2015 General Assembly Guidebook

2015 CBF General Assembly DALLAS, TEXAS June 15-19

(800) 760-9827 ext. 1830 |

divinity.campbell.edu

WELCOME TO DALLAS, TEXAS 2015 CBF GENERAL ASSEMBLY WELCOME to the 2015 CBF General Assembly! The Fellowship is bursting with creativity and opportunity, which are only magnified by your presence here. It is almost impossible to look anywhere but forward when talking about CBF, and I consider it a privilege to moderate the first General Assembly since the completion of CBF’s rebranding process. I am both enthusiastic and thankful that you have chosen to be here with us in Dallas as we craft, listen and share stories of impact, wisdom and missions.

If this is your first General Assembly, I extend not only a welcome, but a welcome home. I hope you will use every opportunity to forge new experiences this week to aid you in doing God’s work. This is a time to find joy in familiar friendships, energy in new partnerships and encouragement from your CBF CBF Moderator Kasey Jones serves as pastor of family.

National Baptist Memorial Church in Washington, D.C. This week, we will worship under the theme “Building Bridges.” This is appropriate not only for the city of Dallas with its new Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, but also because our call to be God’s disciples requires us to bridge challenging divides across the world. You will hear from musicians and speakers whose unique stories and voices will inspire you to consider the potential for building bridges in your own life, ministry and community.

There are numerous workshops at this year’s Assembly offering models and tools for meeting the needs of both local and global ministries. And for the first time, off-site workshop excursions are available. These opportunities focus on responding to the devastating effects of payday lending practices and better understanding of national tragedies such as the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. We hope that each of our workshops provides you with resources and support, as these are two of the gifts of Forming Together as a Fellowship.

We are thankful to the many partners who help us live into our cooperative foundation by hosting special events during Assembly. Some of our partners use this event as their own annual meeting, others host meals and receptions as opportunities to reconnect with alumni and friends. We appreciate their presence which not only shares their ministry, but enhances ours.

CBF bears many fruits that have a global impact and General Assembly is among them. The impact of this time together — of our rest and fellowship, sharing of best practices, casting a vision for our future and of celebrating and inspiring each other — bears fruit all year long.

On behalf of the General Assembly Steering Committee, we’re glad you are here. In this moment, this is where you belong.

Kasey Jones, CBF Moderator ASSEMBLY 2015 GUIDEBOOK

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2015 GENERAL ASSEMBLY GUIDEBOOK EDITOR Aaron Weaver GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jeff Langford ASSOCIATE EDITOR Carrie McGuffin PHONE 770.220.1600 E-MAIL fellowship@cbf.net

CONTENTS

WEBSITE www.cbf.net CCLI LICENSE # 11210383

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46

Meet new CBF field personnel David and Lauren Bass who will serve in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Love God. Teach Neighbor.

Be Transformed.

NEW FIELD PERSONNEL

OFFERING FOR GLOBAL MISSIONS

25

CHURCH STARTERS Learn about the pastors of Inland Church and The Restoration Project, two new CBF church starts in Spokane, Wash., and Salisbury, Md.

8 DAILY SCHEDULE 16 EVENT MAP 18 WORSHIP: BUILDING BRIDGES

42 THURSDAY WORSHIP

19 WEDNESDAY WORSHIP

57 BUSINESS SESSION RECOMMENDATIONS 58 FRIDAY WORKSHOPS

Learn about the theme that will be the focus our worship at General Assembly.

Join us for a celebration of commissioning of field personnel, church starters, chaplains and pastoral counselors.

30 BUSINESS SESSION I (THURSDAY)

CBF Executive Coordinator Suzii Paynter gives an address entitled “Bridges at Hand.”

32 THURSDAY WORKSHOPS

Find descriptions and locations for workshops offered on Thursday.

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Keynote speakers Gary Simpson and George Mason share how they are building bridges in their churches and communities.

54 BUSINESS SESSION II (FRIDAY)

CBF Moderator Kasey Jones offers her reflections and Moderator-Elect Matt Cook shares his dreams for the future.

Find descriptions and locations for workshops offered on Friday.

66 FRIDAY WORSHIP

A time to reflect on creation, incarnation and salvation and then come to the Lord’s Table.

78 DIRECTORIES 87 CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS 95 BUSINESS PROCEDURES

God uses ASP volunteers to move mountains of poverty in Appalachia, serving more than 30 communities throughout Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

We need volunteers like you throughout the year, to pick up a paint brush, swing a hammer and be a blessing to the families we serve. Making their homes warmer, safer and drier.

When you move to help those in need, God moves in you. And when you change the lives of others, they have a way of changing you. Come see.

Learn more about ASP’s life-transforming volunteer opportunities at www.ASPHome.org, or call (800) 289-4254. Follow us on…

“Almost 17,000 volunteers from across the nation, representing several different denominations, come to central Appalachia every year to make the homes of low-income families warmer, safer and drier. Being Baptists who understand the need for ecumenical cooperation in missions, CBF churches will find ASP the perfect place to join the greater body of Christ as we minister to those in dire need.” – Walter Crouch, President/CEO

PLUS Nurturing Faith welcomes mutually beneficial partnerships.

Individual authors and organizations are invited to explore the publishing opportunities available through Nurturing Faith.

* An author-friendly approach * The latest in publishing technology * An experienced, creative team of designers and editors * The marketing benefits of Baptists Today

it aLL aDDS UP to a Great WaY to publish and sell quality (print and digital) books.

PUbLiShinG in

Leadership in Constant Change: embracing a new Missional reality

By Terry R. Hamrick Published in collaboration with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

Nurturing Faith has published the books below in partnership — with others on the way.

PartnerShiP

hopeFUL iMagination: traditional Churches Finding god’s Way in a Changing World

Baptist spiritUaLitY: a Call for renewed attentiveness to god

What a toUChY sUBJeCt! religious Liberty and Church-state separation

By E. Glenn Hinson

By J. Brent Walker

By Mike Queen & Jayne Davis

Published in collaboration with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

Published in collaboration with the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty

Published in partnership with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina

Nurturing Faith, Inc. is the book publishing and church resources arm of Baptists Today.

Visit our exhibit in the Gathering Place and access our resources at any time at nurturingfaith.info.

Given the opportunity, most of us would like to leave a legacy to benefit the things we value in our lifetime.

Photo by Ken Bennett/Wake Forest University

Ensure the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty’s mission and ministry in the future.

Join the James Dunn Legacy Circle today!

To learn more, visit BJConline.org/Planned-Giving. For personal assistance, contact Taryn Deaton, director of development, at 202-544-4226 or tdeaton@BJConline.org.

It’s not just about

feeding every family in Texas.

It’s greater than that.

It’s about ending hunger in America. It’s about a quantifiable, evidencebased model to eliminate food insecurity for over 17 million American households. It’s about a capacity building initiative to provide states with the purchasing power and distribution network to systematically wipe out hunger. It’s about rethinking how we as a nation run our social assistance programs.

It’s about a university at the forefront of poverty research.

Where social science meets social responsibility. Where learning is magnified by doing.

Where fact is energized by faith.

And where the words “love thy neighbor,” are not just words.

www.baylor.edu/about/research

DAILY

SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17 10 a.m. – Noon

Baptist Women in Ministry Annual Gathering

LOCATION: Wilshire Baptist Church

Noon – 7 p.m.

Registration

Come to the Assembly registration area in Landmark Circle and receive your name tag, Assembly Guidebook and a CBF tote bag.

LOCATION: Landmark Circle (Lobby Level)

1 – 4 p.m.

Leadership Institute

Join Dr. David Wilhite, associate professor of Christian Theology at Baylor University’sTruett Seminary, as he leads a presentation and dialogue around how to employ a holistic view of the gospels in our preaching and teaching to help think theologically about what is happening in the world and culture around us. Through presentations, small group experiences and conversations, pastors, ministers and lay leaders will dialogue around how to use preaching and teaching to cultivate theological thinking. Members of the CBF Ministries Council will facilitate table conversations and take note of valuable resources participants have found that can be shared as well as resources needed for more effective ministry.

COST: $25, includes a copy of The Gospel According to Heretics: Discovering Orthodoxy through Early Christological Conflicts LOCATION: Reunion Ballroom G & H (Lobby Level)

7:30 – 9 p.m.

Wednesday Night Commissioning Worship Service

Join us for a celebration of commissioning of chaplains, pastoral counselors, church starters and field personnel. The combined adult and youth choirs of Dallas’ Park Cities Baptist Church and Wilshire Baptist Church will lead in worship along with guest artist Ken Medema.

Childcare available (space is limited) for Infants through Pre-K in Shawnee A & B (COST: $15) LOCATION: Landmark Ballroom (Lobby Level)

THURSDAY, JUNE 18

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7 – 8 a.m.

Yoga Class

This class will consist of overall stretching, core work and standing poses. The exercises will be at a beginner/level 1 pace and no prior knowledge of yoga is needed.

LOCATION: Pegasus A (Lobby Level)

7 – 8 a.m.

Cardio Fitness Class

This class will consist of a 15-minute warm-up followed by 30 minutes of cardio and body weight exercises. The class will be led by a certified trainer. All fitness levels are welcome.

LOCATION: Pegasus B (Lobby Level)

7 – 9 a.m.

Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America (Bautistas por la Paz) Breakfast

The BPFNA/Bautistas por la Paz breakfast will feature a time of fellowship for peacemakers as well as a guest speaker, updates on the work of BPFNA and a time of worship and music.

COST: $35 LOCATION: Cumberland A (Exhibition Level)

7 – 9 a.m.

Breakfast with Central Seminary

Join Central Seminary President Molly T. Marshall as she shares about how Central is forming students for ministry. Insights gained from the Women’s Leadership Initiative at Central Tennessee and from the Economics of Ministry Lilly-funded initiative will be a focus.

COST: $20 LOCATION: Cotton Bowl Room (Atrium Level)

7:30 – 9 a.m.

Peer Learning Groups Breakfast

Join us for a celebration of Peer Learning Groups! Ken Medema and Meredith Stone will lead our time as we gather over breakfast to celebrate the stories, relationships, learning, worship and fellowship experienced in Peer Learning Groups. The event is open to all interested in joining or forming a PLG, conveners and current group members.

COST: $25 LOCATION: Reunion Ballroom A (Lobby Level)

7:30 – 9 a.m.

Networking Breakfasts

Looking to connect around your passion or practice? Want to become better at what you “do”? Wish you could find a community of support and encouragement? Join one of the following networking breakfasts for conversation, fellowship and learning. Networking — it’s what Cooperative Baptists do!

COST: $20 (Tickets available for purchase at the door.)

LOCATION: Cumberland Rooms (Exhibition Level)

Adult Educators/Spiritual Formation Network

Join other ministers of Christian education and spiritual formation for breakfast and networking. Come to connect and to fellowship!

LOCATION: Cumberland G

BUA/Hispanic Ministry Network The Hispanic Ministry Networking Breakfast, presented by Baptist University of the Americas and CBF of Texas, highlights the relevance of Hispanic work across the United States. This networking experience is for all leaders in Hispanic Ministry as well as friends and donors of BUA. University leaders will also share what God is doing at BUA. LOCATION: Cumberland I

CBF Cowboy/Country Church Network

A networking breakfast for pastors, missional leaders, church starters and anyone interested in learning more about the rapid growth and impact of cowboy/country churches.

LOCATION: Cumberland H

Collegiate Ministry Network Breakfast

The newly-formed CBF Collegiate Ministry Network will gather for fellowship, encouragement and sharing as we seek to strengthen our efforts to more effectively minister alongside college students. Any person who works with college or graduate students is welcome to participate.

LOCATION: Cumberland J ASSEMBLY 2015 GUIDEBOOK

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Disaster Response Network

Meet with CBF U.S. Disaster Response Director Tommy Deal and other congregations and individuals interested in disaster response.

LOCATION: Cumberland B

HIV/AIDS Network

Join David Crocker of Operation Inasmuch as we explore creative ways to work together to achieve an AIDS-free generation across the barriers that keep us in our silos. CBF field personnel Ronnie Adams and Samaritan Ministry’s Wayne Smith will share practical partnership examples.

LOCATION: Cumberland E

Festival of Young Preachers Network

Young preachers participating in the Festival of Young Preachers throughout General Assembly will come together for orientation and prayer. Mentors and those who wish to offer support and encouragement are welcome to attend. Note: This breakfast is free for those participating in the Festival of Young Preachers, but the cost is $20 for all others.

LOCATION: Cumberland C

8:30 – 9:15 a.m.

Newcomer Breakfast

A continental breakfast and fellowship for first-time Assembly attendees — a great opportunity to meet new friends and ask questions.

COST: Free (for first-time Assembly attendees) LOCATION: Reunion Ballroom E (Lobby Level)

8:45 – 11:30 a.m.

Preschool Assembly Morning Session

(Infant through Pre-K) LOCATION: Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

8:45 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Children’s Day Camp

(Kindergarten through 5th grade) LOCATION: Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

8:45 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Youth Assembly

(6th through 12th grade) LOCATION: Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

The Gathering Place

(also open after worship) Throughout the day when you want to relax and chat with new and old friends, visit The Gathering

Place located in Marsalis Hall of the Hyatt Regency. There, you can shop for items such as church resources and handmade crafts in the Missions Market. You can also rest your feet or talk with CBF partners and other exhibitors waiting to greet you. Visit us each evening for free food and fellowship!

LOCATION: Marsalis Hall (Exhibition Level)

9:30 – 11 a.m.

Business Session I

The first business session on Thursday features an address from CBF Executive Coordinator Suzii Paynter as well as the presentation of the 2015-2016 Missions and Ministries budget. Music will be provided by local Dallas jazz musicians SJQ (Sacred Jazz Quintet) and guest artist Ken Medema.

LOCATION: Landmark Ballroom (Lobby Level)

11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Food Kiosk Open

LOCATION: Marsalis Hall/The Gathering Place (Exhibition Level)

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

WE (Welcome Everyone) Lunch

The WE Lunch welcomes everyone who wants to share a lunch time and space with others from CBF. COST: $20 LOCATION: Pegasus A (Lobby Level)

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11:30 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. Chaplains and Pastoral Counselors Luncheon

This luncheon features a presentation on “Pastoral Care and Ebola: A Case Study” from Mark Wingfield, associate pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church, and will highlight the work of Peer Learning Groups. CBF-endorsed chaplain Stacy Sergent will also be present for a signing of her newest book, Being Called Chaplain: How I Lost My Name and Eventually Found My Faith.

COST: $20 LOCATION: Reunion Ballroom A (Lobby Level)

11:30 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. New Baptist Covenant Luncheon

Come enjoy fellowship and hear about the New Baptist Covenant’s work to bridge racial, theological and geographic divides in our Baptist family. Across the nation, Baptist churches are overcoming division to make covenants of action. Together, they are standing as witnesses to God’s reconciling power and working as agents of transformation in their communities.

The luncheon will feature a keynote address from world-renowned civil rights leader Dr. Dorothy Cotton. As the Director of Education for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Dr. Cotton worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and was one of the highest-ranking women in the SCLC. Dr. Cotton’s work as a civil rights leader bears witness to the ability of God’s people, empowered by the Spirit, to transform our world and build beloved community. Visit the New Baptist Covenant booth for more information.

COST: $40; TABLE COST: $400 LOCATION: Reunion Ballroom E & F (Lobby Level)

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Young Baptists Lunch

Young Baptists from Texas welcome and invite all young Baptists across the Fellowship for lunch and conversation at the original Spaghetti Warehouse, located at the West End DART stop (one station from the Hyatt or 15 minute walk on foot — maps available at hospitality stations). This event is family friendly.

COST: $10 (Children under 12 eat free)

1:15 – 5:30 p.m.

Preschool Assembly Resumes

Preschoolers are welcomed back to their Assembly session.

LOCATION: Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Thursday Workshops: Session I

See pages 32-35 for a list and detailed descriptions of workshops.

2:45 – 3:45 p.m.

Thursday Workshops: Session II

See pages 36-38 for a list and detailed descriptions of workshops.

4:15 – 5:15 p.m.

State and Regional Meetings

It’s time to hear the local story — don’t miss your state or regional CBF meeting!

Alabama – Cumberland C (Exhibition Level) Arkansas – Cumberland H (Exhibition Level) Florida – Cumberland G (Exhibition Level) Georgia – Pegasus B (Lobby Level) Heartland Region – Cumberland I (Exhibition Level) Kentucky – Reverchon A (Atrium Level) Mid-Atlantic Region – Baker (Atrium Level) Mississippi and Louisiana – Reunion Ballroom G (Lobby Level) North Carolina – Cumberland K (Exhibition Level)

North Central Region – Moreno B (Atrium Level) Northeast Region – Gaston A (Atrium Level) Oklahoma – Cumberland F (Exhibition Level) South Carolina – Pegasus A (Lobby Level) Tennessee – Cockrell (Atrium Level) Texas – Reunion Ballroom C (Lobby Level) Virginia – Cumberland J (Exhibition Level) West Region – Moreno A (Atrium Level)

ASSEMBLY 2015 GUIDEBOOK

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5:30 – 7 p.m.

Annual Gathering of Friends of Baptist News Global

The Annual Gathering of Friends of Baptist News Global celebrates the bold new venture called Baptist News Global. Join our Annual Fund members and other advocates for a free press for free Baptists.

COST: $25 LOCATION: Reunion Ballroom B (Lobby Level)

5:30 – 7 p.m.

Wake Forest University School of Divinity Reception for Alumni and Friends

Wake Forest University School of Divinity invites alumni and friends to renew their Wake Forest connections and receive an update on the School of Divinity. Complimentary hors d’ oeuvres and non-alcoholic beverages provided (cash bar available).

COST: Complimentary hors d’oeuvres LOCATION: Reunion Ballroom E (Lobby Level)

7 – 9 p.m.

Preschool Assembly and Children’s Day Camp Resume

Preschoolers and children are welcomed back to their Assembly sessions.

LOCATION: Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

7:30 – 9 p.m.

Thursday Evening Worship

The Thursday worship session highlights messages from Gary Simpson, pastor of Concord Baptist Church of Christ in Brooklyn, N.Y., and George Mason, pastor of Dallas’ Wilshire Baptist Church.

The pastors will be preaching in tandem about the bridges they are building in their churches and communities.

LOCATION: Landmark Ballroom (Lobby Level)

9 – 10 p.m.

Mercer University McAfee School of Theology Alumni and Friends Reception

McAfee students, alumni and friends are invited to celebrate and network over ice cream and coffee!

Come see old friends and make new ones.

COST: Free LOCATION: Cotton Bowl Room (Atrium Level)

9 – 10 p.m.

Student.Go and Collegiate Congregational Interns Alumni Event

Current and former Student.Go-ers and CCI interns (and all those who support student interns as friends, family, host churches, mentors and encouragers) are invited to the launch party of a new era in student internships. Come be a part of the future. Don’t miss out on unique swag and special drawings throughout the event!

LOCATION: Young Baptists Area of the Gathering Place (Exhibition Level)

9 – 10:30 p.m.

Baylor Truett Seminary Alumni Reception

Please join Truett faculty, staff and alumni for conversation and fellowship. Everyone is welcome.

COST: Free LOCATION: Reunion Ballroom G (Lobby Level)

9 – 10:30 p.m.

Reception Sponsored by Focus Features

Join us for a reception and fellowship sponsored by Focus Features.

LOCATION: Marsalis Hall/The Gathering Place (Exhibition Level)

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FRIDAY, JUNE 19 7 – 8 a.m.

Yoga Class

This class will consist of overall stretching, core work and standing poses. The exercises will be at a beginner/level 1 pace and no prior knowledge of yoga is needed.

LOCATION: Pegasus A (Lobby Level)

7 – 8 a.m.

Cardio Fitness Class

This class will consist of a 15-minute warm-up followed by 30 minutes of cardio and body weight exercises. The class will be led by a certified trainer. All fitness levels are welcome.

LOCATION: Pegasus B (Lobby Level)

7 – 9 a.m.

Baptist House of Studies at Duke Divinity School Alumni and Friends Breakfast

The Baptist House at Duke Divinity School invites all alumni, family and friends to our eighth annual gathering.

COST: $10 (Tickets are available at the door for cash or check only) LOCATION: Cotton Bowl Room (Atrium Level)

7:30 – 9 a.m.

Networking Breakfasts

Looking to connect around your passion or practice? Want to become better at what you “do”? Wish you could find a community of support and encouragement? Join one of the following networking breakfasts for conversation, fellowship and learning. Networking — it’s what Cooperative Baptists do!

COST: $20 (Tickets available for purchase at the door and at the Missions Market in The Gathering Place on Thursday only.)

LOCATION: Cumberland Rooms (Exhibition Level)

Children’s Ministry Network

All who work with and love preschoolers, children and their families are invited to this breakfast as we support one another in our ongoing commitment to nurturing faith in families whom God has called us to serve.

LOCATION: Cumberland C

Youth Ministry Network

Join the CBF Youth Ministry Network (CBFYMN) for breakfast. This will be a time to reconnect with friends and learn more about what’s going on with CBFYMN. Members and those who are curious are welcome.

LOCATION: Cumberland B

Ordinary Sized Church/Single-Staff Church Network

Come connect with pastors of other ordinary-sized churches (150 or fewer in average attendance on Sunday morning worship) for fellowship and breakfast. This time of networking is for churches with two or fewer full-time staff. Facilitated by Rick Jordan, CBF of North Carolina.

LOCATION: Cumberland H

Executive Pastor and Church Business Administrator Network

Join in a network breakfast with other Executive Pastors and Church Business Administrators while at CBF General Assembly. Come share best practices and resources with your colleagues. Facilitated by Mark Wingfield, Wilshire Baptist Church.

LOCATION: Cumberland G

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Dawnings Churches Network

Come experience Dawnings. Learn about this exciting process for intentional congregational ministry and practice prayer and spiritual disciplines for new insights. Church leaders are encouraged to bring a small group and journey together for application and inspiration. Join more than 125 churches in discovering the next step in your missional journey.

