator on Sunday mornings and is passionate about leading people into a relationship with Christ.

Carey served as Lead Pastor until 2015 when he transitioned to a teaching pastor role to focus more on communication and expanding Connexus' broader ministry.

He is the author of several books, including his latest, Lasting Impact: 7 Powerful Conversations That Will Help Your Church Grow.

In his spare time, Carey speaks to church leaders around the world about leadership, change and personal growth. He writes one of today's most widely read church leadership blogs at www.CareyNieuwhof.com and hosts the top-rated Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast where he interviews some of today's best leaders.

He and his wife, Toni, live north of Barrie, Ontario, Canada and have two grown sons.

Check out Carey's personal blog at www.CareyNieuwhof.com

Jeff Roth is the Lead Pastor at Risen Church in Dexter, Missouri. He has been serving there since June 2015 as they aspire to connect people with Jesus Christ, His mission, and each other. Previously, Jeff served in different pastoral roles at established churches as well as a church plant. He also enjoyed a year working at General Baptist Ministries in both the National and International Mission departments. Jeff has served as the coordinator and host for the General Baptist National Youth Conference since 2007. While he hasn’t written any books or grown a mega church, he likes to think that what he does for Jesus makes a difference.

Originally from Flint, Michigan, Jeff grew up in a General Baptist church.

He left Michigan for Southern Indiana and graduated from Oakland City University in 2005. It was there he met his wife, Alicia, and they now have three amazing children.

Jeff likes to hike, watch movies, and play games with his family. In his personal time, he enjoys running, reading, and sports of all sorts.

However, his greatest passion is finding ways to connect people to Jesus Christ.

Karl Vaters is the author of the book, The Grasshopper Myth: Big Churches, Small Churches and the Small Thinking That Divides Us. On his blog Pivot, he writes about Innovative Leadership from a Small Church Perspective for ChristianityToday.com several times a week. He’s also the founder of NewSmallChurch.com, a ministry that encourages, connects and equips innovative Small Church pastors.

Karl’s passion is neither to help pastors grow churches bigger or to settle for less. He believes Small Churches are not a problem, a virtue or an excuse. They just are. And they can be pastored well.

His heart is to help pastors of Small Churches (about 90% of churches) find the resources to pastor their current church well, and to capitalize on the unique advantages that come with pastoring a Small Church – something virtually every pastor will spend at least some of their ministry years doing. He believes that big and small churches can and should work together more often – to the benefit of each.

Karl has been in pastoral ministry for over 30 years and has been the lead pastor of Cornerstone Christian Fellowship in Fountain Valley, California for over 23 years.

# G B S U M M I T

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 15

SUMMIT 2018

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY SCHEDULE

A game for those who seek to find a way to leave this world behind...Jewelmanji." Set in the jungles of the Ozarks, our world has been turned upside down and evil is running amuck, The jewel of great price has been removed from its rightful position and it's up to "you" to get it back where it belongs. Come join us, for an action packed, non-stop, life changing adventure....

MONDAY 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Meet and greet all the players of the game, we will learn our skills and our mission.

Let’s get ready to help save the day.

Lunch with parents 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Our Adventure begins with training, training, and more training. Republic Warrior Sports (American Warrior Ninja Park) www.republicwarriorsports.com.

Waiver required may be filled out online.

Dinner with parents 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Return to the fuel shed. After a hard day of training your body may want to call it quits... but don’t give in... the only way to beat this game is to keep your tank “full”. Praise and worship, and a Bible lesson of epic proportions.

TUESDAY

9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Day 2 “Challenges Through the Jungle” Put your mind and your body through a gauntlet of fun and challenging activities.

We’ll work “together” to insure we “all” complete the game.

Pizza Party! (provided) “Know Your Surroundings” A key to victory....

You’ll Love This! Wonders of Wildlife (Bass Pro’s newly opened museum and aquarium) Voted the #1 best attraction in America. wwwwondersofwildlife.org Dinner with parents Return to the fuel shed. You’ve mastered your skills, you know your surroundings, let’s come together as a family, worship our savior, and fill our tanks... You’ll need it for tomorrow.

WEDNESDAY

Day 3 “The Final Day” We must get the jewel back in it’s place. More fun challenges, you won’t want to miss.

Lunch with parents How high can you fly? The last of your training.

You might need to catch some air to complete this level. Skyzone www.skyzone.com

Waiver required may be filled out online.

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Dinner with parents Return to the fuel shed. Our last night together.... Praise, worship, and the conclusion of the game.

Upon arrival at the Summit, all children should be registered at the main Summit Registration in the University Plaza Hotel Grand Ballroom Lobby. After we have registered your child, you will be giving an armband. Present the armband at the Children’s Check In, located at the Entrance to the Texas room in the University Plaza.

All children will be checked in through KidCheck secure child check-in system.

All Summit volunteers involved in children’s ministries have had background checks.

Nursery and Toddlers Birth – 2 years

No Registration fees • The nursery is located in the Texas Room of the University Plaza.

• Children will be with their parents for all meals.

Preschool 3-5 years

No registration fees • The preschool room is located in the Arkansas Room of the University Plaza.

• Children will be with their parents for all meals.

Elementary K – 5th Grade

Registration fee - $55 • The Elementary room is located in the Kansas B & C Room of the University Plaza.

• Children will be with their parents for all meals except Tuesday lunch.

• Regular play clothes will be suitable for all sessions.

Children’s fees are not included in Church Block registrations.

YOU HAVE ONELIFE TO LIVE...

YOU CHOOSE HOW YOU LIVE IT General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 17

Summit Youth

Registration Fee - $55

Youth Registration is part of the adult on-site registration in the University Plaza Hotel Grand Ballroom Lobby. Youth fees are not included in Church Block registrations.

Mon day 9:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. In main session worship (Special Reserved Seating!)

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. In main Discussion Breakout with Karl Vaters

Lunch with parents 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Workshop 1 : Student Track Discovering and Using Your Web of Influence – Kansas A

By Jim Pratt from General Baptist International Missions - In this session students will discover that they have web of influence and power. Students will be challenged to use their web of influence to fulfill God’s purpose for their lives.

Dinner with parents 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. An Evening with Oakland City University OCU is hosting a special evening with the Summit youth. Spend some time together with our General Baptist University, make some great new friends, and get to know more about what OCU has to offer!

Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. In main session worship (Special Reserved Seating!)

10:15 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. Conversations with Carey Nieuwhof and Karl Vaters

11:00 a.m. G. A. Business Session

Lunch with parents 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Workshop 2 : Student Track Tough Conversations – Kansas A

By Adam Fears from Fellowship Church - This break out session will be a practical guide/discussion on how to navigate conversations where you share or defend your faith. Over the course of 90 minutes we will discuss useful ways to start conversations about the Gospel along with trying to prepare for some of the more confrontational and tough encounters we may come in contact with along the way. The goal of this session is to provide some useful tools to make Gospel sharing in your daily life both easier and more effective.

Dinner with parents 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. In main session worship (Special Reserved Seating!)

We dnesday 9:00 a.m. –10:15 a.m. In main session worship (Special Reserved Seating!)

10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Workshop 3 : Student Track Unleashing New Purpose – Kansas A

By Jeff Robinson from Star Church - God has had a plan for this world and your life since the beginning of time. We are going to dive in and discover a lineage that starts with Moses and Aaron, leads to Jesus, and ties us together with them. We will discuss how the crucifixion gave us the right to have a personal relationship with God but also the responsibility to share it with Others. Learn about your place in the Royal Priesthood.

12:00p.m. – 4:30 p.m. OFF-SITE ACTIVITY

Dinner with parents 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. In main session worship (Special Reserved Seating!)

18 | General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018

for

Individual / Church Block Registration

His

O Glry Please print legibly. One form per church.

Church Name:

# of Members:

Local Association: Church Address:

City:

State:

Zip:

Contact Delegate Please include name, address, and e-mail for each attendee.

Complete registration is required for each attendee as name tags will be used for entrance to all sessions.

