Review of Mid-Winter Board and Mini-Congress 2016

National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc.

Rev. Samuel C. Tolbert, Jr., MDiv., President

Rev. S.C. Dixon, General Secretary

Review of

Mid-Winter Board and Mini-Congress 2016

Rev. Ngwedla Paul Msiza, President of the Baptist World Alliance speaking on Tuesday morning.

Thank You from President Tolbert

President Tolbert would like to thank all of the delegates who attended the Mid-Winter Board and Mini-Congress last week in Little Rock, Arkansas. It was truly spiritually and informationally fruitful. A special thank you is extended to Rev. Jimmy Harper and the General Missionary Baptist State Convention for your gracious hospitality, to Governor Asa Hutchinson for appointing and commissioning me with the Arkansas Traveler in which I am honored to serve as an Ambassador of Good Will, and thank you to Mayor Mark Stodola and the Little Rock Board of Directors for presenting me with the Key to the City. To the Cabinet and staff, I say thank you for your dedication and hard work throughout the year and because of you, NBCA is able to continuously serve our congregations. Now that this meeting is behind us, I look forward to the planning of our Congress of Christian Education and Discipleship/Youth and Children's Convention that will take place June 27-30, 2016 in Birmingham, AL.

Mission Outreach

During each session, the NBCA Auxiliaries collaborate and support a charitable organization in our designated convention location. The February 2016 organization selected was Women & Children First: The Center Against Family Violence.

The mission of the shelter is to empower women and their children to live independently and free from domestic violence. They provide crisis intervention, safe shelter, social and legal advocacy and support services. The Center also provides Food, clothing, and referrals for medical, legal, and community support

The Arkansas Junior Women's Auxiliary has adopted Women & Children First and supports the facility by coordinating monthly on site volunteer visits where JWA members answer phones, organize supplies, read to kids and offer prayer for residents. As a result, the NBCA Auxiliaries agreed to continue the efforts of the Arkansas JWA by supporting WFC during the 2016 Mid-Winter Board Meeting held in Little Rock, Arkansas. Through the combined efforts of NBCA Junior Women, Intermediate Women, Senior Women, Ushers, Ministers Wives and Widows as well as Brotherhood Auxiliaries, we proudly announce that we were able to present the center with over $7,000 in contributions. Donations included approximately $4,100 in cash and gift cards. As well as approximately $3,000 in supplies to include over 2,500 towels, numerous boxes of pampers, laundry detergent, pillows and sheets.

Your generous acts of kindness and selflessness will impact Women & Children First for months to come. Thank you for your kindness, dedication and commitment to the mission work of the NBCA.

For more information about Women & Children First: The Center Against Family Violence, please visit http://www.wcfarkansas.org/

Submitted on behalf of the NBCA Auxiliaries

Shantail Miller, Junior Women's President

Carolyn Lewis, Intermediate Women's President

Barbara Wright, Senior Women's President

Forestal Lawton, Brotherhood President

Marnett Walker, Usher President

Dr. Kenneth Kemp, Health & Awareness President

Eartha Cross, Ministers Wives and Widows President

Health Awareness Team

The Health Awareness Team (HAT) was very well represented at the Mid-Winter Board, in terms of service and activities. We had representatives from the American Cancer Society, the Arkansas Prostate Foundation, the Alzheimer's Association, the Arkansas Minority Health Commission, the Minority Health Division of the Arkansas Department of Health, the American Lung Association, and two medical assistant students from the Eastern College of Health Vocations, who assisted with blood pressure screenings.

On Wednesday, Dr. Namvar Zohoori, MD, MPH, PhD, Deputy Chief Science Officer of the Arkansas Department of Health gave a great presentation on Heart Disease and Stroke. Dr. Zohoori gave a passionate and very effective presentation on the impact of heart disease and stroke among African Americans and he explained the warning signs to look for in case of a heart attack or stroke. For stroke, he explained the FAST acronym, which stands for Facial dropping, Arm drifting, Speech blurring, and Timing (emphasizing a 3-hour window to get patients to the hospital via ambulance--not car--to be assessed for stroke).

Mini-Congress

To President Samuel Tolbert, Director Joel Taylor, The Executive Cabinet, National Convention Staff, National Officers, National Congress Staff, Fellow Workers and Attendees of the Mini Congress Session held at the Annual Mid-Winter Board Meeting,

It was our joy to work with you in this past session. We thank you for your sacrificial commitment to service in this work of the Lord. We know at times the work was very inconvenient and at times the challenges were great, but we believe the Mini Congress was a success and you certainly helped to make it so. Your faithfulness was very much in evidence. Thank you to Pastor Kenneth Maurice Davis, Pastor Deron McDaniel, Bro. Albert Black and Sis. Pamela Dickey for your outstanding presentations as teachers for this session. We received great reports and thank you for serving as you did. We owe you our deepest gratitude.

We look forward to our Annual Congress Session in Birmingham with excitement and anticipation of