MARBC News & Notes, July and August 2011

You can also download a PDF of the Volume 57 Number 4 July/August 2011 (PC: Right click / MAC: Control click on the link and choose “Save As”)

​From The Baptist Testimony – Volume 57 Number 4 July/August 2011

MARBC Events to Place on Your 2011 Calendar

September 25, 2011
MARBC 5th Annual Day of “One Accord” Prayer
“They raised their voice to God in one accord” Acts 4:24
A day for MARBC churches to devote their attention to prayer for our churches, pastors, state fellowship, camps, ministries, missionaries, and special needs.

​October 24-25, 2011
69th Annual MARBC Conference
“Reflecting God’s Grace”
“Testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24
Dr. Charles Ware, Keynote Speaker
Crossroads Bible College, Indianapolis, IN
Northeastern Baptist Church, Kalamazoo, Michigan
ALTO, First Baptist Church (Tim Teall, Pastor) – First Baptist Church held a special installation service on Sunday afternoon, May 15, to celebrate the call of Rev. Timothy W. Teall as the church’s new pastor and to welcome he and his wife, Sherry, to the church family.  Pastor Teall began his ministry there in early April.  Brother Teall’s prior ministry experience includes pastorates in Ohio, Iowa, and Michigan.  He has also served in leadership positions with Faith Baptist Bible College and Seminary in Ankeny, Iowa and Spurgeon Baptist College in Mulberry, Florida.
Dr. James Maxwell, President of Faith Baptist Bible College and Seminary, gave the charge to the church.  Rev. Mark Shaw, Senior Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Greenville, MI, gave the charge to the pastor.  Brother Shaw was mentored as a teen by Pastor Teall in his first pastoral ministry at First Baptist Church in Cass City and later served as youth pastor with Pastor Teall at Burton Ave. Baptist Church in Waterloo, Iowa.
Also participating in the service were Mr. Jim Lockwood, Director of Lincoln Lake Baptist Youth Camp, Gowen, MI; Dr. Hantz Bernard, Director of Bibles International, Grand Rapids, MI; and Rev. Ken Floyd, Director of the Michigan Association of Regular Baptist Churches.  
A special luncheon in honor of Pastor and Mrs. Teall was held prior to the installation service.
COLON, Colon Baptist Church – The Colon Baptist Church family held a special retirement reception in honor of Pastor Robert Baxter and his wife, Loralee, on Saturday, June 4.  Relatives and friends, along with church family members from the Baxter’s current and former ministries attended the reception.
During the reception the Baxters were presented with a special retirement love gift from the church family.  Brother Bob officially retired on June 1 after serving as the senior pastor of Colon Baptist for 14 years and ministering for 45 years in pastoral ministry.  
Following his graduation from Grand Rapids Baptist Bible Institute and Theological Seminary, Brother Baxter joined the pastoral staff of First Baptist Church in Durand, Michigan.  In Durand Bob partnered with Senior Pastor Maynard Belt to form a dynamic duo of pastoral ministry.  After 14 ½ years of ministry in Durand, the Baxters were called to Bible Baptist Church in August, Michigan, where Bob served as senior pastor for 17 years.
The Baxters plan to reside in Colon during their retirement.  Pastor Baxter is available as pulpit supply and interim ministry.  You may contact him at 269.689.8867.
EVART, Calvary Baptist Church (Scott Farrell, Pastor) – Calvary Baptist Church in Evart once again held a Memorial Day weekend “Summer Sizzler 3-on-3 and Family Day” on May 28. Morning clouds and drizzle of rain threatened to put a damper on the day, however, God cleared the rain and the clouds kept everyone from getting overheated. Praise the Lord! 
The day was filled with excitement as over 100 basketball players from ages 10-19 came to Evart Public High School from as far away as Manton and Holland to join in some heavy competition. Throughout the day teams played in a double elimination tournament that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.
Over 500 people were in attendance and enjoyed many activities which included free inflatable games, listening to live music, and enjoying lunch under the canopies. The highlight of the outside activities seemed to be the train pulled by a lawn tractor. It was enjoyed by people of all ages. 
The gospel was shared in several ways which included Christian vocalists, the Life Book, various tracts, surveys, Life Line Productions clips, and a special speaker. The church family is praying that through the many ways that the gospel was given that many will draw closer to God.  The Calvary Baptist Church family encourages sister churches to consider similar ways to spread the Good News by using the creative resources they have. 
GREENVILLE, Calvary Baptist Church (Mark Shaw, Pastor) – Ben Vaught, Associate Pastor of Student Ministries and Worship was ordained at the Calvary Baptist Church of Greenville on May 29. The Ordination Council commended Pastor Vaught for his orthodoxy and humble spirit in the presentation of God’s truth. Dr. Don Shirk of Grace Baptist Church, Batavia, New York has been a mentor to Pastor Vaught and served as the Moderator of the Examination Council and gave the charge to the church in the Ordination Service. Also serving on the council were Dr. Bruce Sabados, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Portland, Michigan, who was Ben’s pastor as a boy; and Mr. Jim Lockwood, Director of Lincoln Lake Baptist Youth Camp, who previously ministered as Ben’s youth pastor.  Ben is a graduate of Baptist Bible College and formerly served on staff at Lincoln Lake Baptist Youth Camp.  He and his wife, Allie, have been serving at Calvary for two years.  Pastor Vaught serves with Pastors Mark Shaw and Dan Mead.
