The Ohio Independent Baptist, December 1999

, Pastor Robert K. Spradling offers free church development service to churches. email him at CDS2000@juno.com. Conference Carryovers Hospitality And More The folks al Te,nple Bap1is1, Porlsn1outh, ii·ere H'onderf ul conference hos1s co us. More 1111porta111ly, 1hey have se1an exaniple of adjusling 10 che changing face of Ports1nou1h in co111inuing to find l1-'ays to influence their co1111nunity ,vith che gospel. We 1hough1 you H'Ould like to knO\,i' sotne of the ways Ten1ple Baplis1 continues to reach out and pro,note groH·th and effective ministt)' in peorJle 's lives. - Editor 's Note T emple Bapti l in Portsmouth traces its beginnings to an 1848 home Bible study started when a group of Baptist believers traveled down the Erie Canal from Chillicothe with the goal of pl anting a church. The congregation wa officially organized a First Bapti l Temple in 1850; in 1935 the name wa changed to Temple Bapti t. Through all the years our commitment ha been to share the Gospe l as a lighthouse to the community and the world . bu transportation, music, teaching, fe llow hip and con1111union monthl y. Through the year we have had ·cveral come to know Christ a Savior and follow Him in believers baptism. CRADLE, a Cri is Pregnancy ministry, is as oc iated with Baptists for Life and housed in a suite of offi ces nex t door to the church. A large re– source center contain ing clothing, food, and baby needs is located on the third fl oor of our bui lding . Th i. mini try employ a part -time director and a group of vol unteer o ffi ce staff. The Lord ha blessed wi th hu ndred of contacts wi th the Go pcl this past year. There have been 15 deci ions for salvation and we are aware of a dozen babies that were on the abortion track who arc now healthy and happy children. Tenzple Tots i a pre-school and kindergarten progran1 licensed and HATS OFF! To Faith Baptist, Bolivar, on 18 years of ministry. Floyd & Karen Stanfill lead the work there. To Mogadore Baptist, Mogadore, for 35 years of minist ry, where Rob & Nancy Seymour lead the staff. accredited by the State of Ohio. Nine full -tin1e employee and three part-time he lpers sustai n this ministry to the I00 children currently enrolled . Our daily devotional radio program, "Tenzple Ti,ne," is heard weekdays on a local secul ar stati on. The format i , casua l and conver ·ational, centered on a pcc ific topic or text. Bible Study group outside the church structu re inc lude weekly and rnonthly sess ion · in area re t hon1cs, and women's group . The ·e are among the varied mi ni ·– tri es of thi , church in additi on to Sunday school, a youth progran1, music mi ni stry. vi itati on. and world-wide mi ss ionary outreach. We thank the Lord for continued opportuni ty to serve Hin1 and the people of Port mouth . -- Pastor John GoH·dv The mini try of hospitality i a vi tal component of our commitment, and two committees have spec ifi c re pon ibi lities in thi~ area. Honor To Whom Honor The first is the Hospitali(v Con1n1i11ee. In a typical year thi s group wi l I organi ze a New Members Dinner and an all -church dinner with a special emphasis on vi itor . Whenever we hos t conferences, groups or area fellowships thjs committee provides a n1eal or ~nack. Left -over food i made into "care packs," which include a Gospel tract. for our shut -ins or the area domes ti c violence shelter. 'Inc f '/o-..,..,er and Decorating Co111111itree of ten work~ wi th this group. Each Chri~t- 1na\ they choose a theme and hand-rnakc ornai11enl~ which are di spl ayed on the foye1 tree and d1stn buted to each fai11ily uf tcr the Candlel ight Carol Service Chr1stn1as week . Through the year~ each fai111ly can enJoy a ren1e rnbrance as they add tu the ir collec t1 on. 'l he \ccond con11nittce is Bereave111en1. 'f'h1 s group takes the re\pon~ibi lity o ( p, oviding a "n1ercy n1eal" in conncc t1 on with func,als CU\ton111ing the arrange– tncnts for each f an1tl y Othe1 \pecdic are~ of outreach include o u1 Shepherd ·~ lass I•or the pa\l 25 year\ v.- c hc.1vc provided a Sunday progran1 for an a\ erJgc ot 18 rnentally handicapped and dcvelop111entally disabled students l)ed1caLed leaLher~ and helpers provide O n Monday evening of our State Conference we honored Lynn and Laverne Roger s for 45 year. of acti ve 11in i ·try in the OARBC. Lynn pas tored .the ;) -;, r Northfield Bapti sr .~~ _ .f~· Chu rch, has served 1: -.m as a trus tee at Cedar vill e College, and is now the executi ve direc tor for Ca n1p Patn1 os. He has also se rved on the Council of 12 . Many have been bl essed a~ we ll thro ugh lhc n1in1 stry of n1u s ic from hi s beautiful te nor vo ice. La verne has s tood by hi s s ide ove r the years as a fa ithful supporter an d I() v I n g w i re. rfhc Rogers' c.: urrc nt pasLor, Rev. Mark A~hl cy, read a tribute to thcn1 c itr ng in parucular the contt nu1 ng ~upport and fri endship Lhcy have given to h1n1 at the Norlhfic ld hurch. Lynn I \ now 1ccogni 1.cd a~ pa~lor enlcr1tu~ a t North I 1c ld We tha nk the Loru for the J{ogc1\ anJ their (a1thful co11t11hut1on to the l4ord 's wot k through the OARBC and pray they will ~cnsc f-11 \ good hand o l hlcs\ 1ng upon them. On Tuesday evening we honored Merle Brock. Merle ha · ·er ed the Lord in and through the OARB 1n several ways- as a pastor's wire, ·1atc represc ntati vc ' s wife and as Conference organi st over the year . Merle erved with her husband , Rev. Bill Brock, at M aranatha Bapt is t in Colun1bus for over _() years, after \,\, hich he \,\ as late Rcprcscnta l 1 vc for 8 years. She continues to 111111,~tcr 111 n1u~1c at Maranatha and 1n n1an\, n1;1n, • other pl ac.:c!:). Merle's fr1cnJ , .. allic Mel:!,, a1n, rL'aJ to the audience an acros tic \v h1ch "he had wr itten fo, the na1nc, A-letle 'l'hc rc arc unduuhtcu ly ot hers to whon1 honor 1~ due. If you .ire ,\\\ .ire ul such, plca!-IC ~end a letter 10 the St,llc Rcprc!'lcntat1 c dc\Ct 1h1ng their nHn1, t1 H!~. ' l'hc C\n1n · 1 I o l 12 \\ 111 ru.,ll' dcci~1on, t~gard 1ng l u l ll tl' hotHll~l· , ' !'ht \ ltnH: \Ve htippil) ,,, lute I ~ nn ,tnd r u,c1nc Rog~r, ..tnd f\1 crll' l!tull-. 1