The Gathering CBFNC Newsletter - May 2005

Volume 10, Issue 4

A MISSIONAL CHURCH PICTURE

Inside This Issue:

May Directional Focus: The Missional Church

- LARRY HOVIS, COORDINATOR

A Missional Church Picture

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CBFNC General Assembly

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May of 1987, 18 years ago, was a memorable month for my family and me. Just a few days before the beginning of the month, on Upcoming Events 2 April 26, I was ordained to the Gospel Ministry at my home church, Don Horton, Moderator 2 University Hills in Charlotte. The second Saturday in May, I New Partnering Church 2 graduated from Southeastern Seminary. The following Saturday, my May Prayer Calendar 2 sister graduated from UNC-Charlotte. The following Saturday, May 2005 CBF General Assembly 3 23, Kim and I were married at First Baptist Church in Raleigh, where I was a member and Kim was on the church staff. About a month later, Fowler’s Forum 4 we moved to Washington, Virginia, where I began my first full-time, Future Youth Events 4 post-seminary ministry position as pastor of the Washington Baptist The Call 5 Church, in a rural area of Northern Virginia. It was a busy, stressful, Minister/Spouse Retreat 5 exciting, life-changing time!

CBFNC Partnering Churches 6 As a recent seminary graduate and an active member in a large, Smyth & Helwys Workshop 7 strong, “full program” church, I began my ministry in Washington with Financial Report 7 a clear picture of what a “real” Southern Baptist church should look like. It would have worship and Sunday School on Sunday morning, and supper on Wednesday night, along with programs for children and prayer meeting for adults. It would have about 20 committees to plan and coordinate the church’s many ministries. It would have the “Big 5” church programs: Sunday (continues on page 7)

May 2005 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 Would you like to give 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 leadership to our fellow12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 ship in exploring the 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 Missional Church? Our 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 coordinator is forming a 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 Missional Church Team.

12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 The genesis of this group 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 met in Greenville in 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 March in conjunction with 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 the General Assembly.

12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 The purpose of the team 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 is to develop ways to share 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 the missional church 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 concept with the CBFNC 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 family through resources, 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 conferences and other 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 media. If you would like 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 to join this group, contact 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 Larry Hovis: 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 LHovis@cbfnc.org 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 252-917-0583 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789 or 888-822-1944 12345678901234567890123456789 12345678901234567890123456789

CBFNC 2005 GENERAL ASSEMBLY HIGHLIGHTS “499 thank yous and great jobs by planning team, churches, staff, etc.”

“[Friday] night’s missions presentation may be the best I’ve ever experienced – information, inspiration, and (thank you, thank you!) humor!”

“Overall a good assembly – well organized and well attended. I really appreciated all the greeters and helpers from the local churches.”

“The ministry workshops were excellent – this is why I came!”

Participants Registered 716

Ministry Workshops 53 Sessions with 910 Attendees

Friday Night Dinner 485

General Assembly Choir 85 Singers from 10 Churches

Exhibits 45

“I attended my first CBFNC General Assembly . . . . It was fabulous! I was impressed by the emphasis on missions. It was an overwhelming and powerful celebration of missions, filling me with a joy for what CBF is doing in missions and giving me a strong urge to be more personally involved . . . .”

“I’ll be back!”

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May 2005

UPCOMING EVENTS

ARE YOU & YOUR CHURCH BEING MISSIONAL?

May 21, 2005 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon CBFNC/BSCNC co-sponsor a Smyth & Helwys Sunday School Literature Workshop First Baptist, Mebane For details, see page 7 or call 888-822-1944

I must begin by expressing my appreciation to everyone involved with the General Assembly held in Greenville on March 1819. The General Assembly Planning Team, with active participation by the CBFNC staff, did a superb job in planning June 30 - July 2, 2005 CBF General Assembly the program and obtaining Grapevine, TX great leaders for each For details, see ministry workshop and www.thefellowship.info worship service.

July 28, 2005 Oakmont Baptist Youth Event Church’s beautiful faciliWet ‘n Wild Water Park ties provided an excellent environment for the Emerald Pointe, Greensboro worship, training and exhibit areas. The For details, call 888-822-1944 Memorial Baptist provided a wonderful meal September 9-11, 2005 at a very reasonable price. The staffs and Fall Youth Retreat members of both churches went the extra mile Myrtle Beach, SC to ensure that each person got where he or For details, call 888-822-1944 she needed to be and made all of us feel October 14-15, 2005 welcome in their facilities.

