Campolo used texts in I Timothy to challenge the more than 4,000 Fellowship Baptists to keep the faith, fight the good fight and do good in a service that followed the theme “It’s Time … Being the Presence of Christ Congregationally.” “We must preach Jesus,” Campolo said. “We must call people to surrender their lives to Jesus.” The service was preceded by the Jubilate! youth choir with young people from Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee. Youth ministries from Pelham Road, Parisview, Augusta Heights and Sans Sousi Baptist churches in Greenville, S.C., per- formed an opening celebration through a dramatic presentation set to music. Soloist Scott Beam was followed by a call to worship and congregational singing, and greet- ings from Assembly COOPERATIVE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP’S MISSION: SERVING CHRISTIANS AND CHURCHES AS THEY DISCOVER AND FULFILL THEIR GOD-GIVEN MISSION. Using Creativity to Reach Children Commissioning Global Missions Field Personnel Launching Historic Hispanic Partnership General Assembly Photo Spread Chaplain Serving in Afghanistan War Zone INSIDE CBF fellowship! COOPERATIVE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP AUGUST 2003 WWW.CBFONLINE.ORG [continues p. 2] Campolo Challenges Assembly to ‘Keep the Faith, Fight the Good Fight, Do Good’ At the 2003 General Assembly, ‘It's Time’ for a challenging message by keynote speaker Tony Campolo, evocative music from Kate Campbell and the obser- vance of the Lord's Supper served by global missions field personnel such as Michelle Norman (far right). Mark Sandlin photos TONY CAMPOLO LEFT NO STONE unturned in a wide-ranging and challenging message that highlighted the opening night session of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s 2003 General Assembly in Charlotte, N.C.
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Transcript
Campolo used texts in I Timothy to challenge the more than 4,000 Fellowship Baptists to
keep the faith, fight the good fight and do good in a service that followed the theme
“It’s Time … Being the Presence of Christ Congregationally.”
“We must preach Jesus,” Campolo said. “We must
call people to surrender their lives to Jesus.”
The service was preceded by the Jubilate!
youth choir with young people from
Georgia, South Carolina and
Tennessee. Youth ministries from
Pelham Road, Parisview,
Augusta Heights and Sans
Sousi Baptist churches in
Greenville, S.C., per-
formed an opening
celebration
through a
dramatic
presentation
set to music.
Soloist Scott
Beam was followed
by a call to worship
and congregational
singing, and greet-
ings from Assembly
COOPERATIVE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP’S MISSION: SERVING CHRISTIANS AND CHURCHES AS THEY DISCOVER AND FULFILL THEIR GOD-GIVEN MISSION.
Using Creativity to Reach Children
CommissioningGlobal MissionsField Personnel
Launching HistoricHispanic
Partnership
GeneralAssembly
Photo Spread
Chaplain Serving in Afghanistan
War Zone
INSIDE
CBFfellowship!C O O P E R AT I V E B A P T I S T F E L L O W S H I P
AUGUST 2003
WWW.CBFONLINE.ORG
[continues p. 2]
Campolo Challenges Assembly to ‘Keep the Faith,Fight the Good Fight, Do Good’
At the 2003 General Assembly, ‘It's Time’ for achallenging message by keynote speaker Tony Campolo,evocative music from Kate Campbell and the obser-vance of the Lord's Supper served by global missionsfield personnel such as Michelle Norman (far right).
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T O N Y C A M P O L O L E F T N O S T O N E unturned in a wide-ranging and challenging
message that highlighted the opening night session of the Cooperative
Baptist Fellowship’s 2003 General Assembly
in Charlotte, N.C.
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Steering Committee Chair Blythe Taylor, associate minister
of St. John’s Baptist Church in Charlotte; CBF Coordinator
Daniel Vestal and Baptist State Convention of North
Carolina Executive Director-Treasurer Jim Royston.
Marjorie Thompson, Companions in Christ
co-author, Soul Feast author, ordained Presbyterian minister
and director of the Pathways Center for Spiritual
Leadership for Upper Room Ministries, led the Assembly in
a time of focused prayer from scripture.
