Newsjournal of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware www.baptistlifeonline.org

April 2009

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

March online highights..................6-7 CP/BCM/D giving...........................8-9CP Insert and Poster................. 11-14 Iron Sharpens Iron Event................15Associationlife...........................20-21

In October, Deep Creek Lake resort minister, Julie DuVall, and ministry volunteers participated in the Autumn Glory Festival in Oakland. page 21.

Byron DayBCM/D President and Pastor of

Emmanuel Church, Laurel, Md.

David LeeBCM/D Executive

Director

BaptistLIFEVol. 93 No. 3

Serving Baptists since 1849

BaptistLIFE (ISSN 331-640) is published bimonthly except for January as a Cooperative Program ministry of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware.

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(Phone) 800-466-5290(Fax) 410-290-6627

Send address changes to: iwhite@bcmd.org or call 443-250-2553

BaptistLIFE StaffBob Simpson Executive EditorIris White Managing Editor/Mailing Shannon Baker Design Editor/ BCM/D National CorrespondentSharon Mager BCM/D CorrespondentLauren Rodriguez Media Specialist/Billing

Address change: Send the new address with the old mailing label at least three weeks prior to move.

Advertising rates are available. We do not automatically accept all advertising. We typically accept ads for services provided to Maryland and Delaware Baptists related to or assisting in starting new churches and strengthening existing ones. Acceptance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement of any advertisers products or services.

The deadline for news and advertising is the first day of the month preceding the next issue.

Subscription: free of charge by request.We welcome letters from readers, press

releases and photos of topics of interest to Maryland/Delaware Baptists. Digital photos sent electronically are preferred. If you send glossy prints, please include a SASE for return.

Letters to the Editor (LTTE) do not reflect the views or opinions of BaptistLIFE. We prefer letters from Maryland and Delaware. Only letters marked clearly for publication as a LTTE, signed with addresses will be considered. Please include a daytime telephone number for verification purposes. Letters may not exceed 300 words. Letters attacking churches or individuals will not be published. Letters will be edited for clarity, BaptistLIFE style and space considerations, but not for content. We regret that we cannot respond to all letters not accepted for publication.

BaptistLIFE is a member of the Association of State Baptist Papers, Baptist Press News and Evangelical Press Association and is printed by Carroll County Times, Westminster, Md.

Page 2 Perspectives... April 2009

More than ever our focus has turned to return on invest-ment. The eco-nomic downturn has forced us to re-evaluate our priorities and make sure that our spending is in line with what makes the biggest

difference.As a result we examine more

carefully and hold to a higher stan-dard of accountability those areas where we make investments these days. That is not a bad thing. Ongo-ing evaluation is a good thing for us in every area of our lives. Too often in times when the pressure is low, we are prone to float. Things that feel urgent begin to replace things that are really important. First

things, really important things, can get displaced by less important things just because we can afford to add other things to the agenda. Yet, when the pressure is on and times get tough, we are forced to re-assess, re-evaluate, and make some hard choices about our investments.

Churches face the same chal-lenge. I have been listening to pas-tors and other church leaders. Many of you have shared with me the challenge you face of re-evaluating what you do in light of the economic climate.

I want you to know that I am praying for you and your church. I know these are difficult times.

I am praying that God will give us faith. Difficult times re-mind us that we are not in control. Such times re-introduce us to the reality that we are indeed dependent upon God.

I am praying for boldness. There is a delicate balance between

the exercise of wise stewardship and bold discipleship. One of my concerns has been that Gods people will retreat from the battle in search of a more comfortable place.

I am praying for wisdom. There is no doubt that choices are going to have to be made. All of us hope that these are short-term adjustments. No one knows except God. In the meantime, I pray that God will help us be discerning as we set priorities and as we evalu-ate what we are to do and be as the Great Commission people of God.

Inside this issue you will find a report highlighting the return on investment that you have made through the Cooperative Program. I hope you will display the poster in your church. If you have questions, call me. And by all means, if I can assist you as you journey through these interesting and challenging times, please give me that opportu-nity.

Return on investment

There is a term that is used today to express joy and happiness. It is used to express excitement and enthusiasm. People use this term to convey the idea that it is now time to relax, rest, and rejoice. Moreover, they use it to communicate the idea that it is

now time to cease from our labors, put away the troubles of the week and escape from the office, escape from the classroom, escape from the truck, and to escape from the boss. The expression is T.G.I.F.

This saying T.G.I.F. at one time had the meaning Thank God Its Friday. In times past its intended idea was thank God for bringing me through another week. It stood for thank God for allowing me to be healthy, it stood for thank God for keeping me safe, for providing food, clothing, and shelter. T.G.I.F. used

to signify thank God for His many blessings.

T.G.I.F. was a God-honoring term. It recognized that God was the reason for our existence. It gave glo-ry to God and acknowledged Gods right to rule in our lives. It acknowl-edged His sovereignty and majesty and it demonstrated mans reliance and dependence on God. TG.I.F. was once a God-honoring term. But like so many other things the world has taken God out of T.G.I.F. to Thank Goodness Its Friday. T.G.I.F. is no longer a God honoring term, but a God ignoring term.

There is however, a Friday for which I am eternally grateful. A Fri-day that occurred about 2000 years ago. For me, what has traditionally come to be known as Good Friday along with Resurrection Sunday is my favorite time of year. Not only is there the beginning of the Spring season which reminds us of the new life we have in Christ but also the blessed hope of our own resur-rection. Good Friday was a great Friday, and I always get excited, joyful and glad during this time of the year. I thank God for that Good

Friday because there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through his blood I have the forgiveness of sin, because of Good Friday I have peace with God.

What a great time for Mary-land/Delaware Baptists to remem-ber Gods grace towards us all. Re-gardless of the economic conditions or other life challenges we face, we can all say thank God for that Good Friday. We can all join in with the songwriter who wrote:

At the cross at the cross Where I first saw the lightAnd the burden of my sin rolled

awayIt was there by faith I received

my sightAnd now I am happy all the

day.

T.G.I.F.

Bob SimpsonBCM/D Assoc.

Executive Director, BaptistLIFE Editor

He could have been distracted

April 2009 Perspectives... Page 3

Captain Chesley B. (Sully) Sullenberger and I have something in common. He is the same age as I am. After that, the compari-son denigrates quickly. So much has been written about Sullys cool, calm demeanor in

the face of certain disaster. You will recall that he was the pilot of the ill-fated U.S. Airways flight 1549 that hit a flock of birds shortly after takeoff from New Yorks LaGuardia airport on Jan. 15, 2009. Sully is credited with saving the lives of all 155 souls on board that plane. It was the first time in 50 years of commercial jet flight that the captain of a major aircraft executed one of the most technically challenging maneuvers, landing a jetliner on water without any fatalities.

How did he do it? He did it with incredible, laser-like focus. Somehow he was able to overcome the negative thinking that distractions always engender. There were so many things that could have distracted him. For example, he could have been distracted by the fact that he had no thrust from his silent en-gines. Sully was 3,200 feet in the air, without power, quickly falling to Earth. That would have freaked out most of us right from the outset.

He could have been distracted by how to keep the nose of the plane lowered so the plane would glide and not drop quickly.

He could have been distracted by all the choices of where he might possibly be able to put the plane down. They included going back to LaGuardia or trying to get to an alternative airport in the New York metropolitan area.

He could have been distracted by what he knew to be the fact that no pilot in modern jet aviation had ever pulled off a successful water landing.

He could have been distracted by how to align the plane with the river so as not to hit the George Washington Bridge.

He could have been distracted by how to calculate the projected glide path and then set the plane on water at just the right angle so the nose was up and neither of the wings tipped. If the nose or a wing-tip hit the water as he approached, the plane could flip, spin out, or snap in two.

He could have been distracted by the location of the boats in the Hudson River. He knew he would have to pick a spot on the river that would give his passengers and crew the best advantage to be rescued.

There were these distractions and many more. But, Captain Sul-lenbergers focus never wavered. He knew what he had to do. He had trained his entire career for this kind of eventuality. He did not let any distraction dissuade him from the main thing.

This reminds me of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The Scripture says

he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem. If there ever was a person who embodied the essence of focus, it was Jesus. Even at the age of 12, he told his parents, I must be about my Fathers business.

Focus is always the main issue. Most of us are too easily distracted. Even churches can be distracted do-ing good things instead of the main thing. Our main focus is, and must always be, to do what our Lord has commanded us to do. His last words to us before he left the planet were to go and make disciples of all nations. That is all we need to stay focused on. We need to simply ask, What now? What next? and What not?

Its the What not? part that is the most critical to developing focus. We need to jettison anything that distracts us. We need to free up more bandwidth to be able to move forward and do it with maximum focus. Jesus (and Sully) can teach us a lot about how to focus!

LATEST BCMD.E-QUIP.NET TRAINING RESOURCES AVAILABLE

MOST RECENT ADDITIONS

Vacation Bible School 2009 Overview Planning and executing an evangelistic event or initiative Starbucks Youth Ministry How Your Church can be a Parent Church 3-1-6 Prayer Evangelism Small Group Ministry vs. Program Ministry Piano Techniques for Praise Band From Organist to Praise Band Media on a Shoe String Budget

ONGOING SUBJECTS:

Church PlantingMinistry to ChildrenMissionsMusic and WorshipPastors/Pastoral StaffSharing ChristSingle AdultsSmall GroupsSpanish Language ResourcesTechnologyWMU ResourcesWomens MinistryYouth Ministry

Page 4 Your Convention... April 2009

By Sharon MagerStaff Correspondent

COLUMBIA, Md.Baptist

editors from across the country gathered in Horseshoe Bay, Texas in February for their annual Associa-tion of State Baptist Papers (ASBP) editors meeting to encourage one another, refocus, listen to special speakers, network and worship God. At the close of this years meeting, Bob Simpson, BaptistLIFEs execu-tive editor, was elected as president of the association.

Simpson will plan next years meeting, invite the guests and give the annual presidential message. That meeting will be Feb. 9-12 at the Coeur dAlene Resort in Coeur dAlene, Idaho.

