September/October - Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

CBFfellowship!
COOPERATIVE BAPTIST FELLOWSHIP | WWW.THEFELLOWSHIP.INFO
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 200808 Serving Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission
Fredrik Brauer photo
Female
Pastors
Julie Pennington-Russell, pastor of First Baptist Church in Decatur,
Ga., is one of the most well-known female pastors in Baptist life.
But she is among more than 100 women currently serving as
pastor or co-pastor of CBF partner churches. See pages 6-12 to
learn more about these pastors.

What is
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Executive Coordinator Daniel Vestal answers one of the most often
asked questions in this litany of identity.
FELLOWSHIP
NATIONAL NETWORK
MISSIONS ORGANIZATION
PARTNERSHIP
FAMILY
ASSOCIATION OF CHURCHES
ECCLESIAL BODY
RELIEF AGENCY
Vol. 18, No. 5
Daniel Vestal
COORDINATOR, FELLOWSHIP
ADVANCEMENTBen McDade
Lance Wallace
Patricia Heys
Carla Wynn Davis
(770) 220-1600
(770) 220-1685
fellowship@thefellowship.info
www.thefellowship.info
fellowship! is published 7 times a year
in Sept./Oct., Special I (Oct.), Nov./Dec.,
Jan./Feb., Mar./Apr., May/June, July/Aug.
by The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Inc.,
3001 Mercer University Dr., Atlanta, GA
30341-4115. Periodicals postage paid at
Atlanta, GA, and additional mailing offices.
USPS #015-625
POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to “fellowship!”
Newsletter, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship,
P.O. Box 450329, Atlanta, GA 31145-0329
FAITH GROUP
MEMBER BODY
PRESENCE AND VOICE
MOVEMENT AND MINISTRY
Daniel Vestal, CBF Executive Coordinator
2 | f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

Contents
6-12
Female pastors: Learn
about the women leading CBF
partner churches
14
15
16-18
Join the conversation:
CBF’s interactive Web tools
Church Spotlight: First
Baptist of Waukegen, Ill.
CBF helps migrants
struggling to survive in
North Africa
CBF photo Jennifer Bartlett photo
meet Carla Wynn Davis
Hometown:
Education:
Interesting fact:
cwynn@thefellowship.info
f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 | 3

Fellowship People
Jim Pope
C
Helen Ruchti
I
Preston Clegg
T
Jim Pope
Helen Ruchti
Preston Clegg
Jim and Norma Reagan
J
Jim and Norma Reagan
4 | f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

WhyI
give...
“We believed in education.
Billy always felt one of his main
ministries was to educate young
people. So, when he died, I
thought a good way to remember
him and his love for young people
was to start this fund.”
Mae Ora Johnson Capshaw
Ellisville, Miss.
Eric Roberts photo
T
GIVE |
To lean more about establishing or contributing to a fund through the CBF Foundation, call (800) 352-8741 or e-mail
info@cbff.org. Thank you for giving to CBF. Your gifts make a difference in the lives of people around the world.
f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 | 5

Called to lead
Female pastors
break barriers, serve churches
W
“My calling has
evolved as a clearly
defined call to the
pastorate, and I do
not question that I
heard the voice of
God at age 10.”
— Leah Grundset
CBF photo
Joy Yee, pastor of Nineteenth Avenue Baptist Church, was the first female senior pastor to serve as moderator
of the Fellowship.
6 | f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008
LEARN