LOCATION: Cumberland F

7:45 – 9 a.m.

CBF Foundation Heritage Society Breakfast

Come join us for breakfast if you are interested in hearing stories of passionate ministry made possible through the generosity of long-term giving. There is no business, just celebration! Reservations are required — stop by our booth in The Gathering Place for tickets or more information.

COST: $25 LOCATION: Reunion Ballroom A & B (Lobby Level)

8:45 – 11:30 a.m.

Preschool Assembly Morning Session

LOCATION: Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

8:45 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Children’s Day Camp

LOCATION: Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

8:45 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Youth Assembly

LOCATION: Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

The Gathering Place

(also open after worship) Feel free to wander about throughout the day! Be sure to visit the Missions Market and

Silent Auction!

LOCATION: Marsalis Hall (Exhibition Level)

9:15 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Ministers on the Move

Are you serving on a minister search committee at your church? Are you a minister seeking a new place of service? Come by and meet with CBF folks who can be a resource for you. Drop by to schedule your individual meeting.

COST: Free LOCATION: Reverchon (Atrium Level)

9:30 – 11 a.m.

Business Session II

During the Friday morning business session attendees will hear from CBF Moderator Kasey Jones and Moderator-Elect Matt Cook. Music will be provided by Stampede, an a cappella vocal ensemble from Southern Methodist University, and guest artist Ken Medema.

LOCATION: Landmark Ballroom (Lobby Level)

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

WE (Welcome Everyone) Lunch

The WE Lunch welcomes everyone who wants to share a lunch time and space with others from CBF. COST: $20 (Tickets are available for purchase at the Missions Market in The Gathering Place) LOCATION: Pegasus A (Lobby Level)

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Baptist Joint Committee’s Religious Liberty Council Luncheon

Join friends of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty at the annual Religious Liberty Council Luncheon with keynote speaker, Rev. Marvin A. McMickle, Ph.D., President, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. In 2014, Dr. McMickle published, Pulpit & Politics: Separation of Church & State in the Black Church. Visit our exhibit in The Gathering Place for more information.

COST: $40 LOCATION: Reunion Ballroom E, F, G & H (Lobby Level)

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11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Church Benefits Member’s Luncheon

Come join CBF Church Benefits for its annual Member’s Luncheon. Eat, fellowship and enjoy hearing about our ministry from special guest speakers and Church Benefits President Gary Skeen.

COST: Free LOCATION: Reunion Ballroom A (Lobby Level)

1:15 – 5:30 p.m.

Preschool Assembly Resumes

Preschoolers are welcomed back to their Assembly session.

LOCATION: Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Friday Workshops: Session I

See pages 58-60 for a list and detailed descriptions of workshops.

2:45 – 3:45 p.m.

Friday Workshops: Session II

See pages 61-63 for a list and detailed descriptions of workshops.

7 – 9 p.m.

Preschool Assembly and Children’s Day Camp Resume

Preschoolers and children are welcomed back to their Assembly sessions.

LOCATION: Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

7:30 – 9 p.m.

Friday Evening Worship

Gathering at the Lord’s Table is a fitting conclusion for the 2015 General Assembly. Preston Clegg, Julie Merritt Lee and Jim Somerville will offer theological reflections on creation, incarnation and salvation. La Rondalla, a guitar ensemble from Baptist University of the Americas, and guest artist Ken Medema will provide music to conclude this year’s Assembly.

LOCATION: Landmark Ballroom (Lobby Level)

9 – 10:30 p.m.

Reception Sponsored by Dawnings

Join us for a reception and fellowship following evening worship, sponsored by Dawnings.

LOCATION: Marsalis Hall/The Gathering Place (Exhibition Level)

You Can Make a Difference ____________ ____________ ____________

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship P.O. Box 102972 Atlanta, GA 30369-2972

ONLINE

www.cbf.net/GiveNow

BY PHONE

Text CBF to 41444

BY MAIL

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship P.O. Box 102972 Atlanta, GA 30369-2972

2015 CBF GENERAL ASSEMBLY Event Map Hyatt Regency Hotel Dallas GENERAL ASSEMBLY POINTS OF INTEREST GENERAL ASSEMBLY INFORMATION STATIONS ESCALATORS AND ELEVATORS RESTROOMS HOTEL OFFICES AND AMENITIES

PRESCH AND YO OOL, CHILDREN UTH ASS ’S EMBLIE S

CONFERENCE ROOMS AND BALLROOMS

NEWSRO

NS S SESSIO BUSINES ORSHIP AND W CBF OFFICE

EVENT REGISTR ATION HOTEL

ACE RINLEGNTPAULCTION E H T A G SI ET, THE S MARK MISSION

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DORS

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WEDNESDAY AT A GLANCE

Noon – 7 p.m. Registration

Landmark Circle (Lobby Level) Come to the Assembly registration area in Landmark Circle and receive your name tag, Assembly Guidebook and a reusable bag.

1 – 4 p.m. Leadership Institute

Reunion Ballroom G & H (Lobby Level) Join Dr. David Wilhite, associate professor of Christian Theology at Baylor University’s Truett Seminary, as he leads a presentation and dialogue around how to employ a holistic view of the gospels in our preaching and teaching to help think theologically about what is happening in the world and culture around us.

COST: $25

7:30 – 9 p.m. Wednesday Night Commissioning Worship Service Landmark Ballroom (Lobby Level) Join us Wednesday evening for a celebration of commissioning of chaplains, pastoral counselors, church starters and field personnel. The combined adult and youth choirs of Dallas’ Park Cities Baptist Church and Wilshire Baptist Church will lead in worship along with guest artist Ken Medema.

Childcare available (space is limited) for Infants through Pre-K in Shawnee A & B (COST: $15)

CBF Coordinator of Organizational Relationships Bo Prosser leads the commissioning of new church starters, chaplains and pastoral counselors at the 2014 General Assembly in Atlanta.

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An Invitation to

Worship I

f you have not visited Dallas in a few years, you will see something new as you drive east toward Dallas along Interstate 30: A new iconic bridge has been built across the Trinity River, the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, designed by Santiago Calatrava. The white steel span created by a single towering arch and a latticework of cables seems to change as you drive by it, almost becoming a different bridge depending on your perspective. There is hope it will not only add a bit of flair to the skyline but also spur economic development in West Dallas.

Doug Haney

2015 Worship Committee Chair

“Building Bridges� is the theme of the 2015 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly worship sessions. Our worship planning team was made up of Emily Snider Andrews, Maria Monteiro, Rodney McGlothlin, Ruth Perkins Lee and me. Together we have attempted to design worship events that will be more diverse than ever in music and worship style and in the breadth of music and worship leadership. You will enjoy traditional music with choirs and familiar hymns, and you will experience contemporary and global music adding a fresh touch with new congregational songs. Business sessions will feature local jazz and vocal a cappella groups. Each night in worship has been shaped by a particular focus: commissioning, community and communion. Ken Medema will bring his unique gifts of improvisation and musical leadership to each session.

Together, our hope for you is that we build bridges to each other and, in turn, find new courage and inspiration to build bridges between our churches and communities when we return home.

The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge in Dallas, Texas, spans the Trinity River and was designed by Santiago Calatrava. It is hoped the bridge will spur economic development in West Dallas and foster unity across the north and south divide in the city.

Wednesday, June 17

Worship Session I

7:15 p.m., Music for Gathering 7:30 p.m., Worship Landmark Ballroom

The purpose of God’s call is for the people of God to worship God and to participate in God’s creative and redemptive purposes for the world, to enjoy, hope for, pray for, and work toward God’s shalom.

This is what it means for Christians to be in Christ and to follow Christ.” ~Douglas J. Schuurman Music for Gathering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Combined Choirs

Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bobby Broyles Opening Sentences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joshua Hearne

Suzie Reader 1: How very good and pleasant it is

when kindred live together in unity!

Reader 2: The Lord indeed is pleased

when we open hearts and hands to all peoples

and strangers become friends.

Reader 1: It is like the precious oil on the head,

running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron,

running down over the collar of his robes.

Reader 2: It is like building a bridge across a river

and discovering we are stronger together.

Reader 1: It is like the dew of Hermon,

which falls on the mountains of Zion.

For there the Lord ordained his blessing,

life forevermore.

Readers 1 and 2: Come, let us all worship and bow down together, All: Let us kneel together before the Lord, our maker.

For God is our God,

and we are the people of God’s pasture,

and the sheep of God’s hand.

Hymn of Praise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Come Thou Fount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nettleton Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above.

Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, Mount of Thy redeeming love.

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Here I raise my Ebenezer; Hither by Thy help I’ve come; And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed his precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be!

Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.

Affirmation of Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeff Lee Response Song. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yesu azali awa/Jesus Christ is with Us. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . yesu azali awa Yesu azali awa, Yesu azali awa, Yesu azali awa,Yesu azali awa, na biso.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, na Yesu.

Translation: Jesus Christ is with us, Jesus Christ is with us, Jesus Christ is with us, he is here.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, he is here.

Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Isaiah 6:1-8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bob Cheatheam Song of Calling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Here I Am Lord. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Schutte I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard My people cry.

All who dwell in dark and sin, My hand will save.

I who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright.

Who will bear My light to them?

Whom shall I send?

REFRAIN Here I am Lord, is it I Lord?

I have heard You calling in the night.

I will go Lord, if You lead me.

I will hold Your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain, I have born my people’s pain.

I have wept for love of them, they turn away.

I will break their hearts of stone, Give them hearts for love alone.

I will speak My word to them, Whom shall I send?

REFRAIN

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I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame.

I will set a feast for them, My hand will save.

Finest bread I will provide, Till their hearts be satisfied.

I will give My life to them, Whom shall I send?

REFRAIN Call to Give. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steven Porter Give securely to CBF by texting CBF to 41444 or online at www.cbf.net/give Offering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hear the Call of the Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Getty SOLOIST Hear the call of the kingdom Lift your eyes to the King Let his song rise within you As a fragrant offering Of how God rich in mercy Came in Christ to redeem All who trust in his unfailing grace CHOIR Hear the call of the Kingdom To be children of light With the mercy of heaven The humility of Christ Walking justly before him Loving all that is right That the life of Christ may shine through us ALL King of Heaven we will answer the call We will follow bringing hope to the world Filled with passion, filled with power to proclaim Salvation in Jesus’ name Hear the call of the Kingdom To reach out to the lost With the Father’s compassion In the wonder of the cross Bringing peace and forgiveness And a hope yet to come Let the nations put their trust in him King of Heaven we will answer the call We will follow bringing hope to the world Filled with passion, filled with power to proclaim Salvation in Jesus’ name Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Luke 10:1-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stacy Sergent

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Hymn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lord, You Give the Great Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hyfrydol Lord, you give the Great Commission: “Heal the sick and preach the word.”

Lest the Church neglect its mission and the Gospel go unheard, help us witness to your purpose with renewed integrity; with the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry.

Lord, you call us to your service: “In my name baptize and teach.”

That the world may trust your promise, life abundant meant for each, give us all new fervor, draw us closer in community; with the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry.

Lord, you bless with words assuring: “I am with you to the end.”

Faith and hope and love restoring, may we serve as you intend, and, amid the cares that claim us, hold in mind eternity; with the Spirit’s gifts empower us for the work of ministry.

Chaplains and Pastoral Counselors: Building Bridges to the World Blessing of Chaplains and Pastoral Counselors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gerry Hutchinson Rachel Hunt Hill Stephen Reeves Church Starters: Building Bridges to the World Blessing of Church Starters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andy Hale Bo Prosser Harry Rowland Field Personnel: Building Bridges to the World Blessing of Field Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steven Porter Mike Oliver Verr Dean Williams

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Commissioning Litany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Suzii Paynter Leader: Candidates: Leader: Candidates: Leader: Candidates: Leader: Field Personnel: Leader:

God has called you to be laborers of God’s harvest and to particular service as church starters, field personnel, chaplains and pastoral counselors. What is your confession of faith?

Jesus Christ is Lord.

Will you be Christ’s faithful disciple, obeying Christ’s word and showing Christ’s love?

We will with God’s help.

Do you welcome the responsibility of this service because you are determined to follow the Lord Jesus, to preach the message of good news to the poor, to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free?

We do.

To field personnel, will you serve as the hands and feet of Christ, sharing his presence with those near and far?

We will.

To the chaplains and pastoral counselors, will you serve the Great Physician, treating the pain of a hurting world one person at a time?

Chaplains and Pastoral Counselors: We will.

Leader: Church Starters: Leader: All: Leader: All:

To church starters, will you rely on the Spirit of God to equip you to be innovative and relational as you encounter God’s children with compassion and belonging?

We will.

And now to those of us gathered here tonight: Do we, members of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, affirm the call of God to these, our sisters and brothers, who labor with us in the service of Jesus Christ?

We do.

Will you support, encourage and pray for them in their ministries?

We will.

Commissioning Prayer and Laying on of Hands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Suzii Paynter and Assembly Closing Song. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Building Bridges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Medema Postlude

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Meet our new

Field Personnel David and Lauren Bass Phnom Penh, Cambodia

D

avid and Lauren Bass are Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel appointed to work alongside the Cambodia Baptist Union in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Phnom Penh is the urban center of a predominantly rural country that is changing rapidly in the wake of the Vietnam War, the Khmer Rouge and political transition. During this time of growth and transition, the Cambodia Baptist Union has the ambitious goal to start a church in every one of Cambodia’s 12,000 villages.

What excites you most to start your ministry in Cambodia?

Lauren: While our first order of work will be language and cultural learning, I am really excited about the opportunity to live and minister in a cross-cultural setting overseas, and to be able to do that together in ways that complement both of our callings.

David: For years now I have wanted to focus on theological education. I have naturally been a teacher in all the roles that I have had, and have instinctively felt a call toward missions. So it’s the fact that these get to come together that is really exciting to me. I’ve been saying I want to serve like this for years now, and it’s becoming true.

How have you felt most encouraged throughout the process of beginning your ministry?

Lauren: We have been really lucky to be supported on all fronts. Our parents and families are all very supportive of us living and ministering overseas. Our church family has been praying through this transition with us, encouraging us and even both of our workplaces have been really encouraging.

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Within a dynamic church-growing movement, there is need for theological training for new church leadership as well as economic stability. David, a graduate of Southern Methodist University and Denver Seminary, will be supporting and equipping new church leaders with pastor training and theological education, while Lauren, a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University and Logsdon Seminary, will use her skills in economic development and bi-vocational leadership.

The Basses will walk alongside Cambodian church leaders with the purpose of helping new churches to become deep and sustainable.

David: It has been extremely affirming to go through this process with Allen and Verr Dean Williams of CBF Global Missions. We were able to spend a few days with them in Cambodia, and now they’re really mentoring and encouraging us as we walk through this process.

What biblical image or passage connects most with your calling to missions?

David: I was on a college trip, and I don’t know exactly what it was, but felt this stirring of calling into ministry. It wasn’t a voice, but it was real. I was reading my Bible the next morning and happened to be reading Romans 10, and I came to verses 14 and 15 which say, “But how are they to call on one in whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?... As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ As I was reading that I felt affirmation of what I had been feeling earlier, that God was in that moment calling me to be one who brings the good news.

Lauren: More so than any particular verse or passage, what resonates most with me and my calling is the way Jesus went about his ministry and met people where they were and walked with people and traveled

with people — sometimes for a little bit, sometimes for a long time. I see my calling as walking with people, journeying with people where they are — whether that is for a little bit or a long time — and meeting people, treating them with dignity and helping others to see the transformation that comes from the gospel.

What do you like to do in your free time?

David: We like to go to the mountains.

I love ping-pong.

Lauren: We enjoy cooking and drinking tea and coffee with friends. We are pretty low-key.

How can Cooperative Baptists pray for you?

David and Lauren: We would love prayer as we transition to living in another country and wrap up things here in the United States. Also, as we move to Cambodia we would appreciate prayer for the practical things, from finding an apartment in Phnom Penh to learning the language and understanding Cambodian culture. We would also like prayer for our partners in Cambodia as they continue in the dynamic ministry of planting churches throughout the country.

Meet our new

Church Starters Michael Mills

Inland Church in Spokane, Wash.

M

ichael Mills serves as Connections Pastor at Inland Church in Spokane, Wash. A Texas native, Mills is a graduate of Texas A&M University and Fuller Theological Seminary, and now lives in Spokane with his wife and their two-year-old son.

Inland Church began with gatherings in a backyard in the summer of 2011, and is now partnering with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship to fulfill hopes and dream bigger dreams as a community. The vision of Inland Church is to be a welcoming community of Jesus followers living for the good of Spokane.

Their hope is to engage in God’s restorative kingdom-building work with faithfulness and trust in God as learners, community and citizens.

What led you to start a church?

Sharing life with my college roommates provided me with a glimpse of what real community could look like. Several years later, we had the opportunity to take the community that we shared and invite others into it. This opportunity came in the form of starting a church. After much discernment, we decided that this was a perfect opportunity to do something significant for God’s kingdom together.

How would you describe Inland Church?

Inland Church is a diverse and eclectic bunch of misfits and outcasts. In some form or another, it seems like we’ve all had the experience of not fitting in, but thankfully we’ve found a welcoming and loving church home in Inland Church. We know that God is restoring us and Spokane, and that’s the movement that we want to join.

Michael Mills

What is the greatest hope that you have for your congregation?

Faithfulness. Sure, I have grand dreams of Spokane being swept up in waves of restoration that emanate out of the life of Inland Church, but regardless of that being actualized, if we are simply faithful to follow Jesus and build for God’s kingdom in our daily lives, that’s all I could hope for.

How can Cooperative Baptists pray for you?

In the same manner that Jesus taught his disciples to pray, Inland Church hopes to see God’s kingdom come and His will be done, in Spokane as it is in heaven. We pray this prayer and then we seek to be the answer to it. We would love for you to join with us!

What gives you energy? What do you like to do for fun?

Light bulbs! Not the kind in your lamp, but the moment-of-epiphany kind of light bulbs.

Within myself and seeing it in others, I love the moment of discovery when dissonance becomes harmony. For that reason, I love to read and discuss ideas, especially with my spouse and our son (he’s the deepest thinker in our family).

For more information about Inland Church, visit www.inlandchurchspokane.com

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Josh James and Doug McKinney The Restoration Project in Salisbury, Md.

J

osh James and Doug McKinney are the pastors of The Restoration Project (TRP) in Salisbury, Md. Josh is a native of Laurel, Del., and is married to Kate and they have one son, Abram. Josh is a doctoral student in Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary. Doug is from Whitewright, Texas and is married to Rachel and they have four children: Brynna, Caden, Tobias and Jaxon. He is currently pursuing a degree in Organizational Leadership from Rogers State University.

Josh James

What led you to start a church?

Josh: I think the primary factor leading me to start a church was an unrelenting call to do it. I just couldn’t see myself doing anything different. Also, knowing that I had a partner was really important. Collectively, Doug and I felt as though we had been given a vision for Salisbury and for a new church start that might reach a different demographic. It was the right time and the right place.

Doug: Church starting had been on my heart for a couple of years. As a youth pastor, I was trying to determine if it was a true call to church starting, or if it was just the cool thing youth pastors did when they were no longer youth pastors. Spending some time on staff at a church start confirmed that call for me.

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The Restoration Project began as a gathering of four families at a home near Salisbury University in January of 2013, and the church’s close proximity to the university has become a large part of its identity. The group has outgrown and moved through multiple spaces in Salisbury and now meets in a Methodist church close to the university campus. TRP believes that through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God is restoring all things. TRP seeks to participate in this restoration by preaching the gospel, loving its neighbors well, fighting for justice and building for the kingdom.

Doug McKinney

How would you describe The Restoration Project?

Josh: The Restoration Project is an extremely talented, passionate and highly relational community that is not scared of asking big questions. This group of people finds genuine satisfaction in serving one another and “doing life together.” They are creative in outreach, humble in their theology and genuine in their relationships.

What is the greatest hope that you have for your congregation?

Doug: My greatest hope for our congregation is that we will continue to be a people that wrestle with God, even if that means we come away limping. I hope this wrestling leads us to join with God in the restoration of our town and our world.

How can Cooperative Baptists pray for you?

Josh: Cooperative Baptists can pray for my family, especially my wife, Kate, and my son, Abram. Ministry is tough, and we will take all the help we can get.

Doug: Cooperative Baptists can pray that I learn to be better at balancing ministry, work and family life. They can pray that at TRP we will continue to ask the tough questions and be prepared to handle the tough answers.

To learn more about The Restoration Project, visit www.restoresby.org

Newly-endorsed

Chaplains and Pastoral Counselors LET US CELEBRATE these newly-endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors. I encourage you to welcome and to pray for each of them and their families. Pray for the people and the communities where they serve. Pray that God will continue to work in and through them in mighty ways.

The following individuals have been endorsed as chaplains or pastoral counselors in the past year by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship:

Gerry Hutchinson CBF Endorser for Chaplains and Pastoral Counselors

Chaplain (Capt.) Larry Aaron

Robert Fox

Allie Kilpatrick

R. Drexel Rayford

Civil Air Patrol Danville, Va.

US Navy Reserve Richmond, Va.

Hospice Care Options Eastman, Ga.

Loris Adams

Jessica Godfrey

Michael McGrath

University of Alabama, Birmingham Medical Center Birmingham, Ala.

Trinity Episcopal School Charlotte, N.C.

Rutherford County Hospice Forest City, N.C.

Arkansas Children’s Hospital Little Rock, Ark.

Kristin Atkins

Sarah Greenfield

Daniel Mitchell

Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children Maitland, Fla.

US Navy Abilene, Texas

St. Francis Hospital Columbus, Ga.

Christiana Bentz

Beverly Hatcher

Sarah Montoya

Karen Borchert

John Helms

California Pacific Medical Center, Institute for Health and Healing San Francisco, Calif.

Jeffrey Walton

Chaplain Candidate US Army King George, Va.

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Winston-Salem, N.C.

Caris Healthcare Sevierville, Tenn.

