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News RSS News RSS Feed <![CDATA[General Assembly concludes with Paynter’s call to shared vision and values]]> General Assembly concludes with Paynter’s
call to shared vision and values

GREENSBORO, N.C. – In the final session of the 2013 General Assembly, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Executive Coordinator Suzii Paynter delivered an address focusing on CBF’s shared values and mission. “Hold these things in common, and you can run the race,” Paynter said.

As she recognized the work of Fellowship partners, ministers and volunteers in the crowd, Paynter told the audience of Cooperative Baptists that “we can be alone or we can be a Fellowship” of churches and ministries, united in common identity, compassionate ministry and mission work.

“This is not parachute missions. This is self-sacrificing, biblical, honest, holistic service that provides a platform for meaningful church engagement and sustained national ministries. This is co-missioning. It is not cheap, nor is it the kind of venture that can be run for the change leftover in your car cupholder. This type of Christian engagement is worth the lives of our partners and field personnel, and it is worth our serious investment,” Paynter said.

Paynter pointed to CBF’s rural poverty initiative, Together for Hope, as an example of the impact of the Fellowship united in mission. “During 2012, in only five Together for Hope regions –Appalachia, Mississippi River Delta, Rio Grande Valley, Alabama, South Dakota – 44 churches engaged with Together for Hope poverty and transformation ministries. This resulted in 24,029 hours of volunteer service, which equals $532,723.00 in volunteer time,” Paynter said.

Paynter announced she will soon finalize a partnership with the Baptist World Alliance to be a Baptist voice at the United Nations. She also announced a new emphasis on endowed scholarships for seminary students at CBF’s 15 partner seminaries and encouraged every healthy CBF church to consider starting a new church in the next five years.

A. Roy Medley brought greetings from American Baptist Churches USA, noting the organization’s common values and telling Paynter, “as part of a broad Baptist family, we are praying for CBF’s fellowship and praying for you.”

During the service, an offering was received, raising $16,243 to support the work of CBF field personnel around the world. The worship closed with a communion service, led by Paynter and her husband, Roger Paynter, pastor of First Baptist Church, Austin, Texas.

The registered attendance for the 2013 General Assembly was 2,327.

Attendees unanimously approve CBF’s ‘path toward the future’
with votes on new organizational structure and leadership

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Cooperative Baptists have laid what Moderator Keith Herron called the “path toward the future” with three unanimous votes in the Friday morning business session at the 2013 CBF General Assembly.

Attendees passed a new constitution and bylaws that replace the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s representative Coordinating Council with four smaller bodies. Attendees also approved the 2013-2014 Ministries and Missions Budget of $12.4 million and the Nominating Committee report that includes new CBF officers and provides leadership to some of the newly created organizational structure.

Under the new structure, a Governing Board will provide oversight for CBF with the help of three other bodies – the Nominating Committee and the Ministries and Missions councils.

The two new officers for 2013-14 are Kasey Jones, senior pastor of National Memorial Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., as moderator-elect, and Jason Coker, pastor of Wilton Baptist Church in Wilton, Conn., as recorder. Approved were 13 members of the Governing Board, with Bill McConnell leading the group as moderator; six members of the Ministries Council with Michael Cheuk, senior minister at University Baptist Church in Charlottesville, Va., as chair; and five members of the Missions Council with Mimi Walker, pastor of Druid Hills Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga., as chair.

McConnell stressed that “this is a new day” for CBF with the new organizational structure and the new leadership of CBF Executive Coordinator Suzii Paynter. He promised close collaboration between CBF members and the Governing Board.

During the session, Paynter presented two Vestal Scholarships for theological education, named after the former CBF Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal, to Abigail Pratt, a student at Wake Forest University School of Divinity, and Robert Matteson, a student at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary.

Coordinating Council commemorates 22 years,
honors Bass as Alumni of the Year

GREENSBORO, N.C. – More than 150 Coordinating Council alumni met for dinner and to commemorate 22 years of service to the Fellowship. Changes to CBF’s organizational structure, approved earlier in the day by the General Assembly, officially dissolved the Council and created a new, smaller Governing Board.

“The Coordinating Council has been all things to all people – functioning as needed as the CBF staff, advisors, creators, expanders, communicators and ambassadors. The legacy of servant leadership, vision and responsiveness are enduring gifts that are delivered to the future,” said CBF Executive Coordinator Suzii Paynter, who is also an alumnus of the Council.

Jack Glasgow, senior pastor of Zebulon Baptist Church in Zebulon, N.C., and former CBF moderator, called the Council members his “heroines and heroes.”

“For 22 years, CBF was led by the Coordinating Council, but it’s a new day. We have been able to celebrate a new executive coordinator, one who will stand in a line of excellence,” Glasgow said.

“CBF has not been a consolation. It has been a gift of a make-everything-new God,” he said.

Christy McMillin-Goodwin, associate minister of education and missions at Oakland Baptist Church in Rock Hill, S.C., presented the CBF Coordinating Council Distinguished Alumni Award to Hal Bass, a professor of political science at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark. During his time on the Coordinating Council, Bass led CBF to adopt the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and created the 2012 Task Force.

Bass was presented a framed print of Skopje, Macedonia. The photograph came from Shelia Earl, who recently retired as one of CBF’s field personnel from that country.

Baptist Joint Committee honors Paynter
with J.M. Dawson Religious Liberty Award
GREENSBORO, N.C. – More than 560 people gathered in a packed ballroom for the 23^rd annual meeting and luncheon of the Religious Liberty Council of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.

During his opening remarks, BJC Board Chair Mitch Randall, pastor of NorthHaven Church in Norman, Okla., invoked the legacy of 17^th century Baptist leader Roger Williams and applauded the BJC for its role safeguarding religious freedom and the separation of church and state.

“It is because of Brent Walker, Holly Hollman and our staff, and the great support they receive from the Religious Liberty Council, as well as support they receive from you, that religious liberty will live on today, tomorrow and hopefully for years to come,” Randall said.

BJC General Counsel Holly Hollman reminded the crowd in her update that, in March, President Obama selected Melissa Rogers, director of the Center for Religion and Public Affairs at Wake Forest University School of Divinity and former BJC General Counsel, to serve as director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

“The President had the wise judgment to select former BJC General Counsel Melissa Rogers....To have a Cooperative Baptist in such a significant position is truly a gift to our country,” Hollman said.

The capacity crowd also heard from CBF Executive Coordinator Suzii Paynter, who was honored with the J.M. Dawson Religious Liberty Award, an award named after the late religious liberty pioneer and first executive director of the BJC.

In her address, Paynter urged BJC supporters to be advocates on behalf of religious liberty.

“Practice your liberty of conscience, and God will use the conversation. In an increasingly pluralistic culture, among the polarized ideological discourse from both the right and the left, with well-funded and vocal advocates, the public square needs to hear the deliberative thoughts of sincerely religious and faithful people saying, modeling, simple but profound statements of conscience,” Paynter said.

“This is our chapter. You are the voice; it is your voice that needs to speak….We treat our most sacred freedoms like they are distant teacups, not really ours except in some decorative sense. We will exercise our bodies to hip-hop abs and P90X. It’s time to put some energy into exercising our freedom of conscience for religious liberty and to lift our voices to defend the religious rights of others here and around the world. Justice requires action. Jesus said so.”

CBF Church Benefits Board hosts lunch program on work and retirement,
and breakout session on new healthcare law

GREENSBORO – Too often, Christians do not work the way God intended them to work, substituting strategic plans and a matrix for love and relationships, said Guy Sayles, pastor of First Baptist Church, Asheville N.C., to more than 120 people Friday at the annual Church Benefits Board luncheon.

Sayles spoke about the biblical interpretation of work and retirement.

“Since work is a partnership with God, it isn’t limited to our careers and our jobs,” Sayles said. “Our life’s work is greater and more enduring than the positions we hold and the titles we have. The answer is broader than a job. A job is what you get paid to do. A vocation is what you are made to do.”

Sayles likened retirement to the Jewish Jubilee, outlined in the Bible, where at the end of 50 years of work, the people of Israel would rest from their exhausting labors. It’s the Sabbath of Sabbaths.

“God created mankind on the sixth day. So humanity’s first full day on earth was the Sabbath,” Sayles said. “So it all began on the Sabbath and hopefully it ends on the Sabbath.”

Later, at the CBB breakout session about the new healthcare law that goes into effect later this year and into 2014, Gary Skeen, CBB president, offered his commitment to helping churches stay in compliance with federal regulations.

“Churches need to be aware of the new healthcare law and what requirements may be placed on them to be in compliance,” Skeen said. “From simple things like employee notices that, if they choose, they can be a part of the new federal exchanges to communiques that churches need to make to the exchanges about employee compensation.”

Skeen explained that under the new healthcare law, the “individual mandate” requires single persons with incomes above $9,350 or married couples at more than $18,700 to enroll in some healthcare coverage or face a penalty beginning in 2014.

That year, the penalty will be $95, or one percent of annual income, whichever is greater. In 2015, the penalty grows to $395 or 2 percent, and in 2016, it grows to $695 or 2.5 percent of income, depending on which is greater. For families, the penalty is capped at 300 percent of individual rate.

