2004 june/july

General AssemblyHighlights Being thePresence of Christ

Center BringsTogether Community,

Volunteers

Georgia ChildrenStep Up for

Hunger Relief

Reflections fromFifth Annual

current Retreat

College StudentTeaches in Middle East

INSIDE

CBFfellowship!C O O P E R AT I V E B A P T I S T F E L L O W S H I P

JUNE/JULY 2004

WWW.THEFELLOWSHIP. INFO

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Offering for Global Missions HelpsConnect Churches to Work in Arkansas

Local volunteers sawwood for book/toyshelves for the “Storieson Wheels” lendinglibrary.

COOPERATIVE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP’S MISSION: SERVING CHRISTIANS AND CHURCHES AS THEY DISCOVER AND FULFILL THEIR GOD-GIVEN MISSION.

J u ne 24 - 26 • B i r m i n gham , A l a .SPEC I A L GENERAL ASSEMBLY ED I T ION

In Arkansas and along the west bank of the Mississippi River, cotton was king.

Today, other seeds are being planted and nurtured.

Helena is the county seat of Phillips County,

one of the poorest counties in Arkansas

and a focal community of Partners

in Hope, the Cooperative Baptist

Fellowship’s rural poverty

initiative. Partners in

Hope reflects the

[continues p. 2]

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Fellowship’s 20-year commitment to offer hope to people

in and around some of the nation’s poorest counties, all

located in rural areas.

Helena is also “home” for CBF Global Missions field

personnel Ben and Leonora Newell and their children. “Our

basic approach has been to let the community determine

what they think the priorities are and then, together, try to

find resources to match the priorities,” Ben says.

The Fellowship’s partnership philosophy is built around

mutual respect and shared responsibility. Last summer, local

residents and Fellowship volunteers embodied that philosophy

as they resurrected the town’s burned-out community center.

“There are more than 500 kids, age 15 and under, who

live in the area around the community center, but the local

government simply did not have the resources to cover the

rebuilding cost, estimated at $212,000,” Ben says.

Talking with local leaders, a plan came together. The city,

county and state governments provided $65,000 in funds

and appropriations. Thanks to local volunteers, Fellowship

volunteers and a donated tool trailer, the finished project

cost about $137,000 less than the original estimate.

Another local project is a community garden called

E.D.E.N. (Empowering Development through Education

and Nutrition). E.D.E.N. was developed through a partner-

ship of seven organizations including Heifer International,

a Helena charter school, a local African-American youth

leadership organization, local residents and Fellowship

field personnel.

Fellowship churches contributed start-up funds, and

partner representatives care for and manage E.D.E.N.

Children and youth grades 5-12 are intentionally included

in the project, and during the school year come regularly to

work in the garden. In addition to receiving some hands-on

gardening experience, the students learn about the

agricultural history of their community as well as crucial

entrepreneurial skills. The flowers and vegetables produced

are given to people in need.

According to the Newells, organizations like CBF of

North Carolina and CBF of Arkansas have been vital to the

development of this ministry. “For example, at the CBF of

North Carolina annual meeting in March 2003, an offering

was taken specifically for the purchase of the trailer that

houses the tools,” Ben explains. “Then they collected tools

and toys and books to top it off. Their generous monetary

contribution allowed us to buy even more books.”

Now, thanks in part to these gifts, “Stories on Wheels” is

being launched. Currently housed at the Community Center

in Helena, this project will eventually go “on Wheels” loaning

books, educational toys and sporting equipment to members

of the community.

Additionally, the

“Tools Trailer” contin-

ues to be used as a way

to help mobilize residents to share resources with other

citizens and communities in the area. The tools will be used

to repair and refurbish substandard housing, and in projects

similar to the rebuilding of the community center.

The Newells are planning for two weeks this summer

where volunteers will be coming to Helena as a part of All

Church Challenge 2004, scheduled for June 5-19. Newell

said nearly 30 churches already have signed up and they are

expecting as many as 300 volunteers to work alongside local

churches in Helena.

They will construct a small community center in West

Helena, renovate homes, remodel a planned youth leadership

and sports academy facility, build a Mississippi River-themed

playground and help improve the community garden. Newell

says volunteers will also participate in children's activities

such as Vacation Bible Schools, sports camps, music camps,

puppetry and the Stories on Wheels program, as well as

person-to-person evangelism and prayer walking. f!

Churches interested in participating in the All Church

Challenge should contact the Newells at (870) 817-0248.

For more on the Newell’s work and other Partners in Hope

ministry sites, visit www.ruralpoverty.net. Their work is being

highlighted this spring through the Fellowship’s Offering for

Global Missions and its MMiissssiioonnCCoonnnneecctt emphasis. For more on

the Offering for Global Missions, go to www.thefellowship.info/

GlobalMissions/OGM/MissionConnect.icm.

For more information about Partners in Hope, contact Tom

Prevost at (662) 871-2444, [email protected], or

P.O. Box 415, Belden, MS 38826.

By contributing writer Craig Bird, San Antonio, Texas, and Lance

Wallace, CBF Communications

COOPERAT IVE BAPT IST FELLOWSHIP w w w . t h e f e l l o w s h i p . i n f o

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Children pause for openingprayer time at the communi-ty center in Helena, Ark.

w w w . t h e f e l l o w s h i p . i n f o JUNE/JULY 2004

JO IN WITH OTHER Fellowship Christians at the

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s 2004 General Assembly

as participants celebrate the ministry opportunities of

today, awaken to the challenges of tomorrow, and strive to

be the presence of Christ together.

Keynote speaker John Kinney, dean

of the Virginia Union University theology

school in Richmond, will open the

Thursday evening session of the June

24-26 Assembly in Birmingham, Ala.

Speaking on the Assembly’s theme of

“Being the Presence of Christ: Today

… Tomorrow … Together,” Kinney

will kick off the annual gathering that

invites participants to embark on a missional journey to

hear, to think, to learn and to connect.

Kinney’s career in theological training spans 20 years.

He received a Ph.D. from Columbia University/Union

Theological Seminary in 1979. He currently serves as

pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Beaverdam, Va. In

addition to his pastoral duties, he serves as a consultant to

the American Baptist Convention, the Progressive National

Baptist Convention, the Baptist General Convention of

Virginia, and both the United States Navy and Army

Chaplain Corps.

Samford University and CBF Congregational Life, will

sponsor a reception in the Resource Fair Thursday evening.

Nashville singer-songwriter Kyle Matthews will be the

featured artist during the Thursday evening session.

Matthews has spent more than a decade of writing and

performing Christian music. He has earned a Dove Award

for traditional gospel recorded song of the year; Stellar

Award for song of the year; and the American Society of

Composers, Authors and Publishers’ award for “Gospel

Song of the Year.”

General Assembly to Focus onBeing the Presence of Christ

GEN

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Auxiliary Events

FOLLOWING ARE SOME of the

events taking place before and

during the General Assembly:

“Companions in Christ Training

Event” Wednesday, June 23,

9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Southside

Baptist Church

Training will equip leaders to

introduce and lead small

spiritual formation groups.

