VOL 5, ISSUE 4
FALL 2020
E V LIN O THE TIME
OF COVID-19
Read how several churches and ministries developed new ways to show love to their communities during a summer of social distancing // pg 8
Education Ministry Uses Offering Grant Learn how Alma Hunt Offering funds are helping local communities 7
A Venturer in Beirut Read about the arrival of our newest Venturer in Beirut, just days after its recent disaster 18
Registration Opens Soon for Annual Meeting Get details about BGAV’s annual meeting 20
GENESIS 1: IN THE IMAGE OF GOD by John Upton A treasure I will carry with me for the rest of my life is the montage of human faces I experienced while traveling the globe on behalf of BGAV and the Baptist World Alliance (BWA).
JOHN UPTON is the Executive Director of the BGAV.
Imagine with me a big montage of human faces--thousands of faces. There are African faces, Middle Eastern, Asian, South Asian, Latin American, North American, European, Pacific Islanders, Indigenous people, people of all colors, all expressions. Among these people there are some we recognize: Meryl Streep, Beyoncé, Michael Jordan, Mother Teresa, Michelle Obama, Melania Trump, Nelson Mandela, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Emmett Till, Mozart, Elvis. Now, add faces of some children you know and your next-door neighbors and your grandparents, and add yourself. Add the last homeless people you saw, and then beneath the montage written in large letters imagine the words, “Human Being.”
Of this I am certain: if human beings are created in God’s image, then human beings are of sacred worth. They are divine mysteries deserving of dignity. So the great crime of our species is when some of us do not allow others of us the dignity that is inherent in being in the image of God.
Are we not the strangest, most various, contradictory, mysterious, dumbfounded species imaginable? What is a human being? You can ask philosophers, anthropologists, theologians, and biologists. You will get good answers from most of them, but none will be complete, and all will be different. Some folk will insist that human beings are the high point of creation while others will say our species is the virus that has sickened this planet. It is well to ask again, in this particular season as the people of God, What are human beings?
Having said all this, it can be mighty hard to see God’s image in humankind. We have desecrated that image in us--slashed, defaced, distorted it. We have done it to others, and we do it to ourselves. With all this distortion of God’s image within and among others, it becomes difficult to believe the first truth the Bible tells about us. It is the image of God in us—all of us. It helps me understand this truth better when I remember that Genesis 1 was probably written during the time when the people of Israel were in exile. It was a heartbreaking time--a disorienting, maddening, confusing, difficult time--much like the time in which we find ourselves. Genesis 1 is a pastoral word for them and for us saying: remember, God holds the world, the universe has order in it, and God has said of you and me, You are in my image. He went on to say, “It is good.” You and I now have to do the hard work of understanding what it means to be made and remade in the image of God. We have the hard work of restoring a sense of dignity to others and to ourselves. We have the delight of doing all this in the companionship of the one who was the very image of the invisible God among us. In Jesus, the image was not distorted. In him the news--this joy, this purity of self-giving love for God and for the world--this is what a human in the image of God looks like. Let us be transformed by this together.
It is well to ask again, in this particular season as the people of God, What are human beings? A surprising answer comes from the very first chapter of the Bible. This is not all the Bible says about us, but the first thing it says is that human beings are made in the image of God. So, “Image of God” means what? Many ideas have been put on the table. Is it the capacity to reason, to choose, to exercise dominion, spiritual nature, the capacity for deep relationships, potential for wisdom, compassion, creativity? Is it any of that, or is it all of that? It is wonderful that the text does not define for us what it means, because it leaves us in a state of wonder to figure it out. It is up to us to discover what it means to be made, or remade, in God’s image.
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VTIMEE LINO THE
9
OF COVID-1
4 // BGAV News & Notes 5 // A Letter from the BGAV President 7 // Dan River W.E.E. School Meets Community Needs with Help from the Alma Hunt Offering for Virginia Missions 8 // Outdoor Food Pantry at Biltmore Baptist Church Blesses the Community 9 // May Memorial Reaches Community Families with Virtual VBS 10 // Friendship Memorial Baptist Church Ministers to Community with Child-sized Masks
Read how several churches and ministries developed new ways to show love to their communities during a summer of social distancing // pg 8
11 // Making Kids Happy: One Balloon at a Time 12 // Impact Mission Camps Looked a Little Different This Year 14 // Congratulations to Our 2020–2021 BGAV Scholarships and Ministerial Education Funds Recipients 18 // Reflections from My First Days as a Venturer in Beirut, Lebanon 19 // Latest Ministry Jobs 20 // Registration Opens Soon for This Year’s Online Annual Meeting
BGAV Advancing the Kingdom Together
ISSN 2573-5101 (print) ISSN 2573-511X (online)
A publication of the Baptist General Association of Virginia Volume 5, Issue 4 Fall 2020 BGAV Express is published quarterly by the Baptist General Association of Virginia, 2828 Emerywood Parkway, Henrico, VA 23294.
Send subscription requests and address changes to: Jennifer Law jennifer.law@bgav.org 800.255.2428, ext. 1223 BGAV Express Baptist General Association of Virginia 2828 Emerywood Parkway Henrico, VA 23294 toll-free 800.255.2428 Or visit BGAV.org/Express.
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: John V. Upton, Jr. BGAV EXPRESS EDITOR: Jennifer Law ART DIRECTOR: Meghan Wilson
NEWS + NOTES BGAV Welcomes New Staff
Event Calendar
Lisa Rodriguez-Watson became the National Director for BGAV’s Missio Alliance effective July 27, 2020. Lisa brings with her years of experience, knowledge, and service, most recently having served in a leadership role with the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA). She is a graduate of Golden Gate Seminary with a Master of Lisa RodriguezArts in Intercultural Ministry and holds a Watson Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Florida International University. Lisa brings a proven track record of success in the areas of social justice, advocacy, and other humanitarian causes, which will be invaluable to the leading edge of Missio Alliance related to national strategy, curating global partnerships, and championing the voices of those living in the margins and peripheral of our communities.