The new president takes his position at a time when printed state paper subscriptions are declin-ing. Many believe it is due partially to the economy, but mostly because younger Christian leaders prefer to receive their news electronically. Simpson said that in the foresee-able future there is still a market for printed papers, but looking ahead, he sees a time when printed state papers will be no more.

The younger crowd clearly prefers to get their information and news, religious and secular, in the electronic format, he said.

Simpson is planning a program for next years meeting to help edi-tors meet the changing news needs and inevitable transitions. He has invited John Yemma, named editor of the Christian Science Monitor in July, to be the keynote speaker.

Prior to his new position at the Christian Science Monitor, Yemma served in senior editing positions for the Boston Globe, most recently as the Globes deputy managing editor for multimedia, helping the paper make the transition from an all print to a more diversified deliv-ery system. Yemma is expected to guide the Christian Science Monitor through a similar transition process.

Simpson believes Yemmas ex-perience will be a great resource to Baptist state paper editors, and that Yemma will be able to share the nec-essary steps to take as well as those to avoid when moving to an all or partial electronic delivery system.

Mississippi Baptist Convention executive director, James Futral, will also be a special guest at the meeting, bringing morning devo-

tions for the three-day meeting. Reflecting on his 10 years as

editor of BaptistLIFE, Simpson said hes proud of how the paper has evolved.

We have a unique position from many of our sister state papers in that we are 100 percent Cooperative Program funded. Our paper is free of charge to any Maryland or Delaware Baptist who wishes to receive it.

BaptistLIFE has a rich heritage. We have been published in some name or another for over 150 years, he said.

Simpson explained that like other papers, BaptistLIFE has had to adjust to todays trends smaller attention spans, less denominational loyalty and reader desire to hear good news as opposed to investiga-tive journalism. The paper uses shorter stories, in a positive, infor-mative manner, focusing on what God is doing in our churches and associations across the two-state convention.

BaptistLIFEs distribution has also changed from being delivered in printed form eleven months out

of a year to printing six and now offering an electronic version for the alternating months. In order to receive the electronic version, all someone has to do is provide his or her email address and the non-printed version will be sent di-rectly to them. Break-ing stories between regular issues can also then be sent to a persons email address. Just go to

www.baptistlifeonline.org to sign up.Simpson said state papers, in

whatever form they eventually take, will always be used to continue to tell how God is working through His people.

Each state and each editor does it differently depending on the local context. But the tapestry woven by each states papers produces a pow-erful glimpse into the health and soul of who Southern Baptists are in each respective state.

Simpson named president of the SBC Association of State Papers

Gary Ledbetter, out-going ASBP president, hands the gavel to the new Association of State Papers president, Bob Simpson, Editor of BaptistLIFE.

Local and national SBC agencies sponsor new raceway ministry outreach, Race with the King, at Alleghany County fairground

By Sharon MagerBCM/D Correspondent

COLUMBIA, Md.Western and Blue Ridge Associations and the Baptist Convention of Mary-land/Delaware are partnering with Potomac Highlands, Cone-maugh Valley, Monongahela and Tri-County Associations; the West Virginia and the Pennsylvania/South Jersey Conventions and the North American Mission Board to sponsor a new raceway ministry outreach. Race With the King, on May 3, is expected to draw NA-SCAR fans from near and far to the Allegany County fairgrounds to meet racing personalities, check out cars, take pictures in car cut-outs, listen to bands, eat lots of food and win NASCAR related prizes.

The family-friendly event starts at 11 a.m. with a worship service.Racing personalities from the three top series are expected to participate, sharing how God has changed their lives and how that change has affected them on and off the track.

Mark Joseph, pastor of Canaan Valley Church and a NAMB resort missionary for the Canaan Val-ley area, is the coordinator of the outreach. Joseph was a director of innovative ministries for the Kan-sas/Nebraska convention around the time the Kansas speedway was being built and began work-ing to start a Kansas City Alli-ance Raceway Ministries there. When he came to West Virginia in 2005, he brought his race ministry background with him and saw the

potential for the West Virginia/western Maryland area.

Joseph began talking to associ-ations and conventions to get sup-port and was pleased that everyone embraced the idea. And he knew all about the legendary enthusiasm of racing fans.

Racing people go anywhere theres racing or where theres any-thing to do with racing, Joseph said. While many wont listen to just anyone share about Christ, they will listen to Christian rac-ers, Joseph said, emphasizing that there will be opportunities to make decisions for Christ and there is a follow up plan with participating churches to contact new believers and those who are seeking help.

Everything is free throughout the day except for food, which will

be provided by local concession businesses.

Kenny Heath, Western As-sociation director of missions, is excited about the new venture and believes it will be a big hit with race lovers.

We have many in this area who routinely make the trips to tracks in Dover, Richmond, Bristol and other semi-nearby lo-cations, Heath said. Those folks, he believes, will appreciate getting a taste of raceway life closer to home while offering new ministry outreach opportunities.

Bruce Conley, Blue Ridge Asso-ciation director of missions, agrees with Heath. Its a wonderful op-portunity to share the gospel in a exciting setting, Conley said.

April 2009 Your Convention... Page 5

By Sharon MagerBCM/D Correspondent

COLUMBIA, Md.Recently at Severn Run Church folks were using words like Gday mate, Aussie and Dingo. There were rumors of a kan-garoo hopping around, though some whispered it was actually someone with a costume. Severn hosted a BCM/D annual regional VBS train-ing expo. Visitors even got to watch Severn Run kids sing the music and do the motions for this years LifeWay VBS Boomerang ExpressIt all comes back to Jesus, set in the land down underAustralia.

Teachers become outback guides and students kidaroos. Their rotation sites include worship rally central, Bible study outback, music opera house, crafts crossing, missions harbor, recreation rock and GDay caf.

This years program follows the life of Peter, from his first encoun-ter with Jesus, through his denying

Christ, Jesus forgiveness of him and Peter then going into all the world to share the gospel.

This is an especially good one, June Holland, BCM/Ds childrens ministry missionary, said of Boo-merang. Its set in a place most people will never go to and they get to say fun things like Gday mate to each other. Holland said the themes work together beautifully and having the music scenes filmed in Israel help drive home the salvation message.

The ABC song, which teaches kids how to admit theyre sinners, believe Jesus is Gods son and confess Him as their Lord and Savior, was filmed with Jerusalem in the back-ground. Jeff Slaughter, LifeWays VBS music man, who writes the lyrics and music and performs them on video, sings the annual ballad in front of Jesus tomb.

To shoot a video there with a song I wrote about salvation is so amazing, Slaughter said in a previ-ous interview by BaptistLIFE.

According to LifeWays website, Vacation Bible School is the pre-miere outreach event of the year for many churches. In addition to providing age appropriate minis-try, VBS gives all church members a chance to be involved either in classes or helping. Teachers and as-sistants get valuable reusable train-ing and opportunities for growth.

Holland said churches are learning from VBS. Theyve found that using a rotation system with kids moving from one area to an-other works best. Also, Holland said churches are growing and not just in numbers. Theyre learning from year to year what to do to prepare for the next year. Theyre getting wiser and planning earlier, networking with other churches and finding ways to promote and follow up.

She urges churches to come to the training sessions to prepare ear-ly. The conferences are held through-out the BCM/D area. They offer VBS workers hands-on training, tips and

networking ideas for setting goals, establishing a VBS prayer ministry, all aspects of promoting, kick offs, administration, teaching and every-thing else VBS-related. Churches also get tried and true strategies for follow-up. And follow-up isnt just about making phone calls and visits.

Keep it going, she encourages churches. Have thrilling Tuesdays or wacky Wednesdays.

Dont let VBS end on Friday, Holland said, reading from a LifeWay article of the same name.

Holland also urges churches to observe safety policies.

Church is still looked at as a safe haven, she said.

Holland said VBS is fun, easy and effective. People are saved and lives are forever changed. With Boo-merang Express, she said, It does all comes back to Jesus.

For more information about VBS, including safety information, see www.bcmd.org.

Climb aboard the Boomerang Express

April 2

6:30-9 p.m. Valley Church 1401 N. York Rd. Lutherville, Md. 21093

April 189:30 a.m.-12 noon

Maugansville Church18024 Maugans Ave.

Hagerstown, Md. 21740

April 258:30 a.m.-12 noon

Georgia Avenue Church12525 Georgia Ave.

Wheaton, Md. 20906

April 266:30-9 p.m.

Calvary Church206 East Courtland Place

Bel Air, Md. 21014

May 2 9:30 a.m.-12 noonTrinity Church

2671 Mattawoman Beantown Rd.Waldorf, Md. 20601

For more information, contact June Holland,

(800) 466-5290 ext. 233 or jholland@bcmd.org.

Vacation Bible School Regional Training

Interesting VBS Facts:

The first VBS was held in a New York City beer hall in 1898. It was designed to minister to street children and it ran for four weeks.

The SBC began using VBS as an outreach in 1924.

25 percent to 28 percent of all baptisms each year in SBC life are a direct result of VBS.

In 2007, there were 2.8 million enrolled in VBS, 88,097 confessions of faith, 2,380 deci-sions for church-related ministry and 37,888 new Sunday school members (LifeWay).

VBS conferences are held throughout the BCM/D. The conferences offer VBS work-ers hands-on training, tips and networking ideas for setting goals, establishing a VBS prayer minis-try, all aspects of promoting, kick-ing off, administration, teaching and everything else VBS-related. Churches also get tried and true strategies for follow-up.

Page 6 BaptistLIFEonline... April 2009

Online March issue of BaptistLIFEIn March 2009, BaptistLIFEs premiere

online issue was launched. Many signed up to receive a copy via email, but it was also avail-able at our website: www.baptistlifeonline.org.

We didnt want you to miss the wonderful stories about what God is doing in our conven-tion, so article highlights are provided below. To read the rest of these articles or to sign up to receive them via email, go to www.baptistlifeonline.org.

