2004 april/may

Leaders and volunteers involved in Partners in

Hope, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s rural

poverty initiative, found these challenges working

with Native Americans living in South Dakota.

Partners in Hope is the Fellowship’s 20-year

missions commitment to join forces with people

in 20 of the poorest counties in the United States.

Four of these counties are in South Dakota.

“The missions programs on the reservations

were not good experiences from a historical

perspective,” says Chris Thompson, volunteer

from Second Baptist Church in Liberty, Mo. “We

Church MeetsMinistry Needs in

Hominy Valley

Georgia Church Brings Hopeto Orphans

Military ChaplainsPerform Ministry

in Iraq

Textbook MinistryImpacts

Albanian Children

Companions inChrist Groups

Stay Connected

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CBFfellowship!C O O P E R AT I V E B A P T I S T F E L L O W S H I P

APRIL/MAY 2004

WWW.THEFELLOWSHIP. INFO

MEETING AN IMMEDIATE NEED – such as

providing a warm coat – is a good way

to begin working in a community

struggling with poverty. But in many

communities, historical and cultural

experiences make the entrée into the

community challenging.

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Online Newsletter

You can access the fellowship! newsletter online in a PDF

format. Go to News & Views at www.thefellowship.info.

[continues p. 2]

‘Partners in Hope’ Builds Trust in South Dakotathrough Project Warm Embrace

Chris (left) and Dana Thompson, and their children, delivered coats andother cold weather items collected by Second Baptist Church in Liberty,Mo., to First Baptist Church, Eagle Butte, S.D., through Project WarmEmbrace.

COOPERATIVE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP’S MISSION: SERVING CHRISTIANS AND CHURCHES AS THEY DISCOVER AND FULFILL THEIR GOD-GIVEN MISSION.

J u ne 24 - 26 • B i r m i n gham , A l a .SPEC I A L GENERAL ASSEMBLY ED I T ION

2

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had to ensure that our involvement would be as a partner,

assisting them with programs that they wanted to accom-

plish.”

Thompson and Robert Francis, leader of Mid American

Indian Fellowships, visited South Dakota in early 2003 to

learn about ministry efforts in Eagle Butte, located on the

Cheyenne River Reservation in Ziebach County. Ziebach is

one of four South Dakota counties identified as among the

20 poorest economically in the United States.

The two leaders learned of a coat drive program that had

been discontinued. Reservation leaders were looking for a

way to restart the program, so Thompson and his wife,

Dana, coordinated an effort at Second Baptist. In November

2003, church members collected more than 2,000 coats,

hats, gloves, blankets and other clothing articles for people

in South Dakota.

Dubbed Project Warm Embrace, donations were accu-

mulated from across the country, with many coming from

Native Americans. In December 2003, volunteers trans-

ported the items to Eagle Butte where they were distributed

by pastors and leaders in the community.

MissionConnect, the Fellowship’s spring Offering for

Global Missions emphasis, seeks to connect individuals

and churches interested in direct missions involvement

with North America-based ministries supported by CBF. As

part of MissionConnect, Fellowship Baptists can connect

directly with Mid

American Indian

Fellowships and other

CBF Global Missions

partners that illustrate

the Offering’s theme

of “Everyone …

Everywhere, Being the

Presence of Christ” (see related

sidebar, p. 3).

Tony Garter, pastor

of the First Baptist

Church of Eagle

Butte, received more

than 20 boxes and

bags of clothing, which

he distributed to church members, people in the communi-

ty and shared with a church community on Standing Rock

reservation.

“We had several people come to the distribution who

were not members, and stayed for the worship service that

followed,” Garter says. “We were also able to serve another

15 people in the community who are not church members.”

Garter says he is hopeful that these donations will open

doors with both the people who attended worship services

for the first time, and others in the community who

received clothing. But, he says, there is still an opportunity

to prove to many in his congregation that Partners in Hope

will become a partnership and not just a one-time donation.

“I think we’re starting off on the right foot,” Francis

says. “Native American people have seen a lot of outsiders

come and go. Many talk big and promise much, but don’t do

much. I think the people in South Dakota have a whole lot of

potential for helping their own people and that’s what we

hope to embrace and partner with.”

Nearly 70 percent of the people living on the Cheyenne

Reservation are at or below the poverty line. One inherent

problem is a lack of retail outlets for people to purchase

goods, including warm clothing. Thompson and others in

Missouri are working to develop a thrift shop on the reser-

vation that would not only provide goods for residents, but

an economic source as well.

Second Baptist Church collects more than 2,000 winter clothing articles from across the country forpeople in South Dakota.

COOPERAT IVE BAPT IST FELLOWSHIP w w w . t h e f e l l o w s h i p . i n f o

Become a Partnerin Hope

THERE'S A NEW WAY to become a

Partner in Hope. An organization

within a church – such as a youth

or missions group – an entire

congregation or several churches

can join together.

CBF Global Missions staff

members will provide information

and resources to guide groups

through a matching and commit-

ment process. Through praying,

advocating, giving and volunteering,

Partners in Hope participants will

develop personal relationships

with community members that will

be mutually transforming.

For more information, contact

Marianne Gruzlewski at the CBF

Global Missions Office, Dallas,

at (800) 782-2451 or partnersin

[email protected].

w w w . t h e f e l l o w s h i p . i n f o APR IL/MAY 2004

“Right now, money from the reservation doesn’t stay

there,” Thompson explains. He says the thrift shop idea is

one way they have begun building and strengthening rela-

tionships based on trust, not just meeting needs short

term. “We want to be good partners,” Thompson says.

Tom Prevost, the Fellowship’s national coordinator of

Partners in Hope, says building strong relationships with

people in South Dakota will be vital because of the initia-

tive’s long-term commitment there.

“Warm Embrace and the work that has followed is part

of developing relationships and building trust in the

beginning stages of what we hope will be a community

transformation,” Prevost says.

Francis says he is looking forward to the day that the

people of South Dakota begin sharing their ministry with

others. “I believe the people there have something they

can share with the people in Missouri at Second Baptist

and the Indian Fellowship,” Francis emphasizes. “I’m

hoping to see them come to minister to people here; that’s

the way the circle turns.” f!

For more information about Partners in Hope, go to Global

Missions/Partners in Hope at www.thefellowship.info or

contact Tom Prevost at (662) 871-2444, tprevost@thefellow

ship.info, or P.O. Box 415, Belden, MS 38826.

For more information about Partners in Hope volunteer

opportunities in the areas of housing rehabilitation, literacy,

community development projects, health care, or sports/

drama camps for youth and children, contact Mary Carol Day

at the Fellowship’s volunteer office in Raleigh, N.C., at (877)

856-9288 or [email protected] or go to

www.destinationmissions.net.

Order the free resource “Partners in Hope flier” from the CBF

Resource Link at (888) 801-4223 or the CBF e-Store

http://cbfonline.bizhosting.com. (Shipping will be charged.)

For more information about the ministry needs of Mid

American Indian Fellowships, e-mail [email protected].

By contributing writer Bob Perkins Jr., Mechanicsburg, Pa.

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Volunteers study a map before delivering items to Eagle Butte residents.

THROUGH MISSIONCONNECT,

the Fellowship’s spring Offering

for Global Missions emphasis,

individuals and churches are

invited to walk alongside other

believers in Christ, combining

their giving, praying and serving

to benefit the most neglected.

Following are free resources

available to promote

MissionConnect:

• MissionConnect CD-Rom.

Includes PDFs of Offering

promotion print resources,

a five-minute missions

challenge from CBF Global

Missions Co-coordinators

Barbara and Gary Baldridge,

promotional videos, and art

and photos of subjects

featured in the Offering

promotion.

• MissionConnect Bulletin

Insert. Describes how CBF

and its partners are being

Christ’s presence among

people often neglected in the

United States — Iranian and

Afghan immigrants and

refugees, Native Americans,

and the Mississippi Delta’s

rural poor.

• MissionConnect Poster.

Features the majority of CBF

Global Missions field

personnel.

• Everyone … Everywhere –

Being the Presence of

Christ Video. Designed to be

used in segments of

approximately five minutes.

• Offering for Global Missions

Leader Guide


Envelopes (free for quanti-

ties of 300 or less)


Speakers List

• Offering Promotion Pak.

Includes images of CBF

Global Missions field

personnel featured in

Offering promotional

materials.

Order from the CBF Resource

Link at (888) 801-4223 or the

CBF e-Store at http://cbfon

line.bizhosting. com.

(Shipping will be charged.)

Many of these resources are

available for download as a

PDF from the CBF Web site at

Global Missions/Offering for

Global Missions/Resources at

www.thefellowship.info.

For more information about

the Offering, click on Offering

for Global Missions under CBF

Spotlights at www.thefellow

ship.info or contact Terry

Walton at (770) 220-1653 or

[email protected].

MissionConnect Resources

4

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Located in Candler, N.C., the church was founded in 1812

by Baptists who came as pioneers to the mountains. Today’s

congregation honors its founders with independent thought,

deep faith and commitment to meeting needs, whether down

a nearby winding road or across the nation.

“Hominy Baptist Church is unlike any congregation I’m

aware of. It is CBF solely, strictly and happily. This is a quiet

place, but very public about what is being done here in

terms of ministries,”

says Pastor Joe Yelton.

“There is a Christ

consciousness here that

we are our brothers’

keepers. I didn’t con-

vince them of that. They

were like this when I

arrived,” Yelton adds.

“People might assume

this is a nondescript

country church just

doing things. It is much

more than that.”

Hominy Baptist sits

atop a hill in Hominy

Valley, framed by tower-

ing Smoky Mountain

peaks. Despite its scenic

beauty, the valley is one

of the poorest commu-

nities in Buncombe

County. To bring relief

to its suffering neighbors,

the church has created

ministries that partner

with established community agencies and other faith tradi-

tions. It also refuses to let its vision be limited by the church

budget. “Many give far beyond their means,” Yelton says.

Martha’s Kids, now a respected United Way agency, began

when long-time member and school bus driver Martha

Wolfe saw children on cold winter mornings without a jacket

or coat. She started

collecting coats,

and soon she was

collecting food and

money to help the children and their families with other

needs. Although Martha’s Kids, now with solid funding, is no

longer in the church budget, Yelton says members still give

thousands of dollars each year to help with her ministry.

The congregation bought and renovated a house next

door to the church for use as a satellite for Asheville-

Buncombe Community Christian Ministries, an ecumenical

organization that helps poor people with basic needs. The

church rents it to ABCCM for one dollar a year. Plans are to

open a medical clinic in the building sometime this year.

The church recently built a large, handsomely furnished

ministry facility that houses both church and community

Mildred Brown, a longtime member of Hominy Baptist Church, receivesMeals on Wheels sponsored by the church. Chris Hagood, a teacher’sassistant at a Buncombe County alternative school for high schoolers,and four students were delivering that day.

Related Resources

THE FOLLOWING resources provide

information about becoming a

missional congregation:

• The Missional Journey: Being

the Presence of Christ. Outlines

the characteristics of missional

churches. Includes a CD of the

video, The Missional Journey:

Being the Presence of Christ.

(free, plus shipping)

• The Missional Journey Guide.

Assists churches as they

discover, claim and commit to

the mission God has for them.

($29.95 for workbook, CD and

binder, plus shipping)


Link at (888) 801-4223 or the

CBF e-Store at http://cbf

online.bizhosting.com.

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Gill

pho

to

Church Meets Ministry Needs inNorth Carolina Valley and Beyond

I F G O D B R I N G S Y O U T O I T , H E W I L L B R I N G Y O U T H R O U G H I T. These words, found

scrawled on an adult Sunday school class chalkboard, are a mantra for missions at Hominy

Baptist Church. It’s not just talk. It’s a steadfast, joyful walk. The FellowshipMissional Church Initiative



activities. A state-of-the-art childcare center there serves

88 children of working parents – some who can pay, others

who cannot. Staff in a professionally-equipped kitchen

prepare lunch for the children, for homebound recipients

of the church’s Meals on Wheels program, and in the near

future for Day Stay, a new respite care ministry for adults

struggling with dementia and other related illnesses.