Northeast Georgia Medical Center Gainesville, Ga.

David Morrell

Eric Whitfield

Baptist Health System Jacksonville, Fla.

AseraCare Hospice Round Rock, Texas

Courtney Hester

Melissa Neal

Carol Wilkinson

Northside Hospital Atlanta, Ga.

Centra Health Lynchburg, Va.

Freddy Hinson

Terry-Michael Newell

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Winston Salem, N.C.

Cleveland Clinic Cleveland, Ohio

TPC Integrative Psychotherapy and Pastoral Counseling Zebulon, N.C.

Cassandra Wilson

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Winston-Salem, N.C.

Bisser Ovcharov

2d Lt. Trevor Wilson, USAF

Methodist Health System Dallas, Texas

Larry Johnson

Lee Ann Rathbun

Chaplain Candidate US Air Force Knoxville, Tenn.

Bon Secours Richmond Richmond, Va.

Seton Healthcare Family CPE Center Austin, Texas

Brian Bower HCA Virginia Charlottesville, Va.

Robert Brown VCU Health System Henrico, Va.

Jeff Ellison Texas Heath Harris Methodist Hospital of Fort Worth Fort Worth, Texas

Kyle Fishbaugh Cape Fear Valley Health Hope Mills, N.C.

Abina Johnson

John Thompson US Air Force Reserve Texarkana, Texas

H. Dean Vonfeldt Northside Hospital Atlanta, Ga.

Bon Secours Richmond Health System Richmond, Va.

Mt. Carmel Health Systems Gahanna, Ohio

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I found my place at Chowan University.

Affordable. Practical.

Small class sizes.

Abundant resources.

Christian values.

Caring faculty.

Individual attention.

Life-changing education.

www.chowan.edu

One University Place • Murfreesboro, NC 27855 1(888)4-CHOWAN

Andrea Garrett is a junior psychology major from Raleigh, NC.

THURSDAY AT A GLANCE

7 – 8 a.m. Fitness Classes: Yoga and Cardio Pegasus Rooms A & B (Lobby Level)

7 – 9:15 a.m. CBF Partner and Networking Breakfasts See pages 9-10 for descriptions and locations.

8 :45 – 11:30 a.m.; 1:15 – 5:30 p.m. Preschool Assembly Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

8:45 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Children and Youth Assemblies Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

9:30 – 11 a.m. Business Session I Landmark Ballroom (Lobby Level)

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. CBF Partner Lunches See pages 10-11 for descriptions and locations.

1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Thursday Workshops: Session I and II; 2:45 – 3:45 p.m. See pages 32-38 for workshop listings.

4:15 – 5:15 p.m. State and Regional Meetings See page 11 for room assignments.

5:30 – 7 p.m. Annual Gathering of Friends of Baptist News Global Reunion Ballroom B (Lobby Level)

5:30 – 7 p.m. Wake Forest University School of Divinity Reception for Alumni and Friends

Reunion Ballroom E (Lobby Level)

7 – 9 p.m. Preschool and Children’s Assemblies Resume Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

7:30 – 9 p.m. Thursday Evening Worship Landmark Ballroom (Lobby Level)

9 – 10 p.m. Student.Go and Collegiate Congregational Interns Alumni Event

Young Baptists Area of The Gathering Place (Exhibition Level)

9 – 10 p.m. Mercer University McAfee School of Theology Alumni and Friends Reception

Cotton Bowl Room (Atrium Level)

9 – 10:30 p.m. Baylor Truett Seminary Alumni Reception Reunion Ballroom G (Lobby Level)

9 – 10:30 p.m. Reception Sponsored by Focus Features

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Thursday, June 18

Business Session I

9:15 a.m., Music for Gathering 9:30 a.m., Business Session Landmark Ballroom

Music for Gathering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SJQ ~ Sacred Jazz Quintet Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kasey Jones Greetings from the Baptist General Convention of Texas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Hardage Invitation to Praise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matt Andrews Leader: This is the place and this is the time;

here and now, God waits to break into our experience: People: to change our minds,

to change our lives,

to change our ways; Leader: to make us see the world and the whole of life

in a new light; People: to fill us with hope,

joy and certainty for the future.

Leader: This is the place as are all places;

this is the time as are all times.

People: Here and now let us praise God.

Invocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Alice Birdwhistell Fellowship through Music. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bound Together. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Medema Call to Order and Adoption of Agenda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kasey Jones Presentation of 2015-2016 Missions and Ministries Budget. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jean Willingham Nominating Committee Report as submitted to the Governing Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bill McConnell (see report on page 57) Governing Board Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matt Cook

Nominating Committee and Recorder

Church Benefits Board and CBF Foundation Board

CBF Foundation Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . James R. Smith Church Benefits Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gary Skeen Missions Council Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Oliver Paul Baxley Steven Porter

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Report on Motion(s) from the Floor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kasey Jones Celebrating CBF Identity Bridges at Hand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Suzii Paynter Adjourn Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kasey Jones Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Philippians 1:2-6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steve Wells Closing Song. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Building Bridges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Medema Postlude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SJQ

The CBF Foundation will present the

Patsy Ayers Award and the Stewardship Recognition Award during our annual Heritage Society Breakfast at 7:45 a.m. on Friday, June 19th.

Ken Medema will provide music and Dr. Hulitt Gloer from Baylor University’s Truett Seminary will be our guest speaker.

Hulitt Gloer PHOTO COURTESY BAYLOR UNIVERSITY/MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

For more information about reservations please visit the Foundation booth located in The Gathering Place or our website at www.cbff.org.

WORKSHOPS

Choices. Lots and lots of choices.

T

hat’s what you face with the wide array of workshop options available at this year’s General Assembly. Most folks find there are more workshops they are interested in attending than there is time to attend workshops, so choose carefully and plan ahead. Or maybe coordinate with some friends to divide and conquer and then report back to each other over lunch or dinner. Also, be aware that some workshops will fill up quickly. So if you really want to get in, arrive early or on time.

Mark Wingfield Workshops Committee Chair

With more than 80 workshops offered in two days, even the list is hard to digest. Below is another way to think about workshops by looking at the titles sorted by themes. Consider these learning tracks, if you’d like. Of course, you don’t have to follow a certain track — everyone is free to pick and choose. We are Baptists, after all.

Thanks to Carolyn Shapard, Amy Grizzle Kane and Josh Speight for making up our workshops committee.

g BIBLE STUDY

• Old Testament Women You Wouldn’t Want to Mess With • The Prophet Amos: God’s Ice-Axe for the Frozen Injustice of our World • Baptists Learning to Dance • What the Bible Says About Mission • How, Then, Shall We Live? Romans 12-16 Responds • John 17: The Church and God’s Mission

g CHAPLAINCY AND PASTORAL CARE • • • • •

The Light Shines in the Darkness Godly Play and Dementia Care Death Café Fertility Grief ABCs of Chaplaincy Endorsement

g CHURCH STARTING

• The Power of Bivocational Ministry • Church Starting: Innovative Expressions of the Kingdom • Harnessing the Power of Crowd Fundraising • Multiplying Church from the Bottom-Up: An Innovative Approach for Existing Congregations • Turning a Church from Internally to Externally Focused

g CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP • • • • • • • • • • • •

Reaching Second and Third Generation Hispanics The Power of Bivocational Ministry Crisis Communication for Churches Relational Ministry: Transforming Our Understanding How to Become a Teaching Church LGBTQ and the Church: A Panel Discussion on Pastoral Responses The Struggle is Real: Starting and Sustaining Ministry with Young Adults Promoting CBF Identity in Your Congregation Building Community Relationships through Transition Turning a Church from Internally to Externally Focused New Life for Aging Congregations The Improvisational Leader

g CURRENT ISSUES

• LGBTQ and the Church: A Panel Discussion on Pastoral Responses • Safe on Sunday • Payday Lending Tour • Predatory Lending in Advocacy and Missions • JFK, Dallas and the Faith Community • Let Justice Roll Down: Learning from the African-American Experience • Understanding Hunger: Resources and Strategies for You and Your Church • Beyond Protestant Privilege: A Renewed Gospel in Secular America • Hand Over Fist: An Invitation to Civility

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• New Baptist Covenant: Covenants of Action • When You or Your Congregation Confront Financial Crisis • The Creative Leadership of Women • Crisis Communications for Churches

g GLOBAL MISSIONS

• Congregational-led Mission Networks • Liberia Network • Mission Collective: Collective Wisdom for Collective Action • Let’s Talk: The Future of CBF Global Missions • Ministering to the Nations on University Campuses • New Faces of Refugees • Labor Trafficking, Exploitation and Human Slavery – in my Community?

• Radical Presence in Your Neighborhood • Traditional Churches Embracing the Missional Call • How to Map the Assets of Your Community • Community Development and Missions in Your Church’s Backyard

g HEALTH ISSUES

• Getting to Zero: The Fight Against HIV in 2015 • Benefits of a Parish Nurse in Your Church • Understanding Hunger: Resources and Strategies for You and Your Church • Death Café • Fertility Grief • Creating Networks of Care

g INNOVATION • • • • • • • • • •

Harnessing the Power of Crowd Fundraising Relational Ministry: Transforming Our Understanding Designing Creative Solutions for Creative Change Beyond Protestant Privilege: A Renewed Gospel in Secular America Dawnings: A Church Visioning, Forming, Engaging Process A Congregational Model for Christian Advocacy The Creative Leadership of Women Multiplying Church from the Bottom-Up: An Innovative Approach for Existing Congregations Everything I Know About the Church and the Way of Jesus I Learned from Watching “The Exorcist” Building Community Relationships through Transition

g INTERNATIONALS AND REFUGEES • • • •

Reaching Second and Third Generation Hispanics New Faces of Refugees BWA, CBF and International Religious Liberty Ministering to the Nations on University Campuses

g PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY • Godly Play and Dementia Care • Safe on Sunday

• Understanding Hunger: Resources and Strategies for You and Your Church • Creating a Rhythm for Family Ministry

g RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

• Baptist and Human Rights: A Four-Century Journey • Religious Liberty at the Federal and State Levels • BWA, CBF and International Religious Liberty

g SPIRITUAL FORMATION • • • • • • • •

Igniting Spiritual Imagination: The Saint John’s Bible Adult Sunday School Anyone?

How to Become a Teaching Church The Struggle is Real: Starting and Sustaining Ministry with Young Adults Creating Networks of Care Spiritual Direction: Reclaiming the Art of Soul Conversation Dawnings: A Church Visioning, Forming, Engaging Process Poetry, Prose and the Pastor

g CBF IDENTITY • • • • • • •

Promoting CBF Identity in Your Congregation Networking: Not a Dirty Word New Baptist Covenant: Covenants of Action When Retirement Comes Will You Be Ready?

Finding a Place Let’s Talk: The Future of CBF Global Missions BWA, CBF and International Religious Liberty

g WOMEN IN MINISTRY • • • •

The Creative Leadership of Women Finding a Place The Power of Bivocational Ministry Networking: Not a Dirty Word

g WORSHIP

• Worship Aesthetics: Why Slideshows and Candles are Not the Point • Multi-ethnic Worship Model: The Crossing Baptist Church of Mesquite, Texas • Contemplative Worship Model: DaySpring Baptist Church of Waco, Texas • Cowboy Church Worship Model: Cowboy Church of Erath County • CBF Festival of Young Preachers • Hand Over Fist: An Invitation to Civility

g YOUTH MINISTRY

• Pastoral Care with Children in Crisis • Understanding Hunger: Resources and Strategies for You and Your Church • Ministering to the Nations on University Campuses • Safe on Sunday • Creating a Rhythm for Family Ministry • Teenagers Engaging the Church

Thursday Workshops Session I – 1:30 p.m. g CBF Festival of Young Preachers Cumberland E and F (Exhibition Level)

g Everything I Know About the Church and the Way of

Inspiring, encouraging, networking and supporting young people in the call to gospel preaching is the mission of the Academy of Preachers. Join host Truett Theological Seminary as we cheer on the next generation of CBF preachers as they stand and deliver.

Facilitators:Wyndee E. Hollbrook, Director of Programs, Academy of Preachers, and William Hulitt Gloer, Professor of Preaching and Christian Scriptures, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University

g Promoting CBF Identity in Your Congregation g Reverchon A (Atrium Level)

Want To Mess With

Windsor (Atrium Level)

Meet some Old Testament women who thought outside the box, knew what needed to be done and had the courage to press ahead. You might not want to mess with them, but they have things to teach us.

Presenter: Tony Cartledge, Professor of Old Testament, Campbell University Divinity School

Cartledge

in Your Church’s Backyard

Moreno B (Atrium Level)

Hear stories from the work of Together for Hope in some of the nation’s poorest counties and parishes. Discuss ways to engage with local stakeholders in creating change in communities. Join a panel discussion with Together for Hope practitioners as well as partners on relevant topics.

Facilitator: Stephanie Vance, Together for Hope Manager, CBF

Are Not the Point

Gaston B (Atrium Level)

Dullness has become a spiritual discipline in many churches.

How can leaders recover their own imaginations and creative riskiness? This workshop will confront the problem of shallow aesthetics and offer practical ideas and resources, naming the ways we feel creatively stuck and encourage one another Alvaro forward.

Presenter: John Jay Alvaro, Senior Pastor, Spring Creek Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, Okla.

g Benefits of a Parish Nurse in Your Church Baker (Atrium Level) Parish Nursing, now called Faith Community Nursing, is one of the best-kept secrets around. This workshop will discuss the role of a parish nurse, including qualifications and responsibilities, and share testimonials and stories of how the nurse ministers to the congregation, staff and community.

Presenter: Linda F. Garner, Parish Nurse, Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas

Garner

g Predatory Lending in Advocacy and Missions Cumberland K (Exhibition Level)

g Community Development and Missions

Montgomery

g Worship Aesthetics: Why Slideshows and Candles

g Old Testament Women You Wouldn’t

Jesus I Learned from Watching “The Exorcist”

Reverchon B (Atrium Level)

With humor and sociological insight, see the real verbal, emotional and often physical violence hurled outwardly when we are confronted with Jesus liberating people. Ask how Christ today might cast out unclean spirits hostile both to humanity and to God (spinning heads optional).

Presenter: Bert Montgomery, Pastor, University Baptist Church, Starkville, Miss.

Learn the story behind the new CBF brand, captured by the idea of formation: encouraging individual growth while growing local churches, helping Christians form their faith as well Huett Young as living out their faith, forming diverse partnerships locally and globally. Walk away with practical ideas for sharing about CBF in your church.

Presenters: Jeff Huett, Associate Coordinator of Communications and Advancement, CBF, and Candice Young, Marketing Manager, CBF

Vance

Learn why so many Christians are concerned about predatory lending and how their communities are ravaged by legalized usury. Hear from experts about business practices of the payday and auto-title lending industry and how advocates are working for change, including offering alternative small-dollar loans.

Facilitator: Stephen Reeves, Associate Coordinator of Partnerships and Advocacy, CBF

Workshop Tracks

g CURRENT ISSUES

g RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

g GLOBAL MISSIONS

g SPIRITUAL FORMATION

g BIBLE STUDY

g HEALTH ISSUES

g CBF IDENTITY

g CHAPLAINCY AND PASTORAL CARE

g INNOVATION

g WOMEN IN MINISTRY

g CHURCH STARTING

g INTERNATIONALS AND REFUGEES

g WORSHIP

g CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP

g PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

g YOUTH MINISTRY

Reeves

ASSEMBLY 2015 GUIDEBOOK

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g Baptists and Human Rights: A Four-Century Journey Cumberland L (Exhibition Level) Baptists in the 17th century were birthed championing a heresy that today is considered an international human right by the United Nations: freedom of conscience. This workshop surveys Baptist contributions to human rights from Gourley the 17th century to the present day, providing a narrative for sharing in local church settings.

Presenter: Bruce Gourley, Executive Director, The Baptist History and Heritage Society

g LGBTQ and the Church: A Panel Discussion g on Pastoral Responses Reunion C (Lobby Level) Pastors, congregations and people of faith cannot avoid conversations about same-sex relations and marriage. Join the conversation with three CBF ministers serving in pastoral settings who approach Shapard Wells these questions in different ways that are true to their understandings of Scripture and the communities where they serve.

Facilitator: Rachel Gunter Shapard, Associate Coordinator, CBF of Florida. Presenters: Steve Phelps Adrian Wells, Pastor, South Main Baptist Church, Houston, Texas; Joe Phelps, Pastor, Highland Baptist Church, Louisville, Ky.; Rebecca Adrian, Pastoral Care Manager/ACPE Supervisor, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas

g Igniting Spiritual Imagination: The Saint John’s Bible Cumberland C (Exhibition Level) Experience the first hand-calligraphied, illuminated copy of Scripture produced in more than 500 years. Named one of the extraordinary undertakings of our time by Smithsonian magazine, the Saint John’s Bible brings the word of God alive Hartman for 21st century believers. Ignite your spiritual imagination as you hear the story behind this work and delve into a number of breathtaking illuminations.

Presenter: Tracy Hartman, Professor of Homiletics and Practical Theology, Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond

g The Struggle is Real: Starting and Sustaining g Ministry with Young Adults Cumberland J (Exhibition Level) Consider the congregational groundwork needed to begin a young adult ministry reaching elusive 20- and 30-somethings.

Learn nuggets of advice gleaned from years of meaningful ministry with millennials at Highland Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky. Hull McGee Presenter: Emily Hull McGee, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church on Fifth,Winston-Salem, N.C.

g Harnessing the Power of Crowd Fundraising g Cumberland A (Exhibition Level) You’ve heard about GoFundMe, KickStarter and #GivingTuesday, but do you know what it takes to run an effective online giving campaign?

Whether you want to fund a new outreach of your church, a new aspect of an existing Pittman Pittman ministry or begin a new work internationally, this hands-on workshop will give you tools to be successful.

Presenters: Jason Pittman, Executive Director, and Angel Pittman, Assistant Director, Touching Miami with Love, Miami, Fla.

g Networking: Not a Dirty Word Moreno A (Atrium Level) Networking isn’t just about self-promotion, but may involve building a wide community that will sustain you in a lifetime of ministry. Learn networking practices, meet “connectors” and begin to put down roots in the CBF family.

Durso Parnell Facilitators: Devita Parnell, Manager, Young Baptist Ecosystem, CBF, and Pam Durso, Executive Director, Baptist Women in Ministry

g Baptists Learning To Dance g Gaston A (Atrium Level) Participants will explore the workshop presenter’s embarrassingly backward religious heritage, his awkward dance toward liberation and the story of King David dancing before the ark. This Bible study, preaching/teaching seminar and dance lesson will remind us to enjoy Scripture.

Presenter: Brett Younger, Associate Professor of Preaching, McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University

Workshop Tracks

g CURRENT ISSUES

g RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

g GLOBAL MISSIONS

g SPIRITUAL FORMATION

g BIBLE STUDY

g HEALTH ISSUES

g CBF IDENTITY

g CHAPLAINCY AND PASTORAL CARE

g INNOVATION

g WOMEN IN MINISTRY

g CHURCH STARTING

g INTERNATIONALS AND REFUGEES

g WORSHIP

g CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP

g PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

g YOUTH MINISTRY

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Younger

g How, Then, Shall We Live? Romans 12-16 Responds Cumberland H (Exhibition Level)

g Worship Model: Cowboy Church of Erath County Pegasus B (Lobby Level)

How are Christ-followers to live in God’s good, yet broken, world? This workshop ponders this perennial question in concert with Romans 12-16. If you are looking for a stimulating study of an influential section of Scripture with a view to contemporary practice, then this workshop may well Still be for you.

Presenter: Todd D. Still, Dean, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University

Join pastor Werth Mayes and leaders from this thriving church to experience why the cowboy church model has been the fastest-growing expression of church life in recent years in the Lone Star State.

Led by: Werth Mayes, Pastor, Cowboy Church of Erath County, Stephenville, Texas

g New Baptist Covenant: Making a Covenant of Action g Cumberland B (Exhibition Level) All across the nation, Baptists are crossing historic divides to create Covenants of Action, formed when two or more churches from different Baptist traditions come together to share in a collaborative ministry project. Through the Covenant of Action Initiative, NBC seeks to reconcile the McMahan Baptist family and transform communities to reflect Jesus’ Luke 4:18-19 vision.

Facilitator: Hannah McMahan, Coordinator, New Baptist Covenant

g When You or Your Congregation Confronts

Financial Crisis

Cumberland I (Exhibition Level)

Before religious freedom was established in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, Congress created bankruptcy courts to help struggling farmers, indentured servants, entrepreneurs and immigrants in the Ducker Weatherford new nation come to terms with sometimes overwhelming debt. Based on the biblical jubilee, bankruptcy is a legal example of salvation. Comparing debt relief with Jubilee and Easter Sunday will enrich your congregation and help you as you minister to struggling members as they navigate the difficult world of credit and debit.

Facilitators: Aubrey Ducker, Family Law Attorney, Orlando, Fla., and Laurie Weatherford, Bankruptcy and Education Attorney, Orlando, Fla.

Mayes

g Congregational-led Mission Networks Cockrell (Atrium Level) The South Africa Ministry Network was launched in 2009

by Second Baptist Church, Little Rock, Ark., to partner in South Africa serving HIV/AIDS orphans and their caregivers.

Now in its sixth year, leaders from the six participating churches will teach best practices for how to establish a Cook mission network for mobilizing congregations for cooperation and service.