The following items can only be found online: AssociationLIFE Classifieds VBS Training Schedule Church Media Resources

Spring sowing time is here again By Bob Simpson

The cycle of nature is such that every Spring a farmer must re-seed the ground in order for there to be a harvest in the Fall. This law holds true in many other areas of life as well.

The writer of Ecclesiastes says that for everything there is a season, a time for every activity under the sun.

As we move into the Spring of 2009, it occurs to me that there are some life principles worth remem-bering about the sowing/harvesting cycle:

(1) We must sow before we har-vest. (2) We harvest more than we sow. It is so like God to build into the nature of sowing and harvesting a result that far exceeds the initial expectation.(3) We must never stop sowing.

Bottom line: Never stop sow-ing the seed. Just because we dont perceive that God is at work in someones life, should never stop us from sowing the Gospel seed in the first place. Sow it every day, in sea-son, out of season. Someday we will rejoice in all that God will bring to harvest as a result of our sowing!

Strength for the Journey By Byron Day

Sometimes life can drain us of our strength. Deci-sions, pressures, and commitments can overwhelm us. There are also temptations and guilt that weakens us so that we find

ourselves in dire need of help.I have learned over the years

that God often allows me to see or hear the testimony of others to re-mind me that maybe things are not as bad as I thought. An example of this is the story of Nick Vujicic (you can view Nicks testimony at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtweZxNGk1Y&feature=related) an Australian Christian man who was born without limbs. Thats right no arms and no legs. Yet Nick has a powerful testimony for Jesus Christ that reminds us all that God has a purpose and plan for each of us.

Reisterstown Church discovers and meets community needsBy Sharon Mager, For Embrace Baltimore

Through partnership ministry Reisterstown Church has discovered physical and spiritual needs they didnt know existed in their own

communitykids without shoes and those who didnt know who Jesus is. The church has had over 30 baptisms since last summer. They started a second service and theyre planning a third service.

Peabody students teach music and share Christ through The Church on Warren Avenues Fine Arts AcademyBy Sharon Mager

The Church on Warren Avenue is reaching its community in a fresh new way through its fine arts acad-emy directed and taught by Chris-tian Peabody students.

Mosaic Language Conference April 3-5By Sharon Mager

The Mosaic Language Confer-ence will offer training, resources, fellowship and worship for various language churches. Sessions will be offered in Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Spanish and English ending with a grand music celebration.

The event will be Friday eve-ning, April 3 and Saturday, April 4 with a grand language music cel-ebration at Global Mission Church on Sunday, April 5. Growing the church; Growing the kingdom is the theme.

Lets Go! from missionsinterchange.com By Gayla Parker

Then Jesus came to them (the dis-ciples) and said, Therefore go and make disciplesAnd surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. (Matt.

28:18-20 NIV) The Great Commis-sion is probably the most quoted passage of scripture when studying the Biblical basis of missions. As a missionary it is a passage I have referenced many times.

God has given us all unique gifts that are just right for sharing Gods love. Our mission field will change with life stages; the key is not missing a single moment. Wher-ever you are, know that the Lord is there, we are His light, He loves the lost and conquers giants. He wants us to love others and follow His mandate, Make disciples!

Living life with purposeBy Dan Hyun, Pastor ofThe Village Church, Baltimore

The Village Church was started as a core team of 11 commissioned by Grace Life Church in Baltimore. We began meeting in

January 2008 and after months of prayer, planning and outreach, we

Perspectives

Your Church

Your Convention

April 2009 BaptistLIFEonline... Page 7

launched publicly this past Septem-ber. We continue to be humbled by the many new faces God brings our way. Though we are obviously open to anyone connecting to The Village, we have specifically been focused on leading our generation into a thriv-ing relationship with Jesus.

Even as many have joined our community, we have also experi-enced a few who have fallen away in the battle. Yet, in the midst of the often-challenging journey, there have been some practical lessons to take to heart: 1) Present the Gospel; 2) Be honest and 3) Have a mis-sional focus.

Spiritual Formation retreats offer pastors a chance to hear Gods voice By Sharon Mager

BCM/D is of-fering pastors a chance to get away and truly hear Gods voice at spiritual for-mation retreats. The goal is to discon-nect, re-center and focus on hearing God.

RENAISSANCE 516 connects students, art and faithBy Shannon Baker

On July 23-25, 2009, Lamp-lights Artists will host RENAIS-SANCE 516: The Performing and Visual Arts Conference for Students in grades 7-12 at First Church, Laurel.

A shortened version of Lamp-light Artists previous Youth Per-forming Arts Camps (YPAC), this

years RENAISSANCE 516 confer-ence features learning tracks in film (scene development), theater (im-prov/storytelling), orchestra, vocal, praise band, dance/creative move-ment, photography, and web design/new media.

Joel Goddard, worship pastor at First Church in Bethlehem, Ga., will serve as conference pastor.

This years theme focuses on the art of storytelling.

CentrePointe Counseling - School Anxiety

Dear Counselor,We have a daughter in the

fourth grade who has always been a good student. However, recently she has had repeated absences due to illnesses that seem to disappear by mid-morning when she stays home from school. Perplexed Parent

Dear Perplexed Parent,Your daughter may be suffering

from School Anxiety, a problem that is not a psychiatric disorder, but affects about five percent of school-aged children. Tom Rodgerson

Takin out the trash in Jesus nameBy Sharon Mager

Kids at the University of Delaware are taking out the trash

in an effort to build relationships. Blake Hardcastle shares how campus ministry at the college has evolved over the past 13 years.

First, Laurel, hosts Worship Together Live event, March 20By Shannon Baker

First, Laurel, is bringing in the nations top worship leaders for an all day training event created specifically for worship leaders, worship team members and worship enthusiasts followed by a special celebration concert on Friday, March 20.

Childrens Ministry Day allows children to shine By Shannon Baker

Organized by the national WMU, Childrens Ministry Day encourages childrens groups in

churches to actively serve in their communi-ties for a one-day, concerted effort to minister and witness together. The ef-

fort also helps children understand the needs of others and grow in their ability to minister to others as Christ did; and to impact the lives of children, leaders, parents, and recipients of ministry across North America with Gods love.

Church 2.0 harnesses technology to share the GospelBy Shannon Baker

Could it be that todays blogs, Twitter, Facebook, iPods, Skype, YouTube, and Flickr ... are the

stained-glass windows of yester-year?

Throughout history, the stained-glass windows found in churches and cathedrals told the story of the Gospel, using elaborate art and decoration. But todays tools are much different. Are they effective?

Greg Atkinson believes they are.Director of technical arts at

Bent Tree Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, Atkinson believes that there is a shift in the way the Church looks, functions and minis-ters to the world.

Fireproof actress praises God for churchs outreachBy Shannon Baker

Erin Bethea, the actress who portrayed Catherine Holt, the wife of Kirk Camerons character Capt. Caleb Holt, in the nationally ac-claimed movie, Fireproof, is a pas-

tors daughter. In fact, she

is the daughter of Michael Catt, senior pastor of Sherwood Church in Al-bany, Ga..and one of the execu-tive producers of the 2008 film, which garnered

national attention as the No. 1 inde-pendent film in theaters last year.

A must readTodd Starnes bookThey Popped My Hood and Found Gravy on the DipstickBy Joni Hannigan, Managing Editor of Florida Baptist Witness

Readers will experience a roller-coaster of emotions while Todd Starnes delivers truisms that take them from the family dinner table to the streets of New York. Avoiding slap-stick humor in exchange for truth, which can be stranger than fiction, Starnes takes those, who wont be able to put down the book, with him on a vivid journey where he reaches to the bottom of his soul for answers. And when he comes up chuckling through it all, readers, both through smiles and tears, will have connected in a profound way with a storyteller who has found his voice.

Your World

Page 8 Your Convention... April 2009

CP BCM/D CP BCM/D CP BCM/D CP BCM/DArundel Association Abundant Life Korean 660.00 0.00 Broadneck 0.00 0.00 Centerpoint, Annapolis 150.00 0.00 Christs Community 500.00 0.00 College Parkway 17,531.61 2,664.35 Crossroads 0.00 0.00 Elvaton 10,893.52 0.00 Emmanuel, Gambrills 8,937.04 0.00 Faith, Glen Burnie 128,238.71 0.00 FBC, Crofton 21,628.94 1,111.32 FBC, Eastport 1,497.00 0.00 FBC, Edgewater 2,746.24 0.00 FBC, Kent Island 6,625.42 0.00 FBC, Shady Side 100.00 0.00 Glen Burnie 101,956.88 0.00 Grace Mill, Hanover 300.00 0.00 Grace, Sunset Beach 28,243.23 0.00 Heritage 500.00 0.00 Iglesia El Camino 104.23 0.00 Iglesia Hispana Nueva Esperanza 937.23 0.00Jessup 16,802.26 0.00 Lake Shore 2,880.00 2,503.47 Living Water Comm. 2,225.00 0.00 MD Central Korean 1,000.00 0.00 New Beginnings Church & Ministries 75.00 0.00 New Hope Community 8,656.17 0.00 North Arundel 6,136.08 0.00 North Glen 1,861.67 0.00 Riva Trace 9,258.29 0.00 Severn Korean 550.00 50.00 Severna Park 17,755.31 0.00 South Shore 31,088.72 0.00 The Bridge 9,256.52 0.00 The Church at Severn Run 26,909.50 0.00 The Journey Church 1,385.40 0.00 The Life 0.00 0.00 Weems Creek 47,730.71 0.00 Total CP Arundel 515,120.68 6,329.14 Baltimore Association Arbutus 0.00 0.00 Beacon 100.00 0.00 Bethlehem 200.00 0.00 Brantly 3,000.00 0.00 Calvary, Towson 250.00 0.00 Canton 2,037.83 0.00 Catonsville 5,043.55 0.00 Chestnut Ridge 2,600.00 0.00 Cockeysville 504.00 0.00 Colgate 282.32 0.00 Colonial 51,360.96 0.00 Cristos 150.00 0.00 Crossroads 2007 0.00 0.00 Crossway International 0.00 0.00 Edgemere 1,164.40 0.00 Emanuel Baptist Church 0.00 0.00 Faith International Bible 0.00 0.00 FBC, Brooklyn 9,394.63 0.00 FBC, Dundalk 7,986.00 10,594.00 FBC, Essex 4,253.84 0.00 FBC, Gray Manor 0.00 0.00 FBC, Lansdowne 3,000.65 0.00 Forest Park 0.00 0.00 Gallery Church of Baltimore 750.00 0.00

