Inasmuch As You Do for the Least Neighbors Churches Cover State in Missions by Norman Jameson BR Editor

NEWS JOURNAL OF NORTH CAROLINA BAPTISTS VOL. 176, NO. 10 MAY 8, 2010 WWW.BIBLICALRECORDER.ORG Inasmuch as you do for the least neighbors Churches cover state in missions By Norman Jameson BR Editor s many as 1,000 North Carolina Baptist churches fanned out through their neighborhoods April 24 and May 1 conducting servant ministry in a second statewide AOperation Inasmuch effort. From Murphy to Manteo, edge to edge and mountains to the sea North Carolina Baptists painted, planted, potted and preached with their actions a selfless, servant spirit, sometimes co- ordinating with churches of other races and denominations to serve in Jesus’ name. Coordinated by N.C. Baptist Men utilizing a method originated by David BR photo by Dianna L. Cagle Crocker when he was pastor at Snyder OFF TO THE RACES — Children enjoy a sack race at Cross Culture Church’s Community Day April 24. The church was Memorial Baptist Church, Operation participating in Operation Inasmuch, a statewide effort to minister to neighbors. For more about Operation Inasmuch, see Inasmuch is growing into a national pages 9-12 and visit the photo gallery and video online. movement. On two consecutive spring Saturdays in North Carolina, it was a homegrown movement that moved Community Day many to action and some to tears. *** In North Hampton County, where crosses culture Connie Vann coordinated the efforts of By Dianna L. Cagle three churches, Grace had lived in her BR Assistant Managing Editor house 60 years. She just had a heart pace maker installed. Houses on both olunteers in black shirts greeted a slow but sides were vacant as neighbors had died steady crowd at Cross Culture Church Commu- and her own yard was so overgrown nity Day in Raleigh at Leesville Road Middle her house appeared vacant, as well until School as part of the statewide Operation Inas- youth and sponsors cleared it up. much April 24. “Isn’t it wonderful? Ya’ll are the “It was a big success for us,” said Clay Stevens, lead sweetest things,” Grace said. Vpastor. “We’re trying to show the love of Jesus in a tangible Vann had participated in Operation way.” Inasmuch in 2008 and said people at Fear of rain must have kept some people away when the Conway Baptist Church where he is a event began, but soon the skies cleared and the festivities member “talked about that day all sum- picked up at the middle school field. mer.” “When we’re doing something like this it’s so reliant on The church did another event on their the weather,” he said. own the following year and Vann said, The church, which used to meet at the middle school and BR photo by Norman Jameson “It was really good to see the fellow- now meets at Leesville Road High School, had about 75 BUILDING — Amos Pope, left, helps Eddie Joyner and J.D. ship and the cooperation that a mission Allen build a ramp to the home he shares with his father. The (See Community Day Page 10) men are from Conway Baptist Church. (See Churches cover 12) WMU-NC feels called to push forward in lean, rich times By Dianna L. Cagle Extravaganza (ME) April 16-18 at Ridgecrest Confer- 10.4 percent less than 2009. The WMU-NC had to BR Assistant Managing Editor ence Center. reach into its reserves several times to fund the 2009 “We had the challenge of learning new and differ- budget. In the midst of a weekend of laughter and learning, ent ways to do our work,” Fulbright told 921 in atten- She said the year was full of great contradictions a meeting took place describing the best and worst of dance. “We were able to pay our bills for 2009.” and extremes. times. Sharon Allred Decker, former vice president for In 2009, WMU-NC began 149 new organizations Quoting Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, Duke Power and founder of The Tapestry Group, was at 60 different churches. But they also had a decline in Ruby Fulbright, executive director of Woman’s Mis- the featured speaker. Kyle Matthews, who ministers at magazine subscriptions, which fund national WMU. sionary Union of North Carolina (WMU-NC), shared a church in South Carolina and is a songwriter/singer, “We found and developed new relationships but of the tumultuous year it has been for the organization led worship. during her annual report April 17 at “Called” Missions The proposed 2010 budget — $1,192,482 — was (See WMU-NC Page 19) 2 Biblical Recorder: News Journal of North Carolina Baptists May 8, 2010 Vestal conf ident as CBF passes through adolescence By Norman Jameson istry, which is the future,” he said. “The with the Baptist State Convention of BR Editor Southern Baptist culture that denies North Carolina. The same