BaptistLIFE Winter 2019 by Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware

Winter 2019

Newsjournal of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware • baptistlifeonline.org

Baptists and Baptisms

Throughout Maryland/Delaware, the Holy Spirit is powerfully raising up new believers and breathing life into dry bones in the valley. SEE PAGE 10

Table of Contents

(ISSN 331-640) is published quarterly as a Cooperative Program ministry of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/ Delaware. BAPTISTLIFE 10255 Old Columbia Road Columbia, MD 21046-1716 (Phone) 800-466-5290, ext. 245 (Fax) 410-290-6627 Send address changes & advertising questions to: iwhite@bcmd.org BAPTISTLIFE Staff

Baptists and Baptisms

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Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.

Maryland/Delaware Baptists Unite In Prayer 24 Messengers unanimously elected a new slate of convention officers

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Disaster Relief opens doors to the Gospel 16

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Volunteers share the Gospel in the midst of grief and loss after a natural disaster .

ABOUT THE COVER Members of Sonrise Church celebrate the baptism of a brother in Christ.

BaptistLife Perspectives President's Letter With All Purity

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Transitions and Recognitions

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Baptist Life Perspectives

KEVIN SMITH Executive Director Baptist Convention of Maryland/ Delaware

“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, ‘Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!’… Then people from Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the vicinity of the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.” (Matthew 3:1-2, 5-6 (CSB)

aptists like to baptize new believers! The historic commitment to baptizing new believers, based upon their profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is one distinctive of Baptists among the larger family of Bible-believing Protestants throughout the world. It was a joy to celebrate baptisms (with pictures) at our recent annual meeting. In my role, I enjoy celebrating God bearing fruit through our more than 500 congregations. One way we measure that fruitfulness is through LifeWay’s Annual Church Profile (ACP). The ACP is like a family portrait, a snapshot to help us see where we, as a convention of churches, are at a particular moment in time. These reports help your BCMD staff serve you as we consider mission strategy, update our records, and plan to serve our churches and their pastors. Also, when I seek to have salt/light influence in our state capitols – Annapolis and Dover – it is helpful to know how many of us MD/DE Baptists there are. As we prepare to turn over a new year, I hope you will respond to the ACP, especially with what I consider to be the core information – baptisms, members

and participants in your discipleship processes (whether Sunday School or small groups). These three categories are very helpful as we measure Christhonoring fruit among us. That’s the most important fruit – what Jesus called “fruit that remains” (John15:16). In 2016, we had more than 80 percent of our Cooperative Program supporting congregations respond to the ACP either (1) online, (2) through the state convention or (3) through their local association. However, in 2017 our percentage of response was significantly lower. I hope our 2017 response numbers will return to our 2016 levels. Again, these are not just numbers – they are opportunities for us to celebrate God using our more than 500 congregations for His glory. For example, those 2016 reports allowed us to celebrate well over 2,000 baptisms. Whether a congregation is 100 days old or 100 years old, we want to celebrate what God is doing through us. Grace to you,

Brother Kevin

The historic commitment to baptizing new believers, based upon their profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord & Savior, is one distinctive of Baptists among the larger family of Bible-believing Protestants throughout the world.

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What a Wonderful Life!

ometimes the children of the God take for granted the wonder of the Christian life, but the Christmas season has a way of helping us remember just how wonderful it is to have become the children of God. It is interesting to note, however, that when we Christians read the Christmas story, most of us turn to either Matthew or Luke for the story. It is true that, when we want the details of the wonderful miracle of the birth of Christ, these two writers do well at telling us all about it. But John gives us a point of view that is extremely different – different, but wonderful. When God gives us the Genesis account of His creation, He tells us that both Adam and Eve were personally created by Him. Therefore they had no earthly mother or father; hence God was both mother and father to them. Adam’s children are not children of God; we are children of Adam and Eve, and that

presents a problem for us. Since we are not naturally children of God, but children of Adam and Eve (with the qualities of our father and our mother) we suffer with the shortcomings of our earthly parents. But God speaks to us through John’s Christmas account to help us understand what Jesus’ ultimate goal was. John 1:12 “…as many as received him, to them gave he power to become Sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Think about it: John follows his rendition of the Christmas story with a conversation that is vital to understanding John 1:12. When Jesus told Nicodemus that he needed to be born again in order to see the Kingdom of Heaven, the words “born again” were not just words. Jesus was telling a child of Adam that in his present state he would not see the Kingdom. He needed a miracle. John explained the

DR. HAROLD M. PHILLIPS

President Baptist Convention of Maryland/ Delaware

miracle this way “…as many as received Him (Jesus), to them gave he power (permission) to become Sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” Why is that important? When we understand that we are born children of Adam and not children of God, we understand that when Jesus came to this earth to do what He was sent to do. He came to make the payment for those of us who would believe in who He is and what He did to now become His children. Yes, Adam and Eve’s children could now become God’s children. Think of it! We, who are born again, are truly born into the family of God. The salvation experience is really a new birth, and we who have received Him have become sons and daughters of God. What a wonderful Christmas miracle! But the rest of the story tells us that the sons and daughters of God are now to become labor and delivery doctors, birthing other sons and daughters unto God. What a Wonderful Life!

We who are born again are truly born into the family of God. The salvation experience is really a new birth, and we who have received Him have become sons and daughters of God. What a wonderful Christmas miracle!

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With All Purity “Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.” (1 Timothy 5:1) By Sharon Mager and Shelley Mahoney

astors and church leaders find themselves dealing with many unexpected and difficult subjects on a daily basis. It seems that every local church will face tumultuous times and difficult issues including divorce, addictions, finances, family troubles and many other problems throughout its existence. Without question, however, there are two challenges so painful that most churches specifically pray they never need to deal with them: domestic violence and sexual abuse, both in the home and in the church. With the rise of the #MeToo movement and the moral fall of several prominent pastors nationwide, churches are becoming more and more aware of the secret sins that lurk within their members – and sometimes within their leadership teams. Many churches have good intentions and desire to handle these sensitive situations in a godly manner, but they are unsure of the processes and preventative measures that can be taken to protect the church and its members. The Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCM/D) has recognized the importance of this topic and is committed to educating pastors and church leadership about discovering and reporting abuse, as well as counseling and supporting victims in the church body to move towards restoration and healing. Upon request from pastors in the convention, the BCM/D organized two “With All Purity” panel discussions to tackle the thorny issues of sexual misconduct and abuse of minors and domestic abuse in the church. First Baptist Church, LaPlata, Md., hosted the first discussion on Aug. 28, with special guest speakers including Police Chief

