The importance and future of Alabama Baptists’ partnership with the Northeastern United States and Venezuela were emphasized during the Alabama Baptist State Convention, Nov. 14–15 in Montgomery.
“In Venezuela this year alone, there have been over 2,000 people that have come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and we are looking forward to other projects like this,” said Reggie Quimby, director of global partnerships for the State Board of Missions. “We’re looking forward to this partnership.”
Joining Quimby were Daniel Rodriguez, general secretary of the Baptist Convention of Venezuela, and Paul Eustache, first vice president of the Venezuelan convention. Also present was Ken Lyle, former director of the New England Baptist Convention, representing Impact Northeast.
Quimby showed a video featuring comments by Lyle and Rodriguez, with Rodriguez’s remarks translated.
Rodriguez praised the “relationship and fellowship” that exists between Venezuela and Alabama Baptists.
“It is important to see the interest and emphasis in Venezuela to open new work to reach Venezuelans for Christ,” he said. “Many people don’t know the Lord.”
Rodriguez said he hopes the partnership will result in a “complete saturation of the gospel in Venezuela, as well as in Alabama.” He added it is also hoped the partnership will benefit both conventions.
One area Rodriguez said Venezuela Baptists can help Alabama with is evangelizing the growing Hispanic population in this state as well as throughout the United States.
During his comments in the video, Lyle said Impact Northeast seeks to reach 50 million people for Christ. Lyle said accomplishing that goal is being done in four areas:
-Establishing “hundreds of new churches in villages, towns and cities where evangelical witness is very weak and sometimes where there is no witness for Christ.”
-Impacting campuses of the Northeast United States. Lyle said there are several hundred campuses in the Northeast with millions of students. He said it is especially important to note thousands of them come from around the world.
“So when we impact the Northeast, we’ll impact the world,” Lyle said. He offered a statistic that indicates half the world’s leaders in fields such as economics and education will be trained in the United States by 2010.
-Leadership development.“Most of the believers in the Northeastern churches are new Christians and they almost desperately need a word from someone who has maturity, to help them lead,” Lyle said. “They have enthusiasm and excitement, but we need training.”
-Revitalization of existing churches. “Some churches have plateaued and need that new boost to move out to the next level and the next level of missions involvement,” he said.
“Alabama Baptists can be significant partners in reaching millions of people for Jesus Christ in the United States, and I hope you’ll do it,” Lyle said.
The missions update was given during the convention’s evening session Nov. 14. Preceding it was a concert by Christian recording artist Larnelle Harris.
Speaking afterward, Alabama WMU executive director Beverly Miller said she thought of the missions activities across Alabama when Harris sang about “telling our story.”
“That’s really what we’re here to do, not to tell our story but to tell the story of what Jesus is doing through some of you and through some that you know,” Miller said.
She encouraged messengers to become prayer warriors by filling out material when they came into the auditorium.
Messengers were given door knockers for listing prayer requests. Also distributed were prayer commitment cards that place them on a list to receive current prayer requests for missions partnerships.
WMU joined with the office of global partnership in recognizing top associations that supported missions — Calhoun and Bessemer. Accepting the award for the Calhoun Association, director of missions Don Carroll stressed the importance of missions.
“I believe that missions is hands-on,” Carroll said. “It’s something that we do. Everyone of us can be part of it.
“Secondly, I’ve come to believe that every church, in some way, ought to be involved in giving birth to another New Testament church somewhere,” he said.
Carroll added he believes that as a minister, “God gave me the instructions to enlist, to equip and to empower laity to do missions work.”
The pastor also said he has learned there are many ways to support missions.
“I don’t know a better way to support missions than through the Cooperative Program (CP) and through the local associations being that instrument that focuses the churches on missions,” Carroll said. “Missions is a team effort and I think God is leading us as Alabama Baptists to focus — strongly focus — on winning this world to Christ as we share Jesus in every possible way.”
Bessemer director of missions Ed Cruce was unable to attend the ceremony because of a family illness. Billy Hatley, pastor of Hueytown Baptist Church and associational moderator, accepted the award on behalf of Cruce.
Also, Bobby Keith of Green Valley Baptist Church, Birmingham, was recognized as 2000 volunteer of the year.
Offering a report on the CP, John MacLaren, director of CP and stewardship with the State Board of Missions, said Alabama Baptists gave a record $36,383,888 through the CP in 1999.
MacLaren said the total helped surpass the 1999 CP budget and represents just more than one-third of the challenge budget.
He told messengers Alabama continues to be a leader both in how much is given and how it is distributed.
MacLaren said that while the average state convention retains 63.7 percent of CP dollars for missions in their state and send the remaining 36.22 percent to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), Alabama retains 57.7 percent for missions in Alabama and sends 42.3 percent to SBC CP causes.
MacLaren reported eight associations in the convention had 100 percent of their churches contributing through the CP during 1999.
MacLaren also recognized churches with the most dollars given to the CP and the most dollars per resident members during 1999. Leading in total dollars given was Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, Homewood, with $414,079.
Carlowville Baptist Church, Selma Association, led in total dollars given per resident member. MacLaren said the church gave a total of $7,776.70, which represents $486.04 for each member.
MacLaren said the Baptist Foundation of Alabama was the largest single contributor to the CP during 1999, with gifts of $492,842.
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