May/June 2006

Fellowship to convene HIV/AIDS summit on eve of General AssemblySalvador to play free concert

Titled “Breaking the Si-lence: Compassion for an HIV Positive World,” the summit will off er plenary and breakout sessions and opportunities to formulate personal, church and Fellowship-wide responses to this global health crisis.

“Th e summit on the HIV/AIDS pandemic is sounding a clarion call to Baptists,” said event co-chair Jimmy Allen, au-thor of the 1995 book “Burden of a Secret” about his family’s struggle with HIV/AIDS. “Th e HIV/AIDS pandemic is wip-ing out the lives of thousands of persons daily. It does not just threaten communities in distant lands. It is spread-ing death, destruction and grief across our own nation. It works its silent path of devas-tation.”

David Beckmann, presi-dent of CBF partner organi-zation Bread for the World, will speak during the plenary session beginning at 1 p.m. Wednesday. Th e session will present a global look at HIV and its relation to poverty, as well as testimony from a per-son living with HIV.

“Th ere’s a direct link be-tween poverty, nutrition, quality of life and HIV infec-tion. Beckmann will be able to directly speak to the holistic picture of poverty and HIV,” said event co-chair John Der-rick, the Fellowship’s associ-ate coordinator for missions training.

Following the plenary ses-sion, participants will have the option to attend two breakout sessions. Eight breakout op-

tions will be off ered, featur-

ing presentations from experts and time for discus-sion. Breakout topics related to HIV/AIDS will include local church response, medical issues, personal stories, and thinking biblically and theologically

about HIV/AIDS.“CBF has boldly entered

into communities of need in other nations. We now need to expand our eff orts, join hands with partners who are tackling these challenges, and rescue the perishing as we care for the dying,” said Allen, who now consults with news media for

religion, ethics and spiritual-ity coverage; and serves as chaplain emeritus of Big Ca-noe Chapel in Big Canoe, Ga., where he lives.

Th e summit has a two-fold purpose — for education and response. Th e breakout ses-sions and plenary sessions are designed to dispel some of the misinformation circulating about HIV/AIDS. Th e fi nal plenary session, held 7:45-

10:10 a.m. Th ursday, will focus on develop-

ing an individual, church and Fellowship-wide response.

As a part of the summit, musical group Salvador will present a free concert at 8 p.m., June 21, in the Sidney Marcus Auditorium of the Georgia World Congress Center.

Salvador is a partner with relief and development organization World Vision and has been involved in the ONE Cam-paign to alleviate poverty. During the concert, Sal-vador will make a presentation about the HIV/AIDS crisis, leading par-

ticipants to develop their own responses to the pandemic.

Starting as a praise and worship band at their small Hispanic church in Austin, Texas, Salvador released its fi rst album under the Word Record label in 2000. Th ey have toured with Christian recording artists Th ird Day, Jaci Velasquez and Rachel Lampa. Th ey have also

performed at Billy Graham and Franklin Graham crusades, as well as major youth conferences. Th eir fourth album “Con Poder,” the 2004 Dove Award for best Spanish language album, was also nominated for best praise and worship album. f!

Carla Wynn, CBF Communications

To raise awareness and develop response

to the growing global HIV/AIDS crisis,

the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will

sponsor a summit June 21-22 in Atlanta prior to the

Fellowship’s General Assembly.

May/June 2006

CBFfellowship! COOPERATIVE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP | WWW.THEFELLOWSHIP.INFO

THE COOPERATIVE Baptist Fellowship is partnering with the China Christian Council (CCC) to bring an exhibition on the Bible in China to three U.S. cities this spring and summer.

Originally showcased in August 2004 at an event in Hong Kong that drew more than 20,000 visitors, “A Lamp to my Feet, a Light to my Path” China Bible Ministry Exhibi-tion debuted on American soil at the Crystal Cathedral in Los Angeles, Calif., April 27-May 4.

Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Atlanta will host the exhibition May 19-24, and the tour will conclude at St. John the Divine Cathedral in New York, June 6-15. Th e Atlanta exhibition will kick off with a special address by former President Jimmy Carter on May 19.

“Th e point is to build rela-tionships and off er encourage-ment to the church in China,” said Anita Snell, CBF Global

Missions associate coordinator for fi eld teams in Asia and the Fellowship’s representative on the exhibition planning team.

“Th ey also have encourage-ment to off er us as the church in the USA. We are Christian brothers and sisters, and we need each other.”

David Sapp, pastor of Sec-ond-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church, and others key lead-ers at the church are part of the team planning and orga-nizing the Atlanta event.

“Th e explosion of Christi-anity in China in recent years is absolutely amazing,” Sapp said. “Th is is the fi rst time, as I understand it, that Chinese Christians have reached out-side of China to the interna-tional community. Th ey are trying to build friends in the

— Continued on page 11

Bible in China exhibition coming to U.S.

“Th is is the fi rst time ... that Chinese Christians have

reached outside of China to the international community.”

How to Respond

LEARN – For up-to-the-minute updates on the summit, visit www.thefellowship.info/CL/GeneralAssembly/summit.icm. Registration is $40 and includes breakfast Thursday. Registration for students is $30. To register,

visit www.thefellowship.info/CL/GeneralAssembly/summitreg.icm. For more information on Salvador, visit their Web site www.salvador-live.com.

See pages 6-7 for details on the General Assembly.

David Beckmann

Salvador

A DECADE HAS PAST since Larry and Sarah Ballew moved across the world to Macau, China. Aft er Sarah’s missions experience in Korea and Larry’s time in Zambia, the Ballews once again sensed a calling that took them far from the United States.

Th ey now work as “life strategists,” teaching English, counseling, helping people address life issues, assisting people with relationships, and building relationships within the Macau community. Th ey have chosen to affi liate with CBF Global Missions through the AsYouGo program, which allows individuals doing missions work funded by another source to be a part of the Fellowship’s Global Missions structure and

participate on fi eld teams. “Our ministry appears to be small

sometimes,” Larry said. “It’s a ministry of small things, having breakfast with a couple of guys, teaching English to a busi-ness person. Th ese aren’t fl ashy or spectacular activities. Th ese aren’t huge crusades, but for whatever reason, God has fashioned us to be faithful in this ministry of small things. Th ese small things make a diff erence in the long run.”

Working as affi liates has given the Ballews accountability, sup-port and friendship on the fi eld.

“For us, we join with other CBF personnel in Asia for support and mutual accountability,” Larry said. “Additionally, we hope that our relationship with CBF will provide more churches and individuals with op-portunities to bless Macau through their prayers, service in Macau as volunteers, and the giving of fi nancial gift s.”

Th e Ballews work closely with Grace Baptist Church in Macau. Th e church has some members with disabilities and deals with illiteracy, Sarah said. Th ese challenges encourage the Ballews to engage more of the senses in each worship service to capture the attention of more of the congregation.

“Th e service is quite simple because we don’t want to do anything that they can’t replicate and do for themselves,” Sarah said.

In an eff ort to provide professional English training services, the Ballews are in the process of developing Lighthouse English Training Services (LETS). Th e

Ballews are hoping volunteers will plug into LETS, augmenting their reach in the community.

Th e Ballews’ sons, Joshua, 13, and Nathanael, 11, have actively participated in their ministry. When they fi rst moved to China, the children were enrolled in a local school, which allowed them to quickly learn the language and adapt to the culture.

Th e Ballews face many challenges in Macau. Despite religious freedom, Christians are still a major minority in the city. Because of constant exposure to Christianity through Catholicism, many

indigenous people are familiar with the gospel but do not see its relevance to their own life.

“Th ey’ve almost been inoculated to the gospel,” Sarah said. “Th ey’ve heard a little about Him and now are immune to Him.”

Sarah expressed that most people are interested in them because they are Ameri-cans, but the Ballews continuously seek to bridge the gap of just being friends with people in the community and introducing them to Christ.

Ancestor worship and the infl uence of family can be barriers to Christianity in Chi-na. Out of loyalty to their family, individuals oft en resist accepting Christ.

“Th e biggest challenge is discourage-ment because it does take a long time for someone to believe,” Sarah said.

For those who are already believers, the Ballews are working to build depth and encourage spiritual growth.

“We are willing to come up along side people as the Lord is growing and matur-ing,” Sarah said. f!

LEARN – For more information about Macau or how to volunteer, visit http://www.missionmacau.org. For more on AsYouGo, visit www.destinationmissions.net. SERVE – Interested in serving as an AsYouGo affiliate? Contact Matt Norman at (770) 220-1609 or e-mail mnorman@thefellowship.info.

By Courtney Hodges, CBF Communications

G L O B A L M I S S I O N S & M I N I S T R I E S

G l o b a l M i s s i o n s S t r a t e g y | A s Yo u G o A f f i l i a t e s i n C h i n aC O O P E R A T I V E B A P T I S T F E L L O W S H I P w w w . t h e f e l l o w s h i p . i n f o

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Vol. 16, No. 3COORDINATOR • Daniel Vestal

COORDINATOR, COMMUNICATIONS & RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT • Ben McDade

EDITOR • Lance Wallace

ASSOCIATE EDITOR • Carla Wynn

PHONE • (770) 220-1600

FAX • (770) 220-1685

E-MAIL • fellowship@thefellowship.info

WEB SITE • www.thefellowship.info

fellowship! is published 7 times a year in Sept./Oct., Special I (Oct.), Nov./Dec., Jan./Feb., Mar./Apr., May/June, Special II (Aug.) 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

CBF Global Missions strategy growing to include more volunteers, indigenous leaders

Traditionally, missions-sending orga-nizations have utilized career personnel as the primary avenue of ministry, but CBF Global Missions is transitioning to better utilize the skills and gift s of the individuals and churches that comprise the Fellowship as well as the infl uence and eff ectiveness of indigenous leaders.

Increased priority will be given to AsYouGo affi liates, Global Service Corps (GSC) personnel, Student.Go summer and semester student workers, and volunteers.

“Individuals and churches are coming to us and saying God has called them to be involved with specifi c ministries,” said Jack Snell, CBF Global Missions interim coor-

dinator. “We want to provide more ways for hands-on involvement in missions.”

Because of this new emphasis on empowering churches and individuals, this year’s appointments will focus on affi liates and GSC personnel. Additional career fi eld personnel will be ap-pointed in the future as addi-tional fi nancial resources al-low for the required long-term commitment, Snell said. Th e Fellowship’s fi nancial growth continues, but not enough to immediately appoint new ca-reer fi eld personnel, he said.

However, funding is only one contrib-uting factor to the transition, which has been a part of CBF Global Missions’ stra-tegic plan from the beginning. A larger societal shift is at play with an increasing

number of individuals and churches who want to be involved in more hands-on ministry, according to Snell.

“Th ere is a group of people who want to be involved and do things instead of just talk about it or give money,” said Matt Norman, associate coordinator for career

and affi liate fi eld selection. “We are off er-ing the invitation to become involved.”