CBFNC Minister/Spouse Oakmont and The Memorial demonRetreat, “The Careful Life,” strated what it means to be missional during led by Chuck Poole Winston-Salem, NC this General Assembly. Some would say, For details and registration, see “Wait a minute. Those church members did page 4 or call 888-822-1944 not go to Africa, China or any Third World country.” No, but they did provide facilities, food and a warm welcome to a group of people hungrily seeking to discover God’s plan for their lives and to fulfill His mission through their talents, tithes and offerings.

CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal said, “Now is the time for individual Christians and churches to discern God’s mission in the world and discover their participation in it.” At this point, these churches have determined that

MAY PRAYER CALENDAR 3 5 5 9 11 15 16 16 17 19 21 21 25 26 28 31

Leah Harding, 1992, daughter, Florida ____________, daughter, unevangelized people group, Southeast Asia ____________, 2004, son, scripture translation, Asia David Harding, CBF International Coordinator–Emergency Response, FL Robbi Francovich, work with Banjara Gypsies, India ____________, 2002, daughter, unevangelized people group, Asia ____________, daughter, unevangelized people group, North Africa ____________, 2001, son, unevangelized people group, Asia Nell Green, work with internationals, Brussels, Belgium Joshua Stocks, 1989, son, Hungary Pat Tosan, work with Persian speakers, New Jersey Ron Winstead, Emeritus Rick Burnette, work with Palaung people, Thailand ____________, unevangelized people group, Asia Laurel Morrow, 1992, daughter, Germany Ann Skipper, Envoy, Texas

- DON HORTON, MODERATOR CBFNC is part of the delivery system for God’s mission in the world and did their part in this assembling of God’s people.

Now that spring has arrived, many of us will participate in Operation Inasmuch and many other mission projects. When we participate in these worthwhile projects providing shelter, food, clothing, or services, it is important that we not forget that while we are doing Christ-centered ministry, the greatest gift we can give those we serve is the knowledge of hope for eternal life through the saving grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is that hope that distinguishes the mission work of Christians from all others.

If we are going to be missional as churches or individuals, with God’s help, we must empty ourselves of pride, greed, envy, and other distracting obstacles so that we can be increasingly filled with the Holy Spirit.

If we are to share the name of Jesus with others with maximum effectiveness, we must be overflowing with the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Missions have taken on a new perspective in the lives of many who have associated with CBF. While we recognize that Jesus told us to go forth throughout the world, he also modeled a life that met the needs of those that he encountered every day.

Whether it was the woman at the well, the blind man, the leper or the tax collector, he met their needs where he was. He did not take up a collection or form a committee. He saw the needs around him and was moved with compassion. That compassion was then followed by action.

What will we do with God’s call for our lives? Will we see as Jesus saw? Will we discern God’s mission in the world and discover our participation in it?

WE WELCOME HESTER BAPTIST CHURCH, OXFORD, NC, AS A NEW CBFNC PARTNERING CHURCH

May 2005

place pdf here “worshipping . . . what fellowship people do”

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May 2005

Fowler’s Forum - JIM FOWLER, MISSIONS COORDINATOR Being the Missional Church is empowering the people to use their passion, their gifts and their calling for mission and ministry to be the presence of Christ in the world. It is about being more of who we are as Christians. It can be witnessed in churches that are praying with knowledge of specific needs, going as volunteers and giving to support the world-wide mission effort.

We have a strong heritage of praying responsibly for missions. CBFNC helps churches know about CBF Global Mission work. The Missions Education curriculum will inform members about our work in our world without borders. Each month the church family will learn about a different aspect of Global Missions. Then they can pray together with an understanding of the needs and the ministry work going on all around them.

Churches are encouraged to learn firsthand how we reach the lost and most neglected peoples in the world. Through the AdoptA-People program churches can learn of and be involved in missions to a quarter of the world’s population that has never heard the gospel. Studying about a specific Unreached People Group will help inform the church concerning the needs and blessings of our field personnel in the most difficult areas of the world.

