BGAV Express - Spring 2019

VOL 4, ISSUE 2

SPRING 2019

FOCUS:

REFUGEES A BGAV Partnership with Baptists in Europe and the Middle East // pg 7

Food + Fellowship + Fresh Expressions

BGAV Ministers in Residence

Sexual Abuse and the Church

Fresh Expressions helps local outreach through dinner churches

Customized ministry help for your church

Resources for church leaders to help prevent it

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ADDRESSING DIFFICULT ISSUES: SEX ABUSE IN CHURCH

by John Upton Rereading the story of Jesus in the wilderness being tested by Satan reminded me of the harshness of that story. I could feel the harshness in the verb, “the Spirit drove him out.” It didn’t say the Spirit let him out, or invited him out, or called him out.

The Spirit drove him out into the wilderness.

That is our story too. The mind we have been given is not meant to always be peaceful; it is also meant to grapple with painful circumstances and difficult questions. Life is not always smooth sailing—sometimes we must face the tough stuff.

I believe God is currently driving us out into a wilderness of church life that we have wanted to avoid, but we can’t.

I believe God is currently driving us out into a wilderness of church life that we have wanted to avoid, but we can’t. In recent weeks different newspapers across the country have forced the church—particularly the Baptist church—to face the truth that many people have been sexually abused and assaulted within our churches either by clergy, deacons, Sunday School teachers, youth ministers, and others. Over 700 people have reported they were sexually abused or assaulted in Baptist churches in the past 20 years. The truth of this will make you sick on one hand and angry on the other. This is one of the most urgent items we need to address and own. This is our moment to start to get it right and make our churches the safest places a person can be. I regret it has taken us this long to own this crisis.

While the BGAV honors the autonomy of the local church, it also affirms that every church is accountable as well. The BGAV does not have a governing role with churches, but we do have

JOHN UPTON is the Executive Director of the BGAV.

an assistive role with churches. I would like to be specific about the ways the BGAV can assist churches as they address this crisis of sex abuse and sexual assault.

• Every church should review its policy and procedures for abuse, misconduct, and assault. There should be a clear understanding how to immediately address such issues. The BGAV is prepared to offer resources regarding processes, policies, background checks, and procedures.

• Sample policies and guidelines are available to help churches structure their process of addressing sexual misconduct.

• BGAV has an agreement with VIP Care that includes caring for victims of sexual abuse. The BGAV will assist a church in accessing care for those affected by such betrayal of trust.

• BGAV will create a resource that will advise churches on security measures as well as offer training events for anyone responsible for minors in the church. We strongly recommend that anyone working with children or youth receive training. These items are also being covered in the BGAV certification training for youth and children’s ministers and workers.

• Churches need to have a clear process of handling complaints: conducting timely, fair, and responsible investigations and reporting to authorities when appropriate.

• The safety of all people is more important than the reputation of a church or of BGAV. • It is time to walk with integrity.

I take comfort in that when we are driven into the wilderness places, we will remember who we are by the grace of God and that ministering angels will meet us there—as well as Christ, who knows his way through and who will lead us to new life for all.

Note: Inquiries about training or other resources should be directed to your regional Field Strategist. Find your Field Strategist by visiting BGAV.org/FieldStaff or calling Karen Rackett, administrative assistant, at 800.255.2428, ext. 2243.

FOCUS:

REFUGEES A BGAV Partnership with Baptists in Europe and the Middle East

// pg 7 4 // BGAV News & Notes 6 // A Letter from the BGAV President 7 // Focus:Refugees 12 // Camp Piankatank Winter Blast 13 // Kairos Leadership Initiative (KLI) Retreat Kicks Off Seventh Year of Developing Young Leaders 14 // Opportunities Through Fresh Expressions: Churches Finding New Ways to Creatively Reach People in Their Communities 16 // Meet Our Ministers in Residence: Offering Customized Help, One Church at a Time 21 // Sexual Abuse: 12 Resources for Church Leaders Committed to Preventing It 23 // Latest Ministry Jobs

BGAV Advancing the Kingdom Together

ISSN 2573-5101 (print) ISSN 2573-511X (online)

A publication of the Baptist General Association of Virginia Volume 4, Issue 2 Spring 2019 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.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: John V. Upton, Jr. BGAV EXPRESS EDITOR: Jennifer Law ART DIRECTOR: Meghan Wilson

BGAV Staff Updates

Charity Robertson’s last day as Field Strategist and Ministry Placement Coach was January 31. She returned to North Carolina, where she is now serving as pastor of Mosaic Church of Clayton and CBF campus minister at East Carolina University.

Skip Wallace now serves as Field Strategist for the Central Region in addition to the Valley Region. Brian Williams is now serving full time as Field Strategist for the Tidewater region, a position he previously held in a part-time capacity.

On March 1, Jeff Cranford retired as Field Strategist for the Central Region. His new roles with BGAV include Minister in Residence for Church Finance (see p. 17 of this issue) and Instructor for the new Church Finance Course of Study, which is now being offered through the Ministry Equipping Network.

The Volunteer Village is set up in Pollocksville (Jones County), NC, as of February 2019.

Impact and Disaster Response are currently searching for individuals or couples who can succeed the Clatterbucks and Dorseys in Jones County, ensuring that volunteers, church groups, and Impact summer camps will be able to become a valuable part of the overall community and help everyone return to their homes as soon as possible.

New Long-term Volunteers in Disaster Response

Two long-term volunteers have just begun their terms of service in Jones County, NC. They are on-site coordinators of the ongoing BGAV response through Disaster Response and Impact Mission Camps.

BGAV Nominations: Recommendations for Service

Roger Clatterbuck is serving as construction coordinator for the next three months. Roger recently completed an Experiencing God study at his church when he saw the request for someone to go and serve as construction coordinator, and he felt called to go. Roger has been a construction coordinator for Impact camps in Shiloh for years and is bringing his expertise as a licensed contractor to Jones County, where he will assess and coordinate the rapid-rebuild process, ensuring that teams and families have what they need to get people back into their homes quickly. Roger and his wife, Bonnie, are members of Culpeper Baptist Church.

With the participation of more than 400,000 strong members in over 1,400 churches, the Baptist General Association of Virginia is a diverse group of people energized by a common passion to advance our Redeemer’s Kingdom.

As a body, we have learned that we can do more together than we can alone. For this reason we partner together, through the shared ministries of more than 22 agencies, institutions, and committees, to help carry out the work of Virginia Baptists.