By Patricia Heys, CBF Communications
The photos above represent female pastors who
responded to a request for photos and chose to be
featured in this issue of fellowship! This does not
reflect all female pastors serving at CBF partner
churches.
From top to bottom, first row: Connie Stinson, Luther
Rice Memorial Baptist Church, Silver Springs, Md.; Cheryl
Moore Adamson, Palmetto Missionary Baptist Church, S.C.;
Vallerie King, Emmaus Baptist Church, Providence Forge, Va.;
Second row: Mary Beth Caffey, Pathway Community
Church, Lewiston, Me.; Maureen Freshour, Chevy Chase
Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.; Brenda Lynn Kneece,
New Hope Christian Fellowship, West Columbia, S.C.;
Emily Roberts, Neverfail Community Church, Sparta
Tenn.; Nancy Rock Poti, Trinity Church, Richmond, Va.;
Third row: Michelle Kimlick, Bruington Baptist Church,
Bruington, Va.; Mimi Walker, Druid Hills Baptist Church,
Atlanta, Ga.; Wendy Joyner, Fellowship Baptist Church,
Americus, Ga.; Ruth Cuellar, Iglesia Bautista, El Buen,
Newnan, Ga.; Virginia Taylor, Lystra Baptist Church,
Chapel Hill, N.C.;
Fourth row: Kathy Shereda, High Hills Baptist Church,
Jarratt, Va.; Susan Joyce, Antioch Baptist Church,
Enfield, N.C.; Katrina Brooks, North Broad Baptist Church,
Rome, Ga.; Robin Norsworthy, University Baptist Church,
Montevallo, Ala.
www.thefellowship.info/femalepastors.
f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 | 7

4
Kelli Barron-Agricola
FBC Spring Branch
Houston, Texas
A graduate of Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary, a
Fellowship partner, Barron-Agricola and her husband, Corey, have
served as co-pastors of First Baptist for more than four years.
“Upon entering the pastorate my husband and I braced
ourselves for the criticism that would inevitably follow a Baptist
female in the South. However, for the most part, the criticism did
not come. Although we have faced a handful of challenges to my
call in the pulpit, the criticism has been minimal and the support
overwhelming. I am continually inspired by the older generation
of faithful Baptist women, who have served the Lord and the
church throughout their lives and who are thrilled to find a woman
in the pulpit.”
Amy Butler
Calvary Baptist Church
Washington, D.C.
Amy Butler has served as pastor of Calvary Baptist
Church for five years. She earned her seminary degree from
International Baptist Theological Seminary, a Fellowship
partner.
“I love that I almost always have the element of surprise.
Nobody expects me to be the pastor, so often people are
able to separate me from their preconceived ideas of what a
pastor is and get real pretty quickly. When people know I am
the pastor, many times it indicates to them that things here at
Calvary might be a little different than they thought. At Calvary,
we lovingly refer to this phenomenon as ‘the freak show factor’
— many people are curious about our congregation because
our pastor is a woman. When they come to worship with us
they quickly learn we’re a pretty normal church.”
5
Jennifer Bartlett photo
Photo courtesy Amy Butler
8 | f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008
LEARN

Caroline Davis photo
6
Sarah Jackson Shelton
Baptist Church of the Covenant
Birmingham, Ala.
Sarah Jackson Shelton has served as pastor of Baptist Church of
the Covenant for six years, having previously served as the congregation’s
interim.
“My hope for the future is that I will no longer have to be the token
woman. I was recently asked to serve on a panel where the ministers
would represent either a woman as pastor, a pastor who had
experienced conflict, and a pastor with more than five year tenure.
I knew which role I was supposed to accept, but could not resist
asking, ‘Which one am I supposed to talk about I qualify for them
all.’ How wonderful will it be when we can have men talk about the
experience of having a female pastor and the females can talk about
their good, long tenure of service!”
Melissa Roysdon
Providence Baptist Church
Cookeville, Tenn.
Growing up, Melissa Roysdon’s parents
never told her there were things she
couldn’t do because she was a girl. And,
she said she knew from a young age that
she was called to ministry. After serving
as an associate pastor and co-pastor at
Providence Baptist, she is now the congregation’s
pastor.
“Once I followed that calling to
seminary, many of the same people
who taught me of Lottie Moon and Annie
Armstrong were turning their backs. After
seminary and ordination, I found that the
world that had nurtured me was now a dry
well. I began teaching in the local school
system and felt like Moses, Aaron and
Miriam must have felt wandering in the
desert. My journey hasn’t been the typical
one, but I find that women are in many
ways finding it to be a new path rather than
a worn path that they are following.”
Traci Bunn Powers
Westhaven Baptist Church
Portsmouth, Va.
Traci Bunn Powers said that she felt a call to ministry at age 12. Powers,
a graduate of Campbell University Divinity School, a Fellowship partner, now
serves with her husband as co-pastor of Westhaven Baptist.
“In many cases, people just need to experience a woman pastor. Lack
of experience tends to reaffirm previously held notions and opinions on the
topic. I have had church members tell me ‘I did not vote for you when the
vote was taken, but I would vote for you now.’ They just needed a chance to
see it, hear and experience it. When the myths are dispelled, people are able
to see that I am a just a person who has been equipped and called by God to
be a pastor — and I happen to be female.”
5
Photo courtesy Traci Bunn Powers
3
Photo courtesy Melissa Roysdon
s
f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 | 9