Career fi eld personnel will help facilitate the ministry of volunteers and short-term personnel. Whether it’s identifying how

In response to societal trends and its own strategic plan for eff ectively reaching the most neglected

peoples in the world, CBF Global Missions is seeking to better utilize volunteers and indigenous people

as a supplement to the ongoing work of its career fi eld personnel.

AsYouGo affiliates minister through ‘small things’ in China

How to Respond

LEARN – For more on the CBF Global Missions approach, go to www.thefellowship.info/globalmissions or check out the numerous people group resources from The CBF Store available online at www.thefellowship.info/thecbfstore.

PRAY – To view monthly prayer requests from the field or a list of field personnel birthdays, visit www.thefellowship.info/global missions. You can also receive the monthly e-newsletter “Prayer Associates” by subscribing at www.thefellowship.info/News/Signup.icm.

GIVE – 100 percent of your gift to the Offering for Global Missions goes to support the work of global missions, including support-ing and sustaining field personnel. To make a gift, use the envelope that accompanies this issue of the newsletter or go online to www.thefellowship.info/Landing/giving.icm.

SERVE – To learn about all of the catego-ries of service with CBF Global Missions, go to www.destinationmissions.net.

Scott Hunter, right, one of CBF’s Global Missions field personnel, works with indigenous leaders in Sri Lanka to carry out post-tsunami development work.

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From left, Larry, Joshua, Sarah and Nathanael Ballew.

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volunteers can be utilized, supporting vol-unteers in ministry, or providing guidance and accountability, career personnel will continue to be an infl uential part of ministry. With their leadership, more volunteers and short-term workers can be empowered to participate in hands-on ministry, Snell said.

“Career personnel are indispensable because they are the cross-cultural and missiological specialists who provide op-portunity, credibility and accountability for GSC and affi liate personnel,” Snell said.

GSC will continue to be valuable avenues for ministry, Snell said. For a specifi c, short-term time period, they expand the work of

career fi eld personnel because of their abil-ity to start quickly, oft en bringing a unique skill set to ministries as they explore their own calling. Currently 15 GSC personnel are serving around the world, with seven more slated for appointment during June’s General Assembly.

Technology has enabled the world to be-come better connected, thus creating new missions opportunities. As affi liate person-nel, global citizens — those people whose vocations allow them to work anywhere in the world — could directly work with fi eld personnel and ministries.

More than ever, creative missions op-portunities exist, and CBF Global Missions is seeking to better connect individuals and churches with those opportunities.

Already with 20 affi liates serving, the AsYouGo program is growing steadily with 14 additional people scheduled for ap-pointment in June, Norman said.

“It’s the approach of the future for peo-ple to use their skills and calling in creative ways to share the gospel,” Snell said.

CBF Global Missions will also continue seeking better ways to utilize indigenous leadership. While this partnership model is already in use, continued eff orts will be made to increase the eff ectiveness of the approach, Snell said. Indigenous workers are most oft en the best ministers to their communities and fi nding new creative ways to empower them is essential for future ministry growth. f!

By Carla Wynn, CBF Communications

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M i h m a n i S e r v i c e s f o r A f g h a n s | A n t i p h o n y N u t u r i n g G o d ’ s C a l l t o S t u d e n t s w w w . t h e f e l l o w s h i p . i n f o M A Y / J U N E 2 0 0 6

G L O B A L M I S S I O N S & M I N I S T R I E S

Antiphony confronts students with God’s call

ATTENTION STUDENTS: God is calling you.

College and graduate students will be challenged to respond to God’s call at the second-ever An-tiphony conference, Dec. 29, 2006-Jan. 2, 2007, at the Hyatt Hotel in Atlanta. Titled “Call and Response,” the event centers on dialogue and discussion, challenging students to consider God’s call and their re-sponse in a global climate of need, change, confl ict and disparity.

Named for a musical term describing a reciprocal exchange of voices, Antiphony was fi rst con-vened with overwhelming results during the New Year’s holiday in 2005. Students who attended the fi rst Antiphony have gone on to enroll in seminary, serve in various missions capacities and have entered local church ministry.

“The fi rst Antiphony was a huge success,” said Amy Derrick, Antiphony steering committee chair and CBF Global Missions associ-ate coordinator for Global Service Corps and Student.Go.

“Students and student lead-ers alike were energized by the event and were grateful for a safe space to have meaningful dialogue around the issue of calling and about the global issues that affect all of us,” she said.

“So many of us just want to do something ‘good’ with our lives, while at the same time remain-ing faithful to our calling,” said Joel Baucom, a Campbell Divinity School student who attended the fi rst Antiphony. “Antiphony has such potential to transform your perspective on what it means to be that follower of Christ.”

The cost of the conference is $200, which covers four nights in the hotel, one dinner, two lunches and the conference fee. Registra-tion opens August 15 and closes Nov. 15. Those interested can reg-ister online at www.antiphony.org.

The fi rst Antiphony had a gala on New Year’s Eve, and the success of that event led organizers to include a gala again at this year’s event.

“Antiphony is nurturing the call of future Christian leaders,” Derrick said. “These students are the future of CBF.”

LEARN – For more on the conference, watch for future issues of fellowship!, or go online to www.antiphony.org.

By Courtney Hodges, CBF Communications

Samples extend friendship through Mihmani servicesWHEN FREMONT, California-based CBF fi eld personnel Lita and Rick Sample began planning a friendship gathering at Cross-roads Church for their Afghan neighbors, they knew the traditional tables and chairs would not make their guests feel at home.

“When we visit in their homes, we’ve become used to dining on the fl oor on carpets with them. It’s part of their cul-ture. So that’s what we decided to do,” Lita said.

Co-sponsored by CBF and Crossroads Church, the fi rst meeting of Mihmani (which means friendship gathering in Farsi, the native Afghan language) was held last spring. For the past three years, the Samples have been building relationships with local Afghans. About 30,000 to 50,000 Afghans, many of them refugees, live in the San Francisco Bay area.

When the Afghans arrive for a Mihmani service, they are greeted with fl oors cov-ered by Persian rugs with pillows around the edges. Afghan women bring food for a potluck-style meal. Someone is present to translate English into Farsi. Sometimes there is a concert by an Afghan performer. Dancing continues to be a favorite part of Mihmani services.

“Th e Afghans are really happy about it,” Lita said. “Because not only do we befriend them, we acknowledge and embrace their

culture. I think that is why they’re so ex-cited about this.”

Th ese friendship gatherings are aimed primarily at fellowship and sharing. Rick said, “We have been sharing the love of Christ from the very fi rst Mihmani, but in

culturally sensitive ways because the Afghan community is almost exclusively Muslim.”

One especially meaningful Mihmani ser-vice was held on Mother’s Day 2005, when Rick asked the oldest child and the husband of each mother to stand up in front of the group and express their appreciation.

“We wanted to do something to make the women feel special,” Rick said. “Cul-turally, it is extremely uncommon for an Afghan man to publicly make a speech of affi rmation to his wife.”

When the Samples began the Mihmani meetings, they hoped to eventually form house churches in Afghan homes. Th at dream has come true.

“Out of the Mihmani gatherings, one house church has been launched,” Rick said. “We are working on a second one in another location.”

Th e Samples are excited about the suc-cess of the Mihmani services. “How many Baptist churches have 100 Muslims coming in their doors?” Rick said. “We’re having that right here. We’re doing it in a cultur-ally sensitive way and through building relationships. f!

By contributing writer Traci Rylands, Atlanta, Ga.

How to Respond

LEARN – Get the spring quarter of “Doing Missions in a World Without Borders” missions education curriculum by calling (770) 220-1600. You can also get the “Focusing on Internationals” DVD for $7.50 by calling The CBF Store at (888) 801-4223 or www.thefellowship.info/thecbfstore.

PRAY – Visit www.thefellowship.info/globalmissions/prayercentral for the latest prayer concerns from field personnel. Or, sign up to receive Prayer Associates at contact@thefellowship.info or by calling (770) 220-1600.

GIVE – Give to the Offering for Global Missions by using the envelope attached to this issue or go online at www.thefellowship.info/landing.giving.icm.

SERVE – For CBF volunteer opportuni-ties, go to www.destinationmissions.net.

Jack Snell, left, interim CBF Global Missions coor-dinator, commissions AsYouGo affiliates Ann and Nick Skipper at the 2005 General Assembly in Grapevine, Texas.

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The Mihmani gatherings are held in a Persian-friendly environment with rugs and pillows rather than tables and chairs.

Career: Personnel who are employed by CBF Global Missions to share their faith cross-culturally.

Global Service Corps (GSC): One- to three- year assignments that fi ll strategic needs all over the world.

AsYouGo Affi liate: Self-supporting personnel serving through the CBF Global Missions fi eld team structure. Whether through business or education employment or through the direct fi nancial support of churches, it provides a global

missions connection for CBF-minded people who have a specifi c mission calling to areas where CBF is not currently sending career or GSC personnel.

Student.Go: Summer or semester ministry opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to serve among unevangelized and marginalized people.

Volunteer: Individuals who pay their own way to be a part of CBF Global Missions work around the world. Assignments can be short- or long-term.

CBF Global Missions Categories of Service

L E A D E R S H I P D E V E L O P M E N T

B a n j a r a S t u d e n t s a t P a r t n e r S c h o o l sC O O P E R A T I V E B A P T I S T F E L L O W S H I P w w w . t h e f e l l o w s h i p . i n f o

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Banjara Gypsy students make an impact at CBF partner schools

Prasanna and Bhukya are the fi rst — the Francoviches hope of many — Banjara Gypsy Christians to receive advanced theological training in the United States. Prasanna is studying at Baptist University of the Américas in San Antonio, while Bhukya is enrolled at Baylor University’s Truett Baptist Th eological Seminary in Waco, Texas.

“We have partnered with several indigenous Banjara Gypsy ministries for years,” James said. “Now the children of our partners have grown up and are assuming leadership roles — no small challenge when only an estimated 1 percent of the 10 million Banjaras are Christian believers.”

Banjara are overwhelmingly Hindu. CBF’s Banjara Gypsy Team, which includes the Francovichs and Eddie and Macarena Aldape, launched the “Next Generation Project” to maximize the leadership opportunities of those partner’s children. Two of the major goals, in addition to providing theological training, were to introduce Banjara Christians to Fellowship churches and schools and to encourage the leadership of women in Banjara ministries.

When Wood-land Baptist Church in San Antonio designated $25,000 for the Banjara ministry, the money went to underwrite the education of two students. Prasanna, the daughter of Narasingh Naik, the general secretary of Banjara Development Trust, began her studies at BUA in January 2005 and will complete her bachelor’s degree in theology in May 2006. Bhukya, the son of Lazarus Lalsing, director of Banjara ministry for the Church of South India, started work on his master of divinity at Truett in fall 2005.

“Mary is a homeopathic doctor by trade but her heart is to minister among Banjara women in rural villages,” Robbi said. “She is a key because of her passion for Banjara women and her maturity as a young professional to help uplift the oft en oppressed tribal women both physically and spiritually.”