Bob Dorsey is serving as community engagement coordinator in Jones County as part of the Rebuild phase of BGAV disaster response in North Carolina. A retired military officer, Bob first served with VBDR after Hurricane Florence and immediately made an impression on leaders. He and his wife, Faye, are now on the ground helping to coordinate community partners and host teams who come to serve. They are members of Effort Baptist Church and live in Fluvanna county.

The Committee on Boards and Committees needs your help in identifying these types of Virginia Baptist leaders. Visit BGAV.org/Nominations to complete a recommendation form.

All recommendations are due by May 1.

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NEWS + NOTES

Complete list of events at BGAV.org/Events

Event Calendar March 2

4–5 7 8–10 9 11–12 11

12 13 18 18–19 21

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State and Federal Tax Reporting Requirements (online course) 28–30 Awakenings: The Life of the Church for the Sake of the World, Alexandria, VA

Best Practices of Teaching Preschoolers (online course) Empower Class 502 - Establishing a Dynamic Coaching Relationship, Henrico, VA Youth Ministry 101 (online course) Journey: A Retreat for High School Students, Lynchburg, VA Choosing and Evaluating Youth Curriculum (online course) Empower Class 502 - Establishing a Dynamic Coaching Relationship, Henrico, VA Inclusive and Supportive Children’s Ministry: Serving Children and Families with Special Needs (online course) The Bible and Church Finances/The Church as a Legal Entity (online course) The Family of God (online course) Choosing and Evaluating Children’s Curriculum (online course) Empower Class 503: Coaching for Change, Transition, and Transformation, Ashland, VA Leading and Caring for Others (online course)

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April 1 9–12 25 29 30

May 3–4 3–4 9–10 13–14 31

2019 Virginia Baptist Combined Handbell Festival Was a Huge Success

Teaching Techniques and Approaches (online course) BGAV Scholarship Applications Due (12:00 p.m.)

Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care Training, Henrico, VA Church Financial Administration Seminar, Henrico, VA Virginia Baptist Executive Board, Lynchburg, VA Virginia Baptist Mission Council, Lynchburg, VA

Reunión Anual de Iglesias Latinas de Virginia, Mappsville, VA Virginia Church Library Association Spring 2019 Conference, Chester, VA Empower Class 502 - Establishing a Dynamic Coaching Relationship, Henrico, VA Virginia Baptist Senior Adult Festival of Praise, Richmond, VA Developmental Ages and Stages (online course)

Scholarship Deadlines Approaching

More than 140 participants joined their musical gifts together at Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Glen Allen on February 8-9 for this popular event. Guest Director David Harris of The Raleigh Ringers led the festival.

Monday, April 1, at noon is the deadline for applications for BGAV Scholarships (college, ministerial education, nontraditional ministry education, and church internship grants). For more information and to apply online, visit BGAV.org/Scholarships.

For more BGAV news, visit BGAV.org/News

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A LETTER FROM THE BGAV PRESIDENT

by Richard Martin I am humbled to serve as your president this year representing the thousands of Virginia Baptists that belong to our more than 1,400 autonomous churches. I look forward to a full and rewarding year working with you to advance the Kingdom of God. The new year has already been busy. My first task as president was to appoint the chairs of all the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV) standing committees. Already many of the committees are actively working.

The Program Committee has already met to analyze last November’s Annual Meeting and to begin planning the 2019 Annual Meeting that will be held in November at Bonsack Baptist Church near Roanoke. The Religious Liberty Committee has begun work on a curriculum for children on religious liberty.

The Religious Liberty Committee also has been working to defeat legislation in the Virginia General Assembly that threatens our belief in separation of church and state.

RICHARD MARTIN is the 2019 BGAV President.

The Committee on Boards and Committees is also busy finding the right people to fill vacancies on our standing committees as well as the boards of a number of our affiliated organizations.

They seek your help. If you would like to serve on a committee or board or if you know of an ideal candidate to fill one of these slots, please let the Committee on Committees and Boards know. You can find the nomination form on the BGAV website at BGAV.org/Nominations.

The Executive Board met for a two-day retreat at Eagle Eyrie early in January. The two days were enlightening and rewarding. That session led to a special called meeting of the Executive Board in February to exclusively deal with the future of the BGAV. Over the past several months I have spoken at the stewardship dinner of Madison Heights Baptist, my home church, and I have participated in the installation of a new minister and attended the ordination of a minister. I have enjoyed those events, and I am looking forward to other such events during the year. Contact me if you would like for me to come to your church.

I also attended the 53rd Commonwealth Prayer Breakfast on the first day of this year’s Virginia General Assembly. The theme this year concentrated on the crisis in civility that is pulling our leaders and us apart. That morning held great hope. The events of recent weeks now call that hope into question. Please join me in prayer for our leaders here in the Commonwealth of Virginia and on the national level. May we enter a time of grace, peace, and reconciliation.

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Making Room for Brothers and Sisters Around the World

FOCUS:

REFUGEES A BGAV Partnership with Baptists in Europe and the Middle East

[ by Will Cumbia ]

Making Room for Brothers and Sisters Around the World

FOCUS:REFUGEES [ by Will Cumbia ]

“Spread the chairs out. We have enough space.”

Walter’s simple words were so meaningful to a cramped church finally able to breathe on that day, but they represent so much more. Those words embody a posture of mission and living in this church’s life and that of the Austrian Baptist Union. It’s a church and a Union that repeatedly over decades has made room. For Romanians who came to Austria seeking relief from the chains of communism. For Mongolian immigrants looking for a place to belong. For students looking for community away from home. And most recently for hundreds of beautiful and weary refugees looking for peace, safety, and justice when their homes were no longer safe.

They were simple directions spoken to me by Walter Klimt, a pastor in my church, projekt:gemeinde, in Vienna, Austria.

Simple words that struck a chord in me. We were setting up the cavernous and beautiful 20th-century ballroom for church services. After years of prayer, giving, and hard work we finally had the permits to legally hold services for all three congregations of our growing church.

Spread the chairs out.

For the past eight months for our German-speaking congregation and for the past years for our Farsi-speaking congregation, we have been crammed into a tiny space that comfortably sat 40. While we were thankful for the space it was nowhere near enough for our 250-member Farsi-speaking congregation and out of the question for joint services of German, Farsi, and Spanish congregations coming together.

Time and time again the Austrian Baptists have said, “We have enough space. We will make room. There is a seat at the table for you. We will find a way. Come.”

Even going as far as buying an old, run-down hotel to make room.

