June/July Directional Focus: Communicating More Effectively
Upcoming Events2
Don Horton, Moderator2
Global Missions Offering2
Future Youth Events3
Companions in Christ training3
Minister/Spouse Retreat3
New Books on Baptist Women3 Missions Update4
Rick Jordan5
NC Choir at BWA Congress6 Prayer Calendar6
Feeling the Words7 Financial Report7
MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE MEETING
hosted by Campbell University Divinity School
3:45 - 5:00 P.M., THURSDAY, JUNE 30
at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
2005 General Assembly Grapevine, Texas June 29 - July 2
June/July 2005
“ON THE ROAD” WITH OUR COORDINATORS
When you call the CBFNC offices in Winston-Salem, it’s unlikely you’ll find all of our coordinators in the office at the same time. In fact, there’s a good chance none of them will be in! No, they’re not weeding their garden or working on their golf game. They’re out and about all over our state, speaking in churches, visiting with pastors and church staff, consulting with church committees, promoting the mission of CBFNC, and, well, you know, “coordinating.”
It would be difficult to list all the places and people with whom they have met. The following list includes churches where they have preached or made presentations on Sundays, Wednesdays or for a special event (Jim Fowler and Rick Jordan for the last twelve months, and Larry Hovis since October). As you read about their ministries in other churches, perhaps you can think of ways they can serve your church. Please call on them to come to your church to speak, consult or help in some way. It’s probably their favorite part of the CBFNC ministry, because we realize that churches don’t exist to support CBFNC. CBFNC exists to support and extend the mission and ministries of individual Christians and local churches.
First Asheville
First ......................................... Biscoe
Boiling Springs Boiling Springs
Greenwood Forest................... Cary
Woodhaven Cary
Prichard Memorial Charlotte
Sardis Charlotte
First Clemson, SC
First Clinton
McGill Concord
First Elizabeth City
First Goldsboro
First .........................................Greensboro
Forest Hills Raleigh St. Johns .................................. Raleigh First Rowland
Double Shoals Shelby Spindale Spindale
First Sylva Wake Forest.............................Wake Forest
First .........................................West Jefferson Fishing Creek Whitakers
Wilkesboro ...............................Wilkesboro N. Wilmington Community ......Wilmington Knollwood ...............................Winston-Salem Winterville ...............................Winterville Zebulon Zebulon See
First Raleigh
UPCOMING EVENTS
June 11, 2005
Companions in Christ training
Calvary Baptist Church, Asheville, NC
For details and registration, call Upper Room Ministries at (800) 972-0433
June 29 - July 2, 2005
CBF General Assembly Grapevine, TX
For details, see www.thefellowship.info
June 30, 2005
3:45 - 5:00 p.m.
North Carolina State Meeting
Austin 3 Meeting Room
Gaylord Conference Center Grapevine, TX
July 28, 2005
Youth Event
Wet ‘n Wild Water Park
Emerald Pointe, Greensboro
For details, call 888-822-1944
September 9-11, 2005
Fall Youth Retreat
Myrtle Beach, SC
For details, call 888-822-1944
September 9-11, 2005
Adult Prayer Retreat
Sunset Beach, NC
For details, contact Blythe Taylor at (704) 333-5428.
October 14-15, 2005
CBFNC Minister/Spouse Retreat, “The Careful Life,” led by Chuck Poole
Winston-Salem, NC
For details and registration, call 888-822-1944.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION INVOLVES BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
What a pleasure it is to serve with the staff and elected representatives of CBFNC. As I write this article, I have just returned from a retreat with these wonderful people who are dedicated to serving God through this ministry organization. This was truly a mountaintop experience; not only was the retreat held at the Caraway Center on Caraway Mountain, but my spirit was uplifted through the witness of those present.
As Jo Ann and I headed west past Raleigh toward Caraway Mountain, the drive was beautiful and relaxing. Each hill and curve in the road revealed a new beautiful spring landscape, with green grass and flowering trees, shrubs and flowers. Wow, what a way to experience God’s beautiful creation and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Once we were inside the conference center, we were greeted by a woman who asked if she could show me the meeting rooms to make sure they met our needs. It was time for a reality check.
I was there to moderate my first meeting of this organization. As a strong introvert, I would be thrust into social contact and working relationships with many people with whom I had only a casual acquaintance, and with several whom I had never met.
So, how did this meeting become for me a truly mountaintop experience rather than an occasion for anxiety? I believe it was the result of individuals communicating effectively.
The theme of this month’s newsletter, taken from our Strategic Plan, is “communicating effectively.” Most often, when we talk about how an organization can communicate more effectively, we talk about using better tools. Our Strategic Plan includes the following – “production of a trifold pamphlet that is an excellent statement of our identity, a video that tells the story of our work, E-newsletters that will reach a different audience than our current newsletter, or a speakers bureau to make it easy to identify those involved with CBFNC ministry that will be delighted to tell their story.”
The items listed in the Strategic Plan are wonderful tools to inform others about CBFNC. However, without YOU, they are just tools. We share
- DON HORTON, MODERATOR
the responsibility for effectively communicating the vision and work of CBFNC, and our resources, human and financial, are required to fulfill our mission.
Maybe the most important paragraph in this section of the Strategic Plan is the following: “There are marvelous narratives to be told by those who are on mission partnering with CBFNC as well as the stories of changed lives that result from our ministry. These are the stories that the people and churches are hungry to hear. We aim to do a more effective job in sharing these marvelous testimonies.” Note that WE are going to share these stories. That means you and me – every member of CBFNC.
The information shared at the recent retreat could have been communicated in a newsletter; but what made the communication at the retreat so effective was the personal touch of one on one and corporate sharing by each individual present, which facilitated the renewal of old friendships and the creation of new ones. Communicating in a way that builds relationships creates a dynamic that the data alone can never achieve.
I will be a better Christian because of the time that I spent personally communicating with these people. It is my prayer that they can say the same about their personal communications with me.
2004-2005
Global Missions Offering
From July 1, 2004, to April 30, 2005, individuals and churches across North Carolina have contributed $989,199 toward this year’s CBF Global Missions Offering. Gifts for the 2004-2005 offering will be received through June 30, 2005. This year’s North Carolina goal is $1.2 million.
