connect Meeting America s Greatest Need A PUBLICATION OF BAPTIST CHURCH PLANTERS Spring 2009 The Characteristics of a Church Planter A Tribute to the Lives of M.O. & Jean Burman Two great people, one great couple, and very fine missionaries! Jean Burman passed into the Lord s presence on December 24, 2008, and her husband, M.O. passed on January 27, 2009. They had six children, all living for the Lord and serving in their local churches. Their family Bible verse was Psalm 126:3, The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Their son David, pastor of Brown Street Baptist Church in Alton, Illinois, conducted both funerals. M.O. and Jean Burman planted ten churches and assisted twelve others, moving 52 times. What did God use to call this man into the ministry? Written in his own words, he said, The event that led us into starting churches was an experience before I finished Bible School. I worked on a threshing crew in 1941 in eastern Montana. One evening, I went with a six-year-old boy to get his old hen and her ducks out from under a granary so the coyotes would not get them. As he crawled under the granary, the old hen flew in his face. He cursed that old hen as freely as any man I ever heard curse. This experience was used of the Lord to call M.O. and Jean to start churches and teach children about the Lord Jesus Christ. Following his personal salvation, M.O. was asked about the favorite events of his life. He listed the following: 1. My recovery from illness when I was not expected to live at the age of 6. 2. My marriage to Jean Poorman on November 25, 1937. 3. My graduation from Baptist Bible Seminary in 1944. 4. Seeing people come to know the Lord as their Savior and some go into full-time Christian service. 5. Seeing members of our family come to know the Lord and go into Christian service, some full-time and some faithfully serving the Lord in the secular field. 6. To have a vital part in seeing Baptist Church Planters established. Dr. David Little, president of Baptist Church Planters and Dr. John Williams, life-long friend of the Burmans and BCP missionary attended the memorial service for M.O. on January 31, 2009. Here is part of what Dr. Little shared. M.O. Burman, what a giant of spiritual men. I don t know if I ever met a man quite like M.O. He had characteristics of many great men, combined into one. He was unassuming and quiet, making you think he was timid, only to learn he had great boldness when necessary. He was very observant and wise but often waited until everyone else had spoken and then landed the thought succinctly. He was very successful but told no one unless asked. He was serious about many things but would chide you unexpectedly. His life demanded great respect. Continued on page 3 Donors are Part of the Team The Bible makes it clear that some go and some stay, but all participate. In 1 Corinthians 12, this is illustrated by the many parts of the body, all are needed for the body to function properly. We all know this personally, for when one part of the body does not function, the whole body suffers. Donors are a vital part of the churchplanting team. Without them, church planters would have to be totally bivocational, consuming much of their energy in providing for their needs. Church plants would find it difficult getting their buildings built and Baptist Church Planters ministries would be unable to carry out the goal of church planting. Thank you to our donors for your vital part in this ministry. Remember, every participant enjoys the reward, if done for the glory of God.
Church Planting m a t t e r s NEWS FROM THE FIELD Londonderry Baptist Church, Londonderry, NH Three Churches Graduate The graduation of a mission church means the church is able to call their own pastor and care for their own finances. All three of these graduated churches have their own facilities. Londonderry Baptist Church was a rescue work. This church called our office and asked for assistance. After a thorough review, BCP decided to come alongside this group with our Apollos and Tentmakers. Apollos are semi-retired missionaries and pastors and Tentmakers are lay people willing to serve at their own expense. Bob and Donna Bennett, Tentmakers, were the first on the scene. They served six months followed by Dale and Marie Moore, Apollos missionaries. Both couples found the church willing to follow and grow. Jim and Jan Novy, Apollos missionaries from Daytona, Florida accepted a two-year ministry to bring the church to graduation. The church has now called a pastor and is doing well. Praise the Lord! Thanks to everyone who helped. Massachusetts Dale & Marie Moore Bob & Donna Bennett Jim & Jan Novy Grace Bible Baptist Fellowship, Lansing, MI Grace Bible Baptist Fellowship, Lansing, MI Grace Bible Baptist Fellowship was started by missionaries, Claggett and Sheila Ward. The church graduated in September 2008. The Wards retired as missionaries with Baptist Church Planters and stayed on to pastor the church. Many churches supported this work for a number of years and we are so pleased they were able to