Garden Community, Baltimore 100.00 0.00 Gethsemane Bible 250.00 0.00 Grace Life Stepping Stone 700.00 0.00 Grace Life, Baltimore 1,250.00 0.00 Grace Life, The Light 2,250.00 0.00 Graceway 750.00 0.00 Hampden 3,504.00 0.00 Harbor Heights 0.00 0.00 Hazelwood 10,221.62 0.00 Horizon Church of Towson 0.00 0.00 Iglesia Bautista de Middle River 184.18 0.00 Iglesia Bautista de Patterson Park 390.00 0.00 Iglesia Cristiana de Armistead Gardens 156.74 0.00 Immanuel, Baltimore 9,571.54 0.00 Joppa Road 2,766.63 0.00 Lee Street Memorial 200.00 20.00 Loch Raven 2,145.00 0.00 Long Green 24,967.40 0.00 Mars Hill 7,560.38 0.00 Middle River 30,422.98 0.00 Nepal, Baltimore 1,585.95 0.00 New Christian Bible 1,100.00 0.00 New David 0.00 0.00 New Day 10,998.58 0.00 North Point 650.00 0.00 Northeast 0.00 0.00 Northside 7,040.63 7,365.71 Open Bible House 0.00 0.00 Parkville 26,962.56 0.00 Patterson Park 4,596.84 0.00 Peninsula 300.00 0.00 Pilgrims Way Bible 405.00 0.00 Pleasant Rock 100.00 0.00 Reisterstown 19,562.85 0.00 Riverside, Baltimore 6,850.68 0.00 SBC Global Mission, Balt. 1,274.00 0.00 Second & Fourth 1,963.91 0.00 Seventh 1,000.00 0.00 Shelbourne 3,322.50 0.00 St. Timothys 0.00 0.00 Streetlight 0.00 0.00 Tabernacle 21,530.03 0.00 Temple 10,108.40 0.00 Total Praise Fellowship 4,971.15 0.00 Valley, Lutherville 12,912.32 0.00 Vietnamese 794.00 0.00 Watersedge 9,703.06 0.00 White Marsh 7,166.75 0.00 Woodbrook 603.62 4,400.00 Woolford Memorial 2,000.04 0.00 Total CP Baltimore 346,971.52 22,379.71 Blue Ridge Association Covenant, Shepherdstown 32,000.00 0.00 Crossroads Community 5,998.42 497.63 Daybreak 2,518.49 0.00 Destiny Church 0.00 0.00 Faith, Knoxville 25,510.41 0.00 FBC, Brunswick 4,940.63 0.00 FBC, Frederick 4,982.57 7,170.71 FBC, Hagerstown 4,456.28 0.00 FBC, Thurmont 11,093.71 0.00 Fellowship, Middletown 0.00 0.00 Frederick Korean 3,600.00 0.00

Greenbrier 2,483.98 0.00 Iglesia Bautista Fuente de Vida 0.00 0.00 Maugansville 837.91 0.00 Myersville 7,087.49 0.00 New Life Community 400.00 0.00 North Star 6,619.00 0.00 Paramount 50,759.84 0.00 Pinesburg 0.00 0.00 Pleasant Valley 16,698.00 0.00 Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana de Hagerstown 0.00 0.00 Real Life Community 600.00 0.00 Rock Spring Church 0.00 0.00 Smithsburg Valley 17,793.50 0.00 South End 72,549.34 0.00 Summit Trace 1,712.56 0.00 Valley, Middletown 4,646.00 0.00 Virginia Avenue 8,445.00 0.00 Waynesboro Korean 0.00 0.00 West End 749.76 0.00 Zion of Jesus Community 0.00 0.00 Total CP Blue Ridge 286,482.89 7,668.34 Delaware Association Bethany 11,296.36 0.00 Campus Christian Church 0.00 0.00 CenterPoint Community 600.00 0.00 Community Mission 330.90 0.00 Covenant, Chestertown 405.00 0.00 Delaware Korean 1,400.00 0.00 Emmanuel Haitian 0.00 0.00 FBC, Marydel 0.00 0.00 Filipino American Christian 170.39 2,668.21 First Korean 1,300.00 200.00 First Pilgrim Haitian 0.00 0.00 First Southern 39,346.36 0.00 Friendship, Newark 7,583.73 0.00 Greensboro 70,690.15 0.00 Harrington 1,855.76 0.00 Healing Water 100.00 0.00 Hockessin 54,395.00 0.00 Iron Hill Community 1,200.00 0.00 Latter Day 750.00 0.00 Lighthouse Comm., Smyrna 345.37 0.00 London Village 1,300.00 0.00 Mission Fellowship Church 1,101.78 0.00 North Baptist 600.00 0.00 Ogletown 94,518.52 0.00 Seaside 7,745.60 0.00 Solid Rock 160.00 0.00 Total CP Delaware 297,194.92 2,868.21 Eastern Association Allen Memorial 41,888.95 0.00 Berlin FBC 467.17 0.00 Cordova 360.00 0.00 Faith Baptist Fellowship 8,000.00 0.00 FBC, Cambridge 44,252.52 0.00 FBC, Crisfield 13,544.89 0.00 FBC, Delmar 12,512.90 0.00 FBC, East New Market 1,351.90 0.00 FBC, Easton 59,953.63 0.00 FBC, Fruitland 2,336.36 0.00 FBC, Girdletree 4,093.62 0.00 FBC, Hurlock 8,007.31 0.00 FBC, Mardela Springs 3,792.99 0.00 FBC, Pocomoke City 25,730.35 0.00

FBC, Princess Anne 10,709.99 0.00 Fenwick Island 7,200.00 0.00 First Haitian, Seaford 50.00 0.00 Gathering Tree 2,784.64 0.00 Goodwill 4,853.01 0.00 Grace, Seaford 10,231.56 0.00 Harvest 10,639.97 0.00 High Tide Mission 15,743.40 0.00 Immanuel, Salisbury 47,131.50 0.00 Laurel 1,198.21 0.00 Lynnhaven 43,781.31 0.00 Marion 0.00 0.00 New Bridge 0.00 0.00 Nuevo Amanecer 844.88 0.00 Oak Ridge 70,082.95 0.00 Ocean City 15,742.10 0.00 Pitts Creek 1,326.07 391.44 Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana de Cambridge 1,255.39 0.00 Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana, Seaford 0.00 0.00 Rehoboth 0.00 0.00 SonRise Church 2,966.91 0.00 Soul Discovery 7,893.05 0.00 Spence 20,552.42 0.00 Templo Bautista para todes as Nacoes 1,805.10 0.00 World Mission 1,200.00 0.00 Total CP Eastern 504,285.05 391.44 Mid-Maryland Association Antioch Korean 420.00 0.00 Bethany Lane 5,200.00 0.00 Bethel 47,769.03 0.00 Church of New Nations 0.00 0.00 Church of the Wonderful Light 660.00 0.00 Columbia Fellowship 500.00 2,955.28 Columbia Chinese 800.00 0.00 Cornerstone 700.00 0.00 Covenant Korean 300.00 0.00 Covenant, Ellicott City 31,139.60 0.00 CrossLife Community 3,889.15 0.00 Elders 68,968.00 0.00 Elkridge 7,640.92 0.00 Faith Family, Finksburg 17,235.00 0.00 Faith Renewal 114.14 0.00 FBC, Savage 7,368.70 0.00 Forest 381.00 0.00 Fountain Community 600.00 0.00 Friendship 89,511.05 0.00 Gethsemane 43,893.02 0.00 Gethsemane Korean 1,800.00 0.00 Gunpowder 30,135.00 0.00 Hampstead 200.00 0.00 Hanover Fellowship Church 2,077.44 0.00 Hope 29,847.09 0.00 Hope Fellowship, Greenbelt 2,356.13 0.00 Horizon 0.00 1,200.00 Hosanna Korean 1,320.00 0.00 Iglesia Cristiana de Columbia 3,488.56 0.00 Iglesia Hispana de Reisterstown 168.65 0.00 Laurel 1,700.00 0.00 Liberty 15,746.80 0.00 Linthicum 15,609.65 0.00 Manchester 4,200.00 0.00

Churches giving to the Cooperative Program and BCM/D in 2008

April 2009 Your Convention... Page 9

Mason Dixon 12,060.00 0.00 Metanoia Church 2,393.16 0.00 Mount Airy 26,654.15 0.00 Nadulmok Community 1,785.00 0.00 Northwest 37,506.00 0.00 Open Korean 300.00 0.00 Rolling Hills 4,320.00 0.00 South Columbia 84,440.00 0.00 Tamil Christian 100.00 0.00 Taneytown 21,210.10 0.00 The Village 3,700.00 0.00 Tri-County 4,000.00 0.00 Tyrannus Korean 12,000.00 0.00 Westminster 65,819.53 0.00 Total CP Mid-Maryland 712,026.87 4,155.28 Montgomery Association Agape BC of Washngton 500.00 0.00 Ashton 20,895.47 0.00 Barnesville 21,412.79 0.00 Burtonsville 12,000.00 0.00 Calverton 1,849.27 0.00 Christian 0.00 0.00 Colesville 5,574.00 0.00 Crossroads Mont. County 0.00 0.00 Disciples Fellowship Intl 2,200.00 0.00 Eglise Baptiste du Calvaire 500.00 0.00 Ebenezer Church, SBC 0.00 0.00 FBC, Damascus 5,309.85 0.00 FBC, Rockville 62,243.70 0.00 First Hispanic, Adelphi 0.00 0.00 Georgia Avenue 14,984.90 499.00 Germantown 31,945.00 0.00 Glen Echo 0.00 0.00 Global Mission 66,000.00 0.00 Glory Korean 200.00 0.00 Greenridge 140,602.00 0.00 Hoi Tranh 2,692.00 0.00 Iglesia Bautista Alpha Y Omega 75.00 0.00 Iglesia Bautista Emmanuel 825.00 0.00 Iglesia Bautista Hispana de Gaithersburg 300.00 0.00 Iglesia Bautista Hispana de Rockville 0.00 0.00 Iglesia Bautista Comunidad de Fe 2,637.63 0.00 Iglesia Bautista de Washington 200.00 0.00 Kensington 921.82 0.00 Korean of Washington 0.00 0.00 Liberty Korean 0.00 0.00 Maryland Chinese Mission 0.00 0.00 Montgomery Chinese 2,400.00 0.00 Montrose 500.00 0.00 MorningStar Community 0.00 0.00 New Life Korean 450.00 0.00 Olney 13,629.06 0.00 Parker Memorial 0.00 0.00 Phillippine Intl 2,600.00 0.00 Poolesville 200.00 0.00 Redland 21,173.02 0.00 Seven Locks 1,500.00 0.00 Sizang Burmese Mission 3,380.39 0.00 Together 165.00 0.00 Travilah 3,912.00 0.00 Upper Seneca 7,686.68 0.00 Viers Mill 12,852.96 0.00 Viers Mill Spanish 500.00 0.00 Wheaton Woods 0.00 0.00