C h e c k i f a t t en d e e is a d e l eg a t e t o t h e GA

Name:

Address:

E-mail:

City:

State:

Zip:

Cell / Daytime Phone: Registration Fee is $400 for Unlimited Attendees for one church or church campus. Additions and substututions are permitted. Block registration does not Include child or student registration fees. Children & students must register separately: 1.) Birth - 5 yrs: Free 2.) Grades K-12 $55/each

Registration Individual Preregistration: JAN 1,’18 – JUN 30,’18

# of attendees:

x $55/each =

Individual Registration: JUL 1,’18 – JUL 13,’18

# of attendees:

x $65/each =

Individual On-site Registration:

# of attendees:

x $75/each =

Block Preregistration: JAN 1,’18 – JUN 30,’18

# of attendees:

flat rate =

$400

Block Registration: JUL 1,’18 – JUL 13,’18

# of attendees:

flat rate =

$425 Totals

(All preregisterations must be received by June 30, 2018)

Summit events are open to all General Baptists. For voting on General Association business, churches belonging to an association and churches that are direct affiliate members “shall select delegates to the General Association – two delegates for each 50 members or fraction thereof.” In addition, pastors and staff employed by the church are automatic delegates.

Summit Attendees Continue as needed on back

Name: E-mail:

Address: City:

State:

Zip:

MAIL TO: 2018 Mission & Ministry Summit • Attn: Congregational Ministries • 100 Stinson Dr. • Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 FAX TO: 573.785.0564 FOR ADDITIONAL INFO : 573.785.7746

for

Summit Family Registration

His

O Glry Please print legibly.

Name:

No

Yes

Delegate to GA:

Position / Title with Church: Home Address:

City:

State:

E-mail:

Zip:

Cell / Daytime Phone:

Church Name:

Local Association:

Spouse Name:

No

Yes

Delegate to GA:

Position / Title with Church: E-mail:

Cell / Daytime Phone: Summit events are open to all General Baptists. For voting on General Association business, churches belonging to an association and churches that are direct affiliate members “shall select delegates to the General Association – two delegates for each 50 members or fraction thereof.” In addition, pastors and staff employed by the church are automatic delegates.

New Family Registration With more families attending the Summit, we have made families a priority.

• We’ve made registration easier for families to complete. Just one form to fill out.

• We’ve capped the amount families have to pay for their total registration.

• Early Registration – $55 / $200 Max January 4th - June 30th, 2018 • Regular Registration – $65 / $240 Max July 1st - July 13th, 2018 • On-site Registration – $75 / $280 Max If you are attending with the whole family, your registration fees will not exceed the max. You pay one time for the whole family, kids and all!

Registration Fees Self:

$55

$65

Spouse:

$55

$65

x

$55

$65

x

$0

# of Children: ( GRADES K - 12

ONLY )

# of Children: ( NEW

BORN

-5

YEARS )

Total:

MAIL TO: 2018 Mission & Ministry Summit • Attn: Congregational Ministries • 100 Stinson Dr. • Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 FAX TO: 573.785.0564 FOR ADDITIONAL INFO : 573.785.7746

FA?

Summit Registration F R E Q U E N T LY

ASKED

QUESTIONS

1. Who may register?

Summit events are open to all General Baptists.

For voting on General Association business, churches belonging to an association and churches that are direct affiliate members “shall select delegates to the General Association—two delegates for each 50 members or fraction thereof.” In addition, pastors and staff employed by the church are automatic delegates.

Mission & Ministry Summit 2018

5. How do I register as a Family Group?

We’ve capped the amount families have to pay for their total registration, be sure to complete the Family Registration Form • Early Family Registration — $55 — $200 max ­ — January 2 - June 30, 2018.

• Regular Family Registration — $65 — $240 max — July 1 - July 13, 2018

• On-Site Family Registration — $75 — $280 max

2. How do I register?

On-line registration is available at www.GBSummit.org.

You can also download the registration form and register by mail.

Send your completed form and payment to: 2018 Mission & Ministry Summit, Attn. Congregational Ministries, 100 Stinson Drive, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901.

You can also FAX your registration to: 573-785-0564.

6. Is my payment information secure? YES! All payment information is handled with the highest regard for security.

7. Must I register if I only attend one of the evening sessions?

We do not require registration for the evening sessions except for child care that will be hosted in the University Plaza Hotel, just across the street from the Expo Center.

3. Are there discounts for group registration?

Block Registration is available for churches that are sending several people to the Summit. The Block Registration fee of $400 per church allows the church to register as many adults as they can.

Block Registration does not include child registration. Families in a block registration will still need to register their children separately.

4. Are there discounts for pre-registration? Yes! Individual Registration • Early Registration — $55 January 2 - June 30, 2018.

• Regular Registration — $65 July 1 - July 13, 2018.

• On-Site Registration — $75

8. How may I receive additional information?

Please contact Congregational Ministries, 573-785-7746 or cmofc@GeneralBaptist.com and we’ll be happy to answer your questions and provide all the information you need.

Mission & Ministry Summit July 16-18, 2018 University Plaza Hotel Springfield, Missouri

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 21

Workshop Tracks At A Glance International Ministries

Reaching People in Unexpected Ways, Prakash and Jememia Pamu Faith Home Honduras, Christiana Massey Making a Difference in Difficult Areas, Heather Pritchett, Pedro and Elida Quezado Niger, West Africa…A New Beginning, Kris Yeomans Successful Mission Trips—Avoiding Common Pitfalls, Jim Pratt & Kirsten Ober A Vision for Asian Leadership, Joyce Porcadilla The Turnaround Church in Jamaica, Phillip Pusey

Local Church Ministries

Leadership Pipeline Forum, Jim Pratt, Ashleigh Owens, Harrison Campbell Increase Your Giving With Online Giving, Josh Henry (repeats) An Outdoor Ministry in Your Church, T J Greaney What I Am Learning in Youth Ministry, Blake Thomas Security & Safety in Places of Worship, Vaughn Baker Small Groups: The Life Blood of the Church, Kevin Mann Depression, Anxiety and Other Mental Health Issues in Your Church, Brian Burris

National Missions

Church Growth, Go! Project Team Church Health, Go! Project Team

Personal Enrichment

Pastor’s Wives: Abiding in the Overflow (repeats), Cindy Irwin A Panoramic View of the Bible, Brenda Poinsett Time Between the Testaments, Brenda Poinsett Grace and Freewill: A General Baptist Perspective, Danny Dunivan (repeats) Not My Will: Finding Peace with Things You Can’t Change, Brenda Poinsett Blessed Are Those Who Can Laugh at Themselves, Bob Poinsett Being With God, John Comer

Turnaround 2020

Going Big in Small Places: The Strong Towers Story, Travis Stephens Fire Up Your Great Commission Engine, Bart Rendel (repeats) UnLeash Revisited, Bart Rendel

, Women s Ministries

Women’s Ministries: Old Bones, New Flesh, Patti Thornton and Women’s Board Organizing Volunteers for Addiction Ministry, Lois Shearer Created for Connection, Joanie Ranz

Youth

Tough Conversations, Adam Fears Unleashing New Purpose in Every Student, Jeff Robinson Discovering and Using Your Web of Influence, Jim Pratt

22 | General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018

Summit

Workshop

Schedule

Workshop 1 | monday 1:30 pm Discovering and Using Your Web of Influence

by Jim Pratt || Kansas A

In this session students will discover that they have webs of influence and power. Students will be challenged to use their web of influence to fulfill God’s purpose for their lives.

Reaching People in Unexpected Ways

by Prakash and Jememia Pamu || Colorado A

Pastor Prakash and Jemima Pamu will describe how the India Association of General Baptists touches lives and reaches both Muslims and Hindus by means of sewing centers that focus on sharing the gospel, life skills and women’s empowerment through the career opportunity of sewing.

Pastor’s Wives: Abiding In The Overflow

by Cindy Irwin || Colorado B

You are a valuable heart, wrapped in the roles of wife and perhaps mother and wearing the title of Pastor’s Wife. You have a significant and challenging calling which makes you both indispensable and very vulnerable. “Abiding in the Overflow” is designed to give you encouraging and practical steps to guard against pressures, fatigue and wounds through the overflow of your unique gifts and personality. (Repeats Tuesday)

Faith Home

by Christina Massey || Illinois

Learn how Faith Home continues to transform the lives of young people in Honduras. This home offers hope to children who would be without hope without Christ and the ministry of Faith Home.