The penalty does not apply to individuals who:

have religious objections to purchasing health insurance
participate in a healthcare sharing ministry
are incarcerated
not legally present in the United States
are members of a Native American tribe, or
those who receive a “hardship” exemption.

Skeen said, “if your church is under 50 full time employees, it’s unlikely that any employer penalties will apply. But you can’t ignore the reporting of employee compensation or other mandates which are still being negotiated and firmed up.”

Skeen said the Church Benefits Board will keep its members abreast of all federal mandates as they become available.

The following writers contributed to these stories: Emily Holladay, Jeff Huett, Jeff Langford, Bob Perkins and Aaron Weaver.

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]]> Fri, 28 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[CBF General Assembly kicks off with celebration of 30 years of BWIM]]> GREENSBORO, N.C. – The 23^rd annual Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly began Wednesday with a celebration of the 30^th anniversary of CBF-partner Baptist Women in Ministry (BWIM). At the evening gathering held at First Baptist Church, Greensboro, N.C., the sanctuary crowd was greeted with a warm welcome from BWIM Executive Director Pam Durso.

“Tonight, we are especially grateful for those who came together in March 1983 to found BWIM….We welcome you, to bless this time, to remember our past and to refresh the dream that God has placed in the care of Baptist Women in Ministry,” Durso said.

This time of worship and celebration included an invocation from Larry Hovis, executive coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, and congregational singing of lyrics written by CBF Executive Coordinator Suzii Paynter set to the tune of “Do You Hear the People Sing” from the musical Les Misérables.

Elizabeth Flowers, an assistant professor of American religious history at Texas Christian University and author of Into the Pulpit: Southern Baptist Women and Power Since World War II, offered a brief overview of the history of BWIM, highlighting the contributions of early organizers, Nancy Sehested and Anne Thomas Neil.

“Nancy Sehested and Anne Neil insisted that BWIM could not just be about ‘gaining power for ourselves,’ but about entering the pulpit to address the injustices suffered by the powerless worldwide. In fact, many early BWIM women rejected the term ‘moderate’ as far too ‘puny,’ ‘weak’ or ‘lukewarm,’ for their own sense of passion, for the radicalness of their vision and for historic Baptist identity as well,” Flowers said.

Sehested, who convened the first group of 33 Baptist women who met in Louisville, Ky., to form Baptist Women in Ministry, preached the night’s sermon, reflecting on the past years and encouraging the congregation to have hope for the work yet to come.

“Our divine dreamer has always had a bigger imagination than we could ever envision. Just look at us! Strong, daring and becoming ever more visible in our leadership,” Sehested said. “Transformation of the heart and mind for most of us does not come through a verse or two of the Bible, but through the living letters of human beings who bear witness to this radical gospel of love.”

This time around, let’s make the changes stick so that our children, our grandchildren, our daughters, our granddaughters, don’t have to battle it again,” she said.

Durso announced the creation of two new BWIM awards. Watts Street Baptist Church in Durham, N.C., was announced as the first recipient of the Baptist Women in Ministry Church of Excellence. With the ordination of Addie Davis in 1964, Watts Street became the first church to ordain a Southern Baptist woman and has continued to affirm women ministers and empower women leaders in its congregation.
Durso also presented The Frankie Huff Granger Distinguished Mentor Award, named after the late Baptist pioneer and mentor, to Anne Thomas Neil, a retired missionary and BWIM founding mother.
Paynter closed the celebration with a challenge to the crowd.
“We are in charge of the inspiration and the arc of our lives towards the kingdom of God. We are in charge of our vision for a larger story that serves a greater good. We are not alone but held in the great, fertile imagination of God for blessing,” Paynter said.

She continued, “So, do not be stingy, caddy or small. Join something, lead someone, be contagious. Amend, interpret, love with unimaginable love. Live your call without regret because God is not through with us yet!”

In final meeting, Coordinating Council readies
for important vote and celebrates 22 years of service

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Meeting Wednesday for the last time before a Friday General Assembly vote on a new constitution and bylaws that would change the governing structure of the organization, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s Coordinating Council heard reports from CBF leadership and celebrated 22 years of service.

At the outset, CBF Moderator Keith Herron, who is pastor of Holmeswood Baptist Church in Kansas City, Mo., set the stage for the Council’s role in this year’s General Assembly.

Motions will be made in this year’s Assembly that “will shift us from one organization to another,” Herron said. “We are remolding the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship from the inside out.” Herron then encouraged the Council members to be present at the business sessions and breakout meetings to hear questions posed by attendees and speak to them.
Rather than a Coordinating Council, changes in the constitution and bylaws call for a smaller Governing Board, as well as a Nominating Committee, and Ministries and Missions councils.

CBF Executive Coordinator Suzii Paynter underscored Herron’s emphasis on the importance of the changes. Although questions abound in what she calls a “vortex of change,” Paynter said, “creating a new constitution and bylaws is something that was a necessary underpinning for what we’ll be doing in the future.”

Moderator-Elect Bill McConnell reminded the Council of the process by which the new constitution and bylaws were created and suggested that his one-year moderator term would be focused on implementing the new governance structure.

At the conclusion, members of the council in attendance were each recognized for their service.

CBF unveils Dawnings initiative at annual Leadership Institute

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship launched Dawnings, a new missional resource for churches, at its annual Leadership Institute on Wednesday afternoon. In an abbreviated retreat format, nearly 150 participants learned about the discernment and engagement process for churches from Leadership Institute facilitators Jim Dant, creative partner at FaithLab; Bo Prosser, CBF coordinator of missional congregations; Devita Parnell, CBF missional resources specialist and Harry Rowland, CBF missional church engagement specialist.

Prosser said most Fellowship churches are asking one of two questions: “How do we begin the missional journey, or how do we deepen and enrich our missional journey?”

“Dawnings helps a church answer those questions by engaging the congregation in a series of spiritual conversations and prayer, so they discern their unique calling in their own communities,” Prosser said.

The retreat provided a glimpse of the full Dawnings process. One activity had participants engage in a form of prayer called Colloquy, in which a conversation with an imagined partner takes place. Participants were asked to converse with the Apostle Paul about an important decision in their life or the life of their church.

“Discernment is a very important part of my own life, so I’m happy for the opportunity to make it a community effort, to have my church join me in the process of discernment.” said Leadership Institute participant Julie Ball, a member of Second Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn.

The Dawnings initiative was developed through a grant from Christ is our Salvation to help congregations find their calling through vision, formation and engagement.

Leadership Scholars gather for dinner and fellowship

GREENSBORO, N.C. – More than 50 seminary students from the 15 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship partner theological schools gathered Wednesday for fellowship and networking. Each of the students received a scholarship from CBF for their excellence in leadership.

The dinner marks the first intentional gathering of CBF Leadership Scholars at the General Assembly and provided the opportunity for students from different schools to get to know each other.

Devita Parnell, CBF missional resources specialist, who coordinates the CBF leadership scholarship program, offered words of affirmation to the students.

“Your identity may be largely formed around your school of choice, but I hope that you will know that your community extends beyond state lines and school colors,” Parnell said. “You are a part of the CBF family.”

Two leadership scholars commented on how empowering and encouraging the process has been throughout their educational journey.

“Being CBF leadership scholars helps us develop ministerial identity and develop relationships with the people who have invested in us,” said Josh Beeler, a recent graduate of Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (BTSR).

Fellow BTSR graduate, Caleb Foust, added, “It adds a confidence in ministerial identity to know that CBF supports who we are, so we can go out in our contexts and represent CBF.”

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.

The following writers contributed to these stories: Emily Holladay, Jeff Huett, Jeff Langford and Aaron Weaver.

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]]> Thu, 27 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[‘We’ve been commissioned by God to change the world,’ Griffen proclaims in Thursday evening commissioning service]]> ‘We’ve been commissioned by God to change the world,’ Griffen proclaims
in Thursday evening commissioning service

GREENSBORO, N.C. – In his message Thursday night, Judge Wendell Griffen, pastor of the New Millennium Church in Little Rock, Ark., quoted Elwood from The Blues Brothers’, donned dark sunglasses and challenged Cooperative Baptists to be on a “mission from God.”

To act on God’s behalf is an audacious belief, Griffen said. “However audacious our calling and claims may seem, remember that our audacity must be traced to God. God, who had the audacity to empty divine grace and truth into humanity and place it in the world in Jesus, is at work with us,” Griffen said.

“We’ve been commissioned to proclaim God’s good news to people in bad situations and change the world. We’ve been sent to shout freedom to people imprisoned by life and the order of things. We’ve been sent by God to declare new vision to people blinded by the weight of their past and present realities. We’ve been sent by God to call people who’ve been oppressed by greed, pride, power, violence and hate and declare their freedom. We’ve been commissioned by God to change the world.”

During the service that featured readings and songs in Arabic, Spanish and the Yoruba language from Nigeria, attendees gave $21,197.83 to support CBF’s work around the world. An additional offering on Friday night will go to the Offering for Global Missions, which provides for the salary, benefits and operating and ministry expenses of fully-funded field personnel and member care, health insurance, technology support and travel stipends for self-funded personnel.