October 11 14
World Hunger Sunday “The Deeply Formed Pastor: Five Crucial Practices to Flourish in Faith and Ministry” Webinar 15 Preparing for Retirement Webinar 15 For Coaches: Empower Coaching Monthly Coaches’ Conversation 15 Ministry Equipping Network: Family Ministry 101 16–18 Special Needs Retreat (Online Gathering) 18–24 Week of Prayer for Baptist Associations 19 Ministry Equipping Network: Best Practices of Teaching Youth 20 Ministry Equipping Network: Managing Legal and Financial Risks 22–12/3 Empower Class 507: Coaching Groups and Teams 23–25 Kairos Collegiate/Young Adult Fall Online Gathering 23 WordSearch Essential II Bible Software Training 24 Ministry Equipping Network: Children’s Ministry 101
Donna Carlson began her new position as bookkeeper for the BGAV on September 9, 2020. Donna comes to the BGAV with several years of experience in bookkeeping and will focus on accounts payable for the business office.
November 2 9–10 16–18
World Day of Prayer (BWA) BGAV Annual Meeting (Online Gathering) Empower Class 508: Coaching for Spiritual Growth (Virtual Class) 19 For Coaches: Empower Coaching Monthly Coaches’ Conversation 26 Thanksgiving Day 29–12/6 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
Donna Carlson Gary Long will begin his role as the new Chief Marketing Officer for BGAV and Ascent on October 14, 2020. Gary previously served BGAV congregations in both the Southside region (Liberty Baptist Church, Skipwith, VA) and Northern Virginia (Westwood Baptist Church, Springfield, VA). In addition, Gary is a graduate of Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, making it Gary Long like a homecoming for him after serving congregations in Texas, Maryland, and North Carolina. Gary’s marketing experience includes a web design and digital marketing company, with an emphasis on social media marketing with lean budgets. Gary said, “Serving as the CMO for BGAV/Ascent gives me the chance to tie together a wide range of church, entrepreneurial, and corporate experiences for Kingdom good.”
December 25
Christmas Day
Complete list of events at BGAV.org/Events
For more BGAV news, visit BGAV.org/News
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A LETTER FROM THE BGAV PRESIDENT by Adam Tyler I don’t know about you, but to me it seems like my entire world is divided right now. In the spring, I found I had friends who were “believe the scientist” folks and applauded quarantines and masks, and I also had friends who were “never-maskers,” who seemed to revel in the stares they got at the store as they walked the aisles, maskless. Over the summer, my newsfeed was full of alternating status updates from friends, some proclaiming “Black Lives Matter” and others posting memes about “Back the Blue,” as if those two statements were automatically mutually exclusive. And on the walks I’ve taken with my family this fall, we find yard signs and posters and banners proclaiming a household’s allegiance to the Trump-Pence ticket or the BidenHarris ticket–and when those neighbors meet on the street, there are clenched jaws and rising tensions. How did it come to this? And, even more pertinent for this letter, how did we let those divisions come into the church?
ADAM TYLER is the 2020 BGAV President.
I’ve heard stories over these past months, anecdotes about churches riven by dissension over these 2020 stresses: COVID, racial injustice, the election. Friends, families, brothers, and sisters in Christ have let disagreement end the conversation and the communion of the people of God. Pastors have been fired or encouraged to move on, families have left congregations they’ve attended their whole lives, friendships have been irreparably broken. Why? Because in a world that thrives on making enemies—where cable news and politicians and advertisers look for ways to drive us apart from one another— the church has followed the crowd.
David Fitch, in his 2019 book, The Church of Us vs. Them, explores these issues (which have unfortunately continued and grown since his book’s publication). He asks several questions at the start, including: • How is it that Christians have failed at this most prescient moment to be a people of reconciliation and renewal in the face of all this tumult? • How do we get out of the mess to become a reconciling presence in the world through Jesus Christ? • How can Christians respond in the face of this failure, to be the presence of his love, reconciliation, and healing in a world torn by strife and ugly conflict? • How can we keep our integrity and love for justice in the process?
There is another way. There is the way of Jesus. Jesus, who called together a band of disciples that included the collaborating tax collector, Matthew, and the revolutionary Zealot, Simon. Jesus, who ate at the table of Simon the Pharisee and engaged the confused Pharisee Nicodemus, even though the Pharisees were often at odds with his work. Jesus, who was “invited” to be part of the enemy-making machine when a woman was caught in adultery, but who instead created space for a personto-person encounter with the woman, which led to forgiveness and a chance to choose the Jesus way of life for herself. There is another way.
On the last page of his book, Fitch says, the “presence of Jesus unwinds the vitriol, anger, and violence of the enemy-making machine […] In Jesus, space is opened for the healing of the world.” He then says, “This is the challenge…Can my church be this Jesus in my neighborhood? Can we make space for his presence in our own lives and in the lives of those around us? Can we be used by God to bring his healing, transforming power into the world?” We can, my friends—but it’s going to take some commitment, some repentance, and some work. Are we up to it as the people of God? Are we up to it as the BGAV? 5
INTRODUCING:
Ministry Certificate Programs & Courses FROM BGAV + BAYLOR’S TRUETT SEMINARY A new partnership between the BGAV Ministry Equipping Network and Baylor University’s Truett Seminary brings the opportunity for ministers and laypeople to pursue an Advanced Certificate of Ministry in: Children’s Ministry Youth Ministry
Family Ministry Church Finance
Individual courses are also available on these topics and more, including: Scripture Theology
Church History Preaching
Classes are ONLINE and AFFORDABLE, offering an educational experience “between Sunday School and seminary.” LEARN MORE AND SIGN UP TODAY: baylor.edu/truett/certificate | bgav.org/equippingnetwork
Meeting Real Needs in Real Time The Alma Hunt Offering for Virginia Missions will look different in the coming year, reflecting the changing world in which we live as we face the challenges of a global pandemic. This annual state missions offering is a joint venture of Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia (WMUV) and the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV).
communities with some sort of small assistance during this time. For more information on how to apply for a COVIDministry-related grant, visit AlmaHunt.org/Apply.