Facilitators: Marjorie Thompson,

Frank Granger. Cost is $100 for

first person from a church, $85

for each additional person.

Materials and lunch included.

For more information, e-mail

[email protected] or

to register, call (800) 491-0912.

Bountiful Feast: A Spiritual

Formation Network Dinner

Wednesday, June 23, 6 p.m.,

Sheraton Birmingham Hotel

Tilden Edwards, founder and

senior fellow of the Shalem

Institute for Spiritual Formation,

will provide the keynote address.

In addition to Edward’s engaging

message, the evening provides

an opportunity for community

building through lively table

conversation, inspiring music

and great food. For more

information, contact Toni Draper

at (770) 220-1654 or

[email protected].

Congregational Leadership

Institute Thursday, June 24,

9 a.m.-3 p.m., Sheraton

Hotel/Convention Center

“The Missional Church In

Context: God’s Journey for a

Congregation Being Led by the

Spirit” will be facilitated by

Craig Van Gelder, professor of

congregational mission at

Luther Seminary in St. Paul,

Minn., and author of The

Essence of the Church: A

Community Created by the

Spirit. Cost is $45 per person,

$40 per person when three or

more from one congregation,

$40 per person for full-time

students. Lunch is not included.

For more information, contact

Mary McCoy at (770) 220-1637

or [email protected].

Kyle Matthews

John Kinney

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The thought-provoking songs on Matthews’ albums

demonstrate his commitment to in-depth Biblical teaching.

Assembly HighlightsTHE GENERAL ASSEMBLY begins with workshops at

2 p.m., Thursday. The three main worship services are

intentionally woven together through music, participation,

scripture, thematic material based on 1 Corinthians 12:12-

26, and worship elements.

This year’s Assembly will include the following highlights:

An additional ministry workshop time has been added

for Saturday morning at 8:30. This brings the total

number of workshop sessions to five — one on

Thursday, two on Friday and two on Saturday.

Workshop times have been shortened to one hour and

five minutes.

Worship Samplers, formerly known as simultaneous

worships, will be offered as part of three workshop

sessions — Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. and Saturday

at 8:30 a.m. and 9:50 a.m.

During “A Celebration of Preaching,” proclaimers

within the CBF family will be sharing thematic sermons

during three of the workshop times on Thursday and

Friday.

A Bible study led by William Hull, Samford University

professor and former university provost, will be

offered during four sessions of the ministry workshop

times.

New CBF Global Missions field personnel will be

commissioned.

Fellowship co-pastors will lead participants in a

Denton Lotz will speak at the Fellowship Heritage Society Breakfast heldSaturday from 7-8:15 a.m. (See article p.5.)

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SINCE THE 2003 General

Assembly in Charlotte, N.C.,

raised more than $175,000 to

fund Partners in Hope through

a featured ministry offering,

significant strides have been

made building relationships

with people in some of the

nation’s poorest counties and

partnering with them to break

the cycle of poverty.

Partners in Hope, the

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s

rural poverty initiative, reflects

the Fellowship’s 20-year

commitment to join forces with

people in 20 of the poorest

counties in the nation, all

located in rural areas. Tom

Prevost, national coordinator

for Partners in Hope, reports

that currently there are rela-

tionships or projects developing

in 15 of the 20 counties, up

from only nine last year.

“We are seeing sustained

growth in each of the major

regions where we’ve been

operating in the past several

years,” Prevost says. “Also,

we’ve gone from nothing in

South Dakota, to contacts and

projects in three of four

counties in the state, with

promising leads in the fourth.”

Prevost reports that all

regions are experiencing exciting

developments including:

• Appalachia (Kentucky) –

approximately a dozen

missions teams will visit

Owsley and Powell counties.

• Black Belt (Alabama) – more

than 600 volunteers have

participated during the year.

• Mississippi River Delta – a

community garden is revitalizing

a downtown street in Arkansas,

prison ministries in Louisiana

are taking place, and a

promising economic develop-

ment project is in process in

several Mississippi counties.

• Rio Grande Valley – partner-

ship with Buckner Baptist

Benevolences is working in

four Texas counties.

“One of the most rewarding

aspects of Partners in Hope in

the past year has been the

evidence of one of our major

objectives for the program,”

Prevost says. “We’ve had

numerous reports from

individuals and churches that

become involved in these

volunteer missions projects in

one of these counties and are

so moved by the experience

that they begin to get involved

in poverty initiatives in their

own communities. This is what

makes Partners in Hope more

of a movement.”

At this year’s Assembly, an

offering will be collected to

benefit the Baptist World

Alliance (for more informa-

tion on BWA, see article,

p. 5).

By contributing writer Bob

Perkins Jr., Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Offering Helps Partners in Hope Flourishwith Growing Partnerships, Projects


communion service on Saturday morning.

A mass choir featuring a 200-voice choir and orches-

tra from churches in Alabama, Tennessee and

Georgia will perform Thursday evening, along with

sketches led by the Dramatic Vagabonds of

Birmingham, Ala.

Video presentations of “Being the Presence of Christ”

will be shown Saturday morning.

A Resource Fair will feature The CBF Store and more

than 90 exhibitors and booths. Individuals are invited

to calendar their next CBF speaking engagement at

the CBF Speakers Bureau booth. Field personnel staff

will be on hand to help individuals in selecting a

speaker for their church. f!

Pre-register online at www.thefellowship.info or by calling

(800) 352-8741.

Pre-registration will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17.

After this date you may register on-site at the Birmingham

Convention Center beginning Thursday, June 24 at 9 a.m.

Go to www.thefellowship.info to make hotel reservations.

Hotels are filling up quickly, but rooms are still available.

All reservations must be in writing and submitted by fax or

online to the Birmingham Convention Housing Bureau.

Contact (770) 619-9671 for further information.

COOPERATIVE BAPTIST

Fellowship support for the

Baptist World Alliance is

increasing vocally and

financially.

Significant increases in

existing budget designations

and dramatic first time gifts

have marked the reactions of

local churches, state and

regional associations, and the

national Cooperative Baptist

Fellowship since the Southern

Baptist Convention’s executive

committee recommended in

December that the Convention

sever its relationship with BWA.

Such action would cost

BWA, an association of 211

Baptist conventions and unions

with a reported membership

of 110 million, a total of

$425,000 in funding.

BWA Executive Secretary

Denton Lotz has accepted

several preaching engagements

at Fellowship churches in

recent months, where he

welcomed Fellowship Baptists

into the BWA family and

challenged them to engage

fully with “your brothers and

sisters around the world as if

they were seated in the pew

beside you.” He also will be at

the General Assembly to bring

“official” greetings from the

BWA to the CBF for the first

time.

Despite the Fellowship’s

own budget constraints, the

Assembly meeting will be

asked to double budget

support for BWA from $20,000

to $40,000 per year.

Other CBF-affiliated groups

taking action in support of

BWA include the following:

• Shades Crest Baptist

Church, Birmingham, Ala.,

approved a new budget

allocation of 1 percent of its

total contribution to BWA —

an estimated $12,000 to

$13,000.