It’s for this reason that Virginia Baptists are partnering with Austrian Baptists and other Baptist Unions in Europe as a part of a new missions initiative called focus:refugees. Focus:refugees aims to meaningfully connect Virginia Baptists to the refugee work of our partners within the European Baptist Federation (EBF). Over the next five years, the BGAV will support refugee work all over Europe and the Middle East starting with the Austrian Baptists, the Croatian Baptists and their work with refugees in Bosnia, and Lebanese Baptists. Additionally, the BGAV will partner with ReEstablish Richmond, a refugee resettlement agency working with refugees in Virginia.

That’s why in 2013, a ragtag Baptist church of students, refugees from Iran and Afghanistan, and toddlers took on national grocery store chains to bid over a million Euros for a 1900-era, run-down hotel called the Donauhof. And won.

Fast-forward to January 13, 2019. The Donauhof is still an active construction zone. The men’s restrooms have only just been finished. Dust lingers everywhere. But it is home for our church.

We have enough space.

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Today there are more than 68.5 million displaced people in the world, including internally displaced people and refugees. As the so-called refugee crisis unfolded in Europe and the Middle East over the past years, Baptist Unions within the EBF rose to the occasion to respond. Through their years of experience and their continuing work, we have a great opportunity to learn, to listen deeply, and to engage.

The 2018 Kairos Missions team smiles as the ascend the escalator from the Viennese U-Bahn on the way to their next task helping in projekt:gemeinde.

Across Europe, Baptists are opening up their homes, churches, and resources for displaced peoples from all around the world.

We are excited and proud to partner with our brothers and sisters in this important Kingdom-building work.

The Lebanese Baptists understand what it means to make space.

In the small country of Lebanon, surrounded to the north and east by war-torn Syria, one in three people is a refugee. One in four is a Syrian refugee. The Baptists of Lebanon only number 1,600 members compared to 1.5 million Syrian refugees in 2016. How can such a small number of people stand to face such a giant issue?

Through the work of the Lebanese Society for Educational and Social Development (LSESD), Lebanese Baptists are holistically addressing the reality of their community. Their work addresses both the physical and emotional needs of displaced people including food, hygiene kits, milk and diapers, health care, trauma support, and winterization items. Through radical hospitality, a tiny Union of Baptist churches is making a huge impact in their communities. There has even been one instance of a Lebanese Baptist church offering their church as a safe space for displaced refugees to hold Islamic services.

Croatian Baptists have welcomed past refugees displaced by the Yugoslav Wars in the 1990s to refugees on the path today on their way to Northern Europe. The Croatian Baptists are using their location where God has placed them to respond with compassion and grace to the needs of refugees at some of their most vulnerable moments.

“I feel that Westerners—before they know us—they call refugees terrorists. But God loves us too. God loves refugees.

God opened these doors so that we could find him. We are the children of God too.”

The Lebanese Baptists know that God likes to take the small, the weak, the outnumbered, and the few and give them victory over giants. That God takes a few coins or fish or bread and blesses it to be used for immeasurably more than we can even fathom. We need only provide space for God to work.

These are the words of Kasra, an Iranian refugee who fled Iran because the government suspected he was a Christian, even though he didn’t actually convert until later in his journey.

He walked from Tehran to Vienna—roughly 2,468 miles. He swam from Turkey to Greece. He used fake documents to cross borders. He would have been considered an illegal immigrant in the US.

You may know Croatia for its rocky coastline on the crystal blue waters of the Adriatic Sea, but the Croatian Baptists have made a name for themselves around the refugee camps of the Balkans. Through their humanitarian aid branch, Croatian Baptist Aid (CBA), the Croatian Baptists have been involved in refugee work for decades, working in camps as far as Greece and now in neighboring Bosnia.

Now, he works tirelessly in Vienna, translating multiple days a week from English to Farsi for Bible studies, church services, and legal counseling sessions. At only 19 years old, he is one of the most active members of the Farsi-speaking congregation of projekt:gemeinde. When asked why he serves the church he said, “I can’t pay Jesus back for the life he gave me, but I will try and serve him and try and show how lovely he is to others. He saved me and changed everything in my life.”

When asked why the Croatian Baptists work with refugees, Toma Magda, the director of Croatian Baptist Aid says, “Many Christians would calculate that we as Christians need to do such things in order to evangelize people. CBA thinks not. We do it because God says it, and it is the right thing to do.” He goes on to talk about the body of Christ having too many “mouths,” saying the Croatian Baptists “want to follow in [Christ’s] footsteps and imitate him. We want to become his heart and arms and legs.”

While many have called the mass movement of refugees around the world a crisis, many in European Baptist churches see it as a blessing. They see it as a way to show God’s love and hospitality to the stranger when many, especially European governments, want to turn them away. And they see foreigners coming in as an opportunity to grow the Kingdom of God. 9

How many people do we block from God’s Kingdom because of fear or misunderstanding? How many people miss their callings from God because we turn them away for not looking or sounding or acting like us?

It has been humbling to serve with refugees over the past year and a half on behalf of Virginia Baptists. I’ve learned that doing refugee work isn’t special, or at least it shouldn’t be. Welcoming the stranger and the foreigner should be a natural expression of our faith, something that happens without question when following in the steps of Christ.

Because what happens when you let refugees into your life is immensely profound. When you show radical love and hospitality, your eyes are opened to see more fully the expansive and beautiful and radiantly colorful Kingdom of God. It opens up our eyes to care not only for the least of these, but for everyone. We start to understand that we are all equal in our need of grace and love and compassion. We see that Jesus spreads the chairs out and makes room for the most unlikely of people at his table.

There is enough space in the Kingdom of God. I am excited for the next years of service, of growth, of building, and of learning we have ahead in the focus:refugees partnership.

I am excited to see how God takes what little we have and blesses it for immeasurably more.

I am excited too, that this Kingdom building work is not only happening across an ocean in Europe but right at home in Virginia too. We are thrilled to partner with ReEstablish Richmond to serve resettled refugees who are our neighbors 10

right in Virginia. After fleeing natural disaster, violence, or threat of violence, refugees go through an extremely thorough and lengthy vetting process--sometimes years--before arriving in the US. When they finally arrive, refugees continue to face obstacles like overcoming language barriers, cultural barriers, not understanding systems, lacking transportation, and being far away from their loved ones. ReEstablish Richmond addresses many of these physical issues that refugees face, helping displaced people feel welcome in their new home.

I look forward to seeing the ways that Virginia Baptists will love their neighbors both far and near. There are many ways that you and your church can get involved with focus:refugees; through prayer, through financial support, and by giving your time.