Nashville recording artist Kate Campbell shared two
selections from her collection of spiritually deep, narrative
songs that sparked spiritual reflection and an attitude of
worship. In an on-stage interview, Dallas-based Buckner
Baptist Benevolences President and CEO Ken Hall explained
how Fellowship churches can meet needs in the Rio Grande
Valley of Texas in conjunction with Buckner’s border min-
istries.
“What we need is prayer, and what we need is people to
come and be the presence of Christ in the Valley,” Hall said.
The Fellowship also highlighted its Missional Church
Initiative through a video presentation that told the stories
of churches responding to needs in the communities
around them.
The call to service did not end there. Campolo quickly
shattered the calm in his signature expressive preaching
style, sometimes congratulating the Fellowship for its
stance on women in ministry and sometimes confronting
the Fellowship for not being more racially diverse and
biblically based.
“The way the world is reached for Christ is not any
different now than it was 2,000 years ago,” Campolo said.
“Clergy are
OK, but it’s
laity that do it
– showing
someone you
love them and
reaching out to
them and not
letting go until
they see the
grace of Jesus
Christ.”
He chal-
lenged the
Fellowship to
base its min-
istries on the
Bible, and
back up all
of its social
ministries –
such as
Partners in
Hope, the
Fellowship’s
rural poverty initiative – with scripture.
“As Baptists, we accept no creed but the Bible, but after
we say that, we forget the Bible,” he said. Campolo went on
to rail against the Left Behind book series and dispensational
theology, criticism of peace efforts by the United Nations,
overly-serious and intensively intellectual approaches to
faith and ignoring the plight of the poor.
“You’ve got to have more joy,” Campolo said. “You’ve got
to get enthusiastic. I want a fellowship where there is joy,
where there is laughter, where there is ecstasy.”
He also encouraged
love and acceptance of
homosexuals, regardless
of the scriptural stance
one takes. “Are we going
to take Jesus seriously?”
he said. “Evangelism
isn’t just getting people
ready to die. It’s getting
people ready to change
the world.” f!
Marjorie Thompson provides times of focused prayer throughout the Assembly.
Assembly Coverage
The fellowship! newsletter
expresses appreciation to the
following individuals who con-
tributed to the coverage of the
2003 General Assembly through
articles and photography: Craig
Bird, Amy Cook, Lisa M. Jones,
Ben McDade, Sue H. Poss, Mark
Sandlin, Jo Upton and Lance
Wallace. Audiotapes of the general
sessions and many workshops are
available (see order form, p. 19).
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The Youth Choir of First Baptist Church of Asheville,N.C., receives standing ovations for selections froman international festival of hymns.
w w w . c b f o n l i n e . o r g AUGUST 2003
PARTNERS IN HOPE , the Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship’s rural poverty initiative, got a financial boost
of $175,210 at this year’s Assembly.
Partners in Hope was the Assembly’s featured ministry
offering. The amount of the offering, significantly more
than the $100,000 goal, means that all operating expenses
for fiscal years 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be fully funded.
The Fellowship’s fiscal year is July 1 through June 30.
Partners in Hope is a 20-year commitment to partner
with 20 of the nation’s poorest counties to work alongside
local residents to improve quality of life. There is current-
ly active work in Perry County, Ala.; the Rio Grande River
Valley of Texas; the Mississippi River Delta in Arkansas
and Mississippi; and Appalachian mountain areas in
Kentucky. Initiatives are being developed for Louisiana
and South Dakota.
“This initiative fits CBF’s commitment to reach the
most neglected,” said Tom Prevost, initiative coordinator.
“And we’re doing that through local assets-based commu-
nity transformation. We’re going to these communities
and asking them what they need, then finding ways to
meet those needs.”
Partners in Hope was launched at the 2001 General
Assembly and has quickly gained momentum, thanks to
the research, grant resources, volunteer support, strategy
consultation
and partner-
ship grants
provided by
state, regional
and national
Fellowship
organizations.
