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July 2018 Volume LVI—Issue 7
THE MESSENGER
Ben Brags on the Savior...
What’s Inside!
Appalachian Fair Ministries - pg 3
Be an INFORMED Voter - pg 5
Bryan Smith - pg 6
Christmas in August - pg 3
Church News - pg 4
Mark Your Calendar! - pg 4
Regional Discipleship
Conference - pg 2
To Your Health - pg 5
VBS information - pg 2
Youth Revival - pg 4
Office Hours
Monday thru Friday
8:30am - 4:30pm*
423.929.1196
*On Wednesday mornings we will not be
available to answer phones due to our
weekly staff meetings
So what is “Paradigm Next”?
To me personally, it is “my hill to die on.” It is my attempt to
summarize a lifetime of observation and study of church
relationships and church health...to focus sharply on a vision
that finally, finally makes sense to me. How I pray it might
even become a legacy of sorts, something to rival the
memory of “that old guy that wrecked a motorcycle” ...something that future leaders
will look back on and call a turning point in the health, vitality, unity, and fruitfulness
of Holston churches...when we exponentially increased what we exist to BE...
“Churches Transforming Lives Together.”
To our churches and leaders, it is a paradigm of “Organic Discipleship & Leadership
Development.” It is also a paradigm to create four “mini-Associations” within Holston,
localizing every resource and every aspect of leadership within each respective county
of Holston.
It is a paradigm that makes the “program-driven, cookie-cutter conference”...extinct.
We can become our own best resources, along with all we can glean from written and
electronic tools. We can custom-design and cross-train ourselves and one another, and
we can become proficient in every leadership skill needed in any size or shape of
church within imagination.
It is a paradigm that makes two-way communication natural and automatic, and which
makes discipleship natural and automatic.
It is a paradigm that will enable our churches to share a commonality of leadership
roles, functions, and training, which also translates into a commonality of vocabulary,
partnership and fellowship...the kind of experience we
enjoyed through ordinary denominational ties in
previous generations.
BUT HOW? For today, just keep your ears, hearts, and
prayers open and focused! God is moving and
prepaing.
Did I mention, I was born for such a time as this? And
God went out of His way to keep me alive for such a
time as this!
TO BE CONTINUED... (See The Messenger, August.)
Ben Proffitt Director of Missions
Regional Discipleship Conference—August 28
Chinquapin Grove
* Reaching the Generations * Practical Helps for Leaders and Teachers
* Plenary Sessions and Breakouts on GenZ, Millennials, Busters and Boomers
Please help us welcome Claudia Gimenez-Carlson. She will be the “voice of Holston”
when you call! You can also reach her at [email protected]
Claudia and her husband, Jeremy, are new to the Tri-Cities area having moved here
from the Pacific Northwest last spring.
Vacation Bible Schools—July Dates Boones Creek - July 8th-12th 6:30-9:00pm “Game On!”
Cherry Grove - July 8th-13th 6:30-8:30pm “Game On!”
Woodlawn - July 8th-12th 6:15-8:30pm, “Hero Central”
Chinquapin Grove - July 8th-12th 6:00-8:30pm, “Time Lab”
Ninth Street - July 8th-12th 5:30-8:30pm, “Time Lab”
Pleasant Grove - July 8-10th 6:30-8:30pm “Game On!”
Volunteer - July 8-12th 6:30 - 8:30pm “Game On!”
Faith Fellowship - July 9th-12th 6:00-8:30pm “Game On!”
North J.C. - July 14th 10am-2pm at Harrison Christian Church
New Victory - July 15th-18th 6:30-8:30pm “Camp Go Mission: America”
University Parkway - July 15th – 18th 6:00-8:30pm “Galactic Starveyors”
Mount Zion - July 16th-20th 6:00-8:30pm “Game On!”
Towering Oaks - July 16th-20th 9am-12:30pm Ages 3yrs.- 5th grade “Game On!”
Antioch - July 22nd-26th Backyard Bible Club
Skyline Heights - July 22nd-27th 6:00-9:00pm “Game On!”
Timberlake - July 29th - August 1st 6:30-8:30pm “Game On!”
