News Updates and Forms

Become a Rope Holder

In his inaugural address before the Baptist Missionary Society in 1792, William Carey famously preached, “Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God!” As we embark on a new year, we hope to reemphasize Carey’s challenge as we expect and attempt great things for God over our next decade of Doing Christ’s Work Together.

By this point, I hope you have heard about Vision 2020. Vision 2020 is designed to help us look back, celebrating all that Christ has done over the course of our rich 155 years of ministry together, but it is also designed to help us look forward as we anticipate all that Christ may want to do in and through us over the next decade. As we expect and attempt as a West Virginia Baptist Convention family, we have already seen some exciting new initiatives kick off this year.

Mentoring for Pastoral Excellence: This program was started as a result of several younger pastors indicating a desire to be mentored by someone more seasoned in ministry. Statistics show the average tenure of a pastor is only six years before they face burnout.

Leadership Development: Another statistic reveals the average age of a pastor in the United States has risen from 44 to 54, with only one in seven being under the age of 40. Yet, we are seeing incredible young leaders emerge in our churches, having been discipled and trained through Baptist Campus Ministries and/or our West Virginia Palmer Seminary program. To facilitate further opportunities for development, both the Church Ministry Intern Program and the Missionary Intern Program were established to help young adults discern their long-term calling to ministry as well as to give churches the opportunity to benefit from their leadership.

New Church Development: Together, we have planted 18 churches over the last 20 years, yet there are still thousands of people within our communities who are virtually unreached with the gospel. It has been exciting to watch the impact of some of our recent church plants, especially those that are considered non-traditional or those that have been planted among other ethnicities. With an increasing diversity in our state, the opportunities for new church plants are only going to grow. In response to this, we are once again reemphasizing new church development and have established a fund that can help new churches get started. We are also working with churches interested
in re-planting, aimed at infusing life back into a declining congregation.

Carey knew no that matter what he attempted, he could not do it alone. Prior to the formation of the Baptist Missionary Society, encircled by a group of fellow association pastors, Carey shared his vision of taking the gospel to India, likening it to a rescue mission into a deep, dark well. His invitation to his fellow pastors was, “I will go down if you will hold the rope.” The pastors agreed to become rope holders, forming the Baptist Missionary Society to send and support the missionary enterprise, and William Carey led a small team that traveled to India, where they spent the rest of their lives planting churches, translating the Bible and reaching thousands with the gospel.

As we consider the exciting opportunities that lie before us, we are also in need of churches and individuals to hold the rope. We have mentors, young leaders and prospective church planters ready to attempt great things for God. We also have exciting opportunities through Camp Cowen, the Bobby Wood School of Christian Studies and the other ministries we do together. However, as Mike Sisson shared at our Annual Meeting, over the last decade we have effectively exhausted our reserves – essentially relying upon the rope holders of previous generations. Thus, we are now in need of new rope holders who are willing to support these ministries going forward. So as each of you read this article, I want to ask: “Will you hold the rope?”

At the beginning of January, the Executive Board passed a budget that has the potential to be our first budget in a decade that no longer requires us to draw from reserves. If just 200 individuals agree to become rope holders, we anticipate our budget will be fully supported. Over the last month we have already seen nearly 50 individuals sign up.

Additionally, if we reach our goal of 2,000 rope holders, then we will not only reach our budget, but we will also be able to start rebuilding our reserves to a healthy enough level to carry us through the next decade of ministry together.

I want to invite you to become a rope holder, by supporting the ministry we do together with a gift of at least $20 a month. You can sign up to be a rope holder  by clicking here. We are expecting great things from God this year! As we attempt great things for Him, will you help us by holding the rope?