You can see a full list of ways to get involved in Europe and in Virginia on the BGAV website at BGAV.org/Refugees.

Will Cumbia is currently serving in his second year as a BGAV Venturer in Vienna, Austria. His role includes facilitation in this new focus area of Partnership Missions.

For more information on Focus:Refugees and how your church can be involved, visit BGAV.org/Refugees

UNDERSTANDING THE TRIUMPHS AND TROUBLES IN LIFE Life seems to offer us a mixed bag of wins and losses, triumphs and troubles. Often (but not always), our troubles are the direct result of our poor choices. We see this reflected in the life of David. Though he was a “man after God’s own heart,” and became king over the united kingdoms of Israel and Judah, he often struggled to make wise choices. We see this reflected in the Book of 2 Samuel. As you study this portion of God’s word, celebrate David’s victories, but also take note of what you can learn from his troubles.

Pay attention to the far-reaching effects our sinful choices can have on those close to us. baptistwaypress.org

Camp Piankatank Winter Blast

by Austin McElreath

Winter Blast

Clockwise from above: Two girls prepare to complete the ropes course at Camp Piankatank; Winter Blast 2019 attendees pose for a group shot; Participants stay warm by a bonfire.

Kids no longer have to wait until summer to have the camp experience! For the second year, Camp Piankatank’s Winter Blast was an exciting weekend with the fun of summer camp and some unique activities designed for cold weather. Students from ages 13–17 gathered together February 15–17, 2019, to hear the gospel and refresh their hearts for Christ on the beautiful shores of the Piankatank River.

Midnight Games were a big hit—a fun experience only available during Winter Blast. A hot baked potato and chili bar were some of the new food offerings that wouldn’t be found during the summer season! As a special surprise, Chick-fil-A of Gloucester donated chicken biscuits for Saturday breakfast.

Derrick Quirin led the messages centered on the theme of “seasons,” with the verse from Ecclesiastes 3:1–8. With the music provided by a local church band, the students had the opportunity to worship in the morning and evening as well as have devotional time in their cabins.

Campers enjoyed activities on the ropes course, new games, and a cozy coffee shop to warm up during the chilly weather. One camper told a staff member, “I was worried that winter camp was going to be busy. I am already busy with school, SATs, and learning to drive so I didn’t want my weekend to be like every day. It wasn’t and I really enjoyed the atmosphere of Piankatank in a different way.”

Camp Piankatank’s Winter Blast helps break up the “winter” in our camper’s hearts, with a season of spiritual refreshment, friendships, and fun.

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For more information, visit CampPiankatank.org

by Karin Goude

Kairos Leadership Initiative (KLI) Retreat Kicks Off Seventh Year of Developing Young Leaders Before the buzz of the spring semester began, nine young adults gathered in the mountains for a time of personal reflection and community building. The 2019 class of the Kairos Leadership Initiative (KLI) kicked off the program year with their first retreat over the third weekend of January. This was the first in-person gathering for the student and staff team since the interview and selection process in October. There is different energy when finally meeting face to face, and the cohesion of this year’s group was evident from the start.

The team used the tool of the Enneagram to help better understand how God has uniquely created our inner selves and personalities. JR and Amy Rozko, friends from Missio Alliance, joined us to lead these sessions. The Enneagram proved to be an extremely impactful tool for the students. Evelyn Kim, a Junior Human Development major at Virginia Tech, shares openly about how utilizing the Enneagram has challenged her in her faith: “As I have reflected on my first KLI retreat, one thing that the Lord continuously convicted me of was learning that my core sin, as a two on the Enneagram, is pride and seeing how much pride has affected my life.

I was constantly convicted of how pride motivates a lot of my actions, and how much I was in need of the Lord’s forgiveness over that. Another thing I learned was how my type of personality (along with my triad on the Enneagram) is in need of hearing God’s abundance of love be emphasized in the Gospel story. As a two in the heart triad, I struggle a lot with shame and often wonder what is so wrong with me. However, hearing of the simple truth that God has a relentless pursuit of love after me was just what I needed to hear.”

Nick Alley, a junior Philosophy major at Virginia Tech, shared how the weekend impacted him: “The first retreat for KLI proved to be a weekend full of information, community, and food! One of the things which I learned the most about is the way in which my personality lends itself to a certain area of sin.

Another thing that stood out to me was the late night conversations with one another where we shared our stories, thoughts, and grew closer together. Overall, it was a wonderful time of fellowship that makes me more excited for the program and other times together!”

The KLI program’s design is to challenge young adults who are high potential leaders to discover their identity in Christ, realize their gifts and talents, understand their surrounding contexts, and discern their unique call to a life of mission. Between the three key retreats of the year, they meet regularly with mentors and coaches to process and apply what they are learning.

Additionally, they are given several books to read through the year and discuss as a cohort to grow spiritually in their walk with the Lord and be more effective leaders in their communities.

During the January retreat, the team focuses on the foundation of it all: our identity as sons and daughters of the Most High.

With this exciting kickoff of the seventh year of KLI, there is no doubt that these students are ready for the challenging and beautiful work God has for them and the Kingdom impact they will make through their leadership. Pray for these nine students as they begin their journeys, and join us as we work to impact the lives of young adults across the world for the sake of the Gospel by moving missionally, developing leaders, and building community. Head to KairosInitiative.org to discover more about Kairos Initiative ministry opportunities.

Karin Goude is the Program and Network Associate of Kairos Initiative.

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For more information, visit KairosInitiative.org

OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH FRESH EXPRESSIONS: CHURCHES FINDING NEW WAYS TO CREATIVELY REACH PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES this awesome ministry, and God has provided for our needs. We are fine with financial resources, and we are growing with much fruit as we love on the people from our Food Pantry as well as all others in our community.

A Fresh Expression is a form of church for our changing culture, established primarily for the benefit of those who are not yet part of any church. Around the world, Christians are stepping out in faith and beginning fresh expressions of church, new or different forms of church for a changing culture.

We always have a Jesus story along with the meal and ask for any takeaways from the passage regarding what God may be saying to us.

We have had a few young people provide music on the piano while we are at the table. The other big thing that has been so awesome is praying for the individual prayer needs for the folks. Sometimes we have had the privilege to lay hands over them as we pray for them. Some of the folks tell us that they never have gotten this much good fellowship from any other churches they have ever attended. Relationships are growing as we meet the physical needs but also give them spiritual food as well.

