SBCV 2002: Focus on Churches, Pastors, & Missions
by T. C. Pinckney Vol. XV, No. 10, Nov/Dec. 2002
The Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia met in First Baptist Church, Roanoke on Monday and Tuesday, 11-12 November for our sixth annual meeting as a state convention. (Of course, we had met four times previously as a fellowship.) We recorded the largest attendance in our history: 763 registered messengers and more than 300 guests. A special eagle award was presented to some 20 churches that had sponsored a new church start in the past year.
SBC keynote speakers were SBC President Jack Graham, pastor of the Dallas-area Prestonwood BC, who brought the concluding sermon and Tom Elliff, Chairman of the SBC Council on Family Life and pastor of First Southern Baptist Church, Del City, OK. Other speakers included John Marks, outgoing SBCV president and pastor of Kingsland BC, Richmond, and Harry Greene, president of Good News Jail and Prison Ministry.
Implementation Task Force Report: Kelly Burris, ITF Chairman and pastor of Kempsville BC, Virginia Beach, presented the progress report on the plan for restructuring the convention, which had been approved by the Executive Board. The ITF had assisted Doyle Chauncey in setting forth five ministry areas and in employing missionaries to serve in the designated areas, as well as the employment of their supervisor who will serve as the state missions team leader.
Messengers approved the board’s recommendations extending ITF for another year to complete the task of implementation, which includes revision of the constitution and bylaws along with a business plan, policies, and procedures.
New Format: This year rather than having a Bible Conference on Monday followed by the business and report sessions on Tuesday, business, reports, celebration, praise, and worship were interspersed throughout the entire two days. The new arrangement made the sessions more interesting and enjoyable and emphasized the connection between reports and business on the one hand, and our purpose to serve God on the other. See “New Reports” below for details.
New Churches: One very important report every year is, of course, those churches requesting a change of alignment. This year 20 churches asked for unique alignment, three for dual alignment. In addition, eight churches changed from dual to unique, two withdrew from the SBCV, and four dissolved. The dissolutions were all attempts at planting new churches. These changes leave the SBCV with 372 churches: 308 uniquely aligned, 43 dually, and 21 church plants underway. As of the 2001 convention, we had 286 uniquely affiliated, 48 dually, and in 1996 when we first declared ourselves a state convention, we counted only 102 churches that had contributed in the previous twelve months. We praise God for this continuing growth and ask, “What about your church?”
New Staff: In our first few years the SBCV was feeling its way, getting organized, deciding just what to do, and figuring out how to operate. After all, we were in a unique situation, the first time ever that the SBC had two state conventions in the same geographical boundaries. (Now, as you know, Texas also has two state conventions.)
During those initial years we were blessed to have the very capable commitment of (1) Howard Baldwin as our interim Executive Director until we called Doyle Chauncey, (2) Mark Baldwin as Church Growth Consultant, (3) Mark Reon as Evangelism Consultant, (4) Sue Sawyer to head our Women’s Ministry, (5) Ken Gooch as Mission Catalyst, and (6) Ken Nienke also as Church Growth Consultant. While the first four were headquartered in Glen Allen, Ken Gooch worked out of Newport News and Ken Nienke out of Roanoke. A bit later the above were joined by Norm Miller as Communications Co-ordinator. We were fortunate indeed to have these devoted and capable staff guide us through our formative years.
Now most of them have moved on as they have responded to God’s call to other ministries. When Doyle was called, Howard returned to full-time leadership of Multi-Media Evangelism. [If you are not familiar with that ministry, contact them at 804-276-9083 or write to Howard at 1335 S. Providence Road, Richmond 23236. He has many opportunities for you to participate.] Mark Baldwin heads Ministry Point, his ministry to teach pastors, staff, and others how to use computers and PowerPoint more effectively. Mark may be contacted at the same phone & address immediately above. He leads excellent seminars on these topics.
Four staff members have left to pastor churches. Norm Miller shepherds New Hope BC, Lottsburg. Mark Reon is campus minister for Crossroads ODU Campus Church, Virginia Beach, an SBCV church plant. Ken Nienke pastors Fellowship Community Church, Salem, another SBCV plant. Ken Gooch is pastor of Calvary BC, Staunton.
As the SBCV has progressively defined its mission and original staff have been called to other tasks, new staff have been brought on board. Phil Martin is now Church Enrichment Consultant and Church Planting Strategist in the Southwestern Area. He lives in Abingdon and may be contacted at 276-608-4727 or by email at pmartin@sbcv.org. Don Matthews is our Church Enrichment Consultant, Midwestern Area. He will be living in in the Roanoke area and may be contacted at 540-797-1791 or dmatthews@sbcv.org.
By the way, if you want to consult with our staff but are uncertain which regional representative is responsible for your location, go to www.sbcv.org and click on “Ministry Areas” at the top left. This will bring up a state map with the SBCV areas outlined.
In Manassas in the Northern Area Stewart Pickle is located as our Ethnic Church Planting Strategist. Stewart may be contacted at 703-608-6779 or spickle@sbcv.org. Phil Mitchell is Church Enrichment consultant in the Central Area and Student Ministries Consultant statewide. Reach him at 888-234-7716 or by email at pmitchell@sbcv.org. In the Southeastern Area is Delton Beall, Church Planting Strategist. For him call 757-334-4154 or email at dbeall@sbcv.org.
There has been one other very important addition. Geoff Hammond is now Senior Associate Director and editor of The Proclaimer. [For a free subscription contact The Proclaimer at 804-270-1834 or sbcv@sbcv.org.] Readers will recall the articles about Geoff’s arrival in the June/July and the August 2002 Banners.
We are blessed that Sue Sawyer, our Women’s Enrichment Ministries Consultant remains with us. She too may be called at 804-270-1834 or emailed at ssawyer@sbcv.org. [Ladies, remember the Beth Moore seminar at the Richmond Coliseum 24-25 October 2003. Don’t let it sell out before you register.]
Note the emphasis SBCV is placing on reaching out to churches around the state. Whereas previously only two staffers were located outside the Richmond area, now four of them are, each in a different part of the state. Also note the restraint in adding staff. Although the number of affiliated churches has grown almost 50% over the last three years, staff has increased by just one position ... clear evidence of our determination to (1) support the SBC to the maximum and (2) use the Lord’s resources in Virginia to reach the unsaved and plant new churches.
New Budget: For 2002, Cooperative Program (undesignated) gifts were budgeted at $5 million. For 2003 the budget looks for $6 million in CP funds, a 20% increase. In addition to CP gifts, the new budget anticipates $1.8 million for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for foreign missions, $600,000 for the Annie Armstrong Easter offering for North American missions, $40,000 for the World Hunger offering, and $85,000 for the State Missions offering. The budget was adopted unanimously.
We praise the Lord for the faithful folks in our churches who give generously to God’s work in Virginia, the United States, and around the world. May we have such a burden for the lost that we exceed our budget goals in every category.
New Officers: Every SBCV annual meeting includes the election of officers for the following year with officers serving one-year terms and eligible for re-election to one additional one-year term. This year President John Marks, pastor of Kingsland BC, Richmond, completed his second term as did 1VP Dennis Culbreth, pastor River Oak BC, Chesapeake, 2VP Jim Smith, pastor Second BC, South Boston, and Secretary, Doug Echols, pastor Enon BC, Chester. We appreciate the time and effort they contributed to the SBCV.
In elections for new officers, T. C. Pinckney nominated David Johnson, pastor of Rileyville BC, Rileyville, for president, and Kelly Burris nominated Tim Piland, pastor of Nansemond River BC, Suffolk. Tim Piland was elected.
For 1VP, Howard Baldwin nominated Ricky Ewing, pastor of Pleasant View BC, Lynchburg, and Bob Melvin nominated Chip Roberson, pastor of Bethel BC, Chesapeake. Chip Roberson was elected.
For 2VP John Simms nominated Carl Weiser, pastor of Hyland Heights BC, Lynchburg, and Ken Gooch nominated Glen McLaughlin, pastor of Crossroads BC, Leesburg. Carl Weiser was elected.
For Secretary Rodney Houston nominated Don Paxton, pastor of Rosedale BC, Abingdon, and Dennis Culbreth nominated Dan Cook, Associate pastor of Spotswood BC, Fredericksburg. Dan cook was elected.
As I commented to my wife during the electoral process, I could enthusiastically vote for any of the nominees. What a blessing to participate in elections where every choice is a solid, capable, Bible-believing man.
New Reports: A major innovation this year was the series of five “SBCV Missions Team Reports” chaired by Geoff Hammond, one in each convention session based on the annual meeting’s theme, “Completing the Task to Light up Virginia with the Gospel.” Each SBCV Missions Team Report focussed on one of the four strategic objectives adopted at last year’s meeting: strengthening existing churches; supporting pastors, staff, and their families; starting new churches; and mobilizing and educating volunteers in SBC missions. Here are just a few examples:
Pastor Carl Weiser, Hyland Heights BC, Lynchburg, told how his church had grown from around 330 in worship and a budget of $230,000 in 1994 when he was called, to more than 1,100 in worship and a million dollar budget now. He emphasized the variety of programs the church conducts to draw people to the church and “let them know we care about them.” These include a large Easter program and numerous classes: premarital, divorce care, grief share, and “Growing Kids God’s Way.”
Rev. Ed Burkholder, 87, has been preaching 65 years and founded Apple Grove BC in Mineral, VA, four years ago. Apple Grove is out in the country, but it now averages 70 to 75 at worship, is debt free, and is ready to start of a $100,000 addition.
Mark Totten spoke about the positive results of the FAITH program they have been using since February 1999 when six people went out. Now they have 18-20 visiting weekly. They have averaged 11 people saved per year, and the worship service has grown from 85 to 140.
Several of those who addressed us either in person or via video clips spoke of witnessing and mission trips. One of these was Stephanie Black. Her video was about her mission trip to Brazil last summer, and it concluded with the following: “The difference that the mission trip made in my life is, I feel like I have a bigger heart to serve others. I want to make sure that I have every opportunity to share the Gospel with people. The mission trip definitely also made me appreciate missionaries and the job that they do and the sacrifices they make to, to leave their comfort zone on a daily basis and to be able to share the Gospel with others. It has definitely made me want to go back and accept the calling again, wherever it may be. And my prayer life I think has changed. You know, I definitely want to make sure that I lift up the missionaries and the jobs that they do.”
As I was composing this article, I received an email from a missionary in a dangerous country. Therefore, his name and location must not be disclosed. However, he had read a much briefer Baptist Press account of the SBCV meeting, and this is what he said: “I read with warmth the glowing report of the meetings held 11-12 November and would ask that, on behalf of the 5,000+ of us [foreign missionaries], you would extend my anonymous thanks for remembering us in their weekly tithes through the Cooperative Program as well as the annual Christmas gift.”
Conclusion: A glorious, blessed annual meeting! If you have not yet attended one, be sure to come next year: Monday and Tuesday, 10-11 November 2003, at London Bridge BC, Virginia Beach. And if your church is not yet affiliated with the SBCV, come anyway. You won’t be able to vote, of course, but you will be warmly welcomed to participate in every other way.