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February Pulse Ministry Updates

By January 31, 2023May 4th, 2023No Comments

MINISTRY UPDATES

DAVID STROPE, Interim National Representative

January brought a bit of rest and vacation along with much ministry. My wife, Debbie, and I spent eight days in not-so-sunny SoCal. We enjoyed the beach in Carlsbad and the sights of San Diego and were awed in our visit to the USS Midway Museum.

Ministry opportunities included preaching and presenting Regular Baptist Ministries at Emmanuel Baptist, Des Moines, Iowa; CrossRoad Baptist, Ames, Iowa; and Carlisle Baptist, Carlisle, Iowa. I also preached in both the college and seminary chapels at Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary, met with the pastoral majors at Faith Baptist Bible College, and was a guest lecturer for its Organizational Leadership department. And I again spent three days at the Regular Baptist Ministries office in Elgin, Illinois. All in all, January was a busy and good month.

National Representative Search: The GARBC National Representative Search Committee met and worked throughout the month. For the last six months, The committee, with encouragement from the GARBC Council of 18, has been performing a ministry-wide analysis of Regular Baptist Ministries. Last month the committee presented a recommendation to the council, including three major items:

  • Initiate a search for a director of Regular Baptist Press
  • Initiate a search for a new administrative position, a head of operations for Regular Baptist Ministries
  • Initiate a search for a new GARBC national representative

This means much work for the RBM staff and for the members and committees of the Council of 18. Your prayer is very much desired. The council will be communicating additional information as soon as possible and as is appropriate.

My Itinerary:

  • January 31–February 3: Refresh conference, Faith Baptist Bible College
  • February 3–5: First Baptist Church, Newark Valley, New York
  • February 9–10: RBM office, Elgin, Illinois
  • February 12: Fox Valley Baptist Church, Dundee, Illinois
  • February 17–22: Bible conference, Maranatha Baptist Church, Sebring, Florida
  • February 26: Cornerstone Baptist Church, Lakeland, Florida
  • February 28, March 1: Bob Jones University chapel, BJU Seminary chapel

My February schedule will be very busy, with many presentation and preaching opportunities. I will be squeezing in some extra time for prep and study and asking God to give fruit and encouragement through these ministries. My bride, Debbie, will be traveling with me on the Florida and South Carolina ministry trip. We will have three days in our Orlando schedule for a brief respite between engagements. Your prayer and encouragement, as always, are appreciated.

2023 GARBC Conference: The 2023 GARBC Conference will take place June 26–29 at Corban University, Salem, Oregon. Philip De Courcy, pastor of Kindred Community Church, Anaheim, California, and host of the daily media program Know the Truth, will serve as the keynote speaker. Soon the conference website will be live. Office staff is now meeting regularly to prepare for the conference.

Directory Update/Council of 18 Nominations: Soon you will receive by snail mail and email two important forms. The first is a simplified GARBC Church Directory update. Please, please reply with updated information, especially the personal emails of each pastor.

This mailing will also include a 2023 Council of 18 nomination form. Again, it is vital that all churches participate in nominating men for service on the Council of 18. Do this as soon as you receive this mailing. This nomination process is important to the health of our association.

“But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting expectantly for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life” (Jude 20–21, CSB).

KERRY WATKINS, Director of Church Engagement

Regular Baptist Ministries currently has no job openings, but we are always on the lookout for good people to help us meet future needs. If you know of people who have a passion to work in ministry and have skills in the areas of writing, editing, graphic design, business, and general office skills, please have them contact me at kwatkins@garbc.org. We would love to have their résumés on file when future needs arise.

Online meetings for pastors and other ministry leaders are starting again for 2023. We have dates scheduled for February through May. If you would you like to better understand the purpose of the GARBC or if you have a question for the interim national representative, David Strope, take part in one of these meetings. You can get scheduled for one by contacting me at kwatkins@garbc.org. The purpose of the meeting is to explain the purpose and vision of the GARBC. The meetings are about an hour long. David Strope speaks for about 20 minutes, and the rest of the time is available for you to ask questions. We purposely keep the meeting small so we can interact and answer your questions.