Church youth go regularly to spend time with nursing

home residents. At Christmas, groups collect personal

items to fill 200 shoeboxes. This past Christmas, half went

to Samaritan’s Purse, the remainder to the community.

Senior adults collect food and wrap each item in white

tissue paper for families or an individual, knowing it’s the

only gift some will open. Along with bags of staple food,

they include a Christmas dinner of turkey with all the trim-

mings. And on the Sunday before Christmas, church families

serve needy families a complete Christmas dinner in the

church fellowship hall.

The church also takes good care of its own. Several years

ago, Bill and Gail Wright’s house burned early on a Sunday

morning. The following morning, they were handed a

check for $500, money raised by a special church offering.

“I wouldn’t think of going anywhere else,” says Gail, a

long-time member. “This place is God-centered. We do

good works, but they are all in the name of God.”

Doing good works takes a lot of money, but that does not

dampen Hominy’s love for missions. Members look for

creative ways to get the work done around the church. Volun-

teers take on janitorial duties, including summer mowing.

One member has little cash to give. He offered to pick

up the church’s trash each week, saving the cost of a

$1,400 contract.

Youth Pastor Trey Doyle is fairly new at Hominy and

still in awe of what he sees there. “I’ve learned so much.

This is an amazing church, just stuck down here in little

old Candler,” he says with a grin. f!

Contact Hominy Baptist Church at (828) 667-4541 or

www.hominybaptistchurch.homestead.com.

For more information about the Missional Church Initiative,

contact Bo Prosser at (770) 220-1631 or bprosser@thefellow

ship.info, or Terry Hamrick at (770) 220-1615 or thamrick@

thefellowship.info.

By contributing writer Rachel Granger Gill, Weaverville, N.C.

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Pastor Joe Yelton, at Hominy Baptist for seven years, was recommendedto the pastor search committee by Cecil Sherman, Yelton’s boyhoodpastor at FBC, Asheville, N.C., and former CBF coordinator.

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THE COOPERATIVE BAPT IST FELLOWSHIP has

launched a new Web site, located at a new Internet

address, www.thefellowship.info.

Designed with more navigation aids, such as tool

bars, quick links and search engines, www.thefellow

ship.info was created to shorten user search times

while increasing user engagement. The Fellowship

partnered with Integro eBusiness Consulting of

Denver, Colo., to do graphical redesign and imple-

ment new content management software for the site.

“Since the Internet is such a dynamic environment,

an effective Web site has to deliver the latest informa-

tion and viewpoints in an easy to navigate format,” says

Lance Wallace, the Fellowship’s associate director of

news and information. “With the new design and features

created, hopefully our users will spend more time

learning about the Fellowship and less time searching.”

Features on the home page include links to the

Fellowship’s major areas such as CBF Global Missions,

church life and theolo-

gical education; news and

views; and two search

engines to enable quick

access to information.

Once a user links to

an interior page, they

will find a tool bar

which gives them the option to

click and respond in four ways: Learn, Pray, Give and

Serve. By clicking on these links, site visitors can learn

more information about the topic in which they’re

interested, find prayer concerns on the topic, be able

to donate online directly to that ministry area or notify

the Fellowship of interest in volunteering in that area.

“We want to involve and inform Fellowship Baptists

in the life of this movement,” Wallace says. “This new

site is a great tool for achieving our mission.” f!

By contributing writer Bob Perkins Jr., Mechanicsburg, Pa.

CBF Launches New Web Site

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WHILE ON HOME ASSIGNMENT in 2000, James and

Robbi Francovich, CBF Global Missions field personnel to

the Banjara Gypsies in India, visited Kirkwood Baptist

Church in St. Louis. They spoke of the work being done

among the Banjara Gypsies, as well as Roma and Dom,

sparking a desire from many in attendance to take part in

the ministry.

Fern Allison, missions education coordinator for

Kirkwood, approached Robbi about the possibility of the

church participating in a short-term missions trip to India.

The discussion took an unexpected direction when Allison

shared a newspaper article she had recently read stating

that St. Louis had a large number of Bosnian people,

including Roma, living in the area. Robbi suggested that

Kirkwood might find out more about these local people and

how to minister to them.

Kirkwood took the suggestion to heart.

“We did ground work, meeting people already involved

with ministry to the Bosnian and Roma people in the St.

Louis area,” Allison says. “We immediately found a

Presbyterian church in the area that offered an after-school

program for children.”

Encouraged by a common goal, Kirkwood joined a coali-

tion of inner-city churches wanting to minister to the

Bosnians in the area. To better meet the physical needs of

these people, it was decided to establish a food pantry and

coffee house.

Louise Duke, current chairman of the missions committee

for Kirkwood, is “the motivation behind the food ministry,”

Allison says. “Louise is an expert at getting volunteers and

training them – she organized the pantry and ministry.”

The pantry now has more than 100 people involved in

the ministry, working on rotating team schedules, provid-

ing food to 50-60 families weekly.

“It’s been a great home missions, inner-city project,”

says Scott Stearman, Kirkwood’s senior pastor. “We are

staffing the food pantry each week and it has been good for

our people to be involved.”

In an effort to expand their spiritual ministry to the peo-

ple, the churches involved began a search for a Bosnian-

speaking pastor. While on home assignment, CBF Global

Missions field personnel Keith Holmes and Mary Van

Rheenen visited the St. Louis area and provided valuable

language resources and cultural advice to the Kirkwood

congregation. Their help was instrumental in finding

Pastor Sasa Zivanov. A young Bosnian immigrant with pas-

toral experience, Zivanov was found in New Jersey and

invited to come to St. Louis. His acceptance and arrival in

the St. Louis area this January opened the door for ministry

on a different level within the Bosnian community. Zivanov

has already begun to make contacts among the people and

hopes to start a Bible study soon.

“We have committed two years to help pay Sasa’s salary,”

Stearman says. “We also have an open-ended commitment

to keep the food pantry going. The sense of things is that

this [ministry] is a long-term commitment [by Kirkwood].”

Leslie Limbaugh, associate coordinator of CBF of

Missouri, was instrumental in connecting several inner-

city churches of various Christian faith traditions together

to work in this ministry.

“There are about 30,000 Bosnian refugees in the St.

Louis area,” Limbaugh says. “Many of them are Roma.

When inner-city pastors wanting to reach out to their

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Kirkwood Baptist Church Ministers to Roma,Bosnians in Their ‘Own Back Yard’

Kirkwood Baptist Church, along with partners from SouthamptonPresbyterian Church and Christy United Methodist Church, helpsoperate a food pantry in south St. Louis that primarily serves the needof Bosnian immigrants.


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THE COOPERATIVE BAPT ISTFellowship has approved sending

$20,000 in emergency relief funds to

Iran through Persian World

Outreach, Baptist World Aid and

Conscience International to help

with recovery efforts following the

devastating earthquake in Bam, Iran,

in late December 2003.

“Now that the search and rescue

phase has been completed, earthquake

response groups will make initial

assessments and plans for short and

longer-term recovery work,” said

David Harding, CBF international

coordinator for emergency relief.

“The humanitarian response has

been good but often the transition to

longer-term response is often forgotten

once the media leaves. The Fellowship

wants to play a role in both phases.”

The Fellowship’s $20,000 contri-

bution includes $10,000 to Persian

World Outreach (PWO) for help in the

transitional needs for victims with a

long-term perspective of how PWO

can work in the future in transforma-

tional development. It also includes

$5,000 to Baptist World Aid to assist

Hungarian Baptist Aid which is already

present in Iran for immediate action.

Baptist World Aid is the assistance

arm of the Baptist World Alliance

which contributes to relief, develop-

ment and Baptist causes worldwide.

The final $5,000 is going to

Conscience International for medical

assistance and trauma counseling.

Potential participants at this point

include an emergency room doctor,

an orthopedic physician, another

general practice physician, a critical

care nurse, a hospital administrator/

radiologist and a mental health

counseling trainer. Conscience

International is a private voluntary

organization that creates programs

and provides services for the relief of

hunger, disease, suffering, homeless-

ness, and the denial of human rights.

According to the U.S. Agency for

International Development (USAID),

the quake’s death toll is 33,000-

34,000 with an additional 30,000

injured and more than 70,000 left

without homes. The earthquake struck

near the city of Bam in the province

of Kerman, southeast of Tehran. The

United Nations Office for the

Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

(UN OCHA) reported that 100,000 to

120,000 people live in Bam and the

surrounding villages, all of which have

been affected by the earthquake. The

government of Iran estimates that

80-90 percent of the homes in the

immediate area of Bam have been

destroyed.

“CBF’s assistance financially and

through personal visits is intended to

help bring transformational develop-

ment and hope to people that have

been devastated with tragic loss,”

Harding said. f!

To contribute to the Fellowship’s effort

to address the continuing need in Iran,

please send your financial gift to CBF,

P.O. Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392. Make

your check payable to the Fellowship

and indicate the general relief and

development fund No. 17012 on the

memo line.

By Lance Wallace, CBF Communications

Fellowship Contributes to Earthquake Relief in IranBosnian neighbors contacted me,

we met, prayed and began looking

for ways to do this.”

As the ministry continues to

grow, Limbaugh looks forward to

the possibilities. “This has been

very exciting for me, to already have

a pastor here,” she says. “We want to

be poised for support and encour-

agement and see what God will do

next.”

“The most important thing about

this story,” Robbi Francovich con-

cludes, “is how the church took it

upon themselves to find in their

own community an unreached peo-

ple group and partner with field

personnel to meet the needs of the

Roma refugees and immigrants. I

think it is an example that should be

modeled for other churches.” f!

A prayer guide developed by the CBF

Global Missions Romany (Gypsy) Team

is available online to encourage

prayer for the Roma people of Europe

and Russia from April 8-14 or during

a comparable weekly timeframe. To

download this prayer calendar, go to

Romany/Prayer Resources at

www.gypsyministries.com.

The Fellowship’s April 2004 missions

education curriculum focuses on CBF

Global Missions field personnel who

serve among the Romany. The May

2004 curriculum highlights CBF

Global Missions field personnel who

serve among the Kurdish people.

(Annual subscription: adult and

youth, $20; children and preschool,

$80. Shipping will be charged.) To

order, contact the CBF Resource Link

at (888) 801-4223.

By staff writer Jo Upton

8

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“SEEKING HIS HEART … Being His Hands” – with a

motto like that guiding First Baptist Church of Rome, it’s no

wonder church members are passionately involved in mis-

sions. “Missions work is in the lifeblood of this church,”

says Joel Snider, senior pastor of the Georgia church.

“We really try to foster an environment where people will

see ‘here’s a way to be the hands of Christ’ and then we rally

behind them and support them,” says Phil Smith, minister

of youth and missions.

One of the missions projects they are currently involved

with is the new partnership between World Vision’s Hope

Child Project and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, which

has a goal of sponsoring 350 children that suffer in the

HIV/AIDS pandemic. “Our congregation sponsors upwards of

80 children in Nairobi, Kenya, through World Vision,”

Snider says. Individual families within the church sponsor

approximately 60 children; the church sponsors 20 children.

This partnership among World Vision, CBF and CBF-

related churches is working to improve the living conditions

of children in areas where CBF Global Missions field per-

sonnel minister. “It’s a way to try to find synergy between

what we can do as individuals for these AIDS orphans and

what CBF is already doing in missions in Nairobi,” Snider

explains. This partnership will add a new dimension to the

existing ministry of CBF field personnel Melody and Sam

Harrell.

World Vision estimates that one African child is orphaned

by AIDS every 14 seconds. “The AIDS orphan crisis in Africa

is the largest humanitarian crisis of my lifetime,” Snider

Volunteers from FBC, Rome, serve in their community by participating inthe church's annual Hands of Christ Day.