Your fellow rope holder,
Todd McClure

Written by J.D. Reed

“Convulsions”…That is how Bolivians would describe the recent political situations in their country, and frankly in all of North and South America in recent days.  Late last October, the National elections for President were held, and the incumbent, Evo Morales, was running for a fourth (constitutionally illegal and democratically opposed) term as president.  He had been in the office for 14+ years.  If you asked people on the street, they would say that he had done some positive things, but it was time for a democratic change.  After the election, it was widely proven that there was electoral fraud by his party to maintain their power, and a national civic strike began.  In Santa Cruz, it was a very non-violent peaceful protest, but in other parts of Bolivia, it would be much more tense as the supporters of the president and his party lashed out at the opposition.  The strike literally shut-down the country and would last three weeks, and it seemed that there was no end in sight.  During this time, due to a number of reasons, both ourselves and International Ministries felt it best for us to return to the states until things stabilized.  Then November 9, the President resigned and fled to Mexico.  Soon after, based on the report of outside governments and auditors, the election was annulled and it was announced that another would be held on May 3rd, 2020.

In the days since, we are pleased to share that many positive things have happened.  The interim President Janine Añez (who was the next in line after many in the president’s party resigned) has become the second female president in the history of Bolivia and she has wasted no time getting things ready for the new election.  Many positive steps have been made to bring healing to the country and prepare for the next election to be free and fair for all the world to see.  One change that has been a wonderful blessing to the ministry of the Fundación Proyecto de Esperanza (formerly known as the House of Hope) is that the government has lifted the need for visas for US citizens in an effort to open opportunities for tourism.  They are also pursuing re-establishing a US Ambassador in the country for the first time in twelve years.

We (the Reed family and Sarah Nash) want to say thank you for all your prayers during this time.  The ministry of FPE is back to normal and we are looking forward to a busy 2020.  In Mid-December we were able to purchase a 30 passenger bus — a goal that we have been working towards for two years — to help us do Mobile Medical and Dental Clinics as well as provide transportation for teams.  We are eagerly awaiting to see what will come of the new elections this year, but we are sure that whatever happens, the ministry of Fundación Proyecto de Esperanza will continue partnering with churches, pastors and ministry leaders to make a difference and provide the hope of Christ to people in Cochabamba and Santa Cruz.

Paul Fulks had a passion for missions.  He believed mission engagement changed lives and encouraged mission involvement and support. In addition to serving as a pastor for 18 years, he also served on staff with the West Virginia Baptist Convention (WVBC), first as the Minister of Mission Support and later as an Area Minister.  Following his retirement in 2005, he continued to serve in a volunteer role with both the WVBC and South Parkersburg Baptist Church.

Upon his retirement, he and his wife, Judy, established a scholarship fund for “the purpose of helping persons interested in participating in a cross-cultural mission trip with needed funds for this experience.” The fund was established with a sacrificial gift from Paul’s retirement account.  Quarterly, the fund is reviewed by the trustees and the accrued interest is distributed as scholarships to approved applicants. Priority is given to first-time applicants who demonstrate financial need.  Since the scholarship fund was established, more than 250 people have received financial assistance for their mission trips.

John Simmons, former Associate Executive Minister of Missions and Administration, remembered fondly, “Paul is the one who took me on my first mission trip.” There are dozens of individuals around the state who have made the same statement.  John then added with even greater fondness, “And I had the pleasure of taking him on his last one.”

Through the establishment of the Mission Trip Scholarship Fund, Paul and Judy Fulks continue to be rope holders for our WVBC family. Not only did they demonstrate a passion for missions in their time of ministry together, but they continue to demonstrate a passion through the ongoing support of their legacy gift.  In 2020, six individuals have already been awarded a scholarship – four from Petersburg First Baptist Church who will travel to Nicaragua next week and two from New Baptist Church who will be traveling to Haiti in March.

The Paul and Judy Fulks Mission Trip Scholarships are awarded quarterly, with the next application deadline coming March 1.  If you are interested in contributing an additional amount to this fund, you can do so by sending a check to the Convention office and designating it toward the Fulks Mission Trip Scholarship Fund.  This fund has been used to help us reach people all over the world with the Gospel. It is through rope holders like Paul and Judy Fulks that we are able to continue doing Christ’s work together.