GET
Wet N’ Wild Water Park
Emerald Pointe, Greensboro
July 28, 2005
An all-day getaway includes admission to the Carolinas’ largest water park, a t-shirt, and a picnic lunch. The cost is $30 per person ($10 for those with a season pass). Join us for this great day of fellowship! The park will be open 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.
A non-refundable payment of $30 per person is due July 14 for this event.
Fall Retreat
Sea Palms Motel
Myrtle Beach, SC
September 9-11, 2005
We had a fantastic time at last year’s retreat here! This year, we’ll have pizza at the pool party, missions opportunities on Saturday morning, awesome worship leadership by Erin Walker, a block party with live DJ, a sand sculpture contest –and this year, an afternoon at Wild Water and Wheels water park! All of that plus two nights’ lodging, Saturday’s three meals and Sunday’s breakfast and lunch and a t-shirt for only $80 per person.
A non-refundable deposit of $15 per person is due August 1 for the fall retreat, with the balance due on August 19.
Spring Retreats 1 & 2
The Vineyard Camp Westfield, NC
March 10-12, 2006 and March 24-26, 2006
Great food, great staff, great location – all make for a great retreat! Choose the weekend best suited for you and your group. Bible studies will be led by divinity school students. The cost is $75 for two nights’ lodging, Saturday’s three meals and Sunday breakfast, t-shirt, conference fees, t-shirt, worship, and group games. (Extra fees apply for some additional recreation, such as horseback riding.) Sign up quickly – we had waiting lists for both weekends last year!
A non-refundable deposit of $15 per person is due January 15 for the spring retreats, with the balance due February 15.
For registration information, contact the CBFNC office at (888) 822-1944 or cbfnc@cbfnc.org, or visit www.cbfnc.org and click on the Youth page.
It’s Time to Plan Your Small Groups! Companions in Christ Leader Training Event
Saturday, June 11, 2005 8:15 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Calvary Baptist Church Asheville, North Carolina
$100 fee – Additional registrants from same congregation are $85. For more information and registration, call Upper Room Ministries at (800) 972-0433 or use the print-and-send registration form at www.upperroom.org/companions/onedayevents.asp
Receive 20% off resources ordered at this training event!
Make Plans Now to Attend the CBFNC Minister/Spouse Retreat
“The Careful Life” from Ephesians 5:15 Guest Speaker: Dr. Chuck Poole
Registration fee: $25 single / $35 couple Hotel: $59
For registration brochure, call CBFNC at 888-822-1944.
NEW BOOKS ON BAPTIST WOMEN
Courage and Hope: The Stories of Ten Baptist Women Ministers ($18.00), edited by Pam and Keith Durso. This book features the stories of Addie Davis, Elizabeth Smith Bellinger, Carolyn Weatherford Crumpler, Sue Fitzgerald, Ida Mae Hays, Margaret (Meg) B Hess, Alma Hunt, Molly T. Marshall, Ella Pearson Mitchell, and Ruby Welsh Wilkins. Women Deacons and Deaconesses: 400 Years of Baptist Service ($21.00), written by Charles Deweese. This book traces key trends and developments relating to Baptist women deacons and deaconesses during the first four centuries of Baptist life. Did you know that several of the earliest documents of Baptists in 1609-1612 explicitly supported the ordination of women deacons? Both books can be ordered from the Baptist History & Heritage Society by e-mailing Charles Deweese at cdeweese@tnbaptist.org or by calling (800) 966-2278. Shipping charges will be added. Please indicate how many copies you would like and provide your name, shipping address, and telephone number.
Missions Updates
Nairobi’s Kids
Sam and Melody Harrell (pictured) are CBF missionaries to the most neglected in Kenya, the children. Some of these children are orphans. Many have lost their parents to AIDS. Others are street children. They have little hope for the future. You can learn how Sam and Melody are reaching out to these children by studying the CBF Missions Education Curriculum “Doing Missions In A World Without Borders” for June 2005. To order your subscription today, call the CBF Store at (888) 801-4223.
New Church Starts
Helping churches start churches is one way CBFNC is fulfilling its mission. One way your mission dollars are being spent is in support of new church start work.
Early in the development of CBFNC we helped to start First Fellowship Church in Wallburg, First Baptist Church of Smithton in Belhaven, and Triangle Baptist Church in Raleigh. Most recently we have helped start Providence Baptist Church in Hendersonville, The Church at Weddington near Charlotte, Covenant Church in Salisbury, Heritage Baptist Church in Wake Forest, and The Chapel Door in Fairview. Our newest start is the North Brunswick Fellowship Church in Leland. This year we will be working with Fellowship churches to start a church in Fuquay-Varina, and one in Sylva.
- JIM FOWLER, MISSIONS COORDINATOR
The Village of Hope Given New Playground Equipment
“The Village of Hope” at Kiev, Ukraine is now a reality and will be dedicated this summer to the Lord and to the ministry for the street children of Kiev.
This former Communist Youth Camp is being renovated largely through the mission interests of CBFNC. You can find more about the Village of Hope and the first completed building, “The Lighthouse,” on line at www.cbfnc.org. This continuing ministry is being supervised by CBF missionaries Gennady and Mina Podgaisky.
Recently, a member of Wingate Baptist Church has given a gym set for the Village. The gym set is similar to the gym sets at McDonald’s and is now in storage at Wingate University waiting for funds to be raised to ship it to the Urkaine. A part of these funds has already been raised. Wingate Church needs an additional $3,000.00 to ship this playground equipment. If you or your church would be willing to join in this ministry to The Street Children of Kiev please contact Jim Fowler at CBFNC (jfowler@cbfnc.org).
BELIZE PARTNERSHIP, AN ATTRACTIVE DESTINATION
Mention the names of Otis Brady and Cliff Scarborough in the nation of Belize and doors will open. Even though it has been over ten years since these men have served in Belize, their legacy lives on. Otis and Cliff represented Southern Baptist Missions at its very best. Churches were started, pastors were trained, problems were solved, and lives were changed.
Southern Baptists decided to abandon their work in Belize and as a result, Baptist work suffered. Churches closed, pastors resigned, and conflict weakened the Baptist witness. The national convention, The Baptist Association of Belize, was almost broke as churches stopped financial support. The future did not look promising, but now there is good news!
A handful of North Carolina Baptist churches continued to send mission teams to Belize but were overwhelmed by the great needs and limited resources. That is when CBF of North Carolina became involved by helping these churches form a network and encouraging other churches to join them.
