Here's a closer look at what's happening around RBM this month!
Letter from the RBM National Representative
Greetings in the name of our wonderful Lord Jesus!
June 24–27 will bring the Regular Baptist Ministries Conference 2024—our RBM family reunion.
The highlights?
- The ministry of God’s Word, including by keynote speaker Mike Bullmore
- The vote of Clare Jewell as RBM’s national representative
- Recognition of local RBM staff
- Chris Anderson and his team of musicians leading worship
- Receptions, rest, fellowship, and making new friends
Registration is yet available at garbcConference.org.
Online participation in main sessions and the annual business meeting is available for those unable to travel. There is no cost to watch online; however, registration and a minimal administrative fee are required to vote online for the Council of 18 and national representative candidates. To vote online, register as a virtual messenger at garbcConference.org.
We at the RBM office have been praying that the RBM Conference 2024 will be wonderfully encouraging and edifying to you. Pray with us that God’s living Word will convict, strengthen, and fortify each who attends.
See you in Elgin, Illinois, June 24–27!
In His grace,
David E. Strope, D.D.
Interim National Representative
June Pulse Ministry Updates
DAVID STROPE, Interim National Representative
The RBM staff has been working double-time, readying for the Regular Baptist Ministries Conference 2024. Much work remains to be done while depending upon God’s grace. In addition, the Council of 18 officers and committees, conference speakers, and workshop leaders are caring for a flurry of tasks.
The conference will be held at Harvest Bible Chapel in Elgin, Illinois, the site of RBM’s office, June 24–27.
Clare Jewell will be presented as the national representative candidate. Church messengers will vote to appoint him to the role during the business meeting June 25.
Each church is encouraged to send six voting messengers to this meeting.
If you can’t join us in person, all main sessions and the business meeting will be streamed live on our YouTube channel. There is no cost to watch online; however, registration is required to vote online for the national representative and Council of 18 candidates.
Visit garbcConference.org to register for on-site attendance or to vote online (to vote online, register as a virtual messenger).
During the conference, Clare will preach and answer questions. Pray for Clare, as well as for Mike Bullmore, Ken Fields, Sam Choi, and me as we preach in the main sessions on “Together: The Incredible Value of Biblical Fellowship.”
RBM Annual Fund PLUS
This month, consider designating an RBM Day at your church, giving a special offering for RBM. Our goal is to receive an additional $100,000 from churches and individual donors this year.
Churches and donors may give online at GARBC.org/give. Choose “RBM Annual Fund PLUS!” in the drop-down menu. Or send gifts to Regular Baptist Ministries, PO Box 7321, Carol Stream, IL 60197-7321.
The Baptist Bulletin
Our Summer issue of The Baptist Bulletin will arrive a bit later than normal to accommodate a bit of news from the Regular Baptist Ministries Conference 2024. You’ll find much encouragement by reading and sharing The Baptist Bulletin. Read it thoroughly, and then give it away as a means of discipleship or witness.
Ministry Update
In May, I preached and presented RBM at First Baptist Church, Lapeer, Michigan, and Anchor Baptist Church, Des Moines, Iowa. Both churches have long associations with RBM. As just one example, Paul Tassell was pastor of Anchor Baptist Church (then called Grandview Park Baptist Church) from 1973 to 1979 before serving as GARBC national representative from 1979 to 1994.
I also spent nearly one week at the RBM office in Elgin, Illinois, meeting with staff and attending to administrative tasks for the RBM Conference 2024.
Travel Schedule
June 2: Tabernacle Baptist Church, Ithaca, New York
June 9: Grace Church, Emmetsburg, Iowa
June 23: Walnut Ridge Baptist Church, Waterloo, Iowa
June 24–27: RBM Conference 2024, Elgin, Illinois
Personal Notes
Debbie and I had long planned a May vacation, but God had other ideas. She and I are caregivers to her 95-year-old father, whose health declined precipitously these past days. He has been moved to an assisted living facility in Ankeny, Iowa. Vacation consisted of preparing for his move, including the beginning process of sorting through an accumulation of 70 years of household belongings.
I often pray and find great solace in this prayer: “Heavenly Father, You have every right and need not ask my permission to alter the course of my life at any time in any way in order to extend my life’s influence for Your glory.”