Thank you to each person who completed the GARBC Purpose survey that we sent in early January. The information gathered will be helpful for future planning and decision-making. We appreciate you taking the time to give us feedback.
Email Kerry

MARK JOHNSON, Treasurer and Controller

This month we will be announcing the 2023 winners of the GARBC Christian Character Scholarship. This annual program helps up to 24 qualifying high school seniors continue in their spiritual development and embark on their journey to serve in local churches and ministries.

Several schools are already committed to funding part of the scholarship, and we want to match their funds in order to make Christian education more affordable and attainable for the scholarship winners. By donating to this cause, you will not only make a difference in the lives of these students, but you’ll help create a new generation of future leaders who will use their education to serve churches and communities.

Please join us in making Christian education more affordable and attainable for these well-deserving students! Your gift will make an impact on them and their churches far into the future.

Give to the GARBC Christian Character Scholarship Fund

CLARE JEWELL, Director of Generate

Generate is working to implement its social media strategy. We will have a full load of posts starting in February.

We just received a couple of applications for residency grants. Receiving these applications is exciting, because we need more pastors and church planters in Regular Baptist churches.

We have also received grant requests from pastors who want to work with Small Church USA. This is also great news, as working with Small Church USA generally leads to better leadership and church health. Please pray that God will work through this process to help pastors lead their churches with greater effectiveness.

Itinerary

February 1–4: Afghan orientation at ABWE, Harrisburg, Pa.

February 6: Chapel at Corban University, Salem, Ore.

February 11: Church Solutions Conference, Cicero, Ind.

February 18–26: Missionary training in Thailand

Learn About Generate

MANNING BROWN, Director of Regular Baptist Chaplaincy

Several Regular Baptist chaplains retired in January, collectively representing decades of faithful ministry. Their love for the Lord and their compassionate care leave a lasting impact. We are blessed as an association to have had them serve. With their retirement, the Lord continues to raise a new generation of all ages who are stepping into their shoes to carry on the mission of chaplaincy. Please pray for those who are answering the call to serve as chaplains, and pray that Regular Baptist Chaplaincy will continue to be used by the Lord. Your prayerful financial support helps make this ministry possible. 

Donate to Regular Baptist Chaplaincy

DARRELL GOEMAAT, Coordinator of Regular Baptist International

Regular Baptist International rejoices with Berean Baptist Ministries of Manipur, India, which saw 50 children accept Christ as their Savior during Vacation Bible School in December. B. T. Pousiam, president of Berean Baptist Ministries, led VBS in two churches, using RBP’s 2008 program, Dino Detectives: Digging for God’s Truth. Serving with him were 17 volunteers who taught lessons, led music, and provided transportation. “It was a blessed time with great children,” B. T. says. “We got good response from the churches.” In the coming months, he plans to lead VBS in another church.

Sadly, Malawi has been hit hard recently with natural disasters and disease. Heavy winds destroyed Kasakula Baptist Church last month. Malawi has just begun its rainy season, which typically brings heavy winds to most of the country. The destruction of Kasakula Baptist Church “is just the beginning of the heavy winds,” says Pastor Jeremiah Haleke. “Other churches and houses will be experiencing the same very soon.” The church family is praying for finances to rebuild the church.

Also in Malawi, Francis Chipukunya of Going Home Africa Ministries is requesting prayer following an outbreak of cholera that is affecting churches in his region. The government’s ministry of health has reported nearly 23,000 cases and 750 deaths. “We have an urgent outbreak of cholera pandemic here in Malawi and the government is calling all ministries like ours support the fight against,” he says. “We would like to humbly request you and your team to pray and consider helping us to contribute to the fight against cholera.”

Partnering ministries of Regular Baptist International are already asking our office to send their embassies letters inviting these ministries to attend this summer’s GARBC Annual Conference in Oregon. Last year, many who wanted to attend were denied permission by their governments to leave or were simply unable to raise finances for travel. Please pray that the Lord will allow many of our partnering leaders to join us this summer.

Donate to Regular Baptist International