Track Colors Coordinate with colors selected from Tracks at a Glance page on pg.22

#GBSUMMIT A Panoramic View of the Bible

by Brenda Poinsett || Oklahoma

Has the Bible ever seemed like a puzzle to you, one with many pieces that don’t fit together? With a broad look at the Bible, you’ll be able to put the pieces together. The completed picture will enrich your Bible reading and make you a more confident Bible student and/or teacher.

Church Growth

by Go! Project Team || Georgia

Church Growth: A look at church systems for Evangelism, Assimilation, and Outreach presented by the Go! Project.

Fire Up Your Great Commission Engine!

by Bart Rendel || Arizona

Learn how to simplify ministry and ignite evangelistic growth quickly in your church. Participants will gain practical resources of quick things they could work on in each of the Great Commission Pistons. Participants will also learn the important concept of an evangelistic target. (Repeats Tuesday)

An Outdoor Ministry in Your Church

by T J Greaney || Expo Center Room 2A

Learn how to get the guys who love the outdoors, hunting, fishing, camping, and adventure into ministry with their mission field being the fatherless and father/sons. This ministry has the potential to absolutely transform men’s ministry with tremendous impact on the community. Learn who, how and what to do to offer this to men in a local church. Materials, web links and media provided as well.

Increase Giving With Online Giving Options

by Josh Henry || Expo Center Room 2C

Learn how to make giving to your church easier by offering options. We’ll talk about the process and dispel any myths and misperceptions about online giving and show you practical steps you can take to increase giving in your ministry.

(Repeats Wednesday)

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 23

Workshop 2 | Tuesday 1:30 pm Tough Conversations

by Adam Fears || Kansas A

This break out session will be a practical guide/discussion on how to navigate conversations where you share or defend your faith.

Over the course of 90 minutes we will discuss useful ways to start conversations about the Gospel along with trying to prepare for some of the more confrontational and tough encounters we may come in contact with along the way. The goal of this session is to provide some useful tools to make Gospel sharing in your daily life both easier and more effective.

Women’s Ministries: Old Bones, New Flesh

by Patti Thornton and Women’s Board || Illinois

Join Director, Patti Thornton, and Women’s Ministries leaders in a “bare bones” discussion about the organization’s status, future plans, vision, and hope.

What I Am Learning In Youth Ministry Blake Thomas || Oklahoma

At almost year 10 in student ministry, Blake Thomas will unpack some principles and practices he has learned are essential to a healthy student ministry and a healthy student pastor/volunteer.

Making a Difference in Difficult Areas

by Heather Pritchett, Pedro & Elida Quezado || Colorado A Fire Up Your Great Commission Engine!

Pastor Pedro and Elida Quezada will discuss the development of

by Bart Rendel || Arizona the church in Juarez Mexico. This area of Mexico was devastated by the drug cartels for several years leaving Juarez like a war zone in many areas. Pastor Pedro and Elida stayed in the ministry in Juarez during even the most difficult days. Learn what God is doing now in this difficult area and how a church can turn around even against seemingly insurmountable odds.

Pastor’s Wives: Abiding In The Overflow

by Cindy Irwin || Colorado B

You are a valuable heart, wrapped in the roles of wife and perhaps mother and wearing the title of Pastor’s Wife. You have a significant and challenging calling which makes you both indispensable and very vulnerable. “Abiding in the Overflow” is designed to give you encouraging and practical steps to guard against pressures, fatigue and wounds through the overflow of your unique gifts and personality. (Repeated from Monday)

Niger, West Africa… A New Beginning

by Kris Yeomans || Georgia

This workshop will focus on the new opportunity General Baptists have in West Africa. Kris and Nicole Yeomans have a strong desire to “reach the unreached” and feel a definite call of God to reach the unreached in Niger, West Africa, a predominately Muslim country.

Kris and Nicole will share their passion and vision for what God is calling them to do and how you can partner with them to make it all possible.

Learn how to simplify ministry and ignite evangelistic growth quickly in your church. Participants will gain practical resources of quick things they could work on in each of the Great Commission Pistons. Participants will also learn the important concept of an evangelistic target. (Repeated from Monday)

Grace & Free Will from a General Baptist Perspective

by Danny Dunivan || Expo Center Room 2A The relationship between grace and free will is important for our understanding of many other concepts such as salvation, discipleship, and evangelism. The session will address some of the underlying issues for a theology of grace and free will from a General Baptist perspective. Implications of our beliefs for Christian living and the mission of the church will also be discussed.

(Repeats Wednesday)

Time between the Testaments

by Brenda Poinsett || Expo Center Room 2C

The 400 years between the close of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament have often been called the silent years. Actually these years were anything but silent. Many dramatic and significant changes took place that will help us better understand the New Testament.

#GBSUMMIT 24 | General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018

Workshop 3 | Wednesday 10:30 am Unleashing New Purpose in Every Student

Through Jesus Christ Jeff Robinson || Kansas A

Not My Will: Finding Peace with Things You Can’t Change

by Brenda Poinsett || Georgia

God has had a plan for this world and your life since the beginning of time. We are going to dive in and discover a lineage that starts with Moses and Aaron, leads to Jesus, and ties us together with them. We will discuss how the crucifixion gave us the right to have a personal relationship with God but also the responsibility to share it with Others. Learn about your place in the Royal Priesthood.

Sooner or later everyone struggles with something we wish we could change but can’t. Accidents. Job loss. Personal limitations.

Aging. Serious illness. Death. These “unchangeables” can rob us of the joy of living and inner peace. But if we can accept them— which is what this workshop is going to help us do—peace and joy will return. We can embrace the future and grow and gain in the process.

Organizing Volunteers for Addiction Ministry

by Lois Shearer || Colorado A

Small Groups: The Life Blood of the Church

by Kevin Mann || Arizona

Every church has the potential to reach beyond its doors by ministering to the individuals in their congregation and community. There are many individuals and families affected by substance abuse and addiction. In this session we will discuss how a successful recovery ministry is created and how to set it up to become a lifeline in your church and your community.

Small groups, just as they were in the Bible can be the most evangelistic and life altering movement a church can experience.

This class will address on-campus groups and off-campus groups.

It will give direction as to how to start a small group campaign and then to follow through with it. The class will also help understand what long-term groups can be and what short term groups can be while being able to manage them.

Successful Mission Trips – Avoiding Common Pitfalls Blessed Are Those Who Can Laugh at Themselves

by Jim Pratt & Kristen Ober || Illinois This workshop will be led by veteran mission team leader Kirsten

by Bob Poinsett || Expo Center Room 2C Ober and Mission One Coordinator Jim Pratt. Steps necessary to have a successful mission trip will be discussed. Common pitfalls mission teams experience will also be discussed.

A Vision for Asian Leadership

by Joyce Porcadilla || Oklahoma

Dr. Joyce Porcadilla has a passion for developing leaders. In this session she will share some of her vision and passion concerning the critical role that the General Baptist Bible College in the Philippines can play in developing leaders for the future. Joyce leads both the Bible College and the Matigsalug Bible Institute which play key roles in the leadership pipeline in the Philippines and eventually Southeast Asia.

Increase Giving With Online Giving Options

by Josh Henry || Expo Center Room 2A

Learn how to make giving to your church easier by offering options. We’ll talk about the process and dispel any myths and misperceptions about online giving and show you practical steps you can take to increase giving in your ministry.

(Repeated from Monday)

Taking ourselves a bit too seriously of late, are we? Perhaps we should lighten up a little - take a more “fun-oriented” look at ourselves. This is for the young-at-heart; for those who admit we can be amused at some our more embarrassing-and-unforgettable moments. Join Bob Poinsett as he helps us learn to see ourselves from a more positive and jovial POV. Truly, “....let your light so shine that others may see you”.....in your more human moments. Fun for the entire family.

Security & Safety in Places of Worship Worshiping Faithfully in Uncertain Times!

by Vaughn Baker || Colorado B

Violent Events in places of worship have increased over 2,300% since 1999. In 2017 a record 261 violent events occurred at places of worship. This session will outline not only the history and demographics of church violence but also how churches can create a plan and prepare to either recognize and prevent or effectively respond to both lower risk and higher risk security events. All strategies and principles presented allow the church to increase safety and security without compromising the CORE MISSION of the Church which is to provide an atmosphere of COMFORT, REFUGE, WORSHIP or LEARNING.

