Messenger Winter 2021-22

Issue No. 33 | Winter 2021

W W W.G E N E R ALBAP TI S T.CO M

As your church starts to adjust to the new normal we find ourselves in, Stinson Press is here to help with your discipleship needs. Our General Baptist ABC quarterly is a quality publication written specifically for General Baptist’s, by General Baptists. We also offer several popular lines of literature. We can combine all your literature orders saving your shipping costs and the hassle of dealing with multiple vendors. For more information call: (573) 686-6011

CONTENTS No. 33 • Winter 2021

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We Exist For The Church!

General Baptist President, Danny Dunivan, casts the vision of who we are as General Baptist Ministries.

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ELIC: Teaching Internationally

Our partnership with ELIC allows General Baptists to teach and serve overseas and gain tremendous experience.

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Giving For Church Revitalization

Did you know? If your church is a Unified Giving partner, then you are making Church Revitalization possible!

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On the Cover

General Baptist Ministries is called by God to exist for the church. Churches do not exist to help us, we exist for them. Therefore, we are all about the church! This is a summary of the mission of General Baptist Ministries.

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The GB-12 Pilot Project

General Baptist Ministries has launched a new pilot program in partnership with Intentional Churches to help lead them to fulfill the Great Commission more effectively.

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CONTENTS 5 We Exist for the Church!

7 Giving for Church Revitalization 8 Can Anything Good Come from the Hood 12 Mission One: Gearing Up

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16 Joy! Interrupting Poverty

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20 The Harvest in Marlow, OK 23 Retirement or Not 24 Learning to Multiply 29 ELIC: Teaching Internationally 32 Creating a Legacy 33 The GB-12 Pilot Project 36 How Heavy is your Job?

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The General Baptist Messenger is published by General Baptist Ministries (General Baptist Council of Associations, Inc), under the direction of an editorial team composed of the denominational leadership team, and the President of General Baptist Ministries.

CONTACT GENERAL BAPTIST MINISTRIES: 100 Stinson Drive | Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 573.785.7746 Send mailing list updates attention: info@gbmessenger.org VIEW THE MESSENGER ONLINE AT WWW.GBMESSENGER.ORG

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EDITORIAL TEAM:

Danny Dunivan Mark Powell Linda McDonough Vince Daniel Vicki Smith LAYOUT & DESIGN:

Stinson Press - Kenrick Nobles General Baptist Ministries

WE EXIST FOR THE CHURCH!

THE PRESIDENT'S PAGE

y n n a D univan D BY

God has called General Baptist Ministries to exist for the church.

We do not exist so that churches can support us. We exist to make it possible for the local church to fulfill the Great Commission. The role of the national organization is not to make disciples. We exist so that the local church can do that work more effectively. Whether we come alongside a church to help them make a bigger impact in their community or give them the ability to extend their ministry to other communities in the US and around the world, our God-given core purpose is to be for churches. Full stop.

We do this by inspiring and equipping churches to make disciples through strategically focusing on developing leaders, engaging with churches, and doing missions. Everything else is a distraction!

The focus on multiplying the local church's ministry is not a new focus or an accident of our time. We have always been passionate about this common mission! We are loyal to our organization because we believe the mission is worth it! We give ourselves to serve one another because we believe that we can do more together than we could alone. Any time we have strayed from these shared values, we have violated our identity.

Even our doctrinal convictions are a product of these values! We believe that making disciples of all nations means that all people are the object of our mission. Christ died for all, and we are sent to share this good news with all. We have believed that the scope of such a venture requires us to work together.

Despite our shared mission, values, and beliefs, sometimes we have failed to live them out as an organization, as individuals, or as churches. We have sometimes focused on the wrong things and decided that we can do more alone than together. This also is not new! Recently while looking through some older materials developed by different General Baptist ministries before I was born, we discovered conversations about mistrust or failures to cooperate that sound as they could be from last week. Even as far back as the late 1800s, I have read people decrying our failure to partner and were exasperated because the common mission was so clear!

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I am particularly excited to announce that we will begin a weekly podcast starting in January 2022!

Our future together is bright insofar as we can leverage our partnership around our shared mission and values! Moving forward, we will continue to focus on how our working together makes us better. I will champion engagement with our churches and lead so that the mission is clearly at the fore, and we will be transparent in the way we operate to accomplish the mission.

We are in a moment of organizational transition that will see new ministries launched in the upcoming months. Regional Ministries will focus on more profound engagement with our churches. Church Revitalization will come alongside churches to help them become healthier. As I write this article, we are searching for vice presidents for these two ministries. I ask that you join me in praying for the right leaders to help us!

Even our existing ministry structures are refocusing to make sure that we are for churches. The budget structure is shifting so that it will be even more clear that we are one organization focused on this one mission. We do not want to be a collection of individual ministries or departments. Still, we want to remove the silos that separate our ministries to focus on what is most important. In many ways, the previous budget configuration and ministry allocations were a continuing vestige of the board structure prior to the reorganization from the 1990s. I have heard a lot of talk about the current restructure as a return to the old board model. Nothing could be further from the truth. The former structure was a relatively loose collection of ministries unified through sharing of a resource pot (the Unified Budget, to use the older language). We are now a unified organization with a singular vision, and our resources will be leveraged to fulfill the overall mission rather than that of individual departments. As a result, the budget now represents a plan for how the one organization will operate.

In the next few months, we will be placing primary emphasis on engagement.

We believe that we cannot do more together unless we are actively involved. As a result, you will see a focus on continued engagement with churches through intentional connections and invitations to partnership. We are also working on revamping our communications and branding to connect more effectively with as many General Baptists as possible. I am particularly excited to announce that we will begin a weekly podcast starting in January 2022!

General Baptist Ministries will continue to strive to be for the church, but I also want to ask you to be a faithful partner in our common work. There are so many ways that you can do that! Come to a regional event. Pray for members of our Council of Associations. Invite me to come to your church. Participate in Unified Giving. Attend the Summit. Support a missionary or church planter. Be involved in your local association. Sponsor a child at Faith Home. All of these and myriad other options are ways to fulfill the commission Jesus left with his disciples.

In this edition of the Messenger, you will find expressions of how we are working together to do more than any one church could do alone. I hope that you will also see opportunities for deepening our partnerships that the Great Commission may be accomplished through you and your local church!

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GIVING FOR

CHURCH REVITALIZATION The mission of General Baptist Ministries is to be for the church. A meaningful way that we are seeking to fulfill that call is through the launch of a new ministry in 2022 called Church Revitalization. The new ministry will focus on developing healthy leaders and healthy churches. In 2021, a pilot program was started to explore precisely this kind of focus (see the article in this Messenger on the GB-12 project).