Prasanna even inspired one of her BUA professors Nora Lozano to join a Global Women project that trained Banjara women in India last October.

Prasanna, who lives on-campus, has had other impacts at BUA, too — from cooking a complete Indian meal for all the on-cam-pus students to providing all the members of the Torah Dance Club with Indian dress.

“It has been hard to be so far from

home because I miss my family very much,” she admitted. “But this has been a wonderful opportunity, and I have learned so much. I’m looking forward to returning to India and sharing it with others.”

Bhukya, whose entire family was ex-communicated from their home community when his grandparents and parents became Christians, has a master’s degree in business administration from a top Indian university. In India, he frequently served as James’ translator at evangelistic meetings.

“Sagar has already proven an asset in class discussion by off ering a perspective that is not bound to American cultural values,” said Truett professor Joel Weaver. “He provides the Truett community with a tangible and visible expression of the universal nature of the Church.”

Calvary Baptist Church in Waco is providing Bhukya a spiritual home. He

has taken part in worship services and is involved in a “life group” there.

“Sagar’s bright smile and powerful testimony have already made an impression at Calvary,” said Sharyn Dowd, a Baylor University professor and ministry associate for neighborhood outreach at Calvary.

Woodland’s gift is paying for all of Prasanna’s expenses as well as many of Bhukya’s. Truett Seminary gave Bhukya a tuition, books and insurance scholarship.

“Mary and Sagar would love to visit Fellowship churches as their class demands allow,” James said. “Th ey both have powerful testimonies.

“And if there are others who would like to join Woodland in making it possible for Banjara students to be trained, let us know,” James added. “We have a Muslim-background believer who is ready to come right now if we can generate more funds.” f!

LEARN – For more information about the CBF Banjara Gypsy Project and to contact Prasanna or Bhukya, visit http://banjara.gypsyministries.com/. To learn about the Fellowship’s partner schools, visit www.thefellowship.info/LD.

By contributing writer Craig Bird of San Antonio, Texas

When CBF Global Missions fi eld personnel James and Robbi Francovich look at Mary

Prasanna and Sagar Bhukya, they pray they are seeing a spiritual equivalent of that “little

cloud ... like a man’s hand” referred to in 1 Kings 18. Th at tiny bit of mist turned into massive drought-

breaking rains.

“... this has been a wonderful

opportunity, and I have learned

so much. I’m looking forward

to returning to India and

sharing it with others.”

Sagar Bhukya began his studies at Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary in fall 2005.

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Join Leadership Development for dinner!Th eological Education DinnerJune 21, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Grand Ballroom E, Omni Hotel at CNN Center

Keynote speaker: David Tiede

Topic: “Theological Education as Leader Education.”

Cost: $50 per person. Reservation forms available at www.thefellowship.info/documents/TheoEdDinnerRegistration.pdf. Please return completed form to Mary McCoy at mmccoy@thefellowship.info or contact Mary at (770) 220-1637.

Mary Prasanna has ministered to her fellow students at Baptist University of the Americas by sharing Banjara culture.

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L E A D E R S H I P D E V E L O P M E N T 5

L u n c h e o n f o r C h a p l a i n s , C o u n s e l o r s | E n d o r s e m e n t s | C l a s s N o t e s | C o m m e n c e m e n t s w w w . t h e f e l l o w s h i p . i n f o M A Y / J U N E 2 0 0 6

Assembly to offer conference, luncheon for chaplains, counselors

THE FOLLOWING are news items from Cooperative Baptist Fellowship partner schools. To include items from your school, send an e-mail to Lance Wallace at lwallace@thefellowship.info.

■ Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. R. Michael Harton, regional

coordinator of the Initiative

for Ministerial Excellence,

a program funded by the

Lilly Endowment through

the Cooperative Baptist

Fellowship, has been elected

as interim dean of the faculty at the Baptist

Theological Seminary at Richmond.

■ Campbell University Divinity School. In early

February, 19 Campbell University Divinity School

students were commissioned by the university.

The commissioning served as recognition of the

call each student has received to ministry.

Class Notes: News from partner schools

Commencements at CBF partner schools■ Baptist Seminary of KentuckyGreg C. Earwood, presidentGraduation: May 13 Speaker: Wade RowattGraduates: two Graduating class: second

■ Baptist Theological Seminary at RichmondThomas Graves, presidentGraduation: May 27 Speaker: Denton Lotz, general secre-tary, Baptist World Alliance Graduates: 41 Graduating class: 14th

■ Baptist Studies Program, Brite Divinity SchoolNewell Williams, presidentGraduation: May 13 Graduates: sixGraduating class: ninth

■ Baptist Studies Program, Candler School of Theology, Emory UniversityDavid Key, directorGraduation: May 15Speaker: Marian Wright Edelman, presi-dent, Children’s Defense FundGraduates: 18 Graduating class: 16th

■ Baptist University of the AmericasAlbert L. Reyes, presidentGraduation: May 13Speaker: Josue GrijalvaGraduates: 95

■ Campbell University School of DivinityMichael Cogdill, deanCovenant/Hooding Service: May 14 Speaker: Marsha Foster-Boyd, director of accreditation and leadership educa-tion, Association of Theological Schools Graduates: 27 Graduating class: ninth

■ Central Baptist Theological SeminaryMolly Marshall, PresidentGraduation: May 13 Speaker: Trinette McCray, executive di-rector of vocation development, Cardinal Stritch University Graduates: 25 Graduating class: 104th

■ Baptist House of StudiesDuke University Divinity SchoolCurtis Freeman, directorGraduation: May 14Speaker: John Hope FranklinGraduates: 166 Graduating class: 18th

■ M. Christopher White School of Divinity, Gardner-Webb UniversityRobert Canoy, acting deanGraduation: May 13Graduates: 31 Graduating class: 12th

■ Logsdon School of Theology,Hardin-Simmons UniversityThomas V. Brisco, deanGraduation: May 13Graduates: 13 Graduating class: 10th

■ McAfee School of Theology,Mercer UniversityAlan Culpepper, deanGraduation: May 20Speaker: Lien-Hwa Chow, professor, dean and former president, Asia Baptist Graduate Theological Seminary Graduates: 39 Graduating class: eighth

■ George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor UniversityPaul Powell, deanGraduation: May 12 Baccalaureate Speaker: William M. Pinson Jr. Graduates: 40 Graduating class: 10th

■ The Divinity SchoolWake Forest UniversityBill Leonard, deanGraduation: May 15 Speaker: Jill CrainshawGraduates: 43 Graduating class: fifth

As an auxiliary event preceding the As-sembly, a conference will be held Wednes-day, June 21, featuring Molly Marshall, president of Central Bap-tist Theological Seminary. Marshall, also a professor of theology and spiritual formation, will present on the conference theme, “Renewing a Theology for Ministry: The Call to Care.” The event, held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Grand Ballroom E of the Omni Hotel at CNN Center, can earn conference participants a continuing education unit from the Association of Professional Chaplains.

“This experience will enable our CBF chaplains and pastoral counselors to have

increased interaction with each other, dis-cussion about the CBF chaplaincy and pas-toral counseling ministry, and continuing education for development,” said George Pickle, the Fellowship’s associate coordina-tor for chaplaincy and pastoral counseling. “I am extremely pleased that Dr. Molly Marshall will be our resource person.”

On Friday, June 23, a luncheon will be held, fea-turing a presentation on contemplative prayer by Loyd Allen, professor of church history and spiri-tual formation at Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology. The event will be in Grand Ballroom B of the Omni Hotel from 11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.

“These opportunities for reflection and growth provide a meaningful experience for the CBF pastoral care community dur-ing the CBF General Assembly,” Pickle said.

Events are open to endorsees, retirees, seminary students, interested applicants and spouses, if applicable. Also scheduled is a workshop highlighting the Fellowship’s endorsement process for chaplain and pas-toral counselor applicants. Pickle and Troy Petty, chairman of the Fellowship’s council on endorsement, will lead the workshop and dialogue. f!

LEARN – For more information or to pre-register for General Assembly, visit www.thefellowship.info/CL/GeneralAssembly/2006.icm. Both the conference and luncheon events require advance registration. To register, contact Jen Van Camp at (770) 220-1645, jvancamp@thefellowship.info, or George Pickle at (770) 220-1617, gpickle@thefellowship.info. The workshop is free and part of the General Assembly.

By Carla Wynn, CBF Communications

THE FOLLOWING chaplains and pastoral counselors were endorsed by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s Council on Endorsement at its February meeting:

Hospice —

• Stuart G. Collier, chaplain, New Beacon, Inc., Birmingham, Ala.

• Ann R. Pennington, chaplain, VistaCare Hospice, Waco, Texas

Hospital —

• Susan L. Harthon, supervisory candidate, A.C.P.E., chaplain, Clarian Health Partners, Indianapolis, Ind.

• Rachel Hunt Hill, provisional board certified chaplain, A.P.C., CPE resident,

Duke University Medical Services, Durham, N.C.

• Cynthia M. Jordan, certified clinical chaplain, C.P.S.P., Catawba Valley Medical Center, Hickory, N.C.

• Charla B. Littell, clinical pastoral educator, A.C.P.E., Duke University Health System, Durham, N.C.

• Bonnie R. Reedy, CPE resident, Rex Healthcare, Raleigh, N.C.

• Travis K. Smith, board certified chap-lain, A.P.C., CPE resident, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, N.C.

• Gene T. Vincent, CPE resident, Pastoral Counseling Centers of Tennessee, Inc., Nashville, Tenn.

• Charis A. Weathers, CPE resident, Swedish Hospital, Seattle, Wash.

Military —• Stephen M. Shaw, active duty chaplain,

U.S. Navy, Pace, Fla. • Samantha D. Sullivan, chaplain

candidate, U.S. Navy, Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.

LEARN – The next Council on Endorsement meeting is scheduled for June 21. For more information about CBF chaplaincy and pastoral counseling, contact George Pickle at (770) 220-1617 or gpickle@thefellowship.info. Information is also available at www.thefellowship.info/Church Life/Chaplains PC/Endorsees.icm.

CBF-endorsed chaplains, pastoral counselors at 520

From left, Elaine Miller, Vickie Woods and Elsie Peterson fellowship with each other moments before they were commissioned at Campbell University Divinity School.

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The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will sponsor a conference

and luncheon for chaplains and pastoral counselors during its

General Assembly June 22-23 at the Georgia World Congress Center

in Atlanta.

Molly Marshall

Loyd Allen

Michael Harton

G E N E R A L A S S E M B L Y

G e n e r a l A s s e m b l y C O O P E R A T I V E B A P T I S T F E L L O W S H I P w w w . t h e f e l l o w s h i p . i n f o

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Choose from among more than 100 workshops at this year’s Assembly____________A sampling ofWorkshopsSPARK a Child’s Interest in Missions Virginia Butler

A child’s life is full of active learning experience. Discover how Spark, CBF’s new resource for teaching missions, invites children to explore cultures nearby and far away through the stories and work of CBF fi eld personnel.

