Shepherd Archives

Revitalizations at SCBaptist Churches in April and May

In April and May, several SCBaptist churches embarked on revitalization journeys, demonstrating their commitment to strengthening their congregations and reaching out to their communities. Let’s take a closer look at the inspiring stories of Northwood Baptist Church, Jones Crossroads Baptist Church, Wannamaker Baptist Church, and their efforts to revitalize their ministries. Revitalization in Lexington Northwood

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Five Reasons Why We’re Partnering With A Sister Church

jhawley

4/14/23 Update: How amazing is our God? Gethsemane Baptist has gone from a church that baptized 1 person in 10 years to a church that’s baptized 6 people in a few weeks! THIS is what happens when churches partner together for the sake of the Gospel! THIS is what happens when a church like Northwood

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Revitalization at Ridge Baptist Church

jhawley

Ridge Baptist Church is located in Summerville, SC. There are 42,000 people residing within a 2.5 mile radius of the church with an estimated 10,000+ increase within the next 10 years. Pastor of 34 years Bobby Eubanks called friend, Johnny Rumbough, Executive Director of the Lexington Baptist Association, to inquire about how to retire well. “We

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God is in Every Adoption Story

Gardner, Anna

Hope for Churches asked Rev. John Meyer, retired pastor of Belvedere First Baptist,to record this story of what God is doing one year after the churchaffirmed motion to be adopted by Warren Church. A popular song presently heard on Christian radio is entitled “God is in this story.” That song could very well be the

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Hope Renewed in the Textile Crescent

jhawley

On April 15, 1912, the Dunean Mill – located in Greenville, South Carolina, opened its doors and officially launched as one of the first electrically operated cotton mills of its day. This new modern design earned the mill its nickname, “the million dollar mill.” No one reading this story is old enough to have read

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ReNewed Hope at Calvary – A Year Later

jhawley

In early 2020 a chance encounter at a local restaurant set into motion the unification of Calvary Baptist Church with Second Baptist Church, Lancaster. When the leadership of Calvary Baptist Church approached Dr. Brian Saxon one fateful evening in Panera Bread, neither of them realized that they were setting in motion a series of events

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11 Keys to Open Doors and Engage At-Risk Congregations

Altman, Janet

*UPDATED after two years of engaging churches! As an AMS/DOM or member of an Associational Revitalization Team, you probably have a list of churches in your association that need to consider their options for the future. You’ve watched their numbers decline year after year when they turned in their ACP and now, they aren’t reporting

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Baptisms in Revitalization

jhawley

In November of 2020, Steadman Baptist Church began the revitalization process in partnership with the Lexington Baptist Association. Just two months prior, interim pastor Johnny Rumbough baptized seven individuals, which was more than the last five years combined. In May of 2021, Pastor Neal Smith was called to lead the church. Since then, the church

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Churches Becoming Family through Foster Partnership

jhawley

Foster Partnership – Dunean Baptist Church, Greenville, SC Foster Partnership: Strong church commits to come alongside an at-risk church providing prayer, specified resources, wisdom, etc. for a defined length of time. Dunean Baptist Church was formed as a mill village church in the textile region of South Carolina’s Upstate. Nestled in a neighborhood of homes

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Churches Partnering Together for Hopeful Futures

Gardner, Anna

Mount Pleasant Baptist Church had been in serious decline and struggling to remain open. Recently, though, they held a celebration service that brought together members from two churches partnering together from neighboring communities with the same mission of making disciples. As they gathered in this rural location, almost 10 miles from the closest Dollar General, they came together as

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