As always, this critical offering seeks to meet real needs of real people by funding ministries in a variety of specific areas. For the rest of 2020 and looking toward 2021, the allocations of this offering are being redirected in a way that will allow us to focus on human needs arising from the COVID-19 crisis.
Donate to the Alma Hunt Offering Because of the time-sensitive nature of many of these critical needs and the plan to distribute funds monthly, we ask that you consider sending your offerings as early as possible this year. Donate online at AlmaHunt.org.
Apply for a Ministry Grant
As part of this year’s offering allocations, funds will be used to help local churches with ministries and initiatives that have grown out of the recent pandemic. Our overall desire is that these funds will allow churches to bless people in their
BGAV Advancing the Kingdom Together
Dan River W.E.E. School Meets Community Needs with Help from the Alma Hunt Offering by Karen Smith Dan River Baptist W.E.E. School is a part of the education and outreach ministries of Dan River Baptist Church in Halifax, VA. Clearly, if children know about Christ and his love, parents also learn about Jesus. While COVID-19 state guidelines forced us to close the school last March, we’ve been able to reopen this fall and provide critical childcare for many parents who are essential workers in our area. As one of only three childcare centers in our area, this ministry is so important. Sadly, not all parents can afford to send their children to preschool, but because of grants such as the Child Development Center grant funded by the Alma Hunt State Missions Offering, a single mother here–who is an essential worker–can. Last year her son was in the three-year-old class; however, she was forced to remove him because she could not continue to pay tuition. This year, we were able to offer her a greatly reduced rate, so he could attend five days a week in our Pre-K class. The grant helps offset the tuition she is not paying, and we are so grateful.
been furloughed due to the pandemic, the family was hesitant to register for the five-day preschool program. We, however, wanted the child to be with us all five days, so we offered a lower rate. With the help of the grant, the deficit will now be paid. God’s promise is true. When we give, we receive back two-fold ( Job 42:10).
Likewise, we have a student who has been with us since she was two. This year she is in our Pre-K class. Because her mom has
Karen Smith is the Director of the Dan River Baptist W.E.E. School. For more information, visit AlmaHunt.org 7
OUTDOOR FOOD PANTRY AT BILTMORE BAPTIST CHURCH BLESSES THE COMMUNITY BY BARBARA FRANCIS
Biltmore Baptist Church in Glen Allen, VA, may be a small church, but the congregation’s heart for the community and its generosity knows no bounds. The church’s latest missions project is a Blessings Box with a simple rule that applies to all: Take what you need, Give what you can. Biltmore’s Blessings Box is on the national Blessings Box registry and those in need can search for boxes near them and can now find one in Glen Allen.
Biltmore received a $1,000 grant from the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV) in March to assist in ministries directed toward responding to the COVID-19 virus and its effect on the community. This grant was instrumental in stocking the outdoor food pantry and providing a “feature product” on Saturdays. This item is typically a perishable food which could not be kept in the box during the week.
“The Blessing Box is for the community and is to be sustained by the community,” says Barbara Francis, missions team leader. Guidelines for a successful Blessings Box indicate the sponsoring organization should be prepared to provide a third of the items for the box, with members giving a third and the community donating a third.
The Blessings Box is located outside of Biltmore’s Clothes Closet and looks like a small bookcase with doors. Constructed by several men of the church, the Blessings Box is filled with donated nonperishable foods, canned goods, boxed and bagged products, paper items, small toiletries, baby diapers, a few Christian books and other items that might benefit those in need. Whether you are taking or giving, the Blessings Box is always open. There’s no lock on the door. It’s available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. During the summer of 2019 members went door-to-door in the Biltmore community introducing themselves to neighbors and asking how they thought the church could be of service to them. Feedback was varied and included ministries that would be out of reach for the congregation at this time. But one recurring request was food insecurity and the need for assistance between paychecks.
“So far, the generosity of the community has kept the box nearly filled. In fact, several times the box was so full that we removed a few items to allow space for others who wanted to give,” Francis said.
“Biltmore’s Blessings Box is a simple way to solve a temporary problem and fulfill this need identified by our community,” says Pastor Ken Wright. “COVID-19 may have prevented us from being at church, but it didn’t stop us from being God’s church during this crisis.” When people couldn’t work and the need for a food ministry was heightened, construction of the box went into high gear and promotion on social media spurred the traffic of takers and givers.
The Blessings Box is an extension of an ongoing ministry at Biltmore—its Clothes Closet. Open two Saturdays a month, the Clothes Closet serves between 35-50 families each week. Clothes are always free and most always unlimited. Whether you’re in need of a men’s 5X coat or an outfit for a toddler, there’s a good chance you’ll find it in the Biltmore Clothes Closet.
The box is not intended to take the place of a food pantry, but it’s to help individuals and families in a hands up situation until pay day or until they have better resources.
“God blesses our work at every opening,” says Norma Evenson, Clothes Closet team leader. “I cannot tell you the dedicated volunteers that have stepped forward. The fine people that we have met coming to the Clothes Closet, the people praying for our church, the people who share their prayer requests with us. Blessings all over.”
“A Blessings Box takes some of the embarrassment out of asking for food. Sometimes it’s not easy for people to call a church and ask for assistance,” said Pastor Ken. “If they need one can of corn, that’s great. If they need everything in the box, that’s okay, too. It’s one more way for Biltmore to love and support those who work and live nearby.”