Calebs Cafe: New Service for Adult and Youth Small GroupsDavid Cassady

Learn about a new online service for Christian groups to stay in touch, learn and grow. Get a customized private online space for your Christian group to share prayer requests, announcements or anything else.

Operation InasmuchDavid Crocker

Hear about a proven mobilization of 50-75 percent of a congregation in a one-day, hands-on mission blitz their community. This presentation will tell the OIAM story, show its impact on churches and communities, and share a testimony of one church’s experience. A how-to manual is available.

Missions: Th e Next Generation Amy Derrick

Come and hear about missions, service and growth opportunities for

students of all ages including Passport and Mission Exchange for high school students and Student.Go and Antiphony for college and graduate students.

Women Deacons: History, Controversy, Current Status Charles Deweese

See demonstrated the viability of women deacons in the local church by use of scripture and Baptist history and theology. Hear specifi c examples of churches that have adopted women deacons and benefi ted from their service.

IGNITE a Passion for Youth and Missions Rob Fox and Phil Smith

As teenagers seek to discover their place in community, the church has a responsibility to offer opportunities that fuel a passion for being Christ’s presence in the world. Learn how CBF’s new youth resource, IGNITE, equips teenagers through Bible study, worship, missions understanding and re-sponse.

Building a Missional Deacon MinistryEddie Hammett

What is the role of deacons in building a missional church? We will explore the challenges and benefi ts of this question along with practical tips for empowerment, accountability and coaching.

FORM: A New Resource for Teaching Preschoolers about Missions Tricia Hays

As preschoolers form their ideas about God, the world and others, the church has a wonderful op-portunity to guide their missional journey. Through this workshop, preschool missions leaders will explore FORM, CBF’s new missions resource for preschoolers.

It’s Time to Become a Missional ChurchDavid Hughes

Learn about the new It’s Time study course. It will introduce you and your congregation to the concept of being a “missional church” with the help of Daniel Vestal’s book, It’s Time: an Urgent Call to Christian Mission. This experience may transform your church!

Marriage Ministry Jump StartPriscilla and Greg Hunt

Hear practical approaches to developing and strengthening your marriage ministry. Explore resources and leadership training options for couples and staff. This will be an information-packed workshop that provides immediate action opportunities to make an impact on couples, your congregation and your community.

Th e Once and Future Sunday School and the Session SeriesMichael McCullar and Rickey Letson

The Sunday School is a cross between the “same-old-thing” and a “brand new thing!” Michael offers helps that will aid Sunday School leaders honor traditions while embracing innovations. Participants will examine how to build a Sunday School for adults with a focus on innovative growth and relational connectivity with new learners. Be introduced to the Sessions Series from Smyth and Helwys, and hear some practical tips for using them within the adult education ministries of your church.

For a complete list of workshops, go to www.thefellowship.info/CL/GeneralAssembly/2006.icm.

O F F I C I A L H O T E L I N F O R M AT I O N

To reserve your hotel online, go to www.thefellowship.info/CL/GeneralAssembly/reg.icm to pre-register.

After registering online, you will be directed to the room reservation Web site for the Omni or Westin.

H O T E L SOmni at CNN Center (headquarter hotel) and

The Westin Peachtree Plaza

H O T E L I N F O R M A T I O NOmni at CNN Center, Single/Double/Triple/

Quad – $109.00 plus tax (Current room tax 15%)The Westin Peachtree Plaza, Single/Double/Triple/Quad – $105.00 plus tax (Current room tax 15%)

Please make your hotel reservations by phone or online (instructions below) by May 25, 2006.

1. Phone: Call the Omni at CNN Center Hotel at (800) 400-1700 or The Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel at (800) 228-3000 and reference “Cooperative Baptist Fellowship” as your convention group. You will be asked for a credit card number to hold the reservation, and your credit card will be charged at that time. The deposit is refundable if cancelled seven days prior to arrival.

2. Go ONLINE to www.thefellowship.info/CL/General Assembly/reg.icm and make reservations online with either the Omni at CNN Center or The Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel. You will be asked for a credit card number to hold your reservation. Your credit card will be charged at that time for one night’s room and tax. This deposit is refundable if cancella-tion is made seven days prior to arrival.

If you need help making your reservations please call S. Stewart & Associates for assistance at (770) 619-9671.

Helpful Reminders

1. Reservations should be made no later than May 25, 2006, for advertised room rate. Reservations received after the cut-off date will be accepted on a space available basis and at the hotel’s prevailing room rate.

2. Sharing a room: Please make only one reservation per room, listing all occupants in the room. A confi rmation listing each occupant will be mailed to you (the primary occupant) if reservation is completed by phone. Please print your confi rmation if completed online.

3. All reservations holding more than 10 rooms will be required to forward a non-refundable, one night’s deposit for each room held by April 1, 2006. If not, all rooms held will be released back to the CBF Housing Room Block for re-sale.

4. Changes/Cancellations: Please call the Omni at CNN Center or The Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel for all changes/cancellations and reference your confi rmation number. When canceling a reservation, please be sure to ask for a cancellation number and keep a record of the number.

5. RATES DO NOT INCLUDE the current room tax of 15%.

How to Respond

LEARN – For more information on General Assembly, visit www.thefellowship.info/CL/GeneralAssembly/2006.icm.

Online Pre-Registration

To pre-register for General Assembly, visit www.thefellowship.info/CL/GeneralAssembly/reg.icm. You must pre-register before making hotel reservations. Once you have submitted your registra-tion for the General Assembly, you will be directed to the link for hotel reservations. The deadline for pre-registration is Thursday, June 15.

Worship to illuminate theme of ‘world in need’

Th is year’s steering committee ap-pointed Alicia Walker, associate pastor for music and worship at Peachtree Baptist Church in Atlanta, as the lead worship planner, in conjunction with artist in resi-dence C. Michael Hawn, a faculty mem-ber at the Perkins School of Th eology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas; Fellowship moderator Joy Yee; Bo Prosser, coordinator of Congregrational Life; and the steering committee, which is led by Jim Ross, pastor of Madison Baptist Church, Madison, Ga.

Each year, worship planners spend hours in collaboration to help Assembly

attendees experience God’s presence dur-ing the sessions through a variety of mu-sic, drama, video, sermons, symbols and sacraments. With the theme of “Being the Presence of Christ … For a World in Need,” the worship promises to cause the attendees to transcend their own needs and contemplate God’s work through them in the world.

“Th e general sessions will feature tradi-tional hymns and anthems as well as music from around the world, as we sing our faith in a variety of styles and expressions,” Walker said. “Friday night’s commissioning service will also incorporate communion and music

from the Taize community.”A variety of choral music

will be used from a combined children’s choir representing First Baptist Church, Dalton, Ga., and

First Baptist Church, Roswell, Ga.; and a separate children’s choir from Johns Creek Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Ga.; to a consortium of youth choirs from Georgia and South Carolina known as “jubilate!”

Also featured will be the sanctuary choir from Baptist Fellowship Church in College Park, Ga., and a festival choir made up of singers from churches in and around Atlanta.

Add in dramatic interpretations of Dietrich Bonhoeff er and Clarence Jordan by dramatist and former pastor Al Staggs and compelling messages from Yee, CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal and South African pastor Trevor Hudson, and As-sembly attendees will no doubt leave re-

focused on the vision of being the presence of Christ in the world.

“Th e general sessions are being designed to facili-tate thoughtful worship, extend-ing to all the opportunity to explore our call-ing to be Christ to a world in need,” Walker said.

By Lance Wallace, CBF Communications

One of the most anticipated elements of the annual General

Assembly for Fellowship Baptists is the substance and style of

worship during the general sessions.

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship 2006 General AssemblyGeorgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga. • June 21-24, 2006

Al Staggsworship leader

Al StaggsTrevor Hudsonfeatured speaker

C. Michael Hawnartist in residenceC. Michael Hawn Alicia Walker

worship plannerAlicia WalkerJoy Yee

featured speaker, moderator

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G e n e r a l A s s e m b l y w w w . t h e f e l l o w s h i p . i n f o M A Y / J U N E 2 0 0 6

G E N E R A L A S S E M B L Y

Plan your schedule to maximize your fellowship____________A sampling ofAuxiliary EventsAfrican American Network Sponsors the Gospel FestivalJune 23 — 11:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. International Ballroom B/C, Omni Hotel at CNN CenterContact: Edgar Berryman, (770) 220-1600, eberryman@thefellowship.info

Asian Ministry DinnerJune 23 — 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Redwood Room, Omni Hotel at CNN CenterContact: Yoo Jong Yoon, glorychurch@sbcglobal.net

Associated Baptist Press Dinner June 22 — 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Room A412, Georgia World Congress Center

For more information or to order tickets, call (800) 340-6626 or visit www.ABPNews.com.

Baptist Center for EthicsJune 22 — 11:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. Room A411, Georgia World Congress Center

The luncheon will observe the Baptist Center for Ethics’ 15th anniversary. Contact: Jan Turrentine, (615) 383-3192, jan@ethicsdaily.com

Baptist Joint CommitteeJune 23 — 11:45 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. Grand Ballroom E, Omni Hotel at CNN CenterContact: Kathleen Lansing, (202) 544-4226, klansing@bjconline.org

Baptist World AllianceJune 23 — 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Room A412, Georgia World Congress CenterContact: Denton Lotz, (703) 790-8980, BWA@bwanet.org

Baptist Th eological Seminary at Richmond Alumni & Friends DinnerJune 22 — 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Grand Ballroom B, Omni Hotel at CNN Center

Advance reservations and payment required. Cost is $35. Contact: Audrey Thomson, (804) 204-1206, athomson@btsr.edu

Baptist Women in MinistryJune 21 — 3:00 p.m. Business Session; 4:00 p.m. WorshipInternational Ballroom A-C, Omni Hotel at CNN CenterContact: LeAnn Gunter, (404) 634-2463, leann@peachtreebaptist.net

Campbell University Divinity School 10th Anniversary CelebrationJune 22 — 8:45 p.m. Room A311, Georgia World Congress Center

Ice Cream Sundae Celebration for Friends of Campbell University Divinity SchoolContact: Irma Duke, (910) 893-1847, duke@campbell.edu

Central Seminary BreakfastJune 23 — 7:00 – 9:00 a.m. Juniper Room, Omni Hotel at CNN CenterContact: Lisa Wimberly Allen, (913) 406-2425, lallen@cbts.edu

Children’s Ministry NetworkJune 23 — 11:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. Cottonwood A/B Rooms, Omni Hotel at CNN CenterContact: Cathy Anderson, (770) 424-8326, canderson@mariettafbc.org

Gardner-Webb University and School of Divinity Alumni & Friends BreakfastJune 23 — 7:30 – 9:00 a.m. International Ballroom C, Omni Hotel at CNN Center

Dean of the Divinity School Charles Bugg will be our speaker for this annual gathering. Contact: Karen Lukridge, (704) 406-3327, klukridge@gardner-webb.edu

Global WomenJune 22 — Noon – 1:00 p.m. Cottonwood B Room, Omni Hotel at CNN CenterContact: April Hurst, (205) 951-5225, ahurst@globalwomen.org

Mercer University McAfee School of Th eologyJune 22 — 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.Grand Ballroom ADinner for Alumni and FriendsContact: Sharon Lim, (678) 547-6420, lim_s@mercer.edu

Reservations made by June 20 - $33 per person. RSVP by mailing check made out to Mercer University, 3001 Mercer University Drive, Atlanta, GA 30341.

