By Sharon Mager
Bel Air, Md. — Messengers to the 183rd annual meeting of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCM/D) gathered at the historic Oak Grove Baptist Church on Nov. 11-12. They elected a new slate of officers and adopted the 2019 budget. BCM/D Executive Director Kevin Smith announced a new international partnership with The Kenya Baptist Convention. They also enjoyed a time of fellowship at the annual “Unity Lunch.” The theme was “United in Prayer: Celebrating God’s mission in Maryland/Delaware.”
BCM/D elected a new slate of officers: (L-R) Andy Ehlers, Stephanie Laferriere, Harold Phillips, Glenn Swanson, and Mike Fillis. (Photo by Ronnie Nettles 95 Images)
This year’s meeting, attended by 320 messengers and 88 guests included a substantial time of prayer for church plants.
Special guests were Johnny Hunt, the senior pastor of First Baptist Church Woodstock, Ga. and the new senior vice president of evangelism and leadership for the North American Mission Board, (NAMB) as well as Christina Edmondson, dean of intercultural student development, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI., and Tony Merida, pastor for preaching and vision, Imago Dei Church, Raleigh, NC.
BCM/D Executive Director Dr. Kevin Smith tells messengers “It’s not, ‘love God,’ or ‘love your neighbor’— it’s both.” (Photo by Ronnie Nettles, 95 Images)
Executive Director’s Report
Kevin Smith recognized new staff, shared some “retooling” strategies to serve churches and introduced the international partnership.
“For the first time since I’ve been here, we have a full complement of church planting catalysts in cooperation with the North American Mission Board,” Smith said, referring to Rolando Castro, Dan Hyun and James Choi, under the leadership of BCM/D State Director of Missions Michael Crawford.
Smith also recognized Creative Director Reggie Davis, who joined the staff in September, and two new church service
Baptist Foundation of Maryland/Delaware President Carl Tilghman presents a check for $110,280.52 to Dr. Kevin Smith, and Tom Stolle for strengthening churches in the BCM/D. (Photo by Ronnie Nettles, 95 Images)
consultants Mike Trammell and John Gauger, both retired BCM/D pastors. Trammell is also the outgoing BCM/D president, and he will serve in the Delmarva area.
Mark Dooley, pastor of Leonardtown Baptist Church, will join the staff in January 2019, as state director of evangelism.
Smith emphasized three priorities of the convention: encouraging pastors in every phase of life; ministry support; and church and community outreach.
Pointing to a slideshow of BCM/D church baptism photos, Smith said, “We want to serve churches and increase baptisms, and make our churches fruitful, whether they’re 100 days old or 100 years old.”
Messengers and guests gathered around and prayed for church planters during a special prayer time on Sunday evening, Nov. 11. (Photo by Ronnie Nettles, 95 Images)
Looking ahead, Smith said the BCM/D, in an effort to help revitalize churches, will continue to use the AWAKEN Cohort approach to revitalization. Partnering with the Eastern Baptist Association (EBA), a new cohort will soon begin in the Delmarva area
Also, in cooperation with NAMB, and funded by the Cooperative Program (CP), the BCM/D will partner with Dr. Thomas Rainer’s “Revitalize Network,” an individualized approach to revitalization providing coaching and other opportunities. The costs will be discounted because of the BCM/D partnership with NAMB.
The BCM/D will also soon offer a sermon-based approach to revitalization in partnership with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.
Adam Muhtaseb, Redemption City Church, Baltimore prays for church planters in the city, (Photo by Sharon Mager)
Finally, Smith shared about an international partnership with the Kenya Baptist Convention for 2019-2021, focusing on strategic areas in Western Kenya near Lake Victoria providing pastoral and ministry leader training; preaching in middle and high schools; providing respite orphan care; and assisting with infrastructure support.
Business
In the business portion of the meeting messengers unanimously elected a new slate of convention officers. Harold Phillips, the senior pastor of Pleasant View Baptist Church, Port Deposit, Md., was elected president; Glenn Swanson, the senior pastor of Bayside Baptist Church, Chesapeake Beach, Md., was elected first vice-president; Andy Ehlers, the pastor of High Tide Baptist Church, Dagsboro, Del., was elected second vice-president; Stephanie Laferriere, Gospel
Christina Edmondson shared about conflict resolution with pastors’ wives and other women. and about the grace of Jesus. (Photo by Sharon Mager)
worker with One Hope, a ministry of The Garden Church, Baltimore, Md., was elected recording secretary and Mike Fillis, pastor of Fenwick Island Baptist Church, Selbyville, Del., was elected assistant recording secretary.
