JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010
Post Office Box 4884 • Spartanburg, SC 29305-4884
Phone 864-582-8330 • Fax 583-2001
E-mail: sptbgba@bellsouth.net
JANUARY is Our Month for Praying
(Before you talk to people about God, talk to God about these people.)
Ask Him for a heart for them, ways to build relationships and opportunities to talk with them.
Pray by name each day for people who need to meet Jesus. (Add names as God brings to mind.)
Prayerwalk your street or neighborhood. (Especially for those you don’t know are saved.)
Each church should prayerwalk its community. (Contact us for name at each house #.)
Each church pick a Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon. (We suggest January 16 or 17.)
Share your prayer at our Executive Team meeting. (Tues., Jan. 19 at Network Bldg., 5:30 p.m.)
FEBRUARY is Our Month for Engaging
Believers invite unchurched persons to a leisure activity they would enjoy.
Churches train members to share their testimony.
Contact us for training modules on presenting the Gospel.
Regional “GPS” Rally • Sunday, February 21 •
6 - 8 p.m. • Anderson Mill Road Baptist Church
Baptism Special Music by Church Choir Messages by Ron Barker and Marshall Fagg
State Evangelism Conference • February 22-23 • Anderson Mill Road Baptist Church
Monday 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Messages by Dave Walton and Alvin Reed
Monday afternoon Breakout Sessions
Monday 6:30 - 8:15 p.m. Messages by Frank Page and David Platt
Tuesday 10 a.m. - Noon Messages by Alvin Reid, Jay Hardwick & David Platt
Network “GPS” Luncheon • Tues., February 23 • Noon - 1:30 p.m. • Anderson Mill Road Baptist Church
Special Music Lynn Westafer (Her husband Bill is our new pastor at Cowpens First Baptist)
Message Jim Austin (Executive Director, South Carolina Baptist Convention)
***Lunch is FREE but reservations are required at Network Office by Thursday, February 18.***
NETWORK STAFF
660 Cummings Street ~ 582-8330
Dr. Jim Goodroe ......................................Director of Missions
Mrs. Julie Harris.........................Church Services Consultant
Mrs. Jayne Lambert............................Secretary/Receptionist
Rev. Paul McKee ..................Missions Ministries Consultant
Rev. Jerry Meeks .....................................Hispanic Missionary
Mrs. Claudia High ............................International Ministries
660 Cummings Street ~ 582-2564
Rev. Tracy Turner....................Collegiate Ministries Director
Mrs. Suzanne Bachelor ........Collegiate Ministries Associate
News around the Network
. Allen Elder has been called by Wellford as Associate
Pastor and Minister to Senior Adults. He began this
ministry on August 1, 2009.
. Covenant called Gwen Yelton as Minister of Music
starting November 29, 2009.
. James Blackwood began a term as Interim Pastor at
Arkwright starting November 29, 2009.
. Kermit Morris became Pastor at Fairforest on
December 20, 2009. He had been serving there as
Transitional Pastor since July 2008.
. Stephanie Vied has been called by Roebuck as their
Children’s Minister, to begin there on January 4, 2010.
CHURCHES seeking PASTORS
Arkwright, Friendship, Glendale, Mayo First, United
Christian Sympathy
Our deepest sympathy is extended to:
• Barry and Glenda Snead and their family in the November 22 death of
Glenda’s grandmother, Oris Beamer.
• Freida Crews and her family in the death of her husband Bill on
November 29. Dr. Crews was Pastor of Unity Baptist in Moore.
From the Director
The Network weathered the economic storm through April 2009, but
the ripple effects hit us in May. Since then, our support from churches has averaged $7,192 per month below last year, a 22% drop! How are we surviving? Jehovah-Jireh (Gen. 22:14) is still “the Lord who provides.” Providence comes from the olde English pre video (to see before). God’s providence
sees ahead what will happen, and has things prepared. Our budget/finance team led us to use our 2006 Evelyn Henderson Offering to fund an operating reserve, which we have never had. Since our monthly budget was $35K, the fund was built to that amount, which remained through July 2009. From August-October, we used almost half the reserve ($16K). Since such rate would have erased the reserve in 3 more months, we made major budget cuts November 1. We cancelled programs (Deacon banquet, On Mission Celebration, quarterly luncheon for new church staff, etc.) We cut personnel cost (suspended retirement contributions, cut mileage reimbursement by 20 cents/mile, halved the hours budgeted for our newest
staff member, etc.)
Our calculations for the year ending September 30 showed that numerous churches had cut the percent given, in their own belt-tightening. We have all been hurt!
