Doug DuBois (left) is now Mid-Atlantic Baptist Network’s team strategist for evangelism & mission engagement
By Sharon Mager
COLUMBIA, Md.—Doug DuBois is now Mid-Atlantic Baptist Network’s team strategist for evangelism & mission engagement, taking on the former role of Joel Rainey, who is stepping down to become pastor of Covenant Baptist Church, Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
DuBois’ goal is to see the Network become a type of missions travel agency—assisting churches in reaching their communities for Christ, whether that be a local community or overseas. “It’s anywhere you can walk, drive or fly,” DuBois explains—it’s their own Jerusalem, Judea and the ends of the earth. If you were to call the evangelism department, we can provide ideas, training, and assistance in implementation of strategies.
The idea is, that if a church wants to do outreach in any way, the Network can connect them. “If you were to call me and say we’re looking to do something in our community, I can give you an idea and teach you how to implement that idea,” he said. Likewise, if your church is interested in national or international missions, we can help point you in a direction that matches your area of interest.
“I believe all of our resources for ‘teaching and taking,’ currently reside within our Network. For example, if your church is interested in going to India, we have churches that are already connected and working in India. We will connect you directly to the pastor and they can share their contacts,” he said.
DuBois’ new role will consist of overseeing the areas of collegiate evangelism, community engagement, disaster relief, church/school partnerships, and Skycroft Conference Center.
As executive director of Skycroft for over a decade, DuBois is thrilled to see Skycroft become a part of the evangelism & mission engagement area. He plans on using the facility for strategic evangelism training, for disaster relief, and much more. While DuBois will remain responsible for the vision and operations of Skycroft, Emily Reedy and Ray Jenkins will oversee the staff and day-to-day operations.
DuBois sees the strength of the Network in relationships, sharing time together, getting to know one another in an effort to create genuine friendships and share and meet needs. “The old model of ‘come to us’ is no longer efficient given the struggles our pastors have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. If you want to see the troops, you have to go see where they serve. Pastors are on the front lines. We have to visit them where they are,” DuBois said.
DuBois grew up in a Christian home. His mother was his Sunday school teacher and his father was his youth pastor. DuBois committed his life to Christ in 1979, when he was 13 years old during a revival service in a small Southern Baptist Church in Mosshill, Texas. He served as a lay leader at Elders Baptist Church, Sykesville, in the early ’90s then was called into vocational ministry in 1996 when he began serving at Skycroft.
Looking ahead, DuBois said, “It’s a big job and I’m not 100 percent sure of what I’ve got myself into,” he said with a laugh. “But I’m very excited about the future of our Network!”