Phot

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Georgia Church Brings Hopeto Kenyan Children, Missions Personnel

THE STATE OF GEORGIA’S

deregulation of natural gas in

fall 2001 caused significant

confusion among consumers.

They weren’t getting their bills

for months at a time, only to

find they owed hundreds of

dollars to the gas marketers

covering the previous months.

For some families, this was a

life-and-death situation: Housing

Authority residents unable to

pay their main utility bill were

subject to being evicted from

their homes.

When First Baptist, Rome,

member Steve Edwards

discussed the situation with his

wife, Marie, she suggested he

take their Christmas money and

pay the gas bill for someone

who needed help.

From that generous offer,

Steve took a list of hardship

situations (no names were

included) from the local Housing

Authority to his Sunday school

class. "This is somebody right

here in our community that

needs some help. I can’t help

all of them, but I can help one

of them. All I want you to do is

take one family," Steve told

them. By the end of class, all

five situations – totaling $3,200

– were paid for and the idea of

“One Family Helping One

Family" was born.

Thanks to a series of local

newspaper articles, the entire

community rallied behind Steve’s

idea. In less than 10 weeks,

220 families in Rome had their

gas bills paid in full – an

amount totaling approximately

$126,000. First Baptist

members alone contributed

more than $40,000.

As a result of his hard work

and dedication, Steve was

awarded a daily Point of Light

Award on May 8, 2002. His

actions exemplify being the

presence of Christ. “People

can’t relate to a lot of things,

but they can relate to being

cold and not having heat. What

impressed me most of all was

how generous this community is

and how people responded – it

was amazing," Steve says.

Ministry Touches One Family at a Time

says. “We have partnered with CBF

and World Vision to encourage [other]

CBF churches to sponsor Hope chil-

dren.”

Another way First Baptist mem-

bers collaborate with CBF Global

Missions is by caring for the children

of field personnel when they gather

for their annual meetings. “We’ve

been going for several years and doing

childcare and camp for their kids. In

doing that, we have gotten to know

several field personnel,” Smith says.

For the last five years, members

worked with the children of field

personnel who serve among three

people groups in North Africa and the

Middle East. “We’ve probably sent 30

different people from this church,

[which means] there are probably 30

people in this church who have a per-

sonal relationship with CBF field

personnel because they’ve changed

their infant's diapers and taught their

older children,” Snider says.

Having first-hand knowledge of

the field personnel’s daily workload

enables First Baptist members to

contribute in two additional ways:

giving to the Offering for Global

Missions and praying. “It’s a lot easier

for me to promote [the] Offering

when 30 people in our congregation

know exactly what these people [the

field personnel] are doing,” Smith says.

Snider adds: “It helps us to have a

much better understanding of what

mission activities are being done and

it helps us to understand the lives of

[field personnel] and how to pray for

them.” f!

Contact First Baptist, Rome, at (706)

291-6850 or www.fbcrome.org.

For more information about the Hope

Child Project, contact John Thompson

at (336) 852-5376 or jthompso@world

vision.org. Please identify yourself as

related to CBF when inquiring for

information.

By contributing writer Amy Walker, Atlanta

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THE FELLOWSHIP has received a

$2 million anonymous contribution

from a member of First Baptist

Church, Gainesville, Ga., in support

of CBF Global Missions.

“This gift is an extraordinary

example of Christian stewardship

and generosity,” said Daniel Vestal,

the Fellowship’s national coordinator.

“We are very grateful to the donor

for the gift as well as the spirit and

humility in which it has been given.”

The gift will be distributed

among CBF Global Missions and

CBF of Georgia.

“We will do our best to use this

gift in ways that will please God and

honor those who made it possible,”

said CBF of Georgia Coordinator

Frank Broome. “It will have a sig-

nificant and positive impact on our

missions program, and we are very

grateful.”

The gift came through First

Baptist, Gainesville, and will be

received in two installments.

“First Baptist Church of

Gainesville is blessed to have this

family among us,” said Gainesville’s

pastor Bill Coates. “They are repeat-

edly generous

with our own

congregation and

with the larger

purposes of the

church beyond

our local commu-

nity.

“When I think

of the number of

people who,

because of this

gift, will be

exposed to the

gospel’s truly

good news of the

grace and love of

God, I react with both gratitude and

excitement. Here in Georgia,

throughout our country, and around

the world, the church – the Body of

Christ on this earth – will be

strengthened. We will all benefit

from this magnanimous gift and

from the beautiful spirit of the one

who gave it.”

It costs approximately $130,000

per year to support a long-term

field personnel family. Establishing

an effective Christian witness

among the world’s most neglected

people – those who are unevange-

lized and marginalized – is CBF’s

No. 1 priority in global missions.

“Time and again faithful and

generous individuals, wanting no

personal credit, are standing in

the gap, providing the balance of

funds needed to move forward,”

said Barbara Baldridge, CBF

Global Missions co-coordinator.

“Thanks to this, we will continue to

deploy new ambassadors for Christ

and to support fully those already

serving.” f!


Anonymous Donor Contributes $2 Million to Support CBF Global Missions

Bill Coates (left), pastor of FBC of Gainesville, presents a check toGary Baldridge (center), CBF Global Missions co-coordinator, andDaniel Vestal (right), national coordinator of CBF, as part of ananonymous $2 million contribution by one of his church members.


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NOT THE TYP ICAL CHURCH congregation, military

men and women serving in Iraq have special ministry needs

that go far beyond normal Sunday worship. Trained and

equipped to recognize these needs, Cooperative Baptist

Fellowship-endorsed chaplains continue to provide ministry

tailored to support their special “flock.”

As hostilities continue in Iraq and Afghanistan, chaplains

endorsed by the Fellowship continue to serve in both theaters.

Those serving include U.S. Army chaplains Capt. Fran

Stuart of Clarksville, Tenn.; Capt. Roger Benimoff of Austin,

Texas; Capt. Emerson Byrd of Fort Carson, Colo.; and Capt.

Michael C. Cox of Killeen, Texas. Capt. Rick Stevenson of

Raeford, N.C., recently returned from service in Iraq.

Stuart, battalion chaplain for the 526th Forward Support

Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, uses new and inventive

ways to bring spiritual renewal to those under her care.

Realizing that the holiday season is a particularly diffi-

cult time for those deployed far from home, Stuart put

together a Christmas choir composed of 25 soldiers from

her battalion and supporting units. More than 150 soldiers

attended the performance.

“The choir dressed in colorful satin choir stoles made by

local Iraqis,” Stuart says. “They sang a medley of familiar

Christmas hymns and carols, performing on an elegant stage.

Following the performance was karaoke, dancing and pictures

around the Christmas tree to send home to families.”

Another extremely meaningful project for Stuart was the

Coin and Covenant Program, a special marriage enrichment

ceremony offered to soldiers.

“It’s a historic moment for us – it’s the first time this

program has been implemented in Iraq,” Stuart says.

Approximately 40 soldiers attended the first ceremony.

During the ceremony, participants receive a certificate of

commitment and are given a special coin – a tangible

reminder of their continued love and support to their families

while separated. The certificate, signed by the soldier and

their battalion chaplain, is sent home along with a picture

to capture the event.

Military ministry also involves the difficult task of grief

support. Benimoff, Support Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry

Regiment, feels this is the time when he is most able to

convey the love of Christ.

“I learned early on, when I went through Clinical

Pastoral Education in Dallas, Texas, that one does not have


Military Chaplains Fulfill Unique MinistryDuring Operation Iraqi Freedom

MAJOR SCOTT STERLING, ethics

instructor at the U.S. Army

Chaplain School in Fort Jackson,

S.C., was awarded the Bronze

Star in January for “exceptionally

meritorious service while

serving as a battalion chaplain

in Iraq. Sterling was deployed

with the 260th Quarter Master

Battalion from Hunter Army Air

Field in Savannah, Ga., last

February and remained with the

battalion until their return this

past November.

Endorsed by the Fellowship

in 2002, Sterling has a total

military service of 16 years. His

experience and dedication

provided spiritual leadership for

more than eight months to

nearly 3,000 people serving in

Iraq, including National Guard,

Reservists, active duty soldiers

from various units, and civilians.

The battalion arrived in Iraq

shortly before the war began

and was located in a desolate

camp near the border of Kuwait

and Iraq. As the war moved

further north into Baghdad, the

260th also moved. Their final

destination was Camp Cedar, in

the shadow of the ancient

Biblical city of Ur. Sterling

ministered at Camp Cedar for

five months, coordinating

religious

services for

all the

soldiers and

civilians in

camp,

designing a

chapel able

to facilitate

worship for the various religious

groups, and providing Bible

study every night to meet the

spiritual needs of everyone.

“Many nights at 11 or 12, I

would get a knock on my tent

flap from soldiers needing care,”

Sterling says. “They [soldiers]

had just gotten off the phone,

or e-mail, with a spouse or child

and needed someone to talk to.

Some soldiers even had

suicidal thoughts and gestures

that needed care, and we dealt

with it.”

The Bronze Star is typically

awarded to soldiers who excel

by providing “outstanding

leadership, mentorship, and

spiritual fitness,” as the medal

declares.

Army Chaplain Scott Sterling AwardedBronze Star for Exceptional Service in Iraq

Scott Sterling

Chaplain Emerson Byrd says after serving in Iraq, he understands from anew perspective the biblical character David's dependence on God'sdeliverance.

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to ‘say anything’ in

order to communicate

the presence of Christ to

others,” Benimoff says.

“In fact,” he contin-

ues, “the lack of words

helps me focus on

Christ and points oth-

ers to God in the midst

of the crisis. I am sim-

ply ‘with’ the soldiers as

they express their

thoughts and feelings.”

Benimoff says his

regiment has lost near-

ly 50 people and his

squadron has lost 10. “I

have conducted eight

memorial ceremonies

for our fallen soldiers.”

Although the hours

can be long and the

conditions difficult, the

chaplains often find

encouragement as they

minister to the troops.

Byrd, battalion

chaplain for the 1-12 Infantry Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 4th

Infantry Division, says perhaps the most rewarding aspect

of his deployment has been the “week-to-week journey”

during worship services.

“We have been talking about people throughout the Old

and New Testament who put their faith in God's plan,”

Byrd explains. “A unique opportunity has been to study

about people who walked in this part of the world and

trusted God to be faithful.”

Byrd is humbled by the troops’ awareness of the impor-

tance of prayer. “Those attending weekly services always

ask for prayer for their families back home. They also speak

of the fact that they know many people are lifting us up in

prayer daily.”

George Pickle, associate coordinator for chaplaincy and

pastoral counseling for CBF, is grateful to the devoted

Fellowship chaplains serving in the military. “We continue

to pray for these chaplains and their families,” Pickle says.

“They are the presence of

Christ in this torn and

traumatic world.” f!

For more information about

CBF chaplaincy and pastoral

counseling, contact George

Pickle at (770) 220-1617 or

[email protected].

Information is also available

at www.thefellowship.info

at Church Life/Chaplains &

Pastoral Counselors.