Long search delivers ideal match as N.C.
church calls its first female senior pastor
Carla Wynn Davis photos
A
Andrea Dellinger Jones, left, greets church attendees
after Sunday worship at Millbook Baptist Church.
GIVE
10 | f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

Resources
Andrea Dellinger Jones
By Carla Wynn Davis, CBF
Communications
Tips for women seeking a pastorate
Based on her journey to the pastorate, Jones offered advice for other women hoping to become
a pastor.
1. Get a ministry coach: A coach can help with strategy on how to best handle ministry situations.
This person can be a sounding board for ideas, an encourager and can also help with networking
and updating a résumé.
2. Go back to school: Consider working toward a Doctor in Ministry (D.Min.) degree. Another
degree sets candidates apart in the pastoral search process.
3. Take every opportunity to learn: Attend educational retreats, seminars and lectures that
enhance ministry skills and make you a better pastoral candidate.
4. Look for pastoral experience: If you currently serve in a church, ask the senior pastor if you
can experience some pastoral responsibilities. Perhaps he or she will allow you occasionally to
preach, serve communion, baptize or more.
5. Use job-matching resources: CBF’s LeaderConnect will send résumés to churches looking for
ministerial positions. Many seminaries provide a similar service.
Reference and referral
The Fellowship’s reference and referral ministry
provides resources for female ministers and
pastors looking for new places of service.
LeaderConnect CBF, an online résumé-matching
service, also helps churches and pastors
connect. To learn more, contact Clarissa
Strickland at cstrickland@thefellowship.info or
(800) 352-8741. For more on LeaderConnect
CBF, go to www.thefellowship.info/
LeaderConnect.
Residency program
CBF’s ministerial residency program provides
recent male and female seminary graduates
with the opportunity to serve two years in a
teaching congregation. This experience allows
residents to hone their ministry skills and
encourages practices for long-term health in
pastoral ministry. For more information, contact
Steve Graham at (800) 352-8741 or sgraham@
thefellowship.info.
Seminary scholarships
Students at the Fellowship’s partner seminaries
are eligible to apply for scholarships, which
cover tuition, books and expenses to attend
General Assembly. In 2007-08, more than 30
scholarships were awarded to female students.
To learn more about these scholarships, contact
a partner seminary directly and ask about
becoming a CBF leadership scholar.
Peer Learning Groups
Peer learning groups meet monthly to provide
ministers with opportunities for worship, spiritual
growth, study, discussion of ministry-related
issues and fellowship. Currently, there are 71
peer learning groups across the country, many
that include female pastors. If you are interested
in becoming part of or starting a peer learning
group, contact Steve Graham at sgraham@
thefellowship.info or (800) 352-8741.
Speakers’ Bureau
CBF’s face2face speakers’ bureau schedules
speakers at partner churches. CBF
staff members are available to talk with
congregations and search committees about the
process of calling a female pastor. Contact the
speaker’s bureau at face2face@thefellowship.
info or (800) 352-8741.
To learn about additional resources, go to www.
thefellowship.info/femalepastors.
www.thefellowship.info/give.
f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 | 11