• Trinity Baptist Church, San

Antonio, Texas, in addition to

its budget contribution of

$2,000, set aside $10,000

of its $75,000 spring

missions offering for the

BWA.

• Highland Baptist Church,

Louisville, Ky., “immediately

voted a $1,000 contribution”

according to Pastor Joe

Phelps and is working on

involving more churches.

State and regional

Fellowships, also facing tight

operational budgets, are still

stepping up. The Louisiana,

Northeast and North Central

CBF groups each made $1,000

contributions, while CBF of

North Carolina voted to give

$2,000. Additionally, North

Carolina has set a goal of

recruiting 75 churches to give

at least $1,000 in financial

support of BWA.

CBF of Missouri recently

announced a joint effort with

Central Baptist Seminary in

Kansas City, Kan., and the

Central Region of the American

Baptist Convention to organize

a group to attend the BWA

Centenary Congress in

Birmingham, England, in July

2005. First Baptist Church,

Dalton, Ga., will send a group

to the event.

In addition to contributing to

the general operating budget,

Fellowship support also flows

to BWA’s relief arm, Baptist

World Aid.

“We appreciate the gifts to

Baptist World Aid (BWAid) from

the CBF and its membership,”

said Paul Montacute, BWAid

director. “Individuals provide

financial support, churches

send us their hunger gifts, and

CBF itself looks carefully at our

projects to see the support

they can give. BWAid depends

on the love and generosity of

Baptists around the world to

support our Baptist leaders in

countries of need, as they

seek to serve those in need in

His name.”

BWA will sponsor a breakfast

Friday, June 25 at 7 a.m.

Reservations are required.

Cost is $15. For more infor-

mation, contact Carolina

Mangieri at (703) 790-8980,

ext. 129 or carolina@

bwanet.org.

BWA representatives will

also lead a workshop on

Friday at 11 a.m. Denton

Lotz will speak at the CBF

Foundation’s Fellowship

Heritage Society Breakfast

held Saturday from 7-8:15

a.m. Reservations are

required and must be made

by noon Friday at the CBF

exhibit. Cost is complimen-

tary with reservations. For

more information, contact

Sunday Tyson at (770) 220-

1663 or styson@thefellow

ship.info.

Fellowship Backing BWA with Words, Contributions

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Perry County was once a thriving agricultural region in the

South. Today, it ranks among the poorest counties in the

nation, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Alabama Cooperative Baptist Fellowship started the

Sowing Seeds of Hope program in 1999 to partner with

people in rural areas of Alabama to bring holistic change.

The program is now a component of Partners in Hope, the

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s nationwide rural poverty

initiative.

Mart Gray, AlabamaCBF coordinator, says the people in

Perry County have exhibited a “can-do” attitude and are the

reason there is a building to celebrate. Organized by one

hard-working resident, Rozelle Morton, the work in Perry

County is an example of a true partnership.

In 2001, volunteers from the Archdiocese in Boston

helped start the work, converting an old school building

into a community center. About 30 students from nearby

Judson College helped install drywall in the building.

In 2002, volunteers from Monte Vista Baptist Church in

Maryville, Tenn., did electrical wiring and construction on

the center’s kitchen and bathroom facilities. But as Sue Wyatt,

missions coordinator at Monte Vista remembers, one church

member inspired others to become and stay involved.

“Diane Shiver heard a presentation about Perry County

and said she felt a sense of calling about the project,” Wyatt

recalls. “She brought it to our missions council and said,

‘Somebody in Perry County must be praying about this

because I can’t get it off my mind.’”

Morton was that someone. When the group traveled to

Alabama to meet him and realized the connection with

Shiver’s statement, it was a significant moment for all

involved. Morton says the same inspiration is felt by the

people of Perry County.

“The neat thing is we have had volunteers from all races

come and help us with the building,” Morton says. “Many

times, you don’t know a person’s name, but you get to know

them by their work and by their faith. It really gives you

hope that if we can put our differences aside and realize we

are all children of

God, we can accomplish many things.”

To establish the library, Shades Crest Baptist Church in

Birmingham, Ala., donated nearly 2,500 books and First

Baptist Church of Cullman, Ala., supplied four computers,

Volunteers work along-side local residents ofPerry County to renovatebuildings such as therecently re-opened EastPerry Library and LearningCenter.

East Perry Center a Testimony to Community,Church Volunteers Working Together

In celebrating the opening of the newly remodeled East Perry Library and Learning Center in

Perry County, Ala., the people here are focused on the opportunities it will bring to the children

and youth in the area. But they may not realize, leaders say, that the building is also a shining

example of a community helping itself.


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which are the cornerstones of the new learning center.

Morton’s wife, Catherine, and daughter, Shelcia Ford,

tutor children two to three days a week in the facility.

The goal of the sessions is to develop future community

leaders who will one day continue the community building

program.

The Mortons say their tutoring/computer sessions

have grown from five to more than 25 this spring. But the

education for the people continues beyond books and

computers.

“Having outside people from all over the country come

in and help us build this center has opened the eyes of a

lot of people in the community,” Morton says. f!

For more information about Sowing Seeds of Hope volunteer

opportunities, contact Mary Carol Day at the Fellowship’s

volunteer office in Raleigh, N.C., at (877) 856-9288 or

[email protected] or go to www.destination

missions.net.

For more information about Sowing Seeds of Hope, contact

John Martin at (334) 683-4666 or [email protected] or go to

the Sowing Seeds of Hope link at www.alabamacbf.org.

By contributing writer Bob Perkins Jr., Mechanicsburg, Pa.

General Assembly Workshops

THE FOLLOWING WORKSHOPS related to Partners in Hope,

community development and poverty will be offered at CBF’s

General Assembly June 24-26 in Birmingham, Ala.

• “Partners in Hope: CBF's Rural Poverty Initiative.”

Facilitator: Tom Prevost. A panel of Partners in Hope leadership

team members will represent all of the regions that include the

20 focal counties.

• “Transformational Development Work in God's World.”

Facilitator: Ben Newell, CBF Global Missions field personnel and

member of the Partners in Hope leadership team.

• “Economic Equity and Social Justice in Indigenous

Communities: Micro-enterprise Development and Capacity

Building.” Facilitator: Terri Morgan, head of Partners for the

Environment.

• “An Invitation to Serve through CBF Volunteer Missions.”

Facilitators: Tom Ogburn and Kezia Paul. Includes opportunities

related to Partners in Hope.

• “Poverty in America, 2004.” Facilitator: Pat Fulbright. This

poverty simulation is a condensed version of Fulbright’s training

experiences for churches.

For General Assembly registration information, go to

www.thefellowship.info.

COOPERATIVE Baptist Fellowship

Coordinator Daniel Vestal announced

the Fellowship has received a $5

million anonymous contribution to

be used for a variety of designated

projects in support of global missions.

“This gift is a continuing confir-

mation of God’s provision for the

ministry and mission of Cooperative

Baptist Fellowship,” Vestal said.

“CBF is a renewal movement sus-

tained by the prayers and support of

Baptist Christians like this donor.

We’re indeed grateful.”