The Global Missions Offerings give us the opportunity to give specifically to support our global missions strategy. Both

CBFNC General Assembly Offering Goes toward Purchase of Water Filtration System

One of the greatest needs in the aftermath of the Tsunami tragedy of December 2004 is clean water. Systems that filter out contaminated and brackish water and provide life-giving water are expensive. One unit which will provide clean water for a village costs as much as $10,000.

The purchase of one of these units became a goal for CBFNC. With the contributions from the General Assembly Offering and some end-of-year budget monies, we have been able to send $10,000 to CBF Disaster Relief for the purchase of a unit. Similar units have been constructed by NC Baptist Men in Sri Lanka. Since there are several types of units which are used, the picture may not accurately show the exact unit, but our monies will go toward filtration systems as needed in Southeast Asia.

MissionConnect and the Global Missions Offering direct 100% of our monies to Global Missions. There are also many opportunities for members to respond to individual projects such as: The Village of Hope, Kiev; Tsunami relief in India/Sri Lanka; or Hurricane relief in Clyde.

Being involved in Missions has long been “. . . be involved in a tradition of NC Baptists. Through CBFNC, missions to a quarter churches and individuals have found places of the world’s that has of service in the communities in which they population never heard the find themselves and in Ukraine, Morocco, gospel.”

Scotland, Romania, Miami, Helena, Toronto, New Jersey, Kentucky, and on and on.

What is your passion for mission and ministry? Pray, go, and give as God leads.

Rural Poverty Initiative Partners in Hope – Helena, Arkansas The ACC (All Church Challenge) is coming back to Helena, Arkansas, June 11 – 17. This year there are 24 churches, many from North Carolina, sending volunteers to be a part of this citywide project. Volunteers will join with local residents to provide ministry to the community in various ways. One way is through a Sports Camp ministry that will teach children how to play baseball, soccer and swimming. A Vacation Bible School-type program will be held each afternoon, and the evenings are filled with family times at the community center. Some groups will be working in the Garden of Eden, while others on home repairs and renovation work on a senior adult community center.

An ongoing project of Partners In Hope is a Reading and Play Center where children can come to check out toys and books and enjoy them in a safe, caring environment. This year the First Baptist Church of Huntsville, Alabama, has contributed their church bus which will be converted into a mobile library. Contributions from CBFNC churches helped to furnish and prepare the bus for use this summer.

Pray for Ben and Leonora as they plan this summer’s ACC and for all the teams that are making preparations for this mission project.

Mark Your Calendars and Watch Your Mailbox!

UPCOMING CBFNC YOUTH EVENTS Wet ‘N Wild Water Park, Greensboro – July 28, 2005 Fall Retreat, Myrtle Beach – September 9-11, 2005 Youth Choir Festival, Greensboro – March 31-April 1, 2006 2006 Spring Retreat – date and location to be announced For more information, call CBFNC at 888-822-1944.

Not on our Youth or Music email list? Send your email address to cbfnc@cbfnc.org and get up-to-the minute updates on all youth or music events.

May 2005

The Call “Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys.

Don’t let them pick guitars and drive in old trucks Make ‘em be doctors and lawyers and such.”

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RICK JORDAN, CHURCH RESOURCES COORDINATOR

soul-trying agonies, to its celebration of a personal relationship with God for now and eternity?