Reservations made AFTER June 20 and at the door are $40.

National Convocation of Hispanic Leaders Dinner

Sponsored by CBF, Baptist University of the Americas and the Hispanic Baptist Convention of TexasJune 23 — 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.International Ballroom F, Omni Hotel at CNN CenterContact: Gabriel E. Cortes, (210) 298-3187, gcortes@bua.edu

Friends of Truett Luncheon June 22 — 11:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. International Ballroom F, Omni Hotel at CNN Center

Speaker – Dr. Fred B. Craddock, Bandy Distinguished Professor of Preaching and New Testament, Emeritus, in the Candler School of Theology, Emory University Contact: Kyle Reese, (325) 655-4101, reese@fbcsanangelotx.org

For a complete list of auxiliary events, go to www.thefellowship.info/CL/GeneralAssembly/2006.icm.

Schedule of EventsWednesday, June 21 Auxiliary Events

9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Invitation to Sabbath: A Clergy Day

Apart (off-site)

1:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. HIV/AIDS Summit

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Theological Education Banquet

8:00 p.m. Free concert featuring Salvador

Thursday, June 22

7:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. Auxiliary Events

8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. HIV/AIDS Summit

8:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Resource Fair Open

9:00 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. Workshops

10:30 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. General Session I — Response from

CBF moderator Joy Yee

11: 45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. Lunch & Auxiliary Events

2:00 p.m. – 3:10 p.m. Workshops (includes Business

Breakouts)

3:45 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. State/Regional Meetings

5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Dinner & Auxiliary Events

6:45 p.m. Pre-Worship Gathering

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. General Session II

8:30 p.m. Resource Fair Event

Friday, June 23

7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Auxiliary Events

8:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Resource Fair Open

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. General Session III — Report from

CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal

11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Fellowship Time

11:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. Lunch & Auxiliary Events

2:00 p.m. – 3:10 p.m. Workshops

3:30 p.m. – 4:40 p.m. Workshops

5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Dinner & Auxiliary Events

6:45 p.m. Pre-Worship Gathering

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. General Session IV

8:30 p.m. Resource Fair Event

Saturday, June 24 Auxiliary Events

8:15 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Companions in Christ Training

(off-site)

Th is year’s operating budget, which will be presented to the Assembly for a vote by Coordinating Council Finance

Committee Chair Henry Tyson of Fitzgerald, Ga., is set at

$17 million, a percent increase over fi scal year

2005-06.Th e nominating

committee’s report for the next slate of offi cers includes Joy Yee, pastor of 19th Avenue

Baptist Church in San Francisco,

Calif. as immediate past moderator;

Emmanuel McCall, pastor emeritus of Christian

Fellowship Baptist Church in College Park, Ga., as moderator; Harriet Harral, an organizational and leadership consultant from Fort Worth, Texas, as moderator-elect; and Hal Bass, political science professor at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., as recorder.

McCall, who takes offi ce at the conclusion of the Assembly on June 23, will be the Fellowship’s fi rst African-American moderator. Th e Fellowship has always emphasized diversity in its elected

leadership with constitutional mandates for alternating between male-female and clergy-laity offi cers. Current moderator Yee, a Chinese-American, is the fi rst female senior pastor to serve as moderator.

Th e Assembly will also vote on a proposed preamble to the Fellowship’s constitution and bylaws. Th e full text of the new preamble is as follows:

“As a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches, we celebrate our faith in the One Triune God. We gladly declare our allegiance to Jesus Christ as Lord and to His gospel as we seek to be the continuing presence of Christ in this world. Our passion is to obey the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:34-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) of our Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit, and to uphold Baptist principles of

faith and practice as we partner with one another and other Christians.”

Th e Assembly amended the constitution and bylaws in 2005 in Grapevine, Texas, and some in attendance expressed dismay over the language changes. At the October 2005 meeting of the Coordinating Council, the wording for the new preamble was approved and sent to the Assembly for full approval.

“Th is is a fresh start to make a positive statement about who we are as Fellowship Baptists,” said Jack Glasgow, pastor of Zebulon Baptist Church in North Carolina and a member of the Council, in his motion for approval of the preamble back in October. “We have a chance to say clearly that the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is not reticent at all to stand up and say we are committed to the lordship of Jesus Christ.”

Business items will be introduced during the Th ursday morning general session, June 22; discussed in business breakouts Th ursday aft ernoon; and voted on during the Friday morning general session, June 23.

By Lance Wallace, CBF Communications

Assembly to consider important business items

The General Assembly will take up several key items of business

during the 16th annual gathering in Atlanta, June 22-23. Th ose

in attendance should be prepared to vote on a proposed operating

budget, the nomination of offi cers and board members, and new

language for the constitution and bylaws.

Harriet HarralHarriet Harral

Emmanuel McCall

Hal Bass

“... we gladly declare our

allegiance to Jesus Christ as

Lord and to His gospel as we seek to be

the continuing presence of

Christ in this world.”

C O N G R E G A T I O N A L L I F E

N e w H i s p a n i c C o n g r e g a t i o n | T r u e S u r v i v o r C o n f e r e n c e C O O P E R A T I V E B A P T I S T F E L L O W S H I P w w w . t h e f e l l o w s h i p . i n f o

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Partnership unites Fellowship church, new Hispanic congregation

Th rough a partnership with Newnan’s Central Baptist Church, a Cooperative Bap-tist Fellowship partner church, Rainbow of Love has received support that has enabled the ministry to grow in number and deed.

“Central Baptist Church has been the door that God opened for us. All the staff has been really supportive,” Cuellar said.

Central Baptist Church supports Rain-bow of Love through a monthly $2,000 contribution, the use of the church build-ing for the ministry’s weekly activities, and even a van. With the church’s support, Rainbow of Love has developed a signifi -cant social service ministry, which provides assistance with medical, housing, immigra-tion and legal needs.

Because many Hispanics in the church do not know English, Cuellar helps to

prevent potential language misunderstand-ings. An annual eight-week “Welcome to the Community” program provides English classes for Hispanic parents and babysitting or tutoring for their children. Th e minis-try also started Newnan’s fi rst Alcoholics Anonymous group for Span-ish-speakers.

Th e Hispanic population in the United States has grown signifi -cantly, no longer isolated to par-ticular regions, according to Bernie Moraga, consultant for

the Hispanic Church Start Initiative. Moraga is particularly interested in mul-

tiplying Cuellar’s indigenous leadership, with more Hispanic women serving as pastors. Cuellar’s eff ective leadership has been integral to Rainbow of Love, according to Central Baptist Church pas-tor Joel Richardson.

“We think it is important to have a woman as gift ed as

Ruth to represent the spirit of our church in this eff ort. She is free to lead this work as she sees fi t,” he said. “We trust her to do things that would honor the Lord and our church.”

Cuellar would like to see more joint activities between the congregations, but it is diffi cult because of language diff erences. However, a joint Va-cation Bible School is more successful each year, Cuellar said.

At the beginning, Rainbow of Love reached transient Hispanics, many of whom stayed in the United States for a couple of years before returning to their native coun-tries, but the church’s new strategy focuses on families, who are more likely to stay in the Newnan area, Cuellar said. However, there is a place and purpose in reaching temporary U.S. residents, Moraga said.

“When people go back to their home coun-try, they take the gospel with them,” he said.

Moraga understands this fi rst-hand. Af-ter coming to the United States from Chile, he became a Christian, who later baptized his parents aft er they became Christians. His parents later established a church in Chile. It’s a domino eff ect, Moraga said.

“You never know the people you are go-ing to touch,” he said. f!

LEARN – For a brochure on starting His-panic churches, “Building Churches through Partnership,” visit The CBF Store online at www.thefellowship.info/thecbfstore or call (888) 801-4223. You can contact Bernie Moraga at bmoraga@thefellowship.info or (505) 247-4781.

By Carla Wynn, CBF Communications

Nearly six years ago, Ruth Cuellar knocked on doors in Newnan’s

Hispanic community, introduced herself and invited people to

the city’s fi rst Hispanic church, Rainbow of Love ministry, which Cuellar

pastors with her husband, Chris.

Carla

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Christian educators gather for True Survivor conference

MORE THAN 100 Christian educa-tors from across the country gath-ered at Providence Baptist Church in Charleston, S.C., to participate in the True Survivor 6 training confer-ence, March 6-8.

Sponsored by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s Congrega-tional Life Initiative, the confer-ence featured presentations by Ivy Beckwith, author of “Post Modern Children’s Ministry,” and Dave Odom, president of the Cen-ter for Congregational Health in Winston-Salem, N.C. Bo Prosser, coordinator for Congregational Life, facilitated conversations around the keynote challenges.

Beckwith challenged educators to begin reframing their under-standing of Sunday School, making the local church’s Bible teaching ministry a partner with the home.

“Children’s ministry has become little more than a marketing tool,” she said. “Most churches have moved from spiritual formation to entertainment.”

Odom continued the missional theme. Speaking from the perspec-tive of “Calling,” he sparked educa-tors to recognize “that the church is much more complex than we admit. We’ve become so familiar with this system that we’re in dan-ger of losing our passion for the work,” he said.

This year’s recipient of the Jack Naish Distinguished Christian Educa-tor Award was Jill Jenkins, minister to children and fami-lies at Johns Creek Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Ga. The award, in memory of the long-time Christian educator Jack Naish, is presented annually to an educator who has distinguished himself or herself in the model of excellence and quality Christian education.

“Jill is a woman of creativity and integrity of ministry,” Prosser said during the presentation. “She loves the children and their families in ways that they know without a doubt that they are loved and cared for.”

A new dimension to the con-ference was the participation of Christian education students from Campbell University Divinity School and the coinciding meeting of the Children’s Ministry Network.

The Children’s Ministry Network has begun reorganization and will be forming a leadership team to work with the Congregational Life team for planning and ministry to children and preschool ministers.

LEARN – For more on the Fellowship’s Congregational Life initiative, go to www.thefellowship.info/CL, or contact Bo Prosser at bprosser@thefellowship.info.

By CBF Communications

Jill Jenkins

Chris Cuellar serves as the chief musician for worship at Rainbow of Love, a new Hispanic church start in partnership with Central Baptist Church, Newnan, Ga.

Ruth Cuellar, pastor of Rainbow of Love, knocked on doors in the Hispanic community in Newnan to start the new church.

Worship services at Rainbow of Love are completely in Spanish, which members find helpful as they adjust to life in a primarily English-speaking environment.

