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In 1736, John and Charles Wesley were on board a ship headed to America when they encountered a terrible storm.  The Wesley’s were commissioned as Anglican missionaries and were headed for the colony of Georgia.  Also on board the ship was a group of Moravians, a protestant community from Germany (modern-day Czech Republic) who were part General Oglethorpe’s philanthropic venture to Georgia. It was this encounter with the Moravians that would forever change John Wesley’s life.

As the storm began to develop, the individuals on board were aware that they were in danger of being ship-wrecked.  With most of the individuals, including the Wesley’s, panicking for their lives, John could not help but to notice the peace that the Moravians displayed.  In the midst of this brutal storm, he was awestruck by the fact that the Moravians were hosting a worship service, praising God with great intensity.

On January 25^th, this is what John wrote in his diary: “In the midst of the Psalm wherewith their service began, the sea broke over, split the main-sail in pieces, covered the ship and poured in between the decks, as if the great deep had already swallowed us up. A terrible screaming began among the English. The Germans calmly sung on. I asked one of them afterwards; ‘Were you not afraid?’ He answered, ‘I thank God, no.’ I asked: ‘But were not your women and children afraid?’ He replied mildly: ‘No, our women and children are not afraid to die.’” The storm was boisterous, but the Moravians kept praising God. Finally, the storm subsided.”

After reaching Georgia, John sought spiritual counsel from the Moravian Bishop, A.G. Spangenberg.  Though he had been sent as a missionary, he realized he lacked the spiritual comfort and certainty that the Moravians had displayed.  He wrestled with this over the next few years, and it was not until 1738, back in England that he found that certainty.  He wrote in his diary, dated May 24^th: “On Wednesday, May 24 in the evening, I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, (A Moravian meeting) where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to Romans. About a quarter to nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart Strangely Warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and felt an assurance was given me, that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”

John Wesley would go on to have an enormous impact on the Christian world, having a large theological influence on the Methodist denomination.  He and his brother Charles also had a great impact on George Whitfield, who was an influential vessel that God used in America’s Great Awakening.  John and Charles also composed numerous hymns, many of which are still sung by churches today.

As I contemplate the situation we find ourselves in today, with the coronavirus storm continuing to brew, a question that I believe worth asking is: Is your faith in God more like the Moravians (confident in the sovereign God) or more like young John Wesley’s (panicking like the rest of the world)?

As a community of believers, we have an incredible opportunity right now to display to the world our confidence in the Risen King, and with Easter right around the corner, what greater time to introduce the world to that Risen King?  Much has been made about the fact that we are living in an unprecedented time.  And while this virus may be new, storms and disease and panic has been around since Genesis 3.  As believers, I want to remind you: Our confidence does not rest in the ever-changing world.  Our confidence rests in the never-changing King.

In the coming weeks, spend time communing with that Risen King.  Soak yourself in His Word, reminding yourself of His sovereignty.  And as a community of believers, let’s continue to worship Him, recognizing that the world is watching.  What greater way to prepare for Easter than to display to the world our confidence in our Risen King?

In Christ,
Todd McClure

Shortly before His arrest, Jesus reminded Peter, “On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt 16:18).  The same could be said of the coronavirus.  Despite the virus forcing churches worldwide to close their doors in precautionary measures, this truth remains: You may be able to close our buildings, but you cannot stop the church!

We were reminded of that this past week, as many churches around the state transitioned to a digital format of their services.  One church saw more than 1500 people join them for their prayer meeting, a number far greater than what their sanctuary could hold.  Another church, First Baptist Church of Hurricane, received word that a young viewer even gave his life to Christ!

The following are the words of Jeff Davenport, pastor, as he reflects on this exciting news:

The Bible declares in Romans 1:16 that “… the gospel is the power of God for salvation…” I believe that!  In fact, that’s my life verse! I have signed many letters and emails over the years with “Rom. 1:16,” but this past Sunday, I saw the reality of that verse in the middle of a pandemic. Like many churches, we only did a livestream of our service, and following our service, I received a Facebook message from a mom (one of our former church members) who had watched the service live with her son, in a town some 60-miles away. This is what she wrote:

“We went to FBCOH for years and moved away when this little guy (now 7) was 1-year-old. We chose to stream the service this morning because we are practicing social distancing. When the pastor talked about those who are lost, he asked me what that meant. It started a conversation. He said, “Are we Christians?” …..I have been worried and wondering when he would make the most important decision of his life…..Well, today, he decided to follow Jesus!”

