The Gathering
by
Photo
Charles Hartis
Transformation: Why we bring Baptists Together for Christ-centered ministry
by Larry Hovis, CBFNC Executive Coordinator
What do the following ministry snapshots have in common?
A teenager attends a retreat with her youth group. She is in turmoil over a wrong performed by a family member. At the retreat, she learns about the power of God’s forgiveness. She goes home, empowered to approach the family member from a new perspective, and their relationship is changed for the better, even stronger than before.
A church has been struggling with decline, loss of purpose, internal conflict, and lack of direction. The church receives assistance from a congregational coach who helps them explore what’s working well, what’s not working well, where their challenges lie, and what God is calling them to be and do to move forward with power and purpose. They experience new life and energy. Current members grow in their faith and new persons begin coming to faith in Christ through their ministry.
A Spanish-speaking newcomer struggles with issues of culture, language, and employment. His only exposure to religion in his home country has not been positive. He meets members of a Spanish-speaking congregation who embrace him, help him assimilate into the community, and introduce him to a positive, saving relationship with Jesus. He is like a new person.
A college student struggles with what she is supposed to do with her life. She has changed majors twice and isn’t even sure she should come back to school in the fall for her junior year. Her campus minister encourages her to spend her summer as a congregational intern. In that role, she has a caring, supportive pastoral supervisor who not only shows her the many sides of congregational life, but provides her with spiritual guidance for her life’s journey. She returns to school with a healthy identity and sense of God’s leadership in her life. Over time, numerous church construction teams travel to Belize to construct a primary school. Because of this assistance, the churchrelated school is able to provide an education not available through other avenues to the children of the community. With an education, they have a greatly improved chance at a much better life. And with a Christian education, they are able to become and grow more deeply as disciples of Jesus.
What do these stories have in common? Many things, perhaps, but the most important is, “Transformation.” The dictionary defines “transform” as “to change the nature, function, or condition of; to convert.” Though the word “transform” does not appear frequently in Scripture, the concept is a thoroughly Biblical one.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good, acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).
“And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as if reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image, from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
“If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation. Everything old has passed away; see, everything new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
In a real sense, all of the parables of Jesus, like his entire life and ministry, are about transformation.
While most Christians, churches and ministry organizations (like CBFNC) would affirm, intellectually, that our primary purpose is to be agents of God’s transformation, that concept is not usually at the forefront of our thinking. We are more likely to evaluate ourselves on traditional metrics like attendance, membership and budgets than on how lives are being transformed because of our ministry.
CBFNC’s 20th Anniversary Vision Statement, adopted at the recent General Assembly, seeks to bring our rhetoric in line with our actions. The Assembly affirmed that our life together should be guided by three Overarching Commitments: Transformation, Engagement, and Community. All three are important. All are necessary. Though they are not linear, but circular, there is a flow to them. Our purpose, as already stated, is to be agents of God’s transformation. We do this through engagement with those around us. We are not content to wait for folks to come to us, but we intentionally, proactively, assertively but respectfully, engage them, in word and deed, with the Good News of God’s Kingdom in Jesus. This process occurs not as isolationists, not as rugged individualists, but in community. Always, we seek companions on the journey of transformative engagement, for we believe that true transformation is relational.
In the coming years, CBFNC will increasingly orient our ministries around Transformation, Engagement and Community. We don’t now know exactly what this means. We will learn together. And the conversation around the interchange of these commitments, will, hopefully, begin to shape how local churches and Christians exercise their discipleship.
For many years, CBFNC has been dedicated to the task of “bringing Baptists of North Carolina together for Christ-centered ministry.” That remains our purpose. But now, we have more clarity about why we come together for Christ-centered ministry. It’s to bring about God’s Transformation in our lives, our churches, our communities, and our world.
How are you (your church, ministry, etc.) seeking to bring about God’s transformation with your family, friends, community and world? How can we, together, be more faithful and effective in the pursuit of this central task? I look forward to discerning those questions together in the months and years ahead.
CBFNC Collegiate Ministry had a new collaborative experience this spring. Four of our collegiate ministry groups (Appalachian State, East Carolina University, Western Carolina University and UNC-Asheville) shared a spring break mission trip to Atlanta.
