State Baptists finalize partnerships

Alabama Baptists formalized their partnerships with Ukraine and Guatemala during the Alabama Baptist State Evangelism Conference Jan. 23 at Dauphin Way Baptist Church, Mobile.
   
During the conference’s Monday-evening session, Baptist leaders from Alabama, Guatemala and Ukraine signed documents solidifying the three-year partnerships. The partnerships were approved during the Alabama Baptist State Convention (ABSC) annual meeting in November 2005.
   
“What we are establishing here tonight in a formal way is what we have established already in our hearts,” said Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM). Lance joined Henry Cox, ABSC president, and Reggie Quimby, SBOM director of the office of global partnerships and volunteers in missions, in signing the partnership agreements.
   
Lance cited Philippians 1, where it talks about partnership in the sense of a brotherhood fellowshipping together. “I believe we’ll look back and say, ‘These were our best years,’” he said.
   
Mick Stockwell, International Mission Board (IMB) missionary to Ukraine and the strategy associate for the region; Slavic Nesteruk, vice president of the Baptist Union of Ukraine; and Vladimir Shemchishin, president of Odessa Theological Seminary, represented Ukraine during the signing. 
   
With Stockwell translating, Nesteruk said his hope for the partnership is to see Ukrainian churches encouraged in the directions of church planting and leadership training, as well as relationships built between Ukraine and Alabama churches.
   
Stockwell echoed this, saying the partnership will be an exchange of experiences between the two countries as they work together to reach Ukrainians for Christ.
   
The relationships will be strategic ones in which Alabama churches are encouraged to return to Ukraine to work with the same churches as before, Quimby noted. 
   
He said two partnerships were signed with Guatemala. One is with IMB missionaries Larry and Sarah Plyler who are the strategy coordinators for Operation GO (gospel outreach) in Guatemala. 
   
Operation GO is a strategy for gospel distribution and prayer walking in villages without any churches or evangelistic witness.
   
Guatemalan pastors have a hard time gaining access to homes in villages, Larry Plyler noted. But when Americans come, “(they) are the key to opening the door for nationals,” he said. 
   
Because of Guatemalans’ curiosity about the strangers, Americans are welcomed into homes and can then witness to the occupants. National pastors do follow-up visitation to the homes, eventually leading to home Bible studies and then a church plant, Plyler said.
   
The partnership with Guatemala is with the Convention of Baptist Churches of Guatemala. Josue Marroquin, vice president of the convention, took part in the signing and echoed Lance’s sentiments of brotherhood built by partnership.
   
Marroquin said that what he wanted to see happen with the partnership was brotherhood while witnessing. 
   
“We want to send (Christians) two by two to preach the gospel — one brother from Alabama and one brother from Guatemala. And when they return, they bring good tidings,” he said.
   
The representatives from Guatemala and Ukraine were present for the meeting of the SBOM at Cypress Shores Baptist Church, Mobile, Jan. 22, during which they expressed gratitude and excitement about the partnerships.
   
Quimby and the representatives also held a session during the Great Commission Ministries Track of the Evangelism Conference. In the session, they discussed the possibilities and projects for the partnerships.
   
Quimby said that currently missions projects and trips are scheduled for Ukraine, Guatemala and Pennsylvania, through Impact Northeast. Those interested in participating in a trip may call Quimby’s office at 1-800-264-1225, Ext. 239.