One of the
newest part-
nerships is
with Buckner
Children and
Family
Services in
Dallas that
will provide
expanded
ministries to
at-risk chil-
dren and fam-
ilies in the Rio
Grande Valley.
Mart Gray, coordinator of AlabamaCBF, has been
involved in the Perry County work through Sowing Seeds
of Hope, the Alabama component of the rural poverty
initiative. “We have started by building healthy relation-
ships with the local residents,” he said. “It is a significant
step for us just to be there and be the presence of Christ.”
In addition to the financial boost from the ministry
offering, Partners in Hope also increased its public profile
among Fellowship participants during the Assembly. Two
workshops attracted more than 100 people each.
“By focusing on the assets they already have, this gives
local residents an internal power they didn’t know they
had,” said workshop leader Doris Littrell, a former profes-
sor in community development who now works with
Partners in Hope.
Partners in Hope is also having impact beyond the 20
official counties with which it is associated. “One of the
things we’re beginning to see happen,” Prevost said, “is
that Christians are becoming more aware of poverty right
around them. We see churches that learn about the needs
in these poorest counties also becoming aware of poverty
closer to home, perhaps in their own neighborhoods.”
That awareness, Prevost said, is at the heart of Partners
in Hope. “There are people and groups already at work
among the poor and we simply need to engage with them
and be obedient to the words of Jesus to witness to the
least of these.” f!
For more information, contact Tom Prevost at (662) 871-2444 or
Fellowship Raises Profile of Rural Poverty Initiative with Offering, Workshops
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Fellowship supporters raised $175,210during two offerings to help alleviaterural poverty.
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BRIAN MCLAREN COACHES CHURCHES:Brian McLaren addressed the CongregationalLeadership Institute June 26 prior to the GeneralAssembly. McLaren, pastor of Cedar RidgeCommunity Church in Spencerville, Md.,challenged the 400 plus participants to betterengage ‘postmodern’ culture with the truth andgrace of Jesus Christ.
Cra
ig B
ird p
hoto
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GRACE ANN ROBERTS attended her first General
Assembly in Charlotte, and she hopes it won’t be her last.
Grace Ann, age 9, was one of 149 children, birth through
sixth grade, registered for the Children’s Assembly hosted
by the Children’s Ministry Network of the Fellowship.
“I really like being here,” said Grace Ann, a member of
First Baptist Church in Williamsburg, Ky., where her father,
Kevin, is pastor and her mother, Allison, is minister of
youth. Grace Ann’s siblings, Jake, 5, and Ellie, 3, were also
attending their first Assembly.
“I like making crafts best,” Grace Ann said. “We’ve
just finished making rainbows to remind us to pray for
missionaries.”
Cathy Anderson, minister to
children at First Baptist Church in
Asheville, N.C., coordinated this
year’s Children’s Assembly. “Having
this event for children means that
families can come together to the
General Assembly and one parent
doesn’t have to stay home with the
kids,” she said. “But it also gives us a
chance to teach the children. We want
to make sure they get a solid missions
education, not a babysitting service.”
Fellowship missions material was
used in the Children’s Assembly, and
several Fellowship global missions
field personnel met with the children.
“When kids get to talk to and know
missionaries, they get excited about
missions,” Anderson said.
The 2003 Children’s Assembly was staffed by volunteers
from four churches: First Baptist in Statesville, N.C.; First
Baptist, Asheville, N.C.; First Baptist, Gastonia, N.C.; and
St. John’s Baptist in Charlotte. The fees charged for the
Children’s Assembly covered all the cost of materials, and
volunteers bring their own equipment.
For Michka Tosan, son of CBF field personnel Mich and
Pat Tosan, now living in Williamstown, N.J., the Children’s
Assembly gave him an opportunity to meet and talk with
other children his age. “It’s been fun and we’ve also been
learning a lot about God,” said the 12-year-old.