CBF commissioned eight field personnel and church starters and recognized 48 new CBF-endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors.

Bo Prosser, coordinator of missional congregations, and Jim Smith, interim coordinator of global missions, led a litany of commissioning for the field personnel and church starters. “God has called. Your communities of faith have affirmed that call, and you have responded. These who stand with you represent all of the fellowship of CBF churches, and we are sending you out to invest your lives in the work of Christ,” Smith said.

During the service, George Pickle, CBF chaplaincy and pastoral counseling endorser, and Angela Lowe, chair of the CBF Council on Endorsement, recognized 48 chaplains and pastoral counselors endorsed by the Fellowship in the past year, bringing the total number of CBF-endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors to more than 700.

Ethics luncheon previews forthcoming documentary
on faith community’s engagement with prisons
GREENSBORO, N.C. – At a luncheon sponsored by the Baptist Center for Ethics (BCE) and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, BCE Executive Director Robert Parham introduced the crowded ballroom to a new documentary on faith and prisons. This forthcoming documentary will be released in early 2014 and highlights the faith community’s engagement with prisons including outreach to inmates and officers.

Parham noted that the nationwide recidivism rate for those incarcerated is more than 40 percent. “Both political parties are recognizing that the recidivism rates are way too high and the cost of prisons are busting state budgets,” Parham said.

Parham explained that the only group making a real tangible difference on this issue is the faith community. He hopes that this documentary will raise much-needed awareness of the need for prison reform.

“I think what we can do that advances the common good is to show what others are doing in hopes that it will spark the imaginations of congregations across the country to emulate and duplicate those models,” Parham added.

Two versions of the documentary will be released with a shorter version geared for the general public and a longer version designed to be used by congregations.

New constitution and bylaws presented
at Assembly’s first business session

GREENSBORO, N.C. – A new constitution and bylaws that will replace the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s representative Coordinating Council with four smaller bodies was presented to the General Assembly Thursday morning during the first business session.

The changes call for a Governing Board that will provide oversight for CBF with the help of three other bodies – the Nominating Committee and the Ministries and Missions councils. The plan will be voted on Friday, along with the proposed $12.4 million 2013-14 budget and the nominating committee report.

The nominating committee report included two new officers for 2013-14 – Kasey Jones, senior pastor of National Memorial Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., as moderator-elect and Jason Coker, pastor of Wilton Baptist Church in Wilton, Conn., as recorder. The report also included 13 members of the Governing Board, with Bill McConnell leading the group; six members of the Ministries Council with Michael Cheuk, senior minister at University Baptist Church in Charlottesville, Va., as chair; and five members of the Missions Council with Mimi Walker, pastor of Druid Hills Baptist Church in Atlanta, as chair.

Chaplaincy luncheon honors George Pickle
for 12 years of CBF service
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The CBF Chaplaincy and Pastoral Counseling luncheon honored George Pickle Thursday, who is retiring after 12 years with CBF. Pickle said he was overwhelmed with the more than 150 people who attended the luncheon, many of whom gave testimonies of how Pickle had impacted their lives professionally and personally.

Cecilia Walker, director of pastoral care at Princeton Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham, Ala., said Pickle helped her the most when she was grieving the death of her daughter, Gabrielle.

“The thing that is indelibly imprinted with me is how hard it was for me to go back to work at the same trauma unit, in the same hospital where they brought my daughter,” she said. “But without telling me, George drove up to where I was working and sat for hours in that office. He let me cry, and he really didn’t say much of anything. It just meant so much to me that he was there.”

CBF Executive Coordinator Suzii Paynter said she learned how vital chaplaincy ministry was when she had responsibility for chaplaincy with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and when she became CBF Executive Coordinator, she said she had one request.

“I want to see chaplains included in our commissioning services for new field personnel,” Paynter said. “For me, this is witness that what you do serves the kingdom of God in the way that brothers and sisters in local congregations cannot. They won’t be with the people that you are with.”

This unique and beautiful ministry, co-ministering with other chaplains and other expressions of ministry so that your commission is only done by you,” she said. “What it means to be the presence of Christ, the kingdom of God, at the hospital bedside, to the individual service person, the individual inmates, to the tough conversations with families at hospitals on advance directives. That is no broad brush. That is the kingdom of God.”

Together for Hope interim manager
charges Mission Advocates to be ‘bullhorns’

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The interim manager for a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship program that works to help break the cycle of economic disparity in more than 25 of the nation’s poorest counties encouraged a group of CBF missions advocates Thursday to be “bullhorns” for communities in need.

Stephanie Vance told the breakfast meeting of more than 70 people that “we could not work in any of these places without the bullhorns.”

Launched in 2001, the program, called Together for Hope, is a ministry that works to establish long-term relationships, while listening, learning and walking alongside local leaders. The hope is that communities will be transformed as will the churches and individuals who serve in local counties.

Mission advocates – the bullhorns – say, “together we can make this happen – you can make this happen,” Vance said.

She said an important element of Together for Hope’s work is that it seeks to accomplish what a community wants to accomplish using the community’s own assets.

Together for Hope has ministries in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota and Texas.

Vance is a graduate of the University of South Alabama and Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. In 2010, she began her tenure with CBF Louisiana as the Together for Hope Missionary in the East Carroll and Tensas parishes. Vance has been involved in missions work in diverse locations across the United States as well as Panama and Tanzania.

Current hosts lunch for networking and fellowship

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Current, CBF’s young leader’s network met Thursday for lunch and fellowship at Natty Greene’s, a locally-owned restaurant. More than 60 young Baptists and supporters gathered in the restaurant’s rustic third floor loft for an informal meal and opportunity to network with one another.

Chris Aho, Current coordinator and pastor of Oxford Baptist Church in Oxford, N.C., was encouraged by the event’s attendance and the energy of those present.

“The Current lunch gathering provided an excellent venue for young Baptists to gather, reconnect and get connected with each other,” Aho said. “It helps us reach our immediate goal of connecting real life faces of friends so that in the days ahead, we will be better connected and equipped, locally and regionally, for seamless support, partnership and collaborative ministry.”

Thursday breakout sessions include focus on
8 CBF Mission Communities fostering online collaboration

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Breakout sessions at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly on Thursday afternoon offered information about CBF’s eight mission communities. These networks, which are centered on distinct kinds of service, foster discussion, sharing of resources and hands-on engagement through CBF’s mission interest website, missioncommunities.org. The website is open to individuals, churches, ministries and CBF field personnel and partners.

Church Starts and Faith Sharing Ministries – A group of 30 women and men of all ages, gathered to discuss the CBF church starts process during the Church Starts Mission Community breakout session. Facilitator Susan Rogers, a church starter from Jacksonville, Fla., discussed available church starting resources and ways existing congregations can engage with new church starts. A panel of current church starters shared about the challenges and successes in their work. Panelists included Andy Hale of Mosaic in Clayton, N.C, Joshua Hearne of Grace and Main in Danville, Va., and Linda Jones of the Via Faith Community in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Economic Development Ministries – In a conversation facilitated by Brian Foreman, an overflow crowd of more than 75 shared stories and concerns, asked questions and proposed answers on building a long-term vision and commitment to a community in need. Forman presented the necessary parts of fostering genuine economic development, including providing immediate relief to the powerless, helping people participate in a return to their pre-crisis lives and helping people participate in rebuilding their lives above the status quo level.

Justice and Peacemaking Ministries – Cindy Ruble led a workshop on how to prevent child sexual abuse. Ruble, one of CBF’s field personnel, advocates on behalf of women and children in Penang, Malaysia. She highlighted various myths of sexual abuse and offered strategies for both churches and parents on how to be proactive in protecting children.

Healthcare Ministries – Two CBF field personnel – Tammy Stocks and Dianne McNary – and a senior national church relations associate for Bread for the World, Dianne Ford Dessables, led a session on impacting communities through health care ministries. The session detailed two projects, Bread for the World’s 1,000 Days Initiative and Community Health Evangelism.

Internationals Ministries – Nell Green, one of CBF’s field personnel, led a workshop featuring five panelists from around the world who spoke on immigration issues as well as other topics affecting internationals. She also discussed how churches can respond to these needs.

Disaster Response Ministries – Cooperative Baptist Fellowship U.S. Disaster Response Coordinator Tommy Deal discussed CBF’s proactive response to communities in need in the wake of disaster. Joining him were the Rev. Will Baker, pastor of Drummondtown Baptist Church in Accomac, Va., and the Rev. Rusty Edwards, pastor of University Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, Miss., both who led disaster relief efforts in their communities and told their stories for attendees of the session.

Poverty and Transformation Ministries – On Thursday afternoon, Stephanie Vance, interim manager for Together for Hope, CBF’s rural poverty initiative, led a breakout session focusing its work. Vance told attendees that Together for Hope has expanded its ministry reach beyond its 20-county focus because of the interests of participants. This mission community is made up of individuals, churches, CBF field personnel and partner ministries that work together with local communities to meet physical, emotional and spiritual needs while addressing systemic causes of poverty, building capacity and being advocates.