for encouraging your church to be
open to calling a woman as pastor
By Clarissa Strickland
IN RECENT YEARS, CBF partner churches have
made great strides in empowering women in
ministry. We create a climate in which young
women feel God’s call upon their lives and catch
a vision of ministry. They occupy almost half the
seats in the classrooms of partner seminaries. We
call them to associate staff ministry positions and
ordain them to ministry. They live among us, love
us and serve us in so many ways. And yet, when it
comes to calling a woman as senior pastor, many
of our churches say they are not quite ready.
In doing so, we create barriers for women to
exercise their calling in Christ Jesus. Jesus spent
his ministry breaking down barriers. Here are
some suggestions to help churches do the same:
Invite women
to preach
1Take advantage of opportunities to invite
women into the pulpit. For people who have
never been exposed to a woman preaching, the idea of
a woman pastor is probably a foreign concept. Hearing
a woman preach may help open a congregation’s mind
to who God has called to the pastorate.
When your pastor is scheduled to be away,
consider asking a woman from your congregation,
a local seminary or neighbor church to preach
on that Sunday. (You can even call the CBF office
for referrals.) Also, make plans to participate with
other Baptist churches in the annual Martha Stearns
Marshall Day of Preaching. This event is held the
first Sunday in February and is sponsored by Baptist
Women in Ministry, a CBF partner.
Study examples of
2
female pastoral
leadership
Another way to help change the gender
stereotype of pastors is to highlight
examples from scripture, history and the present day
where women serve as religious leaders. Study biblical
examples, such as
Mary the mother of
James and Joseph,
Mary Magdalene,
Joanna and Susanna,
who were involved with
Jesus’ ministry.
Learn about
women from history
who paved the way
as pastors — Martha
Stearns Marshall, a
powerful preacher
during the late 18th
century, or Addie
At the CBF General Assembly, Cathy Anderson, minister i to children at First Baptist
t
Davis, the first
Church of Marietta, Ga., and her daughter, Gracie, wear shirts reading, “This is what a
preacher looks like.” The shirts were produced by Baptist Women in Ministry.
Southern Baptist
woman ordained to pastoral ministry. Also, read especially young people, with the time and
about current women pastors in this issue of opportunity to discern how God might be calling
fellowship! or online at www.thefellowship.info/ them to serve.
femalepastors.
Support those “called” women in your
3
congregation as they move through the rigors of
Engage in
earning a seminary education and seeking a place
prayerful discussion of service in congregational life. Offer them regular
Referring to women pastors, Daniel congregational and personal prayer support, as well
Vestal said recently, “Myths need to be as financial support during their years of theological
exploded. Half truths need to be refuted. The Bible education. Write notes of encouragement to them.
needs to be understood. History needs to be read. When they have occasion to be back in their home
Fear needs to be replaced with comfort and joy. churches, offer them an opportunity to preach
Much of this could be accomplished through study, when possible.
reflection and conversation.”
5
As a congregation or in small groups, take time
Conduct a genderto
engage in honest discussions and prayerful
blind pastor search
discernment. Openly address concerns, myths,
When your church arrives at the
stereotypes and questions that members might
point of searching for a pastor, set
have related to female pastors. Invite guest
up procedures that allow the search committee
speakers with knowledge about the subject to lead and congregation to assess candidates without
church members in conversation.
gender bias. As résumés are received, transfer
4
the information to forms which do not use names
Encourage the calling or gender-specific pronouns. Compare candidate
of all people
qualifications without respect to gender.
Be intentional about discussing and Be open to God’s leadership — wherever it
celebrating the different ways people might take you in a pastor search.
are called to ministry. Provide church members,
Rod Reilly photo
Clarissa Strickland serves as the Fellowship’s networking specialist, providing reference and referral resources to
churches and ministers. Contact Strickland at cstrickland@thefellowship.info or (800) 352-8741.
For more ideas and a list of resources, go to www.thefellowship.info/femalepastors.
12 | f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