Each fresh expression of church is unique, and designed for their particular context. They can be rural or suburban, in public spaces, housing projects and college dormitories. Some are aimed at specific groups, ranging from “Messy Church” for families with children to “Amore Groups” led by married couples. There is biker church, cowboy church, church for artists, church at or after work; the sky’s the limit.

Each is an adventure in bringing the power of the Gospel to people who might never experience Christian community and the transformational and self-giving love of Jesus.

We now have a new opportunity to start another Dinner Church with our Veterans of War. We see several of these men and women when we go to a local coffee shop in Powhatan where I hold one of our house fellowship gatherings. We have a couple of members of that fellowship who feel called to start a Veterans Dinner Church.

What sets Fresh Expressions apart is a focus on forming faith communities especially for those who have never been involved in church (un-churched) or who have left the church (de-churched). But this doesn’t mean giving up on the established church. There is a great inheritance in the established church that can and must be passed along to future generations. We believe the key to doing this is by partnering with pioneering leaders, dynamic pastors and existing churches denominational streams and agencies who are committed to make disciples who make disciples, raising up leaders with a passion to join with God in the mission edges where new forms of church can flourish.

In addition to these members, we have a Nigerian father (from another of our house church fellowships) whose son is a veteran. His son has PTSD from the war in Iraq. He knows another man, who is part of another one of our house church fellowships, who works at a therapeutic horse-riding center for military veterans. The horse-riding center has 20 veterans who attend every Tuesday, and they are open to us having a Dinner Church there at the center on those days. They have a banquet room there to for us to use which will provide a place for this new faith community.

Is your church interested in exploring a Fresh Expression? Visit FreshExpressionsUS.org/Grants to apply for a $500 micro-grant to get it started. The application deadline is June 1, 2019. For more information on Fresh Expressions and training opportunities, visit FreshExpressionsUS.org.

Most of these men do not attend a local church, and this Fresh Expression would be a fantastic way to provide a place where they can come and be loved on, make new friends, get a good meal, hear a Jesus story, experience the love of Christ, and be prayed over. I know God is on the move with these Dinner Churches!

AT THE TABLE

Graceland Baptist Church, Powhatan, VA

by Greg LeMaster, Associate Pastor of Education and Outreach

Powhatan community members gather for a meal at Graceland’s At a Table dinner church.

We have started a Dinner Church (called At the Table) at Graceland over the past several months. It is going very well and we just served a bountiful Thanksgiving meal to many people from our Food Pantry ministry who were here that day. They were blessed and we were so very blessed! Several individuals who attend Graceland are funding

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FARM CHURCH

Nomini Baptist Church, Montross, VA

by Stephen Taylor, Pastor

Nomini Baptist Church is a 232-year old country church in the Northern Neck of Virginia, a very rural community with a robust farm economy. Here, many people remain in the same location for their entire lives, yet often drift away from participation in their home churches.

Moreover, a church such as ours that is long on tradition sometimes becomes set in its ways. Through this Fresh Expression, we have been delighted to reach a new group of families, many of whom are farmers or assist in farming operations (such as working at a produce stand).

One of the challenges is that many farmers are parents with young children who are “too busy” to get involved in traditional church.

Moreover, the strongest sales day at retail produce stands and farmers markets is Sunday. Thirdly, the Northern Neck is surrounded by Virginia’s tidewater rivers, so traditional Sunday morning worship competes with recreation opportunities (fishing, boating, beaches) for people’s time and attention.

BGAV Advancing the Kingdom Together

along with those not involved in any church. As relationships in Farm Church have developed, participants have become more authentic and shared more profound thoughts with the group.

Farm Church was not inspired in a vacuum. Ten laypersons from Nomini Baptist Church attended a Fresh Expressions Vision Day in May 2017. Then we hosted Gannon Sims and some Fresh Expressions interns from The Center in Fredericksburg, VA, at a local gathering here in August 2017. Most recently, Gannon Sims preached at a July 2018 Sunday worship service.

Farm Church participants share in a covered dish dinner.

I was invited to a July 4 covered dish dinner with a large extended family of farmers and relatives. We began talking about church, why people don’t attend church, and what aspects of church they are interested in. They expressed a real interest in learning the Bible and studying it together with other believers. This was the moment when the idea of Farm Church was created.

From the original group that received Fresh Expressions training, this is not the only Fresh Expression they started. The spirit has been quite contagious! We have also started a worship service at a local nursing home and another new and very different worship service during the summer months specifically for weekend vacationers. Some of our team members are also working to start a Bible study at a local microbrewery.

We have also started to initiate connections in a local mobile home neighborhood across from the church.

Farm Church meets on weeknight evenings at a participant’s home or sometimes in a barn shed. A real highlight is the great variety of food people bring to share for a light dinner. One evening there was sweet corn, freshly harvested broccoli, ham biscuits, and even a half bushel of steamed crabs! You don’t leave hungry from Farm Church!

After getting plenty to eat, people gather around to read and discuss scripture together. As pastor, I have worked closely to equip the leaders within the group so that I am not the center of attention. Roles include facilitator, host, timekeeper, and communication coordinator. A real sense of ownership has developed, and rising leaders are gaining experience doing ministry.

As pastor, it is very encouraging to see people from our church, with its long heritage, who are catching the fire for reaching people outside the walls of the church. To be reaching our neighbors, friends, and even sometimes family members for the Lord is a real joy. Our whole team is very grateful for the Fresh Expressions Vision Day training, and publications such as Dinner Church and Fresh Expressions of the Church. The passion and care of Gannon and Carey Sims have been a huge blessing to Nomini Baptist Church and our Fresh Expressions here in the Northern Neck.

Most recently, Farm Church spent three months studying the book of James. One participant commented, “This is the first time I have read a book of the Bible all the way through.” He decided to be baptized, and we celebrated the event in our traditional service one Sunday. Farm Church has brought together members of several established churches

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For more information, visit FreshExpressionsUS.org

MEET OUR MINISTERS IN RESIDENCE

Children’s Ministry Kim Eskridge 703.299.3616 kim.eskridge@bgav.org

Offering Customized Help, One Church at a Time

I believe that God is calling me to serve those in BGAV churches who are pointing children and their parents to Christ. I hope that God will work through me to encourage these ministry leaders, to support them through sharing resources, and to build a supportive community throughout the BGAV for those who minister to children and families.

The Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV) was established in 1823, and according to its Constitution and Bylaws, exists to “furnish the Baptist churches of Virginia a medium of cooperation for the propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and for the advancement of the Redeemer’s Kingdom by all methods in accord with the Word of God.”