Church leaders and churches themselves have had a difficult two years. Many of the trends of church decline and leadership shortages that were on the horizon in 2019 were accelerated through 2020 and 2021.

Now more than ever, we must concentrate on developing healthy leaders and revitalizing struggling churches.

Now is the perfect time for us to be doing this work together!

If your church is a Unified Giving partner, then you are making Church Revitalization possible. Unified Giving provides the funds for staff and programming for Church Revitalization and our other ministry departments. Because of our faithful partners in 2021, we can start this new ministry in 2022. Your faithfulness impacts other churches across the country and around the world!

If your church is not a Unified Giving partner, get involved! We want you to participate so that your church can fulfill its mission through our work together. Even the smallest donation makes an impact!

You can give online at generalbaptist.com/donate or by mail at: General Baptist Ministries 100 Stinson Drive Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 Let’s do together what we cannot do alone!

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CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME FROM THE HOOD?

By Steve Perry National Missions Church Planter

I was born in Detroit, Michigan, during the 1980s, when the crack cocaine epidemic took place. My grandfather was a drug dealer, my mother and father were selling drugs as well. They were also drug users. The 1990s was when the police got more involved, and I watched many of my family members very close to me, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends were either locked up or die from the lifestyle. Thanks to Nancy Reagan's campaign on "Say No" to drugs. I had a tangible reality on why to say "NO" to drugs. We lived in poverty; we had so many roaches that there had to be at least 3 Kingdoms of them, and on top of that, they were fighting wars.

It was just a sad situation. I knew as a child that for me not to die or get caught on drugs that I had to do something different. In August of 1990, I was seven years old, and one Saturday evening, I asked my mother if my brother and I could go to church. She allowed us to go to church. We had never gone to church, so we wore a white shirt, black pants, and white gym socks. I also wore a belt for a tie. We went to church, and I heard a gospel that Sunday so simple and with so much energy that I had to give my life to Christ. I was compelled in a church service that I needed a Savior. I needed a person that could change the direction I could have gone because of the examples I had around me.

I often ask myself what would have happened if that church was not in that community. Would I have tried Islam if it was there? If Hebrew Israelites were there, would I have made that choice? Why didn't I join a gang? After all, that's what young inner-city boys do when they have no guidance. What would my life be like if there was no Gospelbased church in that neighborhood? Maybe I would not have received God. When we started gathering our core group, all I had in mind was, "How could I reach a kid or an adult within this context that would be a follower of Jesus Christ."

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There are a lot of conversations about gentrification in Detroit. Alongside that are church plants that are trying to reach the "Gentrified." All the resources are to that group of people. If we can just keep it real, dealing with that demographic is much easier. You have people who have cars, have decent jobs, are most likely married or come from a household with two parents, and have skills to help these churches with technology.

In most cases, they may not have to provide the essentials for people. Detroit, for many decades, has gotten a whole lot of negative press. Here are some humbling realities in the neighborhood where we are planting. The median gross income is $20,000 per year. As a result, after people pay their bills, they don't have much for savings. You may as well forget about solid marriages. Single-parent homes are

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at a very high percentage rate. It's difficult to establish good and solid homes.

The Lord has blessed me. I’ve never been to jail, never done drugs, don’t struggle with alcoholism because of Jesus. Everybody is trying to figure out how to change the Urban cities in America. Money can't change habits. Changing your sexuality doesn't make you feel better.

Being an independent woman doesn't make your life easier.

Jesus can change people's lives and cause their hearts to be pricked and want to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

We started Word Encounter Church (WE Church) because we know Urban City Detroit not only needs help with housing, food, clothing, and education, but Urban America needs Jesus. Word Encounter Church is a disciple-based church that

is looking to develop disciples that will make other disciples. People that want change in their personal lives but care about the lives of their friends and family members. Our Savior doesn't only change people's lives from an event perspective; he saves lives from a process perspective (sanctification). Salvation is the event but, sanctification is the process. We have a strategy to create these opportunities.

Our outreaches have been more about developing community credibility, especially since many churches are more inward-focused than outward-focused. Our outreaches give us opportunities to connect with the community. We then take that information and just build credibility through consistent contacts. If we meet somebody personally, we develop a friendship, and from there it goes on.

On September the 18th, we had an opportunity to minister to nearly 600 people in our recent outreach. We gave away 300 boxes of food, clothing, about $10,000.00 worth of toys, 200 Backpacks, and much more. We collected nearly 400 names and numbers that give us access to people and continue to build relationships. We THANK GOD for the continued support of General Baptists and National Missions.

We do need your help, though. We need you to keep us on your prayer list. Pray for my wife and me as this journey requires much faith and character. Secondly, we need helpers, and this is a great task. We need help with the many endeavors from people that may have building skills to administrative gift. Lastly, this is an innercity ministry, and on average, it takes 7 to 10 years to establish because the financial support isn't there.

If you feel the lead of the Lord to support this work in that way, we need your help. Last but not least, there is a whole lot that tends to go on in the inner city. Will we continue to sit on the sideline or get on the field and actively participate? My question for you is whether we will continue to sit on the sideline or get in the field and actively participate.

• Pastor Stephen & Samantha Perry

We need you to keep us on your prayer list. Pray for my wife and me as this journey requires much faith and character.

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MISSION ONE:

GEARING UP

By Dr. Jim Pratt

Since March of 2020, the Mission One program has, to a large extent, been in a holding pattern. While the needs at our international locations are more significant than ever, we have been unable to send mission teams due to travel restrictions. In the past 18 months, we have only sent two small teams; one to Honduras and one to Mexico.

During this waiting period, we have developed stateside mission trip opportunities. In the fall of 2020, a small team traveled to Gainesville, Missouri, to assist Real Life Gainesville Church with getting their facility ready for its grand opening. In July 2021, a student team of 20 individuals from Agee Fellowship Church in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, traveled to St. Louis, Missouri, to assist the Westside General Baptist Church in community outreach to homes damaged from storms in the area surrounding the church. The team also helped at a local shelter.

Again, we are gearing up to offer mission teams, interns, and short-term missionaries to serve in Guam, Honduras, Mexico, India, Jamaica, the Philippines, Saipan, and West Africa. In addition, we will offer multi-cultural opportunities stateside and opportunities to be involved in disaster response at various locations.

We are planning to have a full schedule of teams in 2022. As early as January 2022, we hope to send a medical mission team to West Africa to assist the Yeomans in community outreach. Plans are also in preparation to send teams to Honduras in February 2022.