“I like having the missionaries tell us how they work,”
Grace Ann said. “And I like making friends from all over.
I’m glad I came, and I hope I can come back every year.” f!
Nine-year-old Grace AnnRoberts hopes to attendChildren's Assembly again next year.
David Blackmon of North Carolina interacts with Ana Maria Podgaisky (left)and Chloe Spieler during the Children’s Assembly.
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Fellowship Uses Creativity to Minister to Children at General Assembly
Phil Hester introduces Mary Beth Caffee, who isstarting a church in Maine, one of 40 Fellowshipnew church starts.
CBF Global Missions Co-coordinator Barbara Baldridge (left) offers words of blessing to Jacquelyn Magness Franklin, an Envoy to China who wascommissioned during the Assembly.
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Field Personnel Commissioned to ‘Go with Gladness’ to World’s Most Neglected
w w w . c b f o n l i n e . o r g AUGUST 2003
THE DAY AFTER BEING CHIDED by evangelical social
activist Tony Campolo for being “too white,” the
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship signed onto a far-reaching
partnership to start 400 Hispanic churches.
The Fellowship approved the partnership on the heels
of the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas, which
approved the agreement at its annual meeting last week.
Other votes at the Assembly’s Friday afternoon busi-
ness session approved a $19.7 million budget for 2003-04
as presented and elected all nominees without opposition.
The $19.7 million budget includes $17.09 million in
projected revenue and $2.6 million from previously
received designated funding to be used primarily in global
missions and leadership development.
“We are amigos in the same boat,” HBCT President
Antonio Estrada told the Assembly before the formal sign-
ing ceremony. “Together we are fulfilling the Great
Commission of Jesus.”
The covenant stipulates that both groups will identify
churches to link in one-to-one partnerships. Additionally,
the HBCT will provide training on Hispanic evangelism at
Fellowship events. The Hispanic ministries department of
the Baptist General Convention of Texas has offered to
provide its staff or training for U.S. Fellowship groups.
Prior to the election, the question was raised from the
floor about the apparent disparity between Fellowship’s
commitment to an even representation by men and
women and by laity and clergy on the Coordinating
Council and the slate of nominees that heavily favored
male clergy.
Nominating committee
chairman Jim Baucom
gave a two-part response.
• Because of the stag-
gered terms, the nominees
of any one year do not
accurately reflect the
composition of the entire
board.
• More importantly,
earlier General
Assemblies had declined to give the national leadership
more input on nominees and left in place the system that
state and regional organizations chose their own nominees
and “we take what you send us.”
Moderator Phill Martin asked the questioner for permission
to refer the question to the state and regional coordinating
committee to fully address the issues raised.
The Assembly elected Bob Setzer, pastor of First Baptist
Church of Christ of Macon, Ga., as moderator-elect, and
Susan Crumpler, an engineer and lay church leader from
Cincinnati, as recorder. Paul Kenley, pastor of Grace
Fellowship in Lampasas, Texas, completed three years as
recorder. Cynthia Holmes, an attorney and lay leader from
St. Louis, rose from moderator-elect to moderator at the
Assembly’s conclusion.
Gary Skeen, president of the Church Benefits Board,
reported that it had received a $500,000 gift for endow-
ment and operational expenses which will allow it to begin
moving toward self-sufficiency. A major benchmark
reached during 2002 included passing $10 million in assets.
Don Durham, president of the CBF Foundation, reported
its assets have passed $25 million. Last year, for the first
time, the Foundation received no funding from the
Fellowship and was fully self-sufficient.
Two Fellowship partners, Baptists Today and Baptist
Women in Ministry, were recognized for celebrating their
20th anniversaries. f!
To reach its financial goals, the Fellowship needs the prayer-
ful support of individuals and churches. An envelope is
provided in this issue for contributions to the Fellowship’s
general missions and ministries budget.