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 25

Workshop 4 | Wednesday 1:30 pm Created for Connection: How Friendship and Connection Bring Joy and Value to Our Lives

by Joanie Ranz || Kansas A

There is an epidemic of loneliness in our culture, but 75% of women say they want better friendships. The reality is that we were created for connection. We were created by God to live in relationship with Him and with others. In this seminar we will look at five different levels of friendship and discover how to intentionally grow our friendships from the surface level to deep, meaningful relationships where we can be truly seen and known. We will also examine the three things that are necessary parts of every friendship.

The Turnaround Church in Jamaica

by Philip Pusey || Expo Center Room 2C

Pastor Philip Pusey will clearly show the difference a church can make in people’s lives in Jamaica. The Heavenly Highway General Baptist Church has impacted many lives since Pastor Pusey assumed leadership there and continues to do so. It is truly a successfully turnaround story that continues to unfold.

Going Big in Small Places: The Strong Tower Story

by Travis Stephens || Georgia

Explore how one church in a small town established a new campus in another small town. Learn what it takes to grow where you are planted while also transplanting in a satellite location.

Grace and Free Will from a General Baptist Perspective Being With God

by Danny Dunivan || Colorado A The relationship between grace and free will is important for

by John Comer || Illinois our understanding of many other concepts such as salvation, discipleship, and evangelism. The session will address some of the underlying issues for a theology of grace and free will from a General Baptist perspective. Implications of our beliefs for Christian living and the mission of the church will also be discussed.

Based on his book by the same name, this workshop intends to help participants understand the value of spending time BEING with God since too often our DOING competes with the need for BEING with Him. Participants will find help bringing balance to being and doing. It is in our time alone with God that He forms in us the ability to do ministry that flows from being with God.

Depression, Anxiety and other Mental Health Issues in Your Church

by Brian Burris || Colorado B

UnLeash Revisited

by Bart Rendel || Arizona

(Repeated from Tuesday)

Mental health issues are a part of every church in America. You have people in your church who suffer from depression, anxiety, ADHD, grief, addictions and the list could go on. These issues aren’t limited to adults; adolescents and children are suffering as well. This workshop will offer discussion about identifying, encouraging and counseling these individuals. We will mesh Biblical and medical model counseling principles and techniques to create a fuller understanding of how to help those suffering with these issues in your church.

Leadership Pipeline Forum

by Jim Pratt, Ashleigh Owens, Brian Baker || Expo Center Room 2A

This forum is designed for pastors and church leaders interested in recruiting and developing young adult leaders. This forum will be led by representatives of LeadNow, Launch, and Oakland City University.

26 | General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018

Revisit the strategies developed and insights gained from the Spring 2018 UnLeash Workshops hosted in several locations across the denomination. While designed for debriefing and recharging those who participated in UnLeash all participants will benefit from a review of these first steps in developing an Intentional Growth Plan.

Church Health

by Go! Project Team || Oklahoma

Church Health: A look at Small Groups, Leader Development, Finances, and Executive Leadership/Support presented by the Go! Project.

General Baptist

investment fund

EffectivE 5•1•2018 New CD RATES! demand

one year

two years

three years

five years

2.50%

2.75%

2.80%

2.85%

3.00%

New JUMBO CDS: $100,000 & Above No Interest Withdrawn for One Year

three years

five years

One year Penalty for early withdrawal

3.50%

4.00%

GENERAL BAPTIST INVESTMENT FUND, Inc.

100 Stinson Drive • Poplar Bluff, MO 63901

573-785-7746

Barbara Williams, Treasurer Steve Naff, President/CEO

Churches: New or Renovated Parsonage & Church Transportation

Home Home

Away Away From From

Home Home

By Joyce C. Porcadilla

Since the establishment of the General Baptist Bible College (GBBC) in 1965, GBBC has never ceased to train youth to become pastors, teachers, and workers to serve in the various ministries of the General Baptist church in the Philippines.

GBBC, over the years, has evolved from a small Bible school of 18 students to a multi-level educational institution which has continued to exist and expand its territory by training, equipping, and developing leaders to be deeply rooted in the word of God and fully committed in making disciples, not just within the Philippines but around the world.

GBBC is moving forward to face the challenges and opportunities of globalization and integration among neighboring countries thus intensifying its efforts to produce graduates who are effective and efficient leaders and who are of Christ-like character.

The Philippines, where GBBC is located, has borderless opportunities reaching countries in the Southeast Asia region and even in Asia Pacific where the most unreached people groups are located. This gives GBBC an open window of opportunity to be able to share the Gospel and bring light and hope to this lost world.

Filipinos have proven to be very effective cross-cultural missionaries. Filipinos can go anywhere and fit in and blend in and be productive in the culture, productive in the society, and with those they have a unique gifting to be able to carry the message of God’s love.

Reality is, there are still a lot of people who have not heard the Gospel and this was experienced first-hand by the staff and students who have gone to India on a mission and immersion trip. But just as Scriptures tell us 28 | General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018

in Romans 10:14-15 (New International Version): 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?

And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?

As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” The bigger question is, how can we send if we do not train and equip? That is what GBBC is doing.

GBBC is training and equipping disciples to be disciplemakers so that there can be people to be sent. The kind of training and equipping is done through formal theological and ministerial education.

However, in the Philippines, not everybody has the opportunity for education or access to it. While education in the Philippines is prioritized because parents believe that education is indispensable, a national legacy which should be passed from one generation to the next, there are barriers to quality education for young people in the Philippines.

The biggest barrier to many young people in the Philippines is poverty. Many students are unable to finish education because they do not have enough resources that will enable them to go to school and receive a decent education. Moreover, due to poverty, many students are forced to drop out and forced to work by their parents.

It has always been believed that education is the greatest key to solving poverty and in solving many of the world’s problems. Education plays an important role in the country’s progress. It helps people to become better and productive citizens. Education helps make a difference in the country. Education helps solve the unemployment problem which poses a hindrance to the growth of the nation. Education can help raise moral and social standards.

GBBC sees the importance of education as it should never be overlooked by anyone who holds close to his heart the welfare of the people, the future of one’s country, and the hope of the Gospel to be heard and known in all nations. GBBC is much more than a process of imparting to boys and girls information or knowledge that will give them personal material advantages over others and that will merely prepare the individual to make a livelihood.

GBBC provides the kind of education that has to do with one’s whole being, with all his faculties, his mind, body and soul. The kind of learning experience that affects every student decisively as an individual, as well as in his relations to others, to the nation and to God. GBBC has been home to many young people. Students, when they come to GBBC for their theological and ministerial education, spend four years on campus. While they have weekend ministries and are assigned specific ministries during school breaks, within the four years of their training, GBBC is their home.

Home has always been a gathering place, shelter, and sanctuary, providing escape from the daily routines. For many, GBBC as their home has been a loving, supportive environment in which to grow up and discover oneself.

For most, GBBC has been their literal home with better living conditions and access to clean water—their shelter, their residence, their home away from home.

When GBBC acquired the current property where the school campus is situated, in the late 1960’s, a dormitory for boys and a dormitory for girls were built.

The dormitories have been their shelter, their residence.

Over the years, because of its wear and tear, repairs and maintenance have been inevitable. To be quite honest, the student population has already outgrown the existing dormitories and the dormitories have already outlived the country’s building codes. This means that the need

to build a new dormitory is mandatory due to the safety regulations imposed by the government.

The 2018 VBS and LAUNCH Give offering will go to help provide shelter for the students at GBBC by building new dormitories, for both girls and boys. The first phase of the project which will provide the basics of a home like a kitchen, dining area, and sleeping quarters will require $120,000.

We need you to partner with us to meet this need.

Through valued partners like you, we can multiply your donation to keep students in school, provide a shelter for them while on campus, make available theological and ministerial education and training, and above all, strengthen and expand evangelism and discipleship efforts so that the Gospel will be heard not just by the unreached in the Philippines but eventually and intentionally penetrate nations with creative and limited access and even those that are closed to the Gospel. This is to win souls to Christ.