When the Clothes Closet is open, a “feature product” is offered. On June 11 two cases of fresh corn were distributed and the response was incredibly positive. Little was it known that this would trigger a “season of sharing” from Clothes 8
Closet patrons, church members, and the community. The following Saturday someone came with a large box of squash and zucchini. Then there were cucumbers from a member’s garden and then a large box of tomatoes from a local farmer.
MAY MEMORIAL REACHES COMMUNITY FAMILIES WITH VIRTUAL VBS BY ASHLEY EDWARDS
“It was a special way for our friends and neighbors to express their gratitude to God for the blessings they had received. And it turned Clothes Closet Saturdays at the Blessings Box into a Farmer’s Market. A free Farmer’s Market,” said Pastor Ken.
This has been an incredibly challenging time for ministry. In the midst of the stay at home order, we at May Memorial Baptist Church (MMBC) should have been actively planning for our VBS; instead, we sat and wondered if we could even have it. But God is good, and God found a way!
“The Clothes Closet and Blessings Box are providing Biltmore with a connection to people of diverse backgrounds and circumstances, and during the past year God has used them to foster new ministries,” said Pastor Ken. The church hosted a Back-to-School Saturday in August and provided backpacks, school supplies, and underwear to 100 school-aged children. In December Biltmore will once again offer a Christmas Store featuring gently used gifts and decorations for Christmas.
We opted to try a Virtual VBS for the first time in MMBC history. I am not going to lie…it was challenging. How do I reach kids who are tired of Zooming…kids who just want to go to VBS because it is fun and exciting? I started with a familiar theme…Weird Animals. I had done it before at another church and knew how wonderful the content was and that it could possibly translate virtually. Our themes were simple: Even though I’m left out, or I’m different, or I don’t understand, or when I do wrong or when I am afraid… God loves me.
Biltmore is a small church— claiming the big promises of God. Take what you need. Give what you can. Above all, be blessed.
In the weeks prior, I conducted registration so I could prepare VBS bags for each child. The families picked up their bags the Sunday before, and the bags contained all five days’ worth of craft supplies and all five days of snacks along with the themes of each day and the Bible stories we would talk about.
Barbara Francis is the missions team leader at Biltmore Baptist Church in Glen Allen, Virginia. She serves in several other leadership positions there and is a lifetime member of the congregation.
Each day I started with a silly opener wearing a crazy, weird animal hat or outfit, and I laughed with the kids. I did experiments and demonstrations that were fun and could be tied into the themes. Because of the quarantine, I opted to do most of the VBS alone, so I used videos that came with the curriculum to present the music and the KidVid moments instead of having others sing with me. I did have several of our youth and other members help out by recording themselves reading the scriptures and the Bible stories. Each day’s session lasted around 25-30 minutes. Since it had to be pre-recorded due to questionable internet connections in some homes, I acted and interacted with them as if it were live. We then Zoomed several times that week to talk about what we had learned and for them to show off their crafts to me. We had 55 children sign up–over half of whom I had never met before! The parents were wonderful and so appreciative to have a VBS outlet, since most of their churches had canceled theirs. Since the recordings are on our YouTube channel, I’ve also been able to share it with others afterward! I made some extra bags, so anyone can still participate. All in all, I missed the traditional format, but I am so thankful that God provided a way for us to meet and fellowship and have a blast with Weird Animals! Ashley Edwards is Youth/Children’s Minister at May Memorial Baptist Church in Powhatan, VA. 9
FRIENDSHIP MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH MINISTERS TO COMMUNITY WITH CHILDSIZED MASKS BY WESLEY GARRETT One of the things we’d noticed around our church and in the community was the constant appearance of children without masks covering their faces. During this pandemic, our hearts went out to them. We spent weeks in prayer on how we could reach them in these difficult times. We recognized that the issue was possibly due to unavailability of masks in smaller sizes, so we took on this challenge as the loving way God was speaking to us. God led the heart of the pastor and then the congregation of Friendship Memorial Baptist Church to offer the community in North Chesterfield child-size masks free of charge. Also we wanted to help families who may not have the necessary supplies to keep their homes clean. We made available bathroom tissues, hand sanitizer, and soap for families who could not afford these hard-to-find items. The pastor and eight volunteers/members spent the morning preparing for this ministry. We first prayed for the families coming to get the masks, and we prayed that this was not an effort to build the attendance of our small congregation. We clearly wanted to reach children and families for the sake of God’s glory.
Because we have several masks left to give out, we plan to take a weekend each month this summer or until this pandemic is over, to offer the community these cloth masks for the children until all have been distributed.
On the day of distribution, in no more than 10 minutes of waving our signs of “free children’s masks,” we had drivers of vehicles waving and blowing their horns and giving us the “thumbs up” sign--expressing to us that they agreed with our ministry endeavor. Soon we had a few vehicles turn into our church’s driveway to get the children’s masks. Soon, vehicle after vehicle were stopping for the masks. We had 150 cloth masks, and they were made extra small and medium for young faces. We also had 100 paper masks, available to the adults, if needed. We placed each mask in a Ziploc bag (to cut down on the handling of the masks). Inside with the mask, we placed information about our church and a gospel tract.
After we posted pictures for friends and family, several others volunteered to purchase more masks for our ministry. Most of the volunteers commented on the joy they felt during this ministry and expressed that they felt the blessing of doing God’s will. I think this ministry did a lot for this church, and we are thankful to the BGAV for funding us for this ministry with a COVID-19 grant. Wesley Garrett is the pastor of Friendship Memorial Baptist Church in Richmond, VA.
On that day we distributed, in the name of Jesus, 42 children’s cloth masks and 10 adult masks. One of many special moments came when a lady from the community stopped by our ministry tent, and she expressed that she was a believer and was proud of what we were doing. She then donated money to help us purchase more masks. Another special moment came when a vehicle stopped with both husband and wife aboard. They stopped and informed us of their new medical residential center in the community. She then asked if she could get 10 masks for each child in treatment. After we gave her the masks, she also donated to the ministry. 10
NEW STUDY Available now!