Grace Baptist Church, Elizabethton, TN is seeking a part-time worship ministry coordinator, approximately 20 hours per week at a rate of $255. Experience preferred, degrees welcomed and affirming the Baptist Faith & Message 2000. For a full job description and application refer to website www.elizabethtongrace.com. Accepting applications until August 1.
Mountain View Baptist Church needs part-time office help. Applicant should be proficient in MS
Office, Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram. Please send resume to
Remember to report your VBS information!
www.tnsbcworkspace.com
It’s that time of year! The Johnson City Baptist Center is in need of supplies for this year’s
celebration. School supplies such as: glue, scissors, glue sticks, markers, tape, colored pencils, and mechanical pencils. Hygiene bags: shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and
toilet paper. We also need snacks for the children and adult Bible studies, such as: Kool-Aid, CapriSun, wrapped snacks, mac/cheese, cookies, chips, crackers, peanut butter, tea, cups, plates, napkins, etc.
Jacob’s Well Booth
Needs:
volunteers to serve cold
water (call to reserve a
2-hour time slot for your
group
5-6 oz. cups to serve cold
water
Materials to use during
your time slot: puppets,
face paint, balloons to
make animal balloons, etc.
Nurses can do blood
pressure screenings.
Sign up to minister at the Appalachian Fair! -
Gray, August 20-25, 2018
Carnival Ministry
Needs: Any Sweetened Cereal (Fruit Loops, Sugar Pops, etc.)
Honey Buns
Peanut Butter
Grape Jelly
Pre-sweetened Kool-Aid in canisters
Little Debbie Cakes Snack size chips-Assorted
Bottled Water
Styrofoam Bowls, Plates and Cups (16oz. cups)
Toiletry Items
Towels, Sheets, Blankets and Wash Cloths
Pillows
Jeans, Shorts, T-shirts, Socks, Tennis Shoes, Work
Boots, Underwear, Hats, Ponchos
Black pants or shorts for work
Please contact Randy or Kay Scalf at 423-341-6239
regarding any of the following:
* Know a restaurant that would like to donate a breakfast
or lunch?
* Interested in doing a cook out?
* Need volunteers to work the clothes closet, talk with the
carnival workers, etc.
* If you have any tables for clothing we could use during
the 2 week ministry.
Thank you for helping us be the hands and feet of
Our Sweet Jesus!
Church
News
July
4 Independence Day, Office closed
16 REV Group, Clark Street, 6:00
19 Youth Ministers Fellowship, 11:30,
Buffalo St Downtown Deli,
Johnson City
August
12 Carnival Workers Ministry Begins
15– 18 Raceway Ministries
17-18 Compel, Cherry Grove
20-25 Jacob’s Well Ministry
28 Discipleship Conference, Chinquapin
Grove
Mark Your Calendar!
Welcome Raile Childress. Pastoral Intern/
Pastor’s Assistant at Faith Fellowship. Raile
started June 3. Pictured below are Raile and his
wife, Kelsey.
Welcome Jacob Newman as the new Youth
Pastor at Mountain View . His wife, Sarah, and
two daughters (and cute puppy!) are pictured
above.
TO YOUR HEALTH
There is an old expression that half the things you see your doctor about will naturally work out on their own, but nothing you see your dentist about will improve on its own! Our lives are so busy. We eat out so many meals. More and more it seems people are not taking care of their mouths. We do not brush or floss enough. We greet so many people, many of them very close in conversation and intimate prayer. Bad breath can be a hindrance to spiritual connections. Here are some very basic pointers on good oral health and its impact on your life and ministry. Tooth enamel is attacked by the acids of certain bacteria found in food plaque that builds up when we do not brush and floss regularly. When this continues gum disease begins and soon our gums have difficulty keeping our teeth in a firm position. If we do not brush our teeth within an hour or so of eating we are putting our tooth health at risk. Keep a toothbrush in your car and office. Try to get away for just a few minutes after lunch and give your teeth a good brushing. Allow some extra time in the morning to give your mouth some good treatment to start your day fresh. Avoid trusting candy and mints for fresh breath. Good oral care reduces that need. Those are a cover up when we really need to remove the decaying food! The tongue gathers and retains a lot of bacteria. Brushing the tongue is not nearly as effective as using a tongue scraper each day. These devices are shaped like a face razor, but are simply made of plastic and they scrape the bacteria from your tongue. They are so easy to use in just seconds. My dentist highly recommends the use of a WaterPik as a substitute or supplement for flossing. Both the WaterPik and flossing break up the plaque that settles between teeth and hides below the gum line. The WaterPik also stimulates gum tissue, creating a tighter grip on teeth. All of these suggestions create cleaner breath, fewer cavities, less dental expenses and better oral health. A cavity filling now costs north of $100. A crown is around $900. A tongue scraper is $2, a good soft-bristle tooth brush is around $4 and a WaterPik on Amazon cost me about $40 delivered. These are easy practices to put in place that make life so much better. Those who are in your face regularly will appreciate them. And your spouse just may drop a few more kisses your way! Best wishes, Greg Burton
Greg Burton
Pastor, Colonial Heights
BE AN INFORMED VOTER!
