Generosity Magazine Fall 2020

WAT E R S E D G E A D V I S O R S & M I N I S T R Y S E R V I C E S

Fall 2020

LEADING THE WAY African American pastors are driving Gospel-centered change within their communities in partnership with Oklahoma Baptists. Your giving makes it possible.

NEW NAME, SAME PURPOSE

UNDERSTANDING CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUSTS

ACCOUNTING EQUALS MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY

Ministry finances eating you alive?

Save time and money by trusting WatersEdge with your church’s accounting needs.

AVAILABLE SERVICES:

Basic Accounting

Payroll

Contribution Tracking

GET AN ESTIMATE: WatersEdgeServices.org/accounting Save 10% off your first 12 months if you sign up for WatersEdge Ministry Accounting by the start of your church’s fiscal year.* *Offer ends January 31, 2021.

Save 10% Off YOUR FIRST YEAR*

Inside

A NEW NAME

FUNDING THE FUTURE

It’s not our name but what we do that gives our work meaning. Learn more about our new brand, WatersEdge.

Find out how Village Baptist Church partnered with WatersEdge to create an endowment that will impact generations to come.

SMART GIVING: CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUSTS

BALANCING THE BURDEN

PG. 2

GROWING A GOSPEL COMMUNITY Follow the stories of three Black Oklahoma Baptist pastors as they lead their congregations to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Find out how your giving is providing resources and networking for Gospel-minded churches. PG. 14 ON THE COVER — Pastor David Hooks addresses his congregation at Bryant Avenue Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.

Generosity Fall 2020

Generosity is published biannually by WatersEdge. To subscribe, request a copy or update mailing information, please call 800-949-9988 or email info@WatersEdgeServices.org.

Copyright 2020.

All rights reserved.

Learn how leveraging this powerful charitable tool can provide income and help you support ministry.

PG. 12

PG. 10

Many churches could be doing more, but they’re overwhelmed and under-resourced. Read how Ministry Accounting is bringing relief.

PG. 30

Production Mike Schueler Editor-in-Chief Anna Dellinger Managing Editor Marissa Crowson Visual Editor Jacob Blaze Design Contributors Holly Easttom Sheryl Hash Kristen Karr Christian Sangree

Jeremy Scott Corey White Deborah Young

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Fall 2020

New Name, Same Purpose THE FOUNDATION PREPARES FOR ANOTHER 75 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH A NAME CHANGE TO WATERSEDGE.

By Mike Schueler vice president, marketing & communications

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fter serving and strengthening Oklahoma Baptists for nearly three quarters of a century, The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma has a new name.

Since 1946, the Foundation has inspired generosity and multiplied giving that’s resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars flowing to Kingdom-impacting ministries across the state. Now, the nonprofit Christian financial services organization is laying the groundwork for the next 75 years as it transitions to a new brand: WatersEdge.

“We’ve outgrown our name,” explains WatersEdge CEO Robert Kellogg.

“The word ‘foundation’ is simply too limiting — it doesn’t accurately describe the broad suite of financial services we’re able to provide to individuals, families, churches, ministries

and institutions. Besides, few know what a ‘foundation’ is anymore. It’s a vague word that doesn’t resonate, especially with younger generations.”

The new WatersEdge brand serves as an umbrella for the organization’s two branches — “WatersEdge Advisors” and “WatersEdge Ministry Services” — each focused on one of the two primary groups the nonprofit serves: donors and ministries. WatersEdge Advisors meets the needs of donors, assisting individuals and families with charitable giving solutions that maximize tax advantages and multiply gifts to ministries. These services include estate planning, endowment, donor-advised funds, charitable gift annuities, charitable trusts and other giving solutions.

WatersEdge Ministry Services focuses on the needs of churches and ministries, WatersEdgeServices.org

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providing practical financial solutions that grow resources and minimize the burden of ministry finance. These services include church loans and investments, ministry accounting, asset management, online giving and more.

If the WatersEdge name sounds familiar, it’s because the Foundation has been preparing for this change for more than three years. The transition first became public in January of 2019, when the Foundation moved the majority of its church-focused services to the WatersEdge Ministry Services brand. That success laid the groundwork for the Foundation to transfer the remainder of its services to the WatersEdge Advisors brand in November.

“Our new name may be one of the worst-kept secrets in Oklahoma Baptist life, and that’s intentional,” says Shryln Treadwell, WatersEdge Advisors president. “We have been wrestling with this decision for years.

We’ve explored numerous options, sought counsel from dozens of Oklahoma Baptist leaders, including both donors and pastors across the state, all while covering every step of this process in prayer. It’s not a choice we made lightly, but we know it’s where the Lord is leading us.”

Rebranding isn’t new to Baptist life.

In 1997, the “Foreign Mission Board” changed its name to the International Mission Board, later adopting the acronym IMB. The “Sunday School Board” followed suit in 1998, changing its name to LifeWay Christian Resources. In 2004, the “Annuity Board” rebranded to Guidestone Financial Resources. Closer to home, 4

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the “Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma” became Oklahoma Baptists in late 2019. These changes help organizations respond to growth, meet challenges or explore new opportunities, and mirror the Lord’s practice of changing names to set apart His people for a specific purpose.

“Our move to WatersEdge is no different,” Kellogg says. “For the past 75 years, the Lord’s hand has been on the Foundation. We’ve been blessed with tremendous growth that has allowed us to help Oklahoma Baptists channel hundreds of millions of dollars to advance the Gospel. And now we find ourselves at a crossroads when many Baptist organizations need greater financial support than ever before. We’ve been called to meet that need, we’ve been set apart for that purpose and the WatersEdge name reflects that truth.”

Kellogg stresses that though the Foundation’s name has changed, its commitment to serving and strengthening Oklahoma Baptists hasn’t.