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Other medical mission teams, construction, servant evangelism, and leadership development teams will be scheduled for our international locations. We are also planning stateside teams for 2022.

The Mission One program exists to provide support and aid to our missionaries and nationals working in our different fields.

Our program offers opportunities for individuals to participate as members of mission teams, as interns, and as short-term • Church in Honduras. missionaries.

Our teams are as diverse as the people who participate in them. Some are highly professional, such as our medical teams, which provide dental, optical, physical, auditory, and medical help. Other teams offer

construction expertise, educational training, servant evangelism, and leadership development.

Our internship program is available to upper-level high school students and college-age students. Our interns usually serve from two to eight weeks in one of our international fields. The internship responsibilities depend upon the location and the needs as presented by the missionaries and national workers. In many cases, college credit is available.

Short-term opportunities are available to adult individuals at each of our international locations. Our short-term missionaries usually serve from two weeks to one year.

The responsibilities depend upon the skill set of the short-term missionaries as we as the needs of the field location.

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Short-term mission involvement is an incredible way to promote global outreach. They are also a fantastic opportunity to minister to the needs of others and to draw closer to Christ.

However, if you go on a mission trip with the wrong motive or motivation, you can cause harm to yourself and the people you are attempting to help.

There are four reasons not to go on a mission trip. First, you want to save the world. Some people go on a mission trip believing they can put on a superhero cape and personally solve every problem they encounter.

Jesus is the answer to any and every problem in the world. Our job is to point people to the Savior. We are not the savior.

Second, you are doing something for the locals they can do themselves.

We should not be guilty of damaging the ongoing development of the groups we serve. We must work alongside the ones we are assisting. We must harness the power of the local community.

Third, you want quick and easy results. What you accomplish in a few days on a mission trip can have an eternal impact if you do not look for immediate results. Beginning and nurturing a work led by local believers is the best option.

Fourth, you are just checking off a spiritual box. Going to the mission field with the right motivation will ensure this is a good investment of your time. Make the most of your mission trip by putting aside your plans and expectations. Ask God to work in and through you to accomplish His purpose.

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Among the many reasons you may want to go on a mission trip, there are at least five that stand out above all others. First the Gospel will take on more meaning to you that it ever has before since you will encounter Christians who are truly going through times of persecution and trials.

You will find their faith truly infectious and compelling, making your faith become more authentic.

As Americans, we are spoiled to so many comforts of life. Such materialism finds little place in most of the developing world. The scriptural discipline of simplicity will become more real that it perhaps ever has before in your life.

Together the first two will have a tremendous impact on your worldview. It will expand in ways that will absolutely surprise you. This expansion of your worldview will also have incredible impact on your prayer life as you begin to see the world through the eyes of others.

The challenges of observing the lives of fellow Christians around the world will deepen your faith as well - put simply your faith will grow as a result. You will find yourself challenged to exercise your faith in ways you may have never considered simply because American conveniences are not readily available.

And fifth you may be surprised at how God begins to work through your experience to solidify a call on your life. General Baptist Global Missions three newest missionary families begin their pursuit of fulfilling their call to missions by participating on mission teams.

I sincerely believe that if you want your life to be forever changed, if you are serious about your walk with God, if you're going to encounter God, then participate on a mission trip.

Contact me at jim.pratt@generalbaptist.com to schedule or participate in a Mission One trip.

(Above Clockwise from Top) • MVP team worshiping in Honduras • Pastoral Families, Mexico • Children's Program, Honduras

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JOY!

INTERRUPTING POVERTY

By Sarah Capehart

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Inspiring and Empowering Women to Find Their God-potential.

General Baptists are one organization. We are all one church. Women’s Ministries is one integral part of that organization. We strive daily to make sure that all activities support our mission statement and that we work alongside the women’s groups and churches to give them the tools to fulfill the Great Commission. We exist to support women’s groups and churches to make them aware of how they can support missions through various opportunities.

Alegria is one of those opportunities. Read how God has used Sarah Capehart to support Faith Home in Honduras.

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In the beginning, well, maybe let's not go back that far! Let's start with 2020; hmm, perhaps that's not the best start either. Ok – 1998. Randy and I had just become new parents, and at the same time, a new adventure was just getting started on a mountainside in Honduras. Brand new grandparents, David and Martha Kelle (my parents), raised support, learned Spanish, and prepared to open Faith Home. That was undoubtedly a year of faith and trusting God and taking Him at His faithful Word!

The following years were full of pictures of precious young ones (our two daughters and the beautiful new family of Faith Home) going back and forth in letters and being rejoiced over at dinner tables on those all so wonderful trips for my parents to visit us back in the US. I met Erika and her siblings and quiet little Elizabeth as my mom and dad would tell us about them. They spoke about their progress, antics, health scares, and how joy returned to their lives through the faithful support of General Baptists and Faith Home.

2004, Fort Branch GB church announced their team trip to Honduras. We began to make plans and preparations – all 4 of us spent our first week out of the country and saw firsthand the blessing of this little mountainside gem and how God worked mightily to restore lives and raise mighty men and women in this gorgeous country. Both of my daughters have traveled back to Faith Home with their grandparents during high school. Honduras is indeed woven in the fabric of the Capehart family.

And now, back to 2020. From February 17th, 1998, until 2020, I had been a successful rep with Premier Designs, selling jewelry and growing a team. That miracle, along with piano lessons, allowed me to work from home through my girls' entire childhood. But on December 1st, on an afternoon webinar, the leadership was told Premier would be permanently closing on December 31st. I had just lost my job of 23 years. My full-time job, in the middle of a pandemic. And precisely four weeks later, the Monday after Christmas, my husband's job was eliminated too. But we knew God was faithful, and in this storm, He still had us in His hands.

That dark December afternoon started a period of

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mourning and earnest prayer for the protection and guidance of God. As I weighed options, I had to pivot and think about going back to my OCU degree. Could I teach piano lessons? Should I look for a teaching job?

It's a pandemic. And God gave me 88 Pink Keys Virtual Piano Studio. I would teach over Zoom to keep students and myself safe. (Little did I know, parents would LOVE not having to drive their students to my house once a week, and it also works out great when you get stuck in Honduras for two extra weeks. Covid positive.) I started the year with 21 piano students – Thank you, God! God, is this it? Back to a job I had when I was a teenager and in my 20s? I will do it, but is there something you want to do with Premier's 23 years of

(Clockwise from Top) • Elizabeth and Erika-Alegria Artisans • Alegria Artisans and their children • Elizabeth Oviendo and Odalin Garcia, Alegria Manager • Alegria Artisans at work • Alegria Artisans and Sarah Capehart-Founder of Alegria

training and leadership? So I kept praying. In fact, in the middle of the night, crying the loss of my Premier career and family, I begged God to use that for his glory.