On March 8, 2019, the West Virginia Legislature passed House Bill 2813 which requires all marketplace facilitators to start collecting up to a 7% sales tax on all products.  Earlier in the year, the West Virginia Baptist Convention had agreed to a contract with Eventbrite to manage all of their online event registrations.  After receiving notification of the new bill by Eventbrite, we were then informed that, as of September 3, 2019, they would start collecting sales tax on all of our events.  We then began reviewing whether or not we would also have to start charging sales tax on all of our mail-in registrations.

After extensive research and many lengthy discussions with CPAs, lawyers, and other tax professionals, we have been advised of the following:

1. If you register via mail-in registration under the umbrella of your church, you DO NOT have to pay sales tax.  However, your church must annually submit their tax-exempt form to the WVBC office in order to be exempt from this tax.
2. If you register via mail-in registration as an individual, you DO have to pay sales tax, since individuals are not exempt.
3. If you register online, you DO have to pay sales tax.  Currently Eventbrite does not have any way of checking whether or not you have tax-exempt status and, therefore, are required to charge sales tax on all events.

On January 4th, the WVBC trustees voted to adopt the above understanding of the new tax law unless otherwise notified.  In most cases, the tax amount is very minimal but is required to be collected.

On January 4th, the Executive Board approved perhaps the first Convention budget in a decade that does not anticipate the need to draw from reserves.

In his address at October’s Annual Meeting, Executive Minister Mike Sisson provided us with an updated account of Convention finances.  In his address, he shared of how the continual use of reserves over the last decade had essentially exhausted our reserves.  Over the past two years, extensive work has been done to address this issue – reducing Convention expenses by nearly $170,000, improving our communication to better share the stories of what God is doing through our Convention, and the setup of a new, easier-to-use online giving platform.  As part of the Vision 2020, a challenge was made for 2000 individuals to help “hold the rope” for our ministries by committing to $20 per month.  Since our Annual Meeting, individuals have given over $20,000, which is equivalent to 84 rope holders.

While this is an encouraging start that brings into view the possibility of a fully-funded ministry budget, we still have a long way to go. We need many more rope holders to join us. For example, if only 200 more people sign up to hold the rope, we project this year’s budget would be fully funded without the need of reserves. And if 2000 people signup to hold the rope, then we will not only fund our current budget, but we will go a long way toward building a financial base for our next decade of ministry together.

How does God want you to participate?  Has your life been impacted by the ministries of the West Virginia Baptist Convention in any way?  Consider becoming a rope holder to help us invest in the next generation.  By partnering with us at $20 per month, you enable us to continue doing Christ’s work together.

Become a Rope Holder

Written by David Hulme

In his book, Spiritual Multiplication in the Real World, Bob McNabb says, “From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is a book about God’s desire and plan to spread the glory of his own image by multiplying a people for himself.”

God’s plan started in Genesis when he told Adam to “be fruitful and multiply,” continued throughout the Old and New Testaments, and will be accomplished in Revelation with “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne.” Even though we’ve tried to throw a few wrenches in that plan throughout history, the plan remains the multiplication of a people for himself. God never developed a plan B.

So, what is our role as West Virginia Baptists in this unchanging plan? Well, Jesus told us what to do in Matthew 28 and, on their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas modeled it. “When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith …” Acts 14:21-22a (ESV)

Not only did Paul and Barnabas multiply by planting churches, they returned to churches they had planted to strengthen and encourage them. That is the two-pronged model I believe God is calling us to follow:

1. Multiply by making the planting of new churches a priority.
2. Return to revitalize and possibly restart struggling churches so they can get back in the multiplication business.

Neither prong is easy …

• Planting calls for disciples to step out on a “missionary journey” to parts of our state and to segments of our society that need to hear the gospel and be challenged to make a decision for Christ … followed by lovingly nurturing new believers as they grow in their faith.
• Revitalization calls for those in struggling churches not to just realize their condition, but to be willing to follow the prescription to get them back to health.

Be prayerful concerning how God might use you and your church in the multiplication process in 2020.

Written by Rob Ely

I love it when two members of the family come together to advance the kingdom. The Baptist Campus Ministries’(BCM) Fall Retreat was held at the West Virginia Baptist Camp at Cowen on October 25-27, 2019. “Changing lives that change the world” continues to be the mission of BCM and our fall retreat speakers encouraged the students in that task.