Working with the Baptist Association of Belize, Antolino Flores has been called as the full-time Executive SecretaryTreasurer. He is working with the Belizean churches to rebuild the Baptist Association and is serving as the liaison between US mission teams and Belizean Baptists. North Carolina Baptist Churches and CBFNC fund his position.
Many churches have expressed interest in taking mission teams to Belize. It is an attractive destination. It is economical (most trips cost less than $1,000 per person), accessible (three hours by air from Charlotte), attractive (a gorgeous country), English is the official language, and the needs are great. We can be most effective and efficient with the use of our resources by working through CBFNC and the office of Antolino Flores in Belize. For more information contact Jim Fowler at jfowler@cbfnc.org or Dennis Hipp at BelizeBaptistPT@cs.com.
Dr. Ray Howell is the Pastor of First Baptist Church, Lexington, NC.
- DR. RAY HOWELL
Communicating Who We Were, Are and Shall Be
RICK JORDAN, CHURCH RESOURCES COORDINATOR
Did you know…
…that the early Christians met in catacombs for worship? That they met there not merely to escape persecution, but to be in the presence of the martyrs who inspired them to endure persecution?1
…that by the time the King James Version was translated, “thee” and “thou” were no longer in normal use? That the translators chose to use such language because it sounded older and more authoritative?2
…that England in the 1600s was convinced it was God’s New Israel, having overcome the Antichrist (the Pope)? That the Puritans and Separatists who left England, still having that mindset, came to Massachusetts to form not only a new England but a new Israel? That Roger Williams, who believed the Church of England was evil, was driven out of the Massachusetts colony because of his belief that the church and state should be separate? That he left to become the founder of the first Baptist church in America?3
Those are three stories from history. They remind us of our roots. There are stories that we need to know, need to ponder, and need to pass on. As we review our history, there are stories that sadden us while others delight us. Within the stories are convictions that inspire us and insights that surprise us. These stories remind us why we are who we are.
Part of communication in a community has to do with who we were before today. As CBFers, part of our story has to do with the Southern Baptist Convention. Before the political takeover of the SBC, that is who we were. When the new SBC
1Dr. Lydia Hoyle at General Assembly 2005 workshop.
2Writer’s Almanac, 5-2-2005 website by Garrison Keillor
3Roger Williams: The Church and State by Edmund S. Morgan
Some Resources On
Who we were… As Christians…
leadership took power, we were excluded. It is part of our story. It’s who we were that makes us who we are. Many churches and church leaders do not know or believe there has been a change in the SBC. Current leaders in those churches are not communicating the story. It is their loss, but will not be felt until new leadership with the new SBC mentality takes the pulpit. This week, I was in a church that has experienced an emerging pattern. The new pastor acts as he has been trained under the new leadership. The church reacts, saying, “This is not who we were or are.” The pastor insists, “This is who you are now.” The church splits. The pastor leaves.
Christian History and Biography magazine and website (www.christianitytoday.com/history/)
As Baptists…
The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms by Walter B. Shurden
The Baptist Controversy and Takeover . .
The New Crusades, The New Holy Land: Conflict in the Southern Baptist Convention, 1969-1991 by David T. Morgan.
Who we are…
It’s Time: An Urgent Call to Christian Mission By Daniel Vestal
Websites of CBFNC (www.cbfnc.org) and CBF (www.thefellowship.info/)
Responses to criticism of CBF (www.thefellowship.info/News/ Truth about CBF.icm)
Who we hope to become…
Strategic Plan for CBFNC (www.cbfnc.org/strategic.htm)
Strategic Initiatives for CBF (www.thefellowship.info/Inside CBF/ Strategic.icm)
Baptist life has changed. If that is not communicated, the church is hurt.
But, we do not live in our past. Just as a person who has been abused can recover from that history to have a fulfilling life, abused Baptists can do the same. So, we communicate who we are now, today. We are “wounded healers,” but we are healers. We have the good news of Jesus Christ to share. We are sharing that gospel with the most neglected persons in the world – the spiritually deprived, the economically downtrodden, the socially excluded. We are ministers of the gospel that touches all of life. That’s who we are. It’s who we always were, but through CBF, we have the freedom to keep being who we are. There is great joy in being free to be who you are. That’s why our meetings are joyful gatherings.
What will we become? Our strategic plans guide us into the future. Those plans are shaped by persons who know our history, live in our present and hope for our future. For the next few years, our course is charted. However, plans more often help us in what we do rather than who we are. It is easier to do an “action” plan than it is to do a “being” plan. Who will we be in the future? Will we be evangelistic entrepreneurs? Will we revert to a bureaucracy? Will we be persons of prayer? Will we be open to include all Baptists in our fellowship? Will we be known by our love? All important questions because questions are an important part of communication, too.
North Carolina Choir to Perform at BWA Congress
A choir of 65 people from nine Cooperative Baptist Fellowship partner churches in North Carolina will perform at the Baptist World Alliance Centenary Congress July 2731 as the only North American choir to sing during a plenary session.
“It’s really going to be quite an honor to be on the world’s stage. People from the whole world will be in Birmingham, England,” said David Mellnik, music minister at Greenwood Forest Baptist Church in Cary, N.C.
Led by Mellnik and Mary Alice Seals, music minister at First Baptist Church of Raleigh, the choir will perform before and during the Saturday evening plenary session. The choir will participate in the International Music Concert on the Tuesday evening prior to the Congress. Other singing opportunities for the choir include a concert in Centenary Square in front of the International Conference Centre. International choirs will also perform during Congress breakout sessions.
CARLA WYNN, CBF COMMUNICATIONS
me to expand the scope of it,” Mellnik said.
On Mellnik’s invitation, the following churches form the Baptist Fellowship Choir: Greenwood Forest, First Baptist Church of Raleigh, First Baptist Church of Greensboro, First Baptist Church of High Point, Grove Park Baptist Church in Clinton, First Baptist Church of Forest City, First Baptist Church of Rockingham, Knollwood Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, and First Baptist Church of Ahoskie.
Two years ago, Mellnik’s choir was invited to perform after his 9-year tenure at McLean Baptist Church in Virginia, which is located near BWA headquarters. “When [Congress] planning started, they discovered my choir was the only one coming from North America. So, they asked
June
The choir first rehearsed as one during a February retreat, where a CD was made as a practicing aid. The whole choir will rehearse again in June. The music anthems were chosen last summer, and each church has been practicing separately. “We’ve been singing this music all year,” Mellnik said of his church’s choir.