Carl Schinner; Bucas Sterling III, pastor of Kettering Baptist Church, Md., and Zach Schlegel, pastor of First Baptist Church of Upper Marlboro, Md. The second session was held at the Baptist Center on Oct. 11, with guests Jennifer Ridder, Howard County senior assistant state’s attorney; Kim Cook, executive director of CentrePointe Counseling; and Bucas Sterling III. Kevin Smith, BCM/D executive director, acted as moderator of both events. Smith shared 1 Tim. 5:1, an often-read verse in the Bible, but encouraged attendees to view these instructions from the Apostle Paul in the context of treating others with respect to avoiding anything resembling abuse. “We do want to think about those things in the light of the environment we are in,” he said. “The godliness and the purity and the righteousness of male-female interaction is nothing new to followers of Jesus,” Smith said. “We seek to be obedient to our Lord and bring glory to His name. Smith went on to reference the sons of Issachar, who, in 1 Chronicles 12:32, “understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” Smith emphasized that Christian leaders, too, must know what to do — both from a legal and a pastoral standpoint. He showed two videos of local pastors to prompt discussion. One of the pastors interviewed in these videos discussed the moment he got an unexpected phone call that led to major consequences. A mother of a young lady in the youth group made allegations of improper behavior against a male chaperone on a missions trip. The pastor admitted that he was naive and did not take the accusations as seriously as he should have at the beginning. It was not until he received similar information B A PT IST L IF E

The godliness and the purity and the righteousness of male-female interaction is nothing new to followers of Jesus. We seek to be obedient to our Lord and bring glory to His name. Kevin Smith, Executive Director BCMD from other parents that he realized that true sexual misconduct had occurred and was perpetrated by a young man in his congregation— a member of an established family in the church. He sadly reported the incident to the authorities, as was mandated. Shortly thereafter, church leaders tried to pressure WIN T E R 2 01 9

him. “When my deacons came and told me not to report it, I told them, ‘Well, I’ve already reported it.’ Would I have reported it anyway? Well, I hope so!,” he said, adding that by going ahead and making that one of the first decisions, it freed him from the pressure that was later applied to do otherwise.

The incident was investigated, and the young man was charged. It impacted the entire church, and a few months later, the pastor was asked to resign just after Christmas. He was given three months to move out of the parsonage. The pastor admitted it was hard on their whole family, but even after enduring these trying events, he does not back down from taking a hard stance on abuse in the church. What advice would he give others presented with a similar situation? “Take the phone call very, very seriously,” the pastor advised. The second pastor interviewed on video echoed his sentiment, adding that, “Even if you do struggle, you have no choice. You have to report it. If you don’t, if you try to handle it pastorally on your own, you’re under some legal jeopardy yourself.” The panel opened up with honest and clear discussion after these videos, outlining many of the state and governmental policies dealing with abuse, including who is mandated to report abuse and how this should occur, establishing boundaries in churches to create safe environments, and how churches can change their language and culture to be more supportive of survivors of abuse.

WHO SHOULD R EPORT PHYSICAL/ SEXUAL ABUSE OF A CHILD? • According to Ridder, mandated report-

ers of abuse in Maryland are health practitioners, police officers ,and human service workers. In Delaware, mandated reporters are physicians, persons in the “healing arts,” school employees, medical examiners, hospitals or other health care institutions, the medical society of Delaware, and law enforcement agencies. • When it comes to children under 18

years old, everyone is obligated to report abuse. • Abuse should always be reported,

whether it is occurring now or if it happened in the past. If someone states they were abused as a child, that must be reported. How can a church make the “pass-off” to the authorities when it comes to child abuse? Smith said sometimes churches struggle with making “the call,” feeling the issues should be handled internally, relying on “church discipline,” rather than making the call to authorities regarding abuse. Panelists discussed the correct steps a church should take. • Look for signs of abuse (or rather, a

“cluster” of signs). “For example, a clingy child could signify abuse, or it could mean they’re just anxious because they haven’t been away from their parents very often,” said Cook. “However, a child who is clingy, who also has bruises and clams up when asked about their family could point to deeper issues.” Ridder pointed out that children who are abused may touch others inappropriately because they’re told the way they have been abused is “normal.” • If you suspect abuse, make the call right

away. “You don’t need proof,” Ridder emphatically explains. “That’s not your job. That’s my job. As soon as you have a reason to believe something took place you don’t have to judge people’s credentials. Don’t make that decision. We do that.” • Abuse should be reported first to Social

Services, not the police (as long as no

one is in immediate danger). “That’s your first step,” Ridder said bypassing the police and calling social services directly ensures the report gets to the right jurisdiction and personnel. “A report comes into social services and gets assigned to a detective and a social worker, and they do the investigation together. This minimizes repeated interviews of the children,” she said. • Do not open an internal church investiga-

tion. “Pease, please, please do not engage in your own investigation. It is doing the victim a disservice, and it’s doing the suspect a disservice,” said Ridder.

WHAT PROCESS OCCURS AFTER A REPORT IS FILED? • Schinner, who — in addition to being a

police chief — is a member of a BCM/D church, says that the investigation for reporting abuse follows the same path as all other types of inquiry — it all comes down to “fact-finding.” Investigators take steps to find the truth, including: • Verifying that witnesses are credible • Questioning the suspect • Finding out if this suspect has abused

anyone else • After the facts are compiled, the infor-

mation is given to the state’s attorney

for guidance on how to proceed. • “Preparing, pre-planning and educating

people may prevent a lot of the difficult issues from occurring,” said Schinner. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

HOW SHOULD DOMESTIC VIO LENCE OF AN ADULT (OVER 18) BE HANDLED IN THE CHURCH? • Pastors and church leaders should

not report the abuse of an adult to the authorities. Ridder cautioned that reporting domestic violence may put the victim in a dangerous position. “Let’s say this person is in a domestic violence relationship and the police are knocking on the door. This could be putting them in jeopardy.” • Pastors and church leaders should

strongly advise victims to report abuse to the proper authorities. • Pastors should always bring someone

with them — rather than speaking to a victim alone — when offering advice. This provides a verification that the pastor did advise the adult that the authorities should be notified. • Inform abused individuals that, once

the crimes have been reported and there is an attorney involved, there are many options available to that person, includ-

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ing help with protective orders, housing assistance, and counseling. According to Ridder, it is often fear of financial problems that keep people from reporting abuse, but there are systems in place to help with this.

• Take a unified stand with your church

leadership. Schlegel emphasized that church must have a unified attitude on “how we’re going to stand, where we’re going to stand, and how we’re going to deal with it.” • Sterling said that knowing your position

WHAT KIND OF BOUNDARIES SHOULD CHURCHES HAVE IN PLACE TO PREVENT ABUSE? Sterling said preparation is key to preventing and responding to issues of abuse or domestic violence. • Set the tone and have the difficult

conversations about abuse, according to Sterling. “Every situation — child abuse, domestic abuse, violence — they happen in your churches. You may not know about it, but it’s happening,” Sterling warned. • Fingerprint and background check all

children’s ministry workers and use a service that has ongoing reporting. • Work in pairs when interacting with chil-

dren to avoid being alone with a child. • In lay-counseling situations, women

counsel women, and men counsel men. • Have a lawyer who specializes in church

law come to the church, lay out church law and explain how the church has to interact as a corporate entity. • Have written guidelines in place to

address what steps need to happen if abuse occurs. • Schinner recommends contacting the

police for safety training with volunteers and staff. • Make sure that church leadership always

has accountability. According to Schlegel, it is imperative that pastors and leaders have men who are willing to ask them the “tough questions” and force them to be accountable to other men and to God.

