Texas Baptist Bivocational and Smaller Membership Ministers and

Texas Baptist Bivocational
and Smaller Membership
Ministers and Spouses
Association
September 2010 Newsletter
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You are Cordially Invited to our
Texas Baptist Bivocational/Smaller Church Association
Luncheon during the
BGCT Annual Meeting in McAllen, TX
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Monday, November 8th
$12.00 a plate
Noon – 1:00 pm
Ballroom C
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Menu:
Grilled Chicken
Salad
Two sides
Fresh made rolls
Chef's choice dessert
Iced tea
Email [email protected] to reserve your plate now as seats
are limited to the first 100
Editor-in-Chief : Rev. Richard Ray
Associate Editor: Lauren McKay
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2010 Conference Highlights
Teen Conference
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You’re Invited!
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25th Annual Bivocational and
Smaller Church Statewide
Conference Planning Meeting
September 18, 2010 @ 10:00 am
Bell Association Office
Belton, TX
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25th Annual Conference
Date: July 8-10, 2011
Location: University of Mary
Hardin-Baylor Belton, TX
Guest Speaker: Dr. Paul W. Powell
Scholarship Golf Tournament
Worship
Teen Conference
Seminars
Talent Show
Fellowships
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Congratulations!
This Year’s Bivocational Smaller Church Association
Scholarship Recipients are:
Patrick Mouton
Wendy Tian
Rev. Amechi Godson
Congratulations!
This Year’s Pastor of the Year is:
Marion Lee Everhart
Old Laurel Baptist Church of Buna, Texas
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Thanks, for allowing God to use you to extend a helping hand to
individuals that not only proclaim, but practice Christianity. This
is an amazing faith journey that is unexplainable, but fulfilling.
God is faithful. May you be abundantly blessed for being a vessel
to others.
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Servant of The Most High,
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Patrick Mouton
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Dear Texas Baptist Bivocational and Smaller Membership Ministers and Spouses Association,
My name is Wendy Tian. I am truly grateful for your entrust with this $1.000 dollars
scholarship. Thank you for your faith work and generosity. On the 9th of July, I was praying
for provision for the following semester and God directed me to Isaiah 55:1-2. It says “Come,
all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!
Come; buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not
bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good and
your soul will delight in the richest of fare. ” Then shortly on the 11th, I received an e-mail
from your association that I am awarded with this scholarship. I could not believe it! After
reading the e-mail I was on my knees and my face fell on the ground to praise God, because
at the time all my money has gone to the tuition 2 days earlier. Praise God who is most
faithful and praise him for his perfect timing! Thank you again! And I am honored to be one
of the recipients of this scholarship. I look forward to participating in the coming events and
meeting you.
Wendy Tian
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The Good Seed
That I am going to benefit from Claud Slate Memorial Scholarship award is as a result of
the good seed sown by American missionaries. They came to our village after the
Nigerian-Biafran civil war that ended in 1970. Some of the early converts then were native
doctors, and those who practiced traditional religion. My mum and my siblings converted
from Catholicism to the ‘born again’ church, or the church of those with the ‘magic
power’ as they ridiculed us. When Baptist Church Afara, Mbaitoli, Imo State, was planted,
the villagers mocked and boasted against this strange development in the community;
and predicted its imminent closure. But the zealousness of the few members was so
strong. The church, however, grew in number, to the amazement of its detractors. We
moved from a mud brick with thatched roof to a better corrugated iron sheet church
auditorium, and a pastor’s residence. These buildings are now dilapidated, anyway.
In our family, in spite of the discriminations and persecutions we suffered, we faced it
resolutely. I became a Christian about the age of twelve. By His grace, I was eventually
chosen to teach Sunday School and to assist in the pastorate. Unfortunately, my academic
pursuit was disrupted because of financial constrains. In midst of my adversities, the
good Lord opened a door for me to become a missionary in Gambia, West Africa, in 1992.
Gambia is about 90 percent Muslims. The Americans had earlier planted a Church there,
and the pastor was about to return home. However, we had a local pastor who worked
very hard to ensure that the church marched on in a hostile Islamic environment. In
addition, my missionary work was not only in the Gambia, it spread across Senegal,
where a civil war was ravaging the entire population. I eventually shifted to Guinea
Bissau in 1995. There we planted a church that has made significant impact in this African
poorest nation. I returned again to Gambia in 1997. Highly active with the local Baptist
Church and of course my missionary work. Subsequently we planted an independent
church in Gambia in 2003. During my past years in missionary work, I realized the need
to further my education. But my major constraint again was finance. I had never received
a cent as salary; or any other significance support. My missionary activities were
absolutely on voluntary basis. What a faithful God we serve! I did some ‘tent making’ to
take care of my self and also to support some worse poverty stricken converts, especially
those in Bissau who could not afford even a pencil to write with.
By divine orchestration, I am presently studying at Dallas Baptist University. With my
experiences in ministry, I am very passionate about the concept of bi-vocational ministry.
My thought of gratitude and prayer goes to the committee and sponsors of Claud Slate
Memorial Scholarship for approving my application for financial support.
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Written by: Rev. Amechi Godson
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TEXAS BAPTIST BIVOCATIONAL AND SMALLER MEMBERSHIP MINISTERS & SPOUSES ASSOCIATION
OFFICERS