This journey began as all four of the groups gathered at First Baptist Church, Sylva. That night, each group sat segregated by their campus in the church fellowship hall. The picture below tell’s a story of the group’s amazing transformation by week’s end.
I got the most out of the modules about homelessness. I have a renewed perspective on the poor, under-privileged and broken.
“The most meaningful thing for me was hearing the explanation of the single story and how we assume other people’s stories before we know them.”
Something that I take away from this week is that things are a lot more complicated than I originally saw them. We are so quick to take sides and adamantly defend our position, “I’m right so you must be wrong,” but it is not that simple. Taking sides means you are against something. We need to realize that we do not have things figured out and you continue to learn valuable lessons in places you didn’t think you would learn anything. Learning more helps develop the concepts and things we believe, but it can also expand our world and help us really enjoy the diversity that we have been blessed with. It’s also nice to see an organization like CBF take such an active role as a support system for the Body of Christ.
Spring break take-away
March 8-14, 2014, in Atlanta
“The whole experience! We went from individual groups to really good friends, all the while going very deeply into how we can be a change in the world.”
“As we are moving on from this trip, I want to remember that we are the church of today. First we must realize we will sin and what it takes to move past that toward a brighter future.”
I found a deeper appreciation for every issue we discussed this week, but I most appreciate that this trip planted seeds and demonstrated what I can do to advance the Kingdom of God in my own community.
“No matter if we’re rich, poor, big, skinny, tall, short — we all have a story.”
The thing that impacted me the most was being able to do things for the people in Atlanta. I also enjoyed being able to meet people from all of the different schools.
“We’re not here to save people; we’re here to love them. And it’s through loving people that we will save them.” (Quoting the volunteer coordinator at Gateway.)
This week I learned about homelessness and race. I learned not to listen to just a person’s single story.
“Racism still exists and can be eliminated, but it is us who must do it, now, not later. In our own ways, our own towns, we must be the voice and the change we want to see.”
From this week, I have broadened my definition of what it means to go on a “mission trip.” We talked about the commonly held idea of going, working all day and having a “free day” on the last day. The people served were completely different from us and needed help from us to solve a problem. This week has been completely different. Mission work that makes a true difference in someone’s life requires a relationship, which takes more than a week to create.
“I enjoyed finding a safe place to explore complicated issues and practical ways to be part of God’s Kingdom through social justice issues.”
Cooperation: the focus for next 20 years
CBFNC adopted a vision statement on March 29 that calls for transformation, engagement and community by focusing on four Christ-centered areas of ministry.
The Assembly featured worship services, a ministry celebration and business session, workshops and times of fellowship. Divinity students gathered for some separate sessions, while children were led in their own Assembly.
Those attending the Assembly adopted a $1.48 million budget for 2014-15 and gave $5,732 in offerings for campus ministry in North Carolina.
Ka’thy Gore Chappell, CBFNC’s Leadership Development Coordinator and chairwoman of the 20th Anniversary Celebration Team, said the Assembly theme, “Still,” has multiple meanings. The team wanted to show how CBFNC is still God’s, still following God, still active and still doing missions. The team embraced the various definitions of Still, Chappell said. “That’s life,” she said. “It’s both/and, not either/or.”
Ken Medema, an improvisational musician who has been blind since birth, participated in both worship services. During Saturday morning worship, Medema asked for stories about CBFNC, then immediately came up with short songs about the comments. After a story about women being ordained, Medema’s song talked about how “the good old boys” said pulpits weren’t for “sisters” and said a woman “brings a kind of love no man can bring.”
Larry Hovis, CBFNC Executive Coordinator, talked about the meanings of Still in his address, which was based on Hebrews 10:23-25. He reminded those attending of the Fellowship’s accomplishments and talked about the future. Hovis said the Fellowship finds value in coming together. “Good things happen when good people come together,” he said.
Hovis then gave his interpretation of the vision statement. “Our life together moving forward will be increasingly and intentionally guided by three overarching commitments: transformation, engagement and community,” he said. “All three are important. All are necessary.”