And a still little voice interrupted the darkness, "Start your own jewelry company. Hire the women from Faith Home." I composed two emails and discovered neither the president of Premier nor my dad was sleeping either.

So, by 10 am, I had connections made for phone calls with Vicki Smith and a plane ticket to go to Texas to work with the jewelry designer at Premier before they closed. Praise God for technology, as I soon had a conversation about Alegria with Odalin over Facebook messenger. She took the leap of faith and joined me part-time in January, then left her full-time job in

June to work for Alegria full-time.

I could tell you so many details about the hand of God and all the miracles He has worked out to bring about Alegria (which means Joy in Spanish). About the connection with Odalin, our full-time manager and jewelry artisan. About Erika and Elizabeth, our founding artisans who will also soon be full-time. But you might have to let me share that with your women’s ministry group.

Alegria means JOY! Creating safe, living wage jobs that employ women who grew up at Faith Home children’s home in Honduras. Interrupting poverty by empowering women to handcraft joyful jewelry! Read more and shop at: AlegriaAccessories.com

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THE

HARVEST in MARLOW, OKLAHOMA

By James Mitchell – Church Planter

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If you've ever been excited to watch a shuttle or rocket launch, you know sometimes there is a delay.

That is just what we've experienced. In mid-September, my wife and I both tested positive for COVID. Our quarantine covered the date of our launch. It was hard, but we knew we had to decide to delay. What we have learned through the process is nothing short of amazing.

Our team is ready, still growing, and eager to lead. On the date which should have been our launch, September 26, our worship team, recovery ministry team, and greeters wanted to go ahead and meet, even

though their pastor was home. By the afternoon, we had a team brimming with confidence in their roles, contacts from first-time visitors that Sunday, a hunger to see God "add to our number," and a passion for people far from God. It's time to lean into our strengths and work on the weak areas. We have already begun the process of acknowledging what we do well and showcasing it. The flip side is seeing where we are weak and finding out ways to right the ship. Our student ministry is thriving, with many of the teenagers who attend Wednesdays coming from homes where parents do not attend church yet. We have chosen to use the word "yet" deliberately.

We hope that Christ at work in the lives of these young people will be the catalyst to bring entire families to saving faith in Jesus.

Lastly, our family has seen we are genuinely not alone in this desire to reach Marlow and Northern Stephens County. I am delighted, proud, and excited about the future of the Harvest Church because it's not a Mitchell family project. It is God at work in the lives of believers, new and seasoned, with a passion for reaching the "nones and dones," as we put it. ‘Nones’ are people who traditionally have had nothing to do with church.

‘Dones’ are people who have given up on attending church or decided to ‘never go back.’

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potential to be our permanent location for the next 5 to 10 years. The land here has gotten expensive over the last year, and the opportunity to purchase a building is more financially feasible than a land purchase with the intent to build. Pray our leadership team has wisdom and that God will provide when the time comes to move forward.

Our pastor and his family

A FEW PRAYER REQUESTS: Our prospects We have daily new conversations and connections with people who are either ready to get back in church or have seen or heard our marketing and social media posts. Pray that these contacts become conversations and that the habit of non-church attendance will be broken by a desire to draw closer to God.

Our team We have every leadership role fulfilled. Several leaders are still training and learning their positions, but we need more people to fill out the individual parts in ministry areas. Pray we don't get tired because of the nature of dual roles. Most Sundays, what we need most is strength and perspective.

Our new ministry opportunity We started a recovery ministry in October that meets weekly. We have been blessed with some excellent coordinators with a heart to reach people who are often overlooked.

Our location While we have a location at a busy intersection in Marlow, we can only use the facility 8 hours a week and must set up and tear down every time we meet.

Weekly setup is typical for church plants, but we have an opportunity to look at a couple of spaces with the

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As I write this myself, during "Pastor Appreciation Month," I am reminded of how much I genuinely need prayer from the sheer temptation not to ask for it. If you would pray for us, start praying for your pastor and add us to the list. Church Planting is tough. We have been tempted to give up. Every time, God has already directed something into our path to remind us how He has been working on our behalf and where He is leading us!

Our prayer and financial partners Please pray a blessing on those who are blessing us daily with their prayers and monthly with their support.

Please pray that more will answer the call to help us launch, The Harvest Church.

If you'd like more information about the church.

If you'd like to join our partnership team, reach out to us via our website: www.theharvestmarlow.com/#connect Follow us on social media and take the time to view, like and share our posts: Facebook: /HarvestChurchMarlow Instagram: /theharvestok @theharvestok Please keep The Harvest Church in your prayers, and we hope to hear from you soon.

James Mitchell Pastor, The Harvest Church

RETIREMENT OR NOT

By Ron Black, Former Executive Director

I have been blessed! My first student pastorate, while attending OCU, was at Mt. Olive General Baptist Church in Cato, Indiana.

To my surprise, this smaller country church participated in the General Baptist Pension Trust for their pastors. As a student, you can imagine that I wasn’t thinking much about retirement at that time.

Seven years later, with both Bachelor’s and Master of Divinity degrees, I was called to serve as pastor of the Ft. Branch General Baptist Church in Ft. Branch, Indiana. As a soon “father to be,” I was beginning to think more about financial responsibilities to my family.

The Ft. Branch Church again provided the opportunity to be in the General Baptist Pension Trust!

Following some wonderful years of church ministry, I served General Baptists as Stewardship Director and the Executive Director. Again I participated in the General Baptist Pension Trust. I chose to give more of my salary, increasing the retirement benefit.

When retiring, the General Baptist Pension Trust provided Sandy and me the blessing of being financially comfortable in retirement.

I believe every General Baptist employer is responsible to those who serve them to help provide for retirement! It is really a stewardship matter!

I do not believe God is honored when those who work under the larger umbrella of the church retire and have little on which to live. God is glorified when the church takes its responsibility seriously as an employer and enrolls its employees in the General Baptist Pension Trust.

Retirement or not? Retirement with dignity or not? General Baptists have provided a way for our people to retire with dignity. Talk to our General Baptist Pension Trust representative about a plan to provide retirement for those serving our ministries.

• Dr. Ron Black

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• Inside Out Keynote Speaker Rebekah Lyon

LEARNING TO MULTIPLY Vicki Smith, Executive Director of Women's Ministries

If you attended the Summit, you heard on numerous occasions that we are one organization with a singular mission. We are one church. We must be clear and remain clear on who we are, how we act, and what we do. Women's Ministries is one part of that church, with each ministry doing what they can do to equip the churches to fulfill the Great Commission.