Facilitator: Matt Cook, Pastor, First Baptist Church,Wilmington, N.C., and members of the CBF South Africa Ministry Network

Business Breakouts Business Breakout 1: The 2015-16 Budget – Sanger A (Atrium Level) Business Breakout 2: Open (for motions that may come from the floor) – Sanger B (Atrium Level) Business Breakout 3: Open (for motions that may come from the floor) – Pryor-Crockett (Atrium Level)

Workshop Tracks

g CURRENT ISSUES

g RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

g GLOBAL MISSIONS

g SPIRITUAL FORMATION

g BIBLE STUDY

g HEALTH ISSUES

g CBF IDENTITY

g CHAPLAINCY AND PASTORAL CARE

g INNOVATION

g WOMEN IN MINISTRY

g CHURCH STARTING

g INTERNATIONALS AND REFUGEES

g WORSHIP

g CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP

g PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

g YOUTH MINISTRY ASSEMBLY 2015 GUIDEBOOK

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Thursday Workshops Session II – 2:45 p.m. g CBF Festival of Young Preachers Cumberland E and F (Exhibition Level) Inspiring, encouraging, networking and supporting young people in the call to gospel preaching is the mission of the Academy of Preachers. Join host Truett Theological Seminary as we cheer on the next generation of CBF preachers as they stand and deliver.

Facilitators:Wyndee E. Hollbrook, Director of Programs, Academy of Preachers, and William Hulitt Gloer, Professor of Preaching and Christian Scriptures, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University

g LGBTQ and the Church: A Panel Discussion g on Pastoral Responses Reunion C (Lobby Level) Pastors, congregations and people of faith cannot avoid conversations about same-sex relations and marriage. Join the conversation with three CBF ministers serving in pastoral settings who approach Shapard Wells these questions in different ways that are true to their understandings of Scripture and the communities where they serve.

Facilitator: Rachel Gunter Shapard, Associate Coordinator, CBF of Florida. Presenters: Steve Phelps Adrian Wells, Pastor, South Main Baptist Church, Houston, Texas; Joe Phelps, Pastor, Highland Baptist Church, Louisville, Ky.; Rebecca Adrian, Pastoral Care Manager/ACPE Supervisor, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas

g Igniting Spiritual Imagination: The Saint John’s Bible Cumberland C (Exhibition Level) Experience the first hand-calligraphied, illuminated copy of Scripture produced in more than 500 years. Named one of the extraordinary undertakings of our time by Smithsonian magazine, the Saint John’s Bible brings the word of God alive Hartman for 21st century believers. Ignite your spiritual imagination as you hear the story behind this work and delve into a number of breathtaking illuminations.

Presenter: Tracy Hartman, Professor of Homiletics and Practical Theology, Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond

g Turning a Church from Internally to g Externally Focused Reverchon A (Atrium Level) If your church is stuck in ministries that aren’t working, learn how to change your focus by showing the compassion of Christ in your community. Hear how a limited budget and limited access to homes gave way to new witness Poole Poole through cooperation in The Villages, Fla. Presenters: Donn and Katherine Poole, CBF Church Starters,Wildwood, Fla.

g What the Bible Says About Mission g Windsor (Atrium Level) When asked to name a biblical passage about mission, many congregants and ministers turn to the tried and true Great Commission. But did you know there are at least five commission texts in the Gospels and Acts? Or that the Old Testament contains an abundance of narratives, guidance, Levens warnings and questions about witnessing as God’s people?

Come and discover the breadth, depth and even disagreement within the scriptural tradition about mission.

Presenter: Laura Rodgers Levens, Assistant Professor of Christian Mission, Baptist Seminary of Kentucky

g Dawnings: A Church Visioning, Forming, g Engaging Process Reverchon B (Atrium Level) Dawnings is an intentional, contextual, organic process to help churches get to where God desires them to be.

Learn how to clarify vision, deepen formation and broaden engagement to create a new rhythm for being church: prayer, preparation and discovery.

Presenter: Harry Rowland, Director of Missional Congregations, CBF

Workshop Tracks

g CURRENT ISSUES

g RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

g GLOBAL MISSIONS

g SPIRITUAL FORMATION

g BIBLE STUDY

g HEALTH ISSUES

g CBF IDENTITY

g CHAPLAINCY AND PASTORAL CARE

g INNOVATION

g WOMEN IN MINISTRY

g CHURCH STARTING

g INTERNATIONALS AND REFUGEES

g WORSHIP

g CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP

g PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

g YOUTH MINISTRY

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Rowland

g Payday Lending Tour

g Fertility Grief g Cumberland L (Exhibition Level)

(off-site excursion opportunity) Que Line (Lobby Level)

Predatory lending flourishes in Texas and has reshaped neighborhoods near our Assembly site.

Get on a bus and explore parts of South and West Dallas ravaged by the effects of payday lending. Meet at the Que Line on the Lobby Ayers Murray Level of the Hyatt Regency to board a chartered bus for a one-hour narrated tour.

Facilitators: Danielle Ayers, Minister of Justice, Friendship-West Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas; and Katie Ferguson Murray, Christian Advocacy Specialist,Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas

g Traditional Churches Embracing the Missional Call Cumberland H (Exhibition Level) Soul Food is a ministry of food and fellowship to neighbors of First Baptist Church, Dalton, Ga. This is a neighborhood meal characterized by genuine hospitality and authentic relationships. Learn about these “non-toxic charity” ministries, including Lydia’s Market, a sale of goods crafted by those on the margins, which is a mission trip without leaving town!

Presenter: Gail Duke, Soul Food Coordinator, First Baptist Church, Dalton, Ga.

Duke

g Religious Liberty at the Federal and State Levels Cumberland G (Exhibition Level) The Baptist Joint Committee reports on the latest religious liberty news from Washington, D.C. — including current Supreme Court cases.

Learn what these decisions mean for you and your community, and hear updates on recent Hollman Walker legislation and activities at the intersection of church and state.

Presenters: Brent Walker, Executive Director, and Holly Hollman, General Counsel, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty,Washington, D.C.

g Worship Model: Multi-ethnic Pegasus A (Lobby Level) The Crossing Baptist Church of Mesquite, Texas, is an intentionally multi-ethnic congregation. Worship with Pastor Charlie Brown and representatives of this congregation and experience cross-cultural cooperation.

Led by: The Crossing Baptist Church, Mesquite, Texas

Congregations are full of those tangled in fertility grief: infertility, miscarriage and the loss of infants. This grief is suffered alone and in silence. Join the conversation about the ways in which programming, care-giving ministries and worship can support (or cause pain for) those burdened with Hanchey fertility grief.

Presenter: Mary Elizabeth Hanchey, Co-Founder, Hannah Ministry, Watts Street Baptist Church, Durham, N.C.

g The Creative Leadership of Women g Cumberland J (Exhibition Level) More women are leading churches, institutions and nonprofits than ever before, and we are learning new lessons about leadership. Join the conversation about what women are bringing to the leadership equation.

Presenter: Molly T. Marshall, President and Professor of Theology and Spiritual Formation, Central Baptist Theological Seminary

Marshall

g Creating Networks of Care g Cumberland B (Exhibition Level) Ministry can be a lonely road littered with anxieties, conflict, overwork and temptations.

Regional Directors for CBF’s Peer Learning Groups offer insights on creating networks of care through intentional one-on-one relationships, clergy group engagement, professional development and pastoral relations committees.

Facilitators: Laura Stephens-Reed, Fran Patterson, Layne Smith and Steve Graham, Regional Directors, Peer Learning Groups, CBF

Graham

Patterson

Smith

Stephens-Reed

g Death Café g Cumberland A (Exhibition Level) An open and free opportunity to talk about death and dying based on the “Death Café” model. This will be a relaxed time for talking about a taboo subject matter.

Presenter: Steve Smith, Retired CBF-endorsed Hospital Chaplain, Second Baptist Church, Liberty, Mo.

Workshop Tracks

g CURRENT ISSUES

g RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

g GLOBAL MISSIONS

g SPIRITUAL FORMATION

g BIBLE STUDY

g HEALTH ISSUES

g CBF IDENTITY

g CHAPLAINCY AND PASTORAL CARE

g INNOVATION

g WOMEN IN MINISTRY

g CHURCH STARTING

g INTERNATIONALS AND REFUGEES

g WORSHIP

g CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP

g PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

g YOUTH MINISTRY

Smith

ASSEMBLY 2015 GUIDEBOOK

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g Hand Over Fist: An Invitation to Civility g Cumberland I (Exhibition Level) Based on Kevin Glenn’s book, Hand Over Fist: An Invitation to Christ-Centered Civility, this workshop will provide pastors and parishioners tools to recognize forms of conflict, interpret those conflicts and engage in a process that empowers civil discourse.

Presenter: Kevin D. Glenn, Senior Pastor, Memorial Baptist Church, Columbia, Mo.

g Mission Collective: Collective Wisdom

Glenn

g Multiplying Church from the Bottom Up: g An Innovative Approach for Existing Congregations Gaston A (Atrium Level) Fresh Expressions is an international, multi-denominational movement. These new expressions of church usually begin from and minister alongside existing congregations. Learn how your church can commission groups of 3 to 12 for the purpose of engaging people unlikely to walk in to one of our Collins church buildings.

Presenter: Travis Collins, Director of Mission Advancement, Fresh Expressions U.S.

g Spiritual Direction: Reclaiming the Art of

Soul Conversation

Baker (Atrium Level)

“Anyone without a soul friend is like a body without a head,” according to a Celtic Christian proverb, and genuine soul friendship continues to be a great need today. Learn about the ancient tradition of spiritual direction to provide guidance for conversation at the soul level.

Reed Presenter: Angela Reed, Professor of Spiritual Formation and Practical Theology, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University

g Poetry, Prose and the Pastor Gaston B (Atrium Level)

for Collective Action

Moreno A (Atrium Level)

Collaborating with other churches and ministries for building relevant responses to issues in our world is a vital part of a faithful response to God’s call to mission. Mission Collective is a way to equip congregations Clark Porter for best practices, incubate new approaches and connect globally with others as we engage on mission in our neighborhoods and around the world.

Presenters: Ryan Clark, Church Engagement Manager, CBF, and Steven Porter, Coordinator of Global Missions, CBF

g Creating a Rhythm for Family Ministry Moreno B (Atrium Level) Families are so busy these days that many churches notice sporadic church attendance among even their core members.

Learn how to create a rhythm for family ministry that engages children and families throughout the church year Harris and challenges parents to engage their children on matters of faith.

Presenter: Tiffani Harris, Minister to Children and Families, DaySpring Baptist Church,Waco, Texas

g Liberia Network Cockrell (Atrium Level) CBF Global Missions invites anyone with ministry ties to Liberia to meet each other and share ideas during this workshop hour.

Facilitators: David Harding, Coordinator for International Disaster Response, CBF, and Jim Smith, Director of Field Ministries, CBF

Harding

Clergy and lay leaders can use the gifts of poetry and prose in their own spiritual formation and in congregational ministry. Explore the gift of reading as it pertains to personal spiritual formation and formation of communities of Martin Massar faith.

Presenters: Griff Martin and Mike Massar, Co-Pastors, University Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, La.

Workshop Tracks

g CURRENT ISSUES

g RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

g GLOBAL MISSIONS

g SPIRITUAL FORMATION

g BIBLE STUDY

g HEALTH ISSUES

g CBF IDENTITY

g CHAPLAINCY AND PASTORAL CARE

g INNOVATION

g WOMEN IN MINISTRY

g CHURCH STARTING

g INTERNATIONALS AND REFUGEES

g WORSHIP

g CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP

g PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

g YOUTH MINISTRY

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Smith

M.Div. (7 track options) • M.Div./M.S. Clinical Mental Health M.Div./MBA • M.Div./M.S. Nonprofit • MACM • D.Min. theology.mercer.edu • 3001 Mercer University Dr., Atlanta, GA 30341 • (678) 547-6474

Exploring Ministers' True Feelings About Wealth In the Shade of the Sycamore Tree Ministers Reflect on the Subject of Wealth In My Pastor, My Money, and Why We’re Not Talking, Robert Moon crafted a game changing approach to cultivating a powerful, rewarding, and respectful relationship between clergy and their wealthy congregants. For his latest work, In the Shade of the Sycamore Tree, Moon has collected essays by a wide variety of contributors including: ■ John Killinger ■ Rusty Brock

■ Rachel Lackey ■ Jim Strickland

■ Donna Mote ■ John Paul Carter

■ Dallas Stallings ■ Bill Leonard

This collection continues the work of the earlier book by inviting thoughtful explorations by clergy about their perspectives on wealth. These reflections will challenge your views on the boundaries between the material and spiritual wellbeing of Christian life.

Visit the editor, Robert Moon, at the exhibit to explore how these recent publications and training workshops can broaden the ministry of your church and calling.

www.MyPastorMyMoney.com

Thursday, June 18

Worship Session II

7:15 p.m., Music for Gathering 7:30 p.m., Worship Landmark Ballroom

Heaven shall not wait for the dawn of great ideas, thoughts of compassion, divorced from cries of pain: Jesus is Lord; he has married word and action; his cross and company make his purpose plain. ~ John Bell Music for Gathering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Medema Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rick McClatchy Song of Invocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . All Who are Thirsty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brown and Robertson All who are thirsty, All who are weak, Come to the fountain, Dip your heart in the stream of life.

Let the pain and the sorrow, Be washed away, In the waves of his mercy, As deep cries out to deep (we sing).

Come Lord Jesus come [repeat 3 times] Holy Spirit come [repeat 3 times] As deep cries out to deep [repeat 2 times] Call to Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Isaiah 55:1-6, 12-13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Larry Johnson Hymn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Show Me How to Stand for Justice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . beach spring Show me how to stand for justice How to work for what is right, How to challenge false assumptions, How to walk within the light.

May I learn to share more freely In a world so full of greed, Showing your immense compassion By the life I choose to lead.

42 |

Teach my heart to treasure mercy, Whether given or received For my need has not diminished Since the day I first believed.

Let me seek no satisfaction Boasting of what I have done.

But rejoice that I am pardoned And accepted in your Son. Gladly I embrace a lifestyle Modelled on your living word, In humility submitting To the truth that I have heard; Make me conscious of your presence Every day in all I do: By your Spirit’s gracious prompting May I learn to walk with you.

Prayer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sue Smith Assembly: Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever.

Amen.

Leader: When we’re down and helpless,

when lies are reigning,

when fear and indifference are growing, People: May your kingdom come.

Leader: When joy is missing,

when love is missing,

and unbelief is growing, People: May your kingdom come.

Leader: To those who are sick and lonely,

to those who are imprisoned and tortured, People: May your kingdom come.

Leader: Into the churches,

into our praying, into our singing, People: May your kingdom come.

Leader: Into our hearts,

into our hands, and into our eyes, People: May your kingdom come. Soon! Amen.

Building Bridges between Churches and Communities Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Galatians 6:1-10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephanie Little Coyne

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Hymn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rescue the Perishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rescue Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave; Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen, Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.

REFRAIN Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.

Though they are slighting Him, still He is waiting, Waiting the penitent child to receive; Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently; He will forgive if they only believe.

REFRAIN Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter, Feelings lie buried that grace can restore; Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness, Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.

REFRAIN Rescue the perishing, duty demands it; Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide; Back to the narrow way patiently win them; Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior has died.

REFRAIN Call to Give. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephen Reeves Give securely to CBF by texting CBF to 41444 or online at www.cbf.net/give Offering I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me Soloist: I’m gonna live so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!

I’m gonna live so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!

I’m gonna work so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!

I’m gonna work so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!

I’m gonna pray so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!

God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!

I’m gonna sing so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!

I’m gonna sing so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!

Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Isaiah 58:6-12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exter Hardy 44 |

Song. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Let Justice Roll Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Romanow CHORUS Let justice roll down, down like a river, down to the valleys where the helpless cry.

Righteousness flow through us forever, Lead us to the stream that will never run dry.

Flow to the mouths of the hungry, flow to the hands of the poor, Flow to the hearts of the orphans, the ravages of war.

CHORUS Flow to the streets of the homeless, finding no place they can go.

Flow to the cells of the prisoners who face each day alone.

CHORUS Flow through the courts of our nation, guide us in love’s decrees, Lead us to the streams of salvation and flood our land with peace.

CHORUS Building Bridges between Churches and Communities: A Conversation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Mason Gary Simpson Musical Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Medema Litany of Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brack Ballard John David Diana Lopez Reader 1: We believe in God who is the source of all life and the desire of our lives, Reader 2: whose love was given a human face in Jesus of Nazareth, whose love was crucified by the evil that waits to enslave us all and whose love, defeating even death, is our glorious promise of freedom.

Reader 3: Therefore, though we are sometimes fearful and full of doubt, in God we trust; Reader 1: and, in the name of Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves in the service of others, Reader 2: to seek justice and to live in peace, Reader 3: to care for the earth Reader 1: and to share the commmonwealth of God’s goodness, Reader 2: to live in the freedom of forgiveness and the power of the spirit of love, Reader 3: and in the company of the faithful so to be the church, for the glory of God. All: We shall raise up the foundations of many generations;

we shall be called the repairer of the breach,

the restorer of streets to live in. Amen.

from Worship Sourcebook

Closing Song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Building Bridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Medema Postlude

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I will teach all your children, and they will enjoy great peace. ISAIAH 54:13, NLT

Love God. Teach Neighbor. Be Transformed.

Sharing Christ’s great love for us through literacy ministry

HEAR IMPACT STORIES FROM CBF FIELD PERSONNEL: Diann Whisnand Rio Grande Valley, Hidalgo, Texas

Angel and Jason Pittman Wanda Ashworth-Valencia Touching Miami with Love, Miami, Fla.

Ralph and Tammy Stocks

For communities such as ours, where 60 percent of people over 25 do not have a high school diploma, education is absolutely critical. Education gives people opportunities to move ahead, to have a career where they can really fulfill their calling and be all that God created them to be.

At TML we have the opportunity to work with incredibly bright young people who just need the right resources and the right help. They need someone to walk alongside so they don’t fall through the cracks, so they don’t end up in places that are dangerous.

Project Ruth, Bucharest, Romania

Jon and Tanya Parks

– JASON PITTMAN, CBF field personnel at Touching Miami with Love Miami, Fla.

Roma Community, Košice, Slovakia

Support CBF literacy ministries and field personnel worldwide.

WWW.CBF.NET/OGM

OFFERING FOR GLOBAL MISSIONS

Q: What do these and other great books have in common?

A: They were all published by Nurturing Faith Books Nurturing Faith, Inc. is the book publishing and church resources arm of Baptists Today.

Built on trust, experience, creativity and collaboration.

Visit our exhibit in the Gathering Place and access our resources at nurturingfaith.info.

HOP O E.

The confident expectation that a promise made will be fulfilled. For more than 136 years, Buckner International has fulfilled a promise to transform the lives of

orphans, vulnerable children, families and senior adults. Today, we serve the hopeless around the world – shining the light of hope into their lives. Our programs include foster care and adoption, family transition programs, community-based family preservation programs, and retirement services for seniors. And we provide humanitarian aid and crisis relief to poverty-stricken families in the Unites States and worldwide.

Learn more and find ways you can shine hope at buckner.org.

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Book Signing with

Curtis Freeman Friday, June 19, 2015 4:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Baylor University Press booth

Books for Good | baylorpress.com 30% off ALL titles at the booth, or order online with code BCBF Code valid until July 20, 2015

“The future work of the church in continuing Jesus’ ministry hinges on our ability to acknowledge our similarities and differences. The wide range of faith traditions and experiences represented here theological education. have uniquely enhanced my understanding of the divine and my future ministry.” leaders for the future.

Innovating Inspiring

Daniel Potter, MDiv ‘16 CBF and Vestal Scholar

DISCOVER YOUR PATH HERE. Take it anywhere. divinity.wfu.edu

Central prepares women and men to craft the future with God.*

*For theological exegesis, contact the President’s Office

www.cbts.edu

Montreat We Welcome you at montreat conference center near asheville, nc

NEIGHBOR B e i n g C h r i s t i a n i n a M u l t i f a i t h Wo r l d

Dr. King’s unfinisheD agenDa Celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Dr. King’s address to the Christian Action Conference in Montreat is the occasion for a look toward the future. In a nation still struggling to build bridges between races and heal divisions generations old, how can the church of today answer the challenges King posed in Montreat in 1965?

August 21 - 23, 2015

montreat.org/mlk

neighbor

PartnershiP events

How do we live with integrity in our changing, multifaith world? “Neighbor” is for faith leaders, families, and congregations who want to be stretched outside of their comfort zones in a safe place as we learn to listen beyond bias, stereotype, and bland generalizations.

Keynote presentation by noted author and theologian Brian McLaren.

Montreat Conference Center is dedicated to providing inspiration, comfort, and gracious hospitality for you and your constituency.

As one of our guests so wonderfully put it, “Montreat is a 5-star destination in God’s World.” Considering ourselves a partner in your success, we work with you and your people to develop the best event possible.

October 12 - 15, 2015

montreat.org/neighbor

Learn more at Montreat.org/partner

STUDY BIBLES FOR EVERY AGE INTRODUCING

The CEB Student Bible is by and for young people that invites them into deeper forms of both personal holiness and social holiness, helping them make connections between the world of the Bible and their own world.

9781609261795 | $29.99 | August 2015 Sample at CommonEnglishBible.com/StudentBible

“The CEB Study Bible brings together world-class scholars with first-class notes, maps, charts and introductions to the books of the Bible, and it also provides a refreshing alternative to the many study Bibles on the market. The CEBSB will be my go-to study Bible for years to come.”

—Scot McKnight, Professor of New Testament, Northern Seminary Sample at CEBStudyBible.com

“I think the Deep Blue Kids Bible—because of the way it introduces each book in the Bible, the way it talks about the people, and all the different notes it has—is a resource for parents and children to find their way through the stories in the Bible together, to find some meaning and some joy and some ways to understand the Bible."—Reverend Dr. Elizabeth Caldwell, Contributing Editor Sample at DeepBlueKidsBible.com

The Common English Bible translation, first published in 2011, is the most relevant, readable, and reliable English translation of the Bible. /LiveTheBible Visit the Abingdon Press booth to find out more.

@CommonEngBible CommonEnglishBible.com

FRIDAY

AT A GLANCE

7 – 8 a.m. Fitness Classes: Yoga and Cardio Pegasus Rooms A & B (Exhibition Level)

7 – 9:15 a.m. CBF Partner and Networking Breakfasts See pages 13-14 for descriptions and locations.