Hovis said the vision document is not a statement of faith or an operational goal with specific goals, objectives and time lines. “Instead, it is a navigational tool, more of a compass than a map, pointing us in the general direction we need to go, but giving us the freedom,
by Steve DeVane
together, to flesh out the details, making adjustments along the way,” he said.
Members of the 20th Anniversary Vision Team presented the vision statement during three workshops on March 28 and during a business session the next day. Team member Dave Odom said during the workshop that the three commitments – transformation, engagement and community – are connected. “We believe these commitments are things that will stand the test of time,” he said. “We believe there’s history behind them.”
The commitment to transformation is based on Romans 12:12, “Be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” The statement of transformation says that Cooperative Baptists in North Carolina “desire to be agents of God’s newness.”
Odom said transformation starts with God. “Transformation is God’s work,” he said. “We partake in it. We are transformed. God is at work in the world,” Odom said. “God is at work in our lives.”
Donna Bissette, a member of the team and past moderator of CBFNC, said transformation is the ultimate goal. “We want to draw people to Jesus,” she said. The commitment to engagement is based on James 1:22, “Be doers of the word.”
Bissette said engagement is an outward focus. “For me, it’s the one that puts flesh on CBFNC,” she said. “This is sort of the hands and feet of the three commitments.” The commitment to community is based on Romans 12:10, “Be devoted to one another in love.” The statement says fellowship in CBFNC’s name points toward a “deep desire for connection.”
The statement calls for the vision to become reality through four areas of focus:
Showing mercy and seeking justice
Nurturing healthy congregations
Empowering laity for missional living
Clarifying identity and covenant
Bissette said the areas of focus provide a yardstick for determining ministries. They are intended to be broad, but clear, she said.
Team member Jack Glasgow said the vision statement is about helping churches serve God and serve people. Instead of a list of programs, it is intended to be
a way of seeing the mission of God in the world, he said. “That’s interpreting the document, but I think that’s the spirit of the document.”
Greg Rogers, who served on the vision team, said the vision lets churches collaborate and find new expressions of ministry. “I think these statements are broad enough to let us live into the Spirit,” he said.
The vision team has been working for two years. It sought to find a sense of what people and churches affirmed about CBFNC and what they hope, dream and need for the future.
Odom said team members learned that Cooperative Baptists in North Carolina are happy with CBFNC but concerned about the health of individual congregations.
Team member John Vestal said the statement emphasizes the importance of making disciples. “What is so exciting about this document is it says we are all ministers,” he said. “You don’t have to go to seminary to have God’s call on your life.”
Hovis told those listening to his address that they are not Independent Baptists, but Cooperative Baptists. “We need each other. We are incomplete without one another,” he said. “We’ve spent our first 20 years focusing on our freedom. I pray we’ll spend our next 20 years focusing on cooperation.”
Top to bottom: Vision Team panel discussion, workshop participants, Vision document presentation and General Assembly worship.
Summary of Individual Contributors
January 2013-December 2013
While the bulk of financial support for CBFNC ministries comes from church budgets, individual gifts are an important and growing source of mission and ministry funding. Undesignated individual gifts are applied to the CBFNC Mission and Ministry Offering, one hundred percent of which funds our diverse ministries. CBFNC is grateful for all gifts, regardless of size, donor, or designation. May God continue to entrust to us God’s mission and provide the support necessary to carry it out.