Trent Eastman, pastor, New Baptist Church (Guyandotte), walked students through a Bible study on how obedience and boundaries are important components for the life of a disciple. Ed Rogers, interim pastor, Weston First Baptist Church (Broad Run), then led a discussion called The Comprehensiveness of the Call, which encouraged our students to consider how they could use their vocation to serve God. Lastly, Karla Carr, our BCM Associate at Fairmont State University, shared a Bible study titled, Moving from Shame to Jesus … ALove Story. All the speakers did an excellent job of encouraging our students to live lives that are changed by the gospel in a world that desperately needs to hear of Jesus.

The 125 students, representing eight different campuses in West Virginia were blessed. Camp Cowen is a place “Where people meet Jesus and grow as His disciples in a community of faith,” and on Saturday night, we watched that happen. A
young lady from Marshall University approached me and said, “Rob, I have been doing this church thing for a while, but I am not sure I have ever been saved. I want to do that right now!” That was a great ending to an incredible campfire! Through BCM, God has used several people to minister to this young lady over the past three years and we are excited to continue teaching and discipling her. God is so good and we are so thankful to the West Virginia Baptist Convention, which supports ministries like the West Virginia Baptist Camp at Cowen and Baptist Campus Ministries, allowing us to invest into the lives of young adults. It is through ministries like this that we can continue Doing Christ’s Work Together!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! A couple of years ago I preached a sermon at a Community Thanksgiving service titled, “Thanksgiving, Thanksliving!” I know that I fail to live out my thanks to God often, but I have so much to be thankful for, so I try to live out that thanks each day. I realize that my point of view may be a bit biased, since the West Virginia Baptist Convention is my employer, but I am so thankful for so many of our ministries that have impacted my family and I in so many wonderful ways that have allowed us to grow in our faith in Christ.

I am thankful because I consider myself, my family, and the ministries that God has blessed me with, as products of the WVBC family pouring into us. When God called me into pastoral ministry about 15 years ago, I knew that I needed training and I did not know where to turn to get it. I was busy with my secular job, working many hours, and I didn’t have the time to pursue traditional seminary education at that time, but I was introduced to the West Virginia Baptist Convention School of Christian Studies, where I was able to earn a Diploma in Pastoral Ministry over the next few years. This opportunity was a wonderful way to learn and to make me want to continue learning. When God opened the opportunity for me to become a full-time pastor, I was blessed with the opportunity to enroll in Palmer Seminary’s WV program held at the WVBC Conference Center at Parchment Valley in Ripley. I was blessed to graduate a few years ago, and now I am enrolled in the Palmer WV Doctor of Ministry program.

The West Virginia Baptist Camp at Cowen has certainly been a blessing for the Arkell family as well! My wife, Becky, and I were not “Cowen kids” growing up, but we have been blessed to be able to be “Cowen adults,” as we have had the pleasure of volunteering as camp counselors for a week over the last several years. Our children have loved each camp they have attended and grown each year at that special place “where people meet Jesus!” My oldest daughter, Bailey, participated in the WVBC Youth Leadership Core (YLC) as a high school sophomore, where she spent five weekends with some wonderful people pouring into her to help her grow into the leader that God has called her to be, and now our youngest daughter, Carlie, is enjoying this experience as she is preparing for her third YLC weekend soon. Bailey is in her Freshman year at Marshall University, and I cannot express what a blessing it is to see her participate and grow in her faith at our Baptist Campus Ministries (BCM), and through her ITeam (small group) that she meets with each week on campus. It is amazing that God gives BCM the opportunity to reach out to over 60,000 students on many different college campuses across WV, focusing on “Changing Lives that Change the World!”

So, whether I reflect on these events, or the many other trainings, conferences, retreats, times of pastoral support that I have received, scholarships that have covered most of my educational expenses, youth rally’s, etc., I am extremely thankful for my West Virginia Baptist family that God has blessed the Arkell’s with over these years! Thank You, Lord, for allowing us to gather together as one big family across West Virginia, as we continue, “Doing Christ’s Work Together!” May your hearts overflow with thankfulness to God as He continues to allow your cups to overflow with His blessings! May we all turn our Thanksgiving into Thanksliving!