Recently, CBFNC co-sponsored a workshop on Creating a Culture for the Call. Our goal was to learn how we can better invite That song by the great American philosophers young people to consider the ministry as a career. Dave Odom from Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson could be the Center for Congregational Health noted, “A missional church is adapted by those who see the ministry as an a calling church. It calls every member to be a minister.” Kevin ominous career, one Spears, from The Fund for Theological burdened with irraEducation, pointed out the anticipated crisis Jack Glasgow, pastor of Zebulon tional expectations, for the pastoral ministry including a Baptist Church, provided a list of low pay, no job security significant percentage of empty pulpits and the strategies a church could take to and less and less social worrisome fact that only 7% of clergy are cultivate the call, including: status. “Mamas, don’t under the age of 35. The FTE offers resources let your babies grow up to be ministers.” including workshops, consultants for 1. Affirm that the primary “vocaThere is reason to be wary. I receive calls individual churches, an online journal – all free tion” of every Christian is to be a weekly from ministers who are being to the local church. They also provide $4000 faithful, worthy follower of Jesus. forced out of their roles. As nonin matching funds for church scholarships 2. Encourage the discipline of connectional Baptists, there is no job (www.thefund.org). prayer, of living life in dialogue security for the minister. “I’m always one Jeff Rogers, pastor of First Baptist Church with God, in order to hear God Wednesday night business meeting away in Greenville, SC, echoed the call for “every speak to our lives. from being fired,” one pastor told me. member a minister.” He said, “We don’t need 3. Model healthy clergy-congregaSometimes I receive calls from ministers more members in our church. We already have tion relationships. who are leaving the Baptist ministry plenty of members, many of whom we seldom 4. Give young people experience in because, as another pastor told me, “I can see. What we are looking for are more church leadership, ministry and hardly afford to feed my kids much less members who see themselves as ministers. mission service. put braces on their teeth. The When someone joins our church, I always say 5. Include a seminary or divinity Presbyterians pay better.” And, of course, to them, ‘Welcome to the ministry.’” Although school student on the church staff if you are called to the pastorate, but you that church does not have a program designed or as an intern whenever possible. happen to be a woman, you have even to call persons to consider the ministry as a more hurdles to face. vocation, many of their young people and Nevertheless, according to recent adults have gone into or are studying for the surveys, most ministers are happy and feel fulfilled in their ministry. Those who show joy in the ministries they have as ministries. Most do not live in or near the poverty level. Most members are invited to consider whether that joy may be a call to have strong enough relationships to weather the occasional storms serve as a professional minister. “We don’t have a program, but we that pass through any organization, including the local church. are developing a more conscious effort to help our members Most see their calling as an amazing gift from God. The calling to connect the dots.” be a minister is, like the call to the Christian discipleship, the call Waylon and Willie may be right about cowboys. But the Church to “come and die to yourself” – yet, like the reward for the needs to encourage, “Mamas, please let your babies grow up to be disciple, the reward for the minister is a “more abundant life” and ministers.” a more abundant career. There may not be an abundance of “stuff.”

Make Plans Now to Attend the (Someone recently said that “accumulation is the heresy of our CBFNC Minister/Spouse Retreat age.”) But there is an abundance of unique experiences in the role of being the presence of Christ in a wide variety of “The Careful Life” from Ephesians 5:15 circumstances. Who else gets to sits with couples before they Guest Speaker: Dr. Chuck Poole marry to discuss their love life, their hopes, and their spirituality?

Who else gets to lead a prayer in a circle of grieving family Friday evening, Oct. 14 – Saturday noon, Oct. 15, 2005 members around the bed of their just-deceased loved one? Who Holiday Inn, Hawthorne Road else gets paid to spend hours in prayer and Bible study to prepare Winston-Salem, North Carolina a lesson or a sermon? Who else gets to guide an organization of volunteers as they seek God’s mission for themselves? Who else Registration fee: $25 single / $35 couple gets to plan events that are intended purely to build the Hotel: $59 fellowship of the group? Who else has the privilege (and the responsibility) to talk with dozens or even hundreds of people For registration brochure, call CBFNC at 888-822-1944. about their spiritual life, from its evangelistic birth, through its

May, 2005

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CBFNC PARTNERING CHURCHES

Page 6 APRIL 2004 - MARCH 2005

Our 214 partnering (contributing) churches for the 12 months ending March 31, 2005, are listed below alphabetically by city. This list does not include churches who contribute to CBF National only, nor does it includes churches who partner with CBFNC in other non-financial ways. If you believe your church should be listed but it isn’t, or if your church is listed in error, please let us know at (888) 822-1944 or cbfnc@cbfnc.org.

