To all who attended Planter Summit or Bonfire last week, thank you for helping to make this another amazing gathering of NAB people on mission together. It was a joy to share our stories, laughter, and even some of our struggles and pain.
During Planter Summit, Jeff Vanderstelt gifted us with some key insights on how we can use our emotions as a roadmap, allowing our feelings to help us discern our needs, desires, longings, and hopes, ultimately helping us move toward God and others.
At Bonfire, David Fitch reminded us of Jesus’s teaching that we must be different from the world and not lord over others – “not so with you” – but instead seek a position of service, what Fitch called wielding “power with” instead of “power over.”
You can also check out the full gallery of photos from the photographer who was on site Tuesday and Wednesday. Feel free to use these however you wish, but please credit or tag @hawaimages if you post them on social media, and avoid filters/edits.
If you attended either event, would you do us the favor of filling out the evaluation form below?
By Randy Tschetter
Director of the North American Baptist Heritage Commission
It may not qualify as a dynasty, but the name Rauschenbusch clearly holds a prominent place in the history of the North American Baptist Conference. One of the lesser-known but nonetheless impactful members of the family was Emma Rauschenbusch – the daughter and youngest child of missionary, seminary-founder, and professor August Rauschenbusch. Emma’s brother Walter served as the pastor of the Second German Baptist Church in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen area from 1885 to 1896, where he became a strong advocate for social justice among the poor and disadvantaged before he followed in his father’s footsteps as a beloved professor at the Rochester Theological Seminary. Emma took a different route.
Martin L. Leuschner writes about the “missionary zeal” that motivated many of the German Baptists who had arrived in North America. Although “the Cameroons of Africa have occupied the largest and most favored spot in the hearts of our people” – as reflected in the number of documents and artifacts currently housed in the NAB Archives – some of the earliest attempts at overseas missions were focused on Asia, specifically China, Burma, India, and the Philippine Islands. . . .
Last fall, The Landing launched as a hub for youth worker connection, a space to contain resources for ministering to teenagers in their culture and context. Over the last few months, we’ve been busy praying, collecting contact information, learning, listening, and intentionally seeking out ways to provide connection for youth workers in the NAB.
We’re delighted to announce an opportunity for NAB youth workers to connect digitally on May 18 at 11:00 a.m. (EST). This Zoom call will be hosted by April Wahl (EYELET member) and Wayne Stapleton (VP of Cross-Cultural Engagement and Emerging Leaders).
The Landing exists to serve you. This hour-long Zoom call will be an opportunity to share your voice about what you would like to see and how you are willing to assist in helping The Landing provide a growing and deeper connection to our NAB youth workers. Click the link below to register for the the Zoom call. If you have any questions, you can contact April or Wayne.
You are doing incredible work, youth workers! We appreciate you! Thank you for joining Jesus on mission to influence and impact the teenagers in your midst.
As we previously announced, Ken Solberg, the regional minister for the Saskatchewan Baptist Association retired at the end of October 2022. This means the SBA is now actively seeking the individual God has set aside as the next regional minister. This is a full-time position, working with the fourteen churches in Saskatchewan. You can find the job post and how to apply by clicking on the link below.