Do your circumstances determine your joy? Through Paul in his Letter to the Philippians, the Holy Spirit teaches us that as believers we are not victims of external circumstances, but God wants to use them to strengthen us, mold us, and make us exactly who He wants us to be. Have you made the choice to rejoice?
baptistwaypress.org
MAKING KIDS HAPPY: ONE BALLOON AT A TIME BY MARYBETH COBBLE
Since April, the Children’s Ministry team at Manassas Baptist Church has delivered birthday balloons to 70 children throughout Prince William County, and they’re still on the go as each month brings more birthdays to celebrate. Director MaryBeth Cobble says, “We might be treating these kids to a fun surprise on their birthdays, but they are actually uplifting us like no one could have imagined. It’s a magical moment to stand there on a porch or in a driveway or front yard, holding bright, cheerful balloons as the birthday child is
For more stories, visit BGAV.org/Blog
swept away in the magnitude of reality of being special enough that we came to see them.” “When the world is saying, “Stay safe, stay away,” we are experiencing masked, sanitized greatness that inspires us to, “Stay safe, stay connected! Kids are special.”
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MaryBeth Cobble is Director of Children’s Ministries at Manassas Baptist Church in Manassas, VA.
LOOKED A LITTLE DIFFERENT BY MIKAYLA BARNES THIS YEAR Impact! Mission Camps had to cancel in-person camps for the first time in 26 years due to COVID-19, but that did not stop us. While so many had to cancel plans for the summer, we had other ideas. Impact turned virtual with our Impact Virtual Camp through social media, live–streamed worship, individual mission projects and lots of fun. We were able to keep our summer college staff who helped lead worship, organize fun daily challenges, and grow in their faith. People participated in so many ways and all for free, from individuals and families watching worship together to church groups came together to complete mission projects in their local communities and watch worship. The theme for camp this summer, which was picked over a year ago, was “Better Together.” This was so important in a time when we truly needed to learn how to be better together even when we are apart. Returning staff member, Alexis Epperly says it best, “You know those times in your life that can only be explained by saying it was a “God thing.” It baffles me that the theme “Better Together” was chosen last summer but it is so fitting for what is going on today in the world. This had to be a “God thing.” Read the following blurbs from some of our Impact staff as they reflect on their experiences this summer.
SAMANTHA RICHARD
This summer was a great time for me to reflect on what my goals in faith were and how I wanted to grow more in Christ, and I think I did just that. With the support of my fellow staff members, I was able to share an important piece of my walk with Christ, something I had never felt comfortable sharing before. Having the experience of living with my coworkers made for an eventful, yet amazing summer because so many memories were made with this wonderful group of people.
When I first heard of Impact, I knew that this experience was going to help me grow in my faith which was my ultimate goal for this year. I had never been to an Impact camp before, much less even heard of it until last October when I was on a retreat for my campus ministry. When I was first accepted for the job, I became overjoyed at the fact that I was going to meet so many great people throughout this experience since we were going to be traveling all over Virginia to the different camps. I got hit hard with the news that camp was going to be virtual this year due to the ongoing concern of COVID-19; I was really looking forward to hearing other students’ experiences through Christ and how Impact has helped them grow in their faith. Even though this virus changed my summer plans completely, I am incredibly grateful for this virtual experience I had with Impact. All of the staff members bonded quickly, which made for an awesome summer. From recording worship to competing against each other in challenges, I enjoyed every minute of it.
Although I did not get the chance to experience all that Impact has to offer, I do feel that I was blessed to receive so much faith and life experience throughout this summer. Impact was my silver lining in a time when the world erupted in chaos and I will forever be grateful to have experienced something as amazing as this. I learned how to be a better person but most importantly, a better follower of Christ. I hope to take what I have learned this summer and apply it to my Christian leadership role I have on campus as well as, throughout the rest of my life. Impact definitely holds a special place in my heart, and I cannot wait to see where the rest of my journey with Impact goes. 12
ELIZABETH RAPP
and know that Impact was still happening even if it looked different.
Beginning the summer after my freshman year of high school, I began going to Impact with my youth group. This was one of my first camp experiences with my new church, as I had recently left the church I grew up at. To say the least, I was very nervous even though I knew everybody I was going with. I specifically remember my parents and even some of my other family members being unsure about me going to a camp focused on construction because I had never done anything like that in the past. They expected me to come home after the week was over saying that I didn’t want to go back next summer, however that is far from what happened. I came back and talked non stop about camp that week, the house my team worked on, and how much fun I had meeting so many new friends. I truly believe they thought someone had replaced their daughter because I was telling them how much fun I had cutting roof shingles in 100 degree weather. That summer, on my first Impact trip is what made me comfortable at my new church and excited to be part of such a great youth group.
Even though I had been a camper and knew what Impact was like I still didn’t know what it was like from a staff perspective. This summer was able to show somewhat of what it is like, besides waking up super early every morning, being in the heat, and doing physical labor. It was nice to dip my foot in the pool before fully jumping in which is one reason I’m grateful for this summer. I also enjoyed the outreach opportunities that we were still able to do and the amazing friendships I have made with the other staff. We mowed lawns through Chesterfield Lawn Care, helped Freemason Baptist Church go through clothes donations, visited Gwathmey Baptist Church to see what ways their children were helping their community, and helped out at Old Dominion University’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry building. My favorite part of the whole summer was living and working with the other staff who I can say have definitely become my best friends. We all met over zoom during the spring and it was very awkward to say the least, but what zoom call isn’t? Being in person and building connections with each other has been such a blessing to me especially in a time where I thought I was going to be stuck at home all summer. Even though this summer was different in many ways God is always working in our lives, so I know many people were blessed through virtual camp.