I hope to be an encourager and a connector between people called to children’s and family ministry to resources, as well as to each other.

Many of the ministries to children and families in our BGAV churches are lay-led. I hope to be a resource for lay leaders as well as for children’s ministers, pastors, and others on staff in our churches.

In other words, when you’re a BGAV church, there are many, many resources available to you! Is your church urban, suburban, or rural? Do you have 50 active members, or 1,500?

Are you struggling financially, or are you experiencing financial growth? Are there certain ministries in your church that you’d like to start or strengthen?

I feel that I will always be learning how to better share biblical truth and the love of our Lord with children, but God has provided me with many years of experience with children through volunteering in children’s ministry in churches of various sizes, teaching in the public school system, directing a weekday preschool ministry, leading my church’s ministry to children and families for the past 13 years, and through mentoring children’s leaders who are just beginning their ministries.

A Minister in Residence might be just what you need to get some expert help and advice for your church.

Our Ministers in Residence serve individual churches, helping resource and consult with church and ministry leaders in specific areas of ministry. BGAV provides the initial visit and assessment from a Minister in Residence as a service; there is no cost initially. If a church or individual decides to pursue more with a Minister in Residence, we invite you to offer an honorarium and to cover his or her travel expenses.

Children are amazing! Watching them learn and seeing their openness is a reminder to me to approach God with my arms wide open, ready to learn and to fully embrace His love for each of us. I love calling others to see this.

Currently there are nine Ministers in Residence—each specializing in a different area of church ministry. To introduce them to you, we asked each one to highlight some things related to their ministry areas.

Recruiting people to teach and nurture our children is an ongoing challenge in almost every church. Today, the rapid pace of moral and cultural shifts in our society is a challenge to families and to local churches that seek to walk with families through these times.

Contacting Ministers in Residence Are you interested in hearing more from a Minister in Residence? Feel free to contact a specific person using their individual contact information or call Karen Rackett, Congregational Field Staff administrative assistant, at 800.255.2428, ext. 2243, for general information.

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Church Finance

Congregational Care

Jeff Cranford

Cynthia Shackelford

804.921.3945 jeff.cranford@bgav.org

804.513.9125 cynthia.shackelford@bgav.org

I hope to assist church leaders in dealing with situations and issues related to all areas of church financial administration by providing resources, consultation, and seminars.

I hope to share my professional experience with churches/ ministers when they find themselves in times of crisis and/ or transition. Often, issues arise within churches that they are unable to resolve internally. I can provide guidance and mediation toward resolution. Together we can create a safe place to discuss dangerous issues, and we can work toward implementing proven strategies for churches to work through difficult issues and conflicts.

Over the past 20 years I have helped BGAV churches in the area of church and clergy taxes, financial support planning for church staff, and a wide range of church budget and finance topics. Prior to that, I was a director of missions for four years and a pastor for 25 years. I am also a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor accredited by the College for Financial Planning.

I can work with ministers and/or lay leaders and church members to specifically address church issues involving conflict, church health, and short- or long-term challenges.

These may include personnel issues, cultural concerns, or other circumstances where impartial mediation would be helpful.

My favorite aspect of my work is interacting with church leaders to help them solve problems, find resources, and grow the financial ministry of their churches.

Churches exist is an ever-changing environment in the area of taxes and financial resource development. Finding ways to maximize the use of limited financial resources is a key challenge for most churches. Taking advantage of developments in the area of benefits, especially healthcare, in ways that provide the best possible financial protection for church staff is an ongoing challenge.

In addition to owning my own company, I have spent my professional career in conflict management with international companies. I have a personal love for the church and for God’s people, and I feel called to use my professional and personal skills for Kingdom purposes.

A challenge I often see in churches is the desire to be culturally relevant while maintaining their own identity. Today’s church is operating in a changing cultural landscape, and this can lead to conflict within its walls.

On a frequent basis I’m called upon to consult with pastor search committees about setting up a prospective pastor’s compensation. So often, these committees offer a “lump sum” package to a candidate and leaving insurance costs up to them. Helping a committee understand that this approach is flawed and fails to provide the financial protection needed for both minister and church are among the most rewarding aspects of my work.

I am available to meet with church staff members individually or as a group and to facilitate church-wide meetings to mediate church conflict or to discuss the next steps in maintaining church health.

Advocating for church-provided benefits including health, life, disability insurance, and retirement plan contributions has resulted in many ministers having the financial protection they may otherwise have missed.

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Deacon Ministry

Evangelism

Tom Stocks

Roger Roller

804.399.5033 tom.stocks@bgav.org

434.665.4343 roger.roller@bgav.org

I serve as a BGAV Ambassador to BGAV churches to create a network to deliver deacon training—directly supporting pastors and deacon leadership.

I would like to see each church have a goal for the number of baptisms they hope to reach in a calendar year, and that goal needs to be a challenging one. I would like to see pastors reclaim an excitement for reaching the lost people in their communities. I hope to be a resource for any churches struggling in the area of evangelism.

I’ve pastored for 20+ years, and I’ve experienced ten years of meeting with Pastors and Deacon Leadership to “hear” their concerns and dreams for Deacon ministry while earning a Doctor of Ministry in Deacon TEAM Ministry Implementation. I created and implemented a successful method of Deacon TEAM ministry approach.

I can help pastors with offering effective invitations, and I can answer questions about preaching evangelistic messages. I offer insights about counseling Christians and non-Christians who come forward during the invitation, and I can provide counsel to churches who want to become more evangelistic.

I’m glad to answer questions about witness training and evangelism in general, and I can also help churches secure a speaker for evangelistic events such as revivals.

I love it when I can come alongside the pastor and deacon leadership and observe them moving from failure and apathy to a focused, energetic, passionate deacon ministry approach.

Pastors and deacon leadership are looking for deacons to clearly define what they do and to do it well. The issue is: how do we do this? How can we implement an approach where servanthood is the goal and the result is action?

I was a pastor for nine years and am now in my 27th year as a full-time, vocational evangelist. I have led about 700 revivals, and evangelism has been my heartbeat all these years.

My passion for evangelism began at our state evangelism conference in Richmond in 1986.

I can help churches in a variety of ways, including a conversation about what the problem is, a goal for deacon ministry, a specific training seminar, retreats, transitioning to a new approach to ministry, encouragement, and follow-up of implementation of ministries.

There is no greater thrill or reward in life than seeing someone led to Christ. Helping pastors and churches experience that same feeling makes it all worthwhile. My favorite thing about my position is I am in my wheelhouse. This where God has gifted me.