Wildwood 5,950.00 0.00 WorthyLife 1,500.00 0.00 Total CP Montgomery 472,267.54 499.00 Potomac Association Bayside 1,336.83 849.59 Callaway 5,436.00 0.00 Calvert/Charles County Hispanic 0.00 0.00 Christian Family 800.00 0.00 Christian Fellowship Calvert 0.00 0.00 Christian Unity 0.00 0.00 Cobb Island 483.00 0.00 Dunkirk 51,284.45 0.00 Emmanuel, Huntingtown 3,000.00 0.00 Faith Family Fellowship, Waldorf 0.00 0.00 FBC, La Plata 22,124.96 0.00 FBC, St. Charles 0.00 8,186.65 FBC, Waldorf 64,860.80 0.00 FBC, Welcome 874.62 0.00 Grace, Bryans Road 11,096.65 0.00 Hughesville 21,837.00 0.00 Indian Head 16,890.00 0.00 Joy Christian Fellowship 0.00 0.00 Kingdom 0.00 0.00 Leonardtown 70,267.98 0.00 Lexington Park 37,805.44 2,786.56 Lighthouse 1,200.00 0.00 Marbury 24,506.00 0.00 Maryland Point 1,328.48 0.00 Ministry of Christ in Love 2,355.76 0.00 Nanjemoy 15,815.14 805.00 Potomac Heights 44,008.69 0.00 Southern Calvert 19,403.66 0.00 The Potters Place 2,170.98 0.00 Trinity 6,276.60 0.00 Waldorf Korean Baptist 80.00 0.00 White Plains 22,107.56 0.00 Total CP Potomac 447,350.60 12,627.80 Prince Georges Association Abyssinia 0.00 0.00 Atlantic Street 0.00 0.00 Belair 0.00 0.00 Berean 0.00 0.00 Berwyn 3,002.94 0.00 Bowie Holy Spirit 0.00 0.00 Calvary, Upper Marlboro 500.00 0.00 Cedar 100.00 125.00 Cedron Brook 50.00 0.00 Central 60.00 0.00 Christ Creative 100.00 0.00 Church of Great Commission 0.00 0.00 Clinton 0.00 0.00 Clinton Korean 250.00 0.00 Cornerstone Peaceful 0.00 0.00 Cresthill 5,139.87 7,709.81 El Bethel 1,500.00 0.00 Emmanuel, Laurel 18,750.00 0.00 Expectation Bible 0.00 0.00 Faith Community 0.00 0.00 Faith, Laurel 5,000.00 0.00 FBC, Beltsville 3,902.00 0.00 FBC, Capitol Heights 3,000.00 1,500.00 FBC, Laurel 45,169.30 0.00 FBC, Mount Ranier 7,894.15 0.00 FBC, Suitland 32,066.84 0.00 FBC, Temple Hills 0.00 0.00 First Vietnamese 0.00 0.00 Forestville New Redeemer 0.00 0.00

Freedom Way 0.00 0.00 Galilee 1,100.00 0.00 Glenn Dale 3,276.88 0.00 Good Shepherd 135.00 0.00 Greater Fellowship 0.00 0.00 Greater Spiritual 0.00 0.00 Greenbelt 2,400.00 0.00 Holy House Community 0.00 0.00 Iglesia Bautista Nueva Jerusalem 250.00 0.00 Infinity 2,700.00 0.00 Jesus Christ Good Shepherd 0.00 0.00 Joshua Bible 588.90 0.00 Kent 19,136.00 0.00 Kettering 27,000.00 0.00 Landover Hills 19,146.31 0.00 LeDetroit 0.00 0.00 Little David 0.00 0.00 Maryland 0.00 0.00 Maryland City 6,692.92 0.00 Meadows 0.00 0.00 Mt. Sinai 0.00 0.00 New Bible Church 600.00 0.00 New Fellowship 0.00 0.00 New Hope of PG 1,944.00 0.00 New Horizons, Landover 0.00 0.00 New Image 650.00 0.00 New Solid Rock 0.00 0.00 New Song Bible Fellowship 2,000.00 0.00 New Zion 0.00 0.00 Open Bible Deaf 0.00 0.00 Oxon Hill 3,983.00 0.00 Riverside, Oxon Hill 0.00 108.00 Sharon Bible Fellowship 0.00 0.00 St. James 750.00 0.00 St. James Inspirational 0.00 0.00 Tabernacle 0.00 0.00 Threshing Floor 0.00 0.00 Tumaini 800.00 0.00 Unity 0.00 0.00 Uplift 0.00 0.00 Victory Filipino 0.00 0.00 Victory Temple 0.00 0.00 Village 600.00 0.00 Washington Street 0.00 0.00 West Hyattsville 0.00 500.00 Whitehall 26,875.35 0.00 Total CP Prince Georges 247,113.46 9,942.81 Susquehanna Association Aberdeen Church of Md. 1,990.00 0.00 Bel Air Korean 300.00 0.00 Bel Forest 0.00 0.00 Calvary, Bel Air 89,949.31 0.00 Calvary, Rising Sun 8,559.53 45.00 Carsins Run 500.00 0.00 Church at Riverside 14,508.00 0.00 Conowingo 20,686.57 0.00 Dublin Missionary 2,373.19 0.00 Edgewood 2,050.00 0.00 Faith Southern 10,457.38 0.00 FBC, Aberdeen 8,923.00 0.00 FBC, Elkton 8,434.50 5,270.50 FBC, Havre de Grace 13,670.04 0.00 FBC, Kingsville 1,036.81 0.00 FBC, North East 20,315.57 0.00 FBC, Perryville 16,539.01 0.00 Grace Community 828.85 0.00 Maple View 5,599.37 235.00

North Harford 31,972.28 0.00 Oak Grove 289,765.17 0.00 Pathways 2,255.00 0.00 Pine Grove 36.00 0.00 Pleasant View 31,551.62 0.00 Prince of Peace 1,364.31 0.00 Real Life Church 2,000.00 0.00 Room at the Cross 30.00 30.00 Towne 35,109.63 0.00 Vision 600.00 0.00 Total CP Susquehanna 621,405.14 5,580.50 Western Association Christ Memorial 6,285.79 0.00 Cumberland Community 6,066.38 0.00 Deep Creek 5,496.30 0.00 Ebenezer Full Gospel 300.00 0.00 FBC, Cumberland 2,400.00 0.00 FBC, Keyser 1,437.00 0.00 FBC, Westernport 5,053.00 0.00 Ferndale 0.00 0.00 First English 6,541.49 0.00 Grace, Cumberland 13,697.47 0.00 Graceland 3,101.00 465.00 LaVale 9,674.92 0.00 Little Meadows 637.64 0.00 Oldtown 2,765.70 0.00 Pleasant View 10,256.54 0.00 Rush 500.00 0.00 Second 16,486.55 0.00 Stoney Run 2,324.00 0.00 Welsh Memorial 3,353.27 0.00 Total CP Western 96,377.05 465.00 BCM/D Non-Associational Alpha 0.00 0.00 Baltimore Chinese 4,800.00 0.00 CrossRoads Comm., Harford 1,344.81 851.92 Disciples Bible 50.00 50.00 Emmanuel United 0.00 0.00 FBC, Baltimore 0.00 0.00 FBC, Upper Marlboro 73,073.25 44,505.94 First Haitian Berachah 350.00 0.00 Germantown Korean 480.00 0.00 Good News Bible 0.00 0.00 Grace, Baltimore 0.00 0.00 Grace, Westminster 250.00 0.00 Hanuri Korean 0.00 0.00 Huber Memorial 0.00 0.00 Huntingdon 0.00 0.00 Ichthus Mission 0.00 0.00 Kendall 9,101.80 0.00 Life Church, SBC 40.00 0.00 Living Word Bible 500.00 0.00 Maryland Korean Church of Love 0.00 0.00 Memorial Heights 16,836.00 0.00 Merritt Park Baptist 0.00 0.00 Miracle Korean 0.00 0.00 Mt. Calvary 0.00 0.00 New Beginning Bible 160.00 0.00 New Covenant Fellowship 0.00 0.00 Onnuri Korean 0.00 0.00 Power House 100.00 0.00 Progressive First, Baltimore 650.00 0.00 United 13,349.92 0.00 University 500.00 500.00 Washington Sung Hyun 0.00 0.00 Total CP Non-Assoc. 121,585.78 45,907.86

CP BCM/D CP BCM/D CP BCM/D CP BCM/D

Page 10 Your Church... April 2009

By Randall Blackmon Pastor, Faith Fellowship,

Cambridge, Md.

