November / December Volume LV—Issue 11

THE MESSENGER The Lord has brought an abundance of children to the Baptist Center

this fall. We have the opportunity to freely share Christ and show His

love to them every week. The boys and girls look forward to the Bible

clubs, which for many of them is their church. Thank you Holston

Baptists for supporting and praying for this ministry in our city.

One of our outreach activities to this community was our fall party.

That night we had over 100 people to attend. Families know we have

a safe and accepting place for them to come and fellowship. This

just shows us even more that there is still God’s work to be done at

this place.

You have a chance to bless about 80 children and their families at

JCBC this Christmas season. We will have an “Angel Tree” set up at the HBA office for you to take

the name of a child and bless him or her with a Christmas gift. Please return the wrapped gift to the

HBA office by December 14th to allow time for delivery.

This Christmas when we celebrate the gift of Jesus, let us pray for those who do not know Him as

Saviour. Then, ask God how you can share His love with the children and families at the Baptist

Center in the year ahead. Mark 9:37 says, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my

name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Anna Huggins

Please RSVP by November 17th

Starting in 1888, the Lottie Moon Christmas

Offering was established to empower the

international missions efforts for Southern

Baptists. After more than a century, the

annual offering continues its steady growth.

The National Goal this year is $160 Million.

Your giving enables missionaries to be sent

to make disciples and multiply churches

among unreached peoples and places for

the glory of God. For more information,

please go to https://www.imb.org/lottie-

moon-christmas-offering

Ben Brags—on the Savior Don’t you love the holiday season...the whole “season of holy days” — the season “set apart,”

consecutive weeks set apart as holy unto the Lord, devoted to a spirit of perpetual worship and

personal holiness, surrendered-all for the great glory of God! O Come Let Us Adore Him...for He

alone is worthy, Christ the Lord!!!

____________________

I heard our Annual Gathering was the best ever...powerful thematic preaching, God-exalting

worship, inspiring reports and testimonies, informative displays and videos, encouragements in a

family reunion environment, etc...and we even dismissed 40 minutes early because the DOM didn’t speak 3-4 times,

LOL. And how I praise God for such capable leaders, who stepped right up and so ably accomplished our purposes for

gathering! All Glory to God!!!

I can’t express how much anguish it caused my soul to miss that special gathering with God’s precious people, who are

called by His name and also known as Holston Baptist Association. It is also difficult to explain how deeply I was touched

and heartened by your countless prayers, calls, and kind sentiments. In briefest summary, my heart checked out strong,

and now my assignment is to “make some lifestyle changes,” words I already knew to be true but dreaded to hear...

And the pastor said Amen/Oh me.

___________________

AN INTERACTIVE LEARNING FORUM is being designed and deployed, starting this January. We want to especially focus

on training and resources that will help equip every volunteer leader role in your church, and an additional track will

focus on equipping BiVocational Pastors and Staff.

* We believe this will become AN ABSOLUTE GAME-CHANGER in the effectiveness of Association being relevant in truly

strengthening leaders in “Churches Transforming Lives Together.”

THE FORUM WILL BE A MONTHLY OCCURRENCE, (9 months) probably the last Thursday of every month, 6-8:00 pm at

HBA, just so it’s easy to predict the dates and plan attendance.

Our FORMAT (at this point in the design process) will be a two-hour interactive experience. We will address one

primary topic or theme every month, and we will address each from multiple perspectives or disciplines. To do so, we

will enlist 2-4 different presenters with unique purpose, and each will present a “20 minute Ted Talk” to overview

specific information, principles, resources, etc., and then engage significant discussion.

OUR OBJECTIVE IS MORE ABOUT INTERACTION THAN INFORMATION, and our intention is to open up ongoing

discussion of each topic, so the real impact will come afterward...from follow-up consultations and customized events

scheduled, from partnering friendships and affinity clusters of like-hearted leaders, and especially from feedback that

zeroes in on specific aspects of the topic, which need even more refined discussion and strategy. Holston’s volunteer

leaders and BiVo ministers will be the primary source for the training topics that will eventually be addressed. We are

listening to you!

First topic up: Thursday, January 25, 6-8:00

ALL-THINGS TECHNOLOGY (Specific sub-topics are still fluid.)

a. Communication, inside & outside church, etc.

b. Worship helps, videos, etc.

c. Social Media & Website, etc.

d. Resources, demographics & tracking data, etc.

Already, several more topics have been suggested:

1. Church Safety or Security: Legal Issues, structuring for a safer facility, safety plans and preparedness, training a safety

team, etc.

2. Outreach: Strategy, Training & Actions to effectively reach and assimilate, small groups ministry, gospel

conversations, prospecting, unreached people groups, adopt an agency/school, etc.

3. Counseling, people skills, communicating/listening skills, helping hurting people, training a benevolence team, being a

culture of compassionate missionaries, etc.

4. Developing Leaders: creating team ownership, using apprentice model,

spiritual giftedness, finding life balance, discovery and training new leaders, etc.

5. Whole-Family Ministry: marriage, parenting, elder care, disciple-making as a family, home as mission central, etc.

6. Stewardship & Finances: budgeting, investing, poverty/plenty mentality

7. BiVo: Strategic Leadership coursework, spiritual disciplines, sermon preparation helps, time/priority management,

DISC profile, training leaders, sharing ministry by equipping, prayer ministry, first-impressions ministry, biblical

theology of worship, etc.

