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Association Updates: August 2019

By August 9, 2019August 10th, 2019No Comments

REGULAR BAPTIST MINISTRIES UPDATES

Mike Hess, GARBC National Representative
Interest continues to grow for the new National Retirement Plan and the GARBC Character Scholarship. Our association’s menu of benefits is expanding for churches that are part of the association. Look for a Baptist Bulletin podcast soon in which David Gunn, director of Regular Baptist Press, and I will be going over the proposed purpose statement presented at the 2019 GARBC Conference in June and will be sharing the thinking leading up to the proposed change.

Recently Clare Jewell and I attended a church planters conference in Wheaton, Illinois, focusing specifically on Hispanic church planters. The Latino population is one of the fastest growing in the U.S. My plan for the upcoming years is for the GARBC to be aggressively strategic in planting Hispanic churches and intentional in reaching other ethnic minorities. I believe if we’re faithful in making disciples, we will see various people groups coming to faith in the Savior.

David Gunn, Director of Regular Baptist Press
RBP is pleased to announce next year’s VBS theme: Big Fish Bay: Hooked on God’s Mercy. This exciting nautical theme features a bustling bay, piers, a lighthouse, tall ships, and coastal animals. During the lesson time, kids will embark on a journey into the life of Jonah. They’ll encounter God’s mercy and see how His compassionate heart was most fully expressed in the sacrificial death and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. Big Fish Bay is available for preorder at 2020.rbpvbs.org.

Manning Brown, Director of Regular Baptist Chaplaincy
The chaplaincy ministry is active, with applications in process for endorsement.  Recently, Regular Baptist Chaplaincy endorsed Brandon Crawford, a pastor in Michigan, to serve as a chaplain with a hospice program. I am excited to have him aboard.

My wife, Jennifer, is active in sending cards to our chaplains and their spouses who are celebrating birthdays and anniversaries. Currently I have two speaking engagements set for the fall. We always enjoy meeting with our supporting churches.

Please continue to pray for Ch. David Troyer and his family; he serves in the Army and is deployed in support of combat operations.

Clare Jewell, Director of Regular Baptist Church Planting and Director of Regular Baptist Builders Club
Regular Baptist Church Planting and Regular Baptist Builders Club are gearing up this fall, encouraging association churches to pursue revitalization of churches and development of leaders. Developing healthy churches that reach the lost, disciple believers, and develop leaders is a vital step in paving the way for church planting.

Church leaders can sign up for a free 12-month revitalization series by visiting revitalize.BaptistBuildersClub.org. I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to fully engage in the mission of God!

Chris Hindal, Director of Regular Baptist International
Praise God for Bible-believing Baptist church associations that want to cooperate in fulfilling the Great Commission. Recently associations from Myanmar and Congo submitted applications to partner with Regular Baptist International.

This month I leave for Peru to speak at a pastors’ conference. The organizers have asked me to present the international partnership for many conferees to consider.

A recent estate gift for Regular Baptist Press International is an answer to prayer. Final gifts through estate planning enable ministries to achieve goals that cannot be reached through an annual budget.

Urgent Projects:

  • Money for food during famine in Uganda
  • Land for new church in Kenya: $10,000
  • Multipurpose building for school in India: $12,000

You can lend financial support for any of these projects by donating online, by phone, or by check.

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP FOR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
Regular Baptist Ministries announces the GARBC Christian Character Scholarship, which recognizes and rewards high school seniors who show godly character and Christian service, encouraging them to enroll in a Christian college or university.

College scholarships are available for the 2020–2021 academic school year: four $2,500 scholarships, ten $1,000 scholarships, and ten $500 scholarships. Participating colleges and universities are Appalachian Bible College, Bob Jones University, Cedarville University, Clarks Summit University, Faith Baptist Bible College, Piedmont University, and Shasta Bible College. These institutions are committed to equipping students with life skills and providing them with a quality education to prepare them to serve in the local church, whether as pastors, support staff, lay leaders, or teachers.

Applications will be available in September. Find out how you can be part of this exciting new program as a donor or participant at scholarship.GARBC.org.

NATIONAL RETIREMENT PLAN NOW OPEN FOR PASTORS AND CHURCH EMPLOYEES
As a benefit to pastors and church employees in the GARBC, Regular Baptist Ministries is making available the National Retirement Plan. This 403(b) plan is one of the most tangible and personal programs our fellowship has ever offered to our churches, designed to provide world-class investments and services specifically for ministers and church employees. Key features include 100 percent personal ownership, low fees, available housing allowance designation, free transfers to and from other plans, personalized guidance, and flexibility to meet the needs of individual churches. For more information or to refer this service to colleagues, visit Retirement.

BAPTIST BULLETIN EMPHASIZES EVANGELISM
The July/August 2019 Baptist Bulletin examines issues pertaining to evangelism—particularly the need for evangelism to be theologically-rooted, as Sam Horn argues in this issue’s featured article, “The Gospel Way.”