Education Ministries – Emily Holladay and Mary Beth Foust, the inaugural recipients of the Vestal Scholarship in honor of former CBF Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal, led a conversation on how churches can nurture a sense of calling within individuals. The two recent seminary graduates shared from their own experiences of sensing a call to ministry and how their churches impacted their journey to seminary. Foust also shared examples of how churches can create a culture that nurtures call. In addition to the Vestal Scholars’ presentation, Sam Bandela, one of CBF’s field personnel, shared opportunities for people to minister through education programs in India.

The following writers contributed to these stories: Emily Holladay, Jeff Huett, Jeff Langford, Bob Perkins and Aaron Weaver.

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]]> Thu, 27 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Prayer retreat helps prepare participants for 2013 General Assembly]]>
The Pre-Assembly Prayer Retreat began Monday afternoon and will continue through Wednesday afternoon. The retreat theme is Restoring Our Hearts: Nurturing the Gift of Courage, and is led by Marjorie Thompson, author of Soul Feast: An Invitation to Christian Spiritual Life and The Gift of Encouragement, and former director of Pathways in Congregational Spirituality with Upper Room Ministries.

Thompson led the group through the practice of welcoming prayer, which she described as “a method of consenting to God’s presence and action in our physical and emotional reactions to events and situations in daily life.”

This intentional time of meditation and reflection for ministers and lay leaders was held onsite for the first time at the Sheraton Four Seasons Hotel. Thompson noted the difficulty of having a retreat in the same location as the conference but hoped that practicing the welcoming prayer there would help participants integrate the practice into their daily life upon returning home.

“Doing a spiritual formation retreat in a setting like this poses a challenge of how to integrate our prayer into our daily life. How do we maintain a sense of being on retreat when we are going to go back to ordinary life?” Thompson said. “Welcoming prayer is a way of carrying forward the basic posture of surrendering, or letting go, and taking that into your daily life.”

In addition to Thompson’s leadership, Katie Sciba, a licensed social worker and ordained Baptist minister from Victoria, Texas, led the participants in morning, mid-day and evening prayers. Sciba planned the prayer times around the retreat theme and encouraged the participants to practice radical self-love.

“We seldom use scripture in terms of self-love,” Sciba said. “If we knew the depth of God’s love for us, we would embrace ourselves all the more.”

The prayer retreat will end Wednesday afternoon with mid-day prayers and communion, and participants will join other Cooperative Baptists at General Assembly on Thursday and Friday.

College students focus on race and spirituality at Greensboro Sessions

A group of 20 college and seminary students are meeting at First Baptist Church, Greensboro, N.C., for Greensboro Sessions: Conversations about Race and Faith, led by Andy Watts, associate professor of religion at Belmont University.

The students gathered on Monday night, sleeping on the floor of FBC, Greensboro and will continue to meet through Wednesday night. On Thursday and Friday, students will join other Cooperative Baptists by participating in General Assembly activities.

Watts led the students through a discussion on race and faith. Wednesday the group will tour the International Civil Rights Center and Museum in Greensboro. He also invited Mike Queen, interim pastor of FBC Greensboro, to share his experience of coming of age in North Carolina during the civil rights era.

In the guided discussion on race, Watts emphasized the importance of studying and understanding the topic in the millennial.

“Racism is a system that denies people good experiences of dissonance,” Watts said.

Watts asked the students to reflect throughout the week on questions of how faith influenced their understanding of race.

The 2013 CBF General Assembly officially begins on Wednesday with the Leadership Institute and Baptist Women in Ministry’s Celebration of 30 years and continues through Friday with the first report from Suzii Paynter, CBF’s new executive coordinator. Read more about the Assembly at www.thefellowship.info/greensboro.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.

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]]> Tue, 25 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Jim Pope named interim CBF chaplaincy and pastoral counseling endorser, search committee formed]]>
Pope was endorsed by CBF in 1998. He began his role as associate for military chaplains in 2008 and has served as a liaison to the Council on Endorsement.

Bo Prosser, CBF’s coordinator of missional congregations, lauded Pope’s selection.

“Jim Pope brings a wealth of experience to the endorsement process. He has been integrally involved on the Council on Endorsement for several years. His experience as a military chaplain serves us well,” Prosser said.

Pope said he is “both humbled and excited to serve as interim chaplaincy and pastoral counseling endorser.”

“George leaves us a rich and active legacy of excellence in chaplain and pastoral counseling ministry. Throughout the search process, I will labor to support our chaplains and pastoral counselors already on the field, as well as create and maintain contact with pastors, other ordained ministers and seminarians pursuing CBF endorsement,” Pope said.

In addition to naming Pope as interim endorser, CBF has named a 10-member search committee to fill the vacancy, chaired by Ray Higgins, coordinator of CBF Arkansas. Higgins comes with a legacy of support for the work of chaplains and pastoral counselors, including the formation of a chaplain network in CBF Arkansas, a commitment to help chaplains in Arkansas receive their endorsement through CBF and service as a board member for the pastoral care department at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

The committee members include:

Angela Lowe, hospital chaplain and chair of CBF’s Council on Endorsement, Lawrence, Kan.
Angela Clark, hospital chaplain, Matthews, N.C.
Rachel Hill, hospital chaplain, Shelby, N.C.
Paul Byrd, hospital chaplain, Birmingham, Ala.
Andrew Gee, pastoral counselor, Marietta, Ga.
John Lepper, pastoral counselor and coordinator of the Kentucky Baptist Fellowship, Louisville, Ky.
Arthur Wiggins, military chaplain, Triangle, Va.
Julie Rowan, military chaplain, Woodbridge, Va.
Rick Stevenson, military chaplain, Natick, Mass.

The committee is composed of a variety of chaplains and pastoral counselors who represent a diversity of positions and geographic representation.

The search committee will meet for the first time at CBF’s General Assembly in Greensboro, N.C., June 26-28.

“The search committee is a wonderful group of CBF endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors,” Prosser said. “They are all committed to seeing our work with chaplains and pastoral counselors advance and grow. Each brings unique insights into who should lead us into this next chapter. Please pray with us for the group and the work they will be doing.”

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.

-30-]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[CBF launches new reference and referral website]]>
“The new system is simpler, more user-friendly and more accurate in matching the needs of a church minister search to the qualifications of candidates. It is our hope and prayer that the new CBF-LeaderConnect system will enhance our ability to serve ministers and churches,” said Clarissa Strickland, CBF’s networking specialist.

Beginning on Thursday, May 9, both the new and old CBF-LeaderConnect sites will be available on the Fellowship website at www.thefellowship.info/leaderconnect. At that time, individuals and churches who are already using the CBF-LeaderConnect system can enter their information on the new site, as information and documents from the old system will not be automatically transferred to the new platform. No matching will occur before May 16, when the new system is open to new and current users.

“We are excited about this newly designed tool for churches and clergy leaders. The ability to help churches and candidates discover one another will be much more reliable and robust. This is going to be a helpful tool for all of us,” said Bo Prosser, CBF’s coordinator of missional congregations.

CBF’s reference and referral service is provided to CBF churches and individuals at no cost. In addition to matching congregations and candidates to one another, the reference and referral service also provides resources for churches as they form search committees and begin the process of looking for a new minister.

“We believe that a church which has found the particular person God intends to serve as a pastor or in a staff leadership role is poised for great ministry and witness in the community, in the nation and around the world. That person will, in turn, be a great blessing to that local church and its ministry and witness,” said Strickland.

The new CBF-LeaderConnect system can be found at www.thefellowship.info/leaderconnect. All questions regarding the system should be directed to Clarissa Strickland at cstrickland@thefellowship.info.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.

-30-]]> Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[CBF launches new reference and referral website]]>
“The new system is simpler, more user-friendly and more accurate in matching the needs of a church minister search to the qualifications of candidates. It is our hope and prayer that the new CBF-LeaderConnect system will enhance our ability to serve ministers and churches,” said Clarissa Strickland, CBF’s networking specialist.

Beginning on Thursday, May 9, both the new and old CBF-LeaderConnect sites will be available on the Fellowship website at www.thefellowship.info/leaderconnect. At that time, individuals and churches who are already using the CBF-LeaderConnect system can enter their information on the new site, as information and documents from the old system will not be automatically transferred to the new platform. No matching will occur before May 16, when the new system is open to new and current users.

“We are excited about this newly designed tool for churches and clergy leaders. The ability to help churches and candidates discover one another will be much more reliable and robust. This is going to be a helpful tool for all of us,” said Bo Prosser, CBF’s coordinator of missional congregations.

CBF’s reference and referral service is provided to CBF churches and individuals at no cost. In addition to matching congregations and candidates to one another, the reference and referral service also provides resources for churches as they form search committees and begin the process of looking for a new minister.

“We believe that a church which has found the particular person God intends to serve as a pastor or in a staff leadership role is poised for great ministry and witness in the community, in the nation and around the world. That person will, in turn, be a great blessing to that local church and its ministry and witness,” said Strickland.

The new CBF-LeaderConnect system can be found at www.thefellowship.info/leaderconnect. All questions regarding the system should be directed to Clarissa Strickland at cstrickland@thefellowship.info.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.