That message from that mom reminded me that it’s indeed the gospel that God has chosen as the “power for salvation!” It’s not the cleverness of the preacher, or even the blessing of technology… It’s not even necessarily the location (although God clearly encourages us to never “forsake our local church gatherings” Hebrews 10:25). In the end, the thing that saves a soul is the truth of the gospel and the power of God. I’m convinced that during this challenging pandemic, we should continue to explore as many Chris-honoring options as possible to spread the gospel. After all, it’s the thing God uses to save a soul… even a little guy whose 60-miles away!

As a family of churches, this global epidemic certainly brings comes with challenges.  But it also comes with opportunities.  How might God want to use your church to reach your community (physical or digital) with the gospel?

Please know that the WVBC staff is diligently praying for you and ready to resource you however you need as we, as a family of churches, continue doing Christ’s work together.

When our culture thinks of Saint Patrick’s Day, they often think of shamrocks, wearing green and drinking Irish beer. The holiday has frequently been accompanied by late-night carousing and revelry, at least in years when the entire country isn’t shutdown.  The church often washes their hands of this particular holiday, choosing not to identify with the worldly rituals.  “It’s for the pagans,” I have heard many exclaim.  That statement may be more correct than they realize.

The story of Saint Patrick is not a story the church should shy away from.  Instead, it is one they should embrace.  Deep beneath much of what the day has become is the inspiring mission of Patrick pioneering the gospel among an unreached people group.  In that sense, the day really is for the pagans.

The Story of Saint Patrick

Patrick was born in the late fourth century, sometime around the year 385, in what is now northeast England.  He was born into a Romanized family of Christians, with his father serving as a deacon and his grandfather being a priest.  However, faith was of little importance to Patrick in his youth.

At the age of 16, Patrick was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken back to the island where he served as a slave for six years under a tribal chief.  During these six years of imprisonment, Patrick learned much of the Celtic people, becoming fluent in their language and accustomed to their culture.  It was also during this time that God opened his eyes to the truth of the Gospel he learned in his youth.  When he eventually escaped from slavery in his early twenties, his zeal for God led him to study vocational ministry, where he eventually led a parish in Britain for nearly twenty years.

At the age of 48 – already past a man’s life expectancy in the fifth century – Patrick had a dream which proved to be his own Macedonian call (Acts 16:9). In his dream, an Irish accent begged, “We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.”  Having known the language and the customs from his captivity, and having long questioned how God might use him to reach Irish, he now answered the call to return to the place of his former captivity. Once a slave and now free, Patrick returned to his captors with good news of true freedom.

The term “unreached” has been used to describe a place with no thriving church or gospel movement.  To describe the Irish Celtics as unreached would be an understatement.  Not only was there no gospel movement, but all previous attempts had been halted by the “barbarian” tribes. This caused Patrick to take a different approach.  Instead of attempting to Romanize the people, as previous missionaries had tried, Patrick sought to see the Gospel penetrate to the bottom of Irish culture, producing an indigenous movement.  His aim wasn’t simply to colonize the Irish.  His aim was truly to evangelize them.

One biographer wrote of Patrick: “The fact that Patrick understood the people and their language, their issues, and their ways, serves as the most strategically significant single insight that was to drive the wider expansion of Celtic Christianity, and stands as perhaps our greatest single learning from this movement. There is no shortcut to understanding the people. When you understand the people, you will often know what to say and do, and how. When the people know that the Christians understand them, they infer that maybe the High God understands them too”.

Patrick’s strategy for reaching the Irish Celtics was through church planting.  Traveling with a team of fellow missionaries, the team would minister weeks and months among a particular group, eventually pursuing baptism and the founding of a church. They would leave behind a team member or two to provide leadership for the new church, and they would move to the next tribe, taking a convert or two with them. This was their strategy for helping the church to remain indigenous.

Patrick labored in Ireland for nearly three decades before dying around the year 461. We do not know the exact day, but according to tradition, it was March 17.  The story of Patrick is one reminiscent of Joseph’s – sold into slavery but used to save a nation. Once again, “what man meant for evil, God meant for good” (Gen 50:20).

People are correct when they say that Saint Patrick’s Day is for the pagans, but in an entirely different sense.  Patrick made disciples who made disciples, and those disciples continued planting churches all over Ireland, Scotland and England.  Thomas Cahill wrote a book titled, How the Irish Saved Civilization, in which he noted that it was these churches that helped save classical civilization after the fall of the Roman Empire.  The disciples of Patrick were instrumental in preserving the Bibles that were being destroyed by other barbaric tribes.  In many ways, we can likely credit Patrick for the Bibles we have today.

On this Wednesday, March 17, I want to wish you a happy Saint Patrick’s Day!  May God continue to raise up individuals as bold and courageous as Patrick to continue the task of reaching the nations with the Gospel.

Written by Frank Miller

Joe and Peg Greenlee are two incredible servants.  Not only do they still continue to serve their church, the Charleston Baptist Temple (Kanawha Valley), but they also continue to serve our West Virginia Baptist Convention (WVBC) family by investing in the people and projects at Parchment Valley Conference Center.  Anyone who has visited Parchment Valley has certainly been impacted by their legacy.

The Greenlee’s have a great love for Parchment Valley, and they were very instrumental in the Vision 2000 Capital Campaign that helped establish much of what we see at Parchment Valley today. Specifically, they helped plan and build the Greenlee Activity Center, which is utilized year-around to host our children’s rallies, Golden’eers’ conferences, WVBC training events, youth retreats, sports camps and many other activities.  By the grace of God and many dedicated volunteers, the building was built three years ahead of schedule.  Reflecting back on the fact that more than a thousand youth were using the facility before the contractor was even finished, Joe replied, “We just couldn’t wait!”

Now in the year 2020, another year of vision for us, Joe and Peg continue to be involved in many aspects of Parchment Valley. Recently, Joe and I attended one of the West Virginia American Baptist Men’s Prayer Breakfasts, and I asked Joe, “Looking back, would you and Peg have done anything different?” To which Joe replied, “Absolutely not! We are now enjoying the blessings of Vision 2000 and are thankful for all those that volunteered and supported the hard work.”

Another ministry of Parchment Valley that the Greenlee’s have had an impact on is Brothers’ Keeper (BK).  Celebrating our 20^th year this summer, BK 2020 is sure to be a major success!  One of the primary reasons for our success is volunteers like Joe, who give of their time, wisdom and experience to serve the Jackson County community. Every year, crew chiefs like Joe help instruct their teams to build according to plan and then help share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the homeowner(s).  Through BK, we have seen several enter into a relationship with Jesus.

Many people were involved in Vision 2000 and we, at Parchment Valley, continue to reap the benefits of their sacrifice.  It is because of individuals like Joe and Peg Greenlee, and their commitment to doing Christ’s work together, that we have a place ‘where lives are changed in Christ our Lord.”

Written by David Hulme

This is a particularly difficult time for the Cuban people.  Although each Cuban receives a ration of a few basic items from the government, there is a severe shortage of meat, eggs, hygiene and cleaning supplies, medicine, and gasoline.  I’ve been traveling to Cuba since 2001.  Although shortages are common, I’ve not seen them to this degree.

The Cubans say this is their “reality.”  However, there is another reality at work in Cuba; one that transcends the difficulties of everyday life.

Since 1968, the Iglesia Bautista El Jordan has been ministering and making disciples in Guanabacoa, a municipality within the city of Havana.  Under the present leadership of Pastors Maykel Baez and Mayra Pardo, the church reaches out in both traditional and creative ways to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the community.  An annual Family Camp provides an important renewal opportunity for church members and leaders.

Pastor Phil Wayman, Clarksburg (Union), Pastor Ben Moses, Simpson Creek (Union), and I recently traveled to Havana to share in the work of El Jordan, as well as learn from their example.  Pastors Phil and Ben led a leadership event to both challenge and equip church leaders.  We also had the opportunity to worship, preach, lead Bible study, participate in both adult and children’s home prayer groups, and visit in homes.

Although this trip was confined to the Havana area, we have relationships with many of the forty-two churches in the Fraternity of Cuban Baptist Churches.  We are grateful to Max Hill who laid the foundation for so many of these relationships.  Moving forward, we expect more opportunities to strengthen these relationships and build new ones as well.

Last Thursday (February 20th), our missionary interns held their first online training, discussing the topic of missiology.  They were joined by Charles Jones, International Ministries’ Area Director for Europe, the Middle East, and Liberia.  Charles challenged them to consider that long before they ever step foot in a particular country, God has already been present in that country and that the proper approach is to join God in what He is already doing.

As a follow up to the conversation, each of the interns were given the assignment of reading, The Lifelong Missionary, by Matthew Dohyer.  They will gather again for another conversation next Thursday (Match 5th) to discuss insights from their reading.

Please pray for each of our interns as they prepare to serve God overseas this summer.  Many of them are having conversations with missionaries this week to finalize ministry placements.  This year’s interns include:

• Becca Martin, Marshall University
• Kali Wilkinson, Marshall University
• Beth Perry, Marshall University
• Bree Fleming, West Virginia University
• Shyra Freeman, Fairmont State University
• Emily Fordyce, Palmer Theological Seminary

Click here o learn more about the Missionary Intern Program.

Become a Rope Holder

In his inaugural address before the Baptist Missionary Society in 1792, William Carey famously preached, “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God!” As we embark on a new year, we hope to reemphasize Carey’s challenge as we expect and attempt great things for God over our next decade of Doing Christ’s Work Together.

By this point, I hope you have heard about Vision 2020. Vision 2020 is designed to help us look back, celebrating all that Christ has done over the course of our rich 155 years of ministry together, but it is also designed to help us look forward as we anticipate all that Christ may want to do in and through us over the next decade. As we expect and attempt as a West Virginia Baptist Convention family, we have already seen some exciting new initiatives kick off this year.

Mentoring for Pastoral Excellence: This program was started as a result of several younger pastors indicating a desire to be mentored by someone more seasoned in ministry. Statistics show the average tenure of a pastor is only six years before they face burnout.

Leadership Development: Another statistic reveals the average age of a pastor in the United States has risen from 44 to 54, with only one in seven being under the age of 40. Yet, we are seeing incredible young leaders emerge in our churches, having been discipled and trained through Baptist Campus Ministries and/or our West Virginia Palmer Seminary program. To facilitate further opportunities for development, both the Church Ministry Intern Program and the Missionary Intern Program were established to help young adults discern their long-term calling to ministry as well as to give churches the opportunity to benefit from their leadership.

New Church Development: Together, we have planted 18 churches over the last 20 years, yet there are still thousands of people within our communities who are virtually unreached with the gospel. It has been exciting to watch the impact of some of our recent church plants, especially those that are considered non-traditional or those that have been planted among other ethnicities. With an increasing diversity in our state, the opportunities for new church plants are only going to grow. In response to this, we are once again reemphasizing new church development and have established a fund that can help new churches get started. We are also working with churches interested
in re-planting, aimed at infusing life back into a declining congregation.

Carey knew no that matter what he attempted, he could not do it alone. Prior to the formation of the Baptist Missionary Society, encircled by a group of fellow association pastors, Carey shared his vision of taking the gospel to India, likening it to a rescue mission into a deep, dark well. His invitation to his fellow pastors was, “I will go down if you will hold the rope.” The pastors agreed to become rope holders, forming the Baptist Missionary Society to send and support the missionary enterprise, and William Carey led a small team that traveled to India, where they spent the rest of their lives planting churches, translating the Bible and reaching thousands with the gospel.

As we consider the exciting opportunities that lie before us, we are also in need of churches and individuals to hold the rope. We have mentors, young leaders and prospective church planters ready to attempt great things for God. We also have exciting opportunities through Camp Cowen, the Bobby Wood School of Christian Studies and the other ministries we do together. However, as Mike Sisson shared at our Annual Meeting, over the last decade we have effectively exhausted our reserves – essentially relying upon the rope holders of previous generations. Thus, we are now in need of new rope holders who are willing to support these ministries going forward. So as each of you read this article, I want to ask: “Will you hold the rope?”

At the beginning of January, the Executive Board passed a budget that has the potential to be our first budget in a decade that no longer requires us to draw from reserves. If just 200 individuals agree to become rope holders, we anticipate our budget will be fully supported. Over the last month we have already seen nearly 50 individuals sign up.

Additionally, if we reach our goal of 2,000 rope holders, then we will not only reach our budget, but we will also be able to start rebuilding our reserves to a healthy enough level to carry us through the next decade of ministry together.

I want to invite you to become a rope holder, by supporting the ministry we do together with a gift of at least $20 a month. You can sign up to be a rope holder  by clicking here. We are expecting great things from God this year! As we attempt great things for Him, will you help us by holding the rope?