Would you like to give to CBFNC as an individual, honoring/in memory of someone important in your life or in support of a particular ministry or project? You will find information on our website, www.cbfnc.org
Name .......................................... City/State
Anna & LaCount Anderson Scotland Neck
Seth & Jennifer Asbill Knightdale
J.D. & Margaret Baldree .................. Shelby
Deborah & Dean Baughn ...... Rutherfordton
Al & Pat Bennett Greensboro
Caroline & Ralph Bentley ........... Statesville
David & Mavis Bissette ......Winston-Salem
Ken & Gail Boaz Winston-Salem
Tom & Betty Bodkin Raleigh
John & Nola Boezeman ...................... Apex
Karen & Steve Bolton Durham
Dorothy Bowers Eden
Greg & Donna Bowers .............. Winterville
Tommy & Gail Bridges Sanford
Carol Brown Greenville
Catherine A. Brown .................... Oak Ridge
Kelly Brown ....................................... Sylva
Mary Brown Raleigh
Charles & Grace Bullard .............. Asheboro
Warner & Roberta Bumgardner Wadesboro
Linden & Alice Burch .........Lake Junaluska
Morgan Burnett Waynesville
Jim & Joyce Camp Lexington
Bette Carter ...................................... Raleigh
Tony Cartledge .................................... Apex
Jack & Mary Lib Causey Statesville
Kenny & Trishia Chapman Cullowhee
Ka’thy & Russell Chappell Winston Salem
James & Elizabeth Clark ..... Hendersonville
Susan Clark Apex
Marie & Homer Clontz Horse Shoe
Austin & Betty Connors .................. Raleigh
Gail & Holland Coulter ....... Hendersonville
Terry & Judy Cox High Point
Jim Cross .......................................... Oxford
Barbara Dallas ..................................... Eden
Brian & Dannelle Dickens Whittier
Michael Dixon ...................... Elizabeth City
Elizabeth J. Dunn.................. Cumming, GA
Ruth Durham High Point
Elizabeth & Mark Edwards Nashville
Martha & Wallace Edwards Spring Hope
Jane & Richard Eskew Winston-Salem
Johnnie Evans ............................ Morrisville
Kimberly & Michael Ferguson Fort Hood, TX
Sue Fitzgerald Winston-Salem
Heather Foster Sylva
Marie & Steve Fox Benson
Debra & Curtis Freeman ................ Durham
Woodrow Freeze.............................. Bullock
Brad Galbraith .............................. Asheville
Lou Ann & Paul Gilliam ....... Murfreesboro
Jack & Barbara Glasgow Zebulon
Shannon & David Hall Mebane
Tommy & Pat Hardin Spindale
John & Kathryn Harris Rose Hill
Cathy & Bill Hartsell Charlotte
David & Vanessa Hawes .............Whiteville
James & Doris Helvey.........Winston-Salem
Rena & Bill Henderson .............. Ridgecrest
Frank Hendrick Elkin
Scott & Linda Henson Maiden
Brenda Hipp Thomasville
Cathy & Michael Hopkins Fayetteville
Donald & Jo Ann Horton ............... Zebulon
Marion & Don Horton Knightdale
Larry & Kim Hovis Pfafftown
Barry & Amanda Howard Pensacola, FL
Barbara Huggins .............................. Raleigh
Doris Hughes Edenton
Jesse & LindsayHunt ......................... Boone
John Hunt Boiling Springs
Nancy & Franklin Ivey Statesville
Beth James ................................. Laurinburg
Bob & Elaine Jeffcoat Durham
Linda & Joseph Jones ................. Clemmons
Anthony Jordan Wingate
Rebecca & Larry Keesler ..........Mount Airy
Dan & Wanda Kidd Cullowhee
Elissa Kincaid Hickory
Cathy C. Kiser .....................Winston-Salem
Joseph & Meade Lamb Elizabeth City
Bob & Rhea Lamb............................ Shelby
Sara & Stuart Lamkin Louisburg
Mable Laney ............................... Burlington
John Lawrence Raleigh
Bill & Crystal Leathers........Winston-Salem
Steve & Alice Little Marion
Benedetta & Mark Mansell Raleigh
Mary & Greg Martin ................ Weaverville
Milton C. Martin Hopewell, VA
Carolyn & Rick Matthews .. Winston Salem
Paula & Scot McCosh Fayetteville
Corene McDaniel .......................Forest City
Karen & Randy McKinney Raleigh
Roella Mellnik Forest City
Geneva Metzger Greensboro
Jean & Gene Millsaps Mooresville
Harold Mitchell .... North Myrtle Beach, SC
Memory Mitchell Raleigh
Margaret Moore ....................................King
Doug & Candace Murray Wilson
Charles & Janice Nicholson Forest City
Matt & Michelle Norman ................. Leland
James & Starr Oliver Chesapeake, VA
Esther & Tim Parker ........................ Raleigh