WHAT IF BOTH THE ABUSED AND THE ABUSER ATTEND YOUR CHURCH? • Have preemptive discussions with your

deacons and church leaders ahead of time to carefully craft a plan, according to Schlegel.

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in the church is also important. If anything occurs, he has his trustees report to the authorities so that he can continue to minister to both parties. “That removes me from that position. I’m not the face of the reporter. I can love and encourage the offender and the offendee. I’m there to bring comfort and wisdom to the parties involved and to guide them in Biblical ways to which we can navigate through the whole process and hopefully, at some way or shape or form, reconciliation can take place, even if that reconciliation involves incarceration.” Ridder emphasized that if the reporting is delegated, the obligated reporter is still responsible, so he or she must follow-up.

HOW CAN THE CHURCH FOSTER A SUPPORTIVE AND HEALING ENVIRONMENT FOR SURVIVORS OF ABUSE? Smith said he regularly engages with people in churches as these matters arise. There’s a big difference when someone is going through the crisis with a supportive congregation rather than one that is non-supportive. “We want the type of environments in our congregations where honesty, truthfulness and authenticity characterizes the environment,” Smith emphasizes. • Avoid the mindset of keeping things

“neat” and “tidy” by keeping secrets in the church. According to Smith, “We sometimes collectively want to paint this “Disneyland” narrative and not deal with the reality of who we are.” • Encourage church members to sen-

sitively and lovingly broach difficult topics with others in the church. “Sometimes it’s as simple as other ladies coming around and saying, ‘how can I help you? How can be a friend to you? I heard you say something that made me feel worried for you’,” says Cook.

• Engage in honest conversations with

lots of open-ended questions, Cook advised. Ask questions that can give insight into secret, potentially abusive situations in the home, but be careful not to put words in another person’s mouth (particularly children). • Talk about the Bible stories that show

family dysfunction, abuse, and rape, and then how God views those behaviors, Cook advises. A new paradigm is needed, Cook said. • Have a clear understanding of Scripture

and preach the truth. “Have a Biblical anthropology instead of an ‘Oprah anthropology,’ or a ‘Donahue anthropology’,” according to Smith. “The Bible reveals us. We must proclaim the Word of God, and the Bible shows us who we are.” • Have connections to professionals who

can give advice. • Smith recommends having connections

with the police chief in your area. • Cook recommends having Christian

counselors on standby who are available to meet with abuse survivors. “Having referral relationships with Christian counseling professionals makes it easier for that kind of ‘pass-off.’ Christian counselors integrate their professional training and skills with the Word of God and their understanding of the world.” • Ridder said the state attorney’s office is

available to give presentations. Schlegel summarized much of the panelists’ thoughts by stating that older men must model to younger men how to treat women. Men must be discipled, instructing them how to treat a woman with respect and honor. “Hopefully over time that becomes the culture of the church.” Both panels ended with prayer. Shelley Mahoney is a freelance writer and an adjunct professor of communications at Anne Arundel Community College, Md.

Baptists and Baptisms “The 11 disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. When they saw Him, they worshiped, but some doubted. Then Jesus came near and said to them, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20 HCSV) By Sharon Mager and Shelley Mahoney

hroughout Maryland/Delaware, the Holy Spirit is powerfully raising up new believers and breathing life into dry bones in the valley. Be filled with awe and wonder as you see the amazing, wondrous works of God through just a few of the stories among our many churches — small, big, young, old, rich, poor, contemporary, traditional. They meet in a variety of geographical areas in unique venues, but in all of them, souls are being reborn in Christ. This is a time to rejoice and press forward into a new year.

IT ALL BEGAN IN A HORSE TRACK In a warehouse in Berlin, Md., hundreds of believers are freely worshipping, singing with all their might, hands held high. They’re celebrating a new location, three campuses, baptisms, salvations — new life in Christ at a recent anniversary celebration at Sonrise Church. The church has operated out of many different locations — living rooms, horse racing tracks, school cafeterias, and — today — three different campuses with thriving congregations in Berlin, Salisbury and Princess Anne. When considering almost 900 salvations and more than 800 baptisms have taken place in this church over the years, it is clear all of

these locations have two things in common: the blessing of God and a congregational willingness to follow His leading. Senior Pastor Daryl McCready has faithfully served Sonrise Church since before its official 2002 launch. He is always amazed at the obvious work of the Holy Spirit in the church body, and He never forgets that — although the church faithfully plants and waters the seeds of salvation — it is only God who has given the increase. “God began even then to do things I could not dream, fathom or imagine,” says McCready, recalling the early days of the church. “He began to move, to draw people to himself. People’s lives were radically changed as they came to know Jesus and trusted in Him and as He began to transform them. They started bringing everyone they knew who didn’t know Jesus…from 13 people meeting in my living room, we began to grow. Over the last 16 years, we’ve become a church with three campuses, in three counties with an average attendance of 900 a week.” Twice a year, the campuses gather for joint worship services. The October services are especially exciting because they celebrate the beginning of all of the campuses — each strategically launched in October. “On Oct. 6, 2002, we launched our public Sunday worship at Sonrise…at the horse track. That’s a cool thing, actually, to have as part of your history,” says McCready with a chuckle. B A PT IST L IF E

God began even then to do things I could not dream, fathom or imagine… He began to move, to draw people to himself. People’s lives were radically changed as they came to know Jesus and trusted in Him and as He began to transform them. The church launched its second campus in 2014 in Salisbury with Pastor Bryan Lloyd, and in 2016 their third campus in Princess Anne began, led by Pastor Mark Thomas and Pastor Nathan Deisem, a multi-site launch catalyst. Last year the church started a Saturday night venue at the Berlin Campus with Pastor Carl Moyer. McCready says one of the church’s core values is multiplication. “The purpose of God’s church is to multiply, WIN T E R 2 01 9

to grow His kingdom, to reach people with the Gospel and to multiply our efforts to train and raise up other people and pass along what God has given us to others. There’s a constant reproduction happening in this church at every level.” In addition to the conversions and baptisms, the church has also assisted 20 church plants with prayer, support and financial resources.