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H i s p a n i c C h u r c h L e a d e r s O r d a i n e d | Te x a s P a s t o r s R e t r e a t | C B F R e s o u r c e U p d a t e w w w . t h e f e l l o w s h i p . i n f o M A Y / J U N E 2 0 0 6

C O N G R E G A T I O N A L L I F E

Georgia church ordains couple to serve new Hispanic church start

Th e couple was ordained at First Baptist Church of Morrow April 9 in a unique bi-lingual service. In attendance, were mem-bers of FBC Morrow and members of the Perez’s Hispanic Baptist church, which meets on the grounds of First Baptist.

Th e relationship between these two churches is a result of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s Hispanic Church Start Initiative, which pairs CBF churches with Hispanic congregations. Th e Fellowship works together with the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas, Baptist General Convention of Texas and Baptist University of the Américas to link congregations in one-to-one partnerships.

A year and half aft er its begin-ning, the Hispanic partnership has helped to create 105 new His-panic churches, and its goal is to create 400 churches by 2010. Th e partnership was formally signed during the Fellowship’s 2003 General As-sembly in Charlotte, N.C.

“We are trying to promote an indig-enous concept, meaning the new churches are self-supported from day one,” said Ber-nie Moraga, CBF consultant for the His-

panic Church Start Initiative. “If we can do that, then we will be successful.”

At First Baptist, the Perez’s Spanish-speaking church meets in a large classroom

for Sunday morning worship and Wednes-day evening bible study. Th e new church is self-supporting and contributes to First Baptist’s budget.

“I believe that this new church is going to do very well,” said Sarah Withers, who as

chair of the deacons at First Baptist helped initiate the partnership. “In 10 to 20 years, I think the Spanish-speaking church will be meeting in the sanctuary, and we will be meeting in one of the classrooms,” she said.

In addition to pastoring the Un Nuevo Amanecer church (which translates as “A New Dawn”), Edwin Perez works as a medical doctor and Vilma Perez works as a

professional counselor.As natives of Puerto Rico, the

couple are accustomed to women in church leadership roles, but in the United States, Vilma has met resistance from both English and Spanish speaking Baptists to be recognized as a pastor. First Bap-tist Morrow has not only given the Perezes a physical space for their church but also the opportunity for both of them to pastor. Th ey said that First Baptist was one of the only churches in the area that shared their vision for the church.

“[First Baptist] has allowed us to be who we are — and that’s the uniqueness of this venture,” said Edwin Perez. “We are not a just a ministry now, we are a church. Th ey have given us a structure where we can both minister, and

that is very important.” f!

LEARN – To co-sponsor a new church or request more information, contact Moraga at (505) 610-1945 or bmoraga@thefellowship.info.

By Patricia Heys, CBF Communications

On a spring Sunday aft ernoon in Morrow, Ga., English and Spanish

voices joined together in affi rmation of the pastoral ministry of

Edwin and Vilma Perez.

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Bernie Moraga, CBF Hispanic network consultant, speaks a challenge to the congregation at First Baptist Church, Morrow, Ga., as Vilma, center and Edwin Perez are ordained into the gospel ministry to serve a new Hispanic church start, Un Nuevo Amanecer.

THE COOPERATIVE Baptist Fellowship’s Initiative for Congregational Life held its second pastor’s retreat April 3-5 at Cenacle Retreat House in Houston, Texas, off ering 20 pastoral leaders an opportunity for Sab-bath, prayer, rest and renewal.

“We occasionally need someone who will mandate Sabbath for us,” said partici-pant Chris Th acker, who serves as pastor of First Baptist Church in Eagle Lake, Texas. “Otherwise we’ll spend our days living from the surface while neglecting the depths.”

Th e retreat — second in a series of four held around the country — included time for solitude and silence but within the fel-lowship of other pastoral leaders, said the Fellowship’s congregational life associate coordinator Rick Bennett. Each retreat features four leaders — CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal, congregational life coordi-nator Bo Prosser, Bennett and a regional leader. Spiritual formation author and speaker Jeanie Miley was regional leader at the Texas meeting. Th ese leaders present on diff erent forms of prayer, the relation-

ship between spirituality and pain, what it means to observe Sabbath, and spiritual formation re-sources for churches and individuals. Th ese ses-sions launch structured times of silence, solitude and prayer.

“It is unusual to be with 20 ministers who for a period of four and a half hours a day say nothing,” said Rodney McGlothlin, pastor of First Baptist Church in College Station, Texas. “We are professional talkers. We need the discipline of silence. Perhaps we can even learn to listen.”

Following silent times, pastoral leaders reconnected to share about the experience and what they learned.

“Th e pastorate can be a lonely place, and they’re looking for a time to have transpar-ent fellowship with other pastors,” Bennett said. “Even amid silence, there is an incred-ible sense of community that is formed.”

Although the retreat is geared toward

pastors, the chaplains that attended also came away renewed.

“I gained a spiritual renewal that enabled me to continue my ministry as a chaplain who sees more than 100 people every week in a cancer hospital,” said Christiana Liem, chaplain at University of Texas M.D. Ander-son Cancer Center in Houston.

Th e next retreat is set for Sept. 11-13 at Kavanaugh Life Enrichment Center in Louisville, Ky. Registration is free and lim-ited to 20 participants, who are responsible for their travel expenses.

“I would strongly encourage Fellowship pastors to take advantage of these retreats. Th ey provide an opportunity for prayer and refl ection while connecting with friends old and new alike,” Th acker said. f!

LEARN – To register, visit http://www.thefellowship.info/CL/FF/TrainingEvents/Registration.icm. For more information, contact Bennett at (770) 220-1605 or rbennett@thefellowship.info.

By Carla Wynn, CBF Communications

Pastors retreat provides renewal for Texas-area clergy

A Trilogy of Resources

SOMETIMES I AM ASKED about the relationship between the recent ministry resources that CBF Congre-gational Life has developed, namely, It’s Time: a Journey Toward Missional Faithfulness, Klesis: God’s Call and the Journey of Faith, and Christianity for Beginners.

All three of these resources exist independently of one another and were created to stand alone. Each resource has grown out of CBF’s stated mission to help Christians and churches discover and fulfi ll their God-given mission. However, an exciting missional synergy emerges when the resources are used in tandem.

Begin by using It’s Time to ex-plore and respond together to the urgent call to be the presence of Christ. The It’s Time study has the potential to equip the traditional congregation with a new perspec-tive on mission and ministry and leave its members asking, “How is God calling me to utilize my pas-sions to be the presence of Christ where I live?”

Klesis: God’s Call and the Jour-ney of Faith explores the idea of God’s call to ministry as this applies to every Christian. Klesis creates a sacred space where participants explore, connect and discern God’s call on their lives. Through a series of assessments and refl ections, Klesis will help participants hone in on how God is calling them to utilize their passions to be the pres-ence of Christ where they live.

Regardless of how God is call-ing a person to be the presence of Christ, we all should be able to an-swer basic questions about Jesus. That’s where Christianity for Begin-ners contributes to the synergy. It’s not just for beginners! A small group experience with Christianity for Beginners will help long-time Christians become more effective in personal witness. New Christians will understand more deeply the basics of the Christian faith. Seek-ers will come to understand the mission and person of Jesus.

It’s Time!, Klesis, and Chrisitianity for Beginners are resources created for the local congregation. Put these to use as you join in the missional journey. Personal devotion, introspection and prayer, discipleship, and evangelism are all parts of this exciting group of materials. You will be richer in studying and applying these for congregational and individual missional ministries!

LEARN – To order these resources, go to www.thefellowship. info/thecbfstore or call (888) 801-4223.

By Rick Bennett, CBF associate coordinator for congregational life

Jeanie Miley

Rick Bennett

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Evangelical and EcumenicalLABELS CAN CONFUSE as well as illumi-nate. At the risk of confusion, let me defi ne some terms as they have to do with CBF. You might off er a diff erent defi nition or even dis-agree with my presuppositions, but that is part of what it means to be Baptist (another label that can be confusing or illuminating).

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is EVAN-GELICAL. Th e individuals and churches that comprise this Fellowship believe and proclaim the Good News of God’s love for all people. We are followers of Jesus Christ by voluntary choice and invite others to make that choice. We place the Bible at the very center of our faith and practice rather than man-made creeds or ecclesiastical authority. We welcome anyone into our churches who confesses a personal experience with Christ. We gather in congrega-tions on the basis of our shared experience and place great value on corporate worship.

Th e word evangelical has fallen into disre-pute. But in the broadest and best sense of the

word, we are evangelical. We are not legalistic or fundamentalists in our understanding or application of the gospel; rather our greatest joy is in the incredible, amazing, surprising grace of God that heals and transforms.

Missionaries we send and support are bear-ing witness to this grace in word and deed. I read the prayer requests of these folks and repeatedly they report the conversion of a friend. Chap-lains that we endorse tell of faith being born in people where they minister as well as faith being strengthened. New churches are being started (about one per month) to reach the unchurched.

To be evangelical doesn’t mean we must be manipulative or coercive. We need not objec-tify people as “prospects” or even as “seekers.” But as we do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God, we should not be surprised that others will join us. As we seek and serve the Kingdom, we should rejoice when others decide to do the same thing. When we love one another, love our neighbor and love our enemy, we should anticipate and celebrate that others will respond to that love and receive it into their lives. We are evangelical.

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is ECU-MENICAL. We believe that the household of

faith is bigger than the Baptist tribe. Th e Chris-tian family is rich and diverse. Th e body of Christ is grand and glorious, and we should do all we can to nurture it. Perhaps a way to begin is to acknowledge this reality and meditate on the implications of such a reality. Th en in hu-mility, let us seek to build up the body of Christ and do all we can to promote Christian unity.

Recently I spent three days with 45 de-nominational leaders at a retreat in Atlanta to help birth a new ecumenical body, Chris-tian Churches Together in the USA. It was a blessed and glorious time as representatives from fi ve faith families (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical and historic African American denominations) gathered for prayer, worship, conversation and decision-making by using the consensus method.

I am grateful that CBF has already voted to become a founding member of CCT. I’m also grateful that in a variety of ways, we are seeking to be ecumenical. Many of our mission partner-ships are with ministries that are non-Baptist. Our partnership with Upper Room is helping us to learn about spiritual formation from other faith traditions. And our partnerships with non-Baptist seminaries enrich us immensely. Our missionaries live out their call in close coopera-tion with the broad range of Christians. Th e chaplains we endorse have for a long time been an example of Christian ecumenicity.

In full appreciation for the fact that labels can be restrictive, I am persuaded to say that CBF is both evangelical and ecumenical. And I am also compelled to pray for the Spirit’s help that we live out and into these descriptions in full measure. f!