Some of the crisis is God’s judgement on the U.S. for money folly (materialism, debt, greed, bad loans, etc.) and moral failure (abortion, homosexuality, violence, infidelity, etc.). We must mourn this with prayers of corporate repentance (see Neh. 1:4-11, Dan. 9:3-20).
American lifestyle is still luxurious compared to the rest of the world. God may be leveling the playing field. We may never return to the pre-crisis level of prosperity.
Can we learn to live with less? Pray for wisdom as we try to do all that is needed, as God will supply our needs (Phil. 4:19) but not necessarily our wants. We will cut expenses until they match our income. If our support returns, we will restore things on a priority basis. If not, we face hard choices as we craft our next budget to fit a revised, reduced income. God’s agenda must be ours. What He expects, He enables. Where God guides, He provides!
Please feel free to contact me via email: jgoodroe@bellsouth.net
New Resources Available
The Network Office has a media library full of books, DVD’s, Bible Studies and video equipment available at no charge to all churches in our Network. New additions include:
• “Annointed, Transformed & Redeemed,” a 7-week women’s Bible study authored by Beth Moore, Kay Arthur and Priscilla Shirer.
• “Breaking Free – 2nd Edition,” a revised and updated Bible study previously released by Beth Moore.
• DVD copies and training guides from the recent conference by Robert Grant on “Usher and Greeter Training.”
Call us or come by the Network Office to check out these materials for use at your church!
Paul McKee
Missions Ministry Consultant
“Every Believer Sharing So Every Person Can Hear.”
Will you join us in spreading the Good News?
2009 Fair & Feed the Community
What a blessing for all those who had a part in the Fair Ministry this year. We saw God change the heart of one person for eternity and countless other lives touched by the love of God. In addition to those blessings, many other seeds were planted in the lives of people we prayed with and for, assisted with physical needs and counseled with throughout the week. Let me share a special thanks to all of you who had a part in volunteering in some capacity. Mark your calendars now for October 10-17, 2010. And once again, on behalf of FTC, we served approximately 8100 meals and collected 2300 pies with the help of our friends and neighbors at North Spartan Baptist Association.
. . .
Prison Packets
Thanks for everyone’s help with the Prison Packets. While we didn’t meet our goal of 1300, we did make a good effort and collected 1193. Statewide, we collected 24,150 Prison Packets in 2009, enough for every inmate in South Carolina to get one. May each packet be an expression of God’s love to those who receive them. In the midst of a challenging economy, let me say,
“Great job Network churches and SC Baptists.”
. . .
January’s projects are the “GPS” and “Operation Warm Up” emphases.
• GPS: 2010 is the beginning of a 10-year evangelistic initiative, “God’s Plan for Sharing.” We are asking each church to encourage their members to prayerwalk their neighborhoods and communities as a starting point. For more details and
assistance with mapping out your areas by street and sir names, please call Julie at the Network. Ask yourself this year:
“Who is Jesus to me?” Then ask, “How can I become more proactive and intentional in ‘God’s Plan for Sharing’ at home where I live my life daily and elsewhere as ‘GPS’ leads me in the future?” Let’s make 2010 a Great Commission year! Get a copy of the Network’s 2010 Annual Mission Booklet for more details on this and other mission ideas. It is available now.
• Operation Warm Up: This is a ministry aimed at providing some relief for the homeless and needy people of Spartanburg County. As winter approaches, we are asking people to donate socks and gloves to help fight the cold weather.
Also, if you or a small group is available to assist at the Soup Kitchen, Miracle Hill, The Haven or other shelters around the county, please take the time to make a difference. Lastly, we are encouraging people to brown bag your lunch one day each week during January and donate the lunch money you would have spent to help feed the hungry throughout Spartanburg County.
. . .
February’s projects are the “SC School for the Deaf and Blind” and “Servant Evangelism” emphases.
• SCSDB Needs Your Help: As with many non-profit organizations dealing with budget cuts, you can help fill the gap by volunteering your time and/or donating knowledge, skills, materials and money. If you would like to learn more
about how to help, see the Mission Booklet or call Mrs. Rose Smith at 577-7583.
• Servant Evangelism: Take the 6-in-1 Challenge in 2010 by training, equipping and deploying your SS Class Mission group or friends in the church and community. People in your Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the world are waiting
to hear the Gospel and simply see that people really do care about them. Could GPS be leading you to be one of those people who will take that precious gift and spread it with joy?
HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Jerry Meeks
Hispanic Missions Culture and The Gospel
The Hebrews discovered the necessity of learning Heaven’s declarations through their own cultural world. Though their worldview and understanding of God grew closer together over the centuries, at first they seemed a world apart. Through the Creation, the Fall of Man, and God’s raising up a People out of the
ashes of disaster, Israel sought to know God and follow Him through the limitations of their languages, cultural perspectives, worldview and local experiences and settings. So it has been with all people groups spread around our planet from the beginning of time. The ambassadors of the Gospel have always had to wear several sets of cultural shoes as they walked across cultural lines with the Gospel. Language is culture but culture is a great deal more than language. The world holds many types of cultures. Some cultures are closely attached to their history and prefer to live close to their institutionalized traditions.
By choice, they filter and judge all things through their cultural “eyes.” There are other cultures, which always seek to learn new things to “add to” their way of life. However a culture may perceive itself to be, it must be correctly understood by the missionary heart in order to affect a viable witness.
The Gospel messengers have their own cultures, as well, which help to identify them. But sometimes one’s own culture tends to hinder more than it blesses. Awareness and discernment in matters concerning one’s own cultural differences are always of the greatest importance. In their ministry, they must wear their own shoes of personal identification and learn to appropriately wear the shoes of their adopted culture in order to live and function effectively. That is a never-ending task. Although the messenger must know and understand the “cultural vehicle” in order to transport the Gospel to the people group; he correctly understands the reception of the Gospel is a matter of the heart and not of culture. The Gospel message is about a personal relationship with God and not a religion adapted to culture. We all know that Jesus physically came to this planet through the Jewish culture. But He showed the world the “face” and “heart” of God the Father.
The local Hispanic ministry is a call to Kingdom building among numerous cultures within each church family. As a missionary/pastor, often I’m not certain which shoes to wear at the moment. I find myself regularly flip-flopping cultural shoes to touch hearts for the Christian good of those within the Hispanic community. I learned years ago that missions always have many
faces and will always be beyond my natural abilities. I also learned that my greatest privilege before God was to prepare to the best of my ability, be as knowledgeable as possible concerning a people group and prayerfully aim at the heart with the light of the Gospel. God always works beyond myself. My best advice to any soldier of the cross would be the same. Though cultures
are complicated and very different, we serve an all-knowing Savior who will gladly teach and guide us as we go into the world through His name. This includes a world that comes to us.
BAPTIST COLLEGIATE MINISTRY
I am excited to announce that the SCBC Property Committee and the SCBC
Executive Board have recently voted to approve the purchase of property near
USC Upstate’s Campus for the Spartanburg BCM. The property is located off of
Valley Falls Road on Tenosha Road. It includes a brick ranch house where we
will have office space, general meeting and hang out space for college students
and an apartment space to house semester missionaries. The property also has a 3,000 square foot brick building that could potentially be used for church planting, storage or additional office space. This puts us at the front door of nearly 5,000 students at the Upstate campus. It also puts us closer to college apartments that house Spartanburg Community College students as well. SCC now has over 6,000 students attending. This will open the door for so many opportunities to impact college students with the Gospel and see them become life-long followers of Christ. As long as the inspections continue to be positive, we should be in these offices by the fall semester of 2010. You might be thinking or asking, “How can we as the local church support this transition for BCM?” I’m glad you asked. The house will need some work to prepare for office use and a place for college students. If your church has a group that is experienced in carpentry and would be open to volunteering their time,
please contact the Spartanburg BCM office at 582-4609 and ask for me (Tracy Turner) or Suzanne Bachelor. I truly believe that God’s hand has been in this process and that He will continue to draw college students to Him. I look forward to partnering with you (the local Body of Believers) as we together seek to build intentional relationships with students in order to see them become followers of Christ for the rest of their life.
Tracy Turner
BCM
Claudia High
Coordinator of Ministries with Internationals
What a beautiful Fall we have had so far! As we entered the cool and rainy days of Fall we also entered a new season in the International Ministry at the Network. Here is an update:
1. International Students: By God’s grace and the love of several giving families, we were able to connect 5 International students from Wofford college with American Christian families willing to host these students in their homes during the Fall and Winter breaks. We had a great “Get to Know You” event on the Wofford Campus where the American families spent some time with the freshmen and sophomore students. I would like to express my appreciation to John and Sarah Davenport, Rod and Kathy Dobson, Derrick and Meghan Smith and Benjamin Powers
for opening their homes to these international students. As the winter break is about to start, please pray for these students and also for the families hosting them that the Lord will open doors for the Gospel to be proclaimed.