The gift will be used over the next

three fiscal years, impacting a wide

array of Global Missions ministries.

The proposed plan for expenditure

includes deploying nine new field

personnel, helping 15 envoys,

doubling the number of stipends

for student summer/semester

missions and helping 10 indigenous

missionaries. It also will fund field

projects, wellness programs, purchase

of vehicles, training, secure commu-

nications, emergency response,

HIV/AIDS initiatives, micro-

enterprise development grants for

the poor, other community develop-

ment projects, church planting in

the United States, and Partners in

Hope, the Fellowship’s rural poverty

initiative, according to CBF Global

Missions Co-coordinator Barbara

Baldridge.

The CBF Global Missions team

has grown dramatically from 18 field

personnel in 1992 to more than 150

today. CBF field personnel are living

and ministering among the most

neglected, which includes unevange-

lized people groups and marginalized

people. Establishing an effective

Christian witness among the world’s

most neglected people is CBF’s No. 1

priority in global missions.

“This very generous gift makes it

possible for us to increase in a sub-

stantial way our efforts in ministry

among those living with HIV/AIDS,

those struggling to feed their families,

those living without clean water,

and those who have never had the

opportunity to experience the

gospel of Christ,” Baldridge said.

“This comes at a time when many

missionary sending organizations

are having to make significant

reductions in ministry and personnel.”

It costs approximately $130,000

per year to support a career mis-

sionary family. The Fellowship

anticipates commissioning up to 10

new field personnel during the

2004 General Assembly, June 24-

26, in Birmingham, Ala. f!

By Lance Wallace, CBF Communications

Anonymous Donor Gives $5 Million to Benefit CBF Global Missions

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FAIT

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I T ’S NOT EVERY DAY a child

exclaims, “I’ve got enough money to

buy two pigs!” But as children from

Atlanta’s Wieuca Road Baptist Church

prepared for a hunger walk up

Kennesaw Mountain, their enthusiasm

came across loud and clear.

From CBF Global Missions field

personnel and fellow church members

Ellen and Rick Burnette, these first-

through sixth-graders learned about

the plight of the Palaung, an isolated

people group in Northern Thailand.

As the Burnettes educated the

children about their ministry, they

described good sources of food and

income for the Palaung. Pigs are

among the best animals the Palaung

can tend on their limited, rocky land.

The average cost for the Burnettes’

project to produce and transport each

pig, as well as to provide related training

and technical assistance to farmers, is

about $100. Ultimately, families who

receive female breeding pigs will

return two of the firstborn to either

the project or to other farm families

in their own communities. By asking

church members to pledge money for

each mile they completed on their

hunger walk, these children were

ready to make a difference.

Fortified with the knowledge of

their pig purchasing power, seven

boys, eight girls, 16 adults and one dog

hiked up the steep trail at Kennesaw

Mountain on a crisp, sunny day in late

January 2004. They came back down

with a sense of accomplishment, a

greater awareness of world hunger,

and the overwhelming satisfaction of

having raised a total of $3, 320.50,

which they gave to the Burnettes and

dedicated to the Palaung during a

morning worship service in February.

Overall, the congregation raised more

than $5,000 for the Burnettes' min-

istry projects among the Palaung

through the hunger walk, a one-time

aluminum can recycling project, an

on-going newspaper recycling project

and an annual Souper Bowl lunch.

Bob Freeman, who directs the boys

missions group at Wieuca, says that

drawing a hands-on connection

between the Burnettes’ ministry and

the children’s missions projects

provides an excellent opportunity to

teach the boys how much they can do

to make a difference.

“By doing something – anything –

it was my hope that they would be

empowered and realize that, even at

their age, they can be involved in

More than 30 people and one dog make thewalk up Kennesaw Mountain to raise fundsto purchase pigs for the Palaung of NorthernThailand.Ph

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Children Step up for Hunger Reliefto Benefit the Palaung of Thailand

AS LITTLE LEAGUE baseballs fly

and schools enjoy a summer

break, the Cooperative Baptist

Fellowship is producing “Doing

Missions in a World Without

Borders,” missions education

curriculum for your church’s use

in the fall.

According to CBF Coordinator

Daniel Vestal, “In today’s

culture, most learning takes

place through personal

involvement. But I believe there

is still a need for Baptist folks

to read material that stretches

their mind, broadens their

perspective and awakens their

conscience.”

Fellowship curriculum is age-

graded, biblically-based, and

specific to CBF Global

Missions. It features

• content that addresses

current world needs,

• a format that offers options

for use based on the church’s

specific needs,

• opportunities to experience

missions through Global

Missions field personnel stories

and prayer requests, local

missions project suggestions

and other activities, and

• a monthly churchwide guide

that brings the church together

for intergenerational mission

study and action.

September is months away,

but The CBF Store wants to

process your order and be

prepared to ship the fall

materials in early July.

Therefore, please take time

now to review your curricu-

lum needs for next year and

place your order by calling

(888) 801-4223.

Curriculum Raises Awareness and Provides Education about CBF Global Missions

missions,” he explains.

When Freeman came up with

the idea for a hunger walk, boys

and girls alike quickly became

enthusiastic about the project,

and in just two weeks had

acquired nearly $2,000 – enough

to buy 20 pigs.

Their experience so far has

not dimmed the children’s

enthusiasm for hands-on mis-

sions projects. In addition to the

hunger walk, they have recently

sponsored an aluminum can

drive and helped to landscape

and pick up the grounds of a

Habitat for Humanity House.

Fletcher Keel, age 11, spoke

for many of the children when he

said of the walk up Kennesaw

Mountain, “This was fun … can

we do it again next year?” f!

To contribute to ministry among

the Palaung, send your financial

gift to CBF, P.O. Box 101699, Atlanta,

GA 30392. Make your check payable

to CBF and indicate Rural

Development Project, fund No.

80052, Burnette Ministry.

The Fellowship’s June 2004 mis-

sions education curriculum high-

lights work among the Palaung

and other unevangelized people

groups in Northern Thailand. The

July curriculum is a Bible study

on the early Christian church.

By contributing writer Tiffany

Schmieder, Atlanta

BUILDIN

G CO

MM

UNITY

9


THE WELL , a counseling ministry

of Tennessee’s Ball Camp Baptist

Church, demonstrates the

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s

Missional Church Initiative by

offering professional counseling

services to the church’s members

and to the surrounding Knoxville

community.

The Missional Church Initiative

is the Fellowship’s strategy to help

churches become more intentional

about relevant ministry in their

community, in their state and around

the world. Missional churches seek

to minister by being the presence of

Christ, both in their local communities

and in the global community of

God’s world.

“The church has recognized the

need to provide solid mental and

emotional wellness resources to the

community,” says Bo Prosser,

Fellowship coordinator for congre-

gational life. “They have blessed their

own associate pastor, Ron Schumann,

to do that for the community.”

Schumann is Ball Camp’s pastor

of counseling and discipleship. He

is licensed in Tennessee as a marital

and family therapist and is a clinical

member of the American Association

for Marital and Family Therapy.