is true of women can be pastors is not only out of CBF as a whole, where “churches that ith the death of touch with the Spirit, it’s out of touch are a part of CBF are still in some way founding coordinator with scripture. related to, or partnering with SBC or and (spiritual) voice “Thirty percent of the churches in state Baptist conventions,” Vestal said. Cecil Sherman and China have female pastors.” He believes local churches affiliating the approaching 20th CBF also is committed to “biblical with multiple partners is a feature of the anniversary of its birth, the national justice.” Vestal said, “Our understand- future. WCooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) ing of the gospel is that commitment to He said, “the day is over” when local is reaching a point where its viability justice is as important as personal salva- churches can be expected to operate into the future will either be cemented tion. The Kingdom of God is coming, it exclusively within a certain structure or proven unlikely. has come.” identified by a denominational tag. Current CBF Coordinator Daniel State organizations have sprung up Instead they will partner “with whoever Vestal, 65, wonders why CBF viability around the national CBF movement. they choose to partner with to fulfill would be questioned, though one of the The North Carolina chapter, led by their mission.” prime movers in CBF’s formation said Larry Hovis, former pastor of The Me- Although Vestal doesn’t expect the years ago he considered CBF to be a morial Baptist Church in Greenville, is CBF to become a “majoritarian move- “one generation movement.” the largest state chapter, although CBF ment” anytime soon, he said, “I think “I disagree,” Vestal said between national still receives more money from we have a bright future.” revival services at First Baptist Church Texas than from any other state, accord- in Marion on April 18. ing to Vestal. Age of adolescence “We were born out of the fires of BR photo by Norman Jameson While the N.C. chapter functions At age 20, he said his organization is conflict and a struggle for freedom, as ESTABLISHING — Daniel Vestal be- independently, field coordinators for “barely out of adolescence” and “what was nearly every other Baptist organi- lieves the Cooperative Baptist Fellow- CBF chapters in Virginia and Texas are God has done in the last 20 years is re- zation I know,” Vestal said. ship has a bright future in part because actually on Vestal’s staff, which num- ally remarkable.” “The principles that birthed us — the it is a “new” thing and has established bers 55. He said CBF has 160 mission- Vestal 65, has recovered from pros- love of freedom and the love of mis- an identity beyond that of the South- aries, although some are funded by CBF tate cancer. He said it is natural at his sion — have found new expressions ern Baptist Convention out of which it partners. age to think about his future and that of for a changing culture and a changing came. North Carolina Baptists until 2010 CBF, although he has no “clarity about world.” contributed to CBF national through when I’ll retire.” Some Southern Baptists upset with Although CBF “functions in many Plan C of their Cooperative Program The son of a pastor, Vestal was a the direction of the Southern Baptist ways like what in the past we called a budget. In 2010 N.C. Baptists reverted youth evangelist, and became a pastor Convention (SBC) met in 1990 in At- convention,” CBF elects no trustees, to a single giving plan that excludes at age 25. lanta to discuss options and formed the and owns no institutions. When asked CBF. He pastored churches for 27 years Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, which his own denomination, he said he is “We were very grateful for our part- before spending the last 13 at the helm launched officially the following May. “Baptist.” nership with the Baptist State Conven- of CBF, which was a toddler when he The CBF will hold its annual meeting CBF quickly matured beyond “react- tion of North Carolina,” Vestal said.”We took it by the hand. June 23-26 in Charlotte. ing” to things SBC and developed its affirm the right of the BSC to make this His two sons and daughter are all “The SBC became a convention that own identity apart from being “anti- decision, but we regret the loss of this ordained to ministry. “I really believe had a command and control culture,” SBC.” When asked about several cur- partnership.” CBF is a renewal movement within the Vestal said. rent issues in the SBC, Vestal professed Most partner churches of North Car- Baptist family,” Vestal said. “God’s not “Either you conformed to that culture unawareness.

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