Consistent with the BWA Congress theme of “Jesus Christ Living Water,” much of the choir’s repertoire has water imagery. Among other songs planned are an arrangement of “Precious Lord, Take my Hand” and a medley of music authored by Baptist hymn composer B.B. McKinney. “We wanted to do something representative of the times and styles of Baptist life,” Mellnik said.
Following the Congress, the choir will do a 4-day singing tour in England.
PRAYER CALENDAR
4_______, mobilizer for unevangelized people groups, Southeast Asia
6_______, unevangelized people group, Asia
8 Janice Newell, work with Albanian/Balkan peoples, Greece
9 Michelle Cayard, representative to China
10 Kim Wyatt, work with internationals, Toronto, Canada
14_______, unevangelized people group, Middle East
19 Ana D’Amico, UN Public Policy/Partnerships & Team Volunteer Liaison, Cary, NC
20 Lonnie Turner, HIV/AIDS/public policy coordinator, sub-Saharan Africa
21_______, Envoy, Middle East
22 Brenda Lisenby, representative to China
22_______, scripture translation, Asia
22 Darrell Smith, work with Albanian/Balkan peoples, Macedonia
23 Martha Shaw, work with Albanian/Balkan peoples, Macedonia
25 Brian McAtee, CBF Research Consultant, Center for Study of Global Christianity, Boston, MA
26_______, unevangelized people group, North Africa
26 Tim Myrick, work with Bedouin people, Jordan
29_______, unevangelized people group, North Africa
June
5 Jeanette Lochner, Envoy, China
6 Shelah Acker, urban work, West Africa
6 Sam Harrell, urban work, Nairobi, Kenya
6 Becky Shenton, Global Service Corps, New Jersey
8 Doug Shenton, Global Service Corps, New Jersey
10 Mark Butler, Envoy, Washington D.C.
10_______, unevangelized people group, North Africa
12_______, unevangelized people group, M. East/N. Africa
17_______, mobilizer for unevangelized people groups, Southeast Asia
19 Anne Burton, work with international students, Los Angeles, CA
19 Jason Pittman, urban work, Detroit, MI
23 Butch Green, work with internationals, Brussels, Belgium
23 Jesse Loper, Global Service Corps, New York, NY
24 Josephine, work with internationals, France
26 Rick Sample, work with internationals, San Francisco, CA
29 Karen Morrow, unevangelized people group, Germany
30 James Francovich, work with Banjara Gypsies, India
FEELING THE WORDS
In the 1967 film, Cool Hand Luke, Paul Newman plays a convict incarcerated in a prison camp working on a chain gang. He gets a reputation as a tough character who won’t conform to life in the camp. At one point, he’s being punished by the captain of the prison guards, who utters one of the classic movie lines of all time, “What we’ve got here . . . is a failure to communicate.”
Communication is a particular challenge of our time. In spite of the fact that most of us carry a phone in our pocket, and many of us have access to the World Wide Web while sitting in the coffee shop, effective communication is still quite elusive. In our church, we could publicize the details of an event weeks in advance in the newsletter and bulletin. We could announce it from the pulpit, put posters on the walls of the church building, and even send out a “phone tree.” Still, many people never got the word.
The communication challenge facing congregations is multiplied many times over in CBF of North Carolina. We don’t have the benefit of weekly worship services and class gatherings. We are spread out, not just across a county, but all over the state. Recognizing how difficult it is to connect and communicate, the third Directional Point of our Strategic Plan is “Communicating Effectively.” Toward that end, we are working on numerous ways to improve our communications efforts. In addition to our newsletter, The Gathering, we are planning to utilize mass emails and “enewsletters” to communicate important information in a more efficient and timely manner. Though we already have a website, we plan to upgrade the overall design and update its content more frequently. We plan to produce a new brochure that explains our identity and values, and promotes our ministries.
We may produce a video with the same purpose, but for a different audience. As important as these methods of communication are, we in CBFNC realize that there is no substitute for faceto-face contact. It matters whether or not we know the folks on the other end of the newsletter, email or website. That’s why our staff members travel thousands of miles every year to visit churches, ministers, congregations and ministry institutions. We understand the doctrine of the incarnation, that “the word became flesh and dwelt among us,” and we work hard to make our dwelling among the
I pray that all in our Fellowship can feel the strong desire of our staff and Councils to communicate effectively regarding the progress of our mission and ministries.
people of our Fellowship. Please invite Jim, Rick and me to visit your church to preach, to teach, to consult, or simply to enjoy fellowship with your congregation.
Another way I envision facilitating “in the flesh,” one-on-one communication, between congregations and CBFNC, is by enlisting at least one person in each church to serve as a “CBF-Church Liaison.” My dictionary defines a liaison as “a means of communication between different groups or units of an organization; one that maintains communication; a close relationship, connection or link.” These individuals will receive important information about the ministries of CBF and CBFNC and share it with their congregation. They will help promote CBF missions offerings and speak up for CBF and CBFNC when their church budgets are being developed. They will also communicate with CBF and CBFNC regarding ministries in their
- LARRY HOVIS, COORDINATOR
congregation that we can share with the churches of our Fellowship, and help us know how we can serve their congregation better. If you would be willing to serve in this way, please call me or send me an email. I’d love to discuss it with you.
Ultimately, communication is a partnership and requires the cooperation and effort of those sharing and those receiving the communication. Communication uses words, both spoken and written, but words aren’t enough. Glen Hinson tells the story of John Woolman, the eighteenth-century Quaker leader. Following a Native American uprising, Woolman made a risky trip to visit the Delaware Indians. At first, he tried to communicate with their chief through a Moravian missionary. That didn’t work, so he asked to pray without using the interpreter’s translation. Amazingly, he got through to the chief, who explained, “I love to feel where words come from” ( Spiritual Preparation for Christian Leaders, p. 52).
I pray that all in our Fellowship can feel the strong desire of our staff and Councils to communicate effectively regarding the progress of our mission and ministries. Sometimes we fail and fall far short of our goal. Please know that is our heart’s desire to serve God, to tell the Story of the Gospel and CBF, and to build a strong fellowship of individuals and churches by bringing Baptists of North Carolina together for Christ-Centered ministry.