The Well officially began in June

2003, but Schumann has provided

professional counseling services

through the church since 1995.

“From its onset, The Well is a part

of the Missional Church Initiative

because it has grown out of deter-

mining where God is at work and

how we can participate,” Schumann

says. “It is about building healthy

relationships as children of God and

with one another, as equal partners

in God’s redemptive work.”

In addition to professional coun-

seling services, The Well offers

marriage enrichment retreats and

support and recovery groups for

people experiencing grief, divorce

and other difficult life situations.

Specialized classes and workshops

are taught on parenting, personal

growth and lay-counselor training.

“We do not exist for ourselves but

for the community surrounding us,”

Schumann says. “Our attempt is to

bring restoration and wholeness by

providing an abundant life direction

to hurting individuals.” f!

For more information about The Well

counseling ministry, call (865) 693-1641

or go to http://ballcampchurch.org.

For more information about the

Missional Church Initiative, contact

Bo Prosser at (770) 220-1631 or

[email protected] or

Terry Hamrick at (770) 220-1615 or

[email protected].

By contributing writer Ashley Grizzle,

Atlanta

The Well Counseling MinistryHelps Nurture Healthy Relationships

The FellowshipMissional Church Initiative

“… to bring restoration and wholeness by providing

an abundant life direction to hurting individuals …”

Stephanie Rogers (l-r), Emily Foles, Naomi Kling, Lewis Freeman and theircanine friend Rio take a break from a hunger walk up a local mountain.

10

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Clarissa Strickland, CBF associate coordinator

for leadership development, shares her insights from attending

the February current retreat.

FROM QUIET, CONTEMPLAT IVE , candlelit worship

services all the way to a rompin’ stompin’ Texas-style

hoedown, complete with a mechanical bull and cowboy

hats, this year’s current retreat offered varied experiences

for attendees.

The fifth annual gathering of young

Baptists and those who work with them

(the CBF-sponsored current network)

attracted an attendance of slightly more

than 100 people. Wilshire Baptist

Church in Dallas and her staff were

hosts par excellence in providing space

for the worship times and for the work-

shop opportunities. The chef at

Wilshire presided over wonderful buffet

meals including, of course, a Mexican-style buffet and a

Texas-style barbecue.

The retreat theme of “Enter and Receive” lent itself well

to creative worship experiences for the group. David

Burroughs, president of Passport, Inc., and Nicole Kenley,

current steering committee member, worked to ensure that

each worship session provided times of quiet contemplation,

beautiful music and inspiring messages. Diana Garland,

chair of the school of social work at Baylor University and

head of the Center for Family and Community Ministries,

and George Mason, pastor of Wilshire Baptist, delivered the

messages in the evening times of worship.

Workshop sessions offered a variety of learning experiences.

These included sessions targeted to youth ministers,

women, recent seminary grads, those who plan worship and

those concerned about spirituality to sustain vocational

ministry. The CBF Children’s Ministry Network, a part of

current, had their own track of educational and networking

opportunities, led by Garland and others.

As is so often the case, perhaps the greatest benefits of the

gathering were renewing old friendships and creating new

ones as ministry and social experiences were shared.

Perhaps being thrown ungracefully off a mechanical bull in

the presence of one’s friends is a rare opportunity for

bonding! f!

For more information and photos, visit the current Web site at

www.currentonline.org. Use the envelope enclosed in this fel-

lowship! issue to help fund leadership development initiatives

by contributing to the Fellowship's general missions and min-

istries budget.


Reflections from theFifth Annual current Retreat

Participants at the current retreat take part in a Texas-style hoedown,(l-r) Rachel Sciretti, Mike Sciretti, Kyle Damron and Tracie Gray.

Phot

o co

urte

sy o

f cur

rent

Clarissa Strickland

Baptist Seminary of Kentucky. TheSeminary has received $50,000 for TheFranklin Owen Chair of Pastoral Studiesfrom their host church, Calvary Baptist inLexington, Ky. Owen was pastor at Calvaryfrom 1954-1972. Current pastor RobertBaker is a trustee at BSK.

Brandy Albritton, a recipient of a CBFleadership scholarship, will be working withHIV/AIDS victims at a children’s orphanagein Kenya this summer. Patsey Jacobs and

Pat Ham will go with members from CalvaryBaptist in Lexington to Mission Arlington inTexas.

Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond.A prominent Virginia Baptist couple hasmade two $1 million gifts to the seminary.At a banquet celebrating the seminary’s15th anniversary, BTSR President TomGraves announced that Harwood andLouise Cochrane of Rockville, Va., hadmade a gift of $1.2 million in support of the

purchase and renovation of buildings on theseminary’s campus. Less than two weekslater, Graves announced a second $1million commitment to the seminary fromthe couple for the seminary’s capitalcampaign.

The seminary also announced a giftcommitment of $1 million from DeborahCarlton Loftis, the seminary’s professor ofchurch music. The majority of the gift will beadded to two previously establishedendowment funds, The John F. Loftis Chairof Church History, established in memory ofLoftis’ late husband, and The Carlton-LoftisChair of Church Music. Additionally,

Class Notes: News from CBF Partner Schools

[continues p. 11]


LEADERSH

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11

Fredericksburg Baptist Church presented acheck for $250,000 to the seminary andannounced that the church will provideBTSR with a total gift of $1 million toendow the Daniel O. Aleshire Chair ofPractical Theology.

Central Baptist Theological Seminary.Beverly Zink-Sawyer, associate professorof preaching and worship at UnionTheological Seminary and the PresbyterianSchool of Christian Education in Richmond,Va., delivered the 11th annual ClaybornLanders Preaching Lecture as part of thePastor’s Day event at Central. Otherspeakers included Richard P. Olson,Robert and Mindy Fugarino, Mike Graves,Tarris D. Rosell, Jesse Brown andKatheryn Graham.

Molly Marshall, professor of theology andspiritual formation at Central, hasaccepted an additional appointment asacting academic dean. James Hinesresigned as academic dean effective May15. Central also announced that DavidGnirk has joined the staff as major giftsrepresentative.

McAfee School of Theology, MercerUniversity. McAfee is accepting applicationsfor its new doctor of ministry degreeprogram. The first three-week seminar ofthe doctoral program is scheduled forJuly 6-26. The program is led by facultymember Ron Johnson. For more information,call (678) 547-6474 or toll-free at (888)471-9922, ext. 6474, or, go to http://theology.mercer.edu/dmin.html.

McAfee has also formed a new Institutefor Healthy Congregations, led by facultymember Larry McSwain, professor ofethics and leadership. Others who willserve the institute as consultants includeKeithen Tucker, director of developmentfor Baptists Today; James Bruner, vicepresident for religious life at Mercer; J.Truett Gannon, Watkins ChristianFoundation Professor of MinistryExperience at McAfee; Roy Godwin,certified church consultant and coach; andKaren Massey, assistant professor ofChristian education at McAfee. For moreinformation, contact McSwain at (678)547-6442 or [email protected].