Evangelism has been put on the back burner in a number of churches. Baptisms across Virginia have been declining for several years. The focus for many churches has moved to other areas. We might say it has not, but the numbers say differently. Talking about it and doing it are two different things.

One of the common things I run into in my line of work is that a good number of pastors are discouraged and feel they have no one to turn to. I try to encourage every pastor I talk with about evangelism to keep being faithful and leave the results up to God. Often I have a conversation with the pastor’s spouse to see what they may be dealing with and to offer encouragement. They are the unsung heroes in many churches.

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Mentor/Coach in Residence

Small Churches

Bob Dale

Chuck Warnock

804.741.8445 bob.dale@bgav.org

434.203.1448 chuck.warnock@bgav.org

My vision as a Minister in Residence is to provide personalized ministry resources for leaders and churches. Two heads are better than one, as the old saying goes.

Since the vast majority of American churches, including those in the BGAV, are small churches with under 250 in attendance, my vision is to raise the profile of small churches in order to help small congregations engage effectively with their communities.

I serve as “a guide by the side” for leaders, walking with them as they face challenges and clarify their next steps. A listening ear, courage to face our blind spots, humility to admit weaknesses, patience to explore new options, and willingness to test possibilities open our ministries to fresh ways for God to expand our faith and imagination.

I am available to speak to churches, ministers’ groups, and associational gatherings; consult with individual small churches; coach small church pastors; and, connect small church pastors to our new small church pastors network which will launch soon.

I work with leaders, including pastors, church staff ministers, and lay leaders, to resolve the issues they’re encountering.

Transitions are often challenging, so an objective helper with a bit of emotional distance from the “blur of the moment” is a powerful resource.

I am currently a small church pastor, so I’m living the joys and challenges of small church life, and I’ve been doing that for over 30 years. I have also written extensively for and about small churches and presented workshops for small church conferences. Most recently I led two workshops for the BGAV titled, The Promising Future of Small Churches.

I think the greatest strength I bring to this role is that I’ve “been there, done that” in churches of all sizes and types. I’ve been blessed with broad experience as a pastor, writer, professor, leader developer, consultant, futurist, and a coach—which helps me help others.

My favorite thing about being Minister in Residence for Small Churches, and being a small church pastor, is that there are so many of us! That’s an important thing to know because solo pastoral ministry can feel lonely at times. The reality is we are a mighty presence in the BGAV and the American church landscape.

Once, the wife of a pastor I’d coached told me our coaching conversations had been “a holy reset” for her husband.

Ministry is a lonely calling. Having someone to discern with you is a gift.

I believe the two greatest challenges in small churches are related: addressing the decline in church attendance and helping small churches reinvent themselves for the 21st century.

When I was contributing editor for Small Church Issues for Outreach magazine, I wrote a regular column for each issue about small churches titled “Small Church, Big Impact.” I interviewed dozens of small churches who were making a difference by engaging their communities in innovative and helpful ways. As small churches tell their stories, other small churches will catch a vision of engagement with their own communities. My prayer is we’ll all grow stronger as we work together!

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Traditional Worship/Church Music

Youth Ministry

Tom Ingram

Danny Quirin

804.921.4112 tom.ingram@bgav.org

540.580.4476 danny.quirin@bgav.org

I hope to assist churches as they try to reach out to their communities through music and worship, and to assist churches that are searching for staff or are having staff or worship struggles.

After working with teens in the church since 1984, I’ve seen and experienced the struggles that churches face in ministering to middle- and high-school teens. I want to take what I’ve experienced over these decades and listen to churches and then help train and equip churches and volunteers to help meet the ever-changing needs and demands of student ministry.

I often work with church lay leaders, staff ministers/pastors, and church members.

I have been in ministry for 45 years as a church musician and educator, and I have assisted both large and small churches in various personnel situations, worship style transitions, and interim positions.

I assist churches through equipping, encouragement, and support for their staff and volunteers. I have also assisted some in their search for youth interns and youth ministers.

In addition to working with church staff and lay leaders, I’ve also worked with several associations to lead training.

I love to see how God has touched churches and individuals, as they seek him and his will.

I’ve taught Sunday School, and I’ve served as a “youth director,” which helped me to experience God’s call to fulltime ministry. After graduating from Southern Seminary, I accepted a full-time position at Bonsack Baptist Church where I served as the youth minister for over 21 years before transitioning into an associate pastoral role. When I felt God leading me to transition out of full-time student ministry, I wanted to continue to help others be successful. I am passionate about equipping others to do the work of student ministry in the local church, and I enjoy using my years of experience—good and bad—to help others.

A challenge I see in many churches today is when long-term Ministers of Music are dealing with new directions in worship and working with pastors that are often significantly younger than they are. Seeking new musical staff, whether in large or small churches, is also challenging.

Other areas I address include dealing with staff transitions, a varying style and vision direction between pastor and staff, mentoring younger musical staff as they seek to meaningfully minister to their community, and assisting churches and staff musicians as they seek to make their worship more energetic and meaningful within the context of their communities.

I get energized in seeing others feel equipped and empowered to do the work of ministry. I enjoy journeying with a church or individual and over time, seeing them flourish.

We live in such a fast-paced, constantly changing society, and it can be difficult to keep up. Teens naturally bring a “consumer mentality” into the church, and it’s challenging to help them move from consumerism to being a servant leader without losing them in the process.

I really appreciate it when a seasoned youth minister allows me to come in and help train their volunteer leaders. It’s an honor to be able to join with them, and often what they discover is that I am sharing many of the same things that they already have. However, their leaders may hear the message differently because it’s coming from another voice.

For more information, visit BGAV.org/Ministers-in-Residence 20

Juliet Liu

SEXUAL ABUSE

12 Resources for Church Leaders Committed to Preventing It

Reports emerged this past week regarding the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC)’s history of sexual abuse by hundreds of church leaders. The New York Times reported, “The San Antonio Express-News and Houston Chronicle reported Sunday that their six-month investigation found about 380 Southern Baptist church leaders and workers who were accused of sexual misconduct since 1998, leaving more than 700 victims. Some were as young as 3 years old while others were adults when they were abused ... ”

Beth Moore posted a childhood photo of herself on Twitter to express solidarity with sexual abuse victims.

Other abuse survivors began to post their own childhood pictures in response, saying, “We didn’t want to know either.”