June/July Directional Focus: Communicating More Effectively
Upcoming Events2
Don Horton, Moderator2
Global Missions Offering2
Future Youth Events3
Companions in Christ training3
Minister/Spouse Retreat3
New Books on Baptist Women3 Missions Update4
Rick Jordan5
NC Choir at BWA Congress6 Prayer Calendar6
Feeling the Words7 Financial Report7
MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE MEETING
hosted by Campbell University Divinity School
3:45 - 5:00 P.M., THURSDAY, JUNE 30
at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
2005 General Assembly Grapevine, Texas June 29 - July 2
June/July 2005
“ON THE ROAD” WITH OUR COORDINATORS
When you call the CBFNC offices in Winston-Salem, it’s unlikely you’ll find all of our coordinators in the office at the same time. In fact, there’s a good chance none of them will be in! No, they’re not weeding their garden or working on their golf game. They’re out and about all over our state, speaking in churches, visiting with pastors and church staff, consulting with church committees, promoting the mission of CBFNC, and, well, you know, “coordinating.”
It would be difficult to list all the places and people with whom they have met. The following list includes churches where they have preached or made presentations on Sundays, Wednesdays or for a special event (Jim Fowler and Rick Jordan for the last twelve months, and Larry Hovis since October). As you read about their ministries in other churches, perhaps you can think of ways they can serve your church. Please call on them to come to your church to speak, consult or help in some way. It’s probably their favorite part of the CBFNC ministry, because we realize that churches don’t exist to support CBFNC. CBFNC exists to support and extend the mission and ministries of individual Christians and local churches.
First Asheville
First ......................................... Biscoe
Boiling Springs Boiling Springs
Greenwood Forest................... Cary
Woodhaven Cary
Prichard Memorial Charlotte
Sardis Charlotte
First Clemson, SC
First Clinton
McGill Concord
First Elizabeth City
First Goldsboro
First .........................................Greensboro
Forest Hills Raleigh St. Johns .................................. Raleigh First Rowland
Double Shoals Shelby Spindale Spindale
First Sylva Wake Forest.............................Wake Forest
First .........................................West Jefferson Fishing Creek Whitakers
Wilkesboro ...............................Wilkesboro N. Wilmington Community ......Wilmington Knollwood ...............................Winston-Salem Winterville ...............................Winterville Zebulon Zebulon See
First Raleigh
UPCOMING EVENTS
June 11, 2005
Companions in Christ training
Calvary Baptist Church, Asheville, NC
For details and registration, call Upper Room Ministries at (800) 972-0433
June 29 - July 2, 2005
CBF General Assembly Grapevine, TX
For details, see www.thefellowship.info
June 30, 2005
3:45 - 5:00 p.m.
North Carolina State Meeting
Austin 3 Meeting Room
Gaylord Conference Center Grapevine, TX
July 28, 2005
Youth Event
Wet ‘n Wild Water Park
Emerald Pointe, Greensboro
For details, call 888-822-1944
September 9-11, 2005
Fall Youth Retreat
Myrtle Beach, SC
For details, call 888-822-1944
September 9-11, 2005
Adult Prayer Retreat
Sunset Beach, NC
For details, contact Blythe Taylor at (704) 333-5428.
October 14-15, 2005
CBFNC Minister/Spouse Retreat, “The Careful Life,” led by Chuck Poole
Winston-Salem, NC
For details and registration, call 888-822-1944.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION INVOLVES BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
What a pleasure it is to serve with the staff and elected representatives of CBFNC. As I write this article, I have just returned from a retreat with these wonderful people who are dedicated to serving God through this ministry organization. This was truly a mountaintop experience; not only was the retreat held at the Caraway Center on Caraway Mountain, but my spirit was uplifted through the witness of those present.
As Jo Ann and I headed west past Raleigh toward Caraway Mountain, the drive was beautiful and relaxing. Each hill and curve in the road revealed a new beautiful spring landscape, with green grass and flowering trees, shrubs and flowers. Wow, what a way to experience God’s beautiful creation and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Once we were inside the conference center, we were greeted by a woman who asked if she could show me the meeting rooms to make sure they met our needs. It was time for a reality check.
I was there to moderate my first meeting of this organization. As a strong introvert, I would be thrust into social contact and working relationships with many people with whom I had only a casual acquaintance, and with several whom I had never met.
So, how did this meeting become for me a truly mountaintop experience rather than an occasion for anxiety? I believe it was the result of individuals communicating effectively.
The theme of this month’s newsletter, taken from our Strategic Plan, is “communicating effectively.” Most often, when we talk about how an organization can communicate more effectively, we talk about using better tools. Our Strategic Plan includes the following – “production of a trifold pamphlet that is an excellent statement of our identity, a video that tells the story of our work, E-newsletters that will reach a different audience than our current newsletter, or a speakers bureau to make it easy to identify those involved with CBFNC ministry that will be delighted to tell their story.”
The items listed in the Strategic Plan are wonderful tools to inform others about CBFNC. However, without YOU, they are just tools. We share
- DON HORTON, MODERATOR
the responsibility for effectively communicating the vision and work of CBFNC, and our resources, human and financial, are required to fulfill our mission.
Maybe the most important paragraph in this section of the Strategic Plan is the following: “There are marvelous narratives to be told by those who are on mission partnering with CBFNC as well as the stories of changed lives that result from our ministry. These are the stories that the people and churches are hungry to hear. We aim to do a more effective job in sharing these marvelous testimonies.” Note that WE are going to share these stories. That means you and me – every member of CBFNC.
The information shared at the recent retreat could have been communicated in a newsletter; but what made the communication at the retreat so effective was the personal touch of one on one and corporate sharing by each individual present, which facilitated the renewal of old friendships and the creation of new ones. Communicating in a way that builds relationships creates a dynamic that the data alone can never achieve.
I will be a better Christian because of the time that I spent personally communicating with these people. It is my prayer that they can say the same about their personal communications with me.
2004-2005
Global Missions Offering
From July 1, 2004, to April 30, 2005, individuals and churches across North Carolina have contributed $989,199 toward this year’s CBF Global Missions Offering. Gifts for the 2004-2005 offering will be received through June 30, 2005. This year’s North Carolina goal is $1.2 million.
