by the Tribune
There was snow to the north of us. Snow to the south of us. Snow to the west of us. And two nights before the Fall BBFI Fellowship meeting began, there was snow falling on us in Savannah, Georgia. But hosts at the church working on short notice and weather much cooler than average seemed to feed rather than to hinder the Spirit’s movement among those who were fortunate enough to attend the first meeting of our 60th year, February 15-18.
BBFI President Mark Hodges called for a Year of Revival last fall, and it was appropriate that the first meeting in the series should be devoted to a revival of church planting in our Fellowship. Each service featured church planters’ testimonies, and round table discussions provided opportunity to explore ideas and strategies.
Notable features of the meeting included hearing some less than familiar voices such as Jim Combs who is pastor of four churches in Michigan with about 10,000 members, Phil Hopper from the Kansas City area who pastors Abundant Life Baptist Church with an average attendance of 1,600, Bill Fluker who is one of the leaders of the Brothers of Cyrene and a church planter from Jackson, Mississippi, and Charles Petitt who is president of Piedmont Baptist College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Several people commented on the number of younger preachers present for this meeting. This was due to the emphasis on church planting and the testimonies from the church planters themselves (about 25 testimonies in all) who tend to be younger than the average Baptist Bible Fellowship pastor. Their presence upped the excitement level, and many of the younger preachers left the meeting with a sense of acceptance and welcome not experienced before.
Finally, though the Brothers of Cyrene were introduced in the BBF through the Tribune last year, this Savannah meeting was the first session in which the group was officially represented on the national platform. This group of black pastors and church planters was well represented by their moderator, Ira Walton, and secretary, Bill Fluker. It was especially appropriate that the official introduction took place in Savannah, home of the first African American Baptist church planted in the United States.
Ira Walton, who spoke briefly and introduced Bill Fluker at Savannah, said, “As the moderator of the Brothers of Cyrene and having attended several national meetings in the past, the Savannah meeting was different. There is no denying that a fresh gentle breeze is beginning to stir across our Fellowship. The passion, spirit, testimonies, music, and preaching were genuine and compelling. I have never seen or been close to what I would consider an authentic revival; nevertheless, what my soul experienced was refreshing and powerful. Was it the dawning of a new day, a spark, or a sign from God that revival is near? Truthfully, I don’t know. However, something happened and I thank God that I was in attendance.”
Ira’s observation was shared as others spoke of a “new day,” “turning a corner,” “a spark,” and one pastor wrote, “My commitment to our Fellowship goals is stronger than ever. I heard a lot of good comments, which made me proud to be teamed with the BBF. Color and youth being spotlighted at a National BBF meeting — maybe our future is looking brighter.”
Mark Hodges gives a bullet list of the highlights of the meeting in his “Presidential Perspective” column this month, and the photos in this section will tell a large part of the story. There is generally no plenary business session unless one is called, so the business of the various committees was limited mostly to reporting. The February Tribune Offering was reported Wednesday morning, and at the time of the report the offering total was about $113,000. Since that amount was reported, additional commitments and funds have been received raising the total to about $118,000.
Pastor Herb Hubbard and Bible Baptist Church have been exemplary hosts for three national meetings in less than 10 years. Their servant spirit, quality hospitality, and attention to details makes the church an ideal place for spiritual work to flourish. On behalf of the BBFI, thank you, Pastor Hubbard and Bible Baptist Church. Our future is brighter because of you.
Election Notice
Last fall, the BBFI amended the bylaws to change the rules for voting for national officers. The National Directors will receive nominations and create a ballot on Monday of the May Graduation Fellowship Meeting in Springfield, Missouri. This procedure has not been changed. President Hodges plans to hold the business meeting the next day, Tuesday. The voting will proceed according to the bylaws:
“The ballot shall be approved in the May business meeting and made available to any pastor in attendance and qualified according to Article III (“Affiliation”) of these bylaws. Voting pastors will identify themselves on the ballot and voting will begin immediately upon distribution of the ballots. Qualified pastors not in attendance may obtain a ballot from the BBFI Mission Office. Those ballots must be submitted to the BBFI Mission Office before July 1st of the year of the election. The Executive Committee shall oversee the counting of the ballots and release the results within one week after the votes are tallied.”