Last January, while on a discov-ery mission trip to Mali, West Africa, Scott Mills and I were approached by a young boy who wel-comed us with the words, Welcome to the ends of the earth. An earlier acquaintance quipped, Youre going to the ends of the earthand a little farther.

Our church is trying to be faith-ful to our Lord Jesus command, and the churchs purpose statement; Go and make disciples of all na-tions.

Working with International Mission Board (IMB) missionaries and other Great Commission part-ners in the West African region of Timbuktu is part of fulfilling Faith Fellowships Acts 1:8 strategy.

Scott Mills, chairman of the

churchs Acts 1:8 missions group, jumped at the opportunity to lead the church to partner with IMB mis-sionaries, Brad and Sally Womble, and share the message of Christ with people who had little or no ac-cess to the gospel.

Almost two years ago, Faith Fellowship entered into a Prayer-PLUS Partnership with the IMB to pray for the gospel to penetrate the spiritual darkness of the 3.5 million, almost all Muslim Songhai people of Nigeria, one of the least evange-lized regions of the world. Through much prayer and Gods leading, the Wombles, strategy coordinators for the Songhai of West Africa, directed the outreach to take place in Mali, instead of Niger, more specifically to the villages of Gourma-Rharous and Bamba, a three-hour, desert road trip from Timbuktu.

In a place where there is no electricity and no running water, we

were privileged to be among the first to introduce people to the Source of Life and the Water of Life, Jesus Christ.

Januarys mission objectives were to prayerwalk and to distrib-ute cassette tapes of biblical stories translated in the Songhai language.

One of the most memorable miracles occurred in Rharous, a village with a population of ap-proximately 25,000 people. The day after we arrived in the village, the local solar-powered radio station began broadcasting the cassette that we distributed. The radio station was co-sponsored by the United Kingdom Islamic Relief Co-op. So, for an hour, God used that Islamic-supported station as a mouthpiece for the gospel.

The Lord knew that we wouldnt be able to visit the village of Bamba. So, He arranged to beam the gospel by radio to Bamba instead.

Though the travel was long and expensive, we planted the seed of the Word and we trust that others will be obedient to water the seed.

This trip wasnt just two men going on a safari. Faith Fellowship Church partnered with many others, including IMB and BCM/D.

We attribute the success of the mission to the Mustard Seed Prayer ministry of the church, which began shortly before we left for Africa. Many in our congregation continue to fast and pray one day each month for the salvation of the Songhai people.

Faith Fellowship is partnering with other churches in Texas and South Carolina to plan return trips to the Songhai villages.

For more information and to learn more about the efforts of sharing the gospel with the Song-hai, visit the web at www.seek-ingthesonghai.net.

To the ends of the earth and beyond

By Fernando and Marcella Mangieri and Sharon Mager,BCM/D Staff Correspondent

SILVER SPRING, Md.Three-year-old Joel Mangieri clings tightly to his father. His eyes follow when his daddy gets up from the table. He doesnt want him too far away. Little Joel doesnt really understand the trauma his family faced. He only knows he had to move to a foreign country and had to leave his father.

Until Sept. 29, 2008, we were living a very comfortable life in Juarez, Mexico. I was serving in a church as the pastor, teaching in the seminary, coordinating mission trips and leading two church plant-ing groups. My wife took care of our home and we were enjoying our two kids and our own house, bought with effort and provision from God, Fer-nando Mangieri said.

The terror began when I an-swered the phone. When I hung up, our lives had changed forever, Mangieri sadly recalls. The caller, suspected to be a member of a group known as Zetas, demanded $20,000 within 48 hours.

They said they would come to

our house in 30 minutes. I could either give them a first down pay-ment or one of my children. I hung up and trembling, I tried to explain to my wife what was unexplainable, he said.

Marcela, Fernandos wife, knew it wasnt a joke. Her uncle had been kidnapped for ransom. An-other uncle was shot in the leg. She quickly picked up their one-year-old baby girl, Sarai, and little Joel and the family immediately left to stay with a cousin who lived in a secure area. They contacted local officials but werent taken seriously. Fer-nando and Marcella then went to the United States Consulate. Marcella was born in El Paso and was a U.S. citizen. Consulate officials suggested Marcella and the kids go to El Paso, but said they were not able to help Fernando.

After leaving the Consulate those were days of fear, tension, confusion and feeling powerless, Fernando said.

The family went to various friends homes to stay at nights.

Our children were confused. They couldnt understand why we could not go back home, he said.

Finally, Fernando said good-bye to his family as he watched them leave to go to Texas.

The people from my church were my only support, he said. Fernando pastored a local Baptist church that his brother, Guillermo Mangier, now pastor of Iglesia de Bautista de Washington, had earlier started.

Fernando had to return to the house to look for documents. Several church members went with him. While Fernando entered the house, his friends waited, hidden. After a few minutes, a truck with no tags came and began circling the house, slowing down in front and looking for movement inside. Those wait-ing called Fernando who ran out of the house. He and his friends left in three different vehicles. The truck chased one of the cars, but not the one Fernando was in.

Our church was praying con-tinuously. I was also told that there were people praying for us in Mexico, United States, Argentina, Spain, Uruguay and other countries. Know-ing this refreshed my heart and brought peace in the storm, Fer-nando said.

Meanwhile, Guillermo Mangier

contacted Texas U.S. Senator, John Cornyn, who helped expedite getting Fernando out of Mexico.

On Thursday, Oct. 17, I received a Visa. That same night I crossed the international bridge and reunited with my family. There are no words to describe the feeling of seeing my (then) two-year-old boy as he ran to me. All we could do was to hug each other, cry together and thank God for freeing us from death.

The couple came to Maryland to stay with Fernandos parents and felt this is where God wanted them to stay. They are now finishing BCM/Ds church planting assessment and hope to start a Hispanic church in Annapolis.

Marcella said after they left, four other Baptist pastors were threatened. One, in Tijuana, was kidnapped and tortured.

The couple acknowledges that leaving their home and church fam-ily was extremely difficult and that theyre all still trying to adjust. But they believe God allowed all of it to happen for His purpose.

We know God did this. That is what keeps us in peace, Marcela said.

Terror in Mexico used by God for His purposes

April 2009 Cooperative Program... Page 11

By Tom Stolle,BCM/D Chief Financial Officer and Missionary for Ministers

Compensation/Church Treasurers/Stewardship

As I am writing these words, I am taking note of the following news items: The U.S. Census Bu-

reau reports new home sales declined in January 2009 to their lowest level since the Census Bureau began tracking this back in 1963.

The DOW and the S&P 500 have fallen to their lowest level in approximately twelve years.

Weekly jobless claims have risen to a 26-year high.

While the facts and many of the other continuous flood of the financial doom and gloom news reports that we seem to hear constantly certainly weigh heavy on us, believe it or not I actually have some good news:

Unlike the economy, our God is unchanging.

Arent you glad that God does not suspend his faithfulness or his promises based on current global economic indicators? The Bible says in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

I have more good news! The Bible states the following in Phil. 4:19

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

In these tough financial times, I believe we as Christians need to examine our hearts, asking ourselves a question: If I really trust God,

shouldnt I be confident that He will meet my needs?

Concerning God, there is no eco-nomic depression, no plunging stock values, no massive job losses and no failing banks. God still owns it all and is in control.

Consider this: perhaps instead of responding to this economy by pulling back on giving perhaps we should demonstrate our trust in God and belief in His word by GIVING MORE! Sounds crazy? Maybe, but

consider these verses from Gods Word:

Ecc. 5:10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never sat-isfied with his income. This too is meaningless.

Matt. 6:24 No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Mark 12:41-44 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their mon-ey into the temple trea-sury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only

a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in ev-erythingall she had to live on.

In this issue of BaptistLIFE, the 2008 total year giving figures for Cooperative Program and BCM/D Cooperative Gifts are published by church for your reference. If your

church has not partici-pated in giving through the Cooperative Program, I encourage your church to consider giving in this manner. If your church does give through the Cooperative Program, I encourage you to continue practicing biblical giving through the Cooperative Program. I also want to thank you for partnering with us to share the Good News of Jesus to the world!

I believe that the Cooperative Program is the single most effective method for missions giving!

Did you know that Coopera-tive Program giving supports vari-ous evangelism efforts, new church starts, missions education, domestic and foreign missionaries, train-ing future leaders through Baptist seminaries, and many other Christ-centered causes?

Enclosed in this issue of Bap-tistLIFE, you will find an insert highlighting some of the many ways that your generous giving through Cooperative Program impacts Mary-land, Delaware and the world.

Our God is still doing great and mighty things! I look forward to see-ing the wonderful things that God will do in 2009.

Our God is in control

By Conrad Burch

COLUMBIA, Md.In the cur-rent economic condition that find many of us looking back and saying, If only , the Baptist Founda-tion of Maryland/Delaware offers four seminars to help members of our churches to better plan for the future (listed to the right).

The seminars help Baptists to look forward to a financial future that will be a blessing to themselves, their heirs and to Gods kingdom here on earth. For additional infor-mation, please call Tom Stolle, ext. 207 or Conrad Burch, ext. 206 at 800-466-5290.

Planning for the future seminars available

Christian Estate Adults Estate planning basicswhy you need a Will; making provisionPlanning Basics for children and other dependents; planning for incapacity; and death taxes.

Ways to Make Gifts Ages 30+ Legacy giving ideas to encourage church members to taketo Your Church stewardship to a deeper level what to give, how to give, and why they should give.

A Budget/Savings Ages 18+ A plan for financial management how to save and how to Plan for Everyday Life get out of debt.

Stewardship Management Ages 18+ Explore the scriptures about putting Gods financialfrom a Biblical Perspective principles into practice.

Did

you

kno

w t

hat

in t

he

Sout

hern

Bap

tist

Con

vent

ion:

-- S

outh

ern

Bap

tists

are

the

3rd

larg

est d

isas

ter

relie

f pr

ovid

er

in th

e na

tion.

-- A

IDS

vict

ims

in A

fric

a

have

bee

n m

inis

tere

d to

sin

ce

the

1980

s.