graduate. God has raised up Grace Bible Baptist to reach the people of Lansing, especially in the Black community. Grace Baptist of Castle Country, Price, UT Missionaries Jeff and Deb Warix planted this church in Mormon country and developed the leadership so they could graduate. The church called another missionary who serves the Hispanic community. So now the church has a pastor for the predominantly Anglo church and a missionary for the Hispanic church. The building is debt free. Baptist Church Planters appreciates the faithful support for the Warixes and to those who helped pay off the indebtedness on the building. Pray for the Warix family as they report to their supporting churches and determine the next place for church planting. Jeff & Debbie Warix Memorial Gifts Since our last publication, gifts were given in memory of: Merwin & Jean Burman Lila Much Graduation Service at Grace Baptist
News from the Field Field Report from the Western Field David Whitcher, Regional Field Director The church plant in Tracy, CA under the direction of Tim Heinrich continues to grow. Tentmakers, Don and Joyce Shade, have a new baby boy. The team is growing. Kevin and Kenyata Maki have seen victories and disappointments in their Deaf church. They recently had to move their church to a different location. Despite the difficulties, the church is making progress. Kevin is working on developing DVDs for the Deaf from the family conference with Dr. Mike Peck. David Whitcher was very encouraged with the Hispanic church plant in Grover Beach, CA (formerly San Luis Obispo). The men are committed and are serving. They are seeking the Lord s will for a pastor. Without a missionary, this church is growing. Field Report from the East Coast & Midwest Fields John Little, Regional Fields Director John Little recently visited BCP missionaries in Florida. His time with them was enjoyable and encouraging. John Little and Steve Little interviewed a fine young man in New York that is a possible Timothy. We are praying that God will call this man as a church planter. Harvest Baptist Church in Williamsburg, Iowa had their recognition service, November 8, 2008. Hampton Street Baptist Church, Auburn, MA celebrated their fifth-year anniversary with a two-day celebration, January 17-18, 2009. Roxbury, New York is in need of a church planter. This Catskill area is unique and needs a man who will live in the mountains, love the people, and grow the work. Rob and Beth Worthington are getting meetings and preparing to fulfill their responsibilities of Coordinator for Asian Church planting. Hamlin, New York is considering a candidate for pastor. Field Report from Mountain Plains & Southwest Fields Peter Jenks, Regional Fields Director The church plant in Pueblo, CO was without a missionary, but God is working. Pastor Jim Mitchell and his wife Janice from Allegany, NY were just approved as BCP lead church planters at our March Council meeting and will be moving in June to take the work in Pueblo. Also, retired missionaries, Bud and Eunice Johnson will be assisting for a few months. Pray they have the strength to fulfill this ministry. Pastor Stan Lightfoot (Council member) has been a great assistance to the church. This church plant has great potential. Tentmakers, Skip and Jeanine Garber have faithfully served a rescue work in Enid, Oklahoma for the past few months. Their assistance has encouraged the church and they have called an interim pastor. Wayne and Shanna Dale in Surprise, Arizona report increased attendance. Recently, they hosted a Sportsman s Dinner with President David Little speaking. They have developed a good relationship with local Hispanic missionaries. Baptist Church Planters Family Camp 2009 July 14-17, 2009 Every three years the missionary family comes together at Faith Baptist Bible College to be encouraged, give reports, have Field Council meetings, and be fed with God s Word. The main speaker this year is Dr. John Hartog, III. Open Door Baptist Church of New Woodstock, NY (former church plant of BCP) will again bring their puppet team (youth group) to minister to children. This will be their fourth trip. David & Melissa Whitcher will lead the teen program. Some missionaries find the distance and cost difficult. Baptist Church Planters is accepting scholarship monies for those who need help. Please designate your gift as Family Camp Scholarship. Prospective church planters are welcome. Contact the BCP office at 440-748-1677, if you are interested. David & Melissa Whitcher Family Camp 2006 Continued from page 1 M.O. and Jean moved often in their churchplanting journey. They have moved again. But this time to the greater family of God, established in heaven for all eternity. They have moved from faith life to sight life. They have moved from the curse to the crown. They have moved from the tent to the mansion. They have moved from earth to glory. They have moved for the last time, finally home. Baptist Church Planters prays that God will call church planters with the same zeal and heart for people found in the lives of M. O. and Jean Burman.