Baptist Women in Ministry, a non-profitfounded in Louisville, Ky., in 1983, hasmoved its offices from Central Baptist

Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Kan.,to McAfee’s Atlanta campus. “Moving toAtlanta allows us to better support ourconstituency, which is predominantly in theSouth and along the eastern seaboard,”says Karen Massey of McAfee, who ispresident of BWIM.

Truett Theological Seminary, BaylorUniversity. Todd Still has joined the Truettfaculty as associate professor of Christianscriptures.

The newest graduates of Truett’s doctor ofministry program are Vicki Vaughn,executive director of the Richard JacksonCenter for Evangelism and Encouragement,Inc., and Ellis Orozco, senior pastor ofCalvary Baptist Church, McAllen, Texas.

Margaret Mitchell of the University ofChicago Divinity School gave the inaugurallecture for the Huber and MinetteDrumwright New Testament Colloquium on“Portraits of Paul and the Art of PaulineInterpretation.”

Spr ing Graduat ions o f CBF Par tner Schoo ls

Baptist Theological Seminary at RichmondThomas Graves, presidentGraduation: May 29 Speaker: Sonja M. Phillips, co-pastor,Central Baptist Church, Daytona Beach, Fla.Graduates: 35 Graduating class: 12th

Baptist Studies ProgramBrite Divinity SchoolTexas Christian UniversityDavid Gouwens, dean Graduation: May 18 Speaker: D. Newell Williams, president,Brite Divinity SchoolGraduates: 18Graduating class: 7th

Campbell University School of DivinityMichael Cogdill, deanCovenant/Hooding Service: May 9 Speaker: Michael Tutterow, pastor, WinterPark Baptist Church, Wilmington, N.C. Graduates: 38Graduating class: 7th

Baptist Studies ProgramCandler School of TheologyEmory UniversityDavid Key, directorGraduation: May 10 Speaker: Russell E. Richey, dean, Candler

Graduates: 11Graduating class: 14th

Central Baptist Theological SeminaryJim McCrossen, interim presidentGraduation: May 15 Speaker: Richard Olson, visiting professor of pastoral care, CentralGraduates: 27Graduating class: 103rd

Baptist House of StudiesDuke UniversityDivinity SchoolCurtis Freeman, directorGraduation: May 9 Graduates: 21Graduating class: 16th

M. Christopher White School of DivinityGardner-Webb UniversityRobert Canoy, acting deanGraduation: May 8 Graduates: 26 Graduating class: 10th

Logsdon School of TheologyHardin-Simmons UniversityThomas V. Brisco, deanGraduation: May 8 Graduates: 7Graduating class: 8th

McAfee School of TheologyMercer UniversityAlan Culpepper, deanGraduation: May 15 Speaker: Daniel Aleshire, executivedirector, Association of TheologicalSchools Graduates: 31Graduating class: 6th

George W. Truett Theological SeminaryBaylor UniversityPaul Powell, deanGraduation: May 15 Baccalaureate Speaker: Frank Pollard,distinguished visiting professor ofpreaching, Truett Graduates: 66 Graduating class: 8th BaccalaureateService

The Divinity SchoolWake Forest UniversityBill Leonard, deanGraduation: May 17 Baccalaureate Speaker: Stephen Boyd,Wake Forest religion faculty member Graduates: 15Graduating class: 3rd

Above figures are estimates and may notreflect actual totals at press time.

12

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& M

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EDITOR’S NOTE: A member of CBF’s Coordinating Council

shares her reflections about her son serving as one of two CBF

Student.Go field personnel in the Middle East. The writer and

the student cannot be identified for security concerns.

JUST AS MY MOTHER before me, I was called Mrs.

WMU (Woman’s Missionary Union).

But what does a mother do when her own son says he

wants to drop out of college and do missions for a year?

Particularly if the almost-21-year-old wants to do missions

in the Middle East!

“I want to do something meaningful,” he explained. “I’m

tired of floundering.” He began investigating overseas service

options and prayed that something would be available. His

first option through the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s

Student.Go was in Toronto. I thought that would be a won-

derful opportunity — safe, not too far from home – but he

decided against it. “I really want to go to the Middle East,”

he said. I went to the CBF General Assembly in Charlotte

and someone from the Middle East told me, “I think we can

use your son. Tell him to call me.”

Two months later, our son was on his way to the Middle

East to teach missionary children from a variety of organi-

zations and do friendship evangelism among college young

men. This was our son who had never been overseas and

was hesitant to ride a rollercoaster! But it was also the same

young man that has been involved in

missions from an early age. He also

loves the Lord and people. And for many

years, he has had a special interest in the

area where he is serving. God is surely

in this.

His church, family and friends

helped him with the money for travel

and living expenses. They also provided

some supplies. Not knowing how pro-

gressive his new home would be, he

asked me, “Should I take a mosquito

net?” He’s living on the first floor of a

nine-story apartment building and

even has a dishwasher!

Months have passed and he has

learned the city bus system. He speaks the language almost

as well as a national. He is eating and cooking a variety of

foods. He is building relationships with dozens of nationals

and plays soccer at least once a week. He says that hardly a

day goes by that he is not invited to go somewhere for tea.

He has completed the first semester of his assignment.

Once, after the television aired a story about a terrorist

incident in his country, I called him to see how he was.

“Nothing’s happening here,” he replied.

But even more important than his safety or his feeling at

home is his opportunity to make a difference in Jesus’

name. While we visited him recently, one of his friends said

to him, “I have met many Americans, but you’re different.”

My son’s prayer is that they will see God in him and thirst

for the same kind of relationship with Jesus Christ that he

has. f!

For more information about Student.Go, contact (877) 856-9288,

[email protected] or go to www.destination

missions.org.

For more information about volunteer teaching opportunities,

contact Mary Carol Day at the Fellowship's volunteer office

in Raleigh, N.C., at (877) 856-9288 or go to www.destination

missions.net.

College Senior Spends Year Teaching in the Middle East

One of CBF's Student.Go field personnelteaches at an international MK school andworks with English-speaking youth at aninternational church. Fi

eld

pers

onne

l pho

to



AS WE JO

URNEY

13

ON RETURNING FROM AFRICA after an intense and

brief journey, my mind has been flooded with a myriad

and mixture of images and impressions. Barbara Baldridge,

Earlene Vestal and I visited with African Baptist leadership,

CBF Global Missions field personnel and representatives

from the Ecumenical Documentation and Information

Center in South Africa (EDICISA). We were in four countries

(Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe) in 10 days.

The following are some of my reflections:

Africa is a religious place. Everywhere one looks there

is evidence of the spiritual, belief in the supernatural and

religious practices that combine aspects of Christianity

and traditional African religions. Superstition and a sense

of the divine permeate the culture more than science and

technology. Douglas Waruda, a professor at the University

of Nairobi, said to me, “There is in the African spirit a

spiritual vitality and a passion for God.” I found this to be

true.

The Christian church is exploding in Sub-Saharan

Africa. No longer a province of European or American

missionaries, the African church is rapidly developing its

indigenous leadership, worship and theology. While in

Ghana, I saw churches literally on every corner, most of

which did not represent any of the mainline denominations.