I continued going to Impact every summer until I started college and now I am on staff with the most amazing group of people I could have ever imagined. Even though camp was much different this year due to COVID-19, I know I can speak for staff and past campers that it is truly better than no camp at all. In my staff interview I remember asking what camp would be like if COVID-19 was still around during the summer and Glenn and Mikayla mentioned virtual camp. It was such a relief for me to know that I would have something to do this summer, have a job,
BETH DALE
more grateful to God for granting me this chance. Although we were all saddened to hear that COVID-19 had ruined our chances of having an in person camp this year, we were still blessed to have been able to put together a completely virtual version of what Impact is. This summer has taught me a lot about what it is to work as a team and it has taught me that just because things don’t go exactly as planned, does not mean that your plans are ruined.
When I first heard about Impact! Mission Camps, I was pretty hesitant to participate. Spending a week of my summer waking up at six in the morning to go to worship, then go to work on a house for eight hours in the sun did not seem very appealing to me; until my first day at camp when I was just twelve years old. As soon as I got there I knew Impact was something I wanted to do for as long as I could. Being surrounded by people of faith and being able to make a real, hands on difference in your community is an amazing experience that everyone should be able to participate in. After that first week I had set a personal goal for myself that as soon as I was old enough I would apply to be on staff. Spending a whole summer doing mission work that I had such a strong passion for sounded like the perfect opportunity for me. After being a camper for seven years, I finally reached the age to apply for Impact staff. I was not sure if it was actually what God had in my plans, but after applying I had a feeling that this is exactly what I was meant to be doing. It was then, after waiting for seven long years to be old enough, I was officially welcomed onto the Impact 2020 team of staff and I could not have been
Before coming to meet the rest of the staff and spend the summer with them I was a nervous wreck; I was scared that I wouldn’t fit and that I would miss home. It was almost just like my emotions from my first year of camp, I was horrified right up until I walked in the door and met the rest of the wonderful staff. Everyone was so welcoming and I truly believe that God put us all together for a reason. These people have taught me so much, from cooking some sweet desserts, to showing me how to be a better person and Christian. I cannot thank God enough for this summer and being able to spread His word with this amazing organization called Impact! Mission Camps. For more information, visit ImpactMissionCamps.org 13
CONGRATS TO OUR 2020–2021 RECIPIENTS! BGAV College Scholarships Caleb Adams
Olivia Caldwell
Joshua DeWitt
Christopher Bailey
Michael Calhoun
Katherine Duffett
Richard Beale VI
Wade Carter
Hunter Eaton
Avery Betz
Emma Cook
Kara Edmonds
Chelsea Brennan
Brenna Crowgey
Josiah Elmore
Rebecca Brittain
Garrett Croxton
Alexis Epperly
Emma-Grace Brown
Glynncarynn Croxton
Aaron Evans
Megan Buffkin
Emily Dankenbring
Hailey Flory
Sydnee Burnette
Hannah Dankenbring
Brooke Gibson
Benjamin Caldwell
Edson De Guzman
Emily Green
Jeison De Guzman
Johnny Greene
Gracewood Community Lebanon, VA Virginia Tech Major: Mechanical Engineering Sandy Creek Baptist Church Jetersville, VA James Madison University Major: History and Advance to Law
Salem Baptist Church Milford, VA Germanna Community College Major: Mechanical Engineering Mathews Baptist Church Mathews, VA Liberty University Major: Exercise Science
Corinth Baptist Church New Kent, VA North Greenville University Major: Elementary Education First Baptist Church of Nickelsville Nickelsville, VA Charleston Southern University Major: Kinesiology
Gayton Baptist Church Henrico, VA University of Virginia Major: Neuroscience Northstar Church Blacksburg, VA Virginia Tech Major: Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise
Chesterfield Baptist Church Moseley, VA The College of William and Mary Major: Anthropology First Baptist Church of Alexandria Alexandria, VA Liberty University Major: Psychology with a Counseling cognate Highlands Fellowship Bristol, VA Bluefield College Major: Christian Studies or Human Services Walnut Hills Baptist Church Williamsburg, VA Longwood University Major: Elementary Education (Special Education) Critz Baptist Church Critz, VA Virginia Tech Major: Marketing and Management Consulting & Analytics Corinth Baptist Church New Kent, VA Rappahannock Community College Major: Exercise Science
Cambria Baptist Church Christiansburg, VA Shenandoah University Major: Violin Performance Beech Groove Baptist Church Gloucester, VA Rappahannock Community College Major: Associate of Arts and Sciences Beech Grove Baptist Church Gloucester, VA University of Virginia Major: Bachelor of Science Second Baptist Church of Petersburg Petersburg, VA Longwood University Major: Advanced Diploma
Second Baptist Church Petersburg, VA Longwood University Major: Nursing
Chinese Baptist Church of Richmond Richmond, VA University of Virginia Major: Kinesiology Chinese Baptist Church of Richmond Richmond, VA University of Virginia Major: Kinesiology
Grace Baptist Church Woodbridge, VA Northern Virginia Community College Major: Associate’s Degree First Baptist Church of Alexandria Alexandria, VA Virginia Tech Major: Biological Sciences and Clinical Neuroscience
Swords Creek Community Baptist Church Swords Creek, VA East Tennessee State University Major: Nursing Dundas Baptist Church Dundas, VA Liberty University Major: Strategic Communications Rosalind Hills Baptist Church Roanoke, VA Liberty University Major: Bachelor of Science Calvary Baptist Church Floyd, VA Radford University Major: Bachelor of Science West Lynchburg Baptist Church Lynchburg, VA Virginia Tech Major: Electrical Engineering Cheriton Baptist Church Cheriton, VA Meredith Manor Major: Riding Master III and Associate’s in Applied Science Midway Baptist Church Gretna, VA Liberty University Major: Nursing
Blacksburg Baptist Church Blacksburg, VA James Madison University Major: Dance and Architectural Design Highlands Fellowship Abingdon, VA Bluefield College Major: Ministry
Josh Hill
Cool Spring Baptist Church Mechanicsville, VA Liberty University Major: Digital Media (Video)
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Rachel Hughes
Morgan Miller
Nathanael Shumate
Isaiah Johnson
Tyler Miller
Rebecca Shumate
Riley Kaufman