-30-]]> Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[CBF executive coordinator completes five-city tour of North Carolina]]>
“North Carolina CBF is a Fellowship rich with many gifts,” said Paynter. “It has been awe inspiring to meet so many talented and dedicated people.”

This whirlwind tour kicked-off with a lunch event Tuesday, April 30 at First Baptist Church of Asheville, where Guy Sayles is pastor, followed by dinner at Peace Haven Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, pastored by Nathan Parrish. While in Winston-Salem, Paynter met with Gail O’Day, dean of Wake Forest University School of Divinity. The Center for Congregational Health was also represented at the Tuesday evening gathering.

The Memorial Baptist Church in Greenville and pastor Greg Bowers hosted Paynter on Wednesday, May 1, and First Baptist Church Raleigh, pastored by Chris Chapman, welcomed Paynter at a luncheon, Thursday, May 2. Representatives from Chowan University attended the Greenville gathering and representatives from Campbell University and Duke Divinity School were in attendance to greet Paynter in Raleigh.

During her trip, Paynter met with a diverse group of CBF supporters including many students, lay leaders, pastors, representatives from CBF-partner ministries, and also civic leaders.

“Ministry leaders and CBF church families have welcomed Suzii along with large numbers of students and interns from CBF-partner divinity schools and churches. The meetings have been full of energy and discussion focused on elevating CBF’s identity and mission support,” said James R. Smith, CBF Foundation president.

The five-city tour had its fifth and final stop in Charlotte with a dinner and program at St. John’s Baptist Church with senior minister Dennis Foust. The meeting included representatives from Gardner-Webb University and Wingate University as well as numerous area churches. During a question and answer session, Paynter fielded questions about her vision for the Fellowship, urging those in attendance to continue collaborating and to “celebrate partners” involved in CBF life.

At the conclusion of the program in Charlotte, Larry Hovis, executive coordinator of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, invited one person from each congregation in attendance to lay hands on Paynter during a moment of prayer and blessing.

“It was a joy to accompany Suzii on this tour around North Carolina. I’m pleased that our folks had a chance to get to know Suzii and her vision for the next chapter in CBF’s life and ministry. I’m equally grateful that she had the opportunity to meet our churches and ministry partners and to experience firsthand the tremendous assets that reside in our state,” said Hovis.

“Through the years, we’ve all known that Suzii was a leader among us. It is fitting that someone with Suzii’s heart is now leading the Fellowship,” added Foust.

Paynter praised the leadership of CBF and CBF-partner institutions in the state. “I was especially happy to meet deans and scholars from our divinity institutions. Finding places of service for these great students is a priority for our Fellowship,” explained Paynter. “And I’m thankful to Larry Hovis and Linda Jones of CBFNC for their creative and inspired leadership.”

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.

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]]> Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Paynter meets with CBF pastors, churches on five-city tour in Virginia]]>
First Baptist Church of Richmond hosted an intimate gathering at the historic Pusey House Saturday evening, April 20, for local pastors and supporters. Paynter shared with the group her hopes and dreams for the future of CBF.

“My dream for CBF is that we become the most vital and most vibrant religious community in the United States. I want to strengthen our voice here and around the world,” Paynter said.

“That’s my pledge, to be in this with you, as partners, to listen, to organize. We’re going to have a well-run organization that is built for the future. That is my commitment, to make that transition for CBF, to work with our partners in the most productive way possible.”

Paynter also expressed her appreciation to the group for their welcome and support. “I’m so grateful that you have welcomed me tonight and I feel so blessed by the welcome that I’ve had throughout the whole Fellowship. And it’s really not about me; it’s about what we can do together. People are joyful and hopeful about that across generations.”

On Sunday, April 21, Paynter offered a word of welcome and gratitude during both morning services at the church. “Your commitment and leadership is known, not just here but throughout the world,” Paynter told the congregation. “It is an honor to be here today. And I stand in gratitude to you. Thank you for your hospitality to our Fellowship.”

First Baptist’s senior pastor Jim Somerville expressed his excitement to the church about the future of CBF under Paynter’s leadership. “In 10 minutes at the reception last night, I think I got more inspiration from Suzii Paynter than I’ve gotten from anybody in a long time. It made me want to get out of my chair and get on with the mission,” Somerville said.

From Richmond, Paynter traveled to Norfolk, Va., for a dinner Sunday night at Freemason Street Baptist Church, where she received a warm welcome from pastor Steve Jolly and answered questions from the congregation.

At a lunch Monday, April 22, hosted by Fredericksburg Baptist Church, pastor Larry Haun presented Paynter with a $10,000 check to support CBF missions and ministries. “We challenge everyone to join in because to do what she’s talking about doing is going to take money, more than we have given before, giving better than we’ve given before, all of us together, to be able to accomplish that,” said Haun.

During a luncheon hosted by University Baptist Church in Charlottesville, Va., Paynter received a letter signed by pastor Michael Cheuk and deacon chair Rachel Nottingham Miller affirming the relationship of University Baptist with CBF.

“We affirm CBF’s mission that seeks to help and equip churches to discover and fulfill their God-given mission. We affirm CBF’s vision of being a movement of congregations bearing witness to the Gospel not just locally, but throughout our nation and the world,” the letter read.

“We affirm the values of CBF grounded in the freedom of biblical interpretation and congregational governance, the participation of women and men in all aspects of church leadership and Christian ministry, and religious liberty for all people.”

In the letter, University Baptist pledged to pray for CBF field personnel, promote and collect the CBF Offering for Global Missions, participate in CBF-sponsored ministries and attend CBF regional and national assemblies.

This letter follows the 2012 Task Force Report’s encouragement for congregations to embrace their identity by writing a letter that details the church’s partnership with CBF. “I would encourage other CBF congregations to consider doing this, too, as we all get together and affirm our identity,” said Cheuk.

Paynter has been accompanied on this five-city tour by James R. Smith, CBF Foundation president, and Rob Fox, CBF Virginia field coordinator. “All of the meetings in Virginia have exceeded our expectations. We’ve found a really engaged CBF community that is eager to work with our new leader, Suzii Paynter,” said Smith.

Fox added, “I wish each and every one of our church leaders could have been on tour with us to hear Suzii Paynter articulate her hopes and dreams for our future together. For those who were able to participate in the CBF tour, they can offer a witness to Suzii’s energetic spirit and the groundswell of excitement we have heard about the future of our Fellowship.”

Paynter wraps-up her Virginia tour with lunch and dinner events Wednesday, April 24, at Rosalind Hills Baptist Church in Roanoke, Va.

She will travel to North Carolina April 30-May 2 for another five-city tour, visiting CBF churches and supporters in Asheville, Winston-Salem, Greenville, Raleigh and Charlotte.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.

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]]> Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Washington, D.C., pastor Kasey Jones to become CBF moderator-elect]]>
Colleen Burroughs, vice president of Passport Camps, who chaired the Nominating Committee as past moderator of CBF’s Coordinating Council, called Jones a prophetic voice and an engaging leader. “Kasey Jones understands the technical changes in our governing structure and the reasons why those changes are so vital to the future of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship,” Burroughs said.

“Reverend Jones is a gifted and busy pastor. I'm so grateful she prayerfully decided to say ‘yes’ to leading us into this new, beautiful season in the life of CBF.”

As a member of CBF’s 2012 Task Force, which recommended significant governing and structural changes to the organization, Jones is pleased with the progress made toward implementing the Task Force Report.

“This is a thrilling time in the life of CBF and I am humbled and honored to be nominated as moderator-elect during such a pivotal time,” said Jones. “I believe our cooperative community will continue to grow and thrive.”

The Nominating Committee also recommended Jason Coker to the position of recorder. Coker is pastor of Wilton Baptist Church in Wilton, Conn. Having previously served on the CBF Coordinating Council as chair of the Personnel Committee, he believes bright days are ahead for CBF.

“With Suzii Paynter as our new executive coordinator and a new organizational structure continually unfolding, this is truly an unprecedented time for our Fellowship,” Coker said.

The nominating committee’s recommendations will be presented for approval at the General Assembly in Greensboro, N.C., on Friday, June 28. Bill McConnell, a businessman and lay leader from Knoxville, Tenn., is the current moderator-elect and will succeed moderator Keith Herron at the conclusion of the General Assembly. Herron, pastor of Holmeswood Baptist Church in Kansas City, Mo., will assume the role of immediate past moderator.

Under the new organizational structure being enacted at the 2013 CBF General Assembly, McConnell, Herron, Jones and Coker will assume leadership roles on the body’s new Governing Board. As past moderator, Herron will also be an ex-officio member of the Nominating Committee.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.

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]]> Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Huett named CBF associate coordinator of communications and advancement]]>
Beginning his work in the CBF Atlanta Resource Center on June 17, Huett will work with the CBF Leadership Team, comprised of all CBF coordinators, to develop and execute a comprehensive strategic communications and marketing program for the Fellowship. He will also manage and provide direction to the Fellowship Advancement staff.

Huett currently serves as the director of communications for the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (BJC), a CBF partner organization in Washington, D.C. As a part of the BJC staff for more than 12 years, Huett’s promotional coverage of organizational leaders and policy positions was picked up by media such as The Associated Press, The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek magazine and NPR’s Morning Edition. In addition, he developed and helped implement a capital campaign concept to establish a Center for Religious Liberty on Capitol Hill and helped establish the organization’s blog, mobile news and website presence.