Assembly Approves Historic Partnership with Hispanic Convention, $17 Million Budget
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CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal (right) and Jimmy Garcia, ethnicmissions coordinator for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, signan agreement for the partnership between the Fellowship and theHispanic Baptist Convention of Texas. HBCT President Antonio Estrada(back, left) and CBF Moderator Phill Martin took part in the formalsigning ceremony.
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Officers for 2003-04 are (l-r): SusanCrumpler, recorder; Bob Setzer, mod-erator-elect; Cynthia Holmes, modera-tor; and Phill Martin, past moderator.
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WITH A RENEWED V IS ION for being the presence of
Christ in the world, Fellowship Baptists closed the 2003
General Assembly with the heartfelt singing of “We Are
Called to be God’s People.”
Incoming moderator Cynthia Holmes, an attorney from
St. Louis, delivered a meditation on the theme “It’s Time …
Being the Presence of Christ Personally” offering three
suggestions. First, be the voice of Christ, speaking out for
economic justice. Second, be the checkbook of Christ, con-
tinuing to support the ministries of His kingdom. Third,
take Matthew chapter 5 seriously and be the hands, feet and
heart of Christ.
The service also included selections from a brass quartet,
a dramatic theme interpretation by Owen Robertson, prayer
focus by Marjorie Thompson and hymns by the First
African Baptist Church in Savannah, Ga.
The Assembly came to a close with seven simultaneous
worship services held throughout the Charlotte Convention
Center, which
was followed by
a Communion
service led by
Jack Causey,
retired pastor
of First Baptist
Church,
Statesville,
N.C.
“Come to
this table and
feel the pres-
ence of the
Lord in you so that you may go and be the presence of Christ
in the world,” Causey said.
Following are brief highlights from the seven worship
services:
• African American Baptist Church Worship Experience.
Pastor Thurmond N. Tillman of First African Baptist in
Savannah concluded his sermon to a standing room only
crowd with a description of the ascension – “I believe that
as Jesus was ascending to heaven, the look upon His face
was saying, ‘Can you hear me now?’”
• Children and Youth Leading in Worship. For the first
time at a General Assembly, a children and youth service
was featured, led by Fernwood Baptist Church of
Spartanburg, S.C. The informal service featured unique
musical instruments, scripture reading, hymns and a
contemporary reading of Old Turtle.
• Contemplative Worship. Referencing Mark 5:21-43,
proclaimer Rick Landon, who does spiritual formation in
Lexington, Ky., talked about the importance of learning to
listen and wait. More than 220 worshipers listened as
Landon implored them to journey with him to “be more
sensitive to our divine companion, Jesus.”
• Postmodern Worship Experience. Jonathan Yarboro,
youth pastor at Jonesboro United Methodist Church in
Sanford, N.C., and Giles Blankenship, president of
Different Drummer Ministries in Coats, N.C., led a youth-
targeted service with a contemporary feel.
• Traditional Service of Worship. Wearing the signature
ministerial robe of St. John’s Baptist Church’s worship
service, Wm. Richard Kremer delivered a passionate
sermon on “The Necessity of Compromise” in a traditional
format that featured a Chancel Choir.
• Worship in a Bicultural Setting. Jimmy Garcia had to say
everything twice: once in English and once in Spanish in
order to speak a word to multi-language participants.
Garcia, Hispanic ministries director for the Baptist General
Convention of Texas, took his sermon from the idea of the
Christian holiday All Saints Day.
• Worship with a Contemporary Feel. The 250 people who
attended a contemporary worship service heard Linda
Jones, associate pastor of ministry at Winter Park Baptist
Church in Wilmington, N.C., remind them to slow down
and pay attention to what’s important. f!
Children help lead the African American Baptist Churchworship experience on Saturday morning.
Retired pastor Jack Causey leads the Assembly in taking the cup, repre-senting the blood of Christ, and the bread, representing Christ’s body.