The majority of the population in Zimbabwe, as in many

other nations, is identified as Christian. The charismatic/

Pentecostal movement is spreading like wildfire, creating

new churches and new challenges. African theologians are

appropriately contextualizing Christian doctrine from

their experiences and interpreting Scripture from their

perspectives. Their witness is most important and needs

to be heard by the global church. Some would even say that

the African church will be used of God to re-evangelize

Europe and the postmodern west.

Another impression from this brief journey is that

Africa is changing. The traditional folkways and indigenous

African religions are increasingly confronted with modernity

and world concerns. Independence from colonial rule is

relatively recent, and most African democracies are very

young. Zimbabwe received its independence less than 25

years ago. Apartheid ended in South Africa less than 10

years ago. These young republics are learning the ways and

tenets of democracy and good governance. But, they are

also struggling with the very human problems of greed,

corruption and violence. The morning we arrived in

Nairobi, a fire destroyed much of the City Hall and firefighters

were unable to put out the blaze because there was no

water in the hydrant. The infrastructure of governance was

simply not in place.

Other realities are changing the face of Africa: drought

and poverty, racial and ethnic conflict, foreign investment

and disinvestment, unemployment and the regional wars

that create a large number of refugees. However the greatest

crisis facing Africa today is the HIV/AIDS pandemic. It is

mind-boggling in scope and complexity and is causing

unimaginable suffering.

The overwhelming impression made on me during this

trip is that Africa is suffering. The statistics of death and

misery are staggering. In Zimbabwe alone, at least 25

percent of the population is infected. There are 3,800

funerals per month due to HIV/AIDS. One leader in the

Methodist church told me that pastors spend most of their

time conducting funerals (eight to 10 per week), and they

themselves are like “dead men walking.”

We went into the home of a couple who were living with

the disease and listened to their distressing stories. We

visited orphanages and saw the children of parents who

had died of AIDS. We saw children who live on the streets

and are parented by siblings because their parents have

died of AIDS. We listened to the pain and anguish of insti-

tutional and congregational leaders, seminary professors

and missionaries as they sought to convey the horror of

this pandemic. While HIV/AIDS is a global challenge, it is

particularly an African challenge. Africa is suffering.

As with any journey, I returned home both weary and

renewed. It was an exhausting but exciting trip. I returned

with hope and spiritual energy. God is on a redemptive

mission in this world, and we are invited to participate in

that mission. Part of it is in Africa. f!

By CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal

Reflections on Africa

CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal and CBF Global Missions Co-coordinatorBarbara Baldridge visit with All Africa Baptist Fellowship GeneralSecretary Frank Adams (left) at the AABF office in Accra, Ghana.

Cou

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Dan

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14

FELL

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FAR

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GEORGIAChris and Erin Raffield were com-

missioned at CBF of Georgia’s spring

General Assembly to serve a new

church start in downtown Atlanta.

Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist

Church, Atlanta Baptist Association,

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and

CBF of Georgia are sponsors of the

new Center City Church.

Highland Hills Baptist Church,

Macon, will host Companions in Christ

and Church Leadership Training on

Aug. 21. First Baptist Church,

Marietta, will host Church Leadership

Training on Sept. 11. The events are

co-sponsored by CBF and CBF of

Georgia.

March Mission Madness, a CBF of

Georgia missions weekend for youth,

registered 723 youth and chaperones

for two weekends of MMM 2004.

Participants served 4,400 volunteer

hours at 35 missions sites. First

Baptist Church, Forsyth, hosted the

event for southern and central

Georgia, and First Baptist Church,

Hartwell, hosted the north Georgia

event. Scott Ford is MMM coordinator.

MISSOURIWINDERMERE BAPT ISTConference Center near Camdenton,

Mo., will host PASSPORT Camps July

19-24 and July 26-31. The new

PASSPORTkids! will be at Windermere

July 21-24 and July 25-28 for 3rd-6th

graders. For more information, con-

tact PASSPORT at (800) 769-0210.

The second annual CBF St. Louis

Picnic summer gathering featuring

CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal,

games for children, food and enter-

tainment is scheduled for Aug. 29 at

Tilles Park in St. Louis County.

NORTH CAROLINACBF OF NORTH CAROLINA cele-

brated its 10th anniversary during its

General Assembly at First Baptist

Church of Greensboro in March. The

event featured a message from Daniel

Vestal as well as a comprehensive

session on a new strategic plan. With

more than 20 workshops, the Assembly

covered an array of topics from Partners

in Hope, the Fellowship’s rural poverty

initiative, to church conflict.

SOUTH CAROLINATHE COOPERATIVE BAPT ISTFellowship of South Carolina has

established a formal partnership with

the Union of Baptists (UBB) in Belgium.

The partnership agreement was signed

April 23 at the CBF of South Carolina

General Assembly at Boulevard Baptist

Church in Anderson. Earlier, the

agreement had been signed at the

UBB Annual meeting by Jack Couch,

pastor of Clearview Baptist Church in

Anderson, representing CBF of South

Carolina, and Samuel Verhaeghe,

president of the UBB.

Ray Batson was long retired from

the pastorate when Sarahann

Callaway, now 17, first crossed his

path as a third grader. But still the

high school senior remembers all the

kind, encouraging words he had for

her as a child and teenager, and the

pound cake that he and his wife,

Nancy, baked and delivered to the

Callaway house.

For that kindness, Batson became

Callaway’s “Favorite Baptist” and was

the subject of an essay that won her a

$1,000 college scholarship through

CBF of South Carolina.

Batson was a pastor at four South

Carolina Baptist churches and served

as director of missions in two local

associations before retiring in 1991.

He had been a member at Fernwood,

Callaway’s church, since 1962. “It was

a great honor to know that she picked

me from all the other Baptists she has

known, but I felt unworthy,” Batson said.

A Baptist Studies Program has

been established at Lutheran

Theological Southern Seminary in

Columbia, S.C. It will be directed by

Ginger Barfield and will offer classes

in Baptist polity, history and worship

in addition to the regular seminary

curriculum. Barfield currently teaches

New Testament and Greek at the

seminary and will be the sole professor

in the Baptist studies program initially.

The first students will enter the pro-

gram in the fall. CBF of South Carolina

and seminary officials formally estab-

lished the Baptist House in February.

TENNESSEE“DIRECT CONNECT : A Conference

About Reaching Young Adults” drew

more than 20 clergy and lay leaders of

young adult ministries to two sessions

this spring at Central Baptist Church

of Bearden in Knoxville and Brook

Hollow Baptist Church in Nashville.

Scott Lee, co-founder of Crosspaths

Inc., facilitated the sessions designed


Fellowship Roundup News from CBF’s states, regions and national offices

Coming Attractions

June 24-26

General Assembly 2004

Birmingham Convention Center, Alabama

Information: www.thefellowship.info

For a complete schedule of events, go to

www.thefellowship.info/Inside%20CBF/

Calendar.

to encourage and inform young adult

ministries.