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THE FELLOWSHIP now has

endorsed 380 chaplains and

pastoral counselors. The

following individuals were

endorsed recently:

Correction Chaplains: Timothy

Hunter, Texas Department of

Criminal Justice, Marlin, Texas

Hospital Chaplains: Patricia

Baldwin, Cook Children’s

Medical Center, Fort Worth,

Texas; Charles B. Christie Jr.,

Gwinnett Hospital System,

Lawrenceville, Ga.; Thomas

Rice Deal Jr., Florida Hospital-

Seminole Division and Orlando

Police Department, Orlando,

Fla.; Franklin Duncan, Care

and Counseling Center of

Georgia, Decatur, Ga.; Charles

Edmondson, Denton Regional

Medical Center, Denton, Texas;

Karen J. Estle, Wishard Memorial

Hospital, Indianapolis, Ind.;

Olen Grubbs, Erlanger Medical

Center, Chattanooga, Tenn.;

Merrill Hawkins, University of

Tennessee Medical Center,

Knoxville, Tenn.; Steven Hill,

St. Mary’s Health System,

Knoxville, Tenn.; Peggy Johnson,

Cook Children’s Medical Center,

Fort Worth, Texas; Barry

Kendrick, The Ingalls Center of

Pastoral Ministries, Birmingham,

Ala.; Donald Kriner, Wellstar

Health System, Marietta, Ga.;

Bryan Lake, Coffee Regional

Medical Center, Douglas, Ga.;

John Little, Wake Forest

University Baptist Medical

Center, Winston-Salem, N.C.;

Barbara Marshall, Department

of Veterans Affairs, chaplain,

U.S. Navy Reserves, Fayetteville,

N.C.; Ralph "Mike" Mikels Jr.,

St. Mary’s Health System,

Knoxville, Tenn.; Brent Peery,

Memorial Hermann Healthcare

System, Houston, Texas; Dora

Saul, Harris Methodist Fort

Worth Hospital, Fort Worth,

Texas; Joanne Swanson, Wake

Forest University Baptist Medical

Center, Winston-Salem, N.C.;

Sing Chi Yue, Catholic Healthcare

West, Bakersfield, Calif.

Military Chaplains: Wallace

Boswell, U.S. Army, Apex, N.C.;

Cameron Gunnin, U.S. Air

Force, San Antonio, Texas;

Michael McCawley, U.S. Army,

Boiling Springs, N.C.; Jeffrey

Payne, U.S. Air Force,

Fredericksburg, Va.; David

Smelser, Civil Air Patrol and

Caring Angels Hospice, Cuba,

Ala.

Pastoral Counselors: Geraldine

Craddock, Asbury College

Counseling Center, Wilmore,

Ky.; Dodie Huff-Fletcher, St.

Matthews Pastoral Counseling

Center, Louisville, Ky.; Tom

O’Neal, Baptist Counseling

Center at Charlotte, Charlotte,

N.C.

Public Safety Chaplains:

Gerald Richards, Cary Police

Department, Cary, N.C.

New Endorsees

General AssemblyLuncheon

A SPECIAL MEETING and luncheon

for chaplains, pastoral counselors,

retirees, sponsors and people

interested in endorsement will

take place during the Fellowship’s

2004 General Assembly in

Birmingham, Ala.

Retired chaplains and pastoral

counselors are invited to attend a

meeting to explore the involvement

of retirees in CBF’s chaplaincy and

pastoral counseling ministry. The

meeting is scheduled for June 24

from 10 – 11 a.m.

A pre-luncheon gathering follows

at 11:30 a.m., with the luncheon

scheduled from noon – 1:45 p.m.

The speaker will be Dan Bagby,

Theodore F. Adams Chair of

Pastoral Care at Baptist Theological

Seminary in Richmond, Va.

To make luncheon reservations,

contact Lea Bond at (770) 220-

1645 or [email protected].

Chaplain Roger Benimoff helpshis regiment deal with the lossof fellow soldiers.

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“A JENI JU BABA DIMRI?” Translation: “Are

you Santa Claus?”

That’s what Serxhane, an 11-year-old

Albanian orphan, asked Rick Shaw – who serves

with his wife, Martha, as Cooperative Baptist

Fellowship Global Missions field personnel in

Skopje, Macedonia – a few weeks after receiving

textbooks from Martha and Fellowship volun-

teers.

But according to Rick Shaw, it wasn’t the gift

as much as God’s love demonstrated through

giving that created the mistaken identity.

“I told the young Albanian that like Baba

Dimri, we love people — especially the children

of the world,” he says.

Serxhane was one of approximately 500 chil-

dren who received textbooks, along with back-

packs and school supplies. The textbook project

was part of the Shaws’ ongoing ministry among

orphan and indigent children in Skopje and sur-

rounding villages, made possible by the Fellowship’s 2003-

04 Offering for Global Missions.

The children who received textbooks are either

orphaned or have only one parent who is employed. Most

are ethnic Albanians who face discrimination and lack of

educational and employment opportunities in Macedonia.

“Many of the children are very bright and … dream of a

better life,” Martha says, but they face obstacles to learning

such as having to provide their own books. “You can imagine

what a challenge this is when no one in the home is working,”

she adds.

When Highland Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky.,

learned of the textbook shortage, they quickly responded.

They spread the word to other stateside Fellowship churches,

while the Shaws contacted churches in the Balkan region.

In all, more than $40,000 was raised.

In August, three Highland members – Phil Collier, Terri

Connolly and Angela Dennison – along with Mary

Thompson of Calvary Baptist Church in Lexington, Ky.,

another church instrumental in the project – traveled to

Skopje, where they distributed textbooks and visited in

schools and orphans’ homes. They were

joined by several local Albanian and

Macedonian church members and

Kristen Connolly,

Terri’s daughter and


Albanian Textbook Ministry for ChildrenDemonstrates Importance of Offering

CHURCHES AND organizations

that participated in the textbook

ministry included the following:

• Calvary Baptist Church,

Lexington, Ky.

• Highland Baptist Church,

Louisville, Ky.

• Broadway Baptist Church,

Louisville, Ky.

• Beuchel Park Baptist Church,

Louisville, Ky.

• Trinity Baptist Church, Harker

Heights, Texas

• Memorial Drive Baptist

Church, Houston, Texas

• Central Baptist Church,

Bearden, Knoxville, Tenn.

• Lafayette Baptist Church,

Fayetteville, N.C.

• Rivertown Community Church,

Conway, S.C.

• First Baptist Church, Winston-

Salem, N.C.

• Broadus Memorial Baptist

Church, Charlottesville, Va.

• Lakeshore Drive Baptist

Church, Little Rock, Ark.

• Brookwood Baptist Church,

Birmingham, Ala.

• Arkansas CBF

• Edenton Baptist Church,

Edenton, N.C.

• University Baptist Church,

Buffalo, N.Y.

• Pintlala Baptist Church, Hope

Hull, Ala.

• Northside Baptist Church,

Clinton, Miss.

• Bridgewater Baptist Church,

Bridgewater, N.J.

Helping Hands

Volunteers from Highland Baptist and Calvary Baptist, along with Martha and FaithShaw, collate textbooks and school supplies at Martha and Rick Shaw's office inSkopje, Macedonia.

Phot

os c

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of H

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and

Bap

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a Student.Go missions intern serving

in the region.

“(The Kentucky volunteers) left

full of love for Albanian people and

with ideas of ways they could continue

to support our ministry here as well

as begin a ministry to the Albanians

who live in their own community,”

Martha says.

Since the volunteers’ return,

Highland Baptist has discovered that

many Albanians live in Louisville. The

church hosted a Thanksgiving meal

for local Albanians as part of an

emerging, cultural exchange-oriented

ministry, said Phil Collier.

“Our church has been energized

by this project,” Collier says. “We

have become more missions-oriented,

with a large percentage of our mem-

bers becoming involved in missions

work and justice issues.” Collier

noted that Highland has also enjoyed

the connections created by the project

– with new Albanian friends and sis-

ter churches like Lexington’s Calvary

Baptist.

Calvary collected money for the

textbook project and donated school

supplies for distribution. The

church’s deacons also held a dessert

auction during a deacon fellowship to

help send Mary Thompson on the

textbook distribution trip.

“It meant the world to me to have

the opportunity to go and help the

Shaws,” Thompson said. “I felt God’s

hand throughout the experience.”

The Fellowship’s Offering for

Global Missions, with the theme

“Everyone … Everywhere, Being the

Presence of Christ,” encourages this

kind of personal missions involve-

ment, along with prayer and financial

support.

The Offering’s importance to

ministries among Albanians cannot

be underestimated, Martha says.

“The Offering for Global Missions

provides funding for us to be here, to

establish ministries among orphans

and widows, and to communicate

with CBF constituency churches and

other churches the Albanian story,”

she says. “The offering is the financial

foundation of our presence in the

Balkans among Albanians. Without

it, we could not be here.”

In addition to the textbook project,

the Shaws have developed other

holistic, transformational ministries

alongside Albanians, including

English as a Second Language; cloth-

ing, food, medicine, firewood and

heater distribution; medical care

arrangement and financing; church

planting and discipling; human

rights advocacy; sewage system

installation in villages; and prison

ministries.

“Our goal is to guide Albanians to

see the gospel as powerful, real and

relevant to their lives and culture,”

Martha says. f!

For more information about the

Offering or the Albanian ministry, go

to www.thefellowship.info/Global%20

Missions/OGM/OGM%20Index.icm or

contact Terry Walton at (770) 220-1653

or [email protected]. Use the

contribution envelope in this issue to

enable the Offering to meets its $6.1

million goal. Please mark your check

“Offering for Global Missions.”

By contributing writer Melanie Kieve,

Allendale, S.C.Albanian families in Louisville celebrateThanksgiving at Highland Baptist.

Children in the Liria School in the Gazi Babaghetto of Skopje receive backpacks.

How to Respond

THE FOLLOWING OPPORTUNITIES are

available to partner in the ministry of CBF

Global Missions among Albanians:

Learn. Order the resources “Individual

UPG Fliers: Albanians” (free) and

“Individual UPG Videos: The Albanian

People” ($6.95) from the CBF Resource

Link at (888) 801-4223 or the CBF e-

Store at http://cbfonline.bizhosting.com.

(Shipping will be charged.)

Pray. Following is a free prayer resource:

• Partners in Prayer Calendar. Lists

birthdays of CBF field personnel and

their children.

Order from the CBF Resource Link at

(888) 801-4223 or the CBF e-Store at

http://cbfonline.bizhosting.com. (Shipping

will be charged.)

Serve. CBF Global Missions has the

following long-term field personnel needs

among Albanians:

• Church Planter/Mentor, Kosovo. A

couple or individual will plant churches

among Kosovar Albanians in a location in

Kosova relatively near the city of Rahovec.

The personnel will also mentor a

Kosovar Albanian pastor-leader.

For more information, contact Tom

Prevost at (662) 871-2444 or

[email protected] or Becky

Buice Green at (770) 220-1624 or

[email protected].

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DON FLOWERS , pastor of Providence Baptist Church in

Charleston, S.C., believes strongly in the Companions in

Christ small group spiritual formation resource.

“We finished the first 28 weeks, then the eight-week

study on forgiveness,” Flowers says. “When we completed

that one we said, ‘What are we going to do now?’ so we

formed a Bible study starting this spring.”

Flowers says his group is reluctant to disband and lose

the bonds forged during the original 28-week experience.

“You learn about these people that you worship with each

week,” he explains. “You feel secure enough to be who you

really are and find that this is a community you really care

about.”

The group also shared the closeness of prayer. “There

were people and issues we were praying for, and after

awhile, these people we had never met became like family

to us.”

More than a quarter of the adult Providence congregation

has participated in Companions.

“This is one of those things people are hungry for,”

Flowers says. “People often come to our church and say they

want to grow spiritually – so what does that mean?

Companions gives people a tool, a vehicle, to do that.”

Mary Jayne Allen, minister of education at First Baptist

Church Chattanooga, Tenn., says her experience has been

equally positive.

“Companions is everything people could want in a small

group,” Allen says. “Over an extended period of time, you

share prayer, Bible study and your stories with each other –

things that bond you as a group.”

Allen served as facilitator for the pastoral staff group at

First Baptist, Chattanooga, in September 2001. The church

had a total of six groups that first year and has continued to

have two groups each year since.

“We had a number of transitions during that year,” Allen

says, referring to her group. “I’m not sure we could have

survived all that went on with people, personally and pro-

fessionally, without the group. It was so sustaining to move

through all of that together.”

Allen says that although many of the groups continue to

meet regularly to remain connected and to share prayer

requests, there have been no cliques among the participants.

“I appreciate that about Companions,” Allen says. “It

doesn’t produce cliques. It is designed to help people

process their own spiritual growth and development, then

funnel that growth into and through the congregation.”

Allen feels that people who experience Companions are

stronger members of the congregation. “The bottom line

for me is Jesus saying, ‘Love God and love your neighbor as

yourself,’ and I think that is what spiritual formation is all

about.” f!