-- O

ver

12,0

00 in

ner

city

hom

es

have

bee

n re

stor

ed s

ince

199

0.

-- 7

3 ne

w c

hurc

h st

arts

are

repo

rted

eve

ry d

ay b

y So

uthe

rn

Bap

tist m

issi

onar

ies

and

Bap

tist

part

ners

wor

ldw

ide.

-- 1

bap

tism

eve

ry 3

8 se

cond

s

is c

eleb

rate

d (t

hat i

s a

836,

898

wor

ldw

ide

annu

al to

tal)

.

Sour

ce: S

outh

ern

Bap

tist C

onve

ntio

n

HOW

YOUR 2

008

COOPE

RATI

VE

PROGRAM

DOLL

ARS

CHANGED

LIV

ES!

Thro

ugh

your

faith

ful gi

ving

to

the

Coop

erat

ive

Prog

ram t

hrou

gh t

he B

aptist

Con

vent

ion

of M

arylan

d/Delaw

are

(who

se

staf

f pr

ovid

ed s

ervice

s an

d re

sour

ces

to 8

4%

of

ou

r ch

urc

he

s withi

n th

e last

12

mon

ths), yo

u wer

e ab

le

to a

ccom

plish

muc

h fo

r God

s Ki

ngdo

m, includ

ing

the

follo

wing:

Ass

iste

d ch

urc

h p

lan

ts, includ

ing

Kore

an, Ch

ines

e, H

ispa

nic, A

nglo, an

d Bh

utan

ese

chur

ches

! W

orke

d with

seve

ral lang

uage

minisry

gro

ups, inc

ludi

ng

Chines

e, D

eaf, a

nd K

orea

n an

d he

ld a

Hispa

nic

past

or r

etre

at a

nd a

Lea

ders

hip

retr

eat; t

he B

CM/D

also

spon

sore

d a

Lang

uage

Mus

ic C

eleb

ration

at

Globa

l M

ission

Chu

rch,

whi

ch h

ighl

ight

ed 1

1 lang

uage

gro

ups;

Esta

blishe

d a

new w

ork

at M

orga

n St

ate

Unive

rsity, w

here

fou

r st

uden

ts a

re

going

to B

razi

l as

sum

mer

mission

arie

s; a

nd m

iniste

red

to stu

dent

s on

21

of

54

ca

mp

use

s ac

ross

Mar

ylan

d an

d Delaw

are;

40

fa

mil

ies

part

icipat

ed in

this p

ast

summer

s W

MU-s

pons

ored

Fam

ilyFE

ST

in B

altimor

e; m

any

othe

r fa

milies

hav

e be

en t

ouch

ed b

y Em

brac

e Ba

ltim

ore;

4 t

eams

wen

t to

Chi

na las

t ye

ar (19

peo

ple

tota

l) t

hrou

gh B

CM/D

s Pa

rtne

rshi

p M

ission

s;

also

, se

vera

l BC

M/D

chu

rche

s ha

ve e

stab

lishe

d pa

rtne

rshi

ps w

ith

Kent

ucky

Bap

tist

ch

urch

es a

nd e

ven

mor

e ch

urch

es s

ent

mission

tea

ms

to K

entu

cky

last

yea

r.

1,2

00

stu

dent

s pa

rticipat

ed a

nd 1

10

mad

e de

cision

s fo

r Ch

rist

at

Unc

hart

ed, last

yea

rs Y

outh

Eva

ngelism C

onfe

renc

e; 16

chur

ches

(6

00

kid

s an

d th

eir

families

) pa

rticipat

ed in

wee

k-long

sum

mer

Chi

ldre

ns A

rts

Camps

(All

Abou

t Ki

ds P

rodu

ctions

) co

-spo

nsor

ed b

y th

e BC

M/D

and

Lam

plig

ht A

rtists

;

10

3 b

oys

wer

e di

sciple

d at

thi

s ye

ars

Boys

Cam

p in A

ugus

t;

13

0 B

CM/D

e-q

uip.ne

t on

-dem

and

trai

ning

vid

eos

wer

e film

ed w

ith

over

3,0

00

vie

win

gs.

BCM

/D p

rovide

d

cont

inuing

edu

cation

for

pas

tors

and

lea

ders

; tr

aine

d ov

er 3

00

sm

all g

rou

p l

ea

de

rs; pr

ovid

ed tax

trai

ning

in

multiple

lang

uage

s fo

r 1

00

pa

sto

rs; tr

aine

d 1

,50

0 V

BS lea

ders

; an

d pr

ovid

ed s

uppo

rt f

or

ministe

rs, th

eir

wives

and

fam

ilies

as

wel

l as

lon

g-te

rm c

oach

ing;

Prov

ided

sch

olar

ships

to 1

2 s

em

ina

ria

ns

and

six

colle

ge s

cholar

ships

thro

ugh

WMU t

o pa

stor

s an

d pa

stor

s k

ids; a

nd s

uppo

rted

the

olog

ical

edu

cation

thr

ough

the

six

SB

C se

minar

ies.

Last

yea

r, s

ix t

rained

disas

ter

relie

f te

ams

wer

e de

ploy

ed in

resp

onse

to

Hur

rica

ne I

ke:

one

team

ser

ved

as p

art

of a

meg

a-kitc

hen

site

in

Gal

vest

on, Te

xas, t

hat

prep

ared

ove

r

50

0,0

00

me

als

in

two

wee

ks w

hile o

ther

s di

d mud

out

wor

k in h

omes

along

th

e Gul

f or

ope

rate

d a

mob

ile lau

ndry

unit. A

cha

insa

w tea

m r

espo

nded

to

torn

ados

in

Kent

ucky

and

25

Kore

an p

asto

rs w

ere

traine

d in D

isas

ter

Relief.

Ministe

red

to 2

,58

5 i

nte

rnati

on

al st

ud

en

ts in

Oce

an C

ity, M

d.,

(rep

rese

nting

31 c

ount

ries

, includ

ing

Kaza

khstan

, Ye

men

and

Tur

key)

. 1

,72

3

ch

ild

ren

wer

e ministe

red

to t

hrou

gh t

he S

urf

and

Sand

Clubs

sum

mer

out

reac

h in

Oce

an C

ity;

1,8

60 a

dults

atte

nded

cam

pgro

und

wor

ship; an

d 13

dec

isions

for

Chr

ist

wer

e re

cord

ed!

Addition

ally, BC

M/D

hel

d St

ewar

dshi

p Se

minar

s; p

rodu

ced

30

Po

d-c

ast

s, f

ull of

tra

ining

and

Q&A; tr

aine

d 1

55

chu

rch

lead

ers

thro

ugh

Hor

izon

s tr

aining

ret

reat

; pr

ovid

ed C

onflict

Inte

rven

tion

for

chu

rche

s;

prov

ided

gui

delin

es f

or int

erna

l au

dits

and

estab

lishi

ng b

usines

s an

d

acco

unting

con

trol

s fo

r ch

urch

es; an

d of

fere

d fr

ee

su

bsc

rip

tio

ns

to B

aptist

LIFE

to

all ch

urch

mem

bers

.

In t

he S

outh

ern

Bapt

ist

Conv

ention

, yo

ur C

oope

rative

Pro

gram

dollars

supp

ort 5

,61

1 N

AM

B m

issi

on

ari

es

(as

of D

ec. 20

08);

(Nor

th A

mer

ican

Mission

Boa

rd p

rovide

d fu

nding

for

32 m

ission

arie

s an

d

22 c

hurc

h plan

ters

ser

ving

in

Mar

ylan

d/Delaw

are)

; an

d 5

,36

3 I

MB

m

issi

on

ari

es

(as

of J

an. 09

).

Did

you

kno

w t

hat

in t

he

Sout

hern

Bap

tist

Con

vent

ion:

-- S

outh

ern

Bap

tists

are

the

3rd

larg

est d

isas

ter

relie

f pr

ovid

er

in th

e na

tion.

-- A

IDS

vict

ims

in A

fric

a

have

bee

n m

inis

tere

d to

sin

ce

the

1980

s.

-- O

ver

12,0

00 in

ner

city

hom

es

have

bee

n re

stor

ed s

ince

199

0.

-- 7

3 ne

w c

hurc

h st

arts

are

repo

rted

eve

ry d

ay b

y So

uthe

rn

Bap

tist m

issi

onar

ies

and

Bap

tist

part

ners

wor

ldw

ide.

-- 1

bap

tism

eve

ry 3

8 se

cond

s

is c

eleb

rate

d (t

hat i

s a

836,

898

wor

ldw

ide

annu

al to

tal)

.

Sour

ce: S

outh

ern

Bap

tist C

onve

ntio

n

HOW

YOUR 2

008

COOPE

RATI

VE

PROGRAM

DOLL

ARS

CHANGED

LIV

ES!

Thro

ugh

your

faith

ful gi

ving

to

the

Coop

erat

ive

Prog

ram t

hrou

gh t

he B

aptist

Con

vent

ion

of M

arylan

d/Delaw

are

(who

se

staf

f pr

ovid

ed s

ervice

s an

d re

sour

ces

to 8

4%

of

ou

r ch

urc

he

s withi

n th

e last

12

mon

ths), yo

u wer

e ab

le

to a

ccom

plish

muc

h fo

r God

s Ki

ngdo

m, includ

ing

the

follo

wing:

Ass

iste

d ch

urc

h p

lan

ts, includ

ing

Kore

an, Ch

ines

e, H

ispa

nic, A

nglo, an

d Bh

utan

ese

chur

ches

! W

orke

d with

seve

ral lang

uage

minisry

gro

ups, inc

ludi

ng

Chines

e, D

eaf, a

nd K

orea

n an

d he

ld a

Hispa

nic

past

or r

etre

at a

nd a

Lea

ders

hip

retr

eat; t

he B

CM/D

also

spon

sore

d a

Lang

uage

Mus

ic C

eleb

ration

at

Globa

l M

ission

Chu

rch,

whi

ch h

ighl

ight

ed 1

1 lang

uage

gro

ups;

Esta

blishe

d a

new w

ork

at M

orga

n St

ate

Unive

rsity, w

here

fou

r st

uden

ts a

re

going

to B

razi

l as

sum

mer

mission

arie

s; a

nd m

iniste

red

to stu

dent

s on

21

of

54

ca

mp

use

s ac

ross

Mar

ylan

d an

d Delaw

are;

40

fa

mil

ies

part

icipat

ed in

this p

ast

summer

s W

MU-s

pons

ored

Fam

ilyFE

ST

in B

altimor

e; m

any

othe

r fa

milies

hav

e be

en t

ouch

ed b

y Em

brac

e Ba

ltim

ore;

4 t

eams

wen

t to

Chi

na las

t ye

ar (19

peo

ple

tota

l) t

hrou

gh B

CM/D

s Pa

rtne

rshi

p M

ission

s;

also

, se

vera

l BC

M/D

chu

rche

s ha

ve e

stab

lishe

d pa

rtne

rshi

ps w

ith

Kent

ucky

Bap

tist

ch

urch

es a

nd e

ven

mor

e ch

urch

es s

ent

mission

tea

ms

to K

entu

cky

last

yea

r.