Susan & Wally Pasour Haw River
Jason Perry Weaverville
William Phillips .......................... Cullowhee
Clara Privott Rocky Mount
Bo & Gail Prosser...................... Tucker, GA
Donnie & Ann Ramsey Weaverville
Lucy B. Rash Statesville
Kim & Robby Ray Charlotte
Paul & Anne Raybon Candler
William & Janet Rhodes.............. Asheville
Jonathan Rigsbee Kernersville
Kennon & Peggie Roberson ........................................Winston-Salem
Nancy & L.J. Rogers Mebane
Brickson Sam.................................Charlotte
William & Carolyn Scoggins Elizabethtown
Milton Sewell Mount Airy
Shirley Shelburne ....................... Lillington
Charlotte H. Shelton Ayden
Michael & Sandra Simmons Buies Creek
Martha & Wilbert Simmons ..........Charlotte
John Singletary Pittsboro
Bobbye Smith Yadkinville
Roy & Charlotte Smith........Winston-Salem
Shirley Smith Trinity
Frances Stewart Winston-Salem
Doris Stocks................................ High Point
David Stone .................................. Mars Hill
Terri & Dave Stratton Fuquay Varina
Jim & Marion Summerville Chapel Hill
Jimmy & Dot Taylor........................ Monroe
Susan Taylor Chapel Hill
Kristen E. Thayer Raleigh
Leon & Joyce Thomas.................. Southport
Anita Thompson Ahoskie
Mack & Carol Thompson Raleigh
Ann Wall .......................................... Raleigh
Kimsey & Renae Welch Trent Woods
Transformation
at work
I encourage you to consider participating in Impacting Tomorrow 2014. Four years ago, First, Goldsboro, a 170-yearold county seat congregation, attended Hopeful Imagination, and in 2012 we participated in Impacting Tomorrow. Each was essential to the missional transformation of our congregation.
Our church found the stories of missional faithfulness to be inspirational, applicable, and essential for our missional journey It galvanized our staff and lay leadership to discover God’s work in our community and to join God and other Christians in that work. The conference helped birth new vitality in worship, and led to an extension of ministries that were more inwardly focused, such as prayer shawls, handicap ramps, and benevolence, which are now being done in our community and in partnership with other Christians.
We have rediscovered the call to find where God is at work and to join that work, which has revitalized our church in ways we had only dreamed and continues to influence our congregation. Impacting Tomorrow will enhance your missional journey as you continue to impact tomorrow for God.
Impacting Tomorrow — May 16-17, 2014
Visit www.cbfnc.org for more information and to register.
Neil & Whitney Westbrook Salisbury
Amy Whittington ............................. Benson
Jean Williams Elizabeth City
Tim & Lynda Willis Clemson, SC
David & Ann Wilson ............ Maryville, TN
Linda Winslow Jamestown
Ray & Melba Wyche Whiteville
Richard & Betty Wynne .................. Raleigh
The Red Radish Asheville
Wagner Agape Ministries ................................... McLeansville, VA
Western NC Baptist Network Asheville
NC Baptist Foundation Endowment Fund:
Blanche Wall & William A. Brown
Hannah & Frank D. Hills
Mary W. Brown
Lynn Camp Odom
H.Manly Hocutt
Elizabeth Simmons
by Glenn Phillips, Pastor, First, Goldsboro
2014 CBF G eneral Ass embly
June 23-27
Atlanta, Georgia
Join us in celebrating how our stories as C ooperative Baptists are Woven Together with each other and with God’s mission
Woven Together
Threads of faith and fellowship
Workshops
Attend practical workshops with topics like
• Issues facing the modern church
Worship
Celebrate CBF and Co-missioning during a family-friendly dinner banquet and commissioning ser vice church starters, chaplains and pastoral counselors. Register for this event at thefellowship.info/ assembly/commissioning
• New trends and tools in ministr y
• Models and opportunities for mission involvement
• Resources for teaching and learning
• Personal growth
• Worship/music
• Bible studies
Gather with Cooperative Baptists to be inspired and challenged by
• Annual state of CBF speech from Executive Coordinator Suzii Paynter
• Keynote addresses from Andrew Young, former U.N. Ambassador and civil rights leader
• Sermon from Guy Sayles, pastor of First Baptist Church of Asheville, N.C.