President Tony Tawater

1st. V. President Rosalind Ray

2nd V. President Richard Ray

Treasurer Danny Rogers

Secretary Ellen Goodson
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Sounding Board from the Editor
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Dear fellow Minister, I first want to thank all those who attended this year’s
Bivocational/Small Church Conference. I appreciate those who offered suggestions for our
conference and for our newsletter. Those who attended were blessed by our two guest
speakers, Dr. Randel Everett and Dr. Joel Gregory. The break-out sessions were well
attended and well received. Our Worship times were truly a blessing especially when our
youth from the Teen Conference performed for us at the talent show.
The number of subscribers to our newsletter continues to grow and I would
encourage you that if you haven’t signed up to receive this newsletter that you send me
your email address and get signed-on.
A special thanks to those individuals and churches who have partnered with
us financially to support this Association on a regular basis. Your support has helped to
reach out to small church pastors and ministers to equip them and encourage them in their
ministry. Your faithful giving has allowed us the opportunity to put out a monthly
newsletter, conduct further regional events, provide the Annual State Wide Conference, and
host the Texas Baptists Bivocational/Smaller Church Association Luncheon at the BGCT
Annual Meeting in McAllen, TX. As more individuals and churches partner with us, we will
continue to provide resources and fellowships for small membership church ministers and
spouses and their families. This Association is completely operated by volunteers,
therefore all contributions received go in direct support of those ministers and their
families. To learn more about giving to this Association or volunteering, please visit the
website at www.bivocational.com or email me at [email protected].
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As I Sign-off, I ask that you now Sign-on.
In God’s Service,
Pastor Rev Richard Ray – Editor-in-chief
FBC Wink, TX
[email protected]
www.bivocational.com
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Why We Exist




This Association is a Non-Profit Organization 501 (c) (3)

A Recognized Affinity Organization Of the Baptist General Convention
of Texas

Supported by the WMU of Texas and the Mary Hill Davis Offering

Supported by Membership in the Texas Baptist Bivocational/Smaller
Church Association

Supported by Regular Monthly Giving from Texas Baptists Churches
This organization is an
advocate for small
church pastors and their
spouses along with their
staff that average less
than 100 in Sunday
School attendance .
Thank you to our contributing Individuals and Churches:
First Baptist Church, Wink
Fairy Baptist Church, Fairy
Carlton Baptist Church, Carlton
Lone Willow Baptist Church, Cleburne
Affinity Group of the
Texas Baptists
Convention. The
President sits on the
Executive Board of the
Convention which
allows pastors to have a
voice in the state
convention.
Annual State
Conference at the
University of Mary
Hardin-Baylor in Belton
TX, which has been
going strong for 24
years. Within this
Conference, ministers
and spouses will be
Encouraged through
Worship/Concerts,
Engaged through
Fellowships, and
Equipped through
teaching Seminars.

Annual Teen Conference
which is held alongside
the State Conference to
support and encourage
our youth whose
parents serve as servant
leaders within their
church.

Texas Baptist University
and Seminary students
who have a heart for
smaller church ministry
are awarded
scholarships each year.
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