While each one deserves the opportunity to pursue their dreams through education, every person also deserves the opportunity to hear the Gospel because Christ tasted death for everyone. Therefore, in order for this vision to become a reality, we need to continue to train and equip our students so we can send them and while we train them, we need to provide them a place to live —a place that they can call their home away from home.

We need your support, prayers, and partnership.

Please consider how you can help GBBC LAUNCH 2018 by helping with our dormitory needs and allowing us to impact more lives in the Philippines, Southeast Asia, the Asia Pacific and around the world.

Donations to the GBBC Dormitory Project can be sent to: G B I M – 10 0 S t i n s o n D ri ve – Po p l a r B l u ff, M O 6 3 9 01 Please write on the memo line “LAUNCH Offering or VBS Offering.”

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 29

by Tyler Feller

MEANWHILE, IN RURAL ARKANSAS Nestled between Norfolk Lake and the Ozark Mountains is the scene of an amazing God story worth knowing about. It features a pastor who heard the whisper of the Lord, a group of people who believed in him and thousands that have been transformed as a result. All of this in a rural town, population 12,000.

“If you can stretch your mind beyond what you may have once held as impossible, you can see God do incredible things,” said Vince Daniel, church planter. Less than six years after getting its feet on the ground, Real Life Church of Mountain Home, Arkansas is the case study of God doing what no one thought could be done.

Finding a facility in a small rural town is one of the most difficult parts of the church planting process. For Real Life, their roots are about as humble as they get.

Despite that, God proved faithful. They began having services in a rented bus garage.

Quickly the church grew and their small auditorium was out of space. So they added a second service and people were still having to sit in the (tiny, tiny, tiny) lobby to worship and hear the message. Eventually three services… at times even four!

Obviously, they knew their space was challenged. They had a hypothesis that they could reach even more people if they had a larger auditorium, but like most fast-growing church plants, their dollars were stretched thin chasing staffing and ministry as well.

After prayerfully considering several different options, Real Life purchased land and decided on a new building that would best serve their needs. Knowing construction and fundraising were still a few years out, the plan was to stay in the bus garage until then. God had other plans.

A set of unique circumstances at the bus garage forced them to quickly assess other immediate options.

30 | General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018

“Our motto during this time had to be, ‘God is moving and so are we.’ We put our trust in Him and His plan,” Pastor Vince said.

That recent land purchase was home to a horse barn including stables and breezeways. The biggest open area was the indoor riding track. After a few truckloads of cement, this became Real Life’s new auditorium. The new space was quite a bit larger in size so seating capacity increased 100 chairs.

Over the next 8 months and through the summer of 2016, the church doubled in size to 800. The unfortunate situation at the bus garage was actually a huge win.

Now, two and half years at their horse barn address, Real Life is inside a brand new, state of the art facility. The horse barn is under rennovation by the Real Life team to be used as a crisis facility for Baxter County residents in need.

On Easter 2018 Real Life Church celebrated with nearly 2,600 in attendance. A lot of people would say it’s impossible to reach that many in a town of 12,000 - Real Life would disagree. Many would say you can’t have church in a bus garage, much less a horse barn - Real Life would disagree. When God is at work, He will do it anywhere.

Originally posted at NewChurches.com reprinted by permission of the author.

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 31

AS H UNLEWORKSHOPS WORKSHOPS

By Dr. Franklin R. Dumond Director of Congregational Ministries

When Executive Director Clint Cook announced the Turnaround 2020 initiative he profiled our intention to offer resources and to develop awareness among our General Baptist churches so that those who participate might discover and achieve their full redemptive potential by the year 2020.

In 2016 we offered a plan book to help churches take the first steps in Turnaround. In 2017 we provided a series of information pieces designed to provide practical steps in Turnaround. These suggestions to “Jump Start Your Ministry” were distributed to all General Baptist pastors.

Many participating churches have already seen significant increases in attendance in the early years of the initiative.

Others are on target to double or triple in size as they realize the potential the Lord has placed before them. Still others are seeing revitalized programs and more effective ministries as a result of Turnaround 2020.

In 2018 to advance the Turnaround 2020 Initiative Congregational Ministries announced a partnership with Bart Rendel and Intentional Churches that provided a series of one-day workshops designed to release the gospel potential of participating churches. The pilot project for these workshops was developed in the spring of 2017 and first introduced at Grace United Church in Paragould, Arkansas.

Intentional Churches is a national ministry dedicated to training and coaching church leaders in how to double their Kingdom impact. Intentional Churches has developed a team-based planning process called Intentional Growth Planning. They have worked with over 200 churches to install this planning system.

These workshops were facilitated by the Intentional Churches Team. Each session lasted from 8:30 a.m.—4:00 p.m. They were purposely scheduled on Saturdays to allow key lay leaders to participate. This allowed participating teams to see what it might look like to double Kingdom impact while also being introduced, as a group, to helpful tools to accomplish the task.

Three particular elements of the training seemed to

32 | General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018

make the greatest impact on the teams.

First, Intentional Churches has developed the concept of a Great Commission Engine with three pistons. These driving forces behind each church’s accomplishment of the Great Commission are • Piston 1 — Temple Courts, Weekend Experience • Piston 2 — Life Changing Relationships, Small Groups/Sunday School • Piston 3 — Missional Living, Giving, Loving, Caring and Serving Ministries

The analogy of a three piston engine as a driving force is interesting. In any piston based engine the loss of one piston produces a diminished output. But in the three piston arrangement the loss of any one piston not only eliminates its contribution but also severely reduces the impact of the remaining pistons. Since they are interconnected the loss of one piston results in the overall loss of 50% of the output of the engine. Workshop participants seemed to gain some keen insights when they evaluated the effectiveness of their church’s Great Commission Engine piston by piston.

A second part of the workshop that seemed to make an impact with participating teams was the concept of Four Helpful Lists. By assessing what is right, what is wrong,

what is confused and what is missing these planning teams quickly moved toward strategies and priorities customized to their own local settings. A healthy part of this exercise is that for most churches this kind of evaluation is only done one-on-one and thus becomes a private opinion. By developing a group consensus the workshop teams came to a group understanding of right, wrong, confused and missing elements of their Great Commission Engine. This tool, when taken back home, provides an on-going strategy for evaluation and planning.

A third part of the workshop that seemed very helpful was the exercise to identify the One Person who should be part of each church. This required the teams to look into the make-up of the congregation while also looking into the make-up of the community. By identifying the typical person from the community who should be part of the church the teams were able to identify a Target Audience and to take the first steps to connect with that One. Identifying the Primary Newcomer also prepared the teams to develop an Engagement Pathway of small steps new folks can take to become part of the church. These first and second and third steps introduce the concept of a process or system that is repeated. They also helped participants understand that the first time guest cannot take all the steps toward engagement on that first visit but over time and with intentional connection these guests can become fully connected followers of Christ.

Perhaps the most important part of the one-day planning session was the development of specific action plans for short term and longer term application. Thus each team left the training with one or two action plans for immediate implementation.

While a one day workshop cannot accomplish the development of a full-fledged Intentional Growth Plan, it does began the process. After all the old proverb claims, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” In a similar vein it has well been said that we often overestimate what we can accomplish in a single year while we underestimate what we can accomplish in a single decade.

The signs of turnaround occurring in dozens and dozens of local churches will soon result in the signs of turnaround in an entire denomination!

This summer at the Mission & Ministry Summit UnLeash participants will have the opportunity to revisit their plans, share progress and problems and receive additional coaching through the Wednesday afternoon workshop to be presented by Bart Rendel titled “UnLeash Revisited”.

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 33

Turnaround @ Grace United - An Interview with Pastor Josh Carpenter

by Clint Cook

In 2016, General Baptist Ministries launched a new initiative called Turnaround 2020 to help local churches in numerous ministry areas through education, idea sharing, and resources. One church that has invested in this initiative is Grace United Church in Paragould, Arkansas, pastored by Josh Carpenter. If you are wondering if the program could be helpful to your church’s ministry, let me share with you Josh’s thoughts regarding this project.

Clint Cook: Josh, how long have you been in the ministry and how many churches have you pastored.

Josh Carpenter: I have been in ministry 20 years and have pastored or held ministry positions in five churches in Indiana, Missouri, and now Arkansas.