2. International Closet is in need of more furniture and household items. This past month, an International mother and her 4 children benefited from most of the furniture left over at the Closet. If you have any household items you don’t use that are still in good condition, please let Claudia High know at (864) 486-8877 (home) or claudiahigh@yahoo.com. We can pick up items if need be.
3. Kaleidoscope Multi-Ethnic Fellowship: Several leaders along with Derrick Smith, the church planter, flew to another state for training in organizing and leading small church groups. It was very beneficial for everybody, so much so that they brought the conference in our area. Kaleidoscope also had it’s first ‘house church’ meeting right before Thanksgiving. We enjoyed some delicious food and wonderful worship time. Please continue to pray for Kaleidoscope, that God will open doors and that we will remain faithful.
Cambodian Ministry News
The Cambodian Ministry of United Baptist Church is planning a mission trip to Cambodia in July 2010. A Cambodian member has the vision to plant a church in his hometown. Pastor Sam Duong, Cambodian Ministry Coordinator, Mary Hensley, and several church members will be traveling to Cambodia for three weeks in an effort to evangelize an entire town. Fund-raising efforts are underway to offset the cost of the trip and witnessing materials. Anyone interested in going on the mission trip may contact the Network Office or United Baptist Church.
Donations may be made to: United Baptist Church, 7319 Valley Falls Road • Spartanburg, SC 29303.
Please PRAY for mission trip participants and for the people of
Cambodia that God will prepare their hearts to receive the Gospel.
2010 Women’s Lifestyle
Evangelism Conference -- Thursday, January 28, 2010
Taylors First Baptist Church -- 9:30 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.
Tickets may be purchased online at
www.scbaptist.org/women or by mail. (Order forms available in Network Office.)
Ticket orders by mail must be postmarked no later than January 14th. Tickets may be purchased at the door only on a space available basis. *Registration Fee is $20 and includes lunch.
PLEASE NOTE that Martha Axman is available to speak to church groups (young people, ladies groups, senior adults). She is author of the book, She Won the Race, sharing lessons God taught her through the loss of her young daughter to cancer. The book also contains a chapter speaking to widows from her personal experience. She can be contacted at 574-8579 to schedule her to speak
or to purchase her book.
Anniversaries
Please pray for Pastors and church staff on their anniversary.
January
1 -Sherry Collins, Ministry Assistant at Landrum, celebrates 1 -Bill Adams, Minister of Visitation at Spartanburg First, a combined total of 12 years.
1 -D.J. Horton, Pastor at Anderson Mill Road, celebrates
his 6th year.
1 -David Blanton, Pastor at Southside, celebrates his
6th year.
1 -Michael Hamlet, Pastor of North Spartanburg First,
celebrates his 25th year.
1 -Julie Harris, Church Services Consultant at the
Network Office, celebrates her 27th year.
1 -Britt Dillard, Minister of Media at Spartanburg First,
celebrates his 27th year.
1 -Ronnie Norris, Minister of Education/Activities at
Cudd Memorial, celebrates his 15th year.
1 -Rupert Guest, Minister of Outreach at Beaumont,
celebrates his 14th year.
1 -Amy Sloan, Ministry Assistant at Cornerstone, celebrates
her 4th year.
1 -David Keating, Executive Pastor at Milestones,
celebrates his 2nd year.
1 -Barry Snead, Pastor at Drayton, celebrates his 3rd year.
1 -Myra Hogan, Administrative Assistant to Minister of
Music at North Spartanburg First, celebrates her 6th year.
1 -Heather Breitenbach, Youth and Children’s Director at
Zion Hill, celebrates a total of 7 years.
2 -Mike Hensley, Associate Pastor of Administration at
Morningside, celebrates his 5th year.
4-Tyler Kirby, Pastor at Mountain View, celebrates his
6th year.
5 -John Carroll, Music Director at Cedar Spring, celebrates
his 4th year.
8 -Harold Smith, Music Director at Glendale, celebrates
his 21st year.
8 -John Searcy, Director of Youth and Children at Bethesda,
celebrates his 4th year.
13 -Jack Weaver, Pastor at United, celebrates his 2nd year.
13 -David Frost, Associate Pastor at United, celebrates his
2nd year.
13 -Robert Carnell, Associate Pastor at United, celebrates
his 2nd year.
16 -Darrell Revels, Pastor at Piedmont, celebrates his
10th year.
16 -John Young, Business Administrator at Spartanburg
First, celebrates his 15th year.
19 -Richard Clark, Pastor at Abner, celebrates his 7th year.
19 -Loulyn Turner, Preschool Director at North Spartanburg First, celebrates her 17th year.