“Our leadership and our staff are the same,” he says. “Our partnership with Oklahoma Baptists and our allegiance to the Southern Baptist Convention remain unchanged.

The only thing that’s changed are the limitations that the Foundation’s name placed on what God is calling us to do.”

“The only thing that’s changed are the limitations that the Foundation’s name placed on what God is calling us to do.”

In addition to offering new services, the WatersEdge brand also opens doors for the Foundation to expand who receives those services, including like-minded ministries and Baptist organizations outside Oklahoma. As one of the largest ministry-based lenders in the Southern Baptist Convention, the Foundation has provided loans to Baptist churches across the country for more than a decade.

“I frequently receive calls from Baptist pastors outside Oklahoma who have heard about our church loan program and want to know if they can apply,” explains Jerry Vaughan, WatersEdge Ministry Services president. “Many mistakenly assume we either can’t help or aren’t willing to

THE STORY BEHIND THE NAME

help because we have ‘Oklahoma’ in our name.

“But I’m grateful I can tell them ‘yes,’ because Oklahoma Baptists are Kingdom-minded people. We want to see the Gospel advance, not only in our state but across the country and around the world. Why do we send Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief teams to states like Texas, Colorado and Louisiana when there is a hurricane, fire, f lood or tornado? Because God’s Kingdom is bigger than Oklahoma. That same truth drives us to serve other Baptist churches and ministries, especially in states where fewer churches mean the state’s Baptist convention isn’t able to offer the same number of services that WatersEdge is blessed to provide to Oklahoma.”

Kellogg points out that expanding the Foundation’s client base out of state also allows the Foundation to improve services within the state.

“Growth means we can continue to lower fees and develop new services, like Ministry Accounting,” he says. “But serving and strengthening Oklahoma Baptists will always be our primary purpose, whether we’re known as the Foundation or WatersEdge.”

To learn more about the Foundation’s new name or how WatersEdge can help you and your church multiply your God-given resources, visit WatersEdgeServices.org.

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hy WatersEdge? It’s a question I anticipate I’ll answer many times in the coming months.

When the Foundation began the rebranding process more than three years ago, we knew we wanted a name rooted in Scripture. There were a lot of ideas tossed around — some good, some not. We even hired consultants and branding experts to help. Everlast, True Vine, Reverent, Upshift, and Invok were among the rejects. The Foundation nearly became “Lamplight,” but despite the obvious spiritual implications, we eventually decided that name wasn’t right, either.

By this point we were frustrated and out of ideas. Then came what I truly believe was divine inspiration. A Foundation staff member suggested the name WatersEdge. She was struck by the many miraculous biblical events that happened at or near the water’s edge, from Moses parting the Red Sea to Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River. But it was the passage of Christ calling His first disciples in Luke 5 that resonated most.

You know the story. After borrowing Simon’s boat to teach a crowd gathered on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus asks him to take the boat into deep water and drop his nets. Simon, who had already spent the night fish-

ing and caught nothing, reluctantly agrees. But this time, when Simon and his partners, James and John, attempt to bring up their nets, they are so full of fish the men’s boats began to sink.

“Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.’ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him.” — Luke 5:10-11 This is the real miracle of this story — not the nets full of fish (which was also certainly miraculous) — but a man’s life so shaken by an encounter with his Savior that he was willing to leave everything at a moment’s notice to follow Him. Jesus called Simon to something radically different, changing not only his eternal but earthly destiny.

It’s that kind of change that drives WatersEdge. Our purpose is to financially empower donors and ministries to transform lives with the Gospel. If the Lord is calling you to make a Kingdom impact through your giving or your ministry, I invite you to partner with us.

Together, we can be the hands and feet of Jesus to a lost and dying world.

Robert K. Kellogg Chief Executive Officer WatersEdgeServices.org

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#BECAUSEYOUGIVE

SPRINTING FOR SOBRIETY Medals await Mark West (left) and his mother, Ruby Goethe, after crossing the finish line at Hope Is Alive’s annual “TZ Memorial Sobriety Sprint” in Oklahoma City. The 5K run/walk event attracted more than 450 participants and is designed to raise awareness for Hope Is Alive (HIA), a Christ-centered ministry that teaches recovering addicts how to live drug and alcohol free. #BecauseYouGive, dozens of individuals like West are finding faith in Jesus Christ and a path to lifelong sobriety. WatersEdge can help you multiply your gifts' impact. Support HIA today by contacting us at 800-949-9988 or give@WatersEdgeServices.org.

You can also give online at WatersEdgeServices.org/give.

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#BECAUSEYOUGIVE

SAVING KENYA’S STREET BOYS Hundreds of thousands of boys sleep on Kenya’s streets. Known locally as “trash eaters,” these children are often beaten, sexually abused and arrested. But IMB missionary Kristen Lowry (bottom right) is working to change that. She helps direct the Naivasha Children’s Shelter in Naivasha, Kenya, a town about two hours north of Nairobi, the nation’s capital. The shelter isn’t an orphanage. Its goal is to rescue street boys, restore their lives and reunite them with their families. As a symbol of this transformation, boys arriving at the shelter burn their old street clothes (top right). They’re given new jeans, shirts and shoes. During their stay at Naivasha, boys learn new skills, receive counseling, catch up on education, take responsibility for chores and, ultimately, experience the love of Jesus. #BecauseYouGive, Southern Baptist missionaries like Lowry are changing earthly and eternal destinies of thousands through the power of the Gospel. WatersEdge can help you multiply your gifts’ impact. Support IMB today by contacting us at 800-949-9988 or give@WatersEdgeServices.org.

You can also give online at WatersEdgeServices.org/give.

Photos by IMB 8

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I

t was an offer Village Baptist Church couldn’t refuse: $2 million to sell the Oklahoma City congregation’s McMurrain Center, or “MAC Center” for short. The church bought the property years ago for the youth and also used it for a myriad of other ministry opportunities, ranging from Hispanic missions to women’s events and conferences.