“I welcome Jeff Huett to the Leadership Team of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship,” said CBF executive coordinator Suzii Paynter. “Jeff has a record of success and innovation in his leadership of communications and marketing at the Baptist Joint Committee. He is a great addition for us as we step across the threshold of the future for the Fellowship.”

A graduate of Baylor University’s Journalism and Business Administration programs, Huett served as the editor-in-chief of the Lariat, the school’s student newspaper. During his time in Waco, he also wrote for the Waco Tribune-Herald, and was named the Outstanding Journalism Graduate in 2000.

In addition to his degrees from Baylor University, Huett holds a Master of Arts in Media and Public Affairs from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he was a Larry King Scholar. He is also accredited in public relations by the Public Relations Society of America.

"It's an exciting time to be a Fellowship Baptist and to join with the other CBF staff in engaging people in missions and equipping them for ministry," Huett said. "I look forward to telling that story and encouraging others to do the same."

Huett joins the Fellowship Advancement team of full-time communications, marketing and development staff, including:

Brian Greer, internal development manager
Aaron Weaver, communications manager
Candice Young, marketing manager
Emily Holladay, communications associate

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.

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]]> Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[CBF ministers call on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform]]>
At the news conference, Ka'thy Gore Chappell, leadership development coordinator for CBFNC, explained the ministers' motivation for speaking out.

"Our scripture repeatedly calls us to care for the immigrants and strangers among us. As Christians, we know that Jesus taught us in Mark 12 and Matthew 22 that the greatest commandment is to love God and the second is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves," said Chappell.

"We stand ready to support legislation that reflects our Christian values and builds the common good. We are driven by a moral obligation rooted deeply in our faith to address the needs of immigrants in our country," added Scott Orr, pastor of Lindley Park Baptist Church in Greensboro, N.C.

Fortino Ocampo, pastor of Centro Familiar Cristiano in Siler City, N.C., emphasized the personal nature of the immigration reform debate.

"Daily, ministers in our CBFNC Hispanic Network face checkpoints and racial profiling. Police officers, who act as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, camp outside our churches on Sunday mornings to check IDs," said Ocampo.

Other speakers included Glenn Pettiford, associate pastor of First Baptist Church, Winston-Salem; Brandon Hudson, pastor of Northwest Baptist Church, Winston-Salem; Hector Rengiso, pastor of Iglesia Bautista, Goldsboro; Linda Jones, co-pastor of Via Faith Community and missions coordinator, CBFNC; and Javier Benitez, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Roca Forte, Pittsboro and Hispanic leader-coach for CBFNC.

The coalition also encouraged other ministers and leaders to take the "I Was a Stranger Challenge," a prayer challenge to read and reflect on a Bible verse or passage relating to how immigrants are to be treated.

The coalition called specifically on North Carolina’s Sens. Kay Hagan and Richard Burr as well as on Reps. Virginia Fox and Mel Watt to support immigration reform that respects the God-given dignity of every person, protects the unity of the immediate family, respects the rule of law, guarantees secure national borders, ensures fairness to taxpayers and establishes a path toward legal status and/or citizenship for those who qualify and who wish to become permanent residents.

These guidelines are derived from a statement of immigration reform principles released last year by the Evangelical Immigration Table, a diverse coalition comprised of the nation's largest evangelical organizations.

The “Evangelical Statement of Principles for Immigration Reform” has been endorsed by hundreds of prominent leaders including Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) executive coordinator Suzii Paynter, who has been active in comprehensive immigration reform efforts.

“Comprehensive immigration reform is justice for all, returning us to the rule of law and reordering justice for more than 20 million people in our country,” Paynter said.

The Evangelical Immigration Table is spearheading an initiative April 17 in Washington D.C. called the Evangelical Day of Prayer and Action for Immigration Reform. This daylong event will include a news conference, meetings with members of Congress and their staffs and also worship services.

David Beckman, president of Bread for the World, a CBF partner, is among the featured speakers. Fellowship Baptists will be among the thousands of participants as CBFNC is planning to transport a group of ministers to Washington D.C. for the Day of Prayer and Action.

“I encourage people of faith to contact elected officials of both parties and ask them to fix our broken immigration system. Support solutions with our voices April 17,” said Paynter.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.
]]> Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[CBF Coordinating Council recommends new officers, board and council members]]>
The Council adopted a final recommendation to present to the CBF General Assembly, Kasey Jones, pastor of National Memorial Baptist Church, Washington D.C., to serve as moderator-elect and Jason Coker, pastor of Wilton Baptist Church, Wilton, Conn., to serve as recorder. Jones and Coker are previous members of the Council and Jones was a member of the 2012 Task Force.

The Council also approved a recommendation from officers to present the names of 16 individuals to serve on the CBF Nominating Committee.

A final recommendation from the transitional Nominating Committee was passed to populate the newly-created Governing Board, Missions Council and Ministries Council. The transitional Nominating Committee is comprised of CBF state and regional coordinators, along with past-moderators Harriet Harral and Colleen Burroughs.

“This is the culmination of a year’s worth of work by the Coordinating Council and brings the 2012 Task Force Report to life. We have an implementation team that has helped orchestrate each organizational move and the persons recommended today will provide the leadership team for the next year,” said Keith Herron, CBF moderator.

“This is an exciting time in the life of the Fellowship,” added moderator-elect Bill McConnell, who will succeed Herron as moderator July 1. “We are going in the same direction but doing so in a different manner. The Fellowship’s new Governing Board will now have a better opportunity to dialogue with and support CBF’s Atlanta staff.”

The following individuals will now be presented to the CBF General Assembly in Greensboro, N.C. in June for final approval:

Nominating Committee
–Keith Herron, Kan. (immediate past moderator)
–Chris Aho, N.C.
–Valerie Burton, Ala.
–Ruth Cuellar, Ga.
–John Daugherty, Fla.
–Jason Edwards, Mo.
–Anne Vestal England, Fla.
–Bruce Gourley, West.
–Josh Hunt, S.C.
–Christopher Ingram, N.C.
–Stacy Nowell, Va.
–Susan Reed, Ky.
–Tamara Tillman Smathers, Ga.
–Mike Smith, Tenn.
–Carolyn Staley, Ark.
–Dennis Young, Texas.

Governing Board
–Bill McConnell (moderator).
–Paul Baxley, Ga.
–Daniel Carro, Va.
–Matt Cook, N.C.
–Garry Dollar, Ill.
–Doug Dortch, Ala.
–Susan Fendley, Tenn.
–Wayne Patterson, S.C.
–Steve Wells, Texas.
–Jean Willingham, Fla.
–Patricia Wilson, Texas.
–Joy Yee, Calif.
–Camille Allen Snyder, Miss.

Missions Council
–Mimi Walker, Ga. (chair).
–Stephen Porter, Texas.
–Mike Oliver, Ala.
–Alan Sherouse, N.Y.
–Alice Mull, Ky.

Ministries Council
–Michael Cheuk, Va. (chair).
–Terry Ellis, La.
–Emily Hull-McGee, Ky.
–Christy McMillin-Goodwin, S.C.
–Steve Sheely, Ark.
–Leta Tillman, Texas.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.
]]> Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[After more than a decade of service, Pickle announces retirement from CBF]]>
“I have been thoroughly blessed by my relationship with endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors,” said Pickle. “They are the presence of Christ in the world. I thank God for calling, gifting and guiding them to their ministries. It has been my privilege to serve in this ministry.”

The Texas native joined the CBF staff in 2001 as CBF chaplaincy and pastoral counseling endorser, after serving as the endorser for hospital, hospice and pastoral counseling at the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board. Prior to becoming an endorser, Pickle spent seven years as a chaplain at the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, Calif.

Under his leadership, the Fellowship has doubled the number of endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors, created a structure for the Council on Endorsement and secured a seat for the chair of the council on the CBF Coordinating Council.

In addition, Pickle has been an active member of the Council on Ministry in Specialized Settings (COMISS Network) since 1992. This network includes certification and accreditation organizations, 16 faith group endorsers, pastoral care organizations and the National VA Chaplaincy Center. In 2003, he was awarded the COMISS Network Medal, whose previous recipients include Erik Erikson and Henri Nouwen.

“George Pickle has served our Fellowship well,” said Bo Prosser, CBF coordinator for missional congregations. “Under his leadership, we have gained credibility with the multiple agencies across the chaplaincy and pastoral counseling landscape. Through his influence, we have endorsed hundreds who relate to their professional field through the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship designation. We will miss his devotion to this special group of ministers. We are blessed by his continuing friendship and commitment to our work.”

In addition to his ministry as a chaplain and chaplain endorser, Pickle has served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Santa Monica, Calif., and campus minister for the Progress Baptist Convention and the University of Southern California.

Since 1999, Pickle has served with the Endorsers Conference for Veterans Affairs Chaplains as a presenter at their orientation. He has also served as a representative of endorsers on the Certification Committee of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors since 2005 and a member of the Association of Religious Endorsing Bodies since 2000.