TO SUPPORT a growing

interest in spiritual formation,

the Fellowship’s Congregational

Life area is launching a

Spiritual Formation Network.

"We have a growing

number of churches using the

Companions in Christ

resources," says Eileen

Campbell-Reed, CBF spiritual

formation consultant. "Many

find themselves saying, ‘This

has been wonderful, so what’s

next?’ Part of the answer is to

gather people, somewhat more

formally, into a Spiritual

Formation Network and to

continue supporting people in

their journey."

Bo Prosser, coordinator for

congregational life at CBF,

says that "spiritual formation

practices give us the fuel we

need to be the presence of

Christ in the world."

"We cannot be Christ's

presence on our own power,"

Prosser explains. "We must

devote ourselves to balance

in prayer and devotion in order

to serve others. The Spiritual

Formation Network gives us

another missional opportunity

to share fellowship with one

another to build up the Body

of Christ."

The Spiritual Formation Network

FBC, Chattanooga, Tenn., has started almost a dozen Companions inChrist groups since beginning to use the resource in 2001.

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Companions in Christ Groups Share Community,Remain Connected Following 28-week Journey


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THE COOPERATIVE BAPT ISTFellowship Coordinating Council

approved a budget that doubles the

Fellowship’s annual contribution to

the Baptist World Alliance during the

council’s recent meeting.

The proposed budget calls for the

Fellowship to increase its contribution to

BWA from $20,000 to $40,000. In

addition, the Fellowship will collect a

special offering for BWA during the

annual CBF General Assembly, sched-

uled for June 24-26 in Birmingham,

Ala. Daniel Vestal, the Fellowship’s

national coordinator, reported BWA

General Secretary Denton Lotz will

speak at a breakfast during the

Assembly and lead a workshop.

The BWA allocation was part of a

$16 million budget the council

approved for fiscal year 2004-05,

which begins July 1. Finance commit-

tee member Nelson Rodriguez of Fort

Worth, Texas, said the committee pro-

posed a flat budget because of contin-

uing revenue challenges. “We’re being

pretty conservative,” said Rodriguez.

“We feel it is a good, sound budget.”

The Fellowship will vote on the

budget at the annual business session

during the General Assembly.

The council voted to pursue partic-

ipation in the new, ecumenical

Christian Churches Together in the

U.S.A. (CCT). Vestal represented the

Fellowship at a January CCT meeting

near Houston, Texas. The stated pur-

pose of this group is to enable church-

es and national Christian organiza-

tions to grow closer together in Christ

in order to strengthen their Christian

witness in the world.

“Members of the task force believe

this is a real, historic moment for this

movement,” said John Finley, pastor of

First Baptist Church of Savannah, Ga.,

and a member of the Fellowship’s

ecumenical task force. “CBF, as a

national, religious organization, has

chosen to participate in a national, ecu-

menical organization for the first time.”

In order to become a participating

member of CCT, the Fellowship’s

General Assembly would have to

approve the proposal.

In other business, the council took

the following action:

• The council approved a job descrip-

tion and title change for the Resource

Center Coordinator, the position for-

merly held by Reba Cobb, who left the

Fellowship in August. Now called

“coordinator of administration,” the

position will supervise administrative

areas, finance, human resources,

information technology and Resource

Link, the Fellowship’s merchandising

arm. A national search is in process,

but there is no firm timetable to have

a candidate in place (see p. 22 for more

information).

• The council gave its approval to a

collaborative approach to the Offering

for Global Missions with the 18

autonomous state and regional CBF

organizations. Any state or regional

organization that wishes to participate

can receive 10 percent of an increase

in giving from their state or region to

the national Offering to be used for

mission projects within those areas.

• Vestal and Emmanuel McCall, pastor

of Christian Fellowship Baptist Church

in College Park, Ga., were nominated

to be the Fellowship’s representatives

to the BWA. The council approved the

nomination, and the Fellowship will

vote on the nominees at the General

Assembly.

• The council ratified the selection of

Atlanta as the host city for the 2006

General Assembly. f!


CBF Coordinating Council Votes to Double BWA Funding

Spiritual FormationResources, Events

General Assembly Auxiliary Events

Bountiful Feast: A Spiritual

Formation Network Dinner

Wednesday, June 23, 6 p.m.,

Sheraton Birmingham Hotel,

Birmingham, Ala. Speaker: Tilden

Edwards, founder of the Shalem

Institute Cost: $35 per person. For

reservations or more information,

go to www.thefellowship.info or

contact Toni Draper at (770)

220-1654 or tdraper@thefellow

ship.info.

Companions in Christ One-day

Training Event

Wednesday, June 23, 9:00 a.m. to

4:30, Southside Baptist Church,

Birmingham, Ala. Registration: $75

by Wednesday, May 26; after that

date, $100 for first person from a

church and $85 for each additional

person. To register, call (800)

491-0912. For more information,

e-mail frank@firstbaptist

athens.org.

Other Events

SOULfeast: A Spiritual Formation

Conference

July 18-22, Lake Junaluska, N.C.

The conference theme, “In Search

of Authentic Christian Spirituality”

invites participants to four days of

worship, workshops and Sabbath

rest. For more information, go to

www.upperroom.org/soulfeast or

call (800) 972-0433.

Resources

Beginning with the 28-week

resource Companions in Christ, the

series now has three additional

books: The Way of Forgiveness,

The Way of Blessedness, and The

Way of Grace (available fall 2004)


Link at (888) 801-4223.

16

AS W

E JO

URN

EY


We have challenged a monarchical form of church govern-

ment or denominational connectionalism that minimizes

the autonomy of the local church. We have stood for the

freedom of the individual conscience in matters of faith

and have resisted attempts by either the church or state to

compel the conscience by any form of

coercion or intimidation.

How precious is this freedom and

how easy it is to take it for granted! I

sometime hear younger Baptists (as

well as not-so-young Baptists) say,

“We don’t care about the politics or

power struggles of the past,” or “We

are not interested in what happened in

Baptist life in the past.” When I hear

such remarks, I wonder if those individuals would say the

same thing about the Protestant Reformation, the

American Revolution, the Civil Rights Movement, the col-

lapse of Communism or the dismantling of apartheid.

Would they also say, “I don’t care about tyranny, prejudice

or oppression in the past and efforts to resist and over-

come it?” Or, “I don’t care when human dignity is denied,

character is assassinated, careers and ministries are

destroyed, churches are divided and institutions are

changed.”

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship was born out of a struggle

for freedom: soul freedom, Bible freedom, church freedom,

religious freedom. The birth of this renewal movement

came from the pain of freedom fighters. These noble men

and women resisted fundamentalism, authoritarianism

and just plain meanness. We will not be cut off from those

roots that birthed us; nor will we be separated from the

principles of freedom that continue to form us; nor will we

shrink from the struggle against any form of tyranny that

enslaves the soul or imprisons the mind. We will continue

to be a freedom movement.

Perhaps freedom is not valued unless it has been lost or

is threatened. I hear regularly from Baptist laypeople who

are in churches where there is little freedom. They always

speak with grief and anguish at being in a church that they

love (and in many cases helped to build) where freedom is

no longer valued. They are not free to disagree or even

discuss. They are not free to be involved in the decision-

making processes of the church. Everything is controlled

and imposed. I also hear regularly from clergy who are

looking for a church where they are free to lead, where

they are free to speak and live out their calling. These clergy

confess with grief and anguish that they don’t feel free to

exercise their God-given gifts, but rather feel stifled by the

tradition and inertia of the church.

How precious is freedom?

I’m grateful to be a part of Cooperative Baptist

Fellowship. It is a place where we hold unswervingly to

the Lordship of Jesus Christ, yet treasure the freedom to

disagree with one another. This is a fellowship where there

is love of Scripture, yet freedom to differ in interpretation.

This is a fellowship where we share a common commitment

to global missions, reconciliation and justice, yet affirm

the freedom that results in diversity. In the words of Julie

Pennington-Russell, “I’ve been bound and I’ve been free,

and free is better.”

Some would argue that freedom results in license or

irresponsibility. But with authentic freedom comes equal

responsibility. We are set free from man-made creeds so

that we might obey the Word of God. We are set free from

human traditions, rules and regulations so that we might

be a slave to Jesus Christ. We are set free from fear so that

we might be humble servants. We are set free from forced

conformity so that we might nurture community. We are

set free from guilt so that we might live in peace and be

peacemakers.

Authentic freedom is not to be shunned or feared but is

to be sought and celebrated. It seems to me that the heart

of the gospel is this message of freedom. Freedom from a

performance-based religion, freedom from a works right-

eousness, freedom from the guilt of sin and failure, freedom

from the fear of death and hell, freedom from peer pressure

and conformity to the world, freedom from the tyranny of

the immediate, freedom from sin’s curse and Satan’s

power.

Freedom. How sweet the sound! Thank God for

freedom! f!

By CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal

In Praise of Freedom

B A P T I S T S W E R E B O R N A S A F R E E D O M M O V E M E N T. From our beginning, we have

championed the freedom of every believer to interpret and apply Scripture without the

imposition of man-made creeds or ecclesiastical authority.

Daniel Vestal

THE COOPERATIVE BAPTISTFELLOWSHIP’S GENERALASSEMBLY IS …• a time every year to enjoy fellowship

between believers

• a respite for spending time with each

other and with God

• a place to meet new colleagues and

reconnect with friends you’ve had for

years

• a missional journey to hear,

to think, to pray, and to do!

Join other Fellowship Christians at the

2004 General Assembly as we celebrate

the ministry opportunities of today,

awaken to the challenges of tomorrow

and strive to be the presence of Christ

together.

2004General AssemblyBirmingham • June 24-26

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 239:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Coordinating Council

(Sheraton Birmingham)9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Companions in Christ Training

(Southside Baptist Church, Birmingham)6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Bountiful Feast: A Spiritual Formation Network Dinner

(Sheraton)

THURSDAY, JUNE 248:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Prayer Room Open (Convention Center)9:00 a.m. Registration Opens (Convention Center)9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Congregational Leadership Institute (Convention Center)9:00 a.m. – Noon Coordinating Council (Sheraton)Noon – 7:00 p.m. Resource Fair Open (Convention Center)1:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Children’s Assembly & Youth Program (Convention Center)2:30 p.m. – 3:35 p.m. Ministry Workshops (Convention Center)3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. State & Regional Gatherings (Convention Center)5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Open Time for Dinner & Auxiliary Events (Sheraton)7:00 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. Children’s Assembly & Youth Program (Convention Center)7:15 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Gathering Time (Convention Center)7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. General Session I (Convention Center)9:15 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Concert by Chris Rice (Convention Center)

FRIDAY, JUNE 257:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. Open Time for Breakfast & Auxiliary Events

(Convention Center & Sheraton)8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Prayer Room Open (Convention Center)8:30 a.m. – 7:15 p.m. Resource Fair Open (Convention Center)8:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Children’s Assembly & Youth Program (Convention Center)9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. General Session II (Convention Center)11:00 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. Ministry Workshops & Business Breakouts

(Convention Center)12:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Open Time for Lunch & Auxiliary Events

(Convention Center & Sheraton)1:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Children’s Assembly & Youth Program (Convention Center)2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. General Session III (Convention Center)3:30 p.m. – 4:35 p.m. *Ministry Workshops & Worship Sampler (Convention Center)5:00 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. Open Time for Dinner & Auxiliary Events (Convention Center

& Sheraton)7:00 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. Children’s Assembly & Youth Program (Convention Center)7:15 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Gathering Time (Convention Center)7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. General Session IV (Convention Center)9:15 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Reception sponsored by Global Missions9:15 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Resource Fair Open (Convention Center)

SATURDAY, JUNE 267:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. Open Time for Breakfast & Auxiliary Events

(Convention Center)8:00 a.m. – Noon Prayer Room Open (Convention Center)8:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Children’s Assembly & Youth Program (Convention Center)8:30 a.m. – 9:35 a.m. *Ministry Workshops & Worship Sampler

(Convention Center)8:30 a.m.– Noon Resource Fair Open (Convention Center)9:50 a.m. – 10:55 a.m. *Ministry Workshops & Worship Sampler

(Convention Center)11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Gathering Time (Convention Center)11:15 a.m. – Noon Communion Service (Convention Center)

* Simultaneous worship events have been incorporated into the Friday afternoon andSaturday morning ministry workshop sessions and are now titled “Worship Sampler.”