When did you become the pastor of Grace United Church?

I became pastor of Grace United Church in June of 2014.

What was the spiritual condition and organizational heath of the church when you arrived?

When we came to Grace United Church the congregation was excited about the future and ready to follow God’s lead. There was a small core of members who had been at Grace United Church for several years, but many of the leaders had only been back in church or had become believers in the last five years. So, there was a lot of passion, excitement, and eagerness to move; but not a lot of experience. Organizationally, the church had experimented with different team-led models but follow

34 | General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018

through had been weak. The church was basically board and congregational led.

What do you see are the primary roles of a local church pastor?

In the past I would have simply said preaching the gospel and caring for God’s people, but now I understand this differently. My preaching must be focused on making the gospel accessible to a culture that is often blind to their need for it. This means interpreting culture is as important as interpreting scripture in my preaching. Also, my preaching must clarify the mission of the church to those coming in and those who are a part. This has changed how I see caregiving as a pastor. There is no better way for me to care for the souls of my people than by helping them understand and fulfill their roles in God’s mission for the church. That encompasses being better spouses, parents, workers, stewards, and every other aspect of life, but all toward the purpose of fulfilling God’s mission for the church.

What are some of the changes you have lead the church to make?

Our focus from the beginning has been creating a meaningful and relevant weekend experience for everyone who walks through the doors of Grace United.

God blessed Grace United Church with several young musicians so we put them in a place to use their gifts.

This immediately modernized our worship experiences

while remaining authentic to who we are. We made huge improvements to our children’s ministry, making it a weekly priority. Intentionality became the underpinning of everything we do. We say, “God has a plan, so should we.” This changed how, and more importantly why, we do everything. We also say, “God deserves our best.” So, we improve everything we can as soon as we can. We have remodeled all of our facilities in the last 5 years and have made improvements to every program. Now, that process repeats. Consistent evaluation and improvement is becoming our culture. No program or space is sheltered from the demand of the mission - everything can change.

Why those changes?

Nothing has a greater impact in the lives of people looking for hope at a church than what happens on Sunday morning. You can have a great small group program, an amazing hospitality team, and the coolest student ministry in town, but if your Sunday morning worship experience is lame, your impact will be as well. Those of us in the church world know that church is more than Sunday morning, but people just coming to a church don’t. The value of the church in their lives will solely be determined by what they experience during that hour.

That makes it the most important thing we do all week.

Have you had any outside help or training to assist you?

We have taken advantage of almost every opportunity we have been given. A group attends the Summit every year and takes advantage of the workshops. I personally have been through Next Level coaching several times and the leadership team at Grace United Church did a year as well.

We had the privilege of hosting an Intentional Churches event a year ago that offered us tools that we use in almost every meeting we have. One of my primary leaders and I are currently involved in the Leadership Coaching Network. If someone spent enough time with us I believe they would see evidence of many lessons learned through training opportunities offered to us through General Baptist Ministries.

So what “turn around” progress has the church made so far? Is the church growing?

Attendance numbers are growing. We have first time guests almost every week. We are reaching the families that we are intentionally targeting and those families are bringing their extended families. Giving has increased steadily, revealing spiritual growth within the Grace

United Church Family. Leaders are dreaming bigger dreams and making decisions accordingly.

I am sure you have embraced new systems, or structure or organizational changes. What have you done to lead the church membership to deepen their spiritual disciplines?

We have restructured how decisions are made by implementing a leadership team that has the freedom to dream, plan, and implement ministries under the leadership of the pastor. The leadership team has no authority to spend funds outside of the budgeted ministries, but from this process ideas form and move to the board who has the authority to fund new projects and ministries. The congregation has come to trust the leadership of the church, which empowers us to move the mission forward with confidence. The church has moved from being inwardly focused to outwardly focused. Even when some do not prefer a change, they understand the why behind it and support the leadership. A great sign of spiritual growth is a willingness to sacrifice self and this is happening more and more at Grace United Church.

If you would want to share with our readers, what else do you think needs to be done at Grace United Church to continue growing?

We need more leaders. Leadership development will be the obstacle that stunts our growth if we do not find the right way forward. This is what keeps me up at night.

What words of advice would you give to a pastor who is wanting to “turn around” the church they are pastoring?

Get started! I am a strong advocate of education and training, but don’t wait until you think you have all the answers before you start making the changes that need to be made. Pick one thing, one aspect of your church’s ministry, probably something to do with your worship experience on Sundays and pour yourself into it. Give all you’ve got to make that one thing as good as it can be. You will learn from that experience and apply those lessons to the next project. Just keep going and never be satisfied with “good enough.” I don’t think those words exist in Heaven.

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 35

CHURCH BY THE NUMBERS

by Bart Rendel

Intentional Churches founder Bart Rendel challenges how we as church leaders think about church numbers.

“Your church’s reach and impact are so much greater than you see on Sunday morning.”

• Your spiritual flock could be 3-4x your weekend attendance!

• Your reach potential could be thousands!

• Your team should think double impact!!

Once upon a time a pastor could share his church’s weekend attendance and that number represented the same people, from weekend to weekend. But as you may have noticed, those days are long gone. Many attendees show up once a month and call you their pastor and your church their home church.

The shift in attendance is changing everything and affects your church in many ways. It could mean only onethird of your church heard your message Sunday. It may mean your kids were in a classroom with a different set of kids than the previous week. While we can feel alarmed at this shift, we’re also seeing fresh and innovative opportunities for engagement emerging every day.

What do you do with these trends? How do you seize the many opportunities to engage this culture and make more and better disciples when as much as two-thirds of your people aren’t even attending on a given weekend?

At Intentional Churches, we challenge church leaders to rethink metrics, how and what is being measured, how they lead and how they engage others.

As a church leader, if your church doesn’t have a clear, simple pathway to engage people, your church’s attendance and the Kingdom will be negatively affected.

At Intentional Churches, we know that even as we face these trends, your church’s attendance and engagement can increase. Let’s forget for a moment how we’ve always counted or how we’ve measured success, and let’s look at this with fresh eyes.

Consider your weekend service. If people are attending one to two times per month and those are your regulars, your total church may be as much as three to four times

your average weekly attendance. So, say you’re averaging 400 on a weekend, you could actually be leading a church of 1,600 people who call your church home.

Now, imagine the sphere of influence each one of those people has, whether face-to-face or on social media.

Suddenly, your reach potential is staggering. Those 1,600 people could equate to a reach potential of 10 to 15x that number, or over 20,000 people or more.

What an opportunity! What an impact you could have in the Kingdom if you intentionally connected the people in your reach zone to your church and ultimately to the message of Christ.

Your church’s reach and impact are so much greater than you see on Sunday morning.

At Intentional Churches, we want to help you think beyond Sunday to double your Kingdom impact.

We want to help you make it easy for someone to take a first step in your church and move easily through the pathway, one step to the next, and ultimately into the core of fully-engaged attendees or members depending on your context.

As we watch attendance norms shift and engagement redefine itself, we encourage you to adjust your expectations about attendance numbers and embrace instead one of the greatest drivers of attendance, Engagement.

When our Intentional Churches team meets with your church team to install the Intentional Churches Leadership System, we help you look at the keys that move people within your reach zone or sphere of influence into relationship, into serving, and into discipleship opportunities. The system is a process you can use over and over again to reframe vision and double your Kingdom impact.

What is your plan to connect with those within your reach zone?

Bart was an executive leader at Crossroads Christian Church in Lexington, KY and Central Christian Church in Las Vegas, NV for over eighteen years. Bart’s passion for serving churches comes from his upbringing as a pastor’s kid where he learned about the intentionality of reaching and growing people in Christ from his mother and father. His conviction runs deep. Bart and his family remain connected to Central Christian. He is married to Catherine with two children and finds the occasional time to play a round of golf or take in a Kentucky Wildcats game. He has been helping churches and leaders around the country increase their Kingdom Impact since 2004.

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SMALL CHURCH

ESSENTIALS: Field-Tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of under 250

by Karl Vaters

Do you lead a small church?

Big churches get all the love. Articles, books, conferences—they mostly feature leaders of large congregations. Yet big churches are a small part of the ecclesial landscape. In fact, more than 90 percent of churches have fewer than 200 people. That means small churches play a big part in what God is doing.