8 :45 – 11:30 a.m.; 1:15 – 5:30 p.m. Preschool Assembly Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

8:45 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Children and Youth Assemblies Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

9:15 a.m. – 5 p.m. Ministers on the Move Reverchon (Atrium Level)

9:30 – 11 a.m. Business Session II Landmark Ballroom (Lobby Level)

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. CBF Partner Lunches See pages 14-15 for descriptions and locations.

1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Friday Workshops: Session I See pages 58-60 for workshop listings.

2:45 – 3:45 p.m. Friday Workshops: Session II See pages 61-63 for workshop listings.

7 – 9 p.m. Preschool and Children’s Assemblies Resume Shawnee A & B (Third Level)

7:30 – 9 p.m. Friday Evening Worship Landmark Ballroom (Lobby Level)

9 – 10:30 p.m. Reception Sponsored by Dawnings Marsalis Hall/The Gathering Place (Exhibition Level)

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Friday, June 19

Business Session II

9:15 a.m., Music for Gathering 9:30 a.m., Business Session Landmark Ballroom

Music for Gathering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stampede Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Russell Invitation to Praise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Amy Grizzle Kane Leader:

All: Leader:

All:

Leader: All:

This is the day the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Again today we come together to worship — the God of creation, of salvation, of time and eternity; the God of all peoples, of all nations, of all conditions of people everywhere.

Praise the Lord.

All that is within me, praise God’s holy name.

Invocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alan Sherouse Fellowship through Music. . . . . . . . . . . . O Be Careful Little Hands What You Do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Medema Call to Order. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kasey Jones Votes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kasey Jones

2015-16 Missions and Ministries Budget

Nominating Committee Report

Nominating Committee and Recorder

Church Benefits Board and CBF Foundation Board Action on Floor Motions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kasey Jones Celebrating CBF Identity Governing Board Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doug Dortch States and Regions Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Maples Ministries Council Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Cheuk Thomas Quisenberry Brittany Riddle Kat Spangler Christina Perkins

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Presentation of Vestal Scholars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Devita Parnell Suzii Paynter Reflections from the Moderator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kasey Jones Dreams from the New Moderator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matt Cook Adjourn Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matt Cook Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hebrews 13:20-21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emily Hull McGee Closing Song . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Building Bridges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Medema Postlude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stampede

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PREPARING MINISTERS FOR GLOBAL IMPACT.

LUBBOCK

ABILENE

DALLAS/ FORT WORTH

SAN ANTONIO

CORPUS CHRISTI

MCALLEN

Logsdon Seminary’s newest campus in Dallas-Fort Worth is conveniently located at Valley Ranch Baptist Church in Coppell, Texas. Classes meet in a block format on evenings or selected weekends and make participation convenient for students with busy schedules.

Full Tuition Scholarships are available to students for the 2015-2016 school year at the DFW campus. For more information, visit www.logsdonseminary.org Logsdon Seminary is committed to making fully-accredited, theological education accessible to ministers across Texas and beyond by preparing servant leaders for Christian ministry through an academically challenging theological education centered on the Lordship of Christ, guided by the authority of Scripture, and focused on the global mission of the church.

56 |

2200 Hickory St. | HSU Box 16235

|

www.logsdonseminary.org

Abilene, Texas 79698

|

800-996-6348

Business Session Recommendations NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT GOVERNANCE

GOVERNING BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS

Moderator-Elect – Doug Dortch, Senior Minister, Mountain Brook Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala. Nominating Committee Chair-Elect – Bruce Gourley, Executive Director, The Baptist History & Heritage Society, Manhattan, Mont.

GOVERNANCE

GOVERNING BOARD

Christopher Mack, Minister of Young Adults, Trinity Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas Jenny Howell, PhD Candidate, Adjunct Faculty in Religion Department, Baylor University, Waco, Texas Michael Massar, Co-Pastor, University Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, La. Greg Warner, Journalist (retired), Jacksonville, Fla. Raymond Johnson, Retired, Norcross, Ga.

Jane Lyons, CEO, Whole Woman Conference, Inc., Clarksville, Va. Shauw Chin Capps, Executive Director, Hope Haven of the Lowcountry: Children’s Advocacy and Rape Crisis Center, Beaufort, S.C. Brent Beasley, Senior Pastor, Broadway Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas David King, Karen Lake Buttrey Director, Lake Institute on Faith and Giving and Assistant Professor of Philanthropic Studies, Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indianapolis, Ind. TBA

MISSIONS COUNCIL David W. Hull, Southeast Coordinator, Center for Healthy Churches and Adjunct Professor at McAfee School of Theology, Watkinsville, Ga. Courtney E. Allen, Minister of Community Ministry and Missions, First Baptist Church, Dalton, Ga. Jackie Baugh Moore, Vice President, Eula May and John Baugh Foundation, San Antonio, Texas Mark Wingfield, Associate Pastor, Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas

MINISTRIES COUNCIL Carrie Bearden, Laity, Educator (retired), Louisville, Ky. Bobby Rayburn, Minister of Spiritual Formation, Broadmoor Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, La. Randy Hyde, Senior Pastor, Pulaski Heights Baptist Church, Little Rock, Ark. Cindy Wallace, Hospice Chaplain Supervisor, Alexian Brothers Hospice, Hanover Park, Ill. Ann Cronic, Minister of Music, Central Baptist Church, Newnan, Ga. Kat Spangler, Associate Minister, University Baptist Church, Hattiesburg, Miss.

Christina Perkins, Associate Pastor, University Baptist, Baltimore, Md. Paul Soley, Vice President, Real Estate Services, Dwellworks Property Advisors, Wilton, Conn.

Recorder – Katie Sciba, Medical Social Worker, AARN Health Services, Stafford, Texas

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

CBF FOUNDATION Hal Bass, Professor of Political Science, Arkadelphia, Ark. Pat Ayers, Ranching, Business and Investment Professional, Austin, Texas AG Bullard, Financial and Investment Management Professional, Raleigh, N.C. Os Chrisman, Judge and Attorney, Dallas, Texas George Cowden, Attorney, San Antonio, Texas

CHURCH BENEFITS TBA TBA TBA

CBF 2015-16 PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET The Finance Committee of the Governing Board proposed an operating budget of $12.4 million for the fiscal year 2015-2016, which begins October 1. The Governing Board approved this budget and recommends passage by the General Assembly.

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Friday Workshops

Session I – 1:30 p.m. g CBF Festival of Young Preachers Cumberland E and F (Exhibition Level)

g Designing Creative Solutions for Creative Change Cumberland H (Exhibition Level)

Inspiring, encouraging, networking and supporting young people in the call to Gospel preaching is the mission of the Academy of Preachers. Join host Truett Theological Seminary as we cheer on the next generation of CBF preachers as they stand and deliver.

Facilitators:Wyndee E. Hollbrook, Director of Programs, Academy of Preachers and William Hulitt Gloer, Professor of Preaching and Christian Scriptures, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University

Creative problem solving may seem elusive to many congregations. Come learn about a process that will be demonstrated with real-life application by those attending the workshop. This technique may address creative missions, outreach or relevant questions for today’s churches.

Presenter: Shannon Hopkins, Missionary, Matryoshka Haus, London, England

g Let Justice Roll Down: Learning from the

The HIV pandemic is evolving and new research points toward an AIDS-free generation. International World AIDS Day goals include: zero new infections, zero deaths and zero stigma. Learn basic HIV information along with trends and a look to the future during this workshop.

Presenter:Wayne Smith, Director, Samaritan Ministry, Knoxville, Tenn.

African-American Experience

Windsor (Atrium Level)

All Christians may learn from the African-American experience and its call to justice as part of biblical teaching. Learn from a dialogue between an Anglo and an African-American presenter.

Foster Freeman Presenters: Ferrell Foster, Director of Ethics and Justice, Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission, and Kathryn Freeman, Director of Public Policy, Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission

g BWA, CBF and International Religious Liberty g Reunion C (Lobby Level) g Learn about the groundbreaking new partnership between CBF and the Baptist World Alliance on issues of international religious liberty. Hear from panelists who have opportunities to build education and action for Barreto congregations, universities and seminaries.

Panelists: Shane McNary, Spokesperson, United Nations Review, Geneva, Switzerland; Elijah Brown, ETBU Center for Freedom and BWA Commission on Religious Freedom; Raimundo McNary Barreto, Princeton N.J.; Suzii Paynter, Executive Coordinator, CBF; Mark Wiggs, CBF Liaison for Religious Liberty on behalf of the Baptist World Alliance

Brown

g Getting to Zero: The Fight Against HIV in 2015 Baker (Atrium Level)

Smith

g A Congregational Model for Christian Advocacy Cumberland K (Exhibition Level) CBF staff and Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, have partnered to test a new concept in advancing understanding of and participation in Christian advocacy in a Murray congregational setting. Learn what’s being tried Reeves and what’s being learned.

Presenters: Katie Ferguson Murray, Christian Advocacy Specialist,Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas, and Stephen Reeves, Associate Coordinator of Partnerships and Advocacy, CBF

g Church Starting: Innovative Expressions

Paynter

Wiggs

of the Kingdom

Cumberland L (Exhibition Level)

Some of the most innovative expressions of the Kingdom’s vision are coming from new church starts. Share a conversation with this year’s commissioned church starters about what they Hale Rowland are doing in their contexts. Discuss the process of starting a church with CBF. Presenters: Andy Hale, Church Starts Specialist, CBF, and Harry Rowland, Director of Missional Congregations, CBF

Workshop Tracks

g CURRENT ISSUES

g RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

g GLOBAL MISSIONS

g SPIRITUAL FORMATION

g BIBLE STUDY

g HEALTH ISSUES

g CBF IDENTITY

g CHAPLAINCY AND PASTORAL CARE

g INNOVATION

g WOMEN IN MINISTRY

g CHURCH STARTING

g INTERNATIONALS AND REFUGEES

g WORSHIP

g CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP

g PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

g YOUTH MINISTRY

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Hopkins

g JFK, Dallas and the Faith Community

g g Understanding Hunger: Resources and g g Strategies for You and Your Church

Cockrell (Atrium Level)

(off site excursion opportunity)

Pegasus B (Lobby Level)

Take a short walk from the Hyatt Regency to visit Dealey Plaza, the site of the Kennedy assassination, and engage in discussion about American history and the role of the faith Fratena Lefever community, both in fostering and responding to the death of a United States president. This workshop involves a moderate amount of walking. Meet at the hotel’s front entrance.

Presenters: Helen Fratena, Certified Tour Guide, Charter Member Dallas/Fort Worth Area Tour Guide Association, and Alan Lefever, Director, Texas Baptist Historical Collection

Since the Great Recession, what it means to be hungry in America has changed. Now, almost a decade later, 1 in 6 people in the United States struggle with food insecurity.

Have our hunger relief ministries adapted to meet this new reality? Learn about the new face of hunger and discuss Weaver strategies and resources to help you and your congregation more effectively reach and serve hungry families.

Presenter: Alexis Weaver, Research and Development Specialist, Atlanta Community Food Bank, Atlanta, Ga.

g Building Community Relationships g through Transition Gaston B (Atrium Level)

Join a conversation with clergy and lay leaders about practical ways to build relationships and cast a vision of missional engagement in times of neighborhood decline and renewal.

Beasley Presenters: Drew Herring, Minister of Adult Education and Outreach, Broadway Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas; Brent Beasley, Senior Pastor, Broadway Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas; Dan Freemyer, Minister of Missions, Broadway Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas

Herring

Freemyer

g How to Become a Teaching Church g Cumberland I (Exhibition Level) Learn what the Center for Teaching Churches at McAfee School of Theology has gleaned from interacting with churches that call new ministers and how this model of curriculum, minister support committees, ministry coaches and peer Granger learning groups might help your congregation become a teaching church.

Presenters: Ron Grizzle, Director, Center for Teaching Churches, McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University; Frank Granger, Minister of Christian Community, First Baptist Church, Athens, Ga.; David Hull, Consultant, Center for Healthy Churches

Grizzle

g The Prophet Amos: God’s Ice-Axe for the

Frozen Injustice of Our World

Moreno B (Atrium Level)

Most people alive today suffer under crushing injustice. The book of Amos refuses to let the church of the prosperous West ignore their pain. With remarkable relevance, Amos calls us to join our freedom-giving God in making “justice roll down like a river” for the oppressed of our day.

Presenter: Robert Ellis, Associate Dean, Logsdon School of Theology, Hardin-Simmons University

Ellis

g Ministering to the Nations on g University Campuses g Cumberland A (Exhibition Level) People from all over the world spend from six months to five years as exchange students, research scholars and university students in the United States. Learn about the opportunity to share the Gospel and your life with those who come to our universities from unreached or hard-to-reach peoples of the Francovich nations. Share resources and pray together.

Presenter: Robbi Francovich, Cross Cultural Specialist at the Longhorn Baptist Student Ministry, University of Texas, Austin

g ABC’s of Chaplaincy Endorsement Moreno A (Atrium Level) Hull

Learn about endorsement for chaplaincy or pastoral counseling ministries through CBF and the requirements for becoming endorsed.

Presenter: Gerry Hutchinson, Endorser for Chaplains and Pastoral Hutchinson Counselors, CBF

Workshop Tracks

g CURRENT ISSUES

g RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

g GLOBAL MISSIONS

g SPIRITUAL FORMATION

g BIBLE STUDY

g HEALTH ISSUES

g CBF IDENTITY

g CHAPLAINCY AND PASTORAL CARE

g INNOVATION

g WOMEN IN MINISTRY

g CHURCH STARTING

g INTERNATIONALS AND REFUGEES

g WORSHIP

g CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP

g PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

g YOUTH MINISTRY ASSEMBLY 2015 GUIDEBOOK

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g Beyond Protestant Privilege: A Renewed Gospel g in Secular America Cumberland J (Exhibition Level) Four centuries of “Protestant Privilege” is disappearing in American life. As religious and non-religious pluralism becomes more normative, Protestant communions confront the loss of privileges often taken for granted in political, economic and spiritual realms. How do Baptists represent the Leonard Gospel in a society where their beliefs are less “normative” with each passing year?

Presenter: Bill Leonard, James and Marilyn Dunn Professor of Baptist Studies and Professor of Church History,Wake Forest University School of Divinity

g Let’s Talk: The Future of CBF Global Missions g Cumberland B (Exhibition Level) What is the direction of CBF Global Missions, and how might that information inspire your church to enthusiastic participation? Join the conversation with members of the CBF Missions Council, the Ad-hoc Committee on Global Baxley Missions Structure and Staffing and CBF Global Missions staff.

Facilitators: Mike Oliver, Senior Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Madison, Ala.; Steven Porter, Coordinator of Global Missions, CBF; and Paul Baxley, Senior Minister, First Baptist Church, Athens, Ga.

Oliver

g New Life for Aging Congregations Cumberland C (Exhibition Level) Gaston Oaks Baptist Church in Dallas found a way to perpetuate its passion for missions even after the church was no longer able to continue its ministry in a traditional way. Learn about the collaboration that is turning the property of an Cook O’Brien aging church into a vibrant ministry center for church starting and social ministries in an urban setting.

Presenters: Gary Cook, Pastor, Gaston Oaks Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas, and Bill O’Brien, Executive Director, Gaston Christian Center, Dallas, Texas

g The Improvisational Leader Gaston A (Atrium Level) Some days it’s more like “whose job is it anyway?” but ministry is all our jobs. In this workshop you’ll learn the basic rules of improvisational leadership and how to apply these rules in any ministry situation. This is a highly interactive workshop, so don’t come expecting a lecture. You’ll be Prosser involved, and we’ll have fun in the process of learning. Think “yes/and” and “collaboration not competition.”

Presenter: Bo Prosser, Coordinator of Organizational Relationships, CBF

Porter

Workshop Tracks

g CURRENT ISSUES

g RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

g GLOBAL MISSIONS

g SPIRITUAL FORMATION

g BIBLE STUDY

g HEALTH ISSUES

g CBF IDENTITY

g CHAPLAINCY AND PASTORAL CARE

g INNOVATION

g WOMEN IN MINISTRY

g CHURCH STARTING

g INTERNATIONALS AND REFUGEES

g WORSHIP

g CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP

g PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

g YOUTH MINISTRY

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Friday Workshops

Session II – 2:45 p.m. g CBF Festival of Young Preachers Cumberland E and F (Exhibition Level)

g Adult Sunday School Anyone?

Cumberland K (Exhibition Level)

Inspiring, encouraging, networking and supporting young people in the call to gospel preaching is the mission of the Academy of Preachers. Join host Truett Theological Seminary as we cheer on the next generation of CBF preachers as they stand and deliver.

Facilitators:Wyndee E. Hollbrook, Director of Programs, Academy of Preachers and William Hulitt Gloer, Professor of Preaching and Christian Scriptures, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University

What motivates adults to participate in Sunday school? What should be the goals of Sunday school today? Learn from a study of six CBF congregations highlighting a shift in expectations and leadership.

Granger McCullar Presenters: Frank Granger, Minister of Christian Community, First Baptist Church in Athens, Ga., and Michael McCullar, Formations Pastor, Johns Creek Baptist Church, Alpharetta, Ga.

g JFK, Dallas and the Faith Community

(off site excursion opportunity)

Pegasus B (Lobby Level)

Take a short walk from the Hyatt Regency to visit Dealey Plaza, the site of the Kennedy assassination, and engage in discussion about American history and the role of the faith Fratena community both in fostering and responding Lefever to the death of a United States president. This workshop involves a moderate amount of walking. Meet at the hotel’s front entrance.

Presenters: Helen Fratena, Certified Tour Guide, Charter Member Dallas/Fort Worth Area Tour Guide Association, and Alan Lefever, Director, Texas Baptist Historical Collection

g When Retirement Comes, Will You Be Ready?

Baker (Atrium Level) Do you know how to come up with an attainable target for retirement savings and the steps you need to take to reach your goal? Join Gary Skeen and the Church Benefits staff discussing retirement strategy, how to manage your goals and how to make the most out of your new destination when Skeen your retirement goes a different route than was planned.

Also, if you are struggling with health care enrollment, tax incentives or have questions about how better benefits can help your church attract and retain staff, please come and join the conversation.

Presenters: Gary Skeen, President, CBF Church Benefits

g Worship Model: Contemplative Pegasus A (Lobby Level) DaySpring Baptist Church of Waco, Texas, invites you to share its contemplative approach to worship. Join Pastor Eric Howell and DaySpring for worship with a liturgy that invokes singing, silence, spoken word and prayer enabling us to rest in God’s presence.

Led by: DaySpring Baptist Church,Waco, Texas

g How to Map the Assets of Your Community Gaston A (Atrium Level) All communities and congregations have strengths and gifts that can become the basis for healthy community missions and development. This workshop will focus on practical examples for how to identify or “map” the assets of a community. Participants will leave with tips and ideas for Hodge how to use the identified assets in their ministries.

Presenter: Jenny Hodge, Director, Together for Hope – Louisiana, CBF of Louisiana

g Relational Ministry: Transforming g Our Understanding Cumberland L (Exhibition Level) If effective ministry in your context was un-churchy, would you do it? What if the most effective way to make disciples was not limited to Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights?

Explore how the traditional church might think relationally rather than programmatically.

Presenter: Andy Hale, Church Starts Specialist, CBF

Workshop Tracks

g CURRENT ISSUES

g RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

g GLOBAL MISSIONS

g SPIRITUAL FORMATION

g BIBLE STUDY

g HEALTH ISSUES

g CBF IDENTITY

g CHAPLAINCY AND PASTORAL CARE

g INNOVATION

g WOMEN IN MINISTRY

g CHURCH STARTING

g INTERNATIONALS AND REFUGEES

g WORSHIP

g CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP

g PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

g YOUTH MINISTRY

Hale

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g The Power of Bivocational Ministry g Cumberland A (Exhibition Level) g Bivocational ministry has a rich history in the Baptist

g Finding A Place g Cumberland B (Exhibition Level)

church. Recent economic situations as well as the addition of new church starts have initiated a return to this model.

Discuss the challenges and joys of bivocational ministry and Harrelson learn why bivocational ministry might just be the future of the church. Intended for clergy and lay leaders alike.

Presenter: Merianna Harrelson, Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Fellowship, Lexington, S.C.

g Labor Trafficking, Exploitation and Human

Slavery — in My Community?

Moreno B (Atrium Level)

Foreign workers, lured by the promise of good jobs, can become victims of labor trafficking and exploitation, even in the United States. An estimated 71 percent enter with visas to work in agriculture, on construction sites, at hotels and restaurants and even in homes. Come explore this issue with CBF field personnel.

Facilitator: Sue Smith, CBF Field Personnel, LUCHA Ministries, Fredericksburg,Va.

Smith

g Reaching Second and Third Generation Hispanics g Gaston B (Atrium Level) Discover the latest insight into the hearts and minds of Hispanic America. Learn the cultural and value differences between first, second and third-generation Hispanics. Examine ministry McClatchy Rincones models that are being effective in reaching Hispanics. Process what “Hispanic Ministry Today” means for your ministry’s future.

Facilitators: Rick McClatchy, Field Coordinator, CBF of Texas, and Jesse Rincones, Executive Director, Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas

g New Faces of Refugees g Cumberland H (Exhibition Level) Refugee ministries today are challenged with re-examining their approaches to healing in Christ’s name as refugees from diverse backgrounds flood the United States in record numbers. Join the discussion on restoration through faithful ministry to refugees who often observe traditions vastly different from the mainstream Christianity of the United States.

Presenter: Samira Izadi Page, Executive Director, Gateway of Grace Ministries, Dallas, Texas

Page

Join a panel of lay leaders and ministers who have journeyed through the process of calling female clergy to church staff positions in a time of shrinking church budgets and growing competition for open ministry positions. Learn practical helps for both candidates and congregations.

Facilitators: Pam Durso, Executive Director, Baptist Women in Ministry, and BWIM Leadership Team

g Crisis Communications for Churches g Cumberland G (Exhibition Level) How should your church respond when news reporters come knocking on your door? This presentation will be based on the 2014 experience of Wilshire Baptist Church in responding to the Dallas Ebola crisis, when one of the Wingfield congregation’s members became the center of international attention as the host of the first Ebola patient in the United States.