The churches do not exist to support Women's Ministries. We exist to support the local church and the women in those churches regarding missions and making disciples of women.

I began to evaluate what we were doing as an organization and if Women's Ministries was doing all they could to inspire and equip. To be the most effective, the organization needed to multiply.

For the past two and a half years, I have had the opportunity to serve on the Restructure Task Force.

The Council of Associations appointed this task force, and our assignment was to formulate a restructuring plan for the denomination. As we began to work through various models and began to think about our goal, we realized that, in essence, we needed to multiply

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and establish connections across the denomination, thus empowering churches to fulfill the Great Commission.

From these conversations came the region director's model.

As a result of those conversations and that plan, it was precisely what Women's Ministries needed to do.

We needed to multiply to equip our women's groups and churches to fulfill the Great Commission, pouring into the church or, in this case, the General Baptist movement.

On January 1 of this year, Women's Ministries implemented a region plan. The plan is designed to complement the Restructure Task Force. It only made sense to pattern our plan after the RTF plan. Women and the churches would be familiar with the idea. It would be an easy transfer of organization, and it would be a good indicator of how successful the region plan would be for the denomination.

One of my goals, when I became director of Women's Ministries, was to make myself more visible in the churches and among the groups. I soon learned that this was an overwhelming task. The required amount

I N S PI R I N G A N D E Q U I P PI N G W O M E N T O F I N D T H E I R G O D - P O T E N T I A L

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of travel became hard to manage, and I soon found that I could only spread myself so thin. However, I could see positive results from the personal contacts, so I knew that it was a crucial part of the ministry.

After approval from the women's board and the body of Women's Ministries groups, we were ready to begin.

The United States was divided into regions based on the areas that have existing General Baptist Churches.

Currently, we have the following regions: Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, California, Oklahoma/ Arkansas, and Tennessee/ Florida/Georgia. There were specific criteria that I knew were important for the region director position. They had to have boldness, love for missions, experience with Women's Ministries, and most importantly, they needed to be well known in their region and have contacts with the churches. In other words, they had to be people who

26 | General Baptist Messenger Winter 2021

knew people. Overwhelmingly each woman that I contacted supported the vision and wanted to serve in this compacity. I knew that the funding was not there to compensate them, so I was blessed to have these women step forward. Each had a heart for the ministry, and compensation was not part of the equation.

A restructure of the women's board was also part of the plan. Region directors now serve as board members, thus expanding the communication and cooperation to fulfill the region plan's purpose.

I am pleased to report that Women's Ministries has reaped several benefits from the hard work of the regional directors. There has been a real upswing in new groups forming. Since January, approximately 20 groups have formed. Several current women's groups have also restructured themselves. Several groups had been inactive for up to four years, and because of personal contact from one of the directors, they

have decided to support Women's Ministries again.

Communication was the key. They needed to know that we acknowledged they existed and were needed.

Many times, misinformation has been at the root of the problem.

Our goal for 2022 is to hold a women's event in each of our regions. Local women's events will serve to make each region stronger. Each event will be organized around a common theme and held during March, April, and May. Women's Ministries currently has a speaker's bureau comprised of women from all over the denomination who are gifted speakers and willing to share their gifts by speaking at the regional events.

Each one of these events will highlight our banner cause and receive a mission offering. Region events will promote our national event, Inside Out, held in the fall of each year. 2022 Inside Out will be September 30-October 1, with Connection Point Church as the host location in Jackson, Missouri.

As Women's Ministries, we need to be passionate about our shared mission and servants to the women's groups and local churches. Our goal through the region plan is three-fold: 1.) leadership development, 2.) engagement with women's groups and the churches, and 3.) missions. Our region plan has helped Women's Ministries to achieve these goals.

Women's Ministries region plan validates the idea that communication and personal contact makes a huge difference in the success of a ministry.

As was stated earlier, we are all part of one church, each serving in the role that God has gifted us in.

We must stay true to our purpose, thus encouraging women's groups to find their purpose and be involved in the local church.

WOMEN'S MINISTRIES REGION DIRECTORS

Bon n ie Rowe Missouri/Illinois

P au le tta Yarb rou g h Kentucky

Lori Th omp s on Indiana/Michigan

jean n ie Fish e r Oklahoma/Arkansas

Bre n d a N ash Oklahoma/Arkansas

e d d i Marie ju lian California

If you would like to know more about the Women's Ministries region plan or need information on how to contact your region director contact the Women's Ministries Office at 573-785-7747 or contact Vicki Smith, Director of Women's Ministries at 417-989-1426 or vicki. smith@generalbaptist.com.

amaN d a KN ight Tennessee/Florida/Georgia

General Baptist Messenger Winter 2021 | 27

Banner Cause WOMEN’S MINISTRY

FAITH HOME, HONDURAS

In 1998 God planted a v ision in the hearts of General Baptist to begin the m i n i s t r y w e k n o w a s Fa i t h H o m e .

I n Fe b r u a r y o f 1 9 9 9 Fa i t h H o m e received t heir f irst children. In t he past 22 years hundreds of children have b e n e f i t e d f r o m t h e Fa i t h H o m e M i n i s t r y.

Wo m e n ' s M i n i s t r i e s h a v e c h o s e n Fa i t h Home as t he banner cause for 2021.

Child sponsorships, education costs which include t uit ion, unifor ms and supplies as well as healt h expenses are a few of t he needs t hat we hope to be able to help w ith.

In 2021 all monies generated from the follow ing w ill go to suppor t t he Banner Cause: • Wo r l d D a y o f P r a y e r • Summit Of fer ing • Inside Out Of fer ing • A senat h Brewster Chr ist mas Of fer ing

SEND YOUR OFFERINGS TO: GENERAL BAPTIST WOMEN’S MINISTRIES | 100 STINSON DRIVE • POPLAR BLUFF, MISSOURI 63901

ELIC: TEACHING INTERNATIONALLY WITH INTEGRITY, PURPOSE, AND PASSION

By Mark Powell Global Missions has enjoyed a partnership with ELIC for many years. General Baptists have served with ELIC and gained tremendous experience as a result. ELIC offers both summer and longer-term missions opportunities.

Becky Coomer is an Oakland City University graduate and General Baptist pastors kid serving with ELIC for the last several years. Becky states, "Serving with ELIC has been a blessing. In a broken world, using your skills to meet people's education needs opens doors to the greater need of the good news!

I watch families go from fearful to knowing that I care for their children and them.

They, in turn, have let their children continue education, and now their kids are active members of our seeker studies!

Watching lives be transformed through ELIC has been amazing!"