As We journey By CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal

Disaster relief –How you can helpCONTACT YOUR state/regional CBF organization to get involved. Many state/regional CBF organizations have developed disaster response plans and will help coordinate local responses. Each plan is unique to a state or region’s resources and desired level of response. If you wish to get involved in disaster response, here’s how to contact the Disaster Response Coordinator (DRC) in participating state/regional organizations:

■ Alabama — John Mitchell, missions coordinator, (334) 897-8524, john@alabamacbf.org

■ Arkansas — Charles Ray, DRC, (501) 223-8586, cray@cbfar.org

■ Florida — Barry Hudspeth, DRC, (850) 712-1261, barryhud@cox.net

■ Georgia — Frank Broome, coordinator, (478) 742-1191, fbroome@cbfga.org

■ Kentucky — Rhonda Abbott-Blevins, missions coordinator, (502) 426-1931, rabbott@kybf.org

■ Louisiana — Reid Doster, DRC, (985) 778-6049 or (985) 674-2004, reid_doster@hotmail.com

■ Mid-Atlantic — Fred Herring, DRC, (202) 399-5906, (202) 265-1526 or (202) 253-0378, fredtherring@msn.com

■ Mississippi — Charles Holmes, DRC, (601) 519-2785, cholmes@cbfms.org

■ Missouri — Kathy Pickett, DRC, (816) 415-0009, kathy.pickett@holmeswood.org

■ North Carolina — Chris Ingram, DRC, (919) 787-4423, christopher@rrbch.com

■ North Central — Carolyn Crumpler, moderator, carcru@cinci.rr.com

■ Northeast — David Waugh, DRC, (212) 594-4464, metrobaptistchurch@nyc.rr.com

■ Oklahoma — T Thomas, coordinator, (405) 447-2471, cbfo@att.net

■ South Carolina — Beverly Greer, missions coordinator, (864) 360-1396, bgreer314@worldnet.att.net

■ Tennessee — Mike Young, missions coordinator, (888) 661-8223, missions@tncbf.org

■ Texas — Rick McClatchy, coordinator, (210) 732-2225, Cbftex@aol.com

■ Virginia — Jim George, DRC, (757) 539-8801, jgeorge@hbcsuffolk.org

■ West — Glen Foster, council coordinator, pantanobap@aol.com

GIVE – 100 percent of all fi nancial contributions given to a disaster through the Fellowship go directly to fund the appropriate response. Financial gifts for hurricane relief can be made online at www.thefellowship.info/Landing/Giving.icm, or mailed to CBF, P.O. Box 101699, Atlanta, GA 30392. In case of a hurricane disaster, checks can be made payable to CBF with “Hurricane Relief Fund #17004’’ in the memo line. Any gift-in-kind donations needed will be posted on the Web site. Do not send materials or gifts-in-kind (GIK) until instructed to do so. Financial donations are preferred so that necessary supplies can be purchased as close to the disaster zone as possible.

VOLUNTEER – Volunteers are an important part of CBF disaster response, and volunteer requests will be handled through CBF’s Dallas offi ce. Those wishing to volunteer should register through the Dallas offi ce, which will connect volunteer requests with those in the volunteer database. For more information, call (800) 782-2451 or e-mail volunteer@thefellowship.info.

WITH EXPERTS PREDICTING another active hurricane season, the Fellowship is preparing to provide an appropriate and meaningful re-sponse based on who we are and what we can do. The Fellowship does not engage in search and rescue operations, but when the recovery phase begins, teams of qualifi ed volunteers will be mobilized into the disaster zone for debris removal, weatherproofi ng, distribution of goods and services, and other activities in selected communities.

Th e nature and scope of a disaster, as well as the desire of churches and individuals to be involved, dictates the Fellowship’s response. Th e selection of where we work is guided by several criteria:• First priority for use of our resources is to

take care of CBF church communities. • Once the CBF family is cared for, the re-

sponse moves into the wider community as an outreach of a CBF partner church in selected marginalized or overlooked com-munities.

• Depending on available resources, the re-sponse widens to include poor and margin-alized communities where there is no CBF presence as we work in partnership with other groups. When major disasters happen, updates on

the Fellowship’s involvement will be posted at www.thefellowship.info/disaster.

How to prepare your church Local churches are the foundation of the

Fellowship, and their ability and desire to

respond to disaster dictates the nature and breadth of the Fellowship’s involvement. Be-cause disasters generally occur with little or no advance warning, a disaster response plan is helpful in providing the quickest and most eff ective response possible. Fellowship partner churches are encouraged to develop their own disaster response plans that will guide relief eff orts in the event of a disaster, whether hur-ricane or otherwise.

A church’s disaster response plan should

have both an inward and outward focus. What will your church do if disaster strikes your community? What will you do when disaster strikes in neighboring communities or else-where? Developing a plan will help your church provide its best response, appropriately using resources and skills present within your church.

In developing a response plan for disasters outside your community, consider church

resources, both in physical facilities and hu-man skill. Is your church equipped for use as a shelter (i.e. shower facilities, ample space, etc.)? What useful equipment, tools or vehicles does your church have or have access to? What church members have interest in disaster re-sponse? Do any church members have training, related skills or experience in disaster response?

If disaster hits your community, your church should have a plan for helping its own members. Each church will have a dif-

ferent plan, but members could be divided into small care groups based on close geographical proximity. Each group could have a leader responsible for contacting care group members aft er a disaster. Th e church could also have a disaster response coordinator whose responsibilities could include evaluating damage, coordinating potential volunteer work crews, deter-mining what supplies and materials are needed to aid in response, utilizing the church’s resources to respond in the most eff ective way, and coordinating with other state/regional CBF organi-

zations and national CBF. If your church would like assistance in

developing a disaster plan, please contact your state/regional DRC or coordinator. You may also contact the CBF Global Missions at (800) 352-8741 for a copy of the CBF Disaster Response manual. f!

By Carla Wynn, CBF Communications

How CBF responds to disaster

After Hurricane Katrina, Fellowship volunteers worked in Lacombe, La., a small African-American community that had been largely overlooked by major response organizations.

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

AlabamaCBF seeks to fill the posi-tion of coordinator. Please send cover letter, resume, etc., to the search committee at search@alabamacbf.org. You may also send a fax to (205) 424 -5651 and please note AlabamaCBF Coordinator Search on cover sheet. To mail information to AlabamaCBF, send it to Search Committee, 2539 John Hawkins Parkway, Suite101-113, Hoover, AL 35244. All correspon-dence will be confidentially received. For more information, please contact us at search@alabamacbf.org.

On March 3, AlabamaCBF gathered at Southside Baptist Church, Birming-ham, for its annual General Assembly. “Connecting with Your World: To Infinity and Beyond” was this year’s theme. Four women represented innovative organiza-tions in an afternoon panel. They were Colleen Burroughs for Watering Ma-lawi, April Hurst for Global Women, Lia Scholl for Starlight Ministries and Leslie Seagraves for 10/40 Connections and were moderated by Anita Snell, associate coordinator for mission teams in Asia for CBF. Anita and Jack Snell, interim coordinator for Global Missions, led the evening worship. Fifteen church-es and organizations with Alabama connections participated in a showcase spotlighting their missional endeavors.

AlabamaCBF has a new mailing address. It’s 2539 John Hawkins Parkway, Suite 101-113, Hoover, AL 35244. The phone number is (888) 245-4223.

■ FloridaStaff ministers with responsibilities

in Christian education from Florida CBF churches were invited recently to a retreat in Orlando, Fla. Rick Bennett, CBF’s associate coordinator for con-gregational life, led the retreat with the theme “Spiritual Formation.”

Pastors of new church starts also recently met together in Orlando. Host-ed by Tommy Deal, CBF of Florida’s

associate coordinator for missions, the meeting included Tom and Joyce Cleary, pastors of Lakeland Fellow-ship; Bob Mulkey, pastor of Baptist Fellowship at The Villages; Greg Champagne, pastor of New Journey Church in Brooksville; Ed McQueen, pastor of Water of Life in Deltona; Sam Schlegal, pastor of Church at Vilano; and Fred Harrold, pastor of New Life Community in Plant City.

Finally, missions coordinators of state and regional CBF organizations also recently met in Orlando. They met to compare missions work, consider opportunities to partner and network churches and individuals wanting to lead missional lives. Presentations were made by David Harding, the Fellowship’s international coordinator for emergency response and trans-formational development, on state disaster response and Tamara Till-man, associate coordinator for mis-sions education, on new CBF missions education resources. Those attending were John Mitchell and Mike Lewis from Alabama, Deal from Florida, Rhonda Abbott from Kentucky, Bev-erly Greer from South Carolina and Mike Young from Tennessee.

■ GeorgiaMore than 500 gathered for wor-

ship and a variety of breakout sessions at the 2006 spring General Assembly at First Baptist Church, Athens. Renée Bennett of Ma-con was elected to serve as mod-erator.

First Baptist Church of Decatur recently hosted a seminar on campus ministry called “The University Campus: Tomorrow’s Moderate Baptists” May 4-5. Cospon-sored by the Center for Baptist Studies at Mercer University, national CBF and

CBF of Georgia, the conference ex-plored ways for moderate Baptists to expand campus ministry.

Upcoming missions opportuni-ties for Georgia churches include the Touching Taliagerro with Love day camp, June 11-16 and June 18-23. The baseball camp runs June 26-30. For more information, e-mail CBF of Georgia’s associate coordina-tor for missions, Jimmy Lewis, at jlewis@cbfga.org.

■ KentuckyKentucky Baptist Fellowship repre-

sentatives Charlotte Benningfield, Rhonda Abbott Blevins, Mark Nethery and Carl Smith traveled to North Africa in March to explore a part-nership with a national association of Protestant churches.

“Experience Independence,” a mis-sions event for youth, was held March 24-26 in Independence, Ky. Johnny Lewis and Jonathan Eskridge, CBF/ABC church planters, led the event.

Kentucky Baptist Fellowship held its annual spring gathering at First Baptist Shepherdsville April 28-29. Kevin Cosby gave the keynote address.

Bo Prosser, CBF Associate Co-ordinator for Congregational Life, led Kentucky Baptist Fellowship’s Leader-ship Conference in April titled “The Missional Church Tool Box.”

■ OklahomaCBF of Oklahoma heard from both

Daniel Vestal and Phil Hester at its annual General Assembly, April 28-29, at University Heights Baptist Church in Stillwater. Following the national theme of “Being the Presence of Christ for a World in Need,” the program also included Rossi Francis of the Grace Temple Baptist Church in Gulfport, Miss. A team from Oklahoma had worked with his church soon after Hurricane Katrina, and CBFO has been assisting both him and his congrega-tion since that time.

A compilation of the recent articles tracing CBFO history written by Dan Hobbs for the CBFO newsletter has been published under the title, “Shap-ing a New Thing.” As CBFO enters its 15th year, this is a valuable resource about its origins and the sacrifices of the early leaders.

NorthHaven Church of Norman celebrated groundbreaking ceremonies on March 26 and has begun its search for a pastor to lead this two-year-old CBF congregation.

■ NationalCongregational Life Initiative will pay

half of the registration cost for CBF congregational leaders to participate in online seminars offered by The Wayne E. Oates Institute through July 2006. Non-member seminar registration is $60, but CBF participants will pay $30. For more information about the May or July online seminars, visit www.oates.org. When completing your registration form, identify CBF as your affiliation in order to receive the discount.