2004 General Assembly Schedule

There is no charge to attend the General Assembly.However, separate pre-registration, advancereservations and cost may be required for some auxiliary events.

Pre-register online at www.thefellowship.infoor by calling (800) 352-8741.

Pre-registration will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday,June 17. After this date you may register on-site at

the Birmingham Convention Center beginningThursday morning, June 24 at 9 a.m.


WorkshopsFor a complete listing of workshops, go to www.thefellowship.info.

Building CommunityWhat is the Baptist World Alliance? Denton Lotz What is this world-

wide fellowship that has been so much in the news this spring?Come and hear more about this 99 year old Baptist fellowship.

Barbeque and Bagels: Engaging Baptists and Jews in Dialogue TomAllen This workshop will help you discover models and resources forfacilitating dialogue between your church members, other BaptistChristians, and Jews in your community.

Starting a Hispanic Church. Bill Bruster and Bernie Moraga. Learn howyour church can start a new Hispanic church as part of the partnershipbetween CBF and the Baptist General Convention of Texas to start400 Hispanic churches.

Operation Inasmuch David Crocker Operation Inasmuch is a mobilizationof 50-75 percent of a congregation in a one day, hands on missionsblitz into their community. A how-to manual will be available.

Creating Cooperative Youth Ministries in the Post-Convention EraLyle Edwards, Mark Nethery and John Lepper What do you do whenstate Baptist convention offerings do not meet the needs of students?This workshop will help answer this question and many others.

Baptist Polity: (Im)perfect Methods for a (Post)modern World Bill Leonard Explore the historical foundations of congregational polityin Baptist traditions.

Why Work Together in Healthcare Missions? Fred Loper, MD andDrayton Sanders, MD This workshop, specifically for health profession-als, will examine the benefits of networking with Christian organizationsdedicated to sharing the Gospel through healthcare missions.

Church and State: An Election Year Update J. Brent Walker A discussionof the relationship between the Baptist principle of church and stateseparation and involvement in civic activities in an election year.

Religion and Politics: Why the Press Misses the Story Greg Warnerand Rob Marus Much reporting on religious issues and public-policydebates is inadequate. There will be discussion about the factors thatcontribute to this problem, and what involved Christians can do about it.

Bountiful Feast: A Spiritual Formation NetworkDinner, will be held Wednesday, June 23 at 6p.m. at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel. TildenEdwards, founder of the Shalem Institute forSpiritual Formation, will provide the keynoteaddress. The evening provides an opportunityfor community building through lively tableconversation, inspiring music and great food.

John Kinney, dean of the theology school, VirginiaUnion University, Richmond, Va., will be thekeynote speaker for the Thursday eveningGeneral Session.

Chris Rice, contemporary Christian recording artistand songwriter, will be in concert Thursday nightin the Resource Fair area following the worshipservice.

Ministry Workshops, an additional ministry work-shop time has been added for Saturday morningat 8:30. This brings the total number of work-shop sessions to five. Please note that theworkshop times have been shortened to 1 hourand 5 minutes.

Worship Samplers, formerly known as simultaneous worships, will be offered as part of three of our workshop sessions, Fridayafternoon at 3:30 p.m., Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and 9:50 a.m.

Bible Study, led by William Hull, Samford University professor andformer university provost, will be offered during four sessions ofthe ministry workshop times.

“A Celebration of Preaching,” Proclaimers within the CBF familywill be sharing thematic sermons during three of the workshoptimes on Thursday and Friday.

Baptist World Alliance, will sponsor a breakfast, Friday morning,June 25 at 7 a.m. and will lead a workshop on Friday at 11 a.m.

What’s New for General Assembly 2004

AuxiliaryEventsFor a complete listing of auxiliary events,go to www.thefellowship.info.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23

Couple Communication InstructorTraining 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Location:Sheraton Hotel/Convention Center Cost:$125 per individual or couple Contact:Priscilla Hunt, (318) 795-3385, [email protected]

Companions in Christ Training Event9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Facilitators: MarjorieThompson, Frank Granger. For more informa-tion, e-mail: [email protected]: Southside Baptist Church Cost:$75 by Wednesday, May 26. After May 26,$100 for first person from a church, $85each additional person. Materials and lunchincluded. To register, call (800) 491-0912

Bountiful Feast: A Spiritual FormationNetwork Dinner 6 p.m. Location:Sheraton Hotel Cost: $35, reservationsrequired Contact: Toni Draper, (770) 220-1654, [email protected]

THURSDAY, JUNE 24

Baptist Women in Ministry AnnualMeeting and Worship Service 9 a.m.Breakfast and Business Meeting; 10:30 –

Noon Worship Service; Location: BaptistChurch of the Covenant Cost: $10, dead-line for reservations, June 1. Contact:Karen Massey, (678) 547-6460,[email protected]

Congregational Leadership Institute9 a.m. – 3 p.m. “The Missional Church InContext: God’s Journey for a CongregationBeing Led by the Spirit” will be facilitatedby Craig Van Gelder. Location: SheratonHotel/Convention Center Cost: $45 perperson, $40 per person when three or morefrom one congregation, $40 per person for full-time students. Lunch not included.Contact: Mary McCoy by May 31, (770)220-1637, [email protected]

Global Missions New Church StartingInitiative Meeting 10 – 11 a.m.Location: Sheraton Hotel/ConventionCenter Cost: No cost Contact: Phil Hester,(678) 429-9753, [email protected]

Retired Chaplains and PastoralCounselors and Spouses Meeting 10 – 11 a.m. Location: Sheraton Hotel/Convention Center Cost: No cost Contact:George Pickle, (770) 220-1617,[email protected]

State and Regional Leadership Luncheon11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Location: Sheraton Hotel/Convention Center Cost: Complimentary,reservations required Contact: Bill Bruster,(214) 282-2146, [email protected]

Chaplains and Pastoral CounselorsLuncheon 11:30 a.m. – noon Pre-luncheongathering, Noon – 2 p.m. Luncheon.Location: Sheraton Hotel/ConventionCenter Cost: Complimentary, reservationsrequired Contact: Lea Bond, (770) 220-1645, [email protected]

Whitsitt Baptist Heritage Society 11:30a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Board Meeting 1:00 –3:00 p.m. Annual Meeting Location:Sheraton Hotel/Convention Center Cost:Board Meeting, By Invitation Only. AnnualMeeting, Complimentary Contact: JamesDunn, (336) 758-4409, [email protected]

Associated Baptist Press Banquet 5:00 –7:00 p.m. Location: Sheraton Hotel/Convention Center Cost: Contact JenniferPintor to purchase tickets Contact:Jennifer Pintor, (800) 340-6626, Ext. 0,[email protected]

Interim Pastor Network Dinner 5:00 p.m.Location: Sheraton Hotel/ConventionCenter Cost: complimentary, ReservationsRequired Contact: Bill Bruster, (214) 282-2146, bbruster@ thefellowship.info

Mercer University McAfee School ofTheology Dinner 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.Alumni and Friends Dinner Location:Sheraton Hotel/Convention Center Cost:To Be Determined, Reservations RequiredContact: Sharon Lim, (678) 547-6420,[email protected]


Tilden Edwards

John Kinney

Chris Rice


The Missional Marriage Charles Qualls Participants will explore some ofthe critical issues for working with couples in your congregation.

Managing Change and Conflict in the Local Church Dan BagbyThis workshop will present a practical application of helpful FamilySystems principles. Practical guidelines for care and ministry especial-ly in change and conflict will be shared.

Opening Doors of Understanding Annette Hill Briggs and Patricia EfiomShare the experience of these white and black ministers who havejoined together in this small congregation to understand and shapeministry in an interracial congregation.

Exploring Our Spiritual Gifts Tim Brock A brochure outlining a processfor exploring spiritual giftedness in your own church context will beprovided for each person who attends.

The Missional Sunday School Michael McCullar and Bo Prosser You willexplore ways to be the presence of Christ in your Sunday Schoolclasses through outreach, inreach, quality Bible teaching, and more.

Setting Deacons Free! Tom Stocks This experience will share compar-isons and contrasts between the Family Ministry Plan for Deacons andthe Team Based Ministry Plan.

Endorsement and Dialogue Elizabeth Thompson and George Pickle Thesession will emphasize the meaning and experience of endorsementfor chaplains and pastoral counselors.

Faith FormationPreaching Jesus Christ: Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time

Charles Bugg and Mack Dennis This session will look at several bibli-cal texts and ask, “As we preach these texts, how do they call us andour hearers into a deeper, more vital relationship with the God mostfully revealed in Jesus Christ?”

Spiritual Formation Network: A Panel Discussion Eileen Campbell-Reed A new CBF network is emerging which invites, introduces, andsupports various experiences of spiritual formation for individuals andcongregation. Panelists will discuss the “who, what, why, and how” ofthe network and respond to questions.

Values Clarification: A Fresh Beginning Ron Crawford Articulatingcongregational values will provide direction and focus to a church.Come learn how your church can focus, re-focus, and grow.

You Can Be the Presence of Christ – I Can Do That! Margaret HardingExplore creative ways that women can be the presence of Christ indaily ministry and missions situations.

Spiritual Formation in a Youth Ministry Setting Kirk Hatcher and ErinConaway The use of ancient spiritual disciplines and the incorporationof those practices into youth ministry will be discussed.

Little Believers: How Children Come to God Keith Herron Explore aspiritual world of children and seek to understand the stages of faithappropriate to their age.

Klesis: Hearing God’s Calling in Your Life Doris Nelms, Kathy Dobbins,and Colin Harris Learn how Klesis can help you to acknowledge indi-vidual gifts and affirm ministries in your church and community. Thisprocess explores vocational and spiritual gifts, personality prefer-ences, values and passions.

Companions in Christ: An Introduction Marjorie ThompsonCompanions in Christ, a 28-week small group resource, provides anexperience in spiritual formation. The resource invites participantsinto a deepening relationship with God, as individuals and as a group.

Create a Faith Development Blueprint for Your Church PriscillaTunnell Discuss a system of Faith Development used by one churchand the process they used to create their Blueprint. A procedure isthen devised to formulate one unique to your church.

Baptism: We’ve Got It Right … and Wrong John Tyler Discuss ways tobetter prepare baptismal candidates, to revitalize the baptism service,and to address a persistent question: Should we re-baptize veterans ofthe faith who come to us from other denominations?

Leadership DevelopmentCreative Leadership for Congregational Change Roy Godwin and Larry

McSwain Explore the methods for the management of change andtransition in the local church among laity and staff.

What Staff Members Wish Their Pastor Knew Bruce Maples and NinaMaples In any closely-working team, it’s the little things that can pileup over the years. Two ministers with over 30 years of staff experienceshare a light-hearted look at some of the “little things.”

Leading Change in a Congregation David Odom How can you initiatechange that makes a long-term impact on the vitality of your congrega-tion and its ministries? We will explore the role and work of leaders indiscerning God’s will and initiating change in a congregation.