Presenter: Mark Wingfield, Associate Pastor, Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas

g Radical Presence in Your Neighborhood Cockrell (Atrium Level) CBF field personnel Joshua and Jessica Hearne report on what they’ve learned about living and serving among the homeless, near-homeless, poor, addicted and hungry through an intentional Hearne Christian community committed to radical Hearne hospitality, presence and leadership development.

Gain practical ideas for investing in your neighborhood.

Presenters: Jessica and Joshua Hearne, CBF Field Personnel, Danville,Va.

g Safe on Sunday g Windsor (Atrium Level) g Families affected by domestic violence often turn to faith leaders for help. Explore how to address the dynamics of family violence, safety planning with victims, assisting children who have witnessed violence and how to assist perpetrators of family violence.

Presenter: Debra Mitchell-Ibe, Senior Director of Training and Community Education, The Family Place, Dallas, Texas

Workshop Tracks

g CURRENT ISSUES

g RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

g GLOBAL MISSIONS

g SPIRITUAL FORMATION

g BIBLE STUDY

g HEALTH ISSUES

g CBF IDENTITY

g CHAPLAINCY AND PASTORAL CARE

g INNOVATION

g WOMEN IN MINISTRY

g CHURCH STARTING

g INTERNATIONALS AND REFUGEES

g WORSHIP

g CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP

g PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

g YOUTH MINISTRY

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Durso

Mitchell-Ibe

g The Light Shines in the Darkness Moreno A (Atrium Level)

g John 17: The Church and God’s Mission Cumberland C (Exhibition Level)

One-in-four Americans will be touched by mental illness at some point. How can churches become safe havens for families and individuals affected by depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses? Join a conversation about how to bring mental illness out of the shadows and into the light of Sergent Christ.

Presenter: Stacy Sergent, CBF-endorsed Chaplain, MUSC Medical Center, Charleston, S.C.

This Bible study session will examine John 17, which contains the priestly prayer of Jesus about his role in the redemptive mission of God and the church’s ongoing participation in God’s mission to the world.

Presenter: Curtis Freeman, Research Professor of Theology and Baptist Studies and Director, Baptist House of Studies, Duke Divinity School

g Godly Play and Dementia Care g Cumberland J (Exhibition Level) Learn how to use “Godly Play” as an intergenerational ministry with children and adults with dementia.

Presenters: Rachel Hill, CBF-endorsed Hospice Chaplain in Cleveland County, N.C., and Kat Spangler, Associate Minister, University Baptist Church, Hattiesburg, Miss.

Hill

Spangler

Freeman

g Teenagers Engaging the Church Cumberland I (Exhibition Level) The church says it wants younger people involved, but the church needs young people involved, particularly teenagers, to thrive. Explore with us as we share how teenagers are wired to help the church and what this can mean for your congregation.

Facilitators: Leadership of the CBF Youth Ministry Network

Workshop Tracks

g CURRENT ISSUES

g RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

g GLOBAL MISSIONS

g SPIRITUAL FORMATION

g BIBLE STUDY

g HEALTH ISSUES

g CBF IDENTITY

g CHAPLAINCY AND PASTORAL CARE

g INNOVATION

g WOMEN IN MINISTRY

g CHURCH STARTING

g INTERNATIONALS AND REFUGEES

g WORSHIP

g CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP

g PRESCHOOL AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

g YOUTH MINISTRY

I CHOSE

CBF CHURCH BENEFITS The reason I chose CBF’s Church Benefits over another denominational plan or a friend’s investment person is because I am committed to the Fellowship.

I trust the investments and benefits that have been put into place. I trust they have the same values and beliefs that align myself as a Cooperative Baptist.

I’m not in this to get rich. The people of Royston Baptist Church have given me a part of their incomes to be their pastor. I want to be faithful with the dollars entrusted to me and be a good steward.

Jonathan Barlow, Pastor Royston Baptist Church Royston, Ga.

I think it’s important for us to associate with someone who wakes up every day and sees it as their ministry to take care of CBF pastors – that’s CBF Church Benefits. If we preach to this end and live this way, why not align our retirement practices with our beliefs?

churchbenefits@churchbenefits.org ASSEMBLY 20151-800-352-8741 GUIDEBOOK | 63

Our stats are more than numbers,

they are stories‌ OF FORMATION More than 150 new congregations formed

by CBF Church Starters

OF PARTNERSHIP Funds given to Disaster Response efforts exceed $6.1 million

OF RENEWAL Hunger ministries in 20 countries, including food aid to more than 6,500 Syrian refugees

150 $6.1 6,500

How will your story make an impact? www.cbf.net/give

Friday, June 19

Worship Session III

7:15 p.m., Music for Gathering 7:30 p.m., Worship Landmark Ballroom

We come to the table because our hunger brings us there.We come with a need, with fragility, with an admission of our humanity. The table is the great equalizer, the level playing field many of us have been looking everywhere for. The table is the place where the doing stops, the trying stops, the masks are removed, and we allow ourselves to be nourished, like children.We allow someone else to meet our need.

In a world that prides people on not having needs, on going longer and faster, on going without, on powering through, the table is a place of safety and rest and humanity, where we are allowed to be as fragile as we feel. ~ Shauna Niequist Music for Gathering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . La Rondalla de las Americas guitar ensemble Baptist University of the Americas Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doug Haney Songs of Praise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing/10,000 Reasons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . azmon/Redman O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise, the glories of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace!

My gracious Master and my God, assist me to proclaim, to spread through all the earth abroad the honors of thy name.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears, that bids our sorrows cease; ‘tis music in the sinner’s ears ‘tis life, and health, and peace.

Bless the Lord, O my soul O my soul Worship God’s holy name Sing like never before O my soul I’ll worship Your holy name You’re rich in love, and You’re slow to anger Your name is great, and Your heart is kind For all Your goodness I will keep on singing Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

66 |

Bless the Lord, O my soul O my soul Worship God’s holy name Sing like never before O my soul I’ll worship Your holy name And on that day when my strength is failing The end draws near and my time has come Still my soul will sing Your praise unending Ten thousand years and then forevermore Bless the Lord, O my soul O my soul Worship God’s holy name Sing like never before O my soul I’ll worship Your holy name Prayer of Invocation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jakob Topper The Story of Creation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leta Tillman Leader: Women: Men: Women: Men: Leader: All: Leader: All: Leader: All: Leader: All: Leader: All: Leader: All:

In the beginning God made the world; Made it and mothered it, Shaped it and fathered it; Filled it with seed and with signs of fertility Filled it with life and with song and variety.

All that is green, blue, deep and growing, God’s is the hand that created you.

All that is tender, firm, fragrant and curious, God’s is the hand that created you.

All that crawls, flies, swims, walks or is motionless, God’s is the hand that created you.

All that speaks, sings, cries, laughs or keeps silence, God’s is the hand that created you.

All that suffers, lacks, limps or longs for an end, God’s is the hand that created you.

The world belongs to God, The earth and all its people.

Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Genesis 1:29 - 2:3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ray Higgins Reflection on Creation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preston Clegg Congregational Response. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Medema This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long. [repeat]

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The Story of Incarnation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rickey Letson Leader: Women: Men: Women: Men: Leader: All: Leader: All: Leader: All: Leader:

All: Leader:

All: Leader: All:

When the time was right, God sent the Son Sent him and nurtured him, Reared him and risked him; Filled him with laughter and tears and compassion, Filled him with anger and love and devotion, Unwelcomed child, refugee and runaway, Christ is God’s own son.

Skilled carpenter and homeless wayfarer, Christ is God’s own son.

Feeder and teacher, healer and antagonist, Christ is God’s own son.

Lover of the unlovable, toucher of the untouchable, forgiver of the unforgivable, Christ is God’s own son.

Loved by the least, feared by the leaders; befriended by the weak, despised by the strong; deserted by his listeners, denied by his friends; bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh, writing heaven’s pardon over earth’s mistakes, Christ is God’s own son.

The Word became flesh, He lived among us, he was one of us.

Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Corinthians 5:14-21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Linda Jones Reflection on Incarnation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julie Merritt Lee Congregational Response. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Medema This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long. [repeat] The Story of Salvation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristen Koger Leader: Women: Men: Women: Men: Leader: All: Leader:

All: Leader: All: Leader: All: Leader:

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When the world could wait no longer The carpenter took up their tools, They made a cross for God’s own son, Fashioned from wood and skill of human hands, Fashioned from hate and will of human minds, He was a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief, For us he grieved.

He was summoned to the judgment hall, an enemy of the state, a danger to religion, For us he grieved.

He was lashed with tongues and scourged with thongs, By his stripes we are healed.

He was nailed to the cross by human hands, Bone of our bone, flesh of our flesh.

He died, declaring God’s forgiveness.

He rose on the third day, transforming death.

He ascended into heaven, that he might be everywhere on earth.

He sent the Holy Spirit as the seal of his intention.

He sets before us bread and wine and invites us to his table.

This is the place where we are made well again.

All: Leader:

All:

And all will be made well.

For God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world, But that the world through him might be saved.

Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Revelation 21:1-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jim Hunter Reflection on Salvation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jim Somerville Affirmation of Faith. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cornerstone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hillsong SOLOIST My hope is built on nothing less, Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly trust in Jesus’ name.

ALL My hope is built on nothing less, Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly trust in Jesus’ name.

Christ alone; cornerstone, Weak made strong; in the Saviour’s love, Through the storm, He is Lord, Lord of all.

When Darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace, In every high and stormy gale, My anchor holds within the veil, My anchor holds within the veil.

Christ alone; cornerstone, Weak made strong; in the Saviour’s love, Through the storm, He is Lord.

Lord of all; He is Lord; Lord of all.

Christ alone, Christ alone; cornerstone, Weak made strong; in the Saviour’s love, Through the storm, He is Lord, Lord of all.

When He shall come with trumpet sound, Oh, may I then in Him be found; Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless stand before the throne.

Christ alone; cornerstone, Weak made strong; in the Saviour’s love, Through the storm, He is Lord.

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Call to Give . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ruth Perkins Lee Give securely to CBF by texting CBF to 41444 or online at www.cbf.net/give Offering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Let This Place, Lord, Where Heroes Are Fashioned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Medema The Story of the Last Supper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ellis Orozco The Blessing of the Bread and the Cup The Serving of the Bread and the Cup Sharing a Sign of Peace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emily Snider Andrews

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

The Story of Celebration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Suzii Paynter Leader: Women: Men: Women: Men: Leader: All: Leader:

All: Leader:

All:

In the end as in the beginning, God is God: Loved by us, wanted by us, Praised by us, served by us; Filling the folk with the gifts of the Spirit, Making them whole for the good of the earth.

For bread and wine, this place and this time, Thanks be to God. For the peace we are promised which the world won’t destroy, Thanks be to God. For the hope of heaven on earth and the final song of joy, Thanks be to God.

Benediction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Suzii Paynter Closing Song. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Building Bridges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Medema Postlude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . La Rondalla de las Americas guitar ensemble Baptist University of the Americas

Š The Iona Community from The Iona Abbey Worship Book, published by Wild Goose Publications, Iona Community, Fourth Floor, Savory House, 140 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow G2 3DH, UK.

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Worship and Business Session Leaders Emily Snider Andrews

Exter Hardy

Terry Maples

Harry Rowland

Matt Andrews

Joshua Hearne

George Mason

David Russell

Brack Ballard

Ray Higgins

Rick McClatchy

Stacy Sergent

Rachel Hunt Hill

Bill McConnell

Alan Sherouse

Emily Hull McGee

Gary Simpson

Ken Medema

Gary Skeen

Instructor of Church Music, Mercer University, Macon, Ga.

Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Glendale, Calif.

Minister to Students, Pritchard Memorial Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C.

Paul Baxley

Pastor, Pole Line Road Baptist Church, Davis, Calif.

Spiritual Director, Grace and Main Fellowship, Danville,Va.

Coordinator, CBF of Arkansas, Little Rock, Ark.

Senior Minister, First Baptist Church, Athens, Ga.

Director of Supportive Services, Hospice of Cleveland County, Shelby, N.C.

Mary Alice Birdwhistell

Jim Hunter

Bobby Broyles

Gerry Hutchinson

Associate Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Waco, Texas

Pastor, First Baptist Church, Ballinger, Texas

Bob Cheatheam

Pastor, Pleasant Hills Country Church, Abilene, Texas

Michael Cheuk

Senior Minister, University Baptist Church, Charlottesville,Va.

Preston Clegg

Pastor, Second Baptist Church, Little Rock, Ark.

Matt Cook

CBF Moderator-Elect, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Wilmington, N.C.

Stephanie Little Coyne

Associate Pastor for Administration and Family Ministries, St. Charles Ave. Baptist Church, New Orleans, La.

John David

Student, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Waco, Texas

Doug Dortch

Senior Minister, Mountain Brook Baptist Church, Birmingham, Ala.

Andy Hale

Church Starts Specialist, CBF, Decatur, Ga.

Doug Haney

Minister of Music, Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas

David Hardage

Pastor, Peakland Baptist Church, Lynchburg,Va.

Endorser for Chaplains and Pastoral Counselors, CBF, Decatur, Ga.

Larry Johnson

Chaplain, Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center, Midlothian,Va.

Kasey Jones

CBF Moderator, Senior Pastor, National Baptist Memorial Church, Washington, D.C.

Linda Jones

Missions Coordinator, CBF of North Carolina, Winston-Salem, N.C.

Amy Grizzle Kane

Minister to Adults, South Main Baptist Church, Houston, Texas

Kristen Koger

Pastoral Resident, Tabernacle Baptist Church, Richmond,Va.

Jeff Lee

Field Personnel, CBF, Macedonia

Julie Merritt Lee

Pastor, Providence Baptist Church, Hendersonville, N.C.

Ruth Perkins Lee

Director of Ministries, CBF, Decatur, Ga.

Rickey Letson

Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Laurens, S.C.

Diana Lopez

Student, Baptist University of the Americas, San Antonio, Texas

Coordinator, Tennessee CBF, Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Senior Pastor, Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas

Field Coordinator, CBF of Texas, San Antonio, Texas

Vice President, Rogers & Morgan, Inc., Knoxville, Tenn.

Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church on Fifth, Winston-Salem, N.C. Musician, Grandville, Mich.

Mike Oliver

Senior Pastor, Trinity Baptist Church, Madison, Ala.

Ellis Orozco

Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Richardson, Texas

Devita Parnell

Manager, Young Baptist Ecosystem, CBF, Decatur, Ga.

Suzii Paynter

Executive Coordinator, CBF, Decatur, Ga.

Christina Perkins

Associate Pastor, University Baptist Church, Baltimore, Md.

Steven Porter

Coordinator of Global Missions, CBF, Decatur, Ga.

Director of Missional Congregations, CBF, Decatur, Ga.

Attorney, Templeton, Smithee, Hayes, Heinrich & Russell, Amarillo, Texas

Staff Chaplain, MUSC Medical Center, Charleston, S.C.

Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Greensboro, N.C.

Senior Pastor, The Concord Baptist Church of Christ, Brooklyn, N.Y.

President, CBF Church Benefits, Decatur, Ga.

James R. Smith

President, CBF Foundation, Decatur, Ga.

Sue Smith

Latino Ministries, CBF and Baptist General Association of Virginia, Fredericksburg,Va.

Jim Somerville

Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Richmond,Va.

Kat Spangler

Associate Minister, University Baptist Church, Hattiesburg, Miss.

Suzie

Field Personnel, Southeast Asia

Leta Tillman

Retired, Fort Worth, Texas

Bo Prosser

Jakob Topper

Thomas Quisenberry

Steve Wells

Stephen Reeves

Verr Dean Williams

Coordinator of Organizational Relationships, CBF, Decatur, Ga.

Pastor, First Baptist Church, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Associate Coordinator of Partnerships and Advocacy, CBF, Decatur, Ga.

Brittany Riddle

Minister to Adults, Vinton Baptist, Vinton,Va.

Pastor of Youth, Second Baptist Church, Lubbock, Texas

Pastor, South Main Baptist Church, Houston, Texas

Area Coordinator for Mission Teams, CBF, Rising Star, Texas

Jean Willingham

Real Estate Investor/Broker, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Executive Director, Baptist General Convention of Texas, Dallas, Texas

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You shared.

WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE BRAND AUDIT PROCESS. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship was after more than just a new logo when it embarked on a year-long journey to conduct research on perceptions of Cooperative Baptists, craft a strategy that clarified our identity and design an elevated look and feel to our visuals. We sought innovative ways to tell the CBF story that precisely articulate who we are without resorting to who we are not. We aimed for authentic ways to cohesively articulate the value and distinction of CBF. And we sought excellence in reimagining the way we present ourselves to the world.

In lengthy, open-ended interviews, dozens of Cooperative Baptists from across the Fellowship appreciated that CBF is a “both/and” organization.

We function as an organization from opposite sides of the same coin.

• We’re made up of individuals and congregations.

• We appreciate the autonomy of congregations and partners, while celebrating collaboration.

• We collaborate in missions and in ministries — locally and globally.

• We support churches and send field personnel all over the world.

When asked for descriptive words for CBF and what we do best you said: • • • •

Family and freedom Missions and local church support Home and community Theological education and global missions

We listened.

HOW WE INTERPRETED THE BRAND AUDIT RESULTS.

What makes CBF different?

Forming Together

CBF is a Christian network that inspires people and churches through both encouraging autonomy and inviting collaboration!

The essence of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is captured by the idea of formation. Encouraging individual growth while growing local churches. Helping Christians form into their faith as well as living out their faith. Forming diverse partnerships locally and globally. It’s forming as one and forming together. What does this look like across the Fellowship?

CBF Chaplaincy and Pastoral Counseling Ministries and its 750-endorsed chaplains and counselors are forming together to comfort individuals and families facing illness and grief.

CBF’s 122 Peer Learning Groups and the ministers who participate are forming together to worship, shape each other spiritually and discuss ministry-related issues.

CBF’s Global Missions work, including 120 field personnel ministering in more than 30 countries on five continents, are forming together God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

Through Student.Go, undergraduate and graduate students explore their call as they serve among and advocate for the most neglected people in our world alongside CBF field personnel.

Our Core Purpose: We exist to partner in renewing God’s world God calls and equips us to spread the hope of Jesus Christ to the least evangelized, most marginalized people on Earth. Whether we’re feeding the hungry, lifting up the voiceless, digging for water or helping families get back on their feet after a disaster, we and those with whom we minister experience renewal. Renewing is spiritual. It’s a movement that takes faithful believers and active participants — participants who don’t just “talk the talk” but are Christ’s presence in the world.

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Bold Simplicity + Colorful Community + Forming Together ARCHITECTURE OF OUR NEW LOGO The CBF monogram is a visual representation of “Forming Together.” It is a combination of squares, circles and the cross, each having a visual purpose and a deeper meaning within the context of our mission, vision and work.

Squares:

Circles:

Cross:

In the CBF monogram, squares represent individuality and foundation. Affiliation with CBF is measured by contribution.

Any church or individual who sends a contribution of any amount is considered a member of the Fellowship. This kind of connectivity at a personal and individual level is foundational to the Fellowship.

In the new logo, circles and curvature represent community and the formation of unified partnerships that renew God’s world. Circles allow for fluidity in the design. One of the strengths of CBF is our ability to be a nimble organization, meeting the needs of our local and global communities as they arise.

The cross in the “f” signals that, first and foremost, we are here to bear witness to God’s work in the world. It was important to us that our monogram be easily recognizable as representing a Christian organization. For example, if CBF were on the side of a disaster response trailer, you wouldn’t need the words Cooperative Baptist Fellowship to know that the relief work was being done by a Christian organization.

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BIBLICAL CONTENT in the CONTEXT OF DAILY LIVING Each week, Bible study classes benefit from the scholarly

yet applicable NURTURING FAITH BIBLE STUDIES found in the center of BAPTISTS TODAY news journal.

Free, abundant online teaching

resources — including video overviews, commentaries and teaching

Dr. Tony Cartledge has the mind of a scholar, the heart of a pastor and the skills of an experienced writer.

What makes NURTURING FAITH BIBLE STUDIES unique?

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make teaching or facilitating Bible expensive and biblically deeper.

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> The convenience of having the Bible lessons in print (inside Baptists Today)

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plans, video overviews, Digging Deeper, and The Hardest Question.

NO NEED TO PAY for multiple teaching guides and commentaries.

All that is needed is a DISCOUNTED GROUP SUBSCRIPTION for your class or congregation.

BaptistsToday.org 1-877-752-5658 Info@BaptistsToday.org >>> COME BY the Baptists Today exhibit in the Gathering Place to learn more and to pick up free samples.

Celebrate!

FOR NEARLY 25 YEARS, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has been driven by its mission to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission. We’ve sought to live into our vision to be a national and global community bearing witness to the Gospel in partnership with Christians across the nation and around the world.

On the eve of the 25th Anniversary, we are celebrating our future. CBF is living into the same attributes that our founders instilled. We strive to be Christ-like, innovative, authentic and global. We aspire to raise the bar on excellence with inspiring partnerships, ministries and missions, and like CBF partner-congregations, we are committed to being diverse — hearing and respecting different perspectives.

Join your fellow Cooperative Baptists as we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of CBF in 2016 at the General Assembly in Greensboro, N.C.

2016 General Assembly Greensboro, N.C. June 20-24, 2016

Discover. Give. Connect.

www.cbf.net

Proud to partner with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship as we defend and extend religious liberty for all

BJConline.org BJConline.org/espa単ol /ReligiousLiberty

@BJContheHill

Join the BJC in Washington, D.C. Bring your group to our Center for Religious Liberty on Capitol Hill for a customized education session.

BJConline.org/visit-the-bjc

STEERING COMMITTEE Carmen Beard

Wanda Kidd

Josh Speight

CBF Data Administration Manager Decatur, Ga.

CBF Collegiate Initiative Manager Cullowhee, N.C.