A neighboring business initially offered $1 million for the facility, which sits on prime real estate along the city’s busy May Avenue, but Village Baptist leadership refused because they knew the property was worth much more. Eager to expand, the business eventually doubled the offer to $2 million. Church leaders sought advice before approaching the congregation about a sale.

“Contacting knowledgeable Baptist business leaders who could help us make an informed decision about selling this property made a difficult decision a little easier,” explains Dr. Randy Ice, church treasurer.

FUNDING THE

FUTURE VILLAGE BAPTIST CHURCH USED ENDOWMENT TO TRANSFORM AN

AGING BUILDING INTO A PERPETUAL REVENUE STREAM DESIGNED TO MULTIPLY MINISTRY RESOURCES FOR DECADES TO COME.

By Anna Dellinger

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But even though the price was right, the sale presented Village Baptist with a problem — what to do with the $2 million? During a church business meeting, the congregation voted to approve the sale and place the money in a permanent endowment with WatersEdge. An endowment is a financial tool designed to multiply an asset or charitable gift far beyond its original amount through investment. It creates a perpetual stream of income by annually distributing a portion of the growth of invested funds while simultaneously preserving the principal.

Far Left: SIGN HERE - Wearing a mask and gloves due to COVID-19 precautions, Gordon Henderson, Village Baptist Church co-treasurer, signs the agreement to create a $2 million endowment with WatersEdge.

This page: MCMURRAIN CENTER Village Baptist Church (background) sold the MAC Center (foreground) to a neighboring business and used the proceeds to fund the endowment.

show for this long-term investment that we had made,” Ice says. “We’ve taken years to pay this building off and we were using it for ministry, so we wanted that money to continue to go to ministry.”

WatersEdge’s biblical values, commitment to Baptist ministries and nearly 75 years of endowment expertise helped cement Village Baptist’s decision.

“It’s hard for some people to understand the importance of endowment in terms of putting money aside today so you can do other things in the future,” Ice says. “But in this case, we were replacing a permanent asset with a permanent asset, so it made a lot of sense to us.”

After months of patient work with church leadership, the city and WatersEdge, seven members of a special committee from Village Baptist came together to sign the $2 million endowment.

“It’s not just the financial security of the endowment I’m pleased with,” explains Senior Pastor Ryan Redwine.

“The primary benefit is in the ministry and the motivation that the endowment will provide for our membership

to do outreach in our community and other missional partnerships. These are the things that really excite me.”

Each year, Village Baptist’s congregation will vote on the ministries that will be supported with the funds distributed from the endowment.

“We didn’t want to spend all the money in a year and have nothing to

Ice added that WatersEdge’s biblical values, commitment to Baptist ministries and nearly 75 years of endowment expertise helped cement Village Baptist’s decision.

“The church specifically chose to place the endowment with WatersEdge because the money will be invested in a way that matches the values our church supports, while returning a good income stream that can be used for ministry,” he says. “Overall, this was a very popular decision among our membership. I think it was a prudent financial move that will also allow us to maintain our ministry focus, which is the whole point.”

Secure Your Church’s Financial Future Creating an endowment inspires forward thinking about your church’s resources. To learn more, contact a WatersEdge giving expert today. give@WatersEdgeServices.org | 800-949-9988 WatersEdgeServices.org/endowment

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Is a Charitable Remainder Trust Right for You?

By Kristen Karr, CTFA vice president, trust administration

A charitable remainder trust

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re you searching for a way to reduce taxes, support ministry and retain a meaningful stream of income? If so, a charitable remainder trust may be the right giving solution for you. Also known as a CRT, a charitable remainder trust produces income for you (and potentially for your loved ones) for up to 20 years or a lifetime. After this period ends, the remainder of the trust’s assets are directed to your preferred ministry or ministries.

HOW IT WORKS

pays you today, pays ministry later, helps you send less to the IRS and allows you to significantly impact the charity of your choice.

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Give

Receive Income for Life or Term

Gift Goes to Ministry at Your Passing

This giving solution is especially beneficial if you have highly appreciated assets, as the recognition of capital gains are delayed until they are distributed as income by the CRT. For example, if you direct your broker to sell highly appreciated securities today, you will likely owe capital gains taxes on the sale, leaving fewer funds to invest into income-producing securities. However, if you place the securities into a CRT, you avoid the immediate capital gains tax associated with selling the asset, have more money to invest into income-producing securities, receive a charitable income tax deduction, secure future distributions to yourself and designate a significant gift to charity. What’s more, you can even name your children the beneficiaries for their lifetimes or for a set number of years.

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So, would you rather receive $26,400 per year or $30,000 per year? Would you rather receive a charitable income tax deduction or pay capital gains tax to the IRS?

LET’S LOOK AT SOME REAL NUMBERS TO GIVE YOU A BETTER PICTURE.

Charitable remainder trusts come in many forms and can be tailored to fit your needs. To receive a fixed amount of income per year, you can choose to create a charitable remainder annuity trust (CRAT). While a CRAT does not protect against inflation, it can be a good idea if you prefer the security of a fixed amount of income each year.

COMPARISON OF INCOME AFTER SALE OF APPRECIATED ASSETS* With CRT

Without CRT $500,000

Current Asset Value

$500,000

–$60,000

Capital Gains Tax**

$0

$440,000

Balance Available to Reinvest

$500,000

$26,400

6% Annual Distribution

$30,000

$654,720

Total Lifetime Income

$741,000

$0

Charitable Tax Deduction Benefit***

$61,446

*All calculations are based off of a 70-year-old-male and 71-year-old female with payments made over their joint lives. **15% federal capital gains tax (state capital gains may also apply). ***$175,560 charitable income tax deduction multiplied by 35% income tax rate; actual deduction will vary based on current IRS rates, the age of the person(s) receiving the payments or the number of years that payments will be made.