First ................................................ Ahoskie Angier ............................................ Angier Woodhaven .................................... Apex First ................................................ Arden West Asheboro ............................... Asheboro Calvary .......................................... Asheville First ................................................ Asheville Calvary .......................................... Beaufort First of Smithton ............................ Belhaven First ................................................ Biscoe First ................................................ Black Mountain First ................................................ Bladenboro Lennons Crossroads ...................... Bladenboro First ................................................ Blowing Rock First ................................................ Bryson City First ................................................ Buies Creek Memorial ....................................... Buies Creek Bullock .......................................... Bullock First ................................................ Burnsville Calypso .......................................... Calypso Hominy .......................................... Candler Greenwood Forest ......................... Cary Westwood ...................................... Cary Casar .............................................. Casar Chadbourn ..................................... Chadbourn Mount Carmel ................................ Chapel Hill University ...................................... Chapel Hill Pritchard Memorial ........................ Charlotte Providence ..................................... Charlotte St. John’s ........................................ Charlotte Sardis ............................................. Charlotte First ................................................ Clayton White Oak ...................................... Clayton McGill ........................................... Concord First ................................................ Cramerton Cullowhee ...................................... Cullowhee First ................................................ Dunn Westfield ........................................ Dunn Calvary .......................................... Durham Hope Valley ................................... Durham Lakewood ...................................... Durham Lowes Grove ................................. Durham Temple ........................................... Durham Watts Street .................................... Durham Yates .............................................. Durham Edenton .......................................... Edenton First ................................................ Elizabeth City First ................................................ Elkin Elm City ......................................... Elm City First ................................................ Elon Emerald Isle ................................... Emerald Isle Antioch .......................................... Enfield Enfield ........................................... Enfield Enka ............................................... Enka Fair Bluff ....................................... Fair Bluff First ................................................ Fairmont The Chapel Door ........................... Fairview First ................................................ Farmville Cedar Falls ..................................... Fayetteville First ................................................ Fayetteville Lafayette ........................................ Fayetteville Lake Lynn ...................................... Fayetteville Mount Pisgah ................................. Fayetteville Snyder Memorial ........................... Fayetteville First ................................................ Forest City Mount Vernon ................................ Forest City First ................................................ Four Oaks Pauline ........................................... Four Oaks Burningtown .................................. Franklin Franklinton .................................... Franklinton Aversboro Road ............................. Garner Covenant ........................................ Gastonia

First ................................................ Gastonia Loray ............................................. Gastonia First ................................................ Goldsboro First ................................................ Graham Brandt Oaks ................................... Greensboro College Park .................................. Greensboro First ................................................ Greensboro Guilford ......................................... Greensboro Korean Mission ............................. Greensboro Lindley Park .................................. Greensboro Southeast ....................................... Greensboro Immanuel ....................................... Greenville The Memorial ................................ Greenville Oakmont ........................................ Greenville Hallsboro ....................................... Hallsboro Flat Rock ....................................... Hamptonville First ................................................ Henderson Providence ..................................... Hendersonville First ................................................ Hickory Penelope ........................................ Hickory Viewmont ...................................... Hickory Emerywood .................................... High Point First ................................................ High Point Parkwood ....................................... High Point First ................................................ Hillsborough Hobbsville ..................................... Hobbsville First ................................................ Huntersville First ................................................ Jonesville First ................................................ Kannapolis First ................................................ Kernersville Union Cross ................................... Kernersville Spilman Memorial ......................... Kinston Knightdale ..................................... Knightdale First ................................................ Laurinburg North Brunswick Fellowship ......... Leland College Avenue .............................. Lenoir Churchland .................................... Lexington First ................................................ Lexington Jersey ............................................. Lexington Reeds ............................................. Lexington Bear Swamp ................................... Littleton Louisburg ....................................... Louisburg First ................................................ Lumberton First ................................................ Madison First ................................................ Marion Mars Hill ........................................ Mars Hill First ................................................ Marshville Skyway .......................................... Maxton New Bessemer ............................... McLeansville First ................................................ Mebane Mount Adar .................................... Mebane First ................................................ Monroe Aaron ............................................. Montezuma First ................................................ Mooresville First ................................................ Morehead City First ................................................ Morganton First ................................................ Mount Airy First ................................................ Mount Gilead First ................................................ Mount Olive Murfreesboro ................................. Murfreesboro Fairplains ....................................... N. Wilkesboro First ................................................ N. Wilkesboro First ................................................ New Bern Kendalls ......................................... New London First ................................................ Newland Trinity ............................................ Newton Enon ............................................... Oxford Hester ............................................. Oxford Oxford ........................................... Oxford Stough Memorial ........................... Pineville Mount Gilead ................................. Pittsboro First ................................................ Raleigh