In Christ,

Evan Arkell

Share with us what you are thankful for by leaving a comment below or by posting on our Facebook wall.

Forty years after her death, Clara Lamp continues to support the ministry of First Baptist Church.

Clara was born on June 20, 1883 to George C.S. Lamp and Eliza H. (Medley) Lamp. She was the fourth of five children— James, John, Cora, Clara and Jesse Doris. The family lived on a farm in southwestern Wood County. They attended the New England Baptist Church and several generations of the family are buried in the church cemetery.

As a young adult, Clara moved to Parkersburg where she worked as a telephone operator and later as a seamstress and office assistant for a doctor. She and her younger sister, Jesse, lived with their Aunt Hannah, her father’s sister, on 19th Street.

When Clara’s father died in 1933, she and her sister returned to manage the family farm. Jesse died in 1948 and soon afterward Clara moved back to Parkersburg. It is uncertain when she sold the farm. Clara joined First Baptist Church of Parkersburg. She eventually took up residence in the Colonial House on 23rd Street.

Clara hired Attorney Roger Redmond to put her affairs in order. Roger was a member of First Baptist Church. In her estate, Clara’s desire was that three organizations be named as beneficiaries—New England Baptist Church was to receive one half of her estate, First Baptist Church was to receive one quarter and a new entity in 1978, the West Virginia Baptist Conference Center (Parchment Valley) was to receive one quarter. The sole agent of the estate was to be the convention’s Minister of Business and Finance.

Clara Lamp died on April 7, 1978. She is buried at the New England Cemetery next to her siblings, her father, aunt and grandparents.

From the beginning, the three organizations have each sent a representative to serve as trustees for the estate. The initial estate of $121,644 was invested so that quarterly disbursements would come from the growth. Today, the principal has increased to more than $656,000.

We have experienced numerous blessings by folk who include the church in their will. Some gifts are large and others are small. Some are designated for specific things such as the repair and upkeep of the building. Other gifts are given to be used however needed. Some gifts are invested with only the growth available. Others have no such restrictions. Each gift blesses the congregation and furthers the ministry of this church.

Have you included your church in your will? Contact our office and we would love to help you do this. Jesus tells us that “where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.” (Matthew 6:21) Clara Lamp had a heart for what the Lord was doing at New England Baptist Church, First Baptist Church, and Parchment Valley.

This article was adapted from an article written in a July 2018 church newsletter by Richard McClure, pastor at First Baptist Church of Parkersburg.

“Jessie Irene Brand was a loving, giving person dedicated to her God, to people and to her church,” said Monty Foster, former pastor of Harmony Baptist Church (Teays Valley) of Irene Brand. That dedication is still being experienced through the significant legacy gift she left for the West Virginia Baptist Camp at Cowen.

David Radcliff, current pastor of Harmony Baptist Church, shared these thoughts of Irene: “Irene was a member of Harmony Baptist Church for 77 years, she was saved when she was 11 years old, she directed the choir for more than 60 years and the played the piano for the church for close to 70 years. She also taught Sunday School for approximately 65 years.”

In a letter she wrote in 1987, addressed to the future 2012 pianist (which humorously ended up being her), she wrote, “My greatest desire has been to let my light shine before others so that the presence of God would be revealed in my life. The words of Erma Bombeck sum up my feelings about what I hope my Christian witness has shown: ‘When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘Lord, I used everything you gave me.’”

When Irene Brand met her Savior face-to-face on April 8, 2018, I am sure she heard those words. The legacy gift that Irene left will strengthen a ministry that was very fond to her heart. For more than 75 years, the West Virginia Baptist Camp at Cowen has been a place “Where people meet Jesus and grow as His disciples in a community of faith.” In this way, Irene is letting her line shine for generations to come.

If you or someone in your church is interested in learning about ways you can leave a lasting legacy, please contact our office.  It is people like Irene who enable us to continue Doing Christ’s Work Together.