If you desire more inflation protection and want the possibility of benefiting from positive market performance, you can choose to create a charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT). This type of trust provides income as a fixed annual percentage (no less than 5 percent), and that percentage is reassessed to the market value of the CRUT on an annual basis.

When it comes to selecting a ministry to receive the remaining CRT assets upon the death(s) of the income beneficiaries or upon the completion of a term of years, you can retain the ability to change the charitable recipient during your lifetime or through your last will and testament.

A charitable remainder trust pays you today, pays charity later, helps you send less to the IRS and allows you to significantly impact the charity of your choice. To learn more about whether a CRT may be right for you, start a conversation with a WatersEdge giving professional today. give@WatersEdgeServices.org | 800-949-9988 | WatersEdgeServices.org/CRT

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TRAIN THEM UP - Young Turn Church volunteers place a box of milk and other dairy products into a truck bed during a recent grocery giveaway. This ministry is a cornerstone of Turn Church’s work to make a difference in its community and bring people to faith in Jesus.

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GROWING A

GOSPEL Gospel COMMUNITY Community AMID SOCIAL INJUSTICE, POLITICAL DIVISION AND A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, BLACK SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCHES ARE HEALING THEIR COMMUNITIES WITH THE LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST.

By Corey White • Photos by Jeremy Scott & Christian Sangree

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African American pastors serve a unique role in their communities. They are not only leaders in faith but also in the advancement of charity and social engagement. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, their commissions can lead to dramatic transformations in their churches and, ultimately, in the neighborhoods they serve. Yet, pastorship can be a lonely challenge that demands extraordinary energy and resources.

The following stories highlight three Black Southern Baptist pastors who are impacting their communities with the Gospel as they lead their churches to provide practical help and promote biblical diversity in partnership with Oklahoma Baptists.

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MEETING THE NEED M

ost people think of Saturday morning as an opportunity to hit the snooze button and catch up on sleep. But on this overcast Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Keith Joyner forsakes a slow start to his day and instead makes his way to Turn Church. There, he opens the back of a U-Haul truck and prepares to unload precious cargo.

The pallet sitting inside holds 400 boxes of milk and other dairy products that about a dozen volunteers will transfer to waiting vehicles full of hungry families.

The 400 boxes will be gone in an hour.

At precisely 10:30 a.m. — hardly enough time for church members to begin stacking the boxes onto plastic folding tables in front of the church — cars begin arriving. Wheels crunch over the gravel driveway, and cheerful volunteers load boxes into trunks and backseats.

“My pastor is about community service,” says Joyner, who runs the food ministry at Turn Church. He knows the giveaway’s impact, especially on families struggling to make ends meet. “We’ve had people tell us things

like, ‘I lost my job and I can’t go to work,’ or, ‘This is the only way I can provide for my family,’” he says.

Pastor Tiller Watson, a Tulsa native, started Turn Church six years ago.

His congregation is primarily African American.

“Our role is to be a light, showing God’s colors in this world,” he says.

“Jesus told us, ‘…whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ We have to make the ‘least of these’ the most important part of our ministry. We’re for the ignored, the overlooked and those that feel like people have forgotten them.”

The grocery giveaways are just one of the strategies Turn Church uses to tangibly demonstrate God’s love for the community. While Watson knows that people’s most critical need is a relationship with Christ, meeting physical needs opens doors for Gospel conversations.

“Our area is about 50 percent Black,

“O U R R O L E I S TO B E A L I G H T, S H O W I N G G O D ’ S CO LO R S I N T H I S W O R L D .”

—T I L L E R WAT S O N , PAS TO R , T U R N C H U R C H

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GENERATIONS OF SERVICE - Volunteer Rena Tate (tan shirt) enjoys working together with her great-granddaughter, Iionni (orange shirt), to serve their community.

“It makes me feel good … It’s a relief, refreshing – it’s what He would ask us to do,” Tate says.

and 30 percent of the families are single parent homes. Roughly onethird of households make less than $25,000 per year,” he says. “We are making a valiant effort to change lives with the Gospel, but I’ve always been one that believes that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. … It’s up to us to help make up the difference.”

Watson’s wife, LaTricia, is optimistic about the work they are doing.

“I hope when they think of Turn 18

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Church, they think of love and support,” she says. “When they pass by, they remember, ‘I got a meal there. I got my Saturday box there.’”

The Watsons’ enthusiasm is infectious. Many Turn church volunteers, like Rena Tate and her great-granddaughter, 9-year-old Iionni, exhibit the same passion serving others.

“We as the church, no matter our skin color, have got to learn to come together and show love and support for our community. That’s what God wants us to do,” Tate says.

Jim Perry, who is white, has been with Turn Church since the beginning. He says the congregation’s dedication to serving the community is one of the reasons he loves the church so much. The other is its members.

“I love the people and the desire to do good. I was taken in as family from day one, and I’ve been informed that I will have to die to leave,” Perry says with a grin.

Watson has big ideas for new ways Turn Church can continue meeting

“We have to make the ‘least of these’ the most important part of our ministry. We’re for the ignored, the overlooked and those that feel like people have forgotten them.”

DAIRY DONATION - Turn Church has held grocery giveaways every other week since July. Needy families from the community stop by to pick up boxes of food and other essentials at no cost.

needs. He sweeps his hand over a large empty space in front of the church building. He envisions fields where people can play sports and a food pantry to give away essential items every day — not just Saturdays. Watson wants to develop an after-school program to provide a safe place for children. He dreams of buying houses in the neighborhood so Turn Church can become a “reasonable landlord” for families trying to get back on their feet. He wants to teach his community to use technology to connect the unemployed with jobs.