I am profoundly grateful to God for the privilege of knowing Him by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Debbie and I celebrated 48 years of marriage in the rather unusual fashion of preparing her father to move. God certainly has favored me highly through Debbie—by her friendship, her faithfulness to Christ, and her constant intercession for me. “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord” (Proverbs 18:22). I have been highly favored!
Together we continue to exclaim, “As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him” (Psalm 18:30).
KERRY WATKINS, Head of Operations and HR Director
I want to encourage you to come to the Regular Baptist Ministries Conference 2024 in Elgin, Illinois, June 24–27. All of the workshops will be geared toward RBM’s plan to do more to help hurting churches. Helping hurting churches will become a significant theme of what the association will be striving to do.
If your church is strong and healthy, you will find out how you can help other ministries be strengthened and revitalized. If your ministry could use help, you will find out how you can get that help. Although a lot is already happening in association churches in this area, the conference will ramp up our efforts.
I also want to encourage you to visit the RBM website regularly. It includes news, events, general updates, information about each of our ministries, and resources. Visiting the website is a good way to stay current regarding RBM information and what’s happening in the association.
RBM is always looking for good people to add to the staff. If you know someone who is passionate for ministry and potentially has skills we could use, please encourage that person to reach out to me. We may not have a particular job we are hiring for at the moment, but you never know what may result from such a connection. I once reached out to a ministry, and 14 months later I was on staff. We don’t always know God’s timing, but the connection is the important part. I can be reached most easily at kwatkins@garbc.org.
MARK JOHNSON, Treasurer and Controller
Registration is open for the Regular Baptist Ministries Conference June 24–27! We are so excited to welcome you to Harvest Bible Chapel in Elgin, Illinois, where the RBM office has been located since late 2022.
If you haven’t already, please register for the conference.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We look forward to seeing you at the conference!
DARRELL GOEMAAT, Coordinator of Regular Baptist International
We have received emails of appreciation from Regular Baptist International partners for grants our ministry provided. Prasad Sakile of the New Life Regular Baptist Society in India expressed thanks for funds that will help build a church for former Muslims who are now believers. He says, “Our believers have been praying for the Lord’s help for this construction project for one year. It is a witness to our faith and to the wonderful things our Lord does in their lives. Thank you so much for your hard work and dedication to Him.”
Prayer is needed in Kenya, where rain has caused flooding. Timothy Odhiambo, pastor of Revelation Baptist Church, says the flooding has killed more than 70 people in his region. Homes have washed away, crops have been ruined, and large populations of now-homeless people have evacuated to higher ground. Timothy says, “We have lost two people. A woman and a child were killed due to the rain. People are crying, so I request you to help us in prayer.”
Timothy and other partnering leaders have applied for compassion grants from Regular Baptist International. Those grants will be considered at an international committee meeting next month. Please consider giving to the compassion fund so we can supply these grants.
Please also pray for a number of partnering leaders who have expressed a great desire to attend Regular Baptist Ministries’ annual conference in Elgin, Illinois. They need help with travel expenses and prayers for safety while traveling.
Thank you for your financial and prayer support of Regular Baptist International.
MANNING BROWN, Director of Regular Baptist Chaplaincy
Each quarter Regular Baptist Chaplaincy publishes a newsletter that highlights some of our chaplains and their incredible care in their respective ministries. From bedsides to barracks to patrols, chaplains are a ministry of presence. To find out more, visit RegularBaptistChaplaincy.org.
Itinerary
June 23: New Life Baptist Church, Lake in the Hills, Illinois
June 24–27: RBM Conference 2024, Elgin, Illinois
CLARE JEWELL, Director of Generate
At its May meeting, the Generate board approved $61,200 in grants for nine Regular Baptist churches! Generate is investing in one residency grant to develop a future church planter, five church renewal grants, one church planting grant, and two facility grants.
We are grateful for the generosity of God’s people in making these grants possible.
Thanks for praying for wisdom in our decision-making process. Please continue to pray that God will use these funds to fuel the health and reproduction of these churches in our association.
Itinerary
June 7–8: 24-hour demo at ABWE, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
June 24–27: RBM Conference 2024, Elgin, Illinois
June 29: Missions conference, Southern Hills Church, Las Vegas, Nevada