• Proclamation and vision for CBF from Moderator-elect Kasey Jones
Register and learn about fellowship opportunities, auxiliar y events, the Assembly schedule and more at the fellowship.info/assembly
Practicing
grace
Reading Day – a day devoted to the pleasure of reading. Who wouldn’t like that? Reading Day, however, means something different on a college campus. It is the day before exams begin. It’s the last 24 hours before judgment day. What better place to spend it than in a church?
by Rick Jordan, CBFNC Church Resources Coordinator
First Baptist Church of Elon is adjacent to the campus of Elon University. For years, it struggled with its role. Some members saw the college as an opportunity. Others considered it a threat. In the last four years, both of those perspectives were given credibility. Four years ago, the church formed a college ministry team. After some prayer and reflection, the team realized, “The University is our Jerusalem.” One of the team member’s children attended college elsewhere and told of a local church that opened its doors to students during exam week. The team decided to give that a try. From 10am – 10pm, the church was open. About 25 students came to enjoy the quiet not found in their dorms and the space not available in the full tables of the University library. Church members provided snacks. The church boosted its internet capabilities. Although attendance was less than hoped for, the team members considered it a success.
It took us a long time to figure out college ministry.
We found out, you begin with relationships.
Soon afterward, church members found their parking lot and campus covered with beer cans, broken bottles and empty coolers. “We were furious,” says Mark Mofield, pastor of First Baptist Church of Elon for more than 11 years. (Mark is now pastor of Temple, Durham.) On Friday night, a fraternity and a sorority had used the church for party parking. “I thought, like a lot of members, ‘those good for nothing students!’ I called the school administration and demanded an apology, which they promised, as well as funds to pay for clean-up.” Justice was served.
“On Monday, I got an e-mail from the president of the fraternity. At the end of the formal apology, it said, ‘I would like
to meet with you personally to talk about ways to build a better relationship. We do not want you to define us by this moment.’ We preach a lot about grace, but will we take this opportunity to practice it?” They met. Mark asked the fraternity to join a churchwide clean-up on the following Saturday. “Our hope was that if people worked side-by-side, they would get to know one another and relationships would begin.” Mark called the the sorority with the same invitation. On Sunday, Mark used his sermon to tell the story of what had happened. “I announced the clean-up day and asked people to pledge to come.” Some older ladies said they could not do the work, but they would provide snacks.
On Saturday, they came. One hundred and twenty students were paired with more than one hundred church members, and they went to work. Church members asked the students, “What does your organization do?” and were told of multiple projects the students did. That week, the fraternity president called the church to say, “We’d like to do a project for the church.” They became boosters for the exam-week open house.
“It took us a long time to figure out college ministry. Most of us want to begin with a program,” says Mark. “We found out, you begin with relationships. Students want surrogate grandparents they can talk with. They want to serve in the church, not just be entertained.” As the congregation was jolted into building relationships with students, “the college ministry began to blossom. We understood that this is our ministry. We can do this.”
What lesson was most profound for the church? Mark answers, “When we actually practice grace, it can make a difference.”
Your gifts to a CBFNC endowment fund can plant seeds of blessing, hope, and help.
Designate a gift for scholarships, new church starts, or where it is most needed.
Contact Jim Hylton at jhylton@cbfnc.org or (336) 759-3456 for more information.
southeast region
CBFNC Honorary and Memorial Gifts January - March 2014
Missions & Ministry Offering in honor of Dewey Hobbs by Larry and Kim Hovis
Missions & Ministries Offering In Honor of the Staff of Oakmont, Greenville by Kevin and Nicole Davis
General Assembly Offering for Campus Ministry in memory of Charles Ripley by Mrs. Carolyn Ripley
Check out free resources on www.cbfnc.org!
New items added weekly.
May 29, 2014 Watts Street Baptist Church in Durham
children’s ministry summit Youth Leadership Conference
May 15, 2014 First Baptist Mount Olive Visit www.cbfnc.org for more information.