Finally, and perhaps most novel, he hopes to build a laundromat. The idea came one day as he watched a couple drag a heavy basket full of laundry to the bus so they could travel to a laundromat, a challenge that most with a household washer and dryer never even consider.

“My heart broke in that moment,” Watson remembers. “I said, ‘Lord, how did I miss this?’”

He believes that by providing these services for the community, people will see that the church is here for

them — and that God loves them.

That investment is already paying eternal dividends. During the past four years, Turn Church has seen about 30 salvations and 20 baptisms.

“My desire to care for you is not connected to whether or not you’ll accept the Christ that I serve,” Watson says. “I want you to, and, at some point, you’re going to realize that this is the best decision that you can make. But until then, I want you to know that God cares about you and that the church cares about you.”

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“ M Y R O L E I S TO B U I L D A N D ST R E N GT H E N RELATIO NS H I PS BE TWE E N A F R IC A N A M E R IC A N C H U R C H E S A N D O K L A H O M A B A PT I ST S .”

—WA LT E R W I L S O N , PAS TO R , F R I E N DS H I P B A P T I S T C H U R C H

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IN THE MAKING I

t’s a truth Walter Wilson regrets: “Southern Baptists do not have a great history with African American churches,” he says. But as the African American ministry partner for Oklahoma Baptists, it is Wilson who’s been tasked to help change that.

“My role is to build and strengthen relationships between African American churches and Oklahoma Baptists,” he says. During the course of the past three years, Wilson has delivered. Black church involvement with the state convention has grown from 20 to 62 churches, a success he attributes to communicating Oklahoma Baptists’ value.

“You need someone who understands the culture and ‘speaks the lingo,’” says Wilson, who also serves as pastor of Friendship Baptist Church, a predominantly Black congregation in Lawton, Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Baptists offer churches family, education and support, Wilson explains. “I am connecting Black congregations with a large brotherhood, one where we are all equal, no matter the size of your church.”

Wilson says that Oklahoma Baptists’ emphasis on pastoral care is particularly attractive, especially to Black pastors.

“The convention cares about pastors,” he says. “They care about a pastor’s

health, his family and his church. A lot of times in the Black church, you’re out there by yourself.”

According to Wilson, many African American pastors are bi-vocational, meaning they shepherd their church on top of working a full-time job.

“He’s working eight hours a day, he’s got a family and he has to take care of his church, so that doesn’t leave much time,” Wilson says. “Oklahoma Baptists provide those little retreats where a pastor can relax and recharge.”

Tiller Watson planted Turn Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2014, and says his congregation has been involved with Oklahoma Baptists from the beginning. As a bi-vocational pastor, Watson says the support he receives from the state convention helps him manage his day-to-day ministry.

“Pastoring can be frustrating at times,” Watson admits. “Oklahoma Baptists give us the opportunity to not only get away and refresh ourselves, but also training and instruction that help advance our ministry and outreach.

The opportunity to connect with other area pastors is also a big benefit.”

Pastor David Hooks agrees. Hooks serves as Oklahoma Baptists’ second vice president and also leads Bryant Avenue Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.

“The convention has really been a blessing, not just from the resources that they provide but from the standpoint of the encouragement and fellowship,” Hooks says.

That sense of fellowship and community is what drives Wilson’s work to connect more Black churches with Oklahoma Baptists.

“When I arrived here 13 years ago, the first thing I noticed was that there was a lack of African American involvement in the state convention,” Wilson says. But he adds that began to change following the arrival of Hance Dilbeck, who began leading Oklahoma Baptists in 2017.

“When Hance came, it changed the whole flavor of the convention,” Wilson explains. “Now there is a new era. There was a stalemate for a long time, but they’re finally beginning to put programs together that will attract minorities.”

While Wilson admits he would like to see greater minority representation among Oklahoma Baptists’ leadership, he is encouraged at the direction the convention is heading.

“I think we have a great convention.

I am very proud of the progress that we’re making,” he says.

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“G O D D E S I R E S C H R I S T I A N S TO R E A C H A L L P E O P L E , A N D H E H A D C A L L E D B RYA N T A V E N U E TO B E CO M E A M I C R O CO S M O F H E A V E N — A M U LT I C U LT U R A L , M U LT I R A C I A L , M U LT I G E N E R AT I O N A L C H U R C H .”

— DAV I D H O O K S , PAS TO R , B RYA N T AV E N U E B A P T I S T C H U R C H

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WEEKLY WORSHIP - Believers of all ages, races, and backgrounds enjoy a Sunday service at Bryant Avenue Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.

“It pleases God to see us praise Him,” says Lewis Hoss (not pictured), who has been attending Bryant for nearly 50 years.

A CHURCH FOR ALL H

enry Newby stands at the front door of Bryant Avenue Baptist Church taking people’s temperatures.

He is lighthearted about his duties as he places an infrared thermometer near the foreheads of incoming church members; his kind eyes help ease the new normal for this historic Oklahoma City congregation. Nobody seems to mind. It’s a small price to pay for in-person worship with church family, a treasure that’s become even more valuable in the midst of COVID-19.

“Everyone’s faith is shaken by what’s going on in society right now — the pandemic, social injustice,” Newby says. “It’s important that God’s house is open.”

Larry Thompson thinks so, too. He’s attended Bryant Avenue for over a decade and believes the church is like a lamp on a hill.

“The world is dark right now,” Thompson says. “A lot of people don’t know what’s going on, but we know Jesus is the answer.”

Pastor David Hooks has shepherded Bryant Avenue since 2008. He came to the church from Idabel, where he planted the first African American Southern Baptist Church in southeastern Oklahoma. Bryant Avenue, however, offered a different challenge for Hooks.

“When I got here, this was a really

white congregation … there were like three Black people in the whole church,” he remembers. But the Oklahoma City neighborhood where Bryant Avenue sits is at least 50 percent African American. “It was one of those deals where I knew why God brought me here,” he adds.

