MINISTRY UPDATES
DAVID STROPE, Interim National Representative
February is a short month. At the end of the month I wondered, Where did those other three days go? Ministry as interim national representative brought preaching and presenting ministries in New York, Florida, Illinois, and South Carolina. I represented Regular Baptist Ministries on the campuses of Faith Baptist Bible College and Bob Jones University.
My wife, Debbie, and I enjoyed a two-week ministry trip in Florida, and the reception was as warm as the weather!
I continue to work on the publication of RBP’s first New Testament Exposition Commentary volume on the book of Matthew. The spring Baptist Bulletin is in the hopper. And many people are working on the many details for the 2023 GARBC Conference June 26–29. Philip De Courcy will do a great job expositing God’s Word.
2023 GARBC Conference: Plan to attend the 2023 GARBC Conference 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. Registration, information, and the schedule are now available at GARBC.org/conference.
Office Staff Openings: Interviews will be held this month for the roles of Regular Baptist Ministries head of operations and RBP director. Also this month, the National Representative Search Committee will announce its search process and begin receiving names of potential candidates.
The need for intercessory prayer is great. The Council of 18 meets each Thursday at noon to pray for these open positions. Please pray—as ministry couples, as church leaders, as congregations—for these needs!
My Preaching and Presenting Opportunities:
February 28–March 1: Bob Jones University chapel, BJU Seminary chapel
March 5: Fellowship Baptist Church, Des Moines, Iowa
March 9–10: Baptist Mid-Missions council meetings, Cleveland, Ohio
March 12: Grace Baptist Church, Canton, Ohio
March 14: Pastors’ fellowship, Grace Baptist Church, Canton, Ohio
March 19 (a.m.): First Baptist Church, Elyria, Ohio
March 19 (p.m.): First Regular Baptist Church, Wellington, Ohio
March 26: Calvary Baptist Church, Dysart, Iowa
Directory Update/Council of 18 Nominations: Last month, churches received two important items by snail mail and email. The first is a simplified directory update. Please reply with up-to-date information, especially including the personal email of your church’s pastor.
The second is a 2023 Council of 18 nomination form. It is vital that all churches participate in nominating men to serve on the Council of 18. Submit your nominations today. This nomination process is important for the health of our association.
In my recent preaching ministry I’ve been sharing these words of benediction with each church family: “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified by you and you by him, according to the grace of our Father and the Lord Jesus” (2 Thess. 1:11–12, ESV).
KERRY WATKINS, Director of Church Engagement
Two positions at Regular Baptist Ministries are in the process of being filled. One is head of operations/HR director. This is a new position. This person will lead the home office staff and serve as the HR director. The second position is director of Regular Baptist Press. These openings can be found at GARBC.org and indeed.com. Please pray for wisdom for the interview teams. Both positions are important leadership roles for Regular Baptist Ministries.
Please also pray as the search process for a new GARBC national representative is close to beginning. Details will be coming as this process begins. Pray that God will bring the right person to us to be the next leader of this ministry.
Online meetings for pastors and ministry leaders have resumed for 2023. We have dates scheduled through May. If you would like to better understand the purpose of the GARBC or if you have a question for David Strope, GARBC interim national representative, take part in one of these meetings. You can get scheduled into one by emailing me. The purpose of these meetings is to explain the purpose and vision of the GARBC. The meetings are about an hour long. David Strope speaks for about 30 minutes, and the rest of the time is available for you to ask questions. We purposely keep each meeting small so we can interact with participants and answer their questions.
MARK JOHNSON, Treasurer and Controller
The 2023 GARBC Conference is just around the corner: June 26–29 at Corban University in Salem, Oregon. We want you to join us for this time of refreshment, fellowship, and practical preaching and teaching.
Preview the schedule and speakers, and register by May 15 for discounted rates. We’ll have on-campus meals available and activities for whole families to enjoy. Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your faith and connect with friends new and old from across the country. Mark your calendars and join us in Salem, Oregon. We can’t wait to see you there!
CLARE JEWELL, Director of Generate
Generate’s first newsletter of 2023 will be going out soon, and another is scheduled for April. Our newsletters are important opportunities to raise awareness and funding for the grants we offer to GARBC churches. Please pray for a good response.
This month Generate will sponsor two more Church Solutions conferences: March 16 in Spring City, Pennsylvania, and March 17 in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania. Please pray for a good turnout and for pastors to follow up on what they learn so more churches focus on evangelism, disciple making, leadership development, and church planting. These two conferences will make a total of 16 conferences in 10 states in the past two years!
As far as church planting, a couple more churches are gearing up to start new works. Please pray for Bethany Baptist in Salem, Oregon, and South Holly Church in Centennial, Colorado, as they plan to launch new churches in the near future.
Itinerary
March 10–11: 24-Hour Demo, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
March 13–14: ABWE board meeting
March 16: Church Solutions Conference, Spring City, Pennsylvania
March 17: Church Solutions Conference, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania
March 18–19: Missions conference, Charity Baptist Church, Kannapolis, North Carolina
March 25: Visit Afghan team, southeast U.S.
March 26: Visit church plant, Waynesville, North Carolina
MANNING BROWN, Director of Regular Baptist Chaplaincy
The newly redesigned website for Regular Baptist Chaplaincy is now active. Applications for chaplaincy endorsement can now be done online. Visit regularbaptistchaplaincy.org to find out more about Regular Baptist Chaplaincy and how you can support this ministry or become a chaplain yourself.
Itinerary
March 5: First responders’ event, Calvary Baptist Church, Rochester, Minnesota
March 11–12: Men’s event and commissioning Pastor Michael Breznau as a captain and active duty chaplain in the U.S. Air Force, Mayfair Bible Church, Flushing, Michigan
DARRELL GOEMAAT, Coordinator of Regular Baptist International
Regular Baptist International received a year-end report from Prasad Sakile, a pastor with the New Life Regular Baptist Society, Andhra Pradesh, India. He thanks Regular Baptist International for its prayers and financial support over the years. Prasad reports that 24 people were baptized at the end of January, and in this association’s ministry to children of prisoners, 30 children accepted Christ as Savior. In addition, his association distributed 650 sets of clothes for church members and, at Christmas, 800 gifts to children.
“We praise the Lord for His provision to conduct these programs,” Prasad says. “All glory goes to Him.” Prasad asks people to pray for these newly saved individuals, as well as for door-to-door evangelism, Sunday School teacher training, and finances for a church’s construction in the Nagar Colony and a church plant in a Muslim community.
Bertin Memwa, president of the Community of Evangelical Baptist Churches of Congo, is happy to report that the rebuilding of a church in Mahanga is progressing. “We were able to get iron sheets and we have started meeting inside,” he says.
The rebuilding project was assisted by a $5,200 grant last fall from Regular Baptist International. The new facility will replace the former building, which was destroyed amid rebel fighting. “We really thank very much Regular Baptist International for this incredible support,” Bertin says. “All glory be to God, for He is our refuge and faithful provider.”
Partnering ministries of Regular Baptist International have submitted about 10 grant applications to help with various aspects of their ministries. Our desire is to fund as many of these requests as possible and as resources will allow. Please consider donating to help us support our partnering ministries.