CBF Missional Congregations Resources Manager Decatur, Ga.

Chris Boltin

Ruth Perkins Lee

Susan Stewart

CBF Director of Ministries Decatur, Ga.

S. Stewart and Associates Alpharetta, Ga.

Blake Clark

Ged Matthews

Aaron Weaver

Youth Pastor, First Baptist Church St. Marys,W.Va.

S. Stewart and Associates Alpharetta, Ga.

Deanna Fry

Rick McClatchy

Mark Wingfield

Katy, Texas

Field Coordinator, CBF of Texas San Antonio, Texas

Associate Pastor, Wilshire Baptist Church Dallas, Texas

Becky Buice Hall

Rodney McGlothlin

Charles Yarbrough

CBF Global Missions Finance and Administration Specialist Decatur, Ga.

Pastor, First Baptist Church Brownwood, Texas

Dallas, Texas

Joan Hammonds

Devita Parnell

Judy Yarbrough

Minister to Preschoolers, Wilshire Baptist Church Dallas, Texas

CBF Young Baptist Ecosystem Manager Decatur, Ga.

Dallas, Texas

Doug Haney

Bo Prosser

Candice Young

Minister of Music, Wilshire Baptist Church Dallas, Texas

CBF Coordinator of Organizational Relationships Decatur, Ga.

CBF Marketing Manager Decatur, Ga.

General Assembly Registration

General Assembly Team Leader CBF Partnerships Manager Decatur, Ga.

Youth Assembly

Age Assemblies/Assemblies Risk Manager

Logistics Committee Leader

Preschool Assembly

Worship Chairperson

Sessions Leader

Workshops Planning

Program Committee Leader

General Assembly Hotels

State Representative

Worship Team

Age Assemblies Leader

General Assembly Coach

Meeting Planner

Guidebook Editor/ Media Relations

CBF Communications Manager Decatur, Ga. Workshops Chairperson

Local Arrangements Co-Chair

Local Arrangements Co-Chair

General Assembly Promotions

Jill Jenkins

Children’s Assembly Retired Children’s Pastor, Johns Creek Baptist Church Gainesville, Ga.

Kasey Jones CBF Moderator

Pastor, National Baptist Memorial Church Washington, D.C.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS As with any large event, an extensive cast of talented individuals and cohesive teams are needed to make the CBF General Assembly a success. In addition to the CBF staff, we would like to thank the following chairpersons: Charles and Judy Yarbrough, Doug Haney, Mark Wingfield, Jeff Hampton, Max Post and Chris and Tom Shelby. Each always went above what was asked of them and their respective teams. Our partners also deserve a heartfelt thank you: CBF of Texas, Freeman Decorating, Production Resource Group, Meetings on Cue, S. Stewart and Associates and our parliamentarian, Bart Tichenor. And to our friends at the Hyatt Regency, thank you for your gracious hospitality.

GOVERNING BOARD Kasey Jones

Matt Cook

Moderator

Moderator-Elect

Senior Pastor National Baptist Memorial Church Washington, D.C.

Pastor First Baptist Church Wilmington, N.C.

Bill McConnell

Jason Coker

Past Moderator

Recorder

Partner Rogers & Morgan, Inc. Knoxville, Tenn.

Pastor Wilton Baptist Church Wilton, Conn.

Camille Allen Snyder

Paul Baxley

Recruiting Director Allen Financial Group Jackson, Miss.

Senior Minister First Baptist Church Athens, Ga.

Daniel Carro

Gary Dollar

Professor of Divinity John Leland Center for Theological Studies Falls Church,Va.

Partner EMD Consulting Group Edwardsville, Ill.

Doug Dortch

Charles Fuller

Senior Minister Mountain Brook Baptist Church Birmingham, Ala.

Minister for Congregational Life Second Baptist Church Little Rock, Ark.

Steve Little

Wayne Patterson

Attorney Little and Lattimore P.A. Marion, N.C.

Professor Emeritus Clemson University Clemson, S.C.

Steve Wells

Jean Willingham

Pastor South Main Baptist Church Houston, Texas

Real Estate Investor/Broker St. Petersburg, Fla.

Patricia Wilson

Joy Yee

Professor of Law Baylor University Waco, Texas

Senior Pastor Nineteenth Avenue Baptist Church San Francisco, Calif.

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NOMINATING COMMITTEE Valerie Burton

Josh Hunt

Chair

Chair-Elect

Minister for Christian Formation Baptist Church of the Covenant Birmingham, Ala.

Associate Pastor First Baptist Church Anderson, S.C.

Chris Aho

Bill McConnell

Recorder

Past Moderator

Pastor Oxford Baptist Church Oxford, N.C.

Partner Rogers & Morgan, Inc. Knoxville, Tenn.

Ruth Cuellar

John Daugherty

Pastor Iglesia Bautista El Buen Pastor Newnan, Ga.

Pastor CityGate Ministries Fort Myers, Fla.

Jason Edwards

Anne Vestal England

Senior Pastor Second Baptist Church Liberty, Mo.

Minister of Youth Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church Jacksonville, Fla.

Susan Fendley

Bruce Gourley

Attorney (retired) Knoxville, Tenn.

Executive Director The Baptist History & Heritage Society Manhattan, Mont.

Christopher Ingram

Christopher Mack

Senior Pastor Yates Baptist Church Durham, N.C.

Minister of Young Adults Trinity Baptist Church San Antonio, Texas

Stacey Nowell

Susan Reed

Senior Pastor First Baptist Church Huntersville, N.C

Associate Pastor Broadway Baptist Church Louisville, Ky.

Tamara Tillman Smathers Minister of Education/ Administration First Baptist Church Rome, Ga.

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James Touchton Chaplain Ithaca College Ithaca, N.Y.

MINISTRIES COUNCIL Michael Cheuk

Emily Hull McGee

Senior Minister University Baptist Church Charlottesville,Va.

Senior Pastor First Baptist Church on Fifth Winston-Salem, N.C.

Minister of Christian Formation First Baptist Church Asheville, N.C.

Greg Dover

Leonard Ezell

Jillian Farmer

Dixie Ford

Exter Hardy

Cynthia Insko

Shaun King

Griff Martin

Christina Perkins

Thomas Quisenberry

Brittany Riddle

Bob Searl

Paul Soley

Kat Spangler

Leta Tillman

Chair

Pastor Augusta Heights Baptist Church Greenville, S.C.

Minister of Worship and Families Crosscreek Baptist Church Pelham, Ala.

Pastor Johns Creek Baptist Church Alpharetta, Ga.

Pastor First Baptist Church Chattanooga, Tenn.

Vice President, Real Estate Services, Dwellworks Property Advisors, LLC Wilton, Conn.

Chair-Elect

Pastor Northwest Baptist Church Ardmore, Okla.

Pastor Pole Line Road Baptist Davis, Calif.

Co-Pastor University Baptist Church Baton Rouge, La.

Minister to Adults Vinton Baptist Church Vinton,Va.

Associate Minister University Baptist Church Hattiesburg, Miss.

Tommy Bratton

Minister to Youth Kirkwood Baptist Church St. Louis, Mo.

Children’s Minister First Baptist Church Frankfort, Ky.

Associate Pastor University Baptist Church Baltimore, Md.

Pastor North Stuart Baptist Church North Stuart, Fla.

Professor (retired) Hardin-Simmons University Fort Worth, Texas

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MISSIONS COUNCIL Mike Oliver

Alan Sherouse

Mimi Walker

Senior Pastor Trinity Baptist Church Madison, Ala.

Senior Pastor First Baptist Church Greensboro, N.C.

Pastor Druid Hills Baptist Church Atlanta, Ga.

Allen Clark

Christy Edwards

Second Baptist Church Liberty, Mo.

Frances Ford

Retired First Baptist Church Leland, Miss.

Beverly Greer

Daniel Johnson

Rickey Letson

Jeremy Lewis

Alice Mull

Caleb Oladipo

RubĂŠn Ortiz

Alan Rudnick

Amy Wilkins

Chair

Retired Belton, S.C.

Group Facilitation - Urban Agriculture Clarkston Development Foundation Clarkston, Ga.

Pastor La Primera Iglesia Bautista HispaĂąa Deltona, Fla.

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Chair-Elect

Associate Minister of Students and Missions Second Baptist Church Memphis, Tenn.

Laity Living Faith Fellowship Elizabethtown, Ky.

Pastor First Baptist Church Ballston Spa, N.Y.

Past Chair

Executive Director Sowing Seeds of Hope Perry County, Ala.

Senior Pastor First Baptist Church Laurens, S.C.

Professor of Christian Mission and World Christianity Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond Richmond,Va.

Missions Minister Valley Ranch Baptist Church Coppell, Texas

STATE AND REGIONAL LEADERS Alabama

Louisiana

Northeast

Terri Byrd www.alabamacbf.org

Mike Massar (interim) www.cbfla.org

Phyllis Boozer www.tinyurl.com/ BFNortheast

Arkansas

Mid-Atlantic

Oklahoma/Kansas

Ray Higgins www.cbfar.org

Trisha Miller Manarin www.tinyurl.com/ CBFMidAtlantic

Steve Graham www.cbfok.org

Florida

Mississippi

South Carolina

Ray Johnson www.floridacbf.org

Christian Byrd www.cbfms.org

Jay Keive www.cbfofsc.org

Georgia

North Carolina

Tennessee

Frank Broome www.cbfga.org

Larry Hovis www.cbfnc.org

Terry Maples www.tncbf.org

Heartland

Texas

Harold A. Phillips www.cbfheartland.org

Rick McClatchy www.cbf.net/texas

North Central Kentucky

Jim and Susan Crumpler jcrumpman1@mac.com

Chris Sanders (interim) www.kybf.org

Virginia Rob Fox www.cbfva.org

West Glen Foster www.cbfwest.org

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CBF STAFF Alyssa Aldape

Chris Boltin

Ron Fairley

Global Missions Assistant 770-220-1688 aaldape@cbf.net

Patnerships Manager 770-220-1607 cboltin@cbf.net

Associate Coordinator of Projects and Services 770-220-1665 rfairley@cbf.net

Doretha Bailey

Tere Canzoneri

Grace Powell Freeman

Human Resources Manager 770-220-1608 dbailey@cbf.net

Member Care Specialist 770-220-1674 tcanzoneri@cbf.net

Director of Global Missions Operations 770-220-1614 gpfreeman@cbf.net

Michelle Ballard

Ryan Clark

Jennifer Graham

Young Baptist Ecosystem Assistant 770-220-1615 mballard@cbf.net

Global Missions Church Engagement Manager 770-220-1611 rclark@cbf.net

CBF Foundation Vice President 770-220-1662 jgraham@cbff.org

Carmen Beard

Patterson Coates

Andy Hale

Data Administration Manager 770-220-1651 cbeard@cbf.net

Church Benefits Assistant Manager 770-220-1672 pcoates@churchbenefits.org

Church Starts Specialist 770-220-1600 ahale@cbf.net

Ryan Berlin

Phillip Harris Davis

Becky Buice Hall

CBF Foundation Associate Vice President 770-220-1663 rberlin@cbff.org

Global Missions Assistant 770-220-1667 pdavis@cbf.net

Global Missions Finance and Administration Specialist 770-220-1624 bbhall@cbf.net

John Mark Boes

Tommy Deal

Joy Hammond

Ministries Assistant 770-220-1625 jboes@cbf.net

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U.S. Disaster Response Director 706-313-5066 tdeal@cbf.net

Front Desk Associate 770-220-1600 jhammond@cbf.net

Jeff Huett

Ruth Perkins Lee

Alysia Pennington

Associate Coordinator of Communications and Advancement 770-220-1683 jhuett@cbf.net

Director of Ministries 770-220-1675 rperkinslee@cbf.net

Assistant Controller* 770-220-1690 apennington@cbf.net

Tawanda Hughes

Carrie McGuffin

Travis Peterson

Accounts Payable Associate 770-220-1632 thughes@cbf.net

Luzzola R. Hunt Accounting Manager* 770-220-1657 lhunt@cbf.net

Assistant Communications Specialist 770-220-1639 cmcguffin@cbf.net

Graphic Design Specialist 770-220-1653 tpeterson@cbf.net

Tangie McKinley

Steven Porter

Project Manager 770-220-1677 tmckinley@cbf.net

Coordinator of Global Missions 770-220-1602 sporter@cbf.net

Bruce Minett

Bo Prosser

Director of Development 770-220-1630 bminett@cbf.net

Coordinator of Organizational Relationships 770-220-1631 bprosser@cbf.net

Ben Neal

Harry Rowland

Chaplaincy and Pastoral Counseling Assistant 770-220-1654 bneal@cbf.net

Director of Missional Congregations 770-220-1604 hrowland@cbf.net

Craig Janney

Devita Parnell

Congregational Reference and Referral Specialist 770-220-1635 cjanney@cbf.net

Young Baptist Ecosystem Manager 770-220-1619 dparnell@cbf.net

Stephen Reeves

Wanda Kidd

Suzii Paynter

Taisha Seabolt

Executive Coordinator 770-220-1601 spaynter@cbf.net

Global Missions Personnel Selection and Training Assistant Manager 770-220-1600 tseabolt@cbf.net

Gerry Hutchinson Endorser for Chaplains and Pastoral Counselors 770-220-1612 ghutchinson@cbf.net

Lori J. IronsCrenshaw Global Missions Personnel Selection and Training Manager 770-220-1682 lcrenshaw@cbf.net

CBF Collegiate Initiative Manager 770-220-1600 wkidd@cbf.net

Associate Coordinator of Partnerships and Advocacy 770-220-1606 sreeves@cbf.net

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Laura SejudMcConnell

Meagan Smith

Stephanie Vance

Ministries Assistant 770-220-1603 msmith@cbf.net

Together for Hope Manager 770-220-1600 svance@cbf.net

Christa Sfameni

Josh Speight

Aaron Weaver

Development Specialist 770-220-1640 csfameni@cbf.net

Missional Congregations Resources Manager 770-220-1637 jspeight@cbf.net

Communications Manager 770-220-1610 aweaver@cbf.net

Gary Skeen

Adam Stovall

Victoria Whatley

Church Benefits Board President 770-220-1621 gskeen@churchbenefits.org

Director of Finance* 770-220-1655 astovall@cbf.net

Church Benefits Manager 770-220-1638 vwhatley@churchbenefits.org

Jim A. Smith

Judy Strawn

Rebecca White

Director of Global Field Ministries 770-220-1618 jsmith@cbf.net

Global Missions Assistant 770-220-1628 jgstrawn@cbf.net

Global Missions Finance Assistant 770-220-1633 rwhite@cbf.net

James R. Smith

Jamie Strom

Betsy Young

CBF Foundation President 770-220-1622 jrsmith@cbff.org

Cash Application Associate 770-220-1636 jstrom@cbf.net

Ministries Assistant 770-220-1605 byoung@cbf.net

Executive Coordinator Associate 770-220-1623 lsejud-mcconnell@cbf.net

Candice Young Marketing Manager 770-220-1648 cyoung@cbf.net

* Interim

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Constitution The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is a nonprofit organization of Baptist Christians and churches. As a fellowship, we celebrate our faith in the One Triune God. We gladly declare our allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord and to His gospel as we seek to be the continuing presence of Christ in this world. Our mission is to obey the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:3440) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) of our Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit, and to uphold Baptist principles of faith and practices as we partner with one another and other Christians.

ARTICLE 1. NAME The name of this organization is “Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Inc.”

ARTICLE 2. PURPOSE The purpose of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (hereinafter “the Fellowship”) is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.

The Fellowship shall fulfill its purpose in keeping with its commitments to the historic Baptist principles of soul freedom, Bible freedom, church freedom, and religious freedom; to biblically-based global missions; to a resource model for serving churches; to justice and reconciliation; to lifelong learning and ministry; to trustworthiness; and to effectiveness.

ARTICLE 3. MEMBERSHIP The members of the Fellowship shall be Baptist churches and the members thereof and individual Baptists, as set forth in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE 4. MEETINGS The Fellowship shall meet annually in General Assembly, as set forth in the Bylaws.

ARTICLE 5. REPRESENTATION

Fellowship’s membership. Consideration shall be given to, but not limited to, the following factors: clergy, laity, gender, race/ ethnicity, age, and geographical place of residence.

ARTICLE 6. GOVERNING BOARD A. Authority Except to the extent that certain rights are reserved to the members of the Fellowship by this Constitution and the Bylaws, the affairs of the Fellowship shall be managed under the direction and authority of a board of directors that shall be known as the Governing Board, which shall have the legal and fiduciary responsibility for the Fellowship, and shall provide fiscal and legal oversight to the Fellowship. The Governing Board shall have the authority to conduct the business of the Fellowship, as more fully set forth in the Bylaws.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Governing Board shall not alter actions of the General Assembly, except to alter the budget if the Governing Board finds such action necessary to maintain the financial integrity of the Fellowship, or to remove a member of the Governing Board, the Missions Council, or the Ministries Council, as more fully set forth in the Bylaws.

B. Composition The Governing Board shall consist of 16 members, including the Moderator-Elect, Moderator, the immediate Past Moderator, and the Recorder.

C. Nomination and Election The members of the Governing Board shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee and elected by the General Assembly, as more fully set forth in the Bylaws.

D. Term and Term Limits of Non-Officers 1. The members of the Governing Board shall be elected for terms of three years in duration, with approximately one-third of the terms expiring at the conclusion of each fiscal year.

2. A Board member may be elected to a second consecutive term. At the conclusion of a second term, a Board member must rotate off the Board for a least one (1) year before he or she is eligible for re-election to the Governing Board. A Board member who is completing an unexpired term of less than two (2) years may then be elected to his or her first full term without a break in service.

In the nomination and election of officers and in all nominations, elections, and appointments to the Governing Board, the Nominating Committee, the Ministries Council, the Missions Council, and other committees or subgroups, a balance shall be sought that reflects the diversity of the ASSEMBLY 2015 GUIDEBOOK

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CONSTITUTION

PREAMBLE

ARTICLE 7. NOMINATING COMMITTEE A. Authority The Nominating Committee shall have the authority to nominate members of the Governing Board, the Missions Council, and the Ministries Council for approval by the General Assembly; the authority to nominate the Moderatorelect and the Chair-Elect of the Nominating Committee for approval by the General Assembly; and the authority to recommend for approval by the General Assembly any persons needed to fill unexpired terms on the Governing Board, the Missions Council, and the Ministries Council, as set forth in the Bylaws.

B. Composition The Nominating Committee shall consist of 16 members, including the immediate Past Moderator, who shall serve as an ex-officio, voting member of the Nominating Committee.

C. Nomination and Election The members of the Nominating Committee shall be nominated and elected as set forth in the Bylaws.

D. Term With the exception of the immediate Past Moderator, the members of the Nominating Committee shall be elected for terms of three years in duration, with approximately one-third of the terms expiring at the conclusion of each fiscal year. A member may be re-elected to the Nominating Committee after a one (1) year break in service. A committee member who is completing an unexpired term of less than two (2) years may be elected to serve a full term without a break in service.

The immediate Past Moderator shall serve for a one year term.

ARTICLE 8. MISSIONS COUNCIL A. Function The Missions Council shall exist as an advisory council to the Governing Board to provide vision, strategy, education, and sustainability to the Fellowship’s missions enterprise in accordance with policies set by the Governing Board.

B. Composition The Missions Council shall consist of both voting members and non-voting ex officio members. The voting Members shall include a chair, chair-elect, the immediate past chair, and twelve (12) individuals who have been identified as leaders in missions-related activities. Non-voting, ex officio members shall include the Coordinator of Global Missions or his or her designee and the Fellowship’s Executive Coordinator or his or her designee.

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C. Nomination and Election The voting members of the Missions Council shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee and elected by the General Assembly, as more fully set forth in the Bylaws.

D. Term The voting members of the Missions Council shall serve for three-year terms and may be re-elected to the Missions Council after a one (1) year break in service. However, a Missions Council member’s election to chair-elect will extend his or her term until the end of the year such individual serves in the role of immediate past chair. A council member who is completing an unexpired term of less than two (2) years may be elected to serve a full term without a break in service.

ARTICLE 9. MINISTRIES COUNCIL A. Function The Ministries Council shall exist as an advisory council to the Governing Board to collaborate with individuals from throughout the Fellowship to identify, develop, and deploy the assets of the Fellowship community and to empower shared ministry networks in accordance with policies set by the Governing Board.

B. Composition The Ministries Council shall consist of both voting members and non-voting ex officio members. The voting Members shall include a chair, chair-elect, the immediate past chair, and one member of each state or regional organization of the Fellowship. Non-voting, ex officio members shall include the Coordinator of CBF Ministry Networks or his or her designee, the Fellowship’s Executive Coordinator or his or her designee, the Coordinator (or equivalent) of each state or regional organization, a representative from the CBF Consortium of Theological Schools, a representative of each partner included in the Fellowship’s funding plan, and a representative of the CBF-endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors.

C. Nomination and Election The voting members of the Ministries Council shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee and elected by the General Assembly, as more fully set forth in the Bylaws.

D. Term The voting members of the Ministries Council shall serve for three-year terms and may be re-elected to the Ministries Council after a one (1) year break in service. However, a Ministries Council member’s election to chair-elect will extend his or her term until the end of the year such individual serves in the role of immediate past chair. A council member who is completing an unexpired term of less than two (2) years may be elected to serve a full term without a break in service.

ARTICLE 10. OFFICERS A. Officers and responsibility The officers of the Fellowship and of the Governing Board shall be the Moderator, Moderator-Elect, Recorder, and the immediate Past Moderator. For purposes of corporate law, the Moderator shall be the President, the Moderator-Elect shall be the Vice President, and the Recorder shall be the SecretaryTreasurer.

B.

Duties 1. The Moderator shall preside at meetings of the General Assembly, shall serve as chair of the Governing Board, and shall be an ex-officio member of all Governing Board subgroups.

