Posted: 7/23/04
African American Fellowship
sets goals for missions growth
By Janelle Bagci
BGCT Summer Intern
SAN ANTONIO–The African American Fellowship of Texas Baptists intends to raise awareness of student mission opportunities in the next year and increase the number of African-American student summer missionaries by more than 12 times.
The pastors' group pledged to send 50 African-American volunteers to the mission field through the Baptist General Convention of Texas student summer missions program–an increase from the four students commissioned this year.
The African-American church leaders also promised to help their students know about opportunities for mission work.
| Spirited praise characterized worship services during the African American Fellowship meeting in San Antonio. |
“We want to impact our communities,” fellowship President Jerry Dailey said. “The best way to do that is for our children to be involved.”
In other business, the African American Fellowship encouraged leaders to represent African-American churches in the BGCT, which also sponsors the fellowship's annual meeting.
Fellowship leaders praised the convention's recent efforts to place ethnic minorities in leadership roles. For the first time, ethnic minorities hold two out of the three elected offices. Ethnic minorities also chair all seven committees appointed by BGCT elected officials.
But African-American chur-ches must continue voicing their opinions and being an integral part of the BGCT, said Michael Bell, pastor of Greater St. Stephen First Baptist Church in Fort Worth.
“We need to embrace what we're a part of,” Bell said. “Our hand is out to help,” not receive a handout.
At the close of the meeting, participants discussed plans to advocate a federal marriage amendment.
Howard Caver of World Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth distributed pamphlets to help church leaders contact their legislators to voice their support for an amendment.
“If we don't speak out for morality, who will?” Caver said. “They want to hear from the church.”
The fellowship's officers were re-elected to their positions: President Dailey, pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in San Antonio; Vice President Ronald Edwards, pastor of Minnehulla Baptist Church in Goliad; Secretary Bell; and Treasurer Marvin Delaney, pastor of South Park Baptist Church in Houston.
Next year's annual meeting will be held in Fort Worth, and the 2006 meeting will be in Lubbock.
We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.
Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.