Forest Hills .................................... Raleigh Greystone ....................................... Raleigh Hayes Barton ................................. Raleigh HomeStar Fellowship .................... Raleigh Macedonia ..................................... Raleigh New Hope ...................................... Raleigh Ridge Road .................................... Raleigh St. John’s ........................................ Raleigh Tabernacle ...................................... Raleigh Triangle .......................................... Raleigh Richfield ........................................ Richfield First ................................................ Richlands Rosemary ....................................... Roanoke Rapids Lakeside ......................................... Rocky Mount Rolesville ....................................... Rolesville First ................................................ Roseboro First ................................................ Rowland Lamberth Memorial ....................... Roxboro Roxboro ......................................... Roxboro Covenant ........................................ Salisbury First ................................................ Sanford Thanksgiving ................................. Selma Zion ............................................... Shelby Nobles Chapel ............................... Sims First ................................................ Smithfield Sharon ............................................ Smithfield First ................................................ Southern Pines Southport ....................................... Southport First ................................................ Spindale Spencer .......................................... Spindale Ephesus .......................................... Spring Hope First ................................................ Spruce Pine First ................................................ Stanfield First ................................................ Statesville Concord ......................................... Stedman First ................................................ Stoneville First ................................................ Sylva Antioch .......................................... Taylorsville First ................................................ Taylorsville Teachey .......................................... Teachey First ................................................ Tryon Heritage ......................................... Wake Forest Wake Forest ................................... Wake Forest First Fellowship ............................. Wallburg First ................................................ Washington First ................................................ Weaverville The Church at Weddington ................................. Weddington Weldon ........................................... Weldon First ................................................ West Jefferson Fishing Creek ................................ Whitakers First ................................................ Whiteville Mount Zion .................................... Whiteville New Hope ...................................... Whiteville Wilkesboro ..................................... Wilkesboro First ................................................ Wilmington Masonboro ..................................... Wilmington Winter Park .................................... Wilmington First ................................................ Wilson Wingate .......................................... Wingate Ardmore ......................................... Winston-Salem College Park .................................. Winston-Salem Fellowship ..................................... Winston-Salem First ................................................ Winston-Salem Knollwood ..................................... Winston-Salem Northwest ...................................... Winston-Salem Unity .............................................. Winston-Salem Westview ....................................... Winston-Salem Youngsville .................................... Youngsville Zebulon .......................................... Zebulon

April 2005

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A MISSIONAL CHURCH PICTURE (continued from page 1) - LARRY HOVIS, COORDINATOR School; Discipleship Training; Music Ministry; Womans Missionary Union; and Baptist Men. It would have an annual stewardship campaign. It would have weekly workers’ meetings for Sunday School teachers.

It was amazing to me that Washington Baptist Church (with around 75 in attendance on a good Sunday) had managed to survive for over a hundred years without most of those things! They had Sunday School and worship on Sunday morning, but no weekly workers’ meetings. In fact, they

Community context, congregational history, and the gifts, talents and passions of members should determine a church’s mission, ministries and organization, not a pre-determined template . . . didn’t even use literature from the Sunday School Board! In addition to preaching on Sunday morning and providing pastoral care, I understood my main responsibility to be to organize them into a “full program” church, just like FBC-Raleigh.

Eighteen years of pastoral ministry later, my view of what constitutes a “real” church has changed. Developing a complex church organization according to a “cookie cutter” model from a denominational manual is no longer a worthy goal. Instead, I now

understand that every congregation is unique and has a distinct mission. The challenge facing ministers and congregational leaders is to help their church discover and fulfill its unique God-given mission. No two churches need to look alike or act alike. Community context, congregational history, and the gifts, talents and passions of members should determine a church’s mission, ministries and organization, not a pre-determined template from a denomination or another congregation.

Additionally, the programs or ministries or organizational structures that enable a congregation to accomplish its mission one year or one period may not be the programs or ministries or organization that will enable that same congregation to accomplish its mission another year or period. The “wine” of the church’s message doesn’t change, but the “wineskin” through which the message is shared needs to change with the times.

This is a new way of thinking for many of us who have been nurtured and trained in a 20th century denominational, programcentered model. But it is a shift in thinking we must make if we are going to be effective stewards of the Gospel in the 21st century. One word that is being used now to describe this view of the church is “missional.” The emphasis on the missional church is something we are taking very seriously in CBFNC. It is the leading Directional Point in our strategic plan. To be honest, there is still much I

You are Invited to a

Smyth & Helwys Sunday School Literature Workshop Co-Sponsored by Smyth & Helwys,

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, and Baptist State Convention of North Carolina

don’t understand about the concept of the missional church. It defies simple definition or exact description.