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COOPERAT IVE BAPT IST FELLOWSHIP w w w . c b f o n l i n e . o r g
Assembly Concludes with Diverse Worship, Communion Service
w w w . c b f o n l i n e . o r g AUGUST 2003
THE COOPERATIVE BAPT IST FELLOWSHIP is
interested in ecumenical, interfaith and inter-religious
dialogue. During the next year and beyond, the Fellowship
will develop more resources for local churches and indivi-
duals to do a better job of “building bridges, not barriers.”
“We want to come up with
tangible resources to help
churches enter into dialogue
with other groups and to help
individuals build relation-
ships,” said Bo Prosser, the
Fellowship’s coordinator for
congregational life.
Prosser is nearly finished
with an introduction to
ecumenism from a Fellowship
perspective. And Jeff Rogers,
pastor of First Baptist Church
in Greenville, S.C., is complet-
ing a study guide to the book,
When Religion Becomes Evil, written by Charles Kimball,
chair of the religion department at Wake Forest University.
About 25 people attended a preliminary task force
meeting held June 25 on the eve of the General Assembly.
The task force reported ecumenical and interfaith priori-
ties, which included developing congregational resources;
being proactive in interfaith issues; developing resources
First Baptist Church.............................. Decatur, Ga.
24-25 Christmas Holidays....... All Resource Centers Closed
* Dates and locations are subject to change. Confirm
information with event organizers. An online calendar of
events is available at www.cbfonline.org under Community.
Fellowship Planning CalendarAugust - December 2003
2003 GEN
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Brenda Kneece, executive director of theSouth Carolina Christian Action Council,participates in the preliminary task forcemeeting about ecumenical and interfaithissues.
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“W E WA N T tocome up withtangible resourcesto help churchesenter into dialoguewith other groupsand to help indi-viduals buildrelationships.”
— B O P R O S S E R ,C O O R D I N AT O R F O R
C O N G R E G AT I O N A L L I F E
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The Assembly approved several items during the Fridaybusiness session. The fiscal year 2003-04 budget, whichtook effect July 1, was approved. Although the Fellowshipwill finish the 2002-03 fiscal year with revenue comingup $654,000 short of expenses, the shortfall will becovered by existing reserves. As the Fellowship preparesto enact several new revenue initiatives, plans are to fullyreimburse the reserves from funds raised during the nextseveral years.
During the Thursday evening worship servicefeaturing Tony Campolo, the Assembly raised $128,210for Partners in Hope, the Fellowship’s rural povertyinitiative. During Friday night’s worship service, anadditional $47,000 was raised, totaling $175,210.
The Fellowship also commissioned 18 new globalmissions field personnel on Friday evening. Phil Hester,Fellowship associate coordinator of church starts, alsorecognized seven Fellowship church starters.
The 2004 General Assembly will be held at theBirmingham-Jefferson Convention Center inBirmingham, Ala.
“The General Assembly is a time for worship, forlearning and for celebrating what God is doing throughthe Fellowship,” CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal said. “It
is also a time for us to recommit ourselvesto the shared vision of being the presenceof Christ in the world, equipping andencouraging one another to become mis-sional. The Assembly approved an ambi-tious budget and set meaningful ministrygoals for the next fiscal year. We eagerlyanticipate God accomplishing these tasksthrough us in the days ahead.” f!
COOPERAT IVE BAPT IST FELLOWSHIP w w w . c b f o n l i n e . o r g
Assembly Characterized by Fellowship, Commitment to Missions
T H E C O O P E R AT I V E B A P T I S T F E L L O W S H I P
E X P L O R E D WAY S to be true to the vision of
“being the presence of Christ” congregationally,
globally and personally June 26-28, drawing a
crowd of 4,357 registered participants for the
2003 General Assembly.
“… a time for us to recommit ourselves to the shared vision of being the presence of
1. Elizabeth Vickery and other children make colorful fans during one ofthe Children's Assembly activities.
2. Sales of goods in the Missions Marketplace from unevangelizedpeople groups raise money for global missions.
3. Oti Bunaciu (left) and Albert Reyes discuss partnerships with BaptistVoices moderator Colleen Burroughs.
4. Upbeat music sets the tone for worship in a bicultural setting as partof simultaneous worship services on Saturday morning.