FRIDAY, JUNE 25

Baptist World Alliance Breakfast 7:00 –8:30 a.m. Location: Sheraton Hotel/Convention Center Cost: To Be Determined,Reservations Required Contact: VickyO’Boyle, (703) 790-8980, Ext. 130,[email protected]

George W. Truett Theological SeminaryAlumni Association Breakfast7:00 – 8:45 a.m. Location: Sheraton Hotel/Convention Center Cost: To Be Determined,Reservations Required Contact: Laura A.Cadena, (214) 616-3058,[email protected]

Hispanic Network Reception 7:00 a.m.Location: Sheraton Hotel/ConventionCenter Cost: Complimentary, ReservationsRequired Contact: Bill Bruster, 214-282-2146, [email protected]

M. Christopher White School of Divinity ofGardner-Webb University Breakfast7:00 – 8:30 a.m. Location: Sheraton Hotel/Convention Center Cost: To Be Determined,Reservations Required Contact: BruceRabon, (704) 406-4256, [email protected]

Ministers on the Move 10:00 a.m. – 6:00p.m. A time for clergy in “transition” tomeet privately with members of CBF’sreference and referral team. Location:Sheraton Hotel/Convention Center Cost:No Cost Contact: Clarissa Strickland, (770)

220-1635, [email protected]

African American Network Luncheon Noon– 1:45 p.m. Location: Sheraton Hotel/Convention Center Cost: ReservationsRequired Contact: Bill Bruster, (214) 282-2146, [email protected]

Baptist Center for Ethics Luncheon12:15 – 2:00 p.m. Location: SheratonHotel/Convention Center Cost: To BeDetermined, Reservations Required Contact:Robert Parham, (615) 383-3192,[email protected]

Baptist Joint Committee Religious LibertyCouncil Luncheon Noon – 1:45 p.m.Location: Sheraton Hotel/ConventionCenter Cost: $25 per person, ReservationsRequired Contact: Wanda Henry, (202)544-4226, [email protected]

Church Benefits Board Luncheon Noon –2:00 p.m. Location: Sheraton Hotel/Convention Center Cost: By InvitationContact: Gary Skeen, (770) 220-1621,[email protected]; Valerie Hardy,(770) 220-1638, [email protected]

CBF Children’s Ministry Network 12:15 –1:45 p.m. Location: Sheraton Hotel/Convention Center Cost: To Be Determined,Reservations Required Contact: CathyAnderson, (828) 253-3208,[email protected]

Coordinating Council Alumni Dinner 5:00– 7:00 p.m. Location: Sheraton Hotel/Convention Center Cost: $10 per person,

Reservations Required Contact: CharlotteTaylor, (770) 220-1640, [email protected]

Wake Forest University Divinity SchoolReception 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Location:Birmingham Museum of Art Cost: No Cost,Reservations Required Contact: WadeStokes, (336) 758-4837, [email protected]

Asian Network Dinner 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.Location: Sheraton Hotel/ConventionCenter Cost: Complimentary, ReservationsRequired Contact: Bill Bruster, (214) 282-2146, [email protected]

Baptist Theological Seminary at RichmondAlumni and Friends Dinner 5:00 – 7:00p.m. Location: Sheraton Hotel/ConventionCenter Cost: To Be Determined, AdvanceReservations Appreciated Contact: BobSpinks, (804) 355-8135, [email protected]

New Missionary Reception 9:00 p.m.Location: Sheraton Hotel/ConventionCenter Cost: Complimentary

SATURDAY, JUNE 26

Fellowship Heritage Society Breakfast7:00 – 8:15 a.m. Location: SheratonHotel/Convention Center Cost:Complimentary with Reservations.Reservations must be made by noon Fridayat the CBF Exhibit Contact: Sunday Tyson,(770) 220-1663, [email protected]

[continues on next page]

General SessionsT H E T H E M E F O R T H I S Y E A R ’ S GeneralAssembly is “Being the Presence of Christ: Today …Tomorrow … Together.” The three main worship servicesare intentionally weaved together through music, participa-tion, scripture, thematic material and worship elements.

Themed Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

T H U R S D AY E V E N I N G“Being the Presence of Christ Today”Hear John Kinney, dean of school of theology at Virginia

Union UniversityMusic by Christian recording artist, Chris Rice and a Mass

Choir featuring 200-voice choir and orchestra fromchurches in Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia

Dramatic sketches led by the Dramatic Vagabonds ofBirmingham, Ala.

F R I D AY E V E N I N G“Being the Presence of Christ Tomorrow”Join us for the commissioning of new CBF Global Missions

field personnelVideo presentations of CBF Global Missions teamInspired congregational singing

S AT U R D AY M O R N I N G“Being the Presence of Christ Together”Experience communion officiated by Fellowship co-pastorsVideo presentations of “Being the Presence of Christ”Inspiring music

WHERE TO STAY Go to www.thefellowship.info to make hotel

reservations. Hotels are filling up quickly, however rooms are

still available. All reservations must be in writing and submitted

by fax or online to the Birmingham Convention Housing Bureau.

Contact (770) 619-9671 for further information.

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS AND YOUTHASSEMBLY For more information about Day Care and Day

Camp (infants through children entering kindergarten) and

Children’s Assembly (children who have completed kinder-

garten through 6th grade), contact Michelle McClintock at

(205) 989-4292, [email protected] or go to www.the

fellowship.info. For more information about Youth Assembly

(students who have completed grades 7 through 12), contact

Brent McDougal at (205) 486-3900, [email protected] or

go to www.thefellowship.info.

Information on

For more information, call (800) 352-8741

Wired for Ministry: Certificate Training for Ministry Anytime, AnyPlace James Peak Do you want to become the leader God has called youto be? Begin the journey at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond andits exciting new program for non-resident students in professional andvolunteer ministries: The BTSR School of Christian Ministry.

So, You’re on the Search Committee Clarissa Strickland and Panel Apanel discussion to offer help to church search committees seekingcongregational staff ministers.

A Dialogue with the Coordinator Daniel Vestal Enter in dialogue withCBF’s coordinator on the present and future of CBF.

Global MissionsMinistering Among Muslims in a Post 9/11 World “Nomie” Come hear

former Muslim speakers tell about the challenges and opportunitiesfor sharing Christ’s love in the face of hardship.

Opportunities for Students Amy Derrick and John Mitchell Some of theopportunities available to students such as Student.Go, Antiphonyconference, and Mission Exchange will be discussed.

Albanian-Balkan Team: Celebrating Ten Years Arville and Shelia EarlA look at the ministry of the Albanian-Balkan Team over the past 10years and a vision for the future.

Poverty in America, 2004 Pat Fulbright A look at life below the povertylevel as “families” examine budgets, access resources, and discoverwhy they “just can’t make it.”

Global Missions New Church Starting Initiative Phil Hester See theguidelines, methodologies and research CBF is using in its ChurchStart Initiative and hear the latest in Global Mission’s new churchstarting from CBF experts and field practitioners.

Being the Presence of Christ Among the Kurds “Frank” The CBFKurdish Team invites you to learn how the presence of Christ is beingpracticed in the homeland and throughout the Kurdish Diaspora.

Partnering Your Church with CBF Global Missions Tom Ogburn andPanel Discover how your church can partner with CBF Global Missionsin launching a new ministry in your community or in the world.

Transformational Development Work in God’s World Ben NewellThis session will explain what, why, and how people can connect andparticipate in justice and mercy issues, HIV/Aids, Poverty, EmergencyResponse, and Community Development and Empowerment.

Who Will Step Out in Faith? Tom Prevost Explore the need for CBF careerenvoy and GSC categories of service. Learn about a future as a teammember in holistic ministries with “most neglected” peoples.

Partners in Hope: CBF’s Rural Poverty Initiative Tom Prevost Get thelatest update on efforts in the nation’s 20 poorest counties.

Reaching Internationals in Your Own Neighborhood (MinistryNetwork) Rick Sample Join the 2nd Annual Internationals MinistryNetwork meeting. Hear missionaries and ministers on InternationalStudent ministry.

Indigenous Missions: Persian World Outreach Model Mich and PatTosan Practical ways that you as a Christian leader/worker and yourchurch can assist in indigenous missions efforts for those ethnicpeople walking into your church.

Promoting the Offering for Global Missions Terry Walton and PanelA demonstration of approaches for promoting the Offering as a singu-lar emphasis as well as alongside other missions stewardship pro-grams. Participants will receive a promotional packet and will havethe opportunity to ask specific questions related to their needs.

Being the Presence of Christ in China Ron Winstead Learn about whywe have chosen to work together with the registered Christian churchesin China and how your presence as teacher, business person, physicaltherapist, or short-term volunteer in Chinese communities can providea positive witness.


Pre-register online at www.thefellowship.infoor by calling (800) 352-8741.

Pre-registration will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17.After this date you may register on-site at the Birmingham

Convention Center beginning Thursday morning, June 24 at 9 a.m.


FELLOW

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21

ALABAMAMichael Lewis has been hired as the

associate coordinator for new church

starts. He can be contacted at

[email protected].

On Jan. 25, a young congregation

in Cullman joined the Fellowship

network and ordained their pastor,

Debbie Williams. Members of the

AlabamaCBF staff were there to

participate and celebrate this occasion.

Riverchase Baptist Church,

Birmingham, hosted the AlabamaCBF

Spring Conference, March 5-6,

“Growing Children ... Growing

Faith,” where Calvin Miller was the

guest speaker. Rod Marshall from

Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes

led parenting seminars and Mark

McClintock, PASSPORTkids!, taught

school-age children techniques of

ventriloquism.

Vestavia Hills Baptist Church is

seeking partners in establishing the

Centro de Esperanza in Los Mochis,

Sinaloa, Mexico. The Center of Hope

will be committed to ministries that

enhance the health, dignity and

wholeness of individuals and families.

Contact Dennis Anderson at (205)

979-5920 or [email protected].

GEORGIATHE BAPT IST WOMEN in Ministry

of Georgia will hold its annual spring

meeting on April 17 at Rocky Creek

Baptist Church in Forsyth with Susan

Burnette preaching. Lunch, business,

scholarships and awards are additional

highlights. Contact Devita Parnell,

(478) 742-1191 ext. 28 or

[email protected].

Touching Taliaferro with Love,

an initiative of CBF of Georgia and

the Taliaferro County community,

has set dates for 2004 summer camps,

June 20-25 and June 27-July 2. Ann

Peisher of Athens is camp director.

New Horizons Camp, an annual

CBF of Georgia children’s missions

camp for children who have completed

grades 3-6, will be July 13-16 in

Covington. Dixie Ford of Conyers is

camp director.

Starting in July 2004, teams of

youth and adults, through CBF of

Georgia’s partnership with Bosnia-

Herzegovina, will travel to Sarajevo,

Bosnia. Ten days of ministry and

mission work will revolve primarily

around a coffee house ministry.

MISSOURIUNIVERSITY HEIGHTS Baptist

Church in Springfield is hosting a

Church Leadership Institute, 9 a.m. -

3 p.m., April 23.

CBF of Missouri’s General

Assembly is April 23-24 in Springfield

at University Heights. The theme is

“Being the Presence of Christ: Everyone

... Everywhere,” and the program

includes a missions banquet and

coffee house concert with Kate

Campbell at Springfield's University

Plaza and Convention Center. Dinner

and concert is $30 per person. Bernie

Moraga, coordinator of the CBF

Hispanic Network and pastor of First

Spanish/Fruit Avenue Baptist Church

in Albuquerque, N.M., will be

Saturday’s preacher.

Second Baptist Church in Liberty

is hosting “Worship and Praise

Gathering” at 6:30 p.m., May 2. This

evening of blended worship and com-

munion is sponsored by CBF-partner-

ing churches in the Kansas City area.

NATIONALTHE COMISS NETWORK has

awarded George Pickle, CBF’s

associate coordinator for chaplaincy

and pastoral counseling, the presti-

gious COMISS Medal for his out-

standing service as a leader in pastoral

care. Founded in 1979, the COMISS

Network is a national organization of

chaplaincy, pastoral

care and pastoral

counseling stake-

holders. The

COMISS Medal is

the organization’s

highest honor and

has been awarded

only three times since its inception.

During his two years with CBF, Pickle

has focused on building the

Fellowship’s endorsement process

and growing the number of CBF

endorsed chaplains and pastoral

Fellowship Roundup News from CBF’s states, regions and national offices

Coming Attractions

May 6-7

Theology of Hope

Candler School of Theology

Emory University, Atlanta

Featuring: Jurgen Moltmann

Contact: [email protected]

May 27-29

Baptist History and Heritage Society Annual

Meeting

Vancouver, Wash.