ELIC proudly recruits, trains, and sends hundreds of people each year to teach longterm and short-term programs throughout Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Our long-standing partnerships with universities and governments around the globe open doors for us to make a profound and significant impact on students, colleagues, and neighbors. People come to ELIC from various backgrounds, including

engineering, executive leadership, sales, medicine, and education. Our comprehensive training prepares new teachers to be world-class educators and helps veteran teachers as they transition overseas. Ongoing professional development opportunities include yearly conferences, graduate certificate programs, master's degrees, and Ph.D. options.

We are honored to have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students. English is the business language of the world, and students from our classrooms use their skills to gain overseas jobs as well as earn positions of leadership in business, government, and virtually any other profession that they pursue. We are proud to connect ELIC teachers with future leaders where we serve.

In 1981, ELIC began a formal partnership with the Chinese government to start sending teams of teachers to join the faculty at universities throughout China. Since then, ELIC has sent thousands of teachers to more than a dozen countries in East Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Throughout our 38 years, we have had the privilege of providing services to our government and institutional partners, including placement and management of English

General Baptist Messenger Winter 2021 | 29

G E N E R A L

B A P T I S T

INVESTMENT FUND

n a s o L e l b a l i Ava TO EXPAND

t y r i M i n s r u Yo GENERAL BAPTIST INVESTMENT FUND, Inc.

100 Stinson Drive • Poplar Bluff, MO 63901

573-785-7746

Barbara Williams , TREASURER Trent Holcomb, PRESIDENT & CEO

SECURITY SINCE 1974

Interested in something longer? EQUIP is a remarkable opportunity to live and work overseas while gaining essential and valuable life skills.

During this experience, you will focus on the five core areas of growth that are the pillars of all programs within ELIC:

• Professional development • Working with a team • Leadership growth • Cross-cultural experience • Living intentionally

teachers, consulting, curriculum design and implementation, training, and refugee work. We are one of the most highly qualified educational companies globally, with more than 160 of our staff holding advanced degrees. ELIC is excited about the continued expansion into new cities and countries in the upcoming years as we establish unique partnerships and programs.

Engage is ELIC's summer program designed to provide you with opportunities to pour into students' lives from around the world by teaching conversational English.

Never taught before? That's okay! ELIC provides training and coaching to ensure you feel comfortable and confident before you ever step foot in the classroom.

Opportunities range anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks, and the experience can be utilized to fulfill an internship, practicum requirements, or just provide you with the opportunity to "engage" with students in a way that creates lifelong impact.

Are you ready to make an impact on the lives of students across the world? Join hundreds of ELIC teachers who are currently living and working around the globe. ELIC's University Teaching Program is a commitment of at least two years, which means you genuinely get to invest in your students and community abroad.

ELIC has opportunities for service in China, Mongolia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, and Iraq.

To learn more about ELIC and the opportunities afforded through them, visit elic.org or contact the Global Missions office. International teaching positions are available for summer and one-year opportunities.

ELIC's mobilization team stands ready to assist you with your interest in serving with ELIC. According to Collin Quigley, Senior Director of Mobilization, "This team is deeply passionate about equipping, encouraging, and sending amazing people on an incredible journey to participate in going to the nations. The men and women in the mobilization department serve wholeheartedly to ensure that YOU are equipped and empowered to accomplish the work you have been called to do."

You can find the contact information for ELIC at elic.org or by calling 800.366.3542.

General Baptist Messenger Winter 2021 | 31

CREATING A LEGACY

By Sharon Kissinger, Kissinger & Kirkman Investment Centre, LLC

GREETINGS FROM POPLAR BLUFF! Do you have a passion for Christ and wish you could fund ministries that reach people worldwide? YOU CAN! Through our own General Baptist Foundation, your tax-deductible charitable gift can create an endowment fund you design. You designate the ministry you want to support, then with the help of Linda McDonough, CFO of General Baptist Ministries, you determine how much money you want to give, when you wish to give, and how often.

You can give a lump sum annually (or more frequently), or if you wish, you can designate your gift to happen at the time of your death through your will or trust.

Giving in this manner, you will be creating a legacy that will live on forever.

Giving through the Foundation is an exciting and rewarding opportunity to further the ministry that is precious to you.

Please give Linda a call to gather more information so that you can begin this incredible ministry mission!

The General Baptist Foundation was established in 1984 to develop, receive, administer, and expend funds to benefit and carry out the purposes of the General Association of General Baptists. The Foundation is designed as a way to support multiple ministries with one gift.

Ministries currently benefitting from the Foundation are Global Missions, National Missions, Oakland City University, Camp Allen, Women’s Ministries, and other departments within the Council of Associations.

32 | General Baptist Messenger Winter 2021

AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support the denomination every time you shop, at no cost to you. AmazonSmile is available at smile.amazon. com on your web browser and can be activated in the Amazon Shopping app for iOS and Android phones. When you shop with AmazonSmile, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon. com, with the added benefit that AmazonSmile will donate .5% of your eligible purchases to the General Baptist Foundation, the General Association, or General Baptist Women’s Ministries.

Once you’ve selected the ministry you would like to support, Amazon will remember your choice and every eligible purchase that you make through AmazonSmile will result in a donation to them. AmazonSmile will occasionally contact you about donation amounts disbursed to your chosen ministry.

GB-12 TH E

PILOT PROJECT

T

hrough a partnership with Intentional Churches, we are piloting a church revitalization project with a select group of General Baptist churches. We hope that the GB-12 Initiative will provide opportunities for local churches to establish a Church Operating System (ChurchOS) that can lead them to fulfill the Great Commission more effectively.

The churches in the pilot project were selected using key metrics, including geographical location, average attendance, salvations, baptisms, and financial resources. The hope is to make the tools available for a wider audience of churches once there has been a “proof of concept” in some key demographics and contexts. In particular, a set of resources called the Activate Experience will be made available online to any General Baptist leader interested in implementing ChurchOS. Each church participating in the program kicks off their participation through a one-day strategic session (“install”), where a group of 6-12 church leaders joins the pastor(s) for a day of focus on their Great Commission Engine. After this initial install, the leadership of the church receives six months of coaching as they implement the system. This is called “Lap 1.” After this initial six months, another one-day strategy session takes place, and depending on progress, another six months of coaching. This is called “Lap 2.” All included, the coaching for the church would take place over 12 months (thus, GB-12).

Churches who go through this program will receive some practical equipping to mobilize the church to reach their community digitally and physically with increased Great Commission impact!