GET
Wet N’ Wild Water Park
Emerald Pointe, Greensboro
July 28, 2005
An all-day getaway includes admission to the Carolinas’ largest water park, a t-shirt, and a picnic lunch. The cost is $30 per person ($10 for those with a season pass). Join us for this great day of fellowship! The park will be open 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.
A non-refundable payment of $30 per person is due July 14 for this event.
Fall Retreat
Sea Palms Motel
Myrtle Beach, SC
September 9-11, 2005
We had a fantastic time at last year’s retreat here! This year, we’ll have pizza at the pool party, missions opportunities on Saturday morning, awesome worship leadership by Erin Walker, a block party with live DJ, a sand sculpture contest –and this year, an afternoon at Wild Water and Wheels water park! All of that plus two nights’ lodging, Saturday’s three meals and Sunday’s breakfast and lunch and a t-shirt for only $80 per person.
A non-refundable deposit of $15 per person is due August 1 for the fall retreat, with the balance due on August 19.
Spring Retreats 1 & 2
The Vineyard Camp Westfield, NC
March 10-12, 2006 and March 24-26, 2006
Great food, great staff, great location – all make for a great retreat! Choose the weekend best suited for you and your group. Bible studies will be led by divinity school students. The cost is $75 for two nights’ lodging, Saturday’s three meals and Sunday breakfast, t-shirt, conference fees, t-shirt, worship, and group games. (Extra fees apply for some additional recreation, such as horseback riding.) Sign up quickly – we had waiting lists for both weekends last year!
A non-refundable deposit of $15 per person is due January 15 for the spring retreats, with the balance due February 15.
For registration information, contact the CBFNC office at (888) 822-1944 or cbfnc@cbfnc.org, or visit www.cbfnc.org and click on the Youth page.
It’s Time to Plan Your Small Groups! Companions in Christ Leader Training Event
Saturday, June 11, 2005 8:15 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Calvary Baptist Church Asheville, North Carolina
$100 fee – Additional registrants from same congregation are $85. For more information and registration, call Upper Room Ministries at (800) 972-0433 or use the print-and-send registration form at www.upperroom.org/companions/onedayevents.asp
Receive 20% off resources ordered at this training event!
Make Plans Now to Attend the CBFNC Minister/Spouse Retreat
“The Careful Life” from Ephesians 5:15 Guest Speaker: Dr. Chuck Poole
Registration fee: $25 single / $35 couple Hotel: $59
For registration brochure, call CBFNC at 888-822-1944.
NEW BOOKS ON BAPTIST WOMEN
Courage and Hope: The Stories of Ten Baptist Women Ministers ($18.00), edited by Pam and Keith Durso. This book features the stories of Addie Davis, Elizabeth Smith Bellinger, Carolyn Weatherford Crumpler, Sue Fitzgerald, Ida Mae Hays, Margaret (Meg) B Hess, Alma Hunt, Molly T. Marshall, Ella Pearson Mitchell, and Ruby Welsh Wilkins. Women Deacons and Deaconesses: 400 Years of Baptist Service ($21.00), written by Charles Deweese. This book traces key trends and developments relating to Baptist women deacons and deaconesses during the first four centuries of Baptist life. Did you know that several of the earliest documents of Baptists in 1609-1612 explicitly supported the ordination of women deacons? Both books can be ordered from the Baptist History & Heritage Society by e-mailing Charles Deweese at cdeweese@tnbaptist.org or by calling (800) 966-2278. Shipping charges will be added. Please indicate how many copies you would like and provide your name, shipping address, and telephone number.
Missions Updates
Nairobi’s Kids
Sam and Melody Harrell (pictured) are CBF missionaries to the most neglected in Kenya, the children. Some of these children are orphans. Many have lost their parents to AIDS. Others are street children. They have little hope for the future. You can learn how Sam and Melody are reaching out to these children by studying the CBF Missions Education Curriculum “Doing Missions In A World Without Borders” for June 2005. To order your subscription today, call the CBF Store at (888) 801-4223.
New Church Starts
Helping churches start churches is one way CBFNC is fulfilling its mission. One way your mission dollars are being spent is in support of new church start work.
Early in the development of CBFNC we helped to start First Fellowship Church in Wallburg, First Baptist Church of Smithton in Belhaven, and Triangle Baptist Church in Raleigh. Most recently we have helped start Providence Baptist Church in Hendersonville, The Church at Weddington near Charlotte, Covenant Church in Salisbury, Heritage Baptist Church in Wake Forest, and The Chapel Door in Fairview. Our newest start is the North Brunswick Fellowship Church in Leland. This year we will be working with Fellowship churches to start a church in Fuquay-Varina, and one in Sylva.
- JIM FOWLER, MISSIONS COORDINATOR
The Village of Hope Given New Playground Equipment
“The Village of Hope” at Kiev, Ukraine is now a reality and will be dedicated this summer to the Lord and to the ministry for the street children of Kiev.
This former Communist Youth Camp is being renovated largely through the mission interests of CBFNC. You can find more about the Village of Hope and the first completed building, “The Lighthouse,” on line at www.cbfnc.org. This continuing ministry is being supervised by CBF missionaries Gennady and Mina Podgaisky.
Recently, a member of Wingate Baptist Church has given a gym set for the Village. The gym set is similar to the gym sets at McDonald’s and is now in storage at Wingate University waiting for funds to be raised to ship it to the Urkaine. A part of these funds has already been raised. Wingate Church needs an additional $3,000.00 to ship this playground equipment. If you or your church would be willing to join in this ministry to The Street Children of Kiev please contact Jim Fowler at CBFNC (jfowler@cbfnc.org).
BELIZE PARTNERSHIP, AN ATTRACTIVE DESTINATION
Mention the names of Otis Brady and Cliff Scarborough in the nation of Belize and doors will open. Even though it has been over ten years since these men have served in Belize, their legacy lives on. Otis and Cliff represented Southern Baptist Missions at its very best. Churches were started, pastors were trained, problems were solved, and lives were changed.
Southern Baptists decided to abandon their work in Belize and as a result, Baptist work suffered. Churches closed, pastors resigned, and conflict weakened the Baptist witness. The national convention, The Baptist Association of Belize, was almost broke as churches stopped financial support. The future did not look promising, but now there is good news!
A handful of North Carolina Baptist churches continued to send mission teams to Belize but were overwhelmed by the great needs and limited resources. That is when CBF of North Carolina became involved by helping these churches form a network and encouraging other churches to join them.