Coordinator Visits February 2014 - March 2014
Ardmore, Winston-Salem
First, Albermarle
First, Canton
First, Elon
First, Greensboro
First, High Point
First, Lenoir
First, Mount Airy
First, Raleigh
Green Creek First, Columbus Pritchard Memorial, Charlotte
St. John’s, Raleigh The Memorial, Greenville Westwood, Cary Yates, Durham
CBFNC ministry coordinators are available to visit your church to speak, preach, teach, consult, lead and minister in ways appropriate to your context. Contact the CBFNC office for more information.
Visit www.cbfnc.org for more information.
Ministers on the Move
CBF Global Missions Field Personnel Off-Field Assignments in Our Area
Kim and Marc Wyatt serving in Canada wyatt@thefellowship.info They are off-field in Wilmington July 2013 - June 2014
elevating preaching 2014
September 22, 2014
Duke University School of Divinity
Visit www.cbfnc.org for more info
Compiled by Jack Causey, Ministerial Resources Coordinator Our encouragement and support go to the following ministers who have recently moved:
Barry Keys has been called to be Pastor of First, Valdese. First, Greensboro, has affirmed Kim Priddy as Minister of Missions.
Watts Street, Durham, has called Dorisanne Cooper as Senior Minister.
David Hawes has been called to Godwin Heights, Lumberton, as Pastor.
Zion, Shelby, has called Matthew Storie as Pastor.
When you make a move or know of someone who has changed places of ministry, let us know at jcausey@cbfnc.org. For assistance to search committees and ministers seeking vocational discernment, visit our reference and referral page on our website at www.cbfnc.org or call 336-759-3456 or 888-822-1944.
The Gathering
of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina
phone: 336.759.3456 • phone: 888.822.1944 • fax: 336.759.3459 • cbfnc@cbfnc.org • www.cbfnc.org
Larry Hovis Executive Coordinator LHovis@cbfnc.org
Ka’thy Gore Chappell Leadership Development Coordinator. KChappell@cbfnc.org
Rick Jordan Church Resources Coordinator RJordan@cbfnc.org
Linda Jones ............ Missions Coordinator ..................... LJones@cbfnc.org
Jim Hylton ............. Business Administration Coordinator ... JHylton@cbfnc.org
Jack Causey Ministerial Resources Coordinator JCausey@cbfnc.org
Regional Coordinators
Region 1 – Western: Gail Coulter coulterig@bellsouth.net
Region 2 – Foothills: David Smith ............ davsmith@charter.net
Region 3 – Triad: Bill Leathers ................ wleathers@triad.com
Region 4 – South Central: Drag Kimrey ...... dragkimrey@roadrunner.com
CBFNC College Ministers
Kelly Brown Western Carolina wcucoopstudentfellowship@gmail.com
Ashley Mangrum ... UNC Chapel Hill ........................ amangrum@cbfnc.org
Lawrence Powers .. East Carolina................................ lpowers@cbfnc.org
Coordinating Council
Ray Ammons, Gastonia, Moderator
Lisa Rust, Lumberton, Moderator-Elect
Marion Horton, Knightdale, Recorder
Donna Bissette, Winston-Salem, Past-Moderator
Mike Eddinger, Cary, Treasurer
Kathy Driver, Raleigh
Heather Folliard, Durham
Wayne Hill, Wake Forest
Jeff Matthis, Sylva
Rick Matthews, Winston-Salem
Doug Murray, Wilson
Mike Queen, Winston-Salem
Susan Taylor, Chapel Hill
Endowment Management Board
Andrew Barnhill, Wilmington
Ron Cava, Henderson
Austin Connor, Raleigh
Scott Hudgins, Winston-Salem
Norman Jameson, Winston-Salem
Wanda Kidd College Ministry Coordinator WKidd@cbfnc.org
Eddie Hammett ... Church and Clergy Coach EHammett@cbfnc.org