A CHURCH REBOUNDING While Sonrise is thriving with reproducing life, God is lovingly causing a reblooming of life at Bethany Church in Wilmington, Del. A beautiful picture of revitalization and rebirth, the church has increased from 40 regular attendees in 2015 to more than 200 in 2018. They’ve seen 127 new believers baptized in the last three years, and a thriving new student ministry has taken root since then. And all it took was hundreds of hours of prayer, an unfathomable display of the power of God — and a basketball. Pastor Jack Weight came to the church a few years ago and brought his son, Jack III, with him as a student minister. At this time most of the small congregation was over 50 years old, and the church was struggling with the decision about whether they should close their doors and sell their building or take a step of faith and reach out to a new pastor for a desperately needed church revitalization. They prayerfully chose to contact Weight. “I believe the church had many of the pieces in place to thrive,” says Weight. “They just needed some vision and leadership.” Weight firmly believes that “the church needs to be outwardfocused. So many churches are inward-focused, and that leads to churches plateauing and ultimately to dying.” The church fully bought into Weight’s vision and began looking for new ways to reach out. The unlikely solution was found in a basketball hoop in front of the church building. Teens gathered to play, but no one was engaging them. Weight got his

game on and headed out to shoot hoops. The teens enjoyed the competition and relationships formed. Others from the church joined in. Soon there was a consistent, unreached group that the church was engaging on a regular basis. Families in the neighborhood began taking notice of this new church outreach and embraced the genuine authenticity and compassion displayed by the church. They formed relationships and attachments, and, when they were invited to move from the basketball court to the sanctuary, community residents intently and enthusiastically began attending the church, receiving the Gospel, and following through in baptism. “Authenticity is very important to us,” emphasizes Weight. “They saw we were real and they were attracted to that. They came in, and God started saving them!” Bethany Church has continued to step out on faith, just as they did on the day they called Weight. The church is working on a $200,000 renovation project that will fix neglected spots in the building, create an atmosphere that is appealing to the younger generation and provide an overall experience that is more positive and accessible for individuals and families with special needs. “We hope that making our church building more accessible

will also allow us to further engage our community,” explains Weight. More than a quarter of the people baptized at Bethany Church have been students, and the church is now plugged into the Baptist Student Ministry 20 minutes up the road.

A HIGH CALLING TO REACH THE HIGHLY EDUCATED Aletheia Church, College Park, a five-year-old church plant, is not only “plugged in” to campus ministry — that’s their primary focus. Rob Stephens, pastor of Aletheia Church, recently had an opportunity to share the story of Ruth with a University of Maryland College Park (UMCP) freshman at an international student dinner. A young woman, in the USA

Families in the neighborhood began taking notice... and embraced the genuine authenticity and compassion displayed by the church. Community residents intently and enthusiastically began attending the church, receiving the Gospel and following through in baptism.

for the first time this year, asked Stephens for a suggestion for an American name. He thought for moment then suggested “Ruth.” Addressing the group of students sitting around her, he asked, “Do you know about the Bible?” They shook their heads. So, he explained. Ruth was a “stranger” in the land, who left her home and her “gods,” to follow her mother-in-law and worship the God of Israel. She eventually became the greatgrandmother of King David and was in the line of Jesus. The young woman was thrilled. “Jesus!” she echoed, with a huge smile on her face. Asked about such a perfect story for a young Chinese woman, Stephens later said the Holy Spirit brought it to his mind. Stephens has had many such opportunities. “When we moved here, the reason we chose this area was to influence students with the Gospel. We started with a handful of young, singles, who had just graduated and a small core group of college students. We did a lot of evangelism, and that’s how we grew,” he explains. Alethia is not an “events” driven church, Stephens says. “Most of our evangelism is very organic, constantly challenging them to be missionaries where they are. We do have some avenues. We go out sharing every week at specific times, and we walk around B A PT IST L IF E

campus and have conversations about the Gospel.” They recently set up a “stress relief” table outside the student union. “I took my dog,” he laughs. As students stopped by to pet the dog, Stephens and others offered to pray with them. “It’s a good opportunity to have a conversation,” he says. The church also has an annual chili cookoff that draws many guests who church members have opportunities to engage. “We had over 50 people for that,” he says of the last “cookoff.” With the bulk of their members being college students, attendance naturally fluctuates. During the school year Stephens said they average 115 people weekly. During Winter break, and in the summer that number looks entirely different he says. A crucial element to the church is the help of several mature Christian families. “They ‘get’ the mission of what we’re doing, and they set aside the idea of being a consumer and have opened up their homes to college students and the students have blessed them,” he says. The church regularly baptizes new believers, and Stephens is overjoyed when he sees college students “falling in love with Jesus and serving Him.” A part of collegiate ministry is having to say goodbye, and the church works diligently to prepare students for the transition. Many have been involved with “parachute” campus ministries, such as CRU, that provide wonderful opportunities to grow in their faith, but without being in a church, they miss a significant component of Christian living. Stephens says,“ Sometimes in parachute ministries, students WIN T E R 2 01 9

don’t understand how to live, breathe and move in a local church. Part of our calling is that we want to see college students, when they have to leave us, plug into a local church and be ‘ready to roll,’ because they know how to function in a church.

THE SMELL OF THE POPCORN, THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL The theater in Abingdon, Md., is packed with around five dozen people each Sunday. The scent of popcorn is strong and mingles with the crackle of excitement in the air, then the music starts, and everyone finds a seat. These people haven’t come to be entertained; however — they’ve come to worship and hear the Word of God at Connecting Church, an 18-month-old church plant that has been growing consistently and meeting at Regal Theaters since launching at the beginning of 2017. Like Alethia, Connecting Church is drawing a variety of people, many who have never “plugged-in” to a church, or who have “unplugged,” many years ago. Since its beginning, the church has seen multiple salvations and 10 baptisms. Phil Gifford began this church with a strong desire to reach out to the community in the Abingdon area. Although the theater was not originally a part of the plan, he has been surprised to find that the setting has worked well. “People come to the theater to see a movie and then stop by our table to eat the donuts and drink coffee,” Gifford says. “We had one family who came to see “Justice League” and said, ‘hey, there’s a church there!’ and started coming, just like that. We have had three families in our church who started attending because they were at the movies.” Gifford says, “We try to connect with a lot of families — especially ‘de-churched’ families — by building a rapport in the community and having consistent outreach efforts.” Most of the baptisms in the church have come from people who visited the church through outreach. Connecting Church has hosted kids camps, movie nights, Vacation Bible School, block parties, and local school projects that have sparked interest in visitors and yielded long-term growth. Art camps, music camps, sports camps, and a STEM camp all attempt to draw in families who may otherwise hesitate to come to church. “We get families to come out and invest four or five days in these events, and on Sunday we give them something to celebrate with us,” said Gifford. “That’s been a huge thing,” Mission teams and partner churches have worked with Connecting Church to help canvas neighborhoods and advertise the events. As a direct result of these efforts, 84 first-time visitors have stopped in to check out the church, and many have stayed. Although outreach is a starting point, Gifford insists that it is not the “end game.” “We form real relationships with people who come as a result of outreach and eventually get them involved in discipleship. Six months later, they are baptized,” according to Gifford. Gifford, along with the congregation, is excited to see what God will do in the future at Connecting Church.

