Author Archives: General Baptist Ministries

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January 29, 2016

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Barnabas Project, Congregrational Ministries, Pastoring, Staying Connected

The Barnabas Project

By General Baptist Ministries

This post was originally published in the Fall issue of the GB Messenger. Don’t receive the Messenger? You can always catch the latest digital issue on the Messenger website, www.gbMessenger.org

In an effort to provide denominational services and connections as close to the field as possible, Executive Director Clint Cook has appointed a team of Field Representatives to provide personal connections to General Baptist pastors.  The Barnabas Project intends to establish personal connections to General Baptist pastors through regular, planned contact.  General Baptist Ministries has maintained a history of service to the pastors of its churches that can be traced back to the days when such ministry was funded and organized by the Christian Education and Publications Board.  In the reorganization of 1996 a Pastoral Ministries Department was included.

These Field Representatives have agreed to make personal contact with the pastors in their care by a phone call or by in-person conversation two to three times annually.  They will address the specific areas of concern identified by the executive director while also being sensitive to the needs and concerns of the pastors in their assigned group.

As much as possible the current listing of General Baptist pastors has been divided into regional listings with some specialized groupings.  Some of the regions are small enough geographically that the field representative will be able to attend Presbytery and Ordaining Council meetings to establish direct, personal connections.  In other regions contact will be primarily by phone.

For more information or to provide updated contact information please contact Congregational Ministries at 573-785-7746 or cmofc@generalbaptist.com. Continue reading →

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December 17, 2015

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Christian Life, India, International Missions

Christmas with Prakash and Jemima Pamu

By Prakash and Jemima Pamu

This is a post in the series, ‘Christmas Around the World,’ first published in the General Baptist International Missions Capsule. Don’t receive the Capsule? You can always catch the latest digital issue on the GB website under the International Missions tab and click on Capsule.

Christmas with the PamusGreetings in the precious name of Jesus. India is a country with different cultures, languages and religions. Hindus have many festivals throughout the year. For all those festivals they buy new clothes, clean their houses, and perform different worships to different Gods.

For we Christians, a festival is sharing what we have with others. Usually we distribute new saris and blankets for the poor people. We sing Christmas carols in the streets and tell the story of the birth of Jesus to non-Christians.

We will have sewing girls Christmas and Pastors Christmas separately on different days. We serve special food on every occasion and give some gifts to the pastors.

We conduct street Christmas festivals during the nights throughout the Christmas month In Pithapuram. Every year we conduct four to six street Christmas celebrations in different parts of the town and share the gospel story of salvation in person and in meetings.

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December 11, 2015

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Christian Walk, India, International Missions

Christmas in India

By Jessie Vemula

This is a post in the series, ‘Christmas Around the World,’ first published in the General Baptist International Missions Capsule. Don’t receive the Capsule? You can always catch the latest digital issue on the GB website under the International Missions tab and click on Capsule.

Jessie Vemula speaking to the congregationChristmas is an important holiday for Indian Christians. However, when I was young I used to not think that. Growing up in a mostly Hindu country and going to a Hindu school did not help my views. My Hindu schoolmates had fun on most breaks from school, because there were so many festivals.

During the year a Hindu can celebrate at least 50 different festivals. When the break was over and school started again, my friends would brag and tell me what a wonderful time they had. This made me feel bad, and I wished that Christians had more festivals like Hindus.

When Christmas would start to get closer though, I would get very anxious and excited, because I knew I was going to get to have fun like my schoolmates and make them jealous. As a child this is what I thought and felt, but now I look at Christmas as a great opportunity. When the Christmas season approaches we start preparing everything from children’s plays, decorations, and even painting the church. The church will be decorated with many colors, garlands, and balloons. The children will do dances and a nativity play. Everyone is so excited and happy when the month of December finally arrives.

The fun side of Christmas in IndiaAnother part of Christmas here is caroling. Usually a group of people will go to our church members’ houses. One person in the group will be dressed as Santa Clause and he will give out cookies, candies, and gospel tracts. After caroling our church member will serve sweets and other foods that they have prepared to the group. It is a great time of fellowship, celebration, and opportunity.

Christmas is the one time of the year that we are not kept from worshipping Christ openly. There is less opposition and persecution from Hindus. So Christmas is the time for us to really focus on sharing about that faithful night when God sent His son to earth so that He could die for all. This is a very precious time for every church member here because they get an opportunity to tell about Jesus Christ and what He has done for them.

Please pray for Christmas in India. Pray that it will be a time when many souls will come to know about the baby that was born in Bethlehem that Christmas night!