25 -Thomas Bryant, Pastor at New Vision Worship Center,
celebrates his 7th year.
27 -Robin Crusco, Worship Leader at Inman First, celebrates
her 2nd year.
28 -Ann Lawson, Secretary at Ben Avon, celebrates her
2nd year.
31 -Mini Hoffman, Secretary at Milestones, celebrates her
5th year.
31 -Ann Collins, Director of Children’s Ministries at
Boiling Springs First, celebrates her 11th year.
celebrates his 10th year.
February
1 -David Dennis, Church Administrator at Spartanburg
First, celebrates his 2nd year.
1 -Mark Williams, Pastor at Lake Bowen, celebrates his
15th year.
1 -Claudette Owens, Secretary at Beaumont, celebrates
her 23rd year.
1 -Richard Smith, Pastor at Hope Point Community,
celebrates his 7th year.
1 -Merissa Ramantanin, Minister of Children’s Ministries
at Hope Point Community, celebrates her 6th year.
2 -Kathy Green, Pastor’s Secretary at Morningside,
celebrates her 12th year.
2 -Mike Stokes, Minister of Administration and Development at Wellford, celebrates his 8th year.
2 -Shane Moore, Minister of Youth at Arrowwood,
celebrates his 1st year.
5 -Dwayne Morris, Minister of Discipleship and Evangelism
at North Spartanburg First, celebrates his 15th year.
5 -Barry Felton, Minister of Music at Mountain View,
celebrates his 3rd year.
5 -Richard King, Pastor at Ben Avon, celebrates his 1st year.
7 -Christy Young, Receptionist at North Spartanburg First,
celebrates her 5th year.
10 -Carol Powell, Children’s Director at Arrowwood,
celebrates her 8th year.
11 -Carol Foster, Ministry Assistant at Inman First, celebrates
her 8th year.
12 -Nathan Neighbors, Associate Pastor to Youth at
Morningside, celebrates his 4th year.
12 -Barry Burnett, Media Associate at North Spartanburg
First, celebrates his 3rd year.
13 -Cynthia Edge, Music Director at Calvary, celebrates
her 10th year.
13 -Carol Moore, Outreach Secretary at North Spartanburg
First, celebrates her 13th year.
17 -Cheryl Brown, Ministry Assistant at Poplar Springs,
celebrates her 10th year.
17 -Beverly Smith, Minister of Children at Southside,
celebrates her 2nd year.
18 -Darrell Cothran, Media Minister at North Spartanburg
First, celebrates his 9th year.
22 -Brenda Walden, Secretary at Zion Hill, celebrates her
9th year.
NETWORK OFFICERS
Mr. Stuart Smith, Moderator Mrs. Julie Harris, Assoc. Treasurer
Rev. Ricky Eason, Vice Moderator Mrs. Jayne Lambert, Asst. Treasurer
Rev. Bill Adams, Treasurer Mrs. Jayne Lambert, Clerk
~ ATTENTION ~
If you would like to continue receiving our newsletter, please
send us your email address so we can make that adjustment.
Send it to: jaynelam@bellsouth.net OR sptbgba@bellsouth.net.
Basic Training Workshop to Teach
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Saturday, January 16 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Tuesday, January 19 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 23 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Fellowship Building at United Baptist
Cost: $30 • Deadline: January 4
Contact Mary Hensley: 590-2742 or mary.hensley@ch2m.com
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
January
• 1 New Year’s Day (Network Office Closed)
• 12 Pastor’s Conference Luncheon, 12 noon - 1:30 p.m., Network Building
• 16 ESOL Training, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., United
• 17 Sanctity of Human Life Sunday
• 19 Network Executive Team Meeting,5:30 p.m., Network Building
• 19 ESOL Training, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m., United
• 23 ESOL Training, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., United
• 28 Women’s Lifestyle Evangelism Conference, Taylors
• 29 Converge Collegiate Weekend, Myrtle Beach
February
• 5-6 Disaster Relief Training, Anderson
• 9 Pastor’s Conference Luncheon, 12 noon - 1:30 p.m., Network Building
• 12 Pastor’s Banquet, State Gideons
• 13 State VBS Clinic, White Oak
• 14 Valentine’s Day
• 15-21 Focus on WMU
• 21 Regional GPS Rally
• 22-23 State Evangelism Conference Upstate, Anderson Mill Road Baptist
• 23 Network GPS Luncheon
For a complete calendar of SCBC state events, please see the Network Calendar available in our office.
PLEASE NOTE: Any information to be published in the next newsletter edition needs to be in the Network office no later than Wednesday, February 10, 2010!