5. Participants surround Diana Early as they pray for newly-commissioned global missions field personnel.
6. Tony Campolo signs copies of his books in the Resource Fair.
7. Youth from four Greenville, S.C., churches perform a dramaticinterpretation using dowel rods during the Assembly's opening session.
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Christ in the world, equipping and encouraging one another to become missional.”— C B F C O O R D I N AT O R D A N I E L V E S TA L
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BAPT IST WOMEN IN MINISTRY celebrated its 20thanniversary with a video of testimonials, recognition of thegroup’s founders and presidents, and the music ofNashville recording artist Kate Campbell.
More than 250 gathered in Charlotte, N.C., for theevent, which allowed the group to reminisce about its earlydays while catching a glimpse of its future by awarding itstwo annual Addie Davis Awards.
“It is a major milestone for this organization to celebrate20 years of serving and supporting women in ministry,”said current BWIM president Karen Massey, faculty mem-ber at Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology inAtlanta. “Tonight is our party, and we’re glad you are here toshare it with us.”
Massey paid tribute to the organizations that helpedBWIM mature from a fledgling support group of 33 women
in Louisville, Ky., into aworldwide network of morethan 1,500.
“First and foremost, I’dlike to thank the Woman’sMissionary Union,” Masseysaid. “Without the vision ofthat organization, BaptistWomen in Ministry would notbe here.”
Massey also read a letter ofcongratulations from currentWMU president Wanda Lee.Other groups Massey thankedincluded the Alliance ofBaptists, Cooperative BaptistFellowship and CentralBaptist Theological Seminaryin Kansas City, Kan.
The video of testimonialscalled “We Have TheseTreasures” was based on apassage from I Corinthians4:7-10, featuring currentwomen ministers, BWIMfounders, women theologystudents and supporters.
Reba Sloan Cobb, AtlantaResource Center coordinator and chief operating officer forCBF, recognized the 33 “founding mothers” who met in herhome at the request of Nancy Sehested for that first meet-ing in 1983. Their goal: to develop a support group to
At the anniversary celebration, Cobb encouraged womento “feel your fear, but then do it anyway,” and claimPhilippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ whostrengthens me.”
BWIM also honored the 2003 recipients of its two AddieDavis awards. Recent Baptist Theological Seminary atRichmond graduate Susan Burnette received the AddieDavis Award for Excellence in Preaching. Shirley RamseyLuckadoo of Gardner-Webb’s M. Christopher White Schoolof Divinity received the Addie Davis Award for PastoralLeadership. Luckadoo pastors First Baptist Church ofWestgate in Spartanburg, S.C.
“We clearly can see the evidence of God’s call,” Masseysaid. “The wind has not stopped blowing. Women are beingcalled and will continue to be called into ministry.”
“We don’t know what the organization will look like fiveyears from now,” Massey said. “We’re open to any and allpossibilities.” f!