Over the past four years the Christian community has come to understand the importance of the Gov-
ernor's office in protecting and advancing issues important to it. The primary election for state and fed-
eral offices (governor, senator, representatives) is Aug. 2nd. All are important positions needing your
attention and vote. In the Governor's race, the Family Action Council of TN is providing a five minute
interview with each of the candidates, both Democrat and Republican. All are asked the same ques-
tions thus providing you an opportunity to gauge their responses. Here is the website: https://
tnvoterguide.org/ Please take this opportunity to acquaint yourself with the candidates.
Primary Election
Early Voting: Friday, July 13 - Saturday, July 28, 2018
Election Day: Thursday, August 2. 2018
As of this writing I am celebrating six months as the Church Health Strategist for our Holston Baptist Association. Like in any new position, ministry or secular, it takes a while to get your bearings. I believe the past six months have served me well to learn more regarding the purpose a resource like Holston
exists. It has also given me some insight into how churches view this resource. As many of you may know I was a pastor in our Association before going on staff there and I can say the view is much different based on where you are positioned! Like in any situation, be it a sporting event, a car accident, or looking at a cloud in the sky, our vantage point will greatly influence how we consider an umpire’s call, who may have been at fault in a wreck, or what image we may see in the heavens. I must say, it is a different perspective for sure - in a very good way. My love for churches and their leadership is growing exponentially. I was privileged to attend the annual Southern Baptist Convention in Dallas this past month and received a great deal of insight. One of the glaring facts I picked up on almost immediately was that personal and corporate revival and revitalization was not just an East Tennessee problem - it is across our country and Convention. I’ll have to admit a very small part of me felt better after hearing we were not the only ones, but honestly, it breaks my heart that the largest evangelical body of Christ’s work has grown complacent and replaced piety and holiness with personal preference and pride. As I am now back in East Tennessee, I am even more sold on the fact that we MUST change or die. Again, before you begin hurling rocks my way, I want each of our readers to know that this was the sentiment relayed at every meeting, conference or workshop I have attended since I came on board in January of this year. Christ must return to the center of our personal and corporate relationships. As leaders (or controllers) in the local church, we must hand the reigns back over to Him. Of course, I could stop right here because that wouldn’t be wise. We already have too many people pointing fingers at what is wrong and why they feel it is wrong - what we need are some answers and church leaders that are ready to do what is necessary to get them back to the front lines of battle. I can assure you that our Association is committed to doing whatever is necessary to assist the return of your church to spiritual and functional health. I talk about church revitalization and church health in most of my articles. We, at The Holston Baptist Association, are not above making changes if it means we can serve our churches more effectively. In closing, I want to mention two things: First, while in Dallas, I was present when the unanimous vote took place to adopt the SBCAL (Southern Baptist Convention Associational Leaders) study team report that gives associations and their leadership across Southern Baptist life the framework to propel them to the forefront of maximum effectiveness and gives us the tools to help churches effectively reach our changing world. It will assist us to be able to redefine the role of associational work for greater Kingdom success, which is the goal. Secondly, to each and every Holston Baptist Church, lets make a difference for the Kingdom of God together. As always, I and the whole staff are here to serve you. Please do not hesitate to call on us.
Bryan Smith
Church Development Specialist
