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Church Adopts, Commissions Two Missionary Families

By April 24, 2008July 16th, 2014No Comments

CEDAR SPRINGS, Mich.—April 20, 2008 was Adoption Sunday at the First Baptist Church, which both received into membership and commissioned to the mission field Bill and Natalie Taylor and Ken and Renee Dockery. The Taylors and the Dockerys had been on pre-field ministries with Continental Baptist Mission for three years when their sending church, under new pastoral leadership, abruptly terminated their relationship. John Den Boer, director of pre-field ministries at CBM, said, “I believe God has intervened to remove them [Dockerys and Taylors] from an ‘unfit home’ to bring them to a church home where they are loved, cared for, and supported to undertake the mission He has called them to fill.”

The dictionary defines adoption as “to take by choice into a relationship; to take voluntarily as one’s own.” First Baptist Church of Cedar Springs believes it has been uniquely and joyfully prepared by the Lord Jesus to voluntarily adopt into its church family these wonderful and gifted families. The Lord has providentially brought them together to partner with one another in reaching the lost for Jesus Christ.

Rev. Bill Jenkin III, president of CBM, gave the commission to the church. Mr. John Den Boer gave the commission to the Dockerys and the Taylors. Of equal importance was the welcome and embrace of the nine Taylor/Dockery children as they were officially “adopted.” The service concluded with the “laying on of hands” by the deacons and other ordained men present. Pastor Jim Howard would commend to all of our churches the ministries of the Dockerys and the Taylors as they prepare to reach out into the urban areas of Cleveland, Ohio.