The first church to begin the GB-12 program was Well’s Chapel in southern Illinois. They met for their initial strategic one-day on August 21. Pastor Chris Vaught and Pastor Tyler Feller met with the church in an intense one-day, where they made plans to begin implementing the GB-12 program. On October 16, the Nixa General Baptist Church in Nixa, Missouri, was the second church to join the pilot program.

General Baptist Messenger Winter 2021 | 33

By Tyler Feller The sound of a rooster crowing woke me up, and I rolled out of bed excited for what was to come. After getting ready, I picked up my next-door neighbor, Jay, a fellow General Baptist pastor. Jesse ‘Jay’ Vineyard is the lead pastor of Well’s Chapel.

We took off, headed to the church for a day of strategic planning with 12 leaders from the congregation.

A few weeks prior, I led the staff and elders of Connection Point Church in Jackson, MO, through the same planning, and Jay was my guest. Dr. Chris Vaught, lead pastor of Connection Point, would return the favor and cross the Mississippi to help me coach and pray with Well’s Chapel as we lean into God’s future for the congregation.

It’s great having another General Baptist as a neighbor. We spend a lot of evenings talking about all the things we have nowhere or no one else to talk with about them. The local proximity helps because there

34 | General Baptist Messenger Winter 2021

is a greater level of familiarity with Southern Illinois cultural nuances.

When I first met Jay, he was pastoring Sims Congregational Christian Church, located 45 minutes north. After prayerful consideration, Jay made the tough decision to leave a church he had poured into for a decade.

Jay and his family began attending different churches in the region and finally began attending one of the larger ones in the area with an incredible story. God was sowing into Jay a new level of spiritual consciousness to achieve what was before him in the next season.

About four months before the pandemic shut churches down across the nation, Jay became the Well’s Chapel pastor. It was a small church of about 30-40 people but had weathered some difficult turbulence.

The church only remained intact because of the strength of its lay leaders.

After a particularly dry season, they looked for a pastor who could lead with vision and take them to

heights they didn’t think their church could accomplish.

Next, Jay instructs me to take a right turn. I thought it was a driveway, but it was a 6 mile stretch of a onelane road that led to a beautiful brick church. Dr. Chris Vaught called it an ‘oasis of hope’ amidst endless rows of cornfields.

It’s a new building. Local officials condemned the previous facility. If they hadn’t relocated, the church would no longer exist. They bought a piece of property adjacent to their facility and constructed a new beautiful building.

One in five churches in America closed down permanently during the pandemic. Some statisticians say another fifth will soon close their doors. Despite their remote location and turbulent past, the church has doubled since Jay became the lead pastor. Most weeks, the average attendance is now over 100. The future is bright for Well’s Chapel.

We spent 10 hours looking at their history, assessing their current realities, and praying for what would come in the next twelve months.

During the implementation of the GB-12 Program, Dr. Chris Vaught will work with Jay several hours a month, coaching him and Well’s Chapel to execute two significant initiatives.

• First, Well’s Chapel will redesign several aspects of its ministry around their “one.” Someone they have nicknamed Luke Duke. The “one” refers to the target audience of Well’s Chapel, the type of person the church is reaching out to in the local community.

• Next, the church will emphasize expanding its small group ministry so as the church grows, everyone can have a place to land.

Well’s Chapel is the first church of several that will be participating in the GB-12 Pilot Program. This program is designed to help engage churches to further their Great Commission output.

The Mt. Olivet Association is participating in a very similar program called Ready Set Grow. You can learn more at www.growmychurch.org

General Baptist Messenger Winter 2021 | 35

HOW HEAVY IS YOUR JOB?

THOUGHTS FOR THE BURNOUT PASTOR

by Brian Burris

...in my experience, pastoral burnout can look more like low-grade depression or generalized anxiety prolonged enough to make a leader just want to quit whatever they are doing...

36 | General Baptist Messenger Winter 2021

Have you had those days that begin with dread the moment you open your eyes? You know, you're just coming into consciousness after a fitful night of sleep. It begins to dawn on you that it's a workday, and you'll need to be in the office today. Or, worse yet, it's a Sunday, and you have to be in front of the entire congregation smiling and sharing the word of God. Several things could be happening in your life to create this dread. Today, I want to talk about pastoral burnout as one of those possibilities.

Often when we hear about pastoral burnout, we think of the pastor who falls publicly from grace, as the leader caught in adultery, or when a crippling addiction has been revealed or even the pastor who dies by suicide.

I would suggest that all these things are symptoms of burnout but don't fully represent all that happens when a leader undergoes the pain and frustration of burnout.

More commonly, in my experience, pastoral burnout can look more like low-grade depression or generalized anxiety prolonged enough to make a leader just want to quit whatever they are doing and live in a cabin in the woods.

Pastoring a church is unlike any other job. Whether you are a lead pastor, executive pastor, associate pastor, youth pastor, etc., if you have "pastor" in your title, this job takes on a weight different than any other occupation. On a day-to-day basis, you are called to the incredible highs of being witness to spiritual growth in those you serve, to the gut-wrenching loss of beloved members of the congregation. This work never fits in a neat 40-hour workweek, and you may rarely be recognized for the hours you put into sermon prep, discipleship, or maintenance on the church property.

Don't let me complain too much; I do love being a pastor. There are days, weeks, months that I would not trade for anything. We love what we do. We love those we serve. We answer to a higher calling. We are trained and experienced to do what we do. The contrast is that there are seasons when even the best of us feel like we could walk away and give it up at a moment's notice.

Partly this is the human condition. In every profession, leaders at the top level are burning out and walking away from time-demanding jobs and have high expectations of performance. In addition to this, pastor, the devil is coming for you. As you know, he would love to see you fail and drag an armful of people away with you. The pressure you feel is real, it's not a figment of your imagination, and it will not go away after a bit of time.

Throughout the Bible, we see giants of faith having moments in their lives where they faced some sort of burnout moment. 1 Samuel 30 tells of the raid of Ziklag while David's army was away. The real meat of the story is found in 1 Samuel 30:6a. It says," David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him;

each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters." Can you imagine the amount of stress David must have been under as he and his army see from far off that there are billows of smoke rising from Ziklag?

Can you imagine the utter failure David must have felt as he arrived at the town and found no one there? All of their families were missing, their possessions were gone, the herds of animals were nowhere to be found.

All of this devastation was landing on the shoulders of David. As a result, David's men wanted to stone him.

They were angry, hurt beyond description, and wanted someone to pay for their loss.

In 1 Kings, Elijah runs into the desert for a full day to escape Jezebel, who has vowed to kill him. 1 Kings 19:3 3 Elijah was afraid when he got her message, and he ran to the town of Beersheba in Judah. He left his servant there, 4 then walked another whole day into the desert. Finally, he came to a large bush and sat down in its shade. He begged the Lord, "I've had enough. Just let me die! I'm no better off than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down in the shade and fell asleep.