Sometimes in parachute ministries, students don’t understand how to live, breathe and move in a local church. Part of our calling is that we want to see college students, when they have to leave us, plug into a local church and be ‘ready to roll,’ because they know how to function in a church. B A PT IST L IF E

FROM BHUTAN WITH LOVE At Bhutan Baptist Church (BBC), connection is totally different. Many of their members are refugees. The church, which meets at Parkville Baptist Church, Md., is small but vibrant, with weekend services, Monday night services, prayer meetings, cell groups, women’s fellowships and churchwide fellowships on a regular basis. More than 40 people attend each of the worship services, and, according to Budathoki, that number, which has been slowly increasing, includes many Bhutanese people and a Pakistani family, who recently became regular attendees despite not speaking the language. Above all else, the church rejoices in many salvations among its members over the last several years since the church was planted. There are currently eight candidates waiting for warmer weather to be baptized. Budathoki said the church combines their baptisms with an outdoor church event. Many members deal with the very real financial and physical struggles of being a refugee in America. Fluctuations in attendance tend to occur due to living expenses in Maryland; they often need to move in with family members to manage living expenses. Budathoki can understand these struggles all too well. He, too, was a refugee. “I accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord in a plastic hut in the year 1994,” said Budathoki. “After I became a believer, I came home happy, I received life; I got salvation, and I committed my life to God for His ministry until my last breath. I found the presence and peace of God in my heart.”

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Although the decision to follow Christ brought him deep joy, it also brought him a great deal of persecution. Individual family members beat him, and he was denied food and water, and the Hindu community ordered him to forsake his faith in Jesus. Undeterred, he began preaching the Word in the marketplace. Despite efforts to be careful, Budathoki was arrested and imprisoned in Nepal. He was severely beaten and mentally tortured every single day for 15 months. He prayed faithfully in prison, however, and led multiple prisoners to the Lord before he was finally taken to the Nepal border and forced to leave the country. He studied theology in East India and then served as an evangelist, missionary, pastor and eventually planted a church at a Bhutanese refugee camp in Nepal. This is where he met Samuel Cho, the original church planter of the Bhutan Baptist Church, Baltimore,who told him that he would pray for Budathoki to come to America. Budathoki was pleasantly surprised when God answered this prayer and allowed him and his family to come pastor Buhtan Baptist Church in 2011. Budathoki now serves bi-vocationally as a letter carrier for the United States Post Office while ministering at the church. Today, Budathoki describes his congregation as a “close-knit group that enjoys worship and fellowship.” The church meets with other Bhutanese and Nepalese churches in the area for holiday fellowships where they enjoy food, prayer, worship and dancing. Buhtan Baptist church is excited about the work God is doing and is looking forward to seeing how He moves in the future.

Kerry Hinton says Disaster Relief opens doors to the Gospel By Sharon Mager

ynnhaven Baptist Church, (LBC) Pocomoke, Md., was faced with a difficult decision in the fall of 2018. They were ready to start the multi-month process of creating their annual “Walk Through Bethlehem,”—a live nativity which draws more than 3,500 people from every corner of the state and beyond, easily their most significant outreach. They had to choose between producing the nativity or sending a disaster relief (DR) team to Pollocksville, North Carolina, an area that was devastated by Hurricane Florence. They couldn’t do both. “I love ‘Bethlehem,’ and it’s a major outreach for our church,” says LBC Senior Pastor Kerry Hinton. “We asked the church… and they were unanimous that we needed to go help people.” With the support of the whole church, Lynnhaven’s DR team drove south to Pollocksville to provide the needed relief. Pollocksville Baptist Church was dealing with extreme flooding and couldn’t hold services for an extended period, which, according to Hinton, can take a significant toll on the congregation, as well as the finances, in any church body. The church also had no electricity, so the men on the team slept on cots at the local firehouse while the women slept in a converted barn. During the day, they worked nonstop clearing out debris from the church basement. Hinton, who grew up in a town near

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Pollocksville, in Jones County, ran into an old friend from middle school. As they reconnected, he discovered his friend and family lived “in the shadow of the church’s steeple” but never stepped foot inside. Although Hinton’s friend wasn’t interested in spiritual matters, the man’s wife and grandchildren did respond and began faithfully attending church services and according to Hinton’s contacts months after the team left, they haven’t missed a week. “When you do DR job you are always representing the local church,” says Hinton. “I try to do a good job of that.” He still prays for the friend to take a step and visit First Baptist Church of Pollocksville. “I think he’s going to end up there one day,” says Hinton. Hinton’s connection to the church in Pollocksville was catalytic for the BCM/D’s DR team who coordinated a response to the need. While Hinton’s group cleaned out basements, another team led by Alan Caho, a leader in the Eastern Baptist Association, arrived with chainsaws to remove debris. No matter what they’re doing, the Holy Spirit is always at work in their DR deployments. “We always see ‘God sightings’ wherever we go,” Hinton says. “Sometimes it’s not the people we’re helping—it’s the neighbors.” One neighbor interaction particularly stands out in Hinton’s mind. He and his team were helping an elderly woman in a damaged home in West Virginia. The job was filled with many emotional and logistical challenges. Throughout the day, the team noticed a man across the street watching them. One team member went across the road to engage the neighbor, inviting him to meet the team, and see what they were doing but the man refused. At the end of the day, Hinton was discouraged with the job and the challenges and recalls specifically praying that he would be assigned elsewhere the next day. “With all my heart I didn’t want to go back to that job, but somehow we ended up in the same place,” he says, not knowing God’s purpose at the time. As the team started unloading, the neighbor who had watched them the day before crossed the street to speak with Hinton. “He said, ‘I wanted to talk to you yesterday and couldn’t, so I prayed, please send those yellow-shirt people back.’” Hinton and his team shared the Gospel with the man and that day he prayed to accept Christ. The man was also dealing with damage to his home, so the team worked to assist him. “I still keep in touch with him to this day,” says Hinton. In addition to helping victims of disasters and their neighbors, Hinton enjoys the opportunity to build deep bonds with members of his church who travel with him. He said that it is often life-changing for volunteers when they work on damaged homes and they see people’s entire lives condensed down to a few boxes or bags on their front lawns. “The last trip I was on, a man I worked with pointed to less than a dozen boxes and said ‘that’s all I have left from 41 years of marriage’.” He also recalls a trip to Vermont when an octogenarian woman had to throw away a beloved keepsake—her wedding WIN T E R 2 01 9

In addition to helping victims of disasters and their neighbors, Hinton enjoys the opportunity to build deep bonds with members of his church who travel with him. He said that it is often life-changing for volunteers when they work on damaged homes and they see people’s entire lives condensed down to a few boxes or bags on their front lawns. 17

I think that’s where the church needs to be when something has gone wrong—we need to be there for people. We need to be the church instead of just going to church. That’s where my heart is… I like helping people… some may think I’m crazy, but I’d rather put on a tool belt and do this than sit behind a desk. 18