1,2

00

stu

dent

s pa

rticipat

ed a

nd 1

10

mad

e de

cision

s fo

r Ch

rist

at

Unc

hart

ed, last

yea

rs Y

outh

Eva

ngelism C

onfe

renc

e; 16

chur

ches

(6

00

kid

s an

d th

eir

families

) pa

rticipat

ed in

wee

k-long

sum

mer

Chi

ldre

ns A

rts

Camps

(All

Abou

t Ki

ds P

rodu

ctions

) co

-spo

nsor

ed b

y th

e BC

M/D

and

Lam

plig

ht A

rtists

;

10

3 b

oys

wer

e di

sciple

d at

thi

s ye

ars

Boys

Cam

p in A

ugus

t;

13

0 B

CM/D

e-q

uip.ne

t on

-dem

and

trai

ning

vid

eos

wer

e film

ed w

ith

over

3,0

00

vie

win

gs.

BCM

/D p

rovide

d

cont

inuing

edu

cation

for

pas

tors

and

lea

ders

; tr

aine

d ov

er 3

00

sm

all g

rou

p l

ea

de

rs; pr

ovid

ed tax

trai

ning

in

multiple

lang

uage

s fo

r 1

00

pa

sto

rs; tr

aine

d 1

,50

0 V

BS lea

ders

; an

d pr

ovid

ed s

uppo

rt f

or

ministe

rs, th

eir

wives

and

fam

ilies

as

wel

l as

lon

g-te

rm c

oach

ing;

Prov

ided

sch

olar

ships

to 1

2 s

em

ina

ria

ns

and

six

colle

ge s

cholar

ships

thro

ugh

WMU t

o pa

stor

s an

d pa

stor

s k

ids; a

nd s

uppo

rted

the

olog

ical

edu

cation

thr

ough

the

six

SB

C se

minar

ies.

Last

yea

r, s

ix t

rained

disas

ter

relie

f te

ams

wer

e de

ploy

ed in

resp

onse

to

Hur

rica

ne I

ke:

one

team

ser

ved

as p

art

of a

meg

a-kitc

hen

site

in

Gal

vest

on, Te

xas, t

hat

prep

ared

ove

r

50

0,0

00

me

als

in

two

wee

ks w

hile o

ther

s di

d mud

out

wor

k in h

omes

along

th

e Gul

f or

ope

rate

d a

mob

ile lau

ndry

unit. A

cha

insa

w tea

m r

espo

nded

to

torn

ados

in

Kent

ucky

and

25

Kore

an p

asto

rs w

ere

traine

d in D

isas

ter

Relief.

Ministe

red

to 2

,58

5 i

nte

rnati

on

al st

ud

en

ts in

Oce

an C

ity, M

d.,

(rep

rese

nting

31 c

ount

ries

, includ

ing

Kaza

khstan

, Ye

men

and

Tur

key)

. 1

,72

3

ch

ild

ren

wer

e ministe

red

to t

hrou

gh t

he S

urf

and

Sand

Clubs

sum

mer

out

reac

h in

Oce

an C

ity;

1,8

60 a

dults

atte

nded

cam

pgro

und

wor

ship; an

d 13

dec

isions

for

Chr

ist

wer

e re

cord

ed!

Addition

ally, BC

M/D

hel

d St

ewar

dshi

p Se

minar

s; p

rodu

ced

30

Po

d-c

ast

s, f

ull of

tra

ining

and

Q&A; tr

aine

d 1

55

chu

rch

lead

ers

thro

ugh

Hor

izon

s tr

aining

ret

reat

; pr

ovid

ed C

onflict

Inte

rven

tion

for

chu

rche

s;

prov

ided

gui

delin

es f

or int

erna

l au

dits

and

estab

lishi

ng b

usines

s an

d

acco

unting

con

trol

s fo

r ch

urch

es; an

d of

fere

d fr

ee

su

bsc

rip

tio

ns

to B

aptist

LIFE

to

all ch

urch

mem

bers

.

In t

he S

outh

ern

Bapt

ist

Conv

ention

, yo

ur C

oope

rative

Pro

gram

dollars

supp

ort 5

,61

1 N

AM

B m

issi

on

ari

es

(as

of D

ec. 20

08);

(Nor

th A

mer

ican

Mission

Boa

rd p

rovide

d fu

nding

for

32 m

ission

arie

s an

d

22 c

hurc

h plan

ters

ser

ving

in

Mar

ylan

d/Delaw

are)

; an

d 5

,36

3 I

MB

m

issi

on

ari

es

(as

of J

an. 09

).

Ret

urn

on Y

our

Inve

stmen

t =

eter

nal re

war

ds

Lear

n m

ore

at w

ww

.bcm

d.or

g

Page 14 Cooperative Program... April 2009

By Sharon MagerStaff Correspondent

COLUMBIA, Md.In the February Baptist Digest, the Leadership News Journal of the Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptist Convention, Editor Timothy Boyd wrote an intriguing column about the Cooperative Program (CP).

Here is a portion of that article with Boyds permission:

Recently, I was wondering what the Southern Baptist Convention would look like in a post Cooperative Program world. The thought was scary. I could imagine two or three of our seminaries going out of business. I could imagine the North American Mission Board and the In-ternational Mission Board combining to make the best use of severely decreased resources.

What would a Southern Baptist Convention without the Cooperative Pro-gram be? One thing is for sure. It would be much weaker. Some might ask, How do you know? I know because that is what the Conven-tion was like before the Cooperative Program. All of our agencies struggled. Churches were constantly harassed by agents seeking funds. All in all, it just did not work well.

There are days when I believe that we are heading toward the end of the Cooperative Program. I hope it doesnt happen, but I know that the trends show a continuing decrease of support by churches. It may not happen while I am still active in ministry, but those who are just beginning their ministries may have to face that reality.

Imagine a pastor getting really sleepy at a church business meeting and stepping out for a few minutes to take a walk in the woods behind the church. He falls asleep in a re-mote area and no one can find him. He does a Rip Van Winkle sleep for 20 years. His congregation has moved on, calling another pastor. When Pastor Rip wakes up, amaz-ingly the church is without a pas-tor again so he steps back in. The church is amazed and thrilled.

What Rip doesnt realize is that a lot has happened since he fell asleep. While counseling a youth who feels called to the ministry, Rip enthusiastically encourages him to attend Rips alma mater, a Southern Baptist seminary near and dear to his heart. But when he calls, he finds that it closed many years ago. In fact, he finds there is only one seminary operating and the tuition is very high. He makes

a call to the North American Mis-sion Board (NAMB) to realize its now NAIMBthat NAMB and the International Mission Board (IMB) joined together to send out a fraction of the missionaries they once did. Rip frantically seeks information on Centrifuge, disaster relief, and the RA and GA curriculumits all gone! The state newspaper is gone. He reads Baptist Press and realizes the reason for the sad shrinking of resources is due to a drastic reduc-

tion in CP giving. In fact, the re-ports say CP is dying. Missionaries have had to leave the mission field; baptisms are at an all time low. The energy of new church planting has gone. Rip wants to go back to sleep.

Rip realizes we dont know what we have until its gone.

While looking at all of the incredible resources CP provides, imagine an SBC world without those resources.

The reality is that CP giving is down. Tom Stolle, BCM/D chief financial officer and missionary for ministers compensation, church treasurers and stewardship, be-lieves, as Southern Baptist Con-vention (SBC) leaders across the country do, that there are many reasons. The economy is certainly one, he concedes, but theres more to it. Young pastors and planters arent always aware of the benefits of CP givingnot just the benefits to the

SBC but to the givers. They may not be seeing the faces of those being changed as a result of CP giving. Often, its just a lack of education on what CP does and how it blesses.

Stolle said many churches are taking mission trips and thats wonderful, but without CP there may not be a steady missionary presence. How much greater is the impact of someone who is stay-ing in the field making an ongoing impact on a people group?

Because of CP there are 5,363 mis-sionaries engaging 1,170 people groups in 184 nations; there are 836,898 worldwide bap-tisms annually, SBC has the third largest di-saster relief program in the country. Children of AIDS victims and kids with the disease are rocked every day and cared for by missionar-ies, supported by CP money.

While we cant always go, our CP dollars continue to be used 24 hours a day 365 days a year to reach the lost.

And everyone Southern Baptist can be part of that.

The great thing about CP is ev-erybody can be on mission, through giving, Stolle said.

What if we didnt have the Cooperative Program?

April 2009 Your World... Page 15

By Shannon BakerBCM/D National Correspondent

COLUMBIA, Md.Former presidential candidate Mike Hucka-bee will give the keynote address at an inaugural As Iron Sharpens Iron leadership training event for church leaders, to be held at The Church at Severn Run in Severn, Md., on Oct. 29.

Huckabee, who ran for the nations highest office in the past national election, is the former two-term governor of Arkansas from 1996-2006. He is the host of FOX News Huckabee and a daily ABC Radio broadcast show