Small Church Essentials is for leaders of these smaller congregations. It encourages them to steward their role well, debunking myths about small churches while offering principles for leading a dynamic, healthy small church.

Based on the popular six-hour lecture that Karl Vaters delivers to church leaders across the country, Small Church Essentials will affirm small church leaders and show them how to identify what they do well, and how to do it even better. Readers will:

• Be assured that leading a small congregation does not make them ministry failures • Come away inspired to lead with passion, regardless the size of their church • Have field-tested principles for leading a church in their context • Possess new metrics for biblically measuring vitality in small churches • Have a toolkit of resources to use in their everyday ministry

Karl Vaters has been a small church pastor for 30 years, is the author of The Grasshopper Myth: Big Churches, Small Churches, and the Small Thinking that Divides Us (2013), and travels extensively to churches and conferences to speak about leading a small church well.

If you are pastoring a small church, this book will be a breath of fresh air. It will affirm your calling while giving you fresh tools to help you lead. It will help you:

• Stop believing lies about small churches • Lead your church to fulfill the role only small churches can • Understand your congregation’s strengths and weaknesses • Turn around a dying or unhealthy church • Identify good trends and bad in church and culture

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 37

L A STI NG

IMPACT: 7 Powerful Conversations That Will Help Your Church Grow [Kindle Edition]

by Carey Nieuwhof

You’ve probably noticed...

Churches aren’t growing.

Young adults are walking away.

Volunteers are hard to recruit.

Leaders are burning out.

And the culture is changing faster than ever before.

There’s no doubt the church is in a moment in history for which few church leaders are prepared.

You can look for answers, but the right response depends on having the right conversation.

In Lasting Impact, Carey Nieuwhof leads you and your team through seven conversations that will help your church grow and have a lasting impact.

What if...

• Having the right conversations could change your trajectory?

• There was more hope than you realized?

• The potential to grow was greater than the potential to decline?

• Your community was waiting for a church to offer the hope they’re looking for?

• Your best days as a church were ahead of you?

Maybe the future belongs to the churches that are willing to have the most honest conversations at a critical time.

That’s what Lasting Impact is designed to facilitate.

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Love Loves You

How to Minister Out of the Overflow The alley was dark and this guy was drunk. Harmless, but drunk. As the head of the Young Marrieds ministry I’d organized a “Mom’s Night Out” at a hip downtown coffee shop. Now, after an evening of too much cake (you must have something to go with the coffee!) we were laughing our way back to the car when a homeless man stumbled out of the alleyway and asked us for money.

I realized all eyes were on me, the “oldest” in ministry, and remembered Paul and Silas. “Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee….”

I began to tell this man about Jesus and salvation. It didn’t matter what scriptures I used, or how kind I was, he kept saying to me, “No, God doesn’t love me. You don’t know what I’ve done.” I tried to explain how God loved him no matter what he did or didn’t do, but no words seemed to penetrate and, finally, he stumbled on and we walked silently back to our cars.

Once home, I fell exhausted into bed. I was mad at myself. I wasn’t even able to lead someone to Jesus. I’ve served in ministry of some sort since I was 14 and a junior counselor at camp. Now, not only were my husband and I ministering to the Young Marrieds, I was also the head of the nursery and the church bookstore. We were responsible for opening and locking the church after every service. My husband was on the worship team and we taught children’s church on Sunday nights. Staff meetings and prayer were squeezed in but that is what you do in a small church. Add to the week that I was going to seminary with two little boys at home and my husband was working more than one job. We were tired, we didn’t have enough to pay our bills and our boys were lonely.

Cindi Irwin graced us with her wisdom and wit for Inside Out 2015, and we loved her from the moment we met her. Women’s Ministries wanted to gift our female pastor spouses at this year’s Mission & Ministry Summit, and immediately thought of Cindi. She gathered such women around her at that 2015 event, and they were immensely blessed. Love Loves You will give you a peak at Cindy’s heart.

2018 M&M SUMMIT WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION Pastor’s Wives: Abiding in the Overflow You are a valuable heart, wrapped in the roles of wife and perhaps mother and wearing the title of Pastor’s Wife. You have a significant and challenging calling which makes you both indispensable and very vulnerable. “Abiding in the Overflow” is designed to give you encouraging and practical steps to guard against pressures, fatigue and wounds through the overflow of your unique gifts and personality. ♥ ♥ ♥

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 39

But I don’t know what else to do if I can’t even lead someone to Jesus.

It all came to a head at the end of a weekend Ladies Retreat. I’d been in a “once in a lifetime” place of worship, prayer and experiencing a deep closeness with the Lord at the end of the last service. One of our church ladies offered to walk with me back to my room.

On the way she told me that a group of women had designated her to be the one to tell me that they didn’t like my son. She had a list of things I might try to make him a better person but I was not even listening. I was devastated.

This was in the days of pay phones, so I found myself in the lobby of the hotel, crying harder than I ever thought possible trying to explain all this to my husband. I don’t think he could understand the details because of my sobbing, but he said this, “I wish I was there right now, because I would hold you and tell you how much I love you.”

I stumbled off to my room, and as I tried to go to sleep I vowed to never serve in church again. And yet, what do you do with a calling? A deeply genuine calling from the Lord who is giving you the honor of being His minister? What more could I do? Even better, what else could I do?

If only my husband were here to hug me. If only Jesus could give me a hug. Tears soaked the pillow. And in my heart I heard this: “I don’t love what you do, Cindy, I love you.” My favorite scripture came to mind, “I’ve

known and believed the love that God has for me.” (I John 4:16 author’s paraphrase)

For me, not my ministry.

For me, not my seminary degree.

For me, the person of me, not what I do.

The “ladies committee” had decided to judge my son and me on what they believed we “did”. Their love was based on us measuring up. But Love believes the best of every person because Love loves you, not what you do.

God never loves actions, good or bad. He loves people. He may measure and evaluate your actions. He may even command you to change them for your own benefit, because He loves you.

He doesn’t love your ministry. He loves you and the people you are called to minister to. He values your service. He appreciates your ministry. He is delighted with your efforts and He is pleased with your sacrifices.

But He doesn’t love your work. He loves you.

That night, the Lord did give me a hug. One so powerful that I was anchored in my soul so tightly I’ve never left His call. Over the quarter of a century since that night He has given me practical steps for rest in ministry. He has gifted me with tools for my own heartcare. He has graced me with the opportunities to teach and serve. But even today, over 25 years later, He doesn’t love what I do. He appreciates and values it. But He loves only one thing, me.

Cindy is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors, the Association of Marriage and Family Ministries, is an author and speaker, and is a co-host with Chick Chat, a nationally traveled Christian talk show for women. Cindy and her husband Steve have been married since 1985 and have two sons.

She is the founder and executive director of Life By Design, a local counseling center that specializes in Marriage and Family Counseling. In addition, Cindy is also a lead intensive therapist at the National Institute of Marriage where she facilitates intensive marriage therapy sessions for clients who are in extreme marital crisis.

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e

What is Inside Out? Inside Out is an annual women’s getaway sponsored by Women’s Ministries and open to ALL women.

Is Stillness Possible Without Duct Tape?

A message from Karen McCracken, Inside Out speaker, to excited 2018 registrants…

L

adies, most of us today are striving to fulfill a stereotyped vision of what “being still” means. How many of you hear the term “be still” and think of a deer at a stream? Or a person alone in a chapel praying? Or a garden with butterflies, birds chirping and a big rock to lean on and pray? What if I told you that “being still” isn’t quite what you think it is?

Do you fear you can only be still if you duct tape yourself to a bench in the garden? Been there, wasted my time and found out duct tape hurts when you remove it. Let go of the madness and come learn to be still as God intended. Take a deep breath, understand that it’s totally possible to be in God’s will; to let go, let up, let yourself laugh and be obediently still without harming yourself. Learn how to Be Still and Repeat.