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dress, saved for decades. It was hard on the DR team to watch this woman let her precious gown go. “Part of the job is just sitting with people and letting them tell their stories,” said Hinton. He mentioned that often people would see major pieces of their lives destroyed, including special toys or outfits that belonged to their children, memories from their marriages, and other special family belongings. “I think that’s where the church needs to be when something has gone wrong—we need to be there for people. We need to be the church instead of just going to church. That’s where my heart is,” he says emphatically. “I like helping people… some may think I’m crazy, but I’d rather put on a tool belt and do this than sit behind a desk.” BCM/D Community Engagement Consultant Ellen Udovich received assistance from Hinton and his team in the summer of 2018 when she and a group worked tirelessly to help victims of multiple floods in the spring and summer of 2018. “We received a call about a woman who needed help in Oella, and we were running out of volunteers west of the Bay. Her basement was flooded in the Ellicott City flood, and we learned

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about it late in summer. The mold was everywhere,” Udovich said. She and longtime DR worker George Blevins were trying to finish some the final jobs by themselves. When Hinton heard about the situation, he and a DR team from LBC drove more than six hours roundtrip to lend a hand. “If there’s anything he can do to help you, he’ll get it done for you. He has a servant’s heart,” Udovich said, adding that after the team did the hard work they had to travel back home and then Hinton had to get up and preach the next day. Though a naturally soft-spoken gentleman, Hinton gets an urgency and passion to his voice when he speaks about disaster relief. “Each trip is unique in its own way. Often, people don’t have time for you or your message, but when there’s a disaster, it’s a completely different situation,” Hinton says. “I’ve seen many people accept Jesus Christ because we’re there to help them. For many, it’s the first time they’ve listened to the message.” If you, or your church, is interested in learning more about disaster relief, visit bcmd.org/disaster-relief.

Transitions and Recognitions Obituaries

JAMES “ WARD” HOLLAND JR. died peacefully on July 31, 2018. He was 82. A funeral was held on Aug. 3 at Faith Baptist Church, Glen Burnie, Md. Holland grew up in Crisfield, Md., attending Crisfield High School, where he was a star football player. He continued his academic and athletic career at Mars Hill Jr. College, North Carolina, and at Furman University, South Carolina. He then attended Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he obtained a Bachelor of

DONALD MILTON COWHERD, died on Aug. 16, in Mt. Airy, Md., following a long battle with Idiopathic Myopathy, a muscle disease. He served in many BCM/D churches along with his wife of 65 years, Dolores. Cowherd also ministered as an evangelist, preaching revivals through Maryland, Virginia, Ohio and West Virginia. He was a member of Liberty Baptist Church, Lisbon, Md., for 20 years, where he served as prayer coordinator. He received a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown College, Georgetown, Ky., followed by a degree from Southern Seminary, Louisville, Ky., and a doctorate from Somerset University in England. In his spare time, he enjoyed watching movies as well as oil painting, crossstitching, needle arts, and woodworking.

Divinity and later a Master of Divinity. Through the years, he and his wife of 58 years, June, who ministers with the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCM/D) in the areas of Bible teaching and children’s ministries and VBS, faithfully ministered in many Maryland churches. Ward was licensed to preach at Loch Raven Baptist Church, Md., and he went on to pastor Norbeck Baptist Church, Rockville, Md.; College Parkway Baptist Church, Arnold, Md.; Riverside Baptist Church, Baltimore, Md, First Baptist Church of Kent Island, Stevensville, Md.;and then again at Riverside Baptist Church. After retirement, he still served in an interim capacity and supported June in her ministry to the churches. In addition to his pastoral ministries, Ward was active in denominational life. He

served on the BCM/D’s General Mission Board on a variety of committees and as a BCM/D vice president. Also, he served as moderator for the Arundel, Montgomery and Baltimore Baptist Associations. He directed Sunday School growth campaigns in nine states, as well as helped with church training growth projects in several states. Having a heart for missions near and far, Ward and June traveled to many countries including Latvia, Haiti and Africa to share the Gospel. BCM/D Executive Director David Lee said Ward was, “steadfast,” and, “unmoveable.” In his message, Jim McBride, pastor of New Harvest Baptist Church, Dover, Del., said Holland was prepared to preach “in season and out of season.”

In fact, his love of woodworking led him to design and create “PRAY” plaques, and he gave away thousands to friends and others to encourage believers to pray. He also sent the plaques to leaders at the federal, state and local levels, and, eventually, it became a worldwide ministry. Cowherd influenced many people, including BCM/D Consultant for Community Engagement Ellen Udovich. He was her youth minister at Montrose Baptist Church, Rockville, Md. “He listened with his heart, he taught and applied the Bible in a way I could understand, and really was my first guide on the pathway of Christian discipleship. He laid a good foundation for me, and I will always be grateful!” she said. Larry Eubanks, senior pastor of First

Baptist Church of Frederick, Md., was also at Montrose Church when Cowherd was serving in a ministry position. “His love for the Lord was genuine, and he was a true gentleman in every sense of the word.” Potomac Baptist Association Director of Missions Keith Corrick said, “He was without question the greatest prayer warrior I’ve ever known.” Lance Metcalf, senior pastor of Liberty Baptist Church, said Cowherd was “an encourager, a prayer warrior and an evangelist.” In addition to his wife, Dolores, he is survived by his son Donald, his daughter, Diane and his sister, Jean Epperson as well as eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son David. B A PT IST L IF E

Retirement John Fariss retired on Sept. 2 after ministering for 32 years, with 14 of those years serving as pastor of Trinity Baptist Church (TBC), Waldorf, Md. The church had a special celebration service followed by a carry-in dinner on Aug. 19, combining Fariss’ retirement and the church’s 35th anniversary. Special guests included Potomac Baptist Association Director of Missions (DOM), Keith Corrick and the past DOM, Richard Logsdon. The congregation presented Fariss with gifts including a handmade quilt and a wall clock. Fariss, with his wife Nancy by his side, pastored churches in North Carolina and Virginia before coming to Trinity Church in Maryland in 2004.

same time his son’s school was being integrated. That made a big impact on the younger Fariss. According to a TBC biography about their pastor, “His heroes came to include one of those first African American officers and the first two African American students at his school.” He carried that respect of all people with him, and at TBC, Fariss led the church in creating an environment of welcome and love for all. “I am especially pleased with the attitude the congregation has of embracing a multi-racial approach to ‘doing’ Baptist Church. That’s something I think is important, and the church, by and large, has embraced it,” Fariss said. Missions work has been a huge part of the