Working with the Baptist Association of Belize, Antolino Flores has been called as the full-time Executive SecretaryTreasurer. He is working with the Belizean churches to rebuild the Baptist Association and is serving as the liaison between US mission teams and Belizean Baptists. North Carolina Baptist Churches and CBFNC fund his position.
Many churches have expressed interest in taking mission teams to Belize. It is an attractive destination. It is economical (most trips cost less than $1,000 per person), accessible (three hours by air from Charlotte), attractive (a gorgeous country), English is the official language, and the needs are great. We can be most effective and efficient with the use of our resources by working through CBFNC and the office of Antolino Flores in Belize. For more information contact Jim Fowler at jfowler@cbfnc.org or Dennis Hipp at BelizeBaptistPT@cs.com.
Dr. Ray Howell is the Pastor of First Baptist Church, Lexington, NC.
- DR. RAY HOWELL
Communicating Who We Were, Are and Shall Be
RICK JORDAN, CHURCH RESOURCES COORDINATOR
Did you know…
…that the early Christians met in catacombs for worship? That they met there not merely to escape persecution, but to be in the presence of the martyrs who inspired them to endure persecution?1
…that by the time the King James Version was translated, “thee” and “thou” were no longer in normal use? That the translators chose to use such language because it sounded older and more authoritative?2
…that England in the 1600s was convinced it was God’s New Israel, having overcome the Antichrist (the Pope)? That the Puritans and Separatists who left England, still having that mindset, came to Massachusetts to form not only a new England but a new Israel? That Roger Williams, who believed the Church of England was evil, was driven out of the Massachusetts colony because of his belief that the church and state should be separate? That he left to become the founder of the first Baptist church in America?3
Those are three stories from history. They remind us of our roots. There are stories that we need to know, need to ponder, and need to pass on. As we review our history, there are stories that sadden us while others delight us. Within the stories are convictions that inspire us and insights that surprise us. These stories remind us why we are who we are.
Part of communication in a community has to do with who we were before today. As CBFers, part of our story has to do with the Southern Baptist Convention. Before the political takeover of the SBC, that is who we were. When the new SBC
1Dr. Lydia Hoyle at General Assembly 2005 workshop.
2Writer’s Almanac, 5-2-2005 website by Garrison Keillor
3Roger Williams: The Church and State by Edmund S. Morgan
Some Resources On
Who we were… As Christians…
leadership took power, we were excluded. It is part of our story. It’s who we were that makes us who we are. Many churches and church leaders do not know or believe there has been a change in the SBC. Current leaders in those churches are not communicating the story. It is their loss, but will not be felt until new leadership with the new SBC mentality takes the pulpit. This week, I was in a church that has experienced an emerging pattern. The new pastor acts as he has been trained under the new leadership. The church reacts, saying, “This is not who we were or are.” The pastor insists, “This is who you are now.” The church splits. The pastor leaves.
Christian History and Biography magazine and website (www.christianitytoday.com/history/)
As Baptists…
The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms by Walter B. Shurden
The Baptist Controversy and Takeover . .
The New Crusades, The New Holy Land: Conflict in the Southern Baptist Convention, 1969-1991 by David T. Morgan.
Who we are…
It’s Time: An Urgent Call to Christian Mission By Daniel Vestal
Websites of CBFNC (www.cbfnc.org) and CBF (www.thefellowship.info/)
Responses to criticism of CBF (www.thefellowship.info/News/ Truth about CBF.icm)
Who we hope to become…
Strategic Plan for CBFNC (www.cbfnc.org/strategic.htm)
Strategic Initiatives for CBF (www.thefellowship.info/Inside CBF/ Strategic.icm)
Baptist life has changed. If that is not communicated, the church is hurt.
But, we do not live in our past. Just as a person who has been abused can recover from that history to have a fulfilling life, abused Baptists can do the same. So, we communicate who we are now, today. We are “wounded healers,” but we are healers. We have the good news of Jesus Christ to share. We are sharing that gospel with the most neglected persons in the world – the spiritually deprived, the economically downtrodden, the socially excluded. We are ministers of the gospel that touches all of life. That’s who we are. It’s who we always were, but through CBF, we have the freedom to keep being who we are. There is great joy in being free to be who you are. That’s why our meetings are joyful gatherings.
What will we become? Our strategic plans guide us into the future. Those plans are shaped by persons who know our history, live in our present and hope for our future. For the next few years, our course is charted. However, plans more often help us in what we do rather than who we are. It is easier to do an “action” plan than it is to do a “being” plan. Who will we be in the future? Will we be evangelistic entrepreneurs? Will we revert to a bureaucracy? Will we be persons of prayer? Will we be open to include all Baptists in our fellowship? Will we be known by our love? All important questions because questions are an important part of communication, too.
North Carolina Choir to Perform at BWA Congress
A choir of 65 people from nine Cooperative Baptist Fellowship partner churches in North Carolina will perform at the Baptist World Alliance Centenary Congress July 2731 as the only North American choir to sing during a plenary session.
“It’s really going to be quite an honor to be on the world’s stage. People from the whole world will be in Birmingham, England,” said David Mellnik, music minister at Greenwood Forest Baptist Church in Cary, N.C.
Led by Mellnik and Mary Alice Seals, music minister at First Baptist Church of Raleigh, the choir will perform before and during the Saturday evening plenary session. The choir will participate in the International Music Concert on the Tuesday evening prior to the Congress. Other singing opportunities for the choir include a concert in Centenary Square in front of the International Conference Centre. International choirs will also perform during Congress breakout sessions.
CARLA WYNN, CBF COMMUNICATIONS
me to expand the scope of it,” Mellnik said.
On Mellnik’s invitation, the following churches form the Baptist Fellowship Choir: Greenwood Forest, First Baptist Church of Raleigh, First Baptist Church of Greensboro, First Baptist Church of High Point, Grove Park Baptist Church in Clinton, First Baptist Church of Forest City, First Baptist Church of Rockingham, Knollwood Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, and First Baptist Church of Ahoskie.
Two years ago, Mellnik’s choir was invited to perform after his 9-year tenure at McLean Baptist Church in Virginia, which is located near BWA headquarters. “When [Congress] planning started, they discovered my choir was the only one coming from North America. So, they asked
June
The choir first rehearsed as one during a February retreat, where a CD was made as a practicing aid. The whole choir will rehearse again in June. The music anthems were chosen last summer, and each church has been practicing separately. “We’ve been singing this music all year,” Mellnik said of his church’s choir.