Like the Kingdom of God, it’s easier to picture than explain. I can’t tell you what it is, but I know it when I see it.

Missional churches vary in age, worship style, facilities, staffing, organizational structure, and in just about every category. Missional churches take missions seriously, but having a missions program doesn’t make a church missional. Missional churches live out the Scriptures, are led by the Spirit and share the presence of Christ within their membership and in the world.

Missional churches aren’t perfect and are willing to experience failure in an effort to be faithful.

I expect you’ll hear the term, “missional church,” much more in the coming months and years (I believe far beyond the scope of the current three-year strategic plan). More importantly, I pray that you’ll join with others in the CBF family to embark on the missional journey. Our congregations won’t all look or act or minister the same, but we will experience common joy and fulfillment in service to our One Lord.

FINANCIAL REPORT MARCH 2005 CONTRIBUTIONS Designated — $28,275 Undesignated — $49,105 Total — $77,380 2004-2005 MONTHLY BUDGET GOAL: $51,418

FISCAL YEAR: APRIL 1, 2004 - MARCH 31, 2005 YEAR END TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS Designated — $347,644 Undesignated — $569,587 Total — $917,231

Saturday, May 21, 2005 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon First Baptist Church 301 S. Third St. Mebane, North Carolina

2004-2005 Budget Goal: $617,021 Received: 92.3%

No charge and no pre-registration required.

For more information, call CBFNC at 888-822-1944.

2005-2006 MONTHLY BUDGET GOAL: $55,455

CBF NORTH CAROLINA 8025 NORTH POINT BLVD., SUITE 205 WINSTON-SALEM, NC 27106

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Strategic Plan Directional Focus May 2005:

The Missional Church

Read about it inside this issue of The Gathering.

CBF North Carolina May 2005 Phone: (888) 822-1944 • (336) 759-3456 Fax: (336) 759-3459 cbfnc@cbfnc.org • www.cbfnc.org Coordinating Council Don Horton, Zebulon Greg Rogers, Greenville Moderator Recorder Tonya Vickery, Cullowhee Roger Gilbert, Mount Airy Moderator-Elect Past-Moderator Boyce Wilson, Winston-Salem Treasurer Glenda Currin, Wrightsville Beach David Hood, Hickory Carolyn Dickins, Raleigh Jenny Jeanes, Mount Olive Kathryn Hamrick, Shelby Steve Little, Marion Larry Harper, Raleigh Roy Smith, Raleigh

Faith Development Ministry Council Jennifer Baxley, Henderson Bruce Hartgrove, High Point Crystal Leathers, Hickory Karen Metcalf, Raleigh Kristen Muse, Raleigh

Mickie Norman, Leland Jeff Pethel, Rolesville Anita Sayles, Asheville Blythe Taylor, Charlotte Tim Wilson, Hickory

Leadership Development Ministry Council Kitty Amos, Winston-Salem Ron Glover, Monroe Kheresa Harman, Erwin Burke Holland, Belhaven Randall Lolley, Raleigh

Ken Massey, Greensboro Pam Riley, Durham Wayne Wike, Matthews Larry Williams, Louisburg Steve Zimmerman, Mebane

Missions Development Ministry Council Cecelia Beck, Forest City Kendell Cameron, Whiteville Ron Cava, Clinton Raymond Earp, Beaufort David Hailey, Raleigh

Carolyn Hopkins, Cary Bill Jones, Newland Judy LeCroy, Lexington Steve Martin, Kernersville Layne Smith, Hickory

CBF Council Members From NC Sheri Adams, Boiling Springs Gail Coulter, Hendersonville Mary Anne Croom, Ahoskie Irma Duke, Fuquay-Varina

Jack Glasgow, Zebulon Bill Ireland, Winston-Salem Guy Sayles, Asheville

Staff

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID WINSTON-SALEM, NC PERMIT NO. 162

Larry Hovis ....................... Coordinator Jim Fowler ......................... Missions Coordinator Rick Jordan ....................... Church Resources Coordinator Nancy Parks ...................... Office Manager Gail McAlister .................. Financial Assistant Beth McGinley .................. Office Assistant