Theme: “Baptist Footprints in the Northwest”

Featured Speakers: Walter B. Shurden,

J. Wayne Flynt

Information: www.baptisthistory.org or

(800) 966-2278

June 24-26

General Assembly 2004

Birmingham Convention Center, Alabama

Information: www.thefellowship.info

For a complete schedule of events, go to

Inside CBF/Fellowship Calendar at


George Pickle

counselors, which now stands at 350.

As CBF Global Missions field

personnel to the diplomatic commu-

nity, Ana and David D’Amico have

served at the United Nations in New

York for the past eight years.

Beginning Feb. 18, they started devel-

oping additional ministries from their

new residence in North Carolina,

while continuing their work as part of

the Transformational Development

Team. The D’Amicos will continue to

attend U.N. conferences, and connect

other field personnel to conferences

relevant to the Fellowship’s ministry

worldwide. The will also begin work

among persons of Hispanic origin liv-

ing in North Carolina.

CBF has an opening for a coordi-

nator of administration in the Atlanta

Resource Center. This position reports

directly to the CBF coordinator.

Responsibilities include overseeing

the daily operations of the CBF staff

including direct supervision of the

offices of Finance, Human Resources,

Information Technology, Facilities/

Office Management, and the CBF

Resource Link. The coordinator of

administration will assist the CBF

coordinator by functioning as chief of

staff and will act in the absence of,

and on behalf of, the CBF coordinator

as required. The position relates to

the CBF coordinators and staff

personnel, Coordinating Council

members, state and regional coordi-

nators, churches, constituents and

partnering organizations. A bachelor’s

degree required; graduate level work

preferred. A minimum of 10 years

experience in organizational manage-

ment, supervision and administra-

tion, preferably with nonprofits.

Qualified candidate will possess

demonstrated skill in organizational

leadership, written and verbal com-

munications, and human relations.

Proven comprehensive knowledge of

the theories, principles, and practices

of administrative management and

working knowledge of the fields of

Human Resource Management, budg-

eting, accounting, and information

systems required. To be considered,

qualified applicants should e-mail

resumes to: searchcommittee@the

fellowship.info or mail to: CBF, Attn:

Search Committee, PO Box 1876,

Raleigh, NC 27602. Deadline for

resumes is April 30, but the process

will remain open until the appropriate

candidate is found.

NORTH CAROLINABob Patterson, coordinator of the

CBF of North Carolina, has announced

plans to step down “sometime during

2004.” Patterson, hired in February

1999 as the state organization's first

coordinator, made the announcement

Jan. 20 during a meeting of the

organization's Coordinating Council.

Patterson asked the council to allow

him to “phase out” by forming a

search committee

soon but offered to

serve until a new

coordinator is select-

ed. Patterson, 60,

cited a “confluence

of events” leading to

his decision. These

include personal and family interests,

he said, and an awareness “of immi-

nent changes in North Carolina

Baptist life.” (ABP)

SOUTH CAROLINACBF OF SOUTH CAROLINA will

sign a formal partnership agreement

with the Union of Baptists in Belgium

as part of its General Assembly on

April 23-24. The Fellowship’s nation-

al coordinator, Daniel Vestal, will

lead worship and popular singer Sara

Reese will be guest musician at the

assembly, to be held at Boulevard

Baptist Church in Anderson. CBF

Global Missions urban team member

Ronnie Adams will speak at the

missions banquet on Friday night.

Adams works with Rauschenbusch

Ministries in New York City.

TENNESSEEWHEN A HANDFUL of Baptists

gathered for worship on Dec. 6, 1998,

in Hendersonville, Tenn., the future of

their fellowship was unknown. On Jan.

17-18, the congregation now known as

Believers Baptist Fellowship celebrat-

ed its status as a healthy, ministering

congregation with two days of special

activities. In addition to the pastor,

Tim Rayborn, other speakers included

Daniel Vestal, the Fellowship’s

national coordinator, led a conversa-

tion and discussion about the CBF

movement. Ircel Harrison, Tennessee

CBF coordinator, and Mike Young,

Tennessee CBF missions coordinator,

were also involved in the dialogue

with church members.

22

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Vol. 14, No. 2

CBF COORDINATOR • Daniel Vestal

EDITOR • Ben McDade

MANAGING EDITOR • Lisa M. Jones

PHONE • (770) 220-1600

FAX • (770) 220-1685

E-MAIL • [email protected]

WEB SITE • www.thefellowship.info

fellowship! is published bimonthly

by The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship,

Inc., 3001 Mercer University Dr.,

Atlanta, GA 30341-4115.

Periodicals postage paid at Atlanta,

GA, and additional mailing offices.

USPS #015-625

POSTMASTER:

Send address changes to “fellowship!”

Newsletter, Cooperative Baptist

Fellowship, P.O. Box 450329,

Atlanta, GA 31145-0329

Bob Patterson


FELLOW

SHIP FARE

23

TEXASTHE FUTURE FOR CBF TEXASlooked young and bilingual when it

hosted a missions workshop Feb. 14 at

the Baptist University of the Americas

in San Antonio. About 70 people from

12 churches gathered at BUA, formerly

known as the Hispanic Baptist

Theological School. Instead of a single

spring meeting, CBF Texas sponsored

a series of these workshops around the

state. George W. Truett Seminary at

Baylor University in Waco hosted a

workshop Feb. 21, Logsdon School of

Theology at Hardin-Simmons

University in Abilene on Feb. 28 and

the Baptist Studies Program of Brite

Divinity School at Texas Christian

University in Fort Worth on March 6.

CBF Begins Partnership in HaitiTHE FELLOWSHIP announced a

$16,000 donation to begin a partner-

ship in Haiti to address the needs of

the poorest country in the Western

Hemisphere.

The initial donation will be made

with World Vision, a Christian organ-

ization and formal partner of the

Fellowship committed to holistic

development. To endow a social services

program for women and children at

the Port-Au-Prince prison, $10,000

will be earmarked for pastoral care,

legal fees and support for income-

generating activities. The remaining

amount will be used for cistern/well

construction to serve several schools.

The Fellowship’s involvement is

intended to initiate long-term trans-

formational development among the

population that has been seriously

neglected by the government.

“There has been a lot of church

planting activity in Haiti in the past,

but the poverty issues seem to have

been overlooked, including basic

human need issues such as clean

water, access to healthcare and educa-

tion for children,” said David Harding,

CBF’s director of emergency response.

“Our partnership with World Vision

will bring a more holistic approach to

meeting the needs of the Haitian

people.” f!

The Fellowship and World Vision have

developed a list of volunteer opportunities

in the areas of agriculture, computer

technology, education, healthcare,

infrastructure and social work. For

more information, contact the

Fellowship’s volunteer office in Raleigh,

N.C., at (877) 856-9288.

To contribute to the need in Haiti, send

your financial gift to CBF, P.O. Box

101699, Atlanta, GA 30392. Make your

check payable to CBF and indicate the

Haiti relief and development fund No.

17013.

By contributing writer Bob Perkins Jr.,

Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Class Notes: News from Partner Schools

Baptist Seminary of Kentucky. The spring enrollment grew by 11 new students,

bringing the total of master of divinity students to 37 in the 2003-04 academic year.

Also, the seminary will have its Spring Convocation at 3:30 p.m. April 25 at Calvary

Baptist Church in Lexington, Ky. Wayne Ward will be the featured speaker.

Baptist Studies Program, Candler School of Theology, Emory University. Jürgen

Moltmann’s A Theology of Hope (Harper & Row, 1975) will be revisited at Candler,

May 6-7. Moltmann, who first published this groundbreaking book 40 years ago, will

lecture twice along with Douglas Meeks, Cal Turner Chancellor Professor of Theology

and Wesleyan Studies at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, and Miroslav Volf, Henry

B. Wright Professor of Systematic Theology at Yale University Divinity School. Candler

professors Nancy Eiesland, associate professor of sociology of religion; Robert

Franklin, presidential distinguished professor of social ethics; and Ted Runyon,

professor emeritus of systematic theology will speak also. For more information, visit

http://candler.emory.edu/ABOUT/events.html.

Central Baptist Theological Seminary. The seminary has named American Baptist

pastor James McCrossen interim president. The move follows Central President

Thomas E. Clifton’s retirement announcement in August. As his first act, McCrossen

hired executive consultant John Borden to give leadership to the strategic partnerships

the seminary is currently considering in order to expand its scope and strengthen its

financial base.

Molly T. Marshall, professor of theology and spiritual formation at Central, will

participate in a conference April 1-2, on Theology: Faith, Hope, and Love Seeking

Justice, on the occasion of the installation of Nancy Elizabeth Bedford in the Georgia

Harkness Chair of Applied Theology at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary,

Evanston, Ill. Marshall will be speaking on Theology as Faith Seeking.

M. Christopher White School of Divinity, Gardner-Webb University. Wayne Stacy,

dean of the divinity school, became pastor of Southside Baptist Church in Jacksonville,

Fla., in April. Since 1997, Stacy has been dean of the divinity school. He recently

requested and was granted a sabbatical leave from the divinity school and has been

serving as interim pastor at First Baptist Church, Gastonia, N.C. Robert Canoy has

been named interim dean of the divinity school. f!

P. O. Box 450329

Atlanta, GA 31145-0329

Address Service Requested

Samford Students Minister in Perry Countyas Part of Sowing Seeds of Hope

FOR THREE WEEKS in January, Jason Wood spent two

hours each morning making an eternal difference in the

life of a 10-year-old boy in Perry County, Ala. A junior at

Birmingham’s Samford University, Wood was part of a

four-person team that traveled to Marion, Ala., to work in

area public schools.

“The most meaningful part of the trip for me was working

with this boy,” Wood says. “He is in third grade, but still

reads at a preschool level.”

Wood admits that the first day was difficult. “He didn’t

want to have anything to do with me – he didn’t want to hear

it. Finally, I realized he had a bad self-image and didn’t think

he could read.

“I finally got across to him that he could do it, if he would

just put his mind to it,” Wood explains. “After that break-

through, we made some significant progress. It was really

satisfying to see him mature and learn.”

Carol Dean, an instructor for the School of Education at

Samford, accompanied the group to Marion to participate

in the Sowing Seeds of Hope project. “The group spent time

working with the children and assisting the teachers, much

like a teacher’s aide might do,” she says.

Dean says this was something different for Samford

students. “We have had various clinical experiences, but

this is the first time we have traveled outside the

Birmingham area – certainly the first time we have done

anything like this in a truly rural area.”

According to Dean, the students agreed that children

need the very best from the adults in their surroundings.

“Education gives any child the edge to be able to get out

of poverty and to fulfill their dreams,” Dean says. “I think

they all felt very strongly about that, about helping children

understand that they can fulfill their dreams.”

Wood plans to return to Perry County in the next few

months, and see if the young boy is still improving.

“We often think ministry means only preaching or sharing

the gospel, but when you look at the ministry of Christ, it

was all relationally based,” Wood says. “If you are trying to

share the gospel with someone who is hungry, you have to

ease the pain in their stomach before they can hear what

you are saying. You have to meet the need and then let them

know you are doing this because they are loved by Christ.”

John Martin, coordinator for Sowing Seeds of Hope,

concludes: “I feel that the students who came here realize

the great need and that they want to be responsive to take

an interest in those who are less blessed.” f!

Alabama's Sowing Seeds of Hope is part of Partners in Hope,

the Fellowship’s rural poverty initiative. To learn more about

Partners in Hope, go to Global Missions/Partners in Hope at


For more on Sowing Seeds of Hope, go to

www.pinebelt.net/~sshope/index.html or contact John Martin

at (334) 683-4666 or [email protected].


Cou

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Perry County elementary and high school students receive help from SamfordUniversity students Jason Wood, Erin Dawson and Sara Terry.

2004 april/may

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