Javier Benitez Hispanic Network Leader Coach Rocafuerte90@hotmail.com
Rebekah Ayers ... Programs Manager .................. RAyers@cbfnc.org
Sarah Mitchell .... Communications Manager ........ SMitchell@cbfnc.org
Gail McAlister Financial Manager GMcalister@cbfnc.org
Derek Wilhelm .. Administrative Assistant DWilhelm@cbfnc.org
Region 5 – North Central: Tom Jackson ..... pastortj@aol.com
Region 6 – Capital: Mack Thompson .......... mackthompson1@att.net
Region 7 – Southeast: Mike Johnson mikejohn303@earthlink.net
Region 8 – Northeast: Jesse Croom jmacroom@hotmail.com
Curtis Privette Appalachian curtisdprivette@gmail.com
Danny Steis ......... Duke University ..................... dannysteis@gmail.com
David Stone ......... Western North Carolina .................... dstone@unca.edu
Chris Towles Wake Forest towlescj@wfu.edu
Faith Formation Ministry Council
Stella Perrin, Taylorsville, Chair
Katie Fam Roscoe, Southern Pines, Chair-Elect
Giles Blankenship, Fayetteville
Beth Cockman-Wood, Sanford
Brian Harrington, Liberty
Kerrie Clayton Jordan, Smithfield
Barbara Glasgow, Zebulon
Louisa Monroe, Fayetteville
Tyler Roach, Morganton
Scott Thrailkill, Goldsboro
Leadership Development Ministry Council
Layne Rogerson, Greenville, Chair
Shane Nixon, Mocksville, Chair-Elect
Sarah Boberg, Red Springs
Jerry Chiles, Raleigh
Buddy Corbin, Asheville
Jeanell Cox, Durham
John Daniels, Waynesville
Kheresa Harmon, Shelby
Mark Reece, Mount Airy
Nathan Rice, Southern Pines
Missions Ministry Council
Blake Dempsey, Nashville, Chair
Paula McCosh, Fayetteville, Chair-Elect
Elba Benitez, Pittsboro
Greg Burriss, Siler City
Kent Cranford, Gastonia
Allison Gallimore, Oxford
Sarah Lamkin, Louisburg
Michael Lea, West Jefferson
Nate Leonard, Morehead City
Christa Warise, Winston-Salem
Mike Womble, Wilmington
Tiffany Young, Bladenboro
Financial Report:
January 2014 Contributions Undesignated - $183,204 Designated - $454,774
February 2014 Contributions Undesignated - $95,047 Designated - $269,741
April 2013 - March 2014
Monthly Undesignated Goal: $127,140
888-822-1944 www.cbfnc.org
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Upcoming Events ~ MAY/JUNE EDITION
Adult Spirituality Retreat
May 2-4, 2014
Caraway Retreat Center
Western NC Baptist Fellowship Spring Gathering
May 4, 2014
First, Tryon
Southeast Region Youth Leadership Conference
May 15, 2014 First, Mount Olive
2014 Impacting Tomorrow
May 16-17, 2014
Oakmont, Greenville
Children’s Ministers’ Summit
May 29, 2014 Watts Street, Durham
CBFNC Family Day
July 29, 2014
Wet-n-Wild Emerald Pointe Water Park, Greensboro
Youth Whitewater Retreat
August 30-September 1, 2014
Asheville
Youth Beach Retreat
September 12-14, 2014
NC Baptist Assembly, Caswell
Elevating Preaching
September 22, 2014
Duke University School of Divinity
Youth Fall retreat with CBFVA
October 3-5, 2014
Eagle Eyrie Baptist Conference Center, Lynchburg, VA
Deacon Ministry:
Leadership Training for 21st Century World
October 11, 2014
United, Winston-Salem Focus: Mobilizing Missional-Focused Deacons
2014 Children’s Mission DaysNovember 1 - Zebulon, Zebulon
November 8 - Zion, Shelby
November 15 - Oakmont, Greenville
Deacon Ministry:
Leadership Training for 21st Century World
November 8, 2014
Viewmont, Hickory Focus: How Deacons Function in an Inward-Focused Church & Model Missional-Focused Ministry
Youth Ski Retreat
January 2015 Beckley, West Virginia
Youth Choir Festival
March 6-7, 2015
location TBA