Students take global
tour of U.N. MDGs
T
Participants included: Carson Foushee, Mary Beth
Gilbert, Jacob Kendall, Emily Morrow, Nina Peppers,
Caitlin Sandley, Jacob Smith, Fran Stafford, Rosie
Stafford, Caleb Tankersly, Karen Taylor, Meredith
Wilkinson and Jennifer Wilmore. Read about their
experience at www.thefellowship.info/blog.
Save the date
Make Houston your
stop for July 4th
Don’t make those normal July 4th plans before considering the 19th annual CBF General
Assembly, set for July 2-3, 2009, in Houston, Texas. While you’re at the Assembly for
exciting fellowship, inspiring worship, practical ministry workshops and much more,
you’ll be amid downtown Houston with its restaurants, entertainment venues and
shops — plus an easy public transportation system to get you from place to place.
Catch a Houston Astros game, a concert, or quarter horse racing. Visit a
museum, the aquarium, or the Galleria — the seventh largest mall in the
United States. Whatever your interest, you’ll find something exciting in
Houston, including the Freedom Over Texas Festival on July 4th. With
live concerts and the state’s largest fireworks display choreographed to
music, you’ll be glad you spent the holiday weekend in Texas. For more
information go to www.thefellowship.info/assembly.
Photo courtesy of Great Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau
f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 | 13

Join the conversation
New Web tools introduce interactive
element to CBF ministry
W
www.thefellowship.info/
missions/communities.
Try these online tools
Forum
A forum is like a message board, where you can post and respond to threads.
In a thread, you can share a ministry idea, ask a question, direct others to relevant
resources and more. Anyone can reply to your thread, and you and others can
communicate about the topic. You can also reply to threads started by others.
So whether you start a thread or just respond to what others share, a meaningful
conversation about ministry can occur. You can also subscribe to the forum
so you receive notification when new threads and responses are posted. Visit
www.thefellowship.info/Forums to begin sharing.
Wiki
A Wiki is software that allows you to create, edit and link Web pages. While Wikis are used in every sector from
education to business, the most famous Wiki is Wikipedia.
The CBF Wiki is an online work and information place for the ministries and work of CBF, CBF churches and
Fellowship people. It’s a place where the CBF community can collaborate and share ideas — work together and
educate each other. Do you need a place to develop and collaborate on a project with a group of people and don’t
feel like sending emails with every revision or change You can use the CBF Wiki. Do you want to hold a discussion
about topics dealing with ministry you’re doing Use the CBF Wiki. Do you want to share resources with people
interested in the same ministries as you Use the CBF Wiki.
Visit www.thefellowship.info/wiki to learn more about how to use the CBF Wiki and to join the online community.
Blog
Through CBF’s blog, you can read and respond to issues that matter. Read
what other Fellowship Baptists have to say about missions and ministry, being
Baptist, what a changing world means for ministry, other tough issues and more.
You can start your own post and also leave comments on other posts. Visit
www.thefellowship.info/blog to join the conversation.
Facebook
Facebook is a large social networking site, where you can start your own profile
and connect with friends, interests and more. To create an account, visit www.facebook.com.
Be sure to join the more than 800 other Fellowship Baptists in the group “Cooperative Baptist
Fellowship,” which is located at www.thefellowship.info/facebook.
Videos and Photos
Just because you can’t travel around the world to see ministries firsthand doesn’t
mean you can’t see them in action through photos and videos. CBF has more than
30 ministry videos online and will continue adding more. Visit www.thefellowship.info/
video to watch ministry in action.
Photos also tell the CBF story. Through Flickr, you see photos, watch slideshows,
download images to your computer and more. Visit www.thefellowship.info/photo to
browse CBF’s photo library.
All online tools are easily found on the CBF home page — www.thefellowship.info
— in the right column under “Join the Conversation.”
14 | f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