For more information about BWIM, contact (913) 321-6864 or
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COOPERAT IVE BAPT IST FELLOWSHIP w w w . c b f o n l i n e . o r g
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GENERAL SESSIONS■ General Session I: It's Time…Being the
Presence of Christ Congregationally Tony Campolo
■ General Session II: It's Time…CBF Being thePresence of Christ Daniel Vestal
■ General Session IV: It's Time…Being thePresence of Christ Globally Sarah Jackson Shelton
■ General Session V: It's Time…Being thePresence of Christ Personally Jack Causey
WORKSHOPS■ 105 Harvest Prayer
Rick Davis
■ 108 Spiritual FormationE. Glenn Hinson
■ 109 Dangling Dollars: How Baptists ShouldRespond to the “Faith-Based Initiative” K. Hollyn Hollman
■ 110 FundamentalismFisher Humphreys and Philip Wise
■ 113 A Broken Church in a Hurting WorldBrenda Kneece and Chris Skidmore
■ 119 Healthy CongregationsLes Robinson
■ 120 Can Moderate Baptist Churches Be Evangelistic?Carolyn Shapard and Mark Wingfield
■ 201 Help! Some People in My Church Say Bad Things about CBF! Marion Aldridge and Ben McDade
■ 203 An Introduction to Christian SpiritualFormationStephen D. Bryant
■ 204 Preaching as a Means of LeadershipCharles Bugg
■ 207 Why We Need Women in MinistryHardy Clemons
■ 217 When Religion Becomes EvilCharles Kimball and Jeff Rogers
■ 221 Building Blocks for Sunday SchoolGrowthMichael McCullar and Bo Prosser
■ 310 Who’s Paying? Trends in Church GivingDon Durham
■ 311 Understanding the Hispanic CultureJimmy Garcia
■ 315 Discipleship in an Unchurched CultureEddie Hammett
■ 320 The Plan(s) of Salvation: When Conversion and Pluralism CollideBill Leonard
■ 321 Understanding the African-AmericanCultureEmmanuel McCall
■ 328 CBF 101Daniel Vestal
■ 402 Under Served and Over Looked — Ministry to the DisabledConnie and Sid Carpenter
■ 404 Designing Comprehensive EducationCurriculum Tailored for LocalCongregationsMargaret B. Clary
■ 414 Families on MissionGreg and Priscilla Hunt and Kezia Paul
■ 417 Ministering with Twenty-SomethingsJeff Mathis and Wanda Kidd
■ 421 A Covenant to Serve: How a CBF Church Can Partner with GlobalMissionsTom Ogburn
■ 422 Developing Effective Christian LeadersBruce Powers
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Companions in Christ Strengthens SpiritualConnections in South Carolina Church
DURING A WORKSHOP at last year’s Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship General Assembly, leaders of Fernwood Baptist
Church in Spartanburg, S.C., discovered Companions in
Christ – a spiritual formation resource made available
through the Fellowship’s partnership with Upper Room
Ministries.
Seeing the resource’s potential for individual and church
growth, Pastor Randy Wright immediately made Companions
in Christ available to the Fernwood congregation. Participants
formed three groups, consisting of six to eight members
each, which took part in the 28-
week, two-hour sessions aimed at
strengthening the Christian walk.
Kelly Belcher, minister of chil-
dren and family life, led one of the
small groups. She describes the
materials as being “wonderfully
written,” with a natural flow for
maximum effectiveness.
“Besides the two-hour sessions
each week,” Belcher explains,
“there is directed Bible study,
journal writing, meditation and
reflection – taking 30 minutes to
an hour each day, depending on
how a person feels led. We come to
the group meeting ready to discuss
and share what the study meant to
each of us personally.”
This spiritual sharing has
developed strong bonds within the
small groups. Belcher sees this as
one of the primary benefits of the
program.
“Major life changes – like loss
of jobs and illnesses – have taken
place within the groups during the course of the study,”
Belcher says. “These events have connected all of us at a
deeper level.”
Belcher notes that Companions in Christ is not a topic or
issues study, but is designed to allow an in-depth reading of
Scripture, delving into its relevance on multiple levels, with
the primary objective being a closer relationship with God
and others.
The success of Companions in Christ has assured its con-
tinuation at Fernwood. “I believe the development of these
close-knit groups is a strengthening thing for any congre-
gation,” Belcher says. “There’s also the positive effect of the
intercessory prayer we are doing for our church, communi-
ty and the world. Just imagine what can happen as more
and more groups do the same thing!” f!
For more information about Companions in Christ, go to
www.companionsinchrist.org, or call Upper Room Ministries
at (800) 972-0433.
By staff writer Jo Upton
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Members of a Companions in Christ group at Fernwood Baptist Churchinclude (l-r): Margaret League, Glenda Bumgardner, Joe Hill Cantrell,Barbara Dalton, Jimmy Wilson, Rosalynn George, Robert Hendrix andJoan Hendrix. Group leader Kelly Belcher is not pictured.