Consistent with the BWA Congress theme of “Jesus Christ Living Water,” much of the choir’s repertoire has water imagery. Among other songs planned are an arrangement of “Precious Lord, Take my Hand” and a medley of music authored by Baptist hymn composer B.B. McKinney. “We wanted to do something representative of the times and styles of Baptist life,” Mellnik said.
Following the Congress, the choir will do a 4-day singing tour in England.
PRAYER CALENDAR
4_______, mobilizer for unevangelized people groups, Southeast Asia
6_______, unevangelized people group, Asia
8 Janice Newell, work with Albanian/Balkan peoples, Greece
9 Michelle Cayard, representative to China
10 Kim Wyatt, work with internationals, Toronto, Canada
14_______, unevangelized people group, Middle East
19 Ana D’Amico, UN Public Policy/Partnerships & Team Volunteer Liaison, Cary, NC
20 Lonnie Turner, HIV/AIDS/public policy coordinator, sub-Saharan Africa
21_______, Envoy, Middle East
22 Brenda Lisenby, representative to China
22_______, scripture translation, Asia
22 Darrell Smith, work with Albanian/Balkan peoples, Macedonia
23 Martha Shaw, work with Albanian/Balkan peoples, Macedonia
25 Brian McAtee, CBF Research Consultant, Center for Study of Global Christianity, Boston, MA
26_______, unevangelized people group, North Africa
26 Tim Myrick, work with Bedouin people, Jordan
29_______, unevangelized people group, North Africa
June
5 Jeanette Lochner, Envoy, China
6 Shelah Acker, urban work, West Africa
6 Sam Harrell, urban work, Nairobi, Kenya
6 Becky Shenton, Global Service Corps, New Jersey
8 Doug Shenton, Global Service Corps, New Jersey
10 Mark Butler, Envoy, Washington D.C.
10_______, unevangelized people group, North Africa
12_______, unevangelized people group, M. East/N. Africa
17_______, mobilizer for unevangelized people groups, Southeast Asia
19 Anne Burton, work with international students, Los Angeles, CA
19 Jason Pittman, urban work, Detroit, MI
23 Butch Green, work with internationals, Brussels, Belgium
23 Jesse Loper, Global Service Corps, New York, NY
24 Josephine, work with internationals, France
26 Rick Sample, work with internationals, San Francisco, CA
29 Karen Morrow, unevangelized people group, Germany
30 James Francovich, work with Banjara Gypsies, India
FEELING THE WORDS
In the 1967 film, Cool Hand Luke, Paul Newman plays a convict incarcerated in a prison camp working on a chain gang. He gets a reputation as a tough character who won’t conform to life in the camp. At one point, he’s being punished by the captain of the prison guards, who utters one of the classic movie lines of all time, “What we’ve got here . . . is a failure to communicate.”
Communication is a particular challenge of our time. In spite of the fact that most of us carry a phone in our pocket, and many of us have access to the World Wide Web while sitting in the coffee shop, effective communication is still quite elusive. In our church, we could publicize the details of an event weeks in advance in the newsletter and bulletin. We could announce it from the pulpit, put posters on the walls of the church building, and even send out a “phone tree.” Still, many people never got the word.
The communication challenge facing congregations is multiplied many times over in CBF of North Carolina. We don’t have the benefit of weekly worship services and class gatherings. We are spread out, not just across a county, but all over the state. Recognizing how difficult it is to connect and communicate, the third Directional Point of our Strategic Plan is “Communicating Effectively.” Toward that end, we are working on numerous ways to improve our communications efforts. In addition to our newsletter, The Gathering, we are planning to utilize mass emails and “enewsletters” to communicate important information in a more efficient and timely manner. Though we already have a website, we plan to upgrade the overall design and update its content more frequently. We plan to produce a new brochure that explains our identity and values, and promotes our ministries.
We may produce a video with the same purpose, but for a different audience. As important as these methods of communication are, we in CBFNC realize that there is no substitute for faceto-face contact. It matters whether or not we know the folks on the other end of the newsletter, email or website. That’s why our staff members travel thousands of miles every year to visit churches, ministers, congregations and ministry institutions. We understand the doctrine of the incarnation, that “the word became flesh and dwelt among us,” and we work hard to make our dwelling among the
I pray that all in our Fellowship can feel the strong desire of our staff and Councils to communicate effectively regarding the progress of our mission and ministries.
people of our Fellowship. Please invite Jim, Rick and me to visit your church to preach, to teach, to consult, or simply to enjoy fellowship with your congregation.
Another way I envision facilitating “in the flesh,” one-on-one communication, between congregations and CBFNC, is by enlisting at least one person in each church to serve as a “CBF-Church Liaison.” My dictionary defines a liaison as “a means of communication between different groups or units of an organization; one that maintains communication; a close relationship, connection or link.” These individuals will receive important information about the ministries of CBF and CBFNC and share it with their congregation. They will help promote CBF missions offerings and speak up for CBF and CBFNC when their church budgets are being developed. They will also communicate with CBF and CBFNC regarding ministries in their
- LARRY HOVIS, COORDINATOR
congregation that we can share with the churches of our Fellowship, and help us know how we can serve their congregation better. If you would be willing to serve in this way, please call me or send me an email. I’d love to discuss it with you.
Ultimately, communication is a partnership and requires the cooperation and effort of those sharing and those receiving the communication. Communication uses words, both spoken and written, but words aren’t enough. Glen Hinson tells the story of John Woolman, the eighteenth-century Quaker leader. Following a Native American uprising, Woolman made a risky trip to visit the Delaware Indians. At first, he tried to communicate with their chief through a Moravian missionary. That didn’t work, so he asked to pray without using the interpreter’s translation. Amazingly, he got through to the chief, who explained, “I love to feel where words come from” ( Spiritual Preparation for Christian Leaders, p. 52).
I pray that all in our Fellowship can feel the strong desire of our staff and Councils to communicate effectively regarding the progress of our mission and ministries. Sometimes we fail and fall far short of our goal. Please know that is our heart’s desire to serve God, to tell the Story of the Gospel and CBF, and to build a strong fellowship of individuals and churches by bringing Baptists of North Carolina together for Christ-Centered ministry.