Ministering to the community has been very sweet for Fariss, who always wanted the church to be intentional about loving their community and building relationships. Reflecting on the years at TBC, Fariss sees how his events from his childhood affected his ministry. Growing up in Alabama in the 50s and 60s, at the height of the Civil Rights movement, he witnessed marches and demonstrations in his hometown, but it didn’t escalate as in other areas. That’s partly because Farriss’ dad wouldn’t let it. He was a police chief who believed in law and order and respect for others. The elder Fariss worked to integrate the police department at the WIN T E R 2 01 9

church’s ministry under Fariss’ leadership. They’ve ministered regularly in Pikeville, Ky., and in Nanjemoy. The church went on an exploratory mission trip to Mexico, and Fariss said he believes that will be an emphasis for the church in the future. The trips to Kentucky’s Appalachian region were to minister to the very poor, bringing food and clothing. “One time we went to Kentucky in December. The temperature was 25 degrees

when we got there. We were using a high school gym. A young woman came in with four or five children and none of them had coats. They just had T-shirts,” he said. It touched him deeply to see that poverty. Seven years ago, the church realized there was an area in Nanjemoy with families that needed help. Working with a local school at that time, they were able to identify the families in need, and they began collecting school supplies, hosting Christmas parties, a skating party, and summer camps. Ministering to the community has been very sweet for Fariss, who always wanted the church to be intentional about loving their community and building relationships. Several years ago, they began having fall festivals for younger children in October. They also open their doors and grounds for a community yard sale and they give away school supplies. Another highlight during Fariss’ tenure was the church’s ability to pay off the loan for their property. They celebrated with a mortgage burning service. “It set off the fire alarms!” Fariss said with a chuckle. Now Fariss and his wife Nancy will spend more time with their children and grandchildren. Fariss is also looking forward to enjoying time to pursue his hobbies. A history buff, he volunteers at the Walkersville Southern Railroad, registered as a “fireman.” They have a steam locomotive and he helps shovel coal. “I also like obsolete technology. If you need a vacuum tube radio restored, I’m your guy! I’m interested in anything dealing with history,” he said.

Staff Changes TOM STOLLE The General Mission Board (GMB) of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCM/D) has named Tom Stolle as associate executive director of the convention. Stolle formerly served under the title chief financial officer and chief operating officer. Bringing his recommendation to the GMB, BCM/D Executive Director Kevin Smith said, “The new title will allow all staff to be accountable to me through the associate executive director, who will have supervision over the operations staff and extended supervision through our three team leaders and all other staff.” The supervision for the NAMB-provided Church-Planting staff is by Michael Crawford, state director of missions, and the daily supervision of our Church Services staff will reside with the future state director of evangelism, he said. Smith further explained that the titles of chief financial officer and chief operating officer are very helpful external titles when dealing with businesses and regarding engagement with the Baptist Foundation of Maryland/Delaware, but as far as the BCM/D staff and as far as Baptist life, the associate executive director title “makes it very clear about who makes decisions while I am away or out of the country or something like that.” Harold Phillips, chairman of the BCM/D’s administrative committee, which serves as the personnel committee, said the new title reflects much of what Stolle has already been doing to support Smith, whose responsibilities require a considerable amount of traveling away from the Columbia office. Noting Smith’s great capacity to represent, promote and build partnerships for the BCM/D with other state conventions and national entities, Phillips explained the board’s desire for Smith to be able to use his abilities to his full capacity.

“But things still need to operate smoothly in the office, too,” Phillips said, noting Stolle has been a “stable settler,” whose strong relational and leadership skills have helped immensely through the convention’s recent transitions. “I have nothing but great respect for Tom, who has a been a solid force in the office and the BCM/D world,” said Phillips, senior pastor of Pleasant View Baptist Church in Port Deposit, Md. He said Stolle’s role as associate executive director allows for a decision-maker to be present in the office for dayto-day operations.

M A R K D O O L E Y assumed the role of state director of evangelism, effective Jan. 1. In that role, he leads the efforts of BCM/D’s church services team and encourage evangelistic fruitfulness among more than 500 congregations. Dooley brings over 34 years of ministerial and pastoral experience to the position. In addition to his ministry as pastor of Leonardtown Baptist Church, he served several terms on the BCM/D General Mission Board (GMB) and is a past GMB president. Recently, Dooley served on the Southern Baptist Convention committee on nominations. On the associational level, he served on several committees with the Potomac Baptist Association. “Having served in BCM/D responsibilities in the past and seeing the good work the staff does, I’m excited to be a part of that and to be able to further that ministry full-time,” Dooley said. “I’m really looking forward to getting to know the pastors and their churches and helping them meet their needs.” He is a graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, earning a Master of Divinity. He and his wife Karen have four children: Hannah (27), Alex (25), Matthew (23), and Rachel (20).

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M I C H A E L T R A M M E L L began serving as a church service consultant in the Delmarva area, effective April 3. His position involves encouraging pastors and church leaders and providing them with available ministry resources. Trammell draws on his many years of ministry. He retired in Dec 2017, as the senior pastor of Mt. Airy Baptist Church, where he served for 26 years. He has been involved in denominational ministry through the years. In addition to being immediate past president of the BCM/D, Trammel served on the BCM/D General Mission Board through various terms for 14 years. He was the president of the BCM/D’s Pastor’s Conference in 1996. Also, he was chair of the “Advancing Christ’s Kingdom,” effort under the tenure of former BCM/D Executive Director Charles Barnes. Nationally, Trammell served on multiple committees with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), including ten years with the SBC Executive Committee. He has a heart for outreach, and missions, and has ministered throughout the world on various mission trips. “I’ve always tried to be faithful where I’ve been asked to serve,” Trammell said.

DAN HYUN, pastor of The Village Church in the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore, was named church planting catalyst for the Baptist Convention of Maryland/ Delaware, where he will assist with coaching and training church planters. Though he started on Sept. 1, as a member of the BCM/D staff, Hyun has served as a contract employee, training and coaching urban church planters since 2015. Hyun was raised in the greater Philadelphia area, receiving degrees in speech communication from Penn State University and a master of divinity degree and a doctor of ministry degree in urban missiology at Biblical Theological Seminary. In 2008, he was privileged to lead a team of 11 from Grace Life Church, Baltimore, to start The Village Church “with dreams of making God famous through a diverse and multicultural expression of the Kingdom of God.” The Village celebrated its 10th anniversary in September. Accordingly, Hyun hopes his experiences will help the next generations of church planters as they seek to reach their communities for Christ.

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REGINALD DAVIS began serving as creative director for the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCM/D) on Sept. 24. The BCM/D General Mission Board’s administrative committee recently approved the new position. Davis collaborates with the staff and ministry leaders to develop and implement communications strategies, help with branding and to promote the Cooperative Program (CP) throughout Maryland/ Delaware churches. Reginald has served in many capacities including creative director, graphic designer, consultant, and instructor. He enjoys bringing a vision to life and helping organizations build strong brands. Davis and his wife, LeKiesha, who relocated to Maryland from Kentucky, celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary in November. The couple homeschools their children, ages nine, six, four, and two. LeKiesha left a career as a social worker in the school system to teach the children and care for their home.