Print

  • The Gospel Way (by Sam Horn)
  • The Attractional Quality of Beauty (by Jeff Burr)
  • The Power of Storytelling in Evangelism (by Emily Gehman)
  • Taking Prayer Seriously: The Prayer Ministry of Chaplain Pamela Russell (by Jonita Barram)
  • Ministerial Fidelity in a Sin-Cursed World (by Jeff Straub)
  • A Matter of Choice (by Flip Michaels)
  • 8 Reasons to Reject Stanley’s Irresistible (by David Mappes)

Bb+ Digital
All the content of the print magazine, plus the following articles:

  • The War Within ( by Luke Scallon)
  • Why Go to Seminary? (by Jacob Elwart)
  • Be Hopeful: The Church Does Not Rise or Fall on Christian Celebrity (by Mike Hess)
  • The Dangers of the Celebrity Pastor Syndrome (by David Gunn)
  • Rolland D. McCune: Gathered to His People (by Jeff Straub)
  • 2019 Regular Baptist Ministries Annual Report
    • Regular Baptist Churches (Mike Hess)
    • Treasurer’s Report (Mark Johnson)
    • Regular Baptist Chaplaincy (Manning Brown)
    • Regular Baptist Press (David Gunn)
    • Baptist Bulletin (David Gunn)
    • Regular Baptist Church Planting (Clare Jewell)
    • Regular Baptist Builders Club (Clare Jewell)
    • Regular Baptist International (Chris Hindal)

REGULAR BAPTIST EVENTS ACROSS THE U.S.A.
AUGUST 2019

2–4: MN ARBC young adult rally, Bass Lake Camp, Winnebago, Minnesota
6: IL–MO pastors’ fellowship, Riverside Baptist Church, Decatur, Illinois
11: Southern CARBC SING, First Baptist Church, El Monte, California
16–17: IL–MO men’s retreat, Camp Manitoumi, Lowpoint, Illinois
23–24: IARBC Revive men’s retreat,  Iowa Regular Baptist Camp, Ventura, Iowa
23–24: MN ARBC ladies’ retreat, Bass Lake Camp, Winnebago, Minnesota
27: Northeast Fellowship Sight and Sound bus trip, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
31–Sept. 2: IL–MO Labor Day weekend retreat, Camp Manitoumi, Lowpoint, Illinois
30–Sept. 2: WARBC Labor Day family camp, Camp Fairwood, Westfield, Wisconsin

SEPTEMBER 2019 EVENTS
6–7: IL–MO ladies’ retreat, Camp Manitoumi, Lowpoint, Illinois
6–7: MN ARBC men’s retreat, Bass Lake Camp, Winnebago, Minnesota
6–7: IARBC women’s retreat, Iowa Regular Baptist Camp, Ventura, Iowa
9–12: BNN Refresh Christian Workers’ Retreat, Cannon Beach, Oregon
10: DelMarVa pastors’ and wives fellowship, Cascade, Maryland
10: Grand Rapids ARBC Breakpoint meeting, Berean Baptist Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan
11: Central and Eastern MARBC interactive session, Montrose Baptist Church, Montrose, Michigan
12–14: Northern CARBC men’s retreat, Pilot Lake Camp, LaPorte, California
13–14: WARBC men’s retreat, Camp Fairwood, Westfield, Wisconsin
14: IARBC GO Conference, Community Baptist Church, Ankeny, Iowa
16: Eastern MARBC annual meeting, Caro, Michigan
17: IL–MO senior saints’ retreat, Camp Manitoumi, Lowpoint, Illinois
20–21: DelMarVa ladies’ retreat, Double Tree Resort, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
20–21: Northeast Fellowship Renew women’s conference, First Baptist Church, Johnson City, New York
27–28: WARBC ladies’ retreat, Camp Fairwood, Westfield, Wisconsin
27–28: NARBC Conference, Park Lane Baptist Church, Omaha, Nebraska
30: Garden State Fellowship ladies’ retreat, New Life Island Camp, Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania

REGULAR BAPTIST MINISTRIES
TEAM ITINERARIES
AUGUST 2019

Mike Hess
National Representative
4: Harvest New Beginnings, Oswego, Illinois
16–17: Men’s retreat, Camp Manitoumi, Low Point, Illinois
18: Faith Baptist Church, Camp Point, Illinois
23–24: Men’s retreat, Iowa Regular Baptist Camp, Ventura, Iowa
25: Faith Baptist Church, Mason City, Iowa

David Gunn
Director of Regular Baptist Press
Representing Regular Baptist Press

Manning Brown
Director of Regular Baptist Chaplaincy

Representing Chaplaincy Ministries

Chris Hindal
Director of Regular Baptist International
3–10: Pastors’ conference, Piura, Peru
18: Clear Lake Baptist Church, Lakeport, California

Clare Jewell
National Church Planting Coordinator for Regular Baptist Churches
Director of Regular Baptist Builders Club
1: ABWE North America West regional retreat, Colville, Washington
11–16: ABWE North America leadership meetings, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
23–25: Discovery Baptist Church family camp, Gig Harbor, Washington

Mark Johnson
GARBC Treasurer/Controller
Representing Regular Baptist Ministries