2. The Moderator-Elect shall perform the duties of the Moderator in the absence of the Moderator.

3. The Recorder shall maintain minutes of the meetings of the General Assembly and of the Governing Board.

C. Nomination Election The officers shall be elected by the General Assembly. The Nominating Committee shall present nominations for the Moderator-Elect. The Governing Board shall present its nomination for the Recorder. Additional nominations may be made from the floor of the General Assembly, provided that any such nominees must have given their consent prior to nomination.

D. Officer Succession The Moderator-Elect shall succeed to the office of Moderator at the conclusion of the Moderator’s term of office or in the event of the resignation or removal of the Moderator. The Moderator shall succeed to the office of Immediate Past Moderator at the conclusion of the Moderator’s term of office.

F. Moderator’s Term of Office The Moderator shall serve a one-year term as Moderator except that if the Moderator-Elect serves part of an uncompleted term of the Moderator, the Moderator-Elect may serve the succeeding full term.

G. Recorder’s Term Limit The Recorder may serve up to three (3) consecutive one-year terms as Recorder.

H. Immediate Past Moderator’s Term Limit An individual who serves as the Immediate Past Moderator must rotate off of the Board for a least one (1) year at the conclusion of his or her term as Immediate Past Moderator before becoming eligible for re-election to the Governing Board.

ARTICLE 11. AMENDMENT This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of Fellowship members present and voting at a business session of the General Assembly, provided that the proposed amendment shall have been submitted in writing to the Governing Board thirty (30) calendar days prior to the first day of the Governing Board meeting immediately preceding the meeting of the General Assembly and made available to Fellowship members attending [the meeting of] the General Assembly at least one (1) business session prior to voting on the amendment.

ARTICLE 12. REVIEW The Governing Board shall review the Constitution in all years ending with the digits zero (0) and five (5) (e.g., 2015, 2020, 2025, and so on) for the purpose of reconciling the Constitution to changes in and growth of the Fellowship.

E. Officers’ Terms on the Governing Board A Board member who is elected to serve as Moderator-Elect shall commence a new three-year term on the Governing Board upon his or her election. A member who is elected to serve as Recorder shall vacate his or her term as a Governing Board member and shall commence a new one-year term.

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Bylaws 1.

Definitions a. The Fellowship shall refer to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Inc. b. The Executive Coordinator shall refer to the individual charged with serving as the chief executive officer of the Fellowship. c. The Coordinator of Global Missions shall refer to the individual charged with primary responsibility for managing and coordinating the missions work of the Fellowship or his or her successor. d. The Coordinator of CBF Ministry Networks shall refer to the individual charged with primary responsibility for managing and coordinating the Fellowship’s ministries initiatives or his or her successor.

2.

Membership a. Members of the Fellowship shall be Baptist churches and the members thereof who contribute annually to the ministries and operations of the Fellowship; Baptist churches and the members thereof who have chosen to formally identify with the Fellowship by outlining in writing the details of their partnership with the Fellowship; and individual Baptists who contribute annually to the ministries and operations of the Fellowship. All members with the exception of churches shall be entitled to vote at meetings of the General Assembly. b. Only individuals who are members of the Fellowship are eligible to serve on the Governing Board and the Nominating Committee. Only individuals who are members of the Fellowship are eligible to serve as voting members of the Missions Council and Ministries Council.

3.

Meetings of the Fellowship a. Annual Meetings. The Fellowship shall meet annually in General Assembly for worship, inspiration, education, fellowship, and business at a time and place fixed by the Governing Board. The Governing Board shall give public notice of the time and place of each meeting at least six (6) months prior to the first day of the meeting. b. Special Meetings. The Governing Board by a twothirds vote may call special meetings of the General Assembly upon giving thirty (30) calendar days public notice and shall state the purpose of the meeting in the public notice.

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4.

Resolutions a. No motion in the form of a resolution, policy statement, communication, or other statement of position on issues including, but not limited to, moral, ethical, theological, doctrinal, political, or public policy shall be introduced from the floor in a business session at a meeting of the General Assembly. b. A member of the Fellowship may present a written motion described in paragraph (a) of this Section to the Governing Board for referral to the appropriate sub-group of the Governing Board for consideration.

If approved by a three-fourths vote of the membership of said sub-group in the form received by it, or as amended by it, the motion shall be referred to the Governing Board. If the motion is approved by a three-fourths vote of the membership of the Governing Board in the form received by it, or as amended by it, the motion shall be referred to the General Assembly.

The motion shall require a three-fourths vote of the members of the General Assembly present and voting in business session to be approved.

5. Quorums a. General Assembly. Two hundred (200) members of the Fellowship attending a business session at a meeting of the General Assembly shall constitute a quorum for that business session. b. Board, Committee, and Councils. A majority of the membership of the Governing Board, Nominating Committee, Missions Council, and Ministries Council shall constitute a quorum.

6. Governing Board a. Responsibility and Authority As the board of directors of the Fellowship, the Governing Board shall have the following responsibilities and the authority to carry out such responsibilities: 1. To organize itself in ways that most effectively support the Mission Statement of the Fellowship.

This includes the authority to create, alter, or abolish Governing Board sub-groups, except that the Governing Board shall continuously maintain a Personnel Committee and Finance Committee to provide oversight on personnel and finance matters.

2. To provide fiscal and legal oversight to the Fellowship.

3. To recommend an annual budget for adoption by the General Assembly.

4. To provide fiscal oversight regarding the administration of the finances of the Fellowship and to alter the budget of the Fellowship but only as necessary to maintain the financial integrity of the Fellowship.

5. To employ and to terminate the Executive Coordinator and to provide supervision of the Executive Coordinator, provided that the Executive Coordinator shall have authority to employ and terminate employees of the Fellowship and to delegate their employment and termination to other members of the Fellowship staff.

6. To work with the Executive Coordinator to set strategic vision for the organization.

7. To conduct an annual evaluation of the work of the Fellowship in conjunction with the annual performance appraisal of the Executive Coordinator.

8. To develop policies which guide the Fellowship, including but not limited to finance, personnel, and conflict of interest policies.

9. To develop the policies which guide the practice of the Missions and Ministries Councils and to provide oversight for and receive reports from the Missions and Ministries Councils, including providing feedback for the Councils regarding their fulfilling the mission of the Fellowship.

10. To serve a leadership role within the Fellowship with state/regional organizations, partners, and congregations.

11. To enter into cooperative agreements regarding state/regional and congregational giving plans and to periodically review such agreements, provided that such agreements shall be reviewed no less frequently than every three years.

12. To recommend for approval by the General Assembly individuals to serve on the Nominating Committee by submitting a slate of names that consists of two individuals submitted by the Ministries Council, two individuals submitted by the Missions Council, and one individual recommended by the Governing Board.

13. To recommend for approval by the General Assembly an individual from among the current members of the Governing Board to serve as the Recorder.

14. To plan and coordinate meetings of the General Assembly.

15. To receive nominations from the Nominating Committee for the Moderator-Elect and members of the Governing Board, and Missions Council, and Ministries Council, and to present such nominations to the General Assembly for approval.

16. To serve as the forum for developing and executing cooperative agreements between the Fellowship, state/regional CBF bodies, and partner entities.

17. To designate, as necessary, an individual to serve as acting Moderator-Elect, acting Moderator, or acting Immediate Past Moderator, provided that such designation shall not extend past the next meeting of the General Assembly.

18. To take such other actions as reasonably necessary to implement the directives of the General Assembly and to otherwise conduct the business of the Fellowship. b. Regular Meetings 1. The Governing Board shall meet at such times and places and in such manner as it shall determine.

2. Meetings of the Governing Board shall be called by the Moderator, or by the Moderator-Elect in the absence of the Moderator, or by a majority of the Governing Board.

3. Written notice of each Governing Board meeting shall be given to Governing Board members at least fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the first day of the meeting. c. Emergency Meetings Emergency meetings may be called by the Moderator or a majority of the Governing Board. Persons authorized to call emergency meetings shall provide at least five (5) calendar days written notice of the time and location of such meetings and state the purpose thereof, and no other matter shall be considered by the Governing Board at such emergency meeting except upon unanimous vote of Governing Board members present. d. Waiver of Notice Attendance by a Governing Board member at any meeting for which the member did not receive the required notice will constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting unless the member objects at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of business on the grounds that the meeting was not lawfully called or convened. e. Removal Any member may be removed without cause, at any time, by a two-thirds vote of the entire Governing Board at a meeting called for that purpose. Any member under consideration of removal must be notified about the consideration by written notice at least fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting at which the vote takes place.

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7.

Nominating Committee a. Responsibility The Nominating Committee shall have the responsibility to recommend for approval by the General Assembly the following each year: 1. One member of the Fellowship to serve as the Moderator-Elect, who shall commence a new three-year term on the Governing Board upon approval by the General Assembly.

2. Four (4) individuals to commence new terms on the Governing Board, plus one additional individual to complete the unexpired term, if any, of the individual selected to be the ModeratorElect and one individual to complete the unexpired term, if any, of the individual selected to be the Recorder.

3. Four (4) individuals to commence new terms on the Missions Council.

4. Individuals to commence new terms on the Ministries Council, as needed from each of the state and regional organizations.

5. An individual to serve as the Chair-Elect of the Nominating Committee.

6. Individuals, as necessary, to fill any vacancies on the Governing Board, Missions Council, and Ministries Council. b. Meetings 1. The Nominating Committee shall meet at such times and places and in such manner as it shall determine.

2. Meetings of the Nominating Committee shall be called by the Chair, or by the Chair-Elect in the absence of the Chair, or by a majority of the Governing Board.

3. Written notice of each Nominating Committee meeting shall be given to Nominating Committee members at least fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the first day of the meeting. Attendance by a Nominating Committee member at any meeting for which the member did not receive the required notice will constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting unless the member objects at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of business on the grounds that the meeting was not lawfully called or convened.

c. Removal Any Nominating Committee member may be removed without cause, at any time, by a two-thirds vote of the entire Nominating Committee at a meeting called for that purpose. Any member under consideration of removal must be notified about the consideration by written notice at least fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting at which the vote takes place.

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8.

Missions Council a. Responsibility As an advisory council to the Governing Board, the Missions Council shall have the following responsibilities: 1. To recommend vision and direction for the Fellowship’s global missions.

2. To consider best practices for mission engagement and work together with the Fellowship staff to implement these practices.

3. To work with the Fellowship staff to ensure that CBF Global Missions or its successor is focused on the most strategic places and people groups around the world for field personnel assignments.

4. To encourage the most effective and sustainable partnerships with congregations for commissioning, training, and supporting global field personnel.

5. To serve as the forum for developing cooperative agreements between the Fellowship and congregations and missions sending organizations to sustain a vital Global Missions field personnel presence globally and to encourage the engagement of congregations in global missions.

6. To work with Fellowship staff to ensure the future of the CBF community by forming networks that nurture future missions leaders (lay and clergy), that engage young leaders in the decision making bodies of the CBF community, that start new churches and missional communities, and that increase the numbers of churches in our fellowship.

7. To establish priorities for funding missions, including the Offering for Global Missions, that will be recommended to the Governing Board.

8. To recommend communication priorities about missions, global and local, within the Fellowship community.

9. To undertake such other tasks as referred to the Council by the Governing Board.

10. To establish committees, teams, task forces as needed, to accomplish the work of the Council.

11. To submit to the Governing Board the names of individuals to make up the slate of individuals to be recommended by the Governing Board for service on the Nominating Committee. b. Meetings 1. The Missions Council shall meet at such times and places and in such manner as it shall determine.

2. Meetings of the Missions Council shall be called by the Chair, or by the Chair-Elect in the absence of the Chair, or by a majority of the Missions Council.

3. Written notice of each Missions Council meeting shall be given to Missions Council members at least fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the first day

of the meeting. Attendance by a Missions Council member at any meeting for which the member did not receive the required notice will constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting unless the member objects at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of business on the grounds that the meeting was not lawfully called or convened. c. Removal.

Any Missions Council member may be removed without cause, at any time, upon a recommendation to the Governing Board by two-thirds of the voting members of the Missions Council taken at a meeting called for that purpose that is approved by a two-thirds vote of the Governing Board at a regular meeting or a meeting called for that purpose. Any member under consideration of removal must be notified about the consideration by written notice at least fifteen (15) days prior to the Missions Council meeting at which the vote on the recommendation takes place and written notice at least fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting of the Governing Board at which the vote will take place.

9.

Ministries Council a. Responsibility As an advisory council to the Governing Board, the Ministries Council shall have the following responsibilities: 1. To identify needs of congregations and the CBF community to be resourced collaboratively.

2. To identify assets that reside in the various areas of the CBF community that can be deployed for collaborative ministries.

3. To develop and coordinate ministry networks as a primary way of resourcing congregations and the CBF community.

4. To ensure the future of the CBF community by forming networks that nurture future leaders, both lay and clergy; encouraging the involvement of young leaders in the decision making bodies of the CBF community; starting new churches and missional communities; and involving increasing numbers of churches in the CBF community.

5. To develop and refine communication efforts between and among ministry networks and across the CBF community that will strengthen collaboration and resourcing.

6. To establish committees, teams, task forces as needed, to accomplish the work of the council.

7. To submit to the Governing Board the names of individuals to make up the slate of individuals to be recommended by the Governing Board for service on the Nominating Committee.

8. To serve as the forum for developing cooperative agreements between the Fellowship, congregations, networks, and other ministry bodies to sustain collaboration of ministry resources.

b. Meetings 1. The Ministries Council shall meet at such times and places as it shall determine.

2. Meetings of the Ministries Council shall be called by the Chair, or by the Chair-Elect in the absence of the Chair, or by a majority of the Ministries Council.

3. Written notice of each Ministries Council meeting shall be given to Ministries Council members at least fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the first day of the meeting. Attendance by a Ministries Council member at any meeting for which the member did not receive the required notice will constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting unless the member objects at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of business on the grounds that the meeting was not lawfully called or convened. c. Removal Any Ministries Council member may be removed without cause, at any time, upon a recommendation to the Governing Board by two-thirds of the voting members of the Ministries Council taken at a meeting called for that purpose that is approved by a two-thirds vote of the Governing Board at a regular meeting or a meeting called for that purpose. Any member under consideration of removal must be notified about the consideration by written notice at least fifteen (15) days prior to the Ministries Council meeting at which the vote on the recommendation takes place and written notice at least fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting of the Governing Board at which the vote will take place.

10.

Meetings a. Open Meetings. All meetings of the Fellowship, the Governing Board, the Missions Council, the Ministries Council, and any sub-group of the Governing Board, with the exception of the Personnel Committee, shall be open to any member of the Fellowship. However, a meeting pertaining to legal matters, contracts, or personnel matters shall be open only to those admitted by the group which is meeting. b. Nominating Committee Meetings. Meetings of the Nominating Committee shall be closed to all except members of the Committee unless a majority of the Committee votes to open the meeting generally or to specified individuals. c. Proxy Voting. Proxy voting is not permitted. d. Unless otherwise restricted by these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Governing Board, Nominating Committee, Missions Council, or Ministries Council, or of any subgroups thereof may be taken without a meeting if two-thirds (2/3) of the voting members of the Board, Committee, or Council, as the case may be, consent thereto in ASSEMBLY 2015 GUIDEBOOK

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writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing, writings, electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board, Committee, or Council. e. Unless otherwise restricted by these Bylaws, members of the Governing Board, Nominating Committee, Missions Council, or Ministries Council, or of any subgroups thereof may participate in a meeting of the respective Board, Committee, or Council, as the case may be, by means of conference telephone, video conference, or other means of communication by which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

11.

Parliamentary Authority The rules contained in the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Fellowship in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws, the Fellowship’s Constitution, and any special rules of order the Fellowship may adopt.

12.

Conflict of Interest No employee of the Fellowship shall serve as a member of the Governing Board or the Nominating Committee.

Any member of the Governing Board, Nominating Committee, Missions Council, or the Ministries Council with a conflict of interest shall disclose that fact to the relevant Board, Council, or Committee prior to a vote being taken and shall not vote on such matter. A conflict of interest exists when a member has any personal or financial interest which may interfere with the member’s ability to vote on a matter solely on the basis of the best interests of the Fellowship.

13.

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Indemnification a. Governing Board Same as Board of Directors. For purposes of this Article, Governing Board members shall be directors, and the Governing Board shall be the Board of Directors. b. General provision. The Fellowship shall indemnify its officers and directors for those amounts authorized

by Title 14, Chapter 3, Article 8, Part 5 of the Code of Georgia; provided, however, indemnification shall only be made upon compliance with the requirements of such statutory provisions and only in those circumstances in which indemnification is authorized under those provisions. c. Insurance. The Fellowship may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of those persons for whom it is entitled to purchase and maintain said insurance under Code of Georgia, Section 14-3-857 against any liability asserted against such persons and incurred by such persons in any capacity as described in said statutory provision, or arising out of such persons’ status as described in said statutory provision, whether or not

the Fellowship would have the power to indemnify such persons against such liability under the laws of the State of Georgia. d. Reimbursement. The Fellowship may pay for or reimburse the reasonable expenses incurred by a director who is a party to a proceeding provided for hereunder in advance of a final disposition of the proceeding if the director submits to the Moderator of the Corporation a written request which complies with the requirements set forth in Georgia Code Section 14-3-853. The Moderator of the Corporation, upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, shall promptly advise the Board of Directors in writing that such director has requested indemnification, and the determination of such director’s entitlement to indemnification shall be made by the Board of Directors within a reasonable time after the receipt of such written request. e. Continuing benefit. The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by or granted pursuant to this Article shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, and administrators of such a person.

14.

Amendment a. In general. The Bylaws may be amended by a twothirds vote of Fellowship members present and voting at a business session of the General Assembly, provided that notice of the proposed amendment shall have been made available to Fellowship members attending the meeting of the General Assembly at least one (1) business session prior to voting on the amendment. All motions from the floor to amend the Bylaws shall be referred to the Legal Affairs Committee. b. By the Governing Board. The Governing Board may amend the Bylaws only to meet legal requirements for incorporation or to maintain tax exempt status by a two-thirds (2/3) vote at a duly called meeting of the Governing Board, provided the proposed amendment shall have been submitted to the members of the Governing Board at least ten (10) calendar days prior to the meeting in which the amendment is to be considered.

15.

Notice.

Unless otherwise prohibited by law, any notice required by these Bylaws may be given by any method reasonably calculated to provide actual notice, including, without limitation, electronic mail.

16.

Review The Governing Board shall review the Bylaws in all years ending with the digits zero (0) and five (5) (e.g. 2015, 2020, 2025, and so on) for the purpose of reconciling them to changes in and growth of the Fellowship.

Business Procedures For recommendations received in advance from the Governing Board and officers or other source and printed on the approved agenda:

BUSINESS SESSION I – THURSDAY, 9:30 A.M. • Each recommendation is presented with supporting information.

• Opportunity is provided for questions, for information or clarification on each recommendation.

• Does the moderator determine that immediate action on the recommendation is prudent?

Yes – Immediate actions is taken on the recommendation.

OR No – The moderator refers the recommendation to a business breakout and announces the time and place for the meeting Thursday morning.

BUSINESS BREAKOUTS – THURSDAY, 1:30-2:30 P.M. • Opportunity for additional information, discussion and presentation of any amendments.

• Proposed amendments coming from a business breakout must be representative of a majority viewpoint of the business breakout participants.

• Amendments are reviewed by the Officers in consultation with the Governing Board Legal Committee and approved as is or modified for presentation at the Friday morning business session.

• If time permits, copies of proposed amendments are distributed at the Friday morning General Session.

BUSINESS SESSION II – FRIDAY, 9:30 A.M. • Each un-amended recommendation is discussed (eight minutes maximum) and voted on.

• Each recommendation amended during a business breakout is presented. The proposed amendment(s) and then the full recommendation are discussed (eight minutes maximum) and voted on.

The Fellowship conducts its business openly and encourages full participation of its members.

Guests are welcome to attend business sessions and business breakouts, but please keep in mind that only CBF members are entitled to vote.

For Motions received from the floor and thus not printed on the approved agenda:

BUSINESS SESSION I – THURSDAY, 9:30 A.M. • Motions must be presented in writing to the past moderator (Bill McConnell) or the parliamentarian (Bart Tichenor) by 10:15 a.m. on Thursday. Each motion must be legible and should include the motion maker’s name and the name of the church, with city and state, of which the maker is a member.

• By the close of the business session, the moderator and the officers in consultation with the Governing Board Legal Committee, assign each motion to an appropriate subgroup of the Governing Board that will host a business breakout. The moderator announces the time and place of each business breakout session.

BUSINESS BREAKOUTS – THURSDAY, 1:30-2:30 P.M. • Opportunity for additional information, discussion and presentation of any amendments.

• Each business breakout determines whether to recommend passage of its motion as presented or in an amended form. Each recommendation must be representative of a majority viewpoint of the participants.

• The Officers in consultation with the Governing Board Legal Committee determine whether to recommend passage of the motion as presented or in an amended form, giving consideration to the deliberations and recommendation of the business breakout.

BUSINESS SESSION II – FRIDAY, 9:30 A.M. • The moderator shall report for each motion the recommendation of the business breakout and the recommendation of the Officers.

• If either group or both groups recommend(s) passage of the motion in its original form or in an amended form, that motion is discussed, allowing for up to three (3) minutes per speaker on a given question. At the close of the time allotted for action on a given motion, a vote is taken in order on all pending questions.

• If neither group recommends passage of a motion in its original form or in an amended form, no further action shall be taken on that motion unless the maker of the motion appeals to the moderator to poll the General Assembly as to his or her desire to have the motion brought to the floor for a discussion and a vote. If the appeal to consider the motion is seconded, a vote will be taken without discussion. The motion then will be considered or set aside in accordance with the vote of the General Assembly.

ASSEMBLY 2015 GUIDEBOOK

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2016 GENERAL ASSEMBLY —

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JUNE 26-30, 2017 — ATLANTA, GA.

DELVIN ATCHISON MDIV ‘08 PASTOR, ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH WACO, TEXAS

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