Maryland/Delaware Baptists Unite In Prayer Bel Air, Md. -- Messengers to the 183rd annual meeting of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCM/D) gathered at the historic Oak Grove Baptist Church on Nov. 11-12. They elected a new slate of officers and adopted the 2019 budget. BCM/D Executive Director Kevin Smith announced a new international partnership with Kenya. Attendees also enjoyed a time of fellowship at the annual “Unity Lunch.” The theme was “United in Prayer: Celebrating God’s mission in Maryland/Delaware.” By Sharon Mager

his year’s meeting, attended by 320 messengers and 88 guests included a substantial time of prayer for church plants. Special guests were Johnny Hunt, the senior pastor of First Baptist Church Woodstock, Ga. and the new senior vice president of evangelism and leadership for the North American Mission Board, as well as Christina Edmondson, dean of intercultural student development, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI., and Tony Merida, pastor for preaching and vision, Imago Dei Church, Raleigh, NC.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT Kevin Smith recognized new staff, shared some “retooling” strategies to serve churches and introduced the international partnership. Regarding staff, Smith said, “For the first time since I’ve been here, we have a full complement of church planting catalysts in cooperation with the North American Mission Board (NAMB),” referring to Rolando Castro, Dan Hyun and James Choi, under the leadership of BCM/D State Director of Missions Michael Crawford.

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We want to serve churches and increase baptisms, and make our churches fruitful, whether they’re 100 days old or 100 years old.

Smith also recognized Creative Director Reggie Davis, who joined the staff in September, and two new church service consultants Michael Trammell and John Gauger, both retired BCM/D pastors. Trammell is also the outgoing BCM/D president, and he will serve in the Delmarva area. Mark Dooley, pastor of Leonardtown Baptist Church, will join the staff in January 2019, as state director of evangelism. Smith emphasized three priorities of the convention: encouraging pastors in every phase of life; ministry support; and church and community outreach. Pointing to a slideshow of BCM/D church baptism photos, Smith said, “We want to serve churches and increase baptisms, and make our churches fruitful, whether they’re 100 days old or 100 years old.” Looking ahead, Smith said the BCM/D, in an effort to help revitalize churches, will continue to use the AWAKEN Cohort approach to revitalization. Partnering with the Eastern Baptist Association (EBA), a new cohort will soon begin in the Delmarva area. Also, in cooperation with NAMB, and funded by the WIN T E R 2 01 9

Cooperative Program (CP), the BCM/D will partner with Dr. Thomas Rainer’s “Revitalize Network,” an individualized approach to revitalization providing coaching and other opportunities. The costs will be discounted because of the BCM/D partnership with NAMB. The BCM/D will also soon offer a sermon-based approach to revitalization in partnership with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. Finally, Smith shared about an international partnership with Kisii Regional Baptist Convention, part of the Baptist Convention of Kenya, for 2019-2021, focusing on strategic areas in Western Kenya near Lake Victoria providing pastoral and ministry leader training; preaching in middle and high schools; providing respite orphan care; and assisting with infrastructure support.

BUSINESS In the business portion of the meeting messengers unanimously elected a new slate of convention officers. Harold Phillips, the senior pastor of Pleasant View Baptist Church, Port Deposit, Md., was elected president; Glenn Swanson, the senior pastor

of Bayside Baptist Church, Chesapeake Beach, Md., was elected first vice-president; Andy Ehlers, the senior pastor of High Tide Baptist Church, Dagsboro, Del., was elected second vice-president; Stephanie Laferriere, Gospel worker with One Hope, a ministry of the Garden Church, Baltimore, Md., was elected recording secretary and Mike Fillis, pastor of Fenwick Island Baptist Church, Selbyville, Del., was elected assistant recording secretary. Messengers unanimously adopted the $7,582,603 budget that includes $2,271,720 in total receipts for BCM/D’s Skycroft Conference Center. Additional budget receipts include an anticipated $3,600,000 in Cooperative Program receipts from churches; $150,000 in State Missions Offering; and $980,000 from the North American Mission Board. The 2019 budget represents a 2 percent decrease in total compared to 2018. The budget allocates 48 percent of 2019 CP receipts to SBC national and international missions and ministries, representing no change from last year’s budget, and a 4.5 percent increase from 2017. In addition, messengers passed a resolution showing appreciation to Oak Grove Baptist Church for hosting the annual meeting with graciousness, generosity and professionalism.

PRAYER AND TESTIMONY Introducing a time of testimony and prayer, Michael Crawford said, “Church planting has never been better. Churches are really planting churches.” Looking to the future, Crawford said, “If we’re going to perpetuate the BCM/D, which has been around for more than 100 years, sending money out and planting churches, we have to

If we’re going to perpetuate the BCM/D, which has been around for more than 100 years, sending money out and planting churches, we have to invest in the men and women coming up behind us. I’ve had the opportunity to meet some amazing young men. Our future is in really good hands because God’s grace is all over them.

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invest in the men and women coming up behind us. I’ve had the opportunity to meet some amazing young men. Our future is in really good hands because God’s grace is all over them,” he said. Planters Adam Muhtaseb, Redemption City Church, Baltimore, Md.; Rob Stephens, planter and lead pastor of Aletheia Church, College Park, Md.; and Josean “JD” Nater planter of Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana de Cambridge, Md., Camino De Esperanza Seaford, Del., and Camino de Esperanza Wilmington, Del., shared their testimonies and led in a time of prayer for church planters. CJ Matthews, planter of Bethany Church, Columbia, Md., led a devotional based on Joshua 2. Matthews cautioned pastors against discouragement when they see other plants experiencing exponential growth while theirs is a group of people meeting in a living room, stressing that “it’s not a competition.” Matthews said, “Jesus promised to be with us as we push back the darkness. Wherever He has called you, He’s with you and will not leave you.”

BREAKOUT SESSIONS & SPEAKERS Johnny Hunt primarily addressed pastors and lay leaders and Christina Edmondson addressed pastors’ wives and other women in attendance. Hunt spoke of finishing well, and the traits of those who did so. “People who finish well lived in the Word and on their knees,” he said. They also leave spiritual legacies. Challenging his audience, Hunt asked, “What would you have to change in your life to change your legacy?” Edmonson shared from Matthew 18, the parable about the unforgiving servant. The kingdom of heaven is like a King that is seeking to settle the debts with his servants. “How gracious. And how may that reorient us to think about how the Lord treats us and seeks us and loves us,” she said. In the president’s address, Mike Trammell, referring to 1 WIN T E R 2 01 9

Corinthians 15:51-58, said, “When Jesus comes back to get his children, we will never say goodbye to Him again. We will always be with Him. What a great thought and comfort that is. He urged Christians to be steadfast, unmovable, cautioning against distraction from doing the work of the Lord. Tony Merida shared from Romans 8:31-39, emphasizing that “God is for us.” Using an airline ticket as an example, he said some travelers are on “standby,” not sure if they’ll make the flight. “Christians have a confirmed ticket,” he said. In the final sermon of the meeting, Smith shared from Matthew 22:40, emphasizing that we must love God, vertically, and love our neighbors, horizontally. “On these two commandments hang all the law and prophets,” he quoted. “It’s not, ‘love God,’ or ‘love your neighbor’— it’s both.” Harold Phillips closed in prayer, “We’re rejoicing that we’re a convention that clings to your Word …We trust you Father. We pray that You will unify us.”

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