After retirement from CBF, Pickle will continue his private counseling practice, where he specializes in grief counseling.

Prosser says a job profile will be developed and a search committee named in the coming days.

“We hope to have a restructuring of the job assignments and a new person in place by early fall,” he said.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.
]]> Mon, 25 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[CBF Coordinating Council continues to implement the 2012 Task Force Report]]>
The Council approved a motion authorizing the executive coordinator to negotiate terms of the CBF Atlanta Resource Center’s current lease in order to move the offices of the Fellowship, CBF Foundation and Church Benefits Board to a new Atlanta location.

“This relocation moves us towards a space that addresses and fits the movement that we’re headed in through our re-organization,” said Keith Herron, CBF moderator and pastor of Holmeswood Baptist Church in Kansas City, Mo. “As an organization, we are headed in a new direction and sometimes new spaces are needed for future needs.”

The CBF offices are currently located in the Administrative and Conference Center building on the Atlanta campus of Mercer University, a CBF partner. During the first few years of its 22-year history, the Fellowship offices were located in commercial spaces in the Atlanta area. In the mid-1990s, as Mercer University was creating the McAfee School of Theology, CBF collaborated in helping to fund a building on the Mercer campus, an arrangement which resulted in CBF becoming a tenant in that space from December 1996 to October 2008. Then, as both McAfee and CBF grew, CBF rented space in the larger Administrative and Conference Center.

“CBF has always had a strong relationship with Mercer from its beginning,” said Suzii Paynter, CBF’s newly elected executive coordinator. “Leaders from the organizations worked together not only to provide a place for the Fellowship on the Mercer campus, but also worked together in partnership in areas of theological education, missions and congregational ministry. As we look at implementing the 2012 Task Force Report, we are exploring a change in our location to reflect our evolving identity and needs, but we also continue to embrace our creative partnerships with Mercer.”

Mercer continues to be an advocate for the ministries of CBF field personnel through the Mercer on Mission program, which engages a group of students in mission work every summer. Mercer faculty members have also worked alongside CBF field personnel, such as Sam and Melody Harrell. Mercer engineering faculty members created a pump system to provide access to clean water for Kenyan villages where the Harrells serve. The school also provides scholarships for CBF field personnel children to attend Mercer University.

Continuing to work to implement the Task Force Report, the Council also voted to allow the transitional Nominating Committee to present four members of the Missions Council and six members of the Ministries Council to the Coordinating Council in a virtual meeting on April 4. Once these names are approved, they will be presented to the CBF General Assembly in June. The individuals nominated will comprise the first third of each council, with additional council members to be presented at the 2014 General Assembly. The transitional Nominating Committee is comprised of CBF state and regional coordinators, along with past-moderators Harriet Harral and Colleen Burroughs.

“In our work towards implementing the 2012 Task Force Report, we knew that the Governing Board had to be constituted in order to have the governance oversight that the Fellowship needed,” said Bill McConnell, CBF moderator-elect and a Tennessee businessman. “These smaller teams will allow us to get something in place to help staff leadership and the council chairs get a jumpstart in organizing and developing the councils.”

The Council also heard the following reports:

Pat Anderson, the Fellowship’s interim executive coordinator who will end his service on March 31, talked about his excitement for the organization’s future.

“It has been my privilege and pleasure to be involved in the second transition of Fellowship leadership,” Anderson said. “Carolyn and I consider our 22 years with CBF our greatest life work. Through CBF, we’ve created friendships and associations that will last a lifetime.”

Larry Hurst, the Fellowship’s controller, reported that as of Jan. 31, the Fellowship’s revenues were at $4 million, 92 percent of the projected amount and expenditures were at $2.4 million, 85 percent of projections.

The next meeting of the CBF Coordinating Council will be held via conference call on April 4.

More updates on the implementation of the 2012 Task Force Report can be viewed online at www.thefellowship.info/2012taskforce.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.

]]> Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Coordinating Council elects Paynter to executive coordinator post]]>
Paynter will leave her post as director of the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission and director of the Advocacy Care Center of the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) at the end of the month and join the CBF Resource Center staff in Atlanta on March 1.

“We knew that if the 2012 Task Force Report was going to be implemented, we needed to pick a certain kind of person,” said George Mason, chair of the search committee and pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. “We were looking for someone we could trust, who would inspire us and give us confidence. At the end of the day, it was obvious to us that we were inspired and that Suzii Paynter was the right person.”

As the Fellowship’s executive coordinator, Paynter succeeds previous executive coordinators Daniel Vestal (1996-2012) and Cecil Sherman (1992-1996).

“I am so excited to know that this period of discernment, and in fact this whole weaving of my life together, has brought me to this point where I feel a great sense of awe and responsibility,” Paynter said. “I’m here today and for the days to come to facilitate and nurture the vision presented by the 2012 Task Force Report. My dream is that we will come to be the most vital and vibrant Christian community in the United States, and that we will embrace our arms around the world.”

Following Paynter’s election, the Council continued work on implementation of the organization’s promising future as presented by the 2012 Task Force Report, which was approved by the 2012 General Assembly. The Council voted unanimously to pass a recommendation from the legal committee to adopt a new constitution and bylaws as proposed by the 2012 Task Force Report. The legal committee met weekly for more than three months, consulting with outside attorneys and studying the 2012 Task Force Report, before presenting the proposed constitution and bylaws to the Council.

The document, which is available online at www.thefellowship.info/2012taskforce, will be presented to the CBF General Assembly during the first business session Thursday, June 27, with a business break-out session afterward to address questions. The General Assembly will then vote to approve the document in the business session Friday, June 28.

“We set out to write a constitution that would be easy to understand, that would maintain parts of the current constitution that it should and that would remain faithful to the 2012 Task Force Report,” said Patricia Wilson, chair of legal committee chair and professor at Baylor Law School.

On the first day of its two-day meeting, the Council also approved the following:

A conflict of interest policy for CBF staff and members of CBF boards, committees and councils, which was presented by the legal committee.
A $12.4 million budget for 2013-2014 fiscal year, which was presented by the finance committee and will be voted on by the General Assembly in June.
A recommendation from the global missions committee to create a 501(c)3 non-profit organization called CBF Responds to receive donations for disaster relief.

“This is an historic 24 hours we are spending together. We are conducting the business of carrying out the will of God for this Fellowship,” said CBF moderator Keith Herron, pastor of Holmeswood Baptist Church in Kansas City, Mo. “We have an opportunity to shape things for the future. We already hold the Fellowship in our hearts, and now we also hold it in our hands and minds.”

For more information on Paynter, including biographical information, videos, photos and endorsements, go to www.thefellowship.info/paynter.

The CBF Coordinating Council meeting continues Friday at First Baptist Church in Decatur, Ga.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.

]]> Thu, 21 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[CBF, ABC leaders meet together to discuss partnerships, share ideas]]>
“CBF and ABC have great affinities,” said Pat Anderson, the Fellowship’s executive coordinator. “We share a Baptist history and heritage which blesses our work, and we share a Baptist view of congregational life, missions and social justice. Our paths intersect in so many ways that it is quite natural for us to want to work together intentionally in common tasks, as we do in significant ways, while also maintaining our unique identities. Roy Medley and I thought it would be useful for our leadership staffs to have a time of dialogue.”

Discussion among staff from the two organizations focused on challenges and successes in Baptist life, including partnerships, organizational structures and programs designed to serve Christians and churches. The collegial gathering gave staff members opportunities to learn about the workings of the two organizations and share ideas and resources for ministry.

“For me, on a larger scale, I want to know how we can strengthen the moderate voice in Baptist life,” said Roy Medley, ABCUSA general secretary and ecumenical officer. “Are there things we can do together that would strengthen each other … whether it’s the co-appointment of missionaries or doing a conference together. Are there points where we can intersect with each other and benefit each other? I hope these are some initial steps we have taken today as we have gotten to know each other.”

In 2007, CBF and ABCUSA met together in Washington, D.C., for the Fellowship’s annual General Assembly and ABCUSA’s biennial meeting. At that gathering, the two organizations jointly commissioned field personnel to missions service – Duane and Marcia Binkley serving among Karen refugees.

In the past, CBF and ABCUSA have partnered together in disaster response efforts, including the earthquake in Haiti, Hurricane Katrina and recently, Hurricane Sandy. The two organizations also have common partners in ministry, such as the Baptist World Alliance, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Affairs, Baptist Center for Ethics and Baptists Today.

Staff from ABCUSA, which is based in Valley Forge, Pa., included Roy Medley, general secretary and ecumenical officer; Leo Thorne, associate general secretary for mission resource development; Jeff Woods, associate general secretary for regional ministries; Alan Musoke, treasurer and associate general secretary for finances; Pat Hernandez, national director of women in ministry and transition ministry; Annie Marcucci, director for travel and conference planning and Johnson Eapen, director of human resource development. Staff from the Fellowship included Pat Anderson, interim executive coordinator; Connie McNeill, coordinator of administration; Bo Prosser, coordinator of missional congregations and Jim Smith, interim coordinator of global missions.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.
]]> Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[CBF state, regional leaders to serve as transitional Nominating Committee ]]>
After collecting nominations for three months, the CBF officers presented a motion to the Coordinating Council Thursday by conference call to make the members of CBF’s Movement Leadership Team the transitional Nominating Committee. The Movement Leadership Team is comprised of all the CBF state and regional coordinators, representing Fellowship Baptists from different geographic areas.