Serve
Individuals
www.thefellowship.info/serve.
engage@
thefellowship.info.
student.go@thefellowship.info.
Churches
engage@thefellowship.info
LEARN |
Stay up to date on the latest Fellowship news, resources, events and ministries. The Fellowship Weekly e-newsletter
is distributed every Tuesday. You can also subscribe to Words from the Coordinator, Daniel Vestal’s online column,
or ChurchWorks, an e-newletter that provides minister and lay leaders with ideas and resources for ministry.
To subscribe, go to www.thefellowship.info/subscribe.
f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER | 15

Church
Spotlight
First Baptist Church, Waukegan, Ill.
B
Resource Spotlight
Church
locator
Is your church looking to partner with other
congregations in your area or in a different
part of the country Do you want people
looking for a CBF church in your area to be
able to find your church The Find-a-Church
tool on the CBF Web site can be the key to
finding partners in ministry or allowing them
to find you.
The Find-a-Church page displays CBF partner
churches on an interactive map and lists a
church’s address, phone number and Web site.
With more than 2,000 people using the tool
every month, this online resource is one of the
most visited pages on the CBF Web site.
To list your church, send an e-mail requesting
placement on the CBF Find-a-Church to
contact@thefellowship.info. The information
will be added in our database, and within 72
hours, you should be on the site.
If you have any questions about this
resource, contact Joel McLendon at jmclendon@thefellowship.info
or (800) 352-8741.
BAM House director Kevin Means, right, works with members of Trinity Baptist
Church, Raleigh, N.C., to renovate the house.
By contributing writer Sue H. Poss,
Greenville, S.C.
Photo courtesy of FBC Waukegan
LEARN |
To learn more about the missional ministry grant,
contact Rick Bennett at (800) 352-8741. To order
“It’s Time,” call The CBF Store at (888) 801-4223.
16 | f ellowship! SEPT./OCT. 2008

CBF photo
Hope
for the
journey
CBF helps migrants
struggling to survive
in North Africa
EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to global security concerns, names and specific locations of
some CBF field personnel will not be publicized.
I
f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 | 17

Above: At a clandestine
church service in a
cramped apartment, African
migrants raise hands and
voices in worship.
Right: A CBF-supported
ministry helps more than
140 migrants each week
with basic needs.
CBF photos
Each year thousands of sub-Saharan Africans flee
poverty and violence by migrating north. Lucky
to survive the desert journey, many get stuck —
unable to reach Europe and unable to return home.
In a region where many have no legal status, this
CBF-supported ministry is the only assistance some
migrants receive.
Partner with ministries
For information on partnering with this
North African ministry, send an e-mail
to engage@thefellowship.info.
18 | f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008

By CBF Communications
Online — Go to www.thefellowship.info/give. For questions regarding online
giving, contact igive@thefellowship.info.
Mail — Use the contribution envelope included in this issue and make your
check payable to CBF.
Phone — Call CBF toll-free at (800) 352-8741.
f ellowship! SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 | 19

Field Personnel
Spotlight
Ralph and
Tammy Stocks
R
Background:
Ministry:
CBF photo
Ralph and Tammy Stocks
A New Community
In October, adults using the new Affect magazine will be studying the work of Ralph and Tammy Stocks among the
Roma Gypsies in Hungary. Adults will learn how the Stocks utilize the gifts and energy of short-term workers to enhance
their ministry and create community among some of the most despised members of their society. Adults will be
challenged to examine their communities and reach out to those who are unloved around them. For more information
about the new Affect magazine for adults, visit www.missionseducation.org.
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
www.thefellowship.info
(800) 352-8741