On Being an ASSOCIATE Church Planter I think whatever ministry one finds themself in, they should view their ministry as church planting. by Eric Wilmeth For years my wife and I felt that God was preparing us for full-time ministry. We just did not know what. A friend of ours introduced us to the concept that BCP was promoting team church-planting. The idea of a lead church planter working alongside of an associate and other team members really clicked with us. I could see God using me in a team role - not the lead, but instead being a type of assistant that was involved in discipleship, small group studies, and so forth. One thing led to another and we are now associates working in a church plant in Bennington, NE. I feel that being an associate church planter has been an invaluable experience. Let me tell you why: a team is what Baptist Church Planters is seeking to accomplish. Later, the team splits and Barnabas takes John Mark and Paul takes Silas. This model we have in scripture screams associate. Then, added to the teams where the Timothy s that were being mentored and later used as lead and support for church plants. Timothy was being trained, exhorted and encouraged, while all the time doing ministry. I AM LEARNING LESSONS I DID NOT GRASP IN SEMINARY My formal Bible training is invaluable; however, there are lessons that my wife and I are learning now that could never be effectively communicated in a classroom. First, the need for flexibility on the field is paramount. Our lives are far busier than they ever were in seminary! When I plan my week, I make up a churchplant to-do list, a deputation to-do list, a secular job to-do list, and a home to-do list. Yet despite the IS IT BIBLICAL In Acts 4:6 we meet Barnabas. He was doing missionary work, taking the gospel to other cities. He was the one that brought Paul to Antioch and then while serving there, God called both Barnabas and Paul to plant churches. The picture of Paul and Barnabas as The Wilmeth family Baptist Church Planters Meeting America s Greatest Need w w w. b c p u s a. o r g
busyness, our main goal remains evangelizing and discipling dear souls in our town. No one could have prepared me for the maturity, patience, and flexibility that is required. No matter what plans I have set in place I must always be ready to flex with the plans God has in place and redeem every moment He gives to serve.the second major lesson that I am learning is the mind-set of a church planter. I think that whatever ministry one finds themselves in, they should view themselves as a church planter. Even if you are going to be the head pastor of a church that has existed for onehundred years, if you do not have a mentality of growth with the goal of reproducing your ministry into another church-plant then you are not fulfilling God s desire for the great commission. We are to be disciple-makers individually, and we are to be church planters corporately. If a church is not reproducing then it is heading towards death. This is an invaluable lesson that I am so thankful God is teaching me. GOD IS INCREASING MY VISION FOR OUR NATION God has really impacted me concerning a far greater need right here in our country than most realize. When we think of missions, we typically think of third world countries that have never heard of God. When we look across the street here at home, however, we realize that there is a seven out of ten chance that our neighbors have never heard the pure gospel. If we do not grow our missions efforts in the United States, we will soon not be able to send missionaries elsewhere. We are called to take the gospel to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Never skip the first three to get to the end of the list. I do not think that it is God s will for everyone to be church planters here in the U.S. Instead, each person should go where God is burdening them and where they feel they can best fulfill the great commission. I just think that there is a far greater need at home than most people realize. God is bringing the world to us. CONCLUSION A few short years ago I thought that God would never use me as a lead church planter. By gaining valuable experience as an associate I can now easily see God leading us to start a church plant and leading a team of our own. I would challenge any student coming out of Bible college or seminary to consider being a part of a church-planting team. God will use it to allow you to become better grounded in biblical ministry while gaining valuable experience and increasing your vision for the lost here at home and around the globe. Team Members Needed! Dream Team Lead Church Planter Associate/Timothy Church Planter Donors Tentmaker Apollos (a semi-retired position) Volunteers
36830 Royalton Road Grafton, OH 44044 PH: 440.748.1677 FAX: 440.748-1837 Email: bcp@bcpusa.org Web site: www. bcpusa.org NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID RANDOLPH, NY PERMIT NO.31 CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE! www.bcpusa.org Coming Soon It s exciting to share with you that faithful workers in the JOY Club ministry are reaching boys and girls with the Gospel of Christ throughout the U.S.A. and Canada. Regularly, I am hearing of a decision for Christ in one club or another or significant growth in attendance. A new club in Indiana just contacted me for more materials because they have had a 50% increase in attendance. Praise the Lord! The largest concentrations of JOY Club churches are in Iowa, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Minnesota. However, JOY Clubs are active in 25 states and two Canadian Provinces. As boys and girls come to Christ, they have a whole lifetime ahead of them to serve the Lord. My prayer is that they will make wise choices and pick godly role models as they grow in their Christian walk. Karen Peck, Joy Club Director Scott & Brooke Greening are focused on developing the initial launch team of Great Commission Baptist Church to start up this summer in the northwest suburbs of Chicago (Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Hanover Park, Streamwood, Roselle). Stay tuned to their website for more updates and information: www.scottandbrooke.info Contact them at: scott@scottandbrooke.info brooke@scottandbrooke.info Missionary Highlight Jack and Dorothy Farley Scott & Brooke Greening Oceanside, California is a unique coastal town where the Farleys planted Calvary Baptist Church, Oceanside, CA. Jack and Dorothy served the church until graduation, and then their son-in-law was called to serve as pastor. Jack and Dorothy have continued with the work. Jack has also faithfully served as chaplain at the local Army brig. We thank God for this fine couple who long ago dedicated their lives to missionary service.