Let us hear from you. Can your church leaders use some good training?

Mark your calendars!!

Antioch named Pastor Ken Kyker to the

honorary position of Pastor Emeritus on

Sunday, November 11, in a service attended

by dozens of his friends and family. This

honor was extended on the occasion of his

80th birthday and to recognize his 52 years

of pastoral ministry in this area. While at

Antioch from 1979-1990, he baptized nearly

350 people.

Office Hours

Monday—Friday

8:30-4:30

Staff Meetings

Wednesdays @ 9:00

Church News

Heritage Baptist is looking for people who would be

willing to be Nursery Caregivers January 21-28, 2018.

Sundays will be both morning 9am-12:30 pm and

evening services from 6-9 pm. Monday-Fridays are

evening services from 6-9 pm. Pay is $10/hr. If

interested please contact Amanda Beattie, Director of

Children’s Ministries at Amanda@hbcjc.org or

926-2139. All those interested will be required to have

a background check computed before serving.

Caregivers need to be 18 or older. There will be a one

hour mandatory training and walk through on

Thursday, January 18 at 6:30 pm at Heritage.

English Classes for Internationals at Colonial Heights

Baptist Church. Classes meet on Sundays at 6:00 pm

and Mondays at 1:30 pm. For more information call

239-5644 or 239-5123.

Meet Hannah Madison! 5 pounds 4

ounces 19 inches long. Clay and

Anita Austin have a new

granddaughter.

Wurlitzer organ to give away to a

church. Please call Susan Dreher at

794-7412. If there is no answer, please leave a

message.

We’d like to welcome Nathan

Azariah Greene! He was 9 pounds 2

ounces and 22 inches long. Proud

parents, Cody and Amber Greene

are doing great.

Heritage Baptist is holding a

celebration information seminar for the Will Graham

Celebration on November 16 from 7:00-9:00pm.

First Baptist Church of Blountville is seeking a

bi-vocational Worship Leader that is able to lead a

congregation in worship with purpose and excellence.

A variety of musical styles and presentations are

appreciated. Musical knowledge in areas of choir,

praise band, organ, piano, hand bells and vocal

ensembles are needed. Inquires can be made to First

Baptist Church of Blountville at (423) 323-8033 or

fbcbtn@embarqmail.com.

Association News

Thank you Cherry Grove Youth for painting bunk beds

at the Retreat Center.

Pastor’s Legislative Meeting will be at Holston on

December 7 at 9:30 am. All Pastors are encouraged to

attend. Please call Holston and let us know if you are

able to attend.

Ministry Team Meeting will be January 11 at 8:30 am

Executive Board Meeting will be January 30 at 10:00

Thank you to all of those that gave

to the dollar offering at the 231st

HBA Gathering. Your offering

bought all of these Pop-tarts for the

BCM to use on campus.

We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to Randy

Hommel and Mike Eklund’s family. Randy is the Pastor at

Clark Street Baptist Church, his father, Charles passed away

on November 2 at age 87. Mike Eklund is the Pastor at

Tennessee Avenue Baptist Church, his father, Bob passed

away on November 3 at the age of 85.

Our Deepest Sympathy

Have an extra seat at your Thanksgiving Table? Contact

Hannah Roberts, BCM Associate hannahkayroberts@gmail.com

if you’re willing to host an ETSU college student for a holiday meal

with your family.

Mark Your Calendar

November 14-15 TBC Summit

16 Youth Minister’s Fellowship, 11:30

17 Minster & Spouse Banquet Deadline

23 Thanksgiving

23-24 HBA Office Closed

December 4 Minister & Spouse Banquet

7 Pastor’s Legislative Meeting, HBA, 9:30

21 Youth Minister’s Fellowship, 11:30

22-Jan 1 HBA Office Closed

2018 Bivocational

Ministers & Wives Retreat

“Be Refreshed!”

Acts 3:19-20

January 25-27, 2018

Cost: $225 per couple (includes hotel, meals, and breaks)

Registration Deadline: December 8, 2017

Music Road Hotel & Convention Center in Pigeon Forge, TN

For more information contact:

John Parrott at jparrott@tnbaptist.org or (423) 921-2488

The first 10 pastors will receive $100 off their

registration!

Holston will pay $100 of your registration!

Call 929-1196 to get your name on the list

First Baptist Church, Elizabethton will be hosting the following Disaster Relief Training Classes:

Thursday, November 16

6:00-6:30PM Registration

6:30-8:30PM Introduction to Disaster Relief

Thursday, November 30

6:00-6:30PM Registration

6:30-8:00PM Flood Recovery

8:00-9:30PM Shower/Laundry

The cost is $36 and includes a background check, ID badge, and the cost for any training over the

next 3 years. The Introduction Class is a pre-requisite for the class offered on November 30.

Training is provided through the Southern Baptist Convention.

Mountain View Baptist Church 5th Annual Magic in the Mountains Marriage Retreat

First 10 Couples

Friday, February 9– 11, 2018

$225 for one night-hotel accommodations, dinner & breakfast on Saturday

$325 for two nights-hotel accommodations, dinner on Friday evening & 2 breakfasts

$100 deposit due by December 31st

Holiday Inn Biltmore West, Asheville, NC

Scott & Kathy Thompson will be leading the retreat

If you have any questions or would like to register please call the office at (423) 282-3262.

Holston Baptist Association

207 University Parkway

Johnson City, TN 37604