Messengers unanimously adopted the $7,582,603 budget that includes $2,271,720 in total receipts for BCM/D’s Skycroft Conference Center. Additional budget receipts include an anticipated $3,600,000 in Cooperative Program receipts from churches; $150,000 in State Missions Offering; and $980,000 from the North American Mission Board. The 2019 budget represents a 2% decrease in total compared to 2018.
The budget allocates 48% percent of 2019 CP receipts to SBC national and international missions and ministries, representing no change from last year’s budget, and a 4.5% increase from 2017.
Johnny Hunt shares about leaders who “finished well.” (Photo By Sharon Mager)
In addition, messengers passed a resolution showing appreciation to Oak Grove Baptist Church for hosting the annual meeting with graciousness, generosity and professionalism.
Prayer and testimony
Introducing a time of testimony and prayer, Michael Crawford said, “Church planting has never been better. Churches are really planting churches.”
Looking to the future, Crawford said, “If we’re going to perpetuate the BCM/D, which has been around for more than 100 years, sending money out and planting churches, we have to invest in the men and women coming up behind us. I’ve had the opportunity to meet some amazing young men. Our future is in really good hands because God’s grace is all over them,” he said.
Tony Merida, pastor for preaching and vision, Imago Dei Church, Raleigh, NC, and BCM/D Executive Director Kevin Smith discuss pastors’ sermon preparation and preaching the entire Bible in context. (Photo by Ronnie Nettles, 95 Images)
Planters Adam Muhtaseb, Redemption City Church, Baltimore, Md.; Rob Stephens, planter and lead pastor of Aletheia Church, College Park, Md.; and Josean “JD” Nater planter of Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana de Cambridge, Md., Camino De Esperanza Seaford, Del., and Camino de Esperanza Wilmington, Del., shared their testimonies and led in a time of prayer for church planters.
CJ Matthews, planter of Bethany Church, Columbia, Md. Bethany Church, Columbia, Md., led a devotional based on Joshua 2. Matthews cautioned pastors against discouragement when they see other plants experiencing exponential growth while theirs is a group of people meeting in a living room, stressing that,
Bethany Church, Columbia, Pastor C.J. Matthews shares a devotional from Joshua 2. (Photo by Sharon Mager)
“it’s not a competition.”
Matthews said, “Jesus promised to be with us as we push back the darkness. Wherever He has called you, He’s with you and will not leave you. “
Breakout Sessions & Speakers
Johnny Hunt primarily addressed pastors and lay leaders and Christina Edmondson addressed pastors’ wives and other women in attendance.
Hunt spoke of finishing well, and the traits of those who did so. “People who finish well lived in the Word and on their knees,” he said. They also leave spiritual legacies. Challenging his audience, Hunt asked, “What would you have to change in your life to change your legacy?”
David and Tracey Gaines served faithfully as secretary and recording secretary, even while both were going through serious illnesses. (Photo by Ronnie Nettles, 95 Images)
Edmondson shared from Matthew 18, the parable about the unforgiving servant.
The kingdom of heaven is like a King that is seeking to settle the debts with his servants. “How gracious. And how may that reorient us to think about how the Lord treats us and seeks us and loves us,” she said.
Trammell, referring to 1 Corinthians 15:51-58, said, “When Jesus comes back to get his children, we will never say goodbye to Him again. We will always be with Him. What a great thought and comfort that is. He urged Christians to be steadfast, unmovable, cautioning against distraction from doing the work of the Lord.
Merida shared from Romans 8:31-39, emphasizing that “God is for us.” Using an airline ticket as an example, he said some travelers are on “standby,” not sure if they’ll make the flight. “Christians have a confirmed ticket,” he said.
In the final sermon of the meeting, Smith shared from Matthew 22:40, emphasizing that we must love God, vertically, and love our neighbors, horizontally. “On these two commandments hang all the law and prophets, “he quoted. “It’s not, ‘love God,’ or ‘love your neighbor’— it’s both.”
Harold Phillips closed in prayer, “We’re rejoicing that we’re a convention that clings to your Word …We trust you, Father. We pray that you will unify us.”