Hooks’ challenge was to build a diverse church in a diverse neighborhood. He wanted to create an inclusive environment that represented the community it served.

“God desires Christians to reach all people, and He had called Bryant Avenue to become a microcosm of Heaven — a multicultural, multiracial, WatersEdgeServices.org

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multigenerational church,” he says.

“There were obstacles to that, to keep it from what I call ‘too Black’ or ‘too white.’”

One area he focused his efforts was the church’s music, which was limited to only hymns when Hooks arrived.

“I said, ‘Listen, if we’re going to reach young Blacks, whites and Hispanics, we are going to have to sing some praise and worship. We are still going to sing some hymns. But we can also sing Black gospel, contemporary, and praise and worship. We are going to sing it all because church should be where everybody comes and feels welcome, and that includes worship.’”

Today, the success of Hooks’ vision is apparent in the diversity of Bryant Avenue’s congregation. In the past five years alone, the church has seen 66 salvations and 78 baptisms spread across a spectrum of ethnicity, age and culture. The pastor’s impact can also be heard through the words of its members. Lewis Hoss has been attending Bryant Avenue for nearly fifty years. Hoss, who is white, says he has seen genuine transformation under Hooks’ leadership.

“It’s just been a blessing,” Hoss says.

“The years since Pastor Hooks' arrival have been a real growing opportunity.

We’ve been a witness for this community. People can come here and feel Christ’s love and kindness. I believe, truly, we are brothers, and it makes no difference what skin color you are or what background you are from.”

When visitors walk into Bryant Avenue, Hooks believes that truth is tangible.

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ONE BIG FAMILY – Pastor David Hooks has worked for more than a decade to lead a church that is a reflection of the diversity of its community. Two of his best friends, Ronnie and Linda Barnett, read Scripture with Hooks’ great-grandson, Zion, during a Sunday service.

“People can come here and feel Christ’s love and kindness. I believe, truly, we are brothers, and it makes no difference what skin color you are or what background you are from.”

COVID CHECK - Henry Newby (center) checks temperatures as church members enter Bryant Avenue for service. The church holds in-person services that are also streamed on Facebook Live. “It’s been a challenge, but everything is in God’s will,” says Newby. “ You just do your best and let the Lord do the rest.”

they understand the stereotypes are not true.”

“People come to visit and they say ‘Wow, this is how church is supposed to be!’” he explains. “You’ve got Blacks and whites and they are sitting together. It’s not the white folks over here and the Black folks over there.

They mingle. They sing together. They love each other.”

Kahlil Garner, who is Hooks’ adult daughter, is aware of the racial unrest that exists outside Bryant Avenue’s doors. But she believes the church is making a difference.

“Out there you deal with racism and fear,” Garner says. “When you’re out there and you’re facing such a struggle with how people look at

the police, how the police look at people, how whites look at Blacks and how Blacks look at whites …

But when you come in here, you don’t see that. It makes you feel like there’s hope.”

Hooks fondly recalls something a friend told him not long after he began pastoring at Bryant Avenue, one that he hopes defines the church.

“I was talking with her one day, and she told me, ‘You know, before I got to Bryant, I couldn’t stand white folk.

Now, I love them.’ I said, ‘Yeah, it’s about getting to know people.’ The more you are involved and the more people spend time with you, the more

Hooks knows that hope is ultimately rooted in the biblical truth that all have fallen short of God’s glory, and that Christ’s redemptive work on the cross is meant to save people from every nation, tribe, people and tongue.

“My greatest joy at Bryant is to see how the building of Gospel-centered relationships has hindered racial tension from infiltrating our church. We do have Democrats and Republicans, we have those who believe systemic racism exists and we have some who don’t, but doing life together has built a love for one another that dispels preconceived notions about race,” Hooks says. “My desire is that we would not simply be a church of Blacks and whites — there are Hispanics and other races and cultures in our community that we have yet to reach. God still has much for us to do!”

Your Generosity Changes Lives With The Gospel When you give to your local Baptist church, a portion of your gift goes to Oklahoma Baptists, who provide resources and support to more than 1,700 churches across the state, including congregations like Turn Church and Bryant Avenue Baptist. WatersEdge can help you multiply your generosity through smart giving solutions like a donor-advised fund, endowment or an estate plan. Start a conversation with a WatersEdge giving professional today. give@WatersEdgeServices.org | 800-949-9988 | WatersEdgeServices.org

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MOVING ON MISSION - OBHC President Greg McNeece and Mobile Ministry Director Kathy Gibson believe that Hope Pregnancy Center’s new mobile ultrasound unit has the potential to save hundreds of lives. Dubbed the "Patty Ann," the vehicle’s namesake comes from a faithful donor (and her family) who provided major funding for the project.

Ministry in Motion HOPE PREGNANCY CENTER PUTS KINGDOM WORK ON WHEELS WITH A NEW MOBILE ULTRASOUND UNIT.

By Deborah Young Development Coordinator, Hope Pregnancy Center

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S

ome people name their cars.

Others name their mobile ultrasound units. Meet the “Patty Ann,” Hope Pregnancy Center’s newest team member. Named after a beloved donor who made the ministry possible, the Patty Ann will soon roll out to meet abortion-vulnerable women where they are.

Hope Pregnancy Center is a ministry of Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children (OBHC). With five locations across the state, Hope offers pregnancy testing, pregnancy-option

education and ultrasound services to those facing an unplanned pregnancy.

OBHC President Greg McNeece says his vision for the Patty Ann was inspired by his time serving as executive pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church near Dallas, Texas. There, McNeece witnessed how Prestonwood’s mobile unit expanded the church’s pregnancy resource ministry far beyond the walls of its brick-and-mortar location.

“The mobile unit allowed us to go into very abortion-prone areas and serve a different body of people who would never make it to a pregnancy center,” McNeece explains.