If you haven’t yet registered for Inside Out 2018 (Oct. 26-28) by the time you see this page in The Messenger… you had better hurry; there is a cutoff number this year due to space limitation. However; the space IS our favorite space – Wooded Glen Retreat Center in Henryville, Indiana. The retreat center is set in a secluded, park-like setting complete with a covered bridge at the entrance, and the people at Wooded Glen take care of everything. Lodge-like rooms with private bathrooms are comfortable and inviting, buffet meals are to die for, and numerous rocking chairs plus a beautiful prayer walking path offer the perfect environment for stillness.

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 41

Church Church Plant Plant Update: Update:

KAIROS CHURCH

by Brent Wursing, Church Planter

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support. It has been a phenomenal year at Kairos Church! We began 2017 with a calling and a vision to “help everyone embrace Jesus Christ in every moment of their life”. Your support has helped make our calling a reality!

We started in January of 2017 with a team of 13 people. Over the next seven months, we did community outreaches and vision nights that helped gain community awareness and build our team to 48 adults. During that time we also secured a facility for our weekend worship experience.

In August we began practice setups and services as we prepared for our launch date on September 10th. Unfortunately, Hurricane Irma decided to come through the same weekend and we had to postpone our launch date. We had a slight delay but were able to launch on October 15th more prepared and with more awareness in our community.

We launched with 191 people in attendance and seven let us know they began a relationship with Jesus. Several weeks after that we had our first baptism service and 5 people were baptized.

Then for our Christmas, 228 people attended, with over 60 VIPs and 60 people making decisions; 4 beginning a relationship with Jesus for the first time. The following weekend, on New Year’s we had our highest regular attendance to date at 116!

The numbers attached tell the story of what God is doing through Kairos Church and all that life change took place in eleven short weeks!

We are continuing to go after it to help present the Gospel in a friendly, clear and applicable way to our community. Your continued support will help us build God’s kingdom every week.

We have big plans for the first half of the year. Groups launched in January. We planned a family gathering with bounce houses and a cookout at the end of January. We provided childcare for couples wanting to go out on Valentine’s Day and we gave away Date Night Packages.

We are also looking into a new facility that will give us more space to do all that we have in mind with our worship experience and outreach events. Our team prepared for a great Easter and the Lord blessed us with 305 folks attending. It is our hope to begin offering two services and to launch our youth ministry the week after Easter.

We are so excited to see what God has in store for our community in 2018.

God Bless, Pastor Brent, Lead Pastor of Kairos Church

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General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 43

Trending Now Greeters and Gifts: How Churches Welcome Guest

How Churches Welcome Guests

Among Protestant Pastors

96% Opportunity to Meet the Pastor After Service

If the average pastor has anything to do with it, church guests can expect multiple greetings and may even leave with a gift.

A new study from Nashville-based LifeWay Research asked 1,000 Protestant pastors what their churches do to welcome guests.

According to the study, the average pastor says their church does six different things to welcome guests.

“Pastors are eager to say their churches are actively welcoming visitors to their services,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research.

Virtually every church does something. Fewer than 1 percent admit making no effort to welcome guests.

More than 9 in 10 churches provide an opportunity to meet the pastor (96 percent) and have greeters at the entrance of their building (95 percent).

A majority ask guests to complete cards (83 percent), have a central location where guests can learn about the church (78 percent), set aside time during the service for regular attenders to welcome guests (69 percent) and periodically host information sessions for new people to learn more about the church (65 percent).

How do you welcome your guests in your church?

95% Greeters at the Entrances

83% Cards Guests are asked to complete

78% Central Location Where Guests can Learn About the Church

69% Time During Service for Attendees to Welcome Guests

65% Information Session for Newcomers to Learn About the Church

44% Attendance Books in Pews to Collect Visitor Information

42% Gifts for Guests

24% Greeters or Attendants in Parking Lots

17% Ask Guests to Stand During Service.

10% Other Notes: None of these < 1% Respondents could select all that applied

What type of gift do you give?

Around 2 in 5 churches (42 percent) say they offer a gift to visitors. Of those who use gifts, the most popular are a mug or cup (38 percent), food (25 percent), a welcome packet about the church (25 percent) or a pen (23 percent).

Types of gifts churches give guests

Among Protestant churches that give gifts to guests

38%

25%

25%

23%

18%

14%

5%

5%

4%

2%

Mugs

Food Items

Welcome Packet

Pen

Bag

Book

Bookmark

Gift Card

Bible

Other

Reprinted with permission from Fact & Trends, Lifeway Christian Resources Facts & Trends | One LifeWay Plaza | Nashville, TN 37234-0192 | factsandtrends@lifeway.com

44 | General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018

Notes: Respondents were asked to specify all gift types

About One-Third of U.S. Children Living With Unmarried Parent(s)

The share of U.S. children living with an unmarried parent has more than doubled since 1968, jumping from 13% to 32% in 2017. That trend has been accompanied by a drop in the share of children living with two married parents, down from 85% in 1968 to 65%. Some 3% of children are not living with any parents, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

About one-in-five children are living with a solo Mom

% of Children younger than 18 living with...

Married Parents

Unmarried Parents Solo Mother

2017

65%

1997

68% 85%

1968

12%

Solo Father 21%

4%

22%

3%

Cohabitating Parents 7% 3%

1%

Note: Children who are not living with any parents are not shown. Data reguarding cohabitation available since 1997 only.

Three-in-ten solo mothers are living in poverty

Despite the fact that cohabiting parents are younger and less educated than solo parents, they are still far less likely to be poor. All told, 16% of unmarried parents living with a partner are living below the poverty line, while about one-fourth (27%) of solo parents are. In comparison, just 8% of married parents are living in poverty.

Among solo parents, mothers are almost twice as likely as fathers to be living below the poverty line (30% vs.

17%), but poverty rates for cohabiting parents don’t differ among mothers and fathers.

About one-fourth of solo parents are poor

Among solo Parents

% living in poverty, by parent type

8%

16%

27%

17%

30%

Married

Cohabiting

Solo

Fathers

Mothers

Source: Pew Research Center – The Changing Profile of Unmarried Parents 1615 L St. NW, Suite 800 | Washington, DC 20036

Note: “Parents” are all U.S. parents living with at least one child younger than 18. Poverty is measured using the supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM).

@generalbaptist #gbministries

Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on the latest trends and research about the American religious beliefs.

General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018 | 45

“General Baptist Ministries exists to maximize Kingdom impact by starting, equipping and inspiring local churches to accomplish the Great Commission.”

Those old denominations

Three reasons for belonging: 1. Doing together what we cannot do alone.

No one church can accomplish individually what we accomplish collectively.

Can one church singlehandedly…

• Supervise the gathering of 42 churches in India?

• Undertake the management of an orphanage in Honduras?

• Plant a series of fast-growing, high-impact churches to reach thousands with the gospel?

• Guide the revitalization of hundreds of existing churches?

While no one church can undertake all these ministries singlehandedly, we do together what we cannot do alone!

2. We are not alone in the struggle. As part of a network of churches we are exposed to the help and encouragement needed to be more effective in our local ministries. Broad connections among and between General Baptists from different parts of the nation and different parts of the world provide a synergy of effort and a keen reassurance that we are not alone in the struggle.

3. A denomination offers services and programs.

• Conferences and events offered at very modest costs and in convenient locations.

• Consultation services customized to our denominational settings.

• Missionary presence to assist local ministries to more effectively reach the world.

• Church Planter connections to impact the course of our nation.

• Construction and expansion loans.

For more information visit: www.GeneralBaptist.com.

46 | General Baptist Messenger Summer 2018

Unified GIVING ... . doing together what we cannot do alone

U N I T E D S TAT E S • H O N D U R A S • J A M A I C A • I N D I A • P H I L I P P I N E S • S A I PA N • G U A M • M E X I C O • N I G E R

Since 1823, General Baptists have been growing our ministry here in the United States, continually trying to reach new people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Since 1911, we have been sending missionaries overseas, to go where many of us will never go, to reach people groups many of us will never meet.

This global ministry is only made possible through generous financial support from General Baptist churches and individuals. The Unified Giving Fund was created to organize this support and give where it was most needed. We can plant new churches because of Unified Giving. We can send missionaries to new countries because of Unified Giving. We can aid in relief efforts because of Unified Giving.

And people are being won to Christ because of YOUR gifts to Unified Giving.

General Baptist Ministries 100 Stinson Dr. | Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 573.785.7746 | www.GeneralBaptist.com

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