We all know the story of how Peter denied Christ

General Baptist Messenger Winter 2021 | 37

three times but then was restored by Christ after his resurrection. What is interesting to me is that after Christ is crucified, Peter goes back to fishing. It may be that he genuinely resigned himself to "less than" and struggled with the thought of "how can I go back to ministry after what I've said?" That's a genuine question for many who have fallen away in their burnout moments.

It seems that the more profound/healing question is, "How do I balance the attacks from the evil one and the frustration that can come with leading people, with the glorious work of leading someone closer to the Lord?

That's not an easy question to answer. The root of the answer is based on the work that we do. This is work that the Evil One does not want to be started or completed. As a pastor, you have a target on your back and will suffer the slings and arrows of the evil one, so there is no easy answer to this question. Some of us lose battles with burnout because we look at ourselves more than we look to Christ. Some of us lose battles with burnout because we lose faith in our prayers. Some of us lose the battle with burnout because our doubts get more time in our heads than our faith; others lose the battle with burnout because we are human.

So, what do burnout symptoms look like? At the top of the list is exhaustion and fatigue combined with irritability, negativity, and feelings of inadequacy.

These symptoms may create reduced productivity in your life, as well as reduced empathy for the people you serve. As a result, you may feel isolated. At this point, relationship problems and withdrawal from relationships may be developing. Finally, there are physical symptoms, including chronic headaches, upset stomach, and poor blood pressure. All this could lead to mental health issues, including depression and anxiety.

We're not painting a pretty picture here, but you already know that if you are dealing with burnout.

Regardless of the reasons, there are things that we can do to guard ourselves against burnout and some things we can do if we find ourselves going through burnout.

For my time and money, the healing begins and ends with prayer. These aren't necessarily "Sunday

38 38 | General Baptist Messenger Winter 2021

morning prayers." The prayer that walks with you through burnout is guttural and primal. It may not be a prayer uttered with words and phrases, but a prayer communicated from your heart to God's heart. It should be a prayer unfiltered from the pain and anguish you are mired within. Your prayer should be a constant prayer that is uttered alongside the pain and frustration of burnout. Eventually, it will become the prayer that is spoken in contrast to burnout. Finally, it will be the prayer of praise as you overcome the burnout. It can't just be one prayer on one day.

Next, remember that none of us should be doing ministry alone. God didn't create us to be loners, nor did He design His church in such a way that we don't need each other. It's just the opposite. I have to ask, "how are your relationships?" Outside of prayer, the next thing that will pull you through your burnout is the intentional development of some key relationships in your life.

To begin with, does your spouse know what you are going through? More specifically, have you told your spouse what you are going through (they likely know something is up and are waiting for you to open up).

Your spouse is the first person you need to tell.

Also, do you have a group of accountability friends?

These are other pastors who you can confide in about your struggle. People who will listen when you need an

ear to bend and correct you when you are off the path.

Do you have a group of friends that you can hang out with, people you are not leading, people who share your interests? Do you have people you can laugh with and not have any expectations or demands? They are your tribe, and they can refresh your soul just by being in their presence.

The final relationship to consider is one with a therapist. You may need to find someone who has professional insight into human behavior. Yes, you need to find someone with the same belief system as you, and yes, they are harder and harder to find, but they are out there. If you can't find one in your area, there are several who will meet with you online. A relationship with a therapist is a vital relationship to pursue and develop. You need a voice outside your head, outside your group, outside your church to offer you wisdom from God that you haven't thought of yet. A therapist is that person.

As you are putting your relationships in order, you may also need to consider taking a sabbatical. A sabbatical can be a few weeks or a few months to let someone else lead the church while you spend serious amounts of time allowing the Lord to refresh you.

Refreshing can be through prayer and study or rest and relaxation. The point is to let the Lord lead you during a sabbatical.

Finally, take care of yourself. Hydrate. Exercise – (30 minutes per day). Eat well (a balanced diet with recommended portion control and protein/carb/fiber ratios). Sleep well (at least 8 hours/day). When you're facing some level of stress, it's easy to lose sight of the things that maintain your body. Now is the time to double down on taking care of your physical body and your spiritual body.

The story of David at Ziklag doesn't end with him being stoned by his men. "But David found strength in the Lord his God." (1 Samuel 30:6b). In a daring rescue, David and his men pursued and defeated the raiders, recovering all that had been taken, including David's two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail (verses 16–31).

Elijah's story doesn't end with him wishing he was dead.

(Elijah is cared for by an angel, receives an audience with the Lord on the side of a mountain, and receives instructions to find his successor.) Finally, we know Christ meets Peter at the shoreline, feeds him breakfast, and offers him forgiveness. The next time we see Peter, he is preaching, and 3000 people were saved and baptized.

As pastors, we work a job that is like none other.

Burnout happens. It happens because the Evil One is coming after us to kill, steal and destroy. It happens because we lose sight of the reason we do this job. It happens because we are human. The reality can be that burnout is temporary. You can recover from this and continue to be effective in the role the Lord has called you to, but you need to do the work. The work is found in your relationship with the Lord, your close people, and your body.

Your story does not end with your burnout. God has plans for you. You have much more to accomplish in ministry with the Lord. You can do this; you need to do the work.

Brian is a husband to Dottie and father of two children (Emma 20 & Nick 17). Brian has served as Executive Pastor at Real Life Church in Springfield, IL, for 14 years. He has maintained a private counseling practice for over 20 years and has worked as a school psychologist for more than 25 years. Outside of his work life, you might find him tinkering with old motors, hiking with his family, or fishing lakes and ponds.

General Baptist Messenger Winter 2021 | 39

NON-PROFIT ORG U . S . P O S TA G E

G e n e ra l B a p ti s t M i n i s t r i e s 10 0 Sti n s o n D r i ve Po p l a r B l u f f , M O 639 01

PA I D

POPLAR BLUFF, MO

PERMIT NO 164

MISSION & MINISTRY SUMMIT

July 18 – 2o , 2022

Bowli ng G reen , ky S loa n C o nv e nt i o n Ce nt e r

R e g i s t r at i o n O p e n s J a n u a ry 2 n d , 2 0 2 2 R e g i s t e r O n l i n e @ w w w . g b s u m m i t. o r g c o n tac t g e n e r a l b a p t i s t m i n i s t r i e s at 5 7 3 . 7 8 5 . 7 7 4 6 f o r m o r e i n f o r m at i o n