Kasey Mize
Timothy Sloane
Claire King
Audra Murphy
Andrea Smith
Jenna Kitts
Nathan Patrick
Andre Souza Avila Amaral
Calvin Kramer
Alliebeth Plenge
Ethan Stephens
Elizabeth Larson
John Rasnick
Kathleen Sutherland
Anderson Lee
Sidney Rudolph
Jessica Thomas
Sarah Grace Lott
Jakob Schneider
Aleise Thornton
Camden Mahan
Kennedy Schultz
Elias Villarreal
Ethan McManamey
Lydia Shearin
Dianna Winn
Paige McMillin-Goodwin
Jillian Shelton
Bailey Wright
Reid McMillin-Goodwin
Hannah Shockley
West End Baptist Church N. Dinwiddie, VA James Madison University Major: Bachelor of Science Antioch Baptist Church Fairfax, VA Northern Virginia Community College Major: Associate’s Degree/Bachelor’s Degree Central Baptist Church Midlothian, VA John Tyler Community College Major: General Studies Chestnut Grove Baptist Church Earlysville, VA University of Richmond Major: Geography with a minor in American Studies James River Baptist Church Williamsburg, VA The College of William & Mary Major: Global Studies with a concentration in Middle Eastern Studies Mathews Baptist Church Mathews, VA Virginia Tech Major: Bachelor’s Degree Jackson Memorial Baptist Church Chesapeake, VA James Madison University Major: Bachelor of Science Walnut Hills Baptist Church Williamsburg, VA Radford University Major: Music Therapy with a minor in Psychology Huguenot Road Baptist Church North Chesterfield, VA The College of William & Mary Major: Geology
Kentuck Baptist Church Ringgold, VA Liberty University Major: Interdisciplinary Studies
Chestnut Hill Baptist Church Lynchburg, VA Virginia Tech Major: Engineering First Baptist Church Front Royal, VA Furman University Major: Economics
First Baptist Church Front Royal, VA Jacksonville University Major: Aeronautical Management and Flight Operations with MBA
Shalom Baptist Church Mechanicsville, VA Christopher Newport University Major: Teaching West Lynchburg Baptist Church Lynchburg, VA Bridgewater College Major: Health and Exercise Science Warrenton Baptist Church Warrenton, VA Virginia Commonwealth University Major: Pre-Physical Therapy/Kinesiology Glenn Memorial Baptist Church Prospect, VA East Carolina University Major: Nursing
Bonsack Baptist Church Roanoke, VA Virginia Western Community College Major: Science and Culinary
Bonsack Baptist Church Roanoke, VA High Point University Major: Biomedical Engineering Highlands Fellowship Abingdon, VA Bluefield College Major: Biology Beulah Baptist Church Aylett, VA Liberty University Major: Nursing
Northside Baptist Church Mechanicsville, VA Virginia Tech Major: Industrial and Systems Engineering with a minor in Business New Prospect Baptist Church Hurt, VA Virginia Tech Major: International Studies with a minor in Russian New Highland Baptist Church Mechanicsville, VA Christopher Newport University Major: Musical Theater New Prospect Baptist Church Hurt, VA University of Lynchburg Major: Exercise Physiology First Baptist Church of Bluefield Bluefield, VA Bluefield College Major: Bachelor of Science
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First Baptist Church Princeton, WV Bluefield State College Major: Criminal Justice
First Baptist Church Princeton, WV Bluefield State College Major: Business (Accountancy) Melrose Baptist Church Roanoke, VA Virginia Western Community College Major: Social Science (Education) Highlands Fellowship Abingdon, VA Bluefield College Major: Ministerial Leadership
Second Baptist Church Richmond, VA Bluefield College Major: Psychology
West Main Baptist Church Danville, VA Averett University Major: Physical Education Warrenton Baptist Church Warrenton, VA James Madison University Major: Speech Pathology Azalea Baptist Church Norfolk, VA University of Lynchburg Major: Exercise Physiology
Moffett Memorial Baptist Church Danville, VA Danville Community College Major: Nursing
Freedom Life Church Hampton, VA Thomas Nelson Community College Major: Bachelor’s Degree
First Baptist Church of Ridgeway Ridgeway, VA Old Dominion University Major: Bachelor’s Degree West Lynchburg Baptist Church Lynchburg, VA Virgina Tech Major: Business Management
Ministerial Education Funds Cody Billups
Kimberly Murphy
Neisha Smith
Tessa Brown
Phillip Parris
Christie Thadikonda
William Cumbia
Rachel Pierce
Emma Tilley
Brydon DeWitt
John Pollock
Guillermo Urrutia Morales
Joel Elmore
Kaya Prasad
Timothy Whiteheart
James Gathje
Esther Shin
Austin Williams
Jeremiah Hurst
Matthew Simpson
Franklin Baptist Church Franklin, VA Ministry Area: Preaching/Pastoral Care
Highlands Fellowship Abingdon, VA Ministry Area: Preaching/Pastoral
Tabernacle Baptist Church Richmond, VA Ministry Area: Missions
Second Baptist Church Richmond, VA Ministry Area: Youth Ministry
Mill Creek Baptist Church Fincastle, VA Ministry Area: Youth Ministry
Mill Creek Baptist Church Fincastle, VA Ministry Area: Preaching/Pastoral Care
Central Baptist Church Richmond, VA Ministry Area: Missions
Columbia Baptist Church Falls Church, VA Ministry Area: Pastoral Care
Highlands Fellowship Bristol, TN Ministry Area: Christian Education
First Baptist Church of Ashland Ashland, VA Ministry Area: Music
Freedom Life Church Hampton, VA Ministry Area: Preaching/Pastoral
Gayton Church Henrico, VA Ministry Area: Missions
Pilgrim Community Church Burke, VA Ministry Area: Missions
Highlands Fellowship Wise, VA Ministry Area: Preaching/Pastoral
Gayton Baptist Church Henrico, VA Ministry Area: Preaching/Pastoral
Richmond’s First Baptist Church Richmond, VA Ministry Area: Youth
Rivermont Baptist Church Danville, VA Ministry Area: Preaching/Pastoral
Gospel Community Church Lynchburg, VA Ministry Area: Missions
Mulberry Grove Baptist Church Buckingham, VA Ministry Area: College Ministry
Northstar Church Blacksburg, VA Ministry Area: Preaching/Pastoral
“For I know the plans I have for you,� declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.� Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
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For more information, visit BGAV.org/Scholarships
THE BGAV’S SEMINARY PARTNER FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION Northern Seminary delivers accessible, affordable theological education to students in Virginia via interactive live-streaming classes and local cohort gatherings. • Learn how to exegete your local context and lead your church wherever you live • Complete your degree entirely from home • Scholarships for students from BGAV churches • Access to veterans benefits at home or deployed
seminary.edu/virginia
REFLECTIONS
from My First Days as a Venturer in Beirut, Lebanon
Clockwise from top: Julia’s second day of work, with Wissam Nasrallah (COO) and Nabil Costa (CEO); Destruction from the explosion in Beirut on August 4, 2020 (© Hussein Malla/AP).