But having the vision for a mobile ultrasound ministry and actually putting it into motion requires prayer, preparation and planning, which McNeece likens to plowing, sowing and reaping.

“Plowing the ground consists of building relationships with businesses and property owners so we can position the mobile unit within a specific target area, developing connections with community partners and finding donors to support the work,” he says. “Building trust in the community by being present and having volunteers trained and ready to serve is all part of the sowing.”

Now, Hope Pregnancy Center is waiting on the Lord to bring the harvest.

This fall, the Patty Ann will begin serving zip codes in the Oklahoma City metro area with the highest rate of abortion-vulnerable women. The mobile unit will rotate through the

hard places with the love of Christ,” says Gibson, who joined Hope in February of this year with 24 years of experience in pregnancy center work.

“The Patty Ann mobile unit will do just that. We will have an opportunity to plant seeds of hope and love in lives

“We will have an opportunity to plant seeds of hope and love in lives that we’ve never been able to reach before.” same three locations each week, parking in highly visible spaces to attract women who need help. Locations and dates of service will be posted at ImageClearUltrasound.com.

The Patty Ann can serve between four and eight women each day. Staff include Mobile Ministry Director Kathy Gibson, a volunteer nurse and a sonographer. Gibson will meet with individual clients, provide pregnancy testing and education on pregnancy options. The nurse will help read the pregnancy test and the sonographer will perform the ultrasound.

“My passion is to reach the women in

that we’ve never been able to reach before. We will see a harvest of babies saved and women finding new life in Christ.”

McNeece believes that harvest is an investment in future generations, and the work takes time.

“It truly is about building the Kingdom, because the ultimate hope we can provide is Christ,” he says. “The work of saving a physical life, strengthening a family and empowering them to move forward in a functional, safe, loving environment is Kingdom-building work. The Lord has given us a great opportunity.”

Help The “Patty Ann” Go The Extra Mile Annual costs to operate Hope Pregnancy’s mobile ultrasound unit top $160,000, including oil changes, gas and regular maintenance. Your generosity makes it possible, and WatersEdge can help you maximize your gift to support Hope’s ministry. Be a part of creating life-affirming options for those facing an unplanned pregnancy by contacting our giving professionals today at 800-949-9988 or give@WatersEdgeServices.org. You can also donate online at WatersEdgeServices.org/give.

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WHY I GIVE GENE AND KAYE JONES

By Holly Easttom • Photo by Mike Schueler

“I

t doesn’t come naturally,” admits Kaye Jones, Anadarko resident and longtime supporter of Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief. “Generosity is not something we are born with; it is something you have to experience, and once you do, you see there is a need — and God provides.”

couple channels much of their financial generosity through two giving solutions: a charitable gift annuity and a charitable remainder trust, both created through WatersEdge. For Kaye, these solutions offered security, increased tax benefits and the capacity to give even more.

At 79 and 80 years old, Kaye and her husband, Gene, have given generously of their resources and have ministered to disaster survivors, special needs families and their community for over 50 years. That sense of generosity drives everything they do, from providing meals to hurricane victims to donating money to disaster relief efforts. The

She and Gene also encourage people to donate their time. Even though he is no longer active in the field, as one of the founders of Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief, Gene continues to contribute in other ways.

“Generosity is not something we are born with; it is something you have to experience, and once you do, you see there is a need — and God provides.”

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“I know with disaster relief, any Baptist layman can find a need to fill,” Gene says. “If we are willing to go, if we are willing to be used for His good, He will provide.”

Generosity creates generosity, and Kaye hopes her actions inspire others. “For us, we just always needed to serve,” she says. “If you wait until you can afford to tithe or give,” Gene adds, “then it is already too late.”

“Do what you can, when you can, with what you have at that moment,” Kaye says.

“Give back, give back, give back.”

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT - Rick Cordova shares the Gospel during a lunchtime meeting of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) at a local high school.

Opportunities like this provide Cordova’s church, Bright City, a chance to serve its community in west Oklahoma City. (Photo taken pre-COVID.)

Balancing the Burden WATERSEDGE ACCOUNTING UNLOCKS MINISTRY POSSIBILITIES FOR CHURCHES

By Anna Dellinger

A

s the sole staff member of Bright City Church in west Oklahoma City, pastor Rick Cordova knew he couldn’t do it all.

“As a brand-new church starting from the ground up, we wanted to build

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GENEROSITY

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an infrastructure that allowed us to meet the needs of our community,” Cordova says.

That’s where WatersEdge Ministry Accounting comes in. Launched in 2019, the service offers bookkeep-

ing, payroll and contribution tracking to Baptist churches, associations and organizations. It is designed to lift the accounting burden off church leaders’ shoulders so they can focus more on the Gospel and less on finances.

But saving time isn’t the only benefit.

Cordova says Ministry Accounting is also helping cut costs so he can maximize ministry dollars.

“WatersEdge accounting is saving us thousands of dollars as opposed to hiring someone for that position. As a result, we’re even more involved in our community, whether it’s through benevolence, helping someone with

rent, or feeding our local high school football team. Those savings have also helped us make renovations and get the church building in working order.”

Brandon Adams, pastor of education and administration at First Baptist Choctaw, Oklahoma, jumped at the opportunity to free up more resources by trusting WatersEdge to manage the church’s accounting. Adams wanted to help send the students at his church on a mission trip, but he didn’t have the funds.

“Our youth were able to participate in a GO Students project last summer in Belize, and thanks to money we saved with WatersEdge, the church was able to pay about 25 to 30 percent of each person’s cost,” Adams says. “We also sent groups to Guatemala and Montenegro, and helped plant a church in Kansas City.”

Sarah Barham, vice president of Ministry Accounting, says the service helps save churches an average of $400 per month. “It’s money that often goes toward a salaried position or costly accounting software,” Barham explains, “but with the help of WatersEdge, those savings have been used to fund a variety of other ministry efforts.”