Late last year, the results of investigative reports in the Catholic Church were made known to the public. The findings were all too familiar: thousands of abuse victims, hundreds of “predator priests,” and a cover up that went as high as the Vatican. This was in Pennsylvania alone. Since then, at least 8 other states have opened up their own investigations. What will they find?

The Houston Chronicle’s original article included many disturbing details not just about the pervasiveness of the abuse, but the troubling resistance SBC leaders demonstrated to reform: “At least 35 church pastors, employees and volunteers who exhibited predatory behavior were still able to find jobs at churches during the past two decades. In some cases, church leaders apparently failed to alert law enforcement about complaints or to warn other congregations about allegations of misconduct … Some registered sex offenders returned to the pulpit. Others remain there ... ”

The Willow Creek sexual misconduct scandal in 2018 and its ensuing leadership mistakes demonstrated more of the same: leaders in many different kinds of churches and in many different traditions are abusing their power, violating the children, women, and men they claim to serve in God’s name, and those in power have the habit of protecting the abusers rather than listening to, believing, and advocating for the victims.

Beth Moore, who is part of the SBC, spoke out strongly about the findings, then posted a picture of herself as a young child to express solidarity with all the victims saying, “We understand how you feel. We didn’t want to know about sexual abuse either.”

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No matter how many times sexual abuse is uncovered, whether it’s one person’s story or a report detailing hundreds of cases like the recent report on the SBC, we are stunned. Grieved.

Discouraged. Angry. How are the very people entrusted with shepherding God’s flock wreaking havoc on the lives of so many through abuse, lies, and cover up?

I have no simple answers. The future must hold a reimagining of leadership, power, and accountability in our churches.

But for now, I only want to say this: For any who have been abused, we believe you.

For those who are weeping as they read stories or see pictures of God-created girls and boys who never wanted to know about sexual abuse and yet do, we grieve with you.

To anyone who is responding to this moment by saying, “Lord, whatever I can do to work toward the healing and redemption of your Church, whatever I can do to help eradicate the evil of sexual abuse and make my church a safe place, I will do,” we are praying those same words and committing ourselves to this resistance and renewal with you.

As painful as it is to see thousands of victims and to hear the heartbreaking stories, there is hope. For those who have told their stories, many in the Church are listening. Christianity Today states: A LifeWay Research survey conducted this year found that among Protestant pastors familiar with #MeToo, 40 percent say it has helped them better understand issues of sexual and domestic violence, and 41 percent say they are more inclined to preach on the topic as a result. (In 2014, a bulk of pastors said they rarely or never mentioned sexual or domestic violence in sermons.)

With the hope that we can keep working in that direction for the protection of those most vulnerable to abuse in our churches, here are 12 articles related to sexual abuse in the Church: 1. Trauma from Abuse: How the Church Can Care for Those Seeking Healing

by MaryKate Morse (Missio Alliance) https://www.missioalliance.org/the-churchs-sexual-abusecrisis-how-to-minister-well-through-the-ensuing-trauma/

4. Christians, Stop Shooting Our Wounded

by Suzannah Paul (Missio Alliance) https://www.missioalliance.org/christians-stop-shootingour-wounded/ 5. Watching “Spotlight” Through Protestant Eyes

by Carolyn Custis James (Missio Alliance) https://www.missioalliance.org/watching-spotlightprotestant-eyes/ 6. The Failure of Complementarian Manhood

by Carolyn Custis James (Missio Alliance) https://www.missioalliance.org/failure-complementarianmanhood/ 7. The Church’s Sexual Abuse Crisis: Our Open Letter to Women in the Church (video) by the Missio Alliance Writing Team (Missio Alliance) https://www.missioalliance.org/video-the-churchs-sexualabuse-crisis-our-open-letter-to-women-in-the-church/ 8. Should Churches Handle Sexual Abuse Allegations Internally?

by Jen Zamzow (Christianity Today) https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/february-webonly/should-churches-handle-sexual-abuse-investigationsinternal.html 9. Responding to Sexual Abuse

by Hannah Heinzekehr (The Mennonite Magazine) https://themennonite.org/feature/responding-to-sexualabuse/ 10. What To Do and Say When a Young Person Discloses Sexual Abuse

by Megan Lundgren and Alex Van Fleet (Fuller Youth Institute) https://fulleryouthinstitute.org/blog/when-a-young-persondiscloses-abuse 11. How Clergy Abuse Survivors Are Challenging the Church’s Cover-Ups

by John Noble (Sojourners) https://sojo.net/articles/how-clergy-abuse-survivors-arechallenging-churchs-cover-ups 12. Cut the Excuses—Eradicate Violence Against Women in the Church

by Graham Hill (Global Church Project) https://theglobalchurchproject.com/eradicate-violenceagainst-women/

2. Sexual Abuse: Would Your Church Cover It Up?

by Ashley Easter (Missio Alliance) https://www.missioalliance.org/abuse-would-your-churchcover-it-up/ 3. Four Ways Churches Can Respond Faithfully to #MeToo

by MaryKate Morse (Missio Alliance) https://www.missioalliance.org/metoo-response-magnitudeproblem/ 22

Some of these articles help us examine underlying theological assumptions that may contribute to the ongoing crisis of abuse in the Church. Others provide practical wisdom and concrete steps for churches to respond faithfully. May these be a helpful guide for you and your church community.

For more information, visit MissioAlliance.org

LATEST MINISTRY JOBS • Senior Pastor @ Sycamore Baptist Church, Franklin, VA • PT Minister to Children and Youth Intern @ College Park Baptist Church, Danville, VA • PT Nursery Care Worker @ Shalom Baptist Church, Mechanicsville, VA • PT Worship Leader @ Groveton Baptist Church, Alexandria, VA • Senior Pastor @ Kenbridge Baptist Church, Kenbridge, VA • Next Generation Pastor @ First Baptist Church of Conway, Conway, SC • PT Associate Pastor – Young Adults @ First Baptist Church of Newport News, Newport News, VA

• PT Music Director @ Westhunt Baptist Church, Henrico, VA

• Youth Pastor @ Hampton Baptist Church, Hampton, VA

• PT Worship Leader @ New Highland Baptist Church, Mechanicsville, VA

• Pastor @ Lattimore Baptist Church, Lattimore, NC

• Associate Pastor @ Stewartstown Baptist Church, Stewartstown, PA

• Associate Pastor for Worship & Arts @ West Hampton Baptist Church, Hampton, VA

• Minister of Youth and Missions @ Derbyshire Baptist Church, Richmond, VA

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NOVEMBER 11–13, 2019 BONSACK BAPTIST CHURCH ROANOKE, VA