by Julia Wallace
I arrived safely in Beirut last Friday, August 14—exactly 10 days after the explosion. This past week I was able to see firsthand the damage to the city and meet with people who were directly affected. As I began to move around the city and meet new people, a common response emerged; when I disclosed that I arrived after the explosion, I was met with quizzical looks and some variation of the question, “And you still decided to come?”
shadow of a doubt that God placed this call on my life and opened the doors, and that any other choice would have been disobedience to God’s will. Isn’t that the beauty and mystery of our faith, that it compels us to act in ways that don’t always make sense? Ten days in and I’ve already seen how God is working through the Church to meet the needs of those who are vulnerable and comfort those who are downtrodden. I’m honored to be serving alongside an organization that has already taken an active role in emergency relief through organizing shelter for the displaced, food for the hungry, and support for the hurting.
If you have kept up at all with global news the past few months, you know that their question comes as no surprise. Lebanon is in an unprecedented time of hardship marked by months of political, economic, social, and health crises. To top it all off, they were rocked by a massive explosion that killed around 180 people and injured over 6,000 more. These numbers included men and women; adults and children; locals and refugees.
To all the people in Virginia who have made my move to Lebanon possible through your support and prayers: thank you. I am happy to report that God is multiplying your gifts—to both me and the Lebanese Society for Education and Social Development—for the love of others and the glory of his name.
This national trauma has left an already-hurting people in greater grief. It has also exacerbated their health, economic, and political struggles.
For more information about Julia and the Venturer program, and to donate to Julia’s ministry in Beirut, visit BGAV.org/ Venturers.
During one of my conversations with a Lebanese man this week, he said “You have come at the wrong time. Or maybe you have come at the right time. Depends on your perspective.” I’m sure there are many who think moving to Lebanon in the middle of a global pandemic after an explosion was the “wrong” decision, and on a surface level, I can see why. But I know without a
Julia Wallace is a BGAV Venturer in Beirut, Lebanon.
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For more information, visit BGAV.org/Venturers
LATEST MINISTRY JOBS • Senior Pastor @ Mount Hermon Baptist Church, Moseley, VA • Director of Music and Youth Ministry Assistant @ Lebanon Baptist Church, Lebanon, VA • PT Office Manager @ Broadus Memorial Baptist Church, Mechanicsville, VA • PT Interim Associate Minister to Students and Spiritual Formation @ Mechanicsville Baptist, Mechanicsville, VA • PT Administrative Secretary @ Corinth Baptist Church, New Kent, VA • Pastor and Spiritual Leader @ Williamsburg Baptist Church, Williamsburg, VA • Minister to Students @ Columbia, Falls Church, VA
• Children’s Ministry Director/Pastor @ Gateway Community Church, South Riding, VA
• Pastor @ Kenbridge Baptist Church, Kenbridge, VA
• PT Youth/Children’s Minister @ Blackberry Baptist Church, Bassett, VA
• PT Director of Missions @ Goshen Baptist Association, Mineral, VA
• PT Youth Pastor @ Gwathmey Baptist Church, Ashland, VA
• PT Media Technician @ Smithfield Baptist Church, Smithfield, VA
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Join Us for the 2020 BGAV Annual Meeting – Online! November 9–10, 2020
BGA
Kate Campbell
REGISTRATION OPENS MID-OCTOBER AT MEETING.BGAV.ORG! Monday night, November 9 — Join us for a special worship celebration featuring: • • • •
guest speaker N.T. Wright a musical presentation by singer/storyteller Kate Campbell an exploration of BGAV’s “Deep Roots, Green Shoots” with Executive Director John Upton Memorial Service
REGISTER FOR THE BGAV
MISSION
Tuesday, November 10 — Join us throughout the day for online breakout sessions on a variety of relevant topics! Visit the website for a list of breakout titles and descriptions.
Walk or run the BGAV Mission Run 5K virtually with us any time before Sunday, November 8! All proceeds go toward this year’s chosen mission offering (TBA).
For more details, visit:
Get details and register online at BGAV.org/Meeting!
Meeting.BGAV.org
ISSION VM
RUN
N.T. Wright
2020
RUN
$25 PER PERSON #BGAVMissionRun
Due to the nature of this year’s meeting, no formal business will be conducted and therefore churches do not need to elect messengers. However, registration is still required in order to access all meeting presentations and breakout sessions.