In the past few weeks we have witnessed the abundant fruit of collaboration among our Northwest Baptist churches. It’s been very encouraging! On April 12 the semi-annual meeting of the Central Washington Baptist Association focused on missions. Wapato’s First Baptist Church was nearly full as pastors and church members gathered to share stories of new church plants, collegiate ministry, and various mission trips that Central Association’s member churches are doing. One thing I learned is that Wapato, a town of about 5,000 souls, is 76 percent Hispanic. Spanish is so dominant that the menu of the restaurant in which Paula and I ate was in Spanish – with no English translation. Who would have guessed it?
On April 21 the semi-annual meeting of the Inland Empire Baptist Association also focused on missions. Dayspring Baptist Church in Rathdrum, ID hosted the meeting which nearly filled the church. Several churches set up displays highlighting their mission’s involvement. Reports were given about associational camps and ministries, demonstrating that when churches work together we can accomplish ministry that has far-reaching impact.
On April 23 we had a truly historic one-day training event at our NWBC building in Vancouver, WA, in which 160 mission team members, from over 30 Northwest Baptist churches, gathered to prepare for our East Asia mission trip this summer (July 28 to August 11). Our convention of churches will serve all of our East Asia IMB missionaries and their children. This is their first such retreat since 2009, and with all of the changes at the IMB (1,132 missionaries and staff leaving the field in the past few months), this retreat is extremely important. More than 140 missionaries in East Asia have left the field, but still we expect about 1,200 missionaries and children at this retreat. The response of our pastors and churches to this unique opportunity has been overwhelming and truly humbling. No one church could do something like this, but together, collaboratively, it’s amazing what God can do with us. Even if your church is not sending a team member, your prayers and Cooperative Program missions giving make you a part of the team that will minister to our East Asia missionaries.
On April 25-27, 268 church planters, spouses, children, and a wonderful group of volunteers (who provided VBS to the 105 children of our church planters), gathered at Cannon Beach for our annual Church Planter’s Retreat. The focus was on evangelism. It involved both training and inspiration, reminding each of us that new churches are intended to be gatherings of new believers, not new gatherings of longtime Christians. We are grateful to God for leading these families to plant their lives in communities and neighborhoods that are underserved with gospel witness.
On April 15-16 our annual NWBC Women’s Summit hosted 153 women from 48 churches. Twenty-two breakouts were provided, focusing on the theme “Go Deeper with God.” Nancy Hall leads our women’s ministry as a volunteer and provides outstanding service to our churches and our women.
In addition to all of this, Riviera Baptist Church in Eugene hosted a Region 4 leadership training event on April 9 in which 61 preschool and children’s workers received training, as did several others. A similar training event will be hosted by Airway Heights Baptist Church on May 14 for churches in Region 5.
April ended with our annual Student Conference, in which more than 400 young people and their leaders, from 31 churches, gathered at Greater Gresham Baptist Church. About 30 made decisions for Christ!
As I think back over the last month, gratitude fills my heart for the pastors and leaders of our churches. They are doing the frontline work of ministry. They are walking by faith. And they are walking together with their ministry brothers. Their churches are cooperating associationally and within the convention to do missions and evangelistic work.
Which reminds me – on May 23-25 we have our biennial “Oasis Retreat” for pastors, staff and wives in Seaside, OR. Over 200 have enrolled, which we believe is our largest group ever (though it goes back 40 years so we aren’t certain of that). Paula and I have been preparing for the past couple of months to minister to our pastors and wives during these days and we are praying that each participant will experience true spiritual refreshment. Please pray for our Northwest pastors and spouses. They are godly people who love Jesus, love His Church, and want to hear from Him, “Well done, good and faithful servant” on a day soon to come.