Standing Together to Build Strong Biblical Churches
Praise the Lord! The CARBC welcomed Berean Fellowship Baptist Church of Hemet into our Association of churches by unanimous vote at the annual meeting in Bremerton, Washington. Pastor Kevin Robinson was there to receive the right hand of fellowship on behalf of the church. The folks at Berean currently meet at the Seventh Day Adventist Church but as soon as they can obtain all the necessary permits from the City of Hemet, they plan to build a facility of their own. Add them to your prayer list!
CARBC/BNN 2008 SPRING CONFERENCE KitsapConferenceCenter in Bremerton, Washington was buzzing with activity as the Baptist Network Northwest and the California Association of Regular Baptist Churches met for the Western States Spring Conference and individual Annual Meetings April 17-19, 2008. More than 130 pastors, missionaries, administrators and representatives of GARBC support organizations came from around the world and across the United States to participate in the ministry of the Word and fellowship with other Christian workers.
Using I Corinthians 13 as his base text, the keynote speaker, Dr. Dolphus Weary, challenged the group to cross racial barriers and fully embrace Biblical Christian love. One of eight children abandoned by their father when Dolphus was four, he grew up in Mississippi when racial tensions were at their height. God called him into the ministry shortly after he was saved at the age of 17, but, even though he graduated at the top of his high school class, because he was an African-American, Dolphus was unable to enter a Christian college until he met Dr. Dave Nicholas from Los AngelesBaptistCollege. Dolphus and another young man were the first two black students to live on campus and attend LABC, where he graduated from college and seminary. He married his beautiful wife, Rose, in 1970 and God blessed them with two boys and one girl. Dolphus and Rosie have weathered many heartaches, the greatest being the loss of their oldest son in 2004.
Dr. Weary was involved in the Mendenhall Ministry before he became Director of Mission Mississippi, a ministry designed to effect reconciliation between the races. He has a passion for the poor and a passion for unity. While recognizing the eternal is much more important than the temporal, he still asks the question: “Is our Christian faith strong enough to eliminate racism?”
ABWE Executive Administrator of Missionary Care, Ron Berrus, taught a motivating session on discipleship from II Timothy 2, charging Christian leaders to invest in the lives of people, enduring whatever hardships may come for the joy of seeing believers walk in Christ. He reminded everyone that the only reason we are not in Hell is because of God’s great grace and we are not in Heaven because of God’s great commission.
Eight different workshops were offered on Friday and Saturday mornings, with topics covering the full spectrum of church life, from how to deal with parents of teens to developing a vibrant senior saints ministry.
A talented musical team from Silverdale Baptist Church, led by Worship Leader Mike Best, did a marvelous job of seamlessly weaving old hymns of the faith with more contemporary praise music.
Even though Seattle’s rainy season (January 1 through December 31) dampened the Bremerton landscape with rain and a little bit of snow, the preaching of the Word and the warmth of fellowship inspired, encouraged and strengthened the BNN and the CARBC for another year of service.
PASTORS' WIVES - YOU CAN HELP! Sally would like to put together an e-mail list of the pastors' wives so she can correspond with them as a group with information of interest. Please e-mail her: sallyelaine@gmail.com so she has your address. She would also like to compile a list of potential speakers for retreats, women's meetings, and other functions, much like the roster of men available for pulpit supply. If you've heard a great speaker or if you are interested in this ministry yourself, include that in your e-mail. She will not put anyone's name on the list without contacting them first so a phone number or e-mail address for the potential speaker would be helpful. You can also rest assured she won't give out your e-mail address to anyone else without first contacting you. Thanks!!
RON AND SALLY SCHROCK'S SCHEDULE:
May 11 - Campton Heights Baptist Church in Fortuna May 18 - First Baptist Church in Greenville May 25 - Grace Baptist Church in Yuba City June 1 - Forest Ranch Baptist Church in Forest Ranch June 24-27 - GARBC National Conference, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
CONTACT INFORMATION
Mailing Address: 301 N. Orchard Avenue, Vacaville CA 95688
Phone: 760-996-3288
CARBC State Rep Ron Schrock: carbcRep@gmail.com
Council of Fifteen Chairman: Bruce McLain mclainsm@verizon.net
Southern California Rep: Herb Rogers rogeh5@aol.com
Thank You for Sending Rep Support Gifts to the Vacaville Address
General Association of Regular Baptist Churches
GARBC Website: www.garbc.org
Regular Baptist Press Website: www.regularbaptistpress.org