HAZEL PARK, Tabernacle Baptist Church (Rick Yokel, Pastor) – Tabernacle Baptist Church recently commissioned Waad Haddad for missionary ministry on May 1. Waad was born and raised in Baghdad and recently received a Master of Divinity degree from Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary. He will be serving with Baptists Equipping Nationals (BEN) and is currently on deputation sharing his ministry and raising the necessary funds for support. This ministry trains Arabic speaking men in the Middle East to be pastors and teachers and leaders in local churches. Waad will go to Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan and train men in the Bible Colleges.
LAKE ANN CAMP – Lake Ann welcomed Brandon Baker to its staff in time to lead Men’s Retreat in mid-May.  Brandon is a graduate of Baptist Bible College in Clarks Summit, PA.  He previously served in the U.S. Army Reserves as a Military Intelligence Analyst where he won a major award for providing the intelligence that lead to the capture of the most notorious Al-Qaeda insurgent leader in Iraq.
Brandon is also a world-class archer sponsored by Ben Pearson bows.  He declined the opportunity to participate in the TV program, “Top-Shot,” but has enthusiastically accepted the role of helping Lake Ann Camp stay on the leading edge in our camp and retreat programming.  Brandon comes to Lake Ann after concluding a ministry in Chattanooga, Tennessee where he served as the Youth Pastor of Grace Baptist Church.
NORTH ADAMS, First Baptist Church (Pastor Eric Sass) – First Baptist Church held an ordination service for its pastor, Eric Sass, on Sunday, June 12.  A special fellowship dinner in celebration of the ordination was held following the service.  An ordination council was held on Friday, June 12, to examine Pastor Sass regarding his doctrinal convictions and proficiency in handling Scripture.  Rev. David Hill, Pastor of First Baptist Church in Cass City and a mentor of Pastor Sass’, served as the council moderator.  Brother Eric’s boyhood pastor, John Grantham, shared scripture and a testimony regarding God’s work in Eric’s early days as a Christian.  The council unanimously recommended that Brother Sass be ordained by the church.
Pastor Sass is a native of the Flint area.  He has been serving as Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church since June 2007.  Prior to his ministry in North Adams he served as an Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church in North Branch.  He is a graduate of both Faith Baptist Bible College and Seminary.  Eric and his wife, Kelly, met while students attending Faith.  They have one son, Joey.
WITH THE LORD
“. . . that you sorrow not, even as others who have no hope,” 1 Thessalonians 4:13
Mrs. Hazel Fullmer (78), wife of retired GARBC pastor Lee Fullmer and mother of MARBC Pastor Dan Fullmer (Rice Lake Baptist Church), went home to be with her Lord on May 13.  Hazel was a graduate of Moody Bible Institute and served with her husband as a women’s Bible study teacher, Sunday School teacher, pianist and organist, and other church ministry.  She and her husband were married for 54 years.  A memorial service was held at Grace Baptist Church in Lewisbury, PA, on May 17.  
Dr. Harold Green (80), who served as Campus Pastor and Vice President of Christian Ministries at Cedarville University, went to be with his Lord on May 19.  Harold had several connections to Michigan.  He was a graduate of Jackson High School, while his father served as a pastor in Jackson.  He received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree for his significant ministry accomplishments and impact from Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary in 1980.  Two of Harold’s sons, Dann and Larry, have both ministered in M.A.R.B.C. churches.  “PG” impacted many in our fellowship through his ministry as campus pastor for 25 years.  Harold and his wife, Margaret, were in their 60th year of marriage and ministry.  Their family includes four children, sixteen grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.  Their ministry included planting and pastoring two churches and assisting in the start of two camps for the Ohio Association of Regular Baptist Churches.
Dr. Henry Osborn (86), Baptist Mid-Missions missionary for 46 years and Bible translator for Bibles International, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on May 13.  Dr. Osborn also served as a professor at Grand Rapids Baptist College (Cornerstone University) where he taught Linguistics and Cultural Anthropology.  He also served as Associate and Interim Dean of the College.  Prior to his retirement, the Lord used Dr. Osborn’s linguistic abilities to translate the Scriptures into 78 languages.  Dr. Osborn was preceded in death by his wife, Anne, in 2006.  A service of Praise and Thanksgiving was held on May 21, at Northland Baptist Church in Grand Rapids.  Memorials gifts may be given to Bibles International 609 36th St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI  49548.
Dr. Robert Rapa (59), pastor of Indian River Baptist Church in Indian River, went into the presence of his Lord early Wednesday morning, May 25.  Bob experienced a lung embolism on Tuesday (May 24) and fell from a ladder, suffering what proved to be a fatal head injury. Bob was going to be officially installed as the pastor of Indian River Baptist Church on May 29.  Bob is survived by his wife of 34 years, Esther; and their children, Anna, Luke (Sarah), and David.  Bob served the Lord faithfully as a pastor in Michigan churches in Allegan, Otsego, Belmont, and Indian River.  He also taught at Cornerstone University and Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, Moody Bible Institute, and Asia Biblical Theological Seminary.  He also ministered in several countries around the world including several in Asia.  A memorial service was held on Friday, May 27, at Calvary Baptist Church in Grand Rapids and on Sunday, May 29, at Indian River Baptist Church, Indian River.