“The CBF officers held several strategic conversations last fall about how best to populate the Nominating Committee,” said Keith Herron, CBF moderator and pastor of Holmeswood Baptist Church, Kansas City, Mo. “While we worked hard in the usual way by considering persons across the width and breadth of the Fellowship, [CBF Interim Executive Coordinator] Pat Anderson offered a suggestion that we consider utilizing the state and regional coordinators, as ‘no one knows Fellowship folks better than them.’”

The Movement Leadership Team, with the addition of past-moderators Harriet Harral and Colleen Burroughs, will serve as the transitional Nominating Committee through the 2013 General Assembly. Its members will recommend to the General Assembly members of the Governing Board and chairpersons for the Ministries and Missions Council. They will also recommend to the CBF officers a list of persons to serve as the on-going Nominating Committee. All nominations will be presented to the General Assembly in a business session June 27 in Greensboro, N.C.

“These decisions will allow us to continue an accelerated transition, which will complete our move to the new model as outlined by the 2012 Task Force,” said Bill McConnell, CBF moderator-elect and a Tennessee businessman. “By working with the state and regional coordinators we will have access to the Fellowship people with the needed skills. After this, the system that was voted on by the 2012 General Assembly will be in place.”

Harral, a lay person from Fort Worth, Texas, and former CBF moderator, will serve as chair of the transitional Nominating Committee. Harral is the president of The Harral Group, a consulting firm that specializes in organizational effectiveness. Burroughs, as the current CBF past-moderator, serves as one of the CBF officers. She is also the vice president of CBF partner Passport Inc.

The Coordinating Council will next meet February 21-22 in Atlanta.

More updates on the implementation of the 2012 Task Force Report can be viewed online at www.thefellowship.info/2012taskforce.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.

]]> Fri, 18 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Suzii Paynter named candidate for CBF executive coordinator position]]>
Paynter currently serves as the director of the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission and director of the Advocacy Care Center of the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), one of the Convention’s three major divisions. Paynter directs all public policy initiatives for state and federal issues and builds relationships with other religious bodies. In addition, she oversees church outreach, the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering, community care ministries of restorative justice, anti-human trafficking, hunger and poverty, healthcare ministries, the Texas Baptist chaplaincy program and Texas Baptist counseling services.

Paynter was selected as the candidate for the CBF executive coordinator position by a 10-member executive coordinator search committee. The committee has worked for the past year to identify the Fellowship’s next leader.

“My heart is full. I feel privileged and energized as the candidate for the Fellowship’s executive coordinator position,” said Paynter. “The Fellowship is blessed with leaders of all generations, robust state organizations and vital mission partnerships that are changing the world. I look forward to traveling towards a bright future, linking arms with this beloved community and sharing God’s transforming love.”

On Thursday, Jan. 17, the search committee presented Paynter to the Fellowship’s Coordinating Council. Next, Paynter will be voted on by the Council at its regularly scheduled meeting Feb. 21-22. If approved, she is expected to begin work in March at the CBF Resource Center in Atlanta.

“Sometimes things come together in a way that makes you believe something bigger is happening than you realized,” said George Mason, chair of the search committee and pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. “When a diverse search committee finds itself well-aligned with the wishes of a diverse CBF constituency, and when a candidate emerges who embodies without compromise all those hopes, you can't help but celebrate the power and presence of the Spirit. Suzii Paynter's life and work have unwittingly prepared her for such a time as this to lead Cooperative Baptists.”

As a leader at the BGCT since 2001, Paynter has envisioned, created and managed large-scale programs and projects that focus on ministering alongside and advocating for the least of these. Her experience and accomplishments reflect her commitment to the missional and cooperative work of Baptists at all levels – local, state, national, regional and international, as well as ecumenical and interfaith ministry.

Over the past decade, Paynter has gained a national reputation for her advocacy on important ethical issues such as religious liberty, hunger and poverty, environmental justice, human trafficking and immigration reform. She has been recognized by religious and secular organizations nationwide ‒ North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Baptist Center for Ethics, Sierra Club, Samaritan Counseling Centers, American Association of Retired Persons, Criminal Justice Coalition. Paynter’s work has been highlighted on television programs, including Moyers on America, and in print publications, such as the Wall Street Journal and The New Yorker.

During Paynter’s tenure at the Christian Life Commission, gifts to the organization’s world hunger offering have risen to record levels, including funding for CBF missions projects. Prior to her work at the BGCT, Paynter served as a national literacy professional, professor and consultant for 25 years.

“Suzii Paynter is one of us. She was present in our earliest gatherings and was deeply involved in helping create the ethos of the Fellowship movement even before the name Cooperative Baptist Fellowship was attached to it,” said Keith Herron, CBF Moderator and pastor of Holmeswood Baptist Church in Kansas City, Mo. “Suzii has made a name for herself as someone who’s inclusive and fair. She’s collaborative and imaginative. She’s ready to nurture mutual partnerships that build CBF’s reputation as a forward-thinking organization. She will bring creativity and energy to our work.”

A former member of the CBF Coordinating Council and former chair of the General Assembly Planning Committee, Paynter says she would look to both continue and build on the mission and ministry strengths of the Fellowship in her first months as executive coordinator. This includes leading the implementation of the 2012 Task Force Report, which focuses on restructuring the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship movement in a manner that fosters increased collaboration and effectiveness.

“Suzii Paynter brings to CBF a long list of qualities that equip her to lead us with great competence,” said Pat Anderson, CBF’s interim executive coordinator. “Her work in the Texas Christian Life Commission has been stellar. Her predecessors include Foy Valentine, Jimmy Allen, James Dunn, and Phil Strickland ... all of whom have said that Suzii was the best of them all. She is committed to social justice, devoted to Baptist history, and has exemplary leadership skills. In addition, Suzii has a most engaging personality, is humble, courageous, and possesses a wonderful sense of humor. I look forward to great things in CBF under her leadership.”

An ordained deacon at First Baptist Church, Austin Texas and Sunday School teacher of more than 40 years, Paynter, who grew up at Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas, has consistently held positions of leadership at the Fellowship churches in Texas, Kentucky and Mississippi where she has been a member. She has served congregations alongside her husband, Roger Paynter, who currently pastors First Baptist Austin and teaches at the Seminary of the Southwest.

“Throughout my ministry, I have been the recipient of many gifts from the generous hands of Fellowship churches, friends and co-workers and therefore, I count it a true and joyous privilege to offer my best efforts and commitment to the future of the Fellowship,” Paynter said. “The success I have experienced, the sincerest moments of worship and praise, the formation of my spiritual strength have been shaped by Fellowship people who are co-laborers and mentors in God’s kingdom. I can’t wait to see what good gifts God has in store for the Fellowship in these next years.”

If elected in February, Paynter will succeed Daniel Vestal as the Fellowship’s executive coordinator. Vestal retired from the position in June 2012 after 16 years. Cecil Sherman served as the Fellowship’s first executive coordinator, leading the organization from 1992 until his retirement in 1996.

For more information on Paynter, including additional biographical information, video and photos, go to www.thefellowship.info/paynter.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.

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]]> Thu, 17 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT <![CDATA[Deal to lead the Fellowship’s national disaster response efforts]]>
“Tommy brings a wealth of experience and compassion to this role,” said CBF’s Interim Executive Coordinator Pat Anderson. “He has been a tireless worker and an excellent coordinator of churches, volunteers and other helping agencies.”

Although not a first responder organization, in the wake of disasters, CBF staff and field personnel, churches and partner ministries provide relief supplies, resources and volunteers. As coordinator, Deal said his first priorities are to continue strengthening the partner relationships that make disaster response possible, as well as improve communication to churches and other CBF constituents.

“CBF disaster response is an opportunity to be Christ’s presence during a very dark time in people’s lives,” Deal said. “We want to continue being the ones who come into areas neglected by others to stay longer in the recovery period. As a minister leading disaster response for CBF of Florida and serving public safety for most of my life, this role is a wonderful marriage of the things God has called and prepared me to do.”

Since May, Deal has served as the disaster response coordinator for CBF of Georgia. He will continue in this role as part of a collaborative relationship between CBF of GA and national CBF.

In addition to his role with CBF of Florida, Deal has served as a chaplain to numerous police and fire departments and a state board member for Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. Deal has also received training in disaster response from FEMA. In conjunction with Deal’s leadership, Charles Ray will continue to fundraise and build partner networks in an effort to transform CBF Disaster Response into a sustainable mission of CBF.

“The goal of Tommy’s appointment is to both help manage and expand CBF relief efforts,” Harry Rowland, CBF’s missional church engagement specialist, said. “Charles Ray moved CBF from a ‘wait and see what we can do’ approach to a proactive, prepared network of state and regional response efforts, and now Tommy will build on that.”

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission. ]]> Wed, 12 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT