COLUMBIA, Md.—Doug DuBois, Mid-Atlantic Baptist Network’s team strategist for evangelism and mission engagement, reporting to the Network’s General Mission Board (GMB), on May 3 at the Network Center, shared an overview of how God is answering prayers and directing the evangelism and mission engagement team’s focus for the summer months.
(l to r) Row 1: Doug DuBois, Niki Taylor, Ellen Udovich; Row 2: Blake Hardcastle, Jessica Senasack, Peggy Peek
DuBois said the team recently sent surveys to churches asking where the churches need assistance. Twenty-five percent responded and the overwhelming majority wanted assistance with mobilization—helping their members be on mission in their communities. The team is working to continually respond to that need.
DuBois explained that there are many areas the team oversees. These include: networking with pastors, mobilization; disaster relief, English as a Second Language, resort ministry, camps, mission, evangelism training, youth evangelism and ministry partnership.
Here’s an overview of some ministry highlights:
• Central Atlantic Leisure Ministries Missionary Lynn Davis said new activities have been planned based on a survey during last year’s summer outreach. These include art lessons, a journaling class, writers’ guild, theater with an international spy mystery dinner, day trips on Thursdays, three new Bible studies for seekers and new believers and discipling opportunities for maturing young Christians.
• Overall collegiate ministry is still very active during the summer season. Towson University students will continue outreach work with Graffiti Church in Baltimore and will help Valley Baptist Church with a new project in Zambia. University of Maryland, Baltimore County students are returning to Cambodia to lead Baptist youth camps and children’s ministry events. The Delaware Baptist Student Ministry is sending students back to help International Mission Board missionaries in the Philippines. Johns Hopkins University students will send two teams to serve at the church they assisted Grace Life Church in launching in the spring. All of the campus ministries are actively recruiting for summer college ministry positions and the work in Ocean City.
• Regarding English as a Second Language (ESL), twenty-seven new teachers were trained this year and the second group of church volunteers will be trained this fall. Two ESL leaders will complete a 40-hour train-the-trainer workshop this summer, which will expand church training opportunities.
• Similar to the ESL ministry, churches with strong compassionate ministries that address human needs while sharing Christ are encouraged to serve as mentors for churches who want to see examples of feeding ministries, tutoring programs or other types of outreach ministry.
• In networking and connecting with pastors, Reid Sterrett, Network catalyst & connector, said in a written report, “We have continued to meet one-on-one, asking strategic questions, evaluating answers, and seeking ways to engage, encourage and equip the pastors. Additionally, we have been able to determine ways to bring pastors together with other pastors through recreational and training type events. One example is that we have launched our first Network well-being initiative promoting Christian clinical counseling for mental health, coaching for vocational health and a Fitbit challenge for physical well being. We have numerous pastors engaged in counseling through CentrePoint Counseling and many pastors being coached by Earl Grey, former Mid-Atlantic Baptist Network contracted coach.
• DuBois also reported, “We have had the opportunity to partner with three associations to provide Evangelism training, along with assisting a few churches with their outreach initiatives. We provided materials for student evangelism training along with assisting two churches to start new student ministries.
• The Evangelism team was able to provide a weekend camp held at Skycroft for 65 teenagers from Baltimore where they focused on mentoring and leadership.
• DuBois said the team’s “Praying for Senators” initiative has gotten off to a good start. “We delivered our first wave of letters from our churches to the U.S. Senators’ offices on Monday, April 25th. Our efforts were well received and we are looking forward to getting more of our churches involved in this initiative to pray for our country.”
For more information about any of these initiatives, contact Doug DuBois, DougDuBois@bcmd.org
(Condensed from a report by Doug DuBois on behalf of the Evangelism and Engagement Team)