■ TennesseeZeljko Mraz, the general secretary

of the Baptist Union of Croatia, and his wife, Svjetlana, were in Tennessee, March 15-23, to meet with the TCBF Coordinating Council, speak in church-es, and visit with church leaders. They visited Signal Mountain Baptist Church, Signal Mountain; Immanuel Baptist Church, Nashville; King’s Cross Church, Tullahoma; and Central Baptist Church of Bearden, Knoxville. They also met with leaders from First Baptist Church, Chattanooga; First Baptist Church, Murfreesboro; and Monte Vista Baptist Church, Maryville. Several Tennessee Baptist churches have developed part-nerships with congregations in Croatia including First Baptist, Chattanooga; First Baptist, Knoxville; and King’s Cross Church, Tullahoma.

Central Baptist Theological Semi-nary of Kansas City, Kansas, continues its partnership with First Baptist Church of Murfreesboro, and Tennessee Coop-erative Baptist Fellowship will offer two new classes in the fall: New Testament I and Formation for Christian Ministry. David May, professor of New Testa-ment at Central, will teach the Bible course. Lisa Kimberly Allen, dean and vice president for institutional development, will teach the second course. A video-supported online course titled Constructive Theology I will be taught by seminary president Molly T. Marshall. L. Dean Allen, dean and vice president of administra-tion, has outlined a four-year schedule that will lead to a 75-hour Master of Divinity degree designed for those seeking ordination or to serve as professional ministers. For additional information on admissions and class registration, go to www.cbts.edu or call Steve Guinn at (800) 677-2287.

TCBF Coordinator Ircel Harrison recently convened the 7th annual Church Staff Roundtable at Falls Creek State Park near Spencer with 26 participants from seven churches. For the first time, an additional meeting was held at Natchez Trace State Park near Wildersville involving participants from Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas. Twenty-five participants from seven churches attended the first-ever meeting.

■ VirginiaThree Baptist organizations have

recently partnered to fund ongoing

ministry among Hispan-ics in Virginia. National CBF, the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV) and Fredericks-burg Baptist Church are partnering to provide financial support for Greg and Sue Smith, who lead LUCHA (La-tinos United through Christ in Solidarity and Support) Ministries, a community-based out-reach ministry in Freder-

icksburg. The Smiths helped start the ministry in April 2004, and they have previously served as missionaries in Costa Rica.

Renée Bennett

Christian world. It’s a major devel-opment for Chinese Christians to have the opportunity. As a part of our mission commitment, we want-ed to be in a place of responding to that and encouraging that.”

The exhibition will highlight the Bible ministry of Chinese churches in varying stages and will communicate the spreading of the gospel and the establishing of churches in China.

According to CCC materials, “the purpose of the exhibition is to bear witness to how Chinese Christians love God’s Word, how the good news in the Bible has been spread in China, and how Christ’s body has been built up under the consistent guidance of the Word.”

The exhibition will include six galleries: “The Early History of the Bible in China,” “Bible Publication after 1980,” “Bible Distribution after 1980,” “Bible Ministries for Nation-al Minority Churches,” “The Bible and Church Life” and “Christian Art Works.”

The U.S. tour is the result of meetings in February and August 2005 between CCC representatives and Carter, evangelist Billy Gra-ham, pastor and bestselling author Rick Warren and others.

“I just hope that American Christians understand how impor-tant this is and what a major over-ture it is for the Chinese Christian community,” Sapp said. “We are proud to be a part of that.” f!

LEARN – Admission to the

exhibition is free. For more on

the Atlanta schedule, visit www.bibleexhibitatl.org or call (404) 591-

4346. For more on the New York tour,

visit www.bibleexhibitny.org.

Courtney Hodges, CBF Communications

Bible in China exhibition — Continued from page 1

Coming AttractionsJULY 24-28

Marriage Enrichment Leadership TrainingTall Oaks Conference Center Linwood, Kansas

Sponsored by the Association for Couples in Marriage Enrichment in Winston-Salem, N.C. Leaders are Michael and Suanne Yarbrough. Cost is $918 per couple. This includes tuition, materials, housing and meals. Registration deadline is June 12 with $100 deposit due by this date. Balance due two weeks prior to workshop.

Info: (800) 634-8325 or e-mail acme@bettermarriages.org or visit www.bettermarriages.org.

SEPT. 29-OCT. 1 and OCT. 13-15

Marriage Enrichment Leadership TrainingSt. Louis, Mo.

Both weekends are required. Sponsored by the Association for Couples in Marriage Enrichment in Winston-Salem, N.C. Leaders are Bruce and Trish Williams and Charles and Janet Alexander. Cost is $450 per couple and includes tuition and materials. Meals and housing are extra. Registration Deadline is Aug. 18. $100 Deposit due to ACME by this date. Balance due two weeks prior to workshop.

Info: (800) 634-8325 or e-mail acme@bettermarriages.org or visit www.bettermarriages.org.

David George, left, and Ngoc Q. Ha, center, pastors from Immanuel Baptist Church in Nashville, Tenn., talk with Zejlko Mraz, general secretary of the Baptist Union of Croatia, during Mraz’s recent visit to Tennessee.

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ip

chur

ch st

art h

as b

een

born

in w

este

rn S

t. Ta

mm

any

Pari

sh, L

a.

Brid

gew

ater

Chu

rch,

whi

ch la

unch

ed

Feb.

12

with

a w

orsh

ip se

rvic

e at

Mad

ison

-vi

lle M

ariti

me

Mus

eum

in M

adis

onvi

lle, i

s al

read

y av

erag

ing

mor

e th

an 4

0 in

wor

ship

. W

hile

this

chu

rch

star

t was

pla

nned

bef

ore

Kat

rina

, the

stor

m u

ndou

bted

ly sh

aped

the

chur

ch’s

min

istr

y.“E

ven

eigh

t mon

ths a

ft er K

atrin

a, pe

ople

ar

e stil

l not

bac

k to

nor

mal

,” sa

id th

e chu

rch’s

pa

stor,

Reid

Dos

ter.

“Peo

ple a

re g

rievi

ng o

ver

tang

ible

and

inta

ngib

le lo

sses

. Brid

gew

ater

is

mee

ting

a nee

d fo

r the

fam

iliar

— so

met

hing

th

at fe

els r

oote

d in

tim

eles

s tru

th —

and

a ne

ed fo

r clo

sene

ss w

ith sa

fe p

eopl

e.”W

hen

CBF

of L

ouis

iana

beg

an lo

okin

g fo

r a p

lace

to st

art a

chu

rch,

St.

Tam

man

y Pa

rish

was

the

fast

est g

row

ing

area

of L

ou-

isia

na. G

row

th p

oten

tial s

till t

hriv

es w

ith

27 h

ousi

ng d

evel

opm

ents

bei

ng c

onst

ruct

-ed

in th

e ch

urch

’s fo

cal a

rea.

But

with

the

stre

ngth

— th

e hi

ghes

t per

cap

ita in

com

e an

d nu

mbe

r of c

olle

ge g

radu

ates

— a

lso

com

es w

eakn

ess —

hig

hest

suic

ide

rate

s, ra

mpa

nt d

ivor

ce a

nd su

bsta

nce

abus

e,

Dos

ter s

aid.

Tw

o of

the

chur

ch’s

smal

l gr

oups

off e

r sup

port

for m

embe

rs d

ealin

g w

ith g

rief

or d

ivor

ce.

“Man

y pe

ople

her

e ha

ve tr

ied

ever

y-th

ing

and

are

com

ing

to th

e co

nclu

sion

th

at th

e on

ly th

ing

that

can

hel

p th

em n

ow

is a

savi

or. W

e w

ant t

o in

trod

uce

them

to

Jesu

s Chr

ist,

get o

ut o

f the

way

and

let

them

get

acq

uain

ted,”

Dos

ter s

aid.

C

BF c

hurc

h st

arts

are

vita

l to

the

Fello

w-

ship

’s gr

owth

, but

Dos

ter h

as b

een

slow

ly

intr

oduc

ing

the

Fello

wsh

ip to

atte

ndee

s, m

any

of w

hom

are

not

fam

iliar

with

the

mov

emen

t. “O

nce

they

ex-

peri

ence

our

reve

r-en

ce fo

r bib

lical

au

thor

ity, b

alan

ced

by re

spec

t for

hon

-es

t que

stio

ning

, and

se

e ou

r com

mit-

men

t to

just

ice

and

mer

cy in

the

wor

ld,

they

will

und

er-

stan

d w

ho w

e ar

e,”

he sa

id.

Som

e at

tend

-ee

s hea

rd a

bout

the

Fello

wsh

ip b

ecau

se

CBF

vol

unte

ers h

elpe

d cl

ean

and

repa

ir

the

dam

age

Kat

rina

cau

sed.

Vol

unte

ers

help

ed L

onni

e an

d Ti

na L

ivau

dais

, who

ev

en th

ough

thei

r hom

e an

d bu

sine

ss

fl ood

ed st

ill d

onat

ed 5

0 hy

mna

ls to

the

chur

ch.

Pam

How

ell,

the

chur

ch’s

mus

ic

min

iste

r, an

d he

r hus

band

, Mik

e, a

lso

suf-

fere

d si

gnifi

cant

dam

age

to th

eir h

ome

and

busi

ness

. Bec

ause

of t

he e

xper

ienc

es o

f the

co

ngre

gatio

n, “B

ridg

ewat

er w

ill p

roba

bly

alw

ays h

ave

disa

ster

resp

onse

in it

s DN

A,”

said

John

Dau

gher

ty, C

BF o

f Lou

isia

na’s

coor

dina

tor.

“It w

ill c

erta

inly

be

a pa

rt o

f th

e m

ake

up o

f the

ir c

ongr

egat

ion.

” f!

L

EAR

N –

For

mor

e in

form

atio

n on

Brid

ge-

wat

er, v

isit

the

chur

ch’s

Web

site

at w

ww.

brid

gew

ater

chur

ch.in

fo. F

or m

ore

info

rmat

ion

on C

BF c

hurc

h st

arts

, vis

it w

ww.

thef

ello

w-

ship

.info

/CL/

chur

chst

arts

/.

By C

arla

Wyn

n, C

BF C

omm

unica

tions

New

Lou

isia

na c

hurc

h cr

eate

s ‘b

ridg

e’ fr

om d

isas

ter

to h

ope

0510

P014

CO

OP

ER

AT

IVE

BA

PT

IST

FE

LL

OW

SH

IP

ww

w.t

hef

ello

wsh

ip.i

nfo

Bri

dgew

ater

Chu

rch

met

Feb

. 12

for

the

fir

st t

ime

at t

he M

adis

onvi

lle

Mar

itim

e M

useu

m in

Mad

ison

ville

, La

., an

d ha

s av

erag

ed m

ore

than

40

in

atte

ndan

ce a

t w

eekl

y w

orsh

ip s

ervi

ces.

Photo courtesy of CBF of Louisiana