The expertise that WatersEdge brings also helps churches keep up with an ever-changing financial landscape.

“When you’re dealing with tax changes or associated legal issues, it gets complicated quickly,” Adams says.

“We trust WatersEdge to be on top of that and let us know what’s going on.”

The WatersEdge Ministry Accounting team currently serves 34 churches and associations across Oklahoma.

Barham and her staff are prepared to take on additional churches by year's end.

Shellie Tellez, secretary at Shields Boulevard Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, says her congregation’s switch to WatersEdge has made her workload much more manageable.

“I’m also the church clerk, so I had to do it all,” Tellez says. “Partnering

helping because no one was available to take over.

“It’s freeing to know that when they’re ready, they can retire and someone capable will be there to keep things flowing smoothly,” Barham adds.

For First Baptist Church of Ponca City, Oklahoma, WatersEdge filled such a need.

“Our secretary of more than 30 years was retiring,” says pastor Michael Taylor.

“We knew that replacing her was going

“[WatersEdge] tailored their approach to meet our church’s needs with solid accounting practices.

It’s not a one size fits all ... The heartbeat that drives their operation is serving the local church.” with WatersEdge took such a heavy load off of me, and I absolutely love working with them.”

Barham has also seen Ministry Accounting provide relief for a dedicated volunteer or church staff member who handled their congregation’s accounting for decades and felt a burden to stay on and continue

to be impossible, so we started looking at outside firms and found WatersEdge.

“They’ve tailored their approach to meet our church’s needs with solid accounting practices. It’s not a one size fits all approach. They’ve been receptive to suggestions and requests.

The heartbeat that drives their operation is serving the local church.”

Let Us Do The Accounting So You Can Focus On What Really Counts To learn more about WatersEdge Ministry Accounting or to request an estimate for your church, call 800-949-9988 or visit WatersEdgeServices.org/accounting.

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WATERSEDGE NEWS

NEW STAFF

Julie Stanley Vice President, Estate Planning

jstanley@WatersEdgeServices.org

For Julie Stanley, one of the many joys of working at WatersEdge is providing biblically-sound financial counsel to donors free of charge. She joined the WatersEdge team this summer as the new vice president of estate planning.

Stanley brings 15 years of experience practicing law in Oklahoma City, specializing in estate planning and tax law. She also served on the WatersEdge Board of Directors from 2013-2019. In her day-to-day work, Stanley helps clients create estate plans that protect their families, prepare for the future, and promote God's Kingdom. “I love it at WatersEdge,” she says. “The culture is very warm and encouraging. I like serving and working with people who are like-minded and have a heart for ministry. I know this is where God wants me and there’s a lot of peace in that.” Stanley and her husband, Don, and their three teenage children attend First Baptist Church of Moore, Oklahoma. Outside of work and family time, Stanley enjoys hosting people in her home, reading and being outdoors.

EXPANDED SERVICE

NEW FEATURES

Virtual Estate Planning

Online Giving

The first step is always the hardest.

That’s why WatersEdge is working to make creating or updating your estate plan even easier. This summer, we introduced virtual estate planning appointments, where you can choose to meet with an estate planning expert virtually via Zoom or FaceTime, or by phone. In-person appointments are still available, as well. Our estate planning experience is tailored for those with a desire to provide for their families and give back to God when they die, by supporting Christian churches, ministries, organizations and institutions working to transform lives with the Gospel. You can complete the majority of the estate planning process online without ever leaving your house. Or, if you prefer to work with paper, we'll send you a physical copy of our Estate Planning Guidebook.

Whatever is most convenient for you, we want to help you with the process. So what are you waiting for? Start or update your estate plan today by making a virtual appointment with a WaterEdge estate planning professional at WatersEdgeServices.org/plan.

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In March of 2020, WatersEdge launched Online Giving to help Oklahoma Baptist churches face the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have since received feedback requesting additional features such as designated giving and text-to-give. Our current system cannot support these functions, which is why Online Giving is moving to a new software platform. This upgrade includes expanded features (like designated giving and text-togive), provides churches with more control and speeds delivery of online gifts to your accounts.

All churches, both current and future clients, can choose between two different Online Giving service levels. For more information, visit WatersEdgeServices.org/OnlineGiving.

LAST LOOK

DIGITAL PREACHING In the age of COVID, an iPhone and Facebook Live are essential tools for pastors like David Hooks, who leads Bryant Avenue Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. Though the congregation has resumed in-person services, many older members and those with health conditions are grateful for the opportunity to worship virtually.

Oklahoma Baptists have worked tirelessly to support the state’s 1,700-plus Southern Baptist churches during the pandemic, providing resources, guidance and other assistance to ensure pastors like Hooks are able to continue to shepherd their congregations. WatersEdge can help you multiply your giving to Oklahoma Baptists or to your church. Get started by connecting with a giving solutions specialist at 800-949-9988 or give@WatersEdgeServices.org. You can also give online at WatersEdgeServices.org/give.

Photo by Jeremy Scott WatersEdgeServices.org

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NEW NAME, SAME PURPOSE.

BIG NEWS

Proudly Oklahoma Baptist.

COMING THIS NOVEMBER

The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma is now WatersEdge.

For almost 75 years, the Foundation has financially empowered donors and For 74 years, we’ve been serving and ministries to transform lives with the Gospel. We’re changing our name but not our commitment to serve and strengthen Oklahoma Baptists. strengthening Oklahoma Baptists.

ESTATE PLANNING

LEARN

MORE

PLANNED GIVING

MINISTRY INVESTMENTS

CHURCH LOANS

MINISTRY ACCOUNTING

And we’re just getting started.

Explore our services and the story behind the Foundation’s new name at WatersEdgeServices.org.