Your fellow rope holder,
Todd McClure

Written by J.D. Reed

“Convulsions”…That is how Bolivians would describe the recent political situations in their country, and frankly in all of North and South America in recent days.  Late last October, the National elections for President were held, and the incumbent, Evo Morales, was running for a fourth (constitutionally illegal and democratically opposed) term as president.  He had been in the office for 14+ years.  If you asked people on the street, they would say that he had done some positive things, but it was time for a democratic change.  After the election, it was widely proven that there was electoral fraud by his party to maintain their power, and a national civic strike began.  In Santa Cruz, it was a very non-violent peaceful protest, but in other parts of Bolivia, it would be much more tense as the supporters of the president and his party lashed out at the opposition.  The strike literally shut-down the country and would last three weeks, and it seemed that there was no end in sight.  During this time, due to a number of reasons, both ourselves and International Ministries felt it best for us to return to the states until things stabilized.  Then November 9, the President resigned and fled to Mexico.  Soon after, based on the report of outside governments and auditors, the election was annulled and it was announced that another would be held on May 3rd, 2020.

In the days since, we are pleased to share that many positive things have happened.  The interim President Janine Añez (who was the next in line after many in the president’s party resigned) has become the second female president in the history of Bolivia and she has wasted no time getting things ready for the new election.  Many positive steps have been made to bring healing to the country and prepare for the next election to be free and fair for all the world to see.  One change that has been a wonderful blessing to the ministry of the Fundación Proyecto de Esperanza (formerly known as the House of Hope) is that the government has lifted the need for visas for US citizens in an effort to open opportunities for tourism.  They are also pursuing re-establishing a US Ambassador in the country for the first time in twelve years.

We (the Reed family and Sarah Nash) want to say thank you for all your prayers during this time.  The ministry of FPE is back to normal and we are looking forward to a busy 2020.  In Mid-December we were able to purchase a 30 passenger bus — a goal that we have been working towards for two years — to help us do Mobile Medical and Dental Clinics as well as provide transportation for teams.  We are eagerly awaiting to see what will come of the new elections this year, but we are sure that whatever happens, the ministry of Fundación Proyecto de Esperanza will continue partnering with churches, pastors and ministry leaders to make a difference and provide the hope of Christ to people in Cochabamba and Santa Cruz.

Paul Fulks had a passion for missions.  He believed mission engagement changed lives and encouraged mission involvement and support. In addition to serving as a pastor for 18 years, he also served on staff with the West Virginia Baptist Convention (WVBC), first as the Minister of Mission Support and later as an Area Minister.  Following his retirement in 2005, he continued to serve in a volunteer role with both the WVBC and South Parkersburg Baptist Church.

Upon his retirement, he and his wife, Judy, established a scholarship fund for “the purpose of helping persons interested in participating in a cross-cultural mission trip with needed funds for this experience.” The fund was established with a sacrificial gift from Paul’s retirement account.  Quarterly, the fund is reviewed by the trustees and the accrued interest is distributed as scholarships to approved applicants. Priority is given to first-time applicants who demonstrate financial need.  Since the scholarship fund was established, more than 250 people have received financial assistance for their mission trips.

John Simmons, former Associate Executive Minister of Missions and Administration, remembered fondly, “Paul is the one who took me on my first mission trip.” There are dozens of individuals around the state who have made the same statement.  John then added with even greater fondness, “And I had the pleasure of taking him on his last one.”

Through the establishment of the Mission Trip Scholarship Fund, Paul and Judy Fulks continue to be rope holders for our WVBC family. Not only did they demonstrate a passion for missions in their time of ministry together, but they continue to demonstrate a passion through the ongoing support of their legacy gift.  In 2020, six individuals have already been awarded a scholarship – four from Petersburg First Baptist Church who will travel to Nicaragua next week and two from New Baptist Church who will be traveling to Haiti in March.

The Paul and Judy Fulks Mission Trip Scholarships are awarded quarterly, with the next application deadline coming March 1.  If you are interested in contributing an additional amount to this fund, you can do so by sending a check to the Convention office and designating it toward the Fulks Mission Trip Scholarship Fund.  This fund has been used to help us reach people all over the world with the Gospel. It is through rope holders like Paul and Judy Fulks that we are able to continue doing Christ’s work together.