SBC of Virginia celebrates 15 years, increases CP another .25%, hosts IMB Installation Service
Dec 1, 2011 | by Brandon Pickett
RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – Messengers to the 2011 Annual Homecoming of the SBC of Virginia had to use something they haven’t seen much of in the 15 years of SBCV's history—a ballot. Colonial Heights Baptist pastor Randall Hahn and evangelist Bob Davis were nominated for president. After a ballot vote, Hahn was elected.
The theme of this year’s meeting, held at Grove Avenue Baptist Church in Richmond, was “Transforming Churches.” Mark Becton, SBCV president and the host church pastor, gave the convention message Sunday evening entitled, “Transformed by the Adventure with God” from Acts 1.
“The SBCV Annual Homecoming is always a unique opportunity to celebrate God’s activity in our churches,” Becton said. “But this year, we really sensed His Spirit was at work even before homecoming started. In talking with many pastors and lay leaders, I see a move of the Father to truly transform our churches through transformed lives.”
More than 12 hundred people attended throughout the Nov. 13 – 15 meeting. A total of 838 individuals registered as either messengers or guests. An additional 300 unregistered guests attended the special Monday International Mission Board (IMB) evening service with 100 attending to sing in the mass choir representing four SBCV churches (Grove Ave. BC, Beaverdam BC, Staples Mill Road BC, and Swift Creek BC).
“We really sensed His Spirit was at work even before homecoming started.”
Some in attendance said the meeting seemed more like a Southern Baptist Convention at times than a state convention annual meeting. That was because of the special Monday evening installation service for the new IMB president Tom Elliff and the number of SBC entity presidents in attendance.
Steve Bradshaw, director of Maturing Churches said, “I am not sure we realized the magnitude of this historic occasion. While celebrating a milestone as a convention, we witnessed SBC leadership from all over the country commission the new IMB president. What a blessing of inspiration to see in the same room with SBCV messengers from across the state, hundreds of missionaries in training who will scatter abroad to proclaim the Gospel. The Cooperative Program cannot be more clear than that.”
North American Mission Board president Kevin Ezell spoke to the convention Tuesday morning. He updated messengers on his transition as NAMB president and spoke from Acts 20 on the “Missions Legacy of a Transforming Church”. On Monday afternoon, Ezell held a question and answer session at lunch with dozens of SBCV church planters and their wives.
Additional keynote speakers included Stephen Rummage, pastor of Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon, Fla., and Herb Reavis, pastor of North Jacksonville Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla.
SBC of Virginia pastors provided theme challenges throughout the convention. Those speakers included: Grant Ethridge, pastor of Liberty Baptist in Hampton, Eric Thomas, pastor of FBC Norfolk in Norfolk, John Kirwa Maritim, pastor of Sunrise Baptist in Arlington, and Rick Ewing, pastor of Pleasant View Baptist in Lynchburg.
No Other Name, national recording artists from Nashville, provided special music throughout the meeting while Paul Randlett and the SBCV Convention Praise Team once again led worship.
Also elected as convention officers were Danny Campbell, first vice president (pastor of Wayne Hills Baptist in Waynesboro); Reggie Hester, second vice president (pastor of Bethel Baptist in Chesapeake); Don Paxton, secretary (pastor of Rosedale Baptist in Abingdon).
Interim Executive Director Dr. Doyle Chauncey reported that for the third year in a row, the Cooperative Program Ministry Investment Plan (MIP) has stayed the same. The 2012 budget, which was unanimously adopted, is $9 million with 50.75% of all undesignated CP money allocated for SBC causes. The 0.25 percent increase in CP contributions is in line with the Vision 20/20 strategy adopted in 2009 to increase the SBC CP percentage amount by 0.25 percent each year when funds are available.
“Annual Homecoming was especially personal to me because it was celebrating my 15th anniversary with this special group of pastors, churches and missionaries,” Chauncey said. “This homecoming reaffirmed to me what was started in 1996. It was a time, not just for looking back, but for celebrating a very bright future.”
The 2012 MIP includes almost $300,000 more for Multiplying Churches (church planting). This brings the total allocated for church planting in 2012 to $1,915,843 or 18 percent of the total money SBCV invests for Virginia mission work.
Mark Custalow, director of Multiplying Churches, stressed the importance of sponsoring churches and interviewed Dr. Drew Landry, pastor of Spotswood Baptist in Fredericksburg. Spotswood sponsors Grace Fellowship Baptist Church in Haysi pastored by church planter Jeremiah Sluss.
“It was a time, not just for looking back, but for celebrating a very bright future.”
SBC of Virginia honored 10 churches with Eagle Awards for initiating new church planting sponsorships in 2011. Custalow reported 15 church planters and apprentices were approved to start work during the year.
Custalow introduced new church planting resources to the convention. Communities of Hope is a brand-new, free resource available online for pastors and churches to empower committed Christians to reach their lost friends and neighbors with the Gospel through small group Bible studies.
Custalow directed messengers to online "Mission Site Digests" to learn more about 120 communities across Virginia and Washington, DC most in need of the Gospel. It is in these areas where church planting efforts and resources will be primarily directed in the coming years.
Chauncey praised the Lord for the brand-new 13,500-sq.-ft. missions support center that the convention staff moved into at the beginning of October. “The good news is that God has graciously provided the resources to build it without having to borrow money. So after 15 years of paying rent, we are rent-free and debt free! The savings in about $250,000 annually, which will now be available for planting more churches and other strategic missions.”
The missions support center will be placed into a new, wholly owned SBCV subsidiary, SBCV Holdings, LLC, which will provide limited liability protection for the building.
Chauncey introduced another subsidiary, Innovative Faith Resources. IFR (formerly named Church Ministry Services) has been providing financial services to churches and church plants since 1999. But in 2011, it was renamed and retooled to also provide media, branding and marketing services for churches, church plants, state conventions, associations, as well as other ministries and nonprofits.
Chauncey reminded messengers that the Executive Director Search Committee would be receiving resumes through Nov. 30, 2011 [this deadline has now been extended to Dec. 31]. Committee chairman, Kelly Burris, pastor of Kempsville Baptist Church in Virginia Beach, gave a short update and asked for prayer as the committee seeks God’s man for the position.
Chauncey also recognized two men for their ministry to SBCV by giving Nehemiah Awards for Service. Tim Piland, pastor of Nansemond River Baptist in Suffolk, and Robert Williams, a layman from First Baptist in Norfolk both received the annual award.
Eight existing churches requested affiliation in 2011. Steve Bradshaw, director of maturing churches, highlighted the evangelistic work of SBCV churches through GPS (God’s Plan for Sharing) with a video from the “findithere.com 200” race at South Boston Speedway in July of this year.
Bradshaw introduced the new Women’s Ministry strategist, Tammy Bennett, who hosted a special women’s lunch on Tuesday with special guest speaker, Evelyn Hinds.
Steve Maltempi, Student Ministry strategist, reported that the Youth Evangelism Conference drew a record attendance of 2,017 in January to London Bridge Baptist in Virginia Beach. Maltempi also praised the Lord for a record 1,600 attendees at Studentz Camp at Liberty University in Lynchburg in July.
Mark Gauthier, director of Mobilizing Churches, reported about the expanding Acts 1:8 Network. Gauthier said churches already working in the same national or international mission field could come together in a specific network to provide synergy. Right now, there are eight networks with more to come. More than 120 churches are cooperating together in an Acts 1:8 Network.
Gauthier also updated messengers on Baptist Builders, Families on Mission, Mission Services Corps, and the English as a Second Language ministry. He highlighted Disaster Relief through the teamwork of SBCV and Liberty University in Disaster Relief Ministry that enabled 325 student volunteers to be trained and respond to the flood ravaged area of Binghamton, NY in less than two weeks.
SBC of Virginia messengers approved two resolutions. One resolution thanked Grove Avenue Baptist and Pastor Mark Becton for hosting the Annual Homecoming. The second resolution thanked God for the “vision, courage, and sacrifice of all those involved in the establishment of the SBCV,” recognizing SBCV's 15th anniversary.
SBC of Virginia's 2012 Annual Homecoming will be held Nov. 11 – 13 at Liberty Baptist Church in Hampton.