The Tennessee Cooperative

Baptist Fellowship General Assembly

was held at Trinity Baptist Church,

Cordova, April 23-24. Keynote

speaker Walter Shurden, executive

director of the Center for Baptist

Studies at Mercer University, Macon,

Ga., spoke Friday and Saturday, and

attendees adopted a budget for 2004-

05 of $324,500, an increase of 6.5

percent over the current year’s budget.

Neverfail Community Church,

Sparta, and Providence Baptist Church,

Cookeville, received the Betty

Galloway Advocacy for Women in

Ministry Award. Emily Roberts was

founding pastor of Neverfail and

currently serves as co-pastor with

her husband, Eliot. Providence

recently called associate pastor

Mellisa Roysdon to serve as co-pastor

with Jim Rennell. TCBF Theological

Scholarships were presented to

Elizabeth E. Evans, a student at

Duke Divinity School, and John Ryan

Dix, currently a student at Carson-

Newman College who will attend the

Wake Forest Divinity School next year.

CBF Signs MinistryPartnerships THE COOPERATIVE Baptist

Fellowship recently entered into

several new ministry partnerships

that allow the organization to expand

and multiply the effects of its

resources. Here are summaries of

three new agreements:

All Africa Baptist Fellowship

The partnership covenant between

CBF Global Missions and AABF stip-

ulates that the Fellowship will provide

a $5,000 grant for three years to

defer travel costs of visiting partners

and potential partners, co-sponsor

conferences and develop projects and

materials related to peace-making,

holistic development and theological

education.

Among the Fellowship’s commit-

ments in the partnership, CBF will

provide prayer and volunteer support

for AABF projects and connect AABF

with U.S. churches seeking ways to

minister with and learn from African

churches.

In turn, AABF committed to help

the Fellowship with volunteer oppor-

tunities in agreed upon projects and

facilitate volunteer involvement in

Africa. AABF will also assist CBF

Global Missions in prioritizing part-

nership requests in Africa, especially

in locations where the Fellowship

currently does not have personnel.

AABF will also sponsor conferences

on peace-making, holistic development

and theological education within Africa.

World Vision

The Fellowship, World Vision

Kenya and World Vision United

States announced a ministry partner-

ship to participate in the Hope Child

Sponsorship Program addressing the

needs of children and communities

impacted by HIV/AIDS crisis.

The partnership calls for the

sponsorship of 350 children in the

Soweto area of Nairobi, Kenya. This

will add a new dimension and greater

reach where CBF Global Missions

field personnel Melody and Sam

Harrell currently work. The Hope

Child program allows a sponsor to

connect with a child and support

them for $30 a month.

So far, First Baptist Church of Rome,

Ga., a Fellowship-affiliated congre-

gation, has sponsored 80 children, and

College Park Baptist Church in Orlando,

Fla., has sponsored 12. To learn more

about the CBF/World Vision Hope

Child Sponsorship Program, contact

John Thompson with World Vision at

(336) 852-5376 or jthompso@worldvi-

sion.org. Be sure to mention you are

connected with CBF.

Baptist Medical Dental Fellowship

The Fellowship and BMDF recent-

ly renewed a partnership agreement

that expands the existing agreement

to include establishing medical/

dental clinics in Gambia, providing

medical/dental care in impoverished

rural counties in the United States

and working together in the appoint-

ment of health care missionaries,

among other projects.

CBF and BMDF have already part-

nered on specific projects, such as

the purchase and distribution of

medicine and medical supplies in

North Korea. The new partnership

covenant between CBF and BMDF

formalizes the connection with the

aim of increasing involvement of

Fellowship churches in medical/

dental missions opportunities.

By Lance Wallace, CBF Communications

Vol. 14, No. 3

CBF COORDINATOR • Daniel Vestal

EDITOR • Ben McDade

MANAGING EDITOR • Lisa M. Jones

PHONE • (770) 220-1600

FAX • (770) 220-1685

E-MAIL • [email protected]

WEB SITE • www.thefellowship.info

fellowship! is published bimonthly

by The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship,

Inc., 3001 Mercer University Dr.,

Atlanta, GA 30341-4115.

Periodicals postage paid at Atlanta,

GA, and additional mailing offices.

USPS #015-625

POSTMASTER:

Send address changes to “fellowship!”

Newsletter, Cooperative Baptist

Fellowship, P.O. Box 450329,

Atlanta, GA 31145-0329

FELLOWHIP FARE

15


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Baylor Students, Afghan RefugeesBuild Friendships during Spring Break

PLAYING AND PRAYING alongside Afghan refugee

families, 24 Baylor University students spent their spring

break in the San Francisco Bay Area, celebrating Afghan

Friendship Week with Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

Global Missions field personnel Lita and Rick Sample.

The Samples coordinated the week’s activities with Paul

McGovern, pastor of Crossroads Church in Fremont, Calif.,

to reach out to the Bay Area’s children, youth and adult

Afghan refugees. The week was co-sponsored by Crossroads

Church; Baylor University Baptist Student Ministries in

Waco, Texas; and CBF.

The week kicked off with a picnic at Centerville Park

where Afghan families, Crossroads members and Baylor

students spent time playing American games and eating

American and Afghan food. “It was beautiful to see the

looks of appreciation and enjoyment on the Afghan mothers'

faces as they watched their kids having the time of their

lives,” says April Aiken, an intern with Baylor’s Baptist

Student Ministries.

On Wednesday, the Samples and the Baylor students

took the Afghan families to a family activity center housing

multiple games and sports. Later, the group returned to the

church where the Baylor students led a program for the

children, a coffeehouse conversation for the youth and a

craft project for the women.

The Samples also arranged a sightseeing tour for the Baylor

students and Afghan families. “We sat with the families on the

bus and had wonderful conversations,” Aiken says. “As our

Afghan friends took in the sights of San Francisco and ran

on the beach with us, it was hard to imagine that a few months

or years ago these families were in the midst of despair.”

At the close of their week, five Afghan families invited

the students, the Samples and the McGoverns to a tradi-

tional Afghan dinner in their homes. “As we ate and talked

with the Afghan families Friday afternoon, I realized that I

loved these people,” Aiken says. “Though they were

Muslim, and I am Christian; though they live in Fremont,

California, and I live in Waco, Texas, — I loved them.”

Baylor University sophomore Jenny Gathright agrees:

“What excited me the most about the time we were able to

spend with them was being able to closely interact with people

from another culture and getting to demonstrate Jesus’ love

to them. It was so amazing to see how God could connect two

groups of people who had very different religious backgrounds.”

“It [was] a time that our Afghan friends felt totally accepted

and loved by American Christians,” Lita says. “Even though

they are surrounded by Americans in the Bay Area, most

people look right through them ... almost as if they were

invisible. This week, they felt more real and respected and

cared for, even by strangers, whom they now call friends.

“The Baylor students gave all of themselves to the Afghan

families: they loved them, hugged on them, shared their

stories with them, danced with them, and became dear

friends with them,” Lita adds. “This is a great testament to

Christ and what He has done in our lives ... and now what

He has done in theirs.” f!

By contributing writer Amy Walker, Atlanta

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Baylor University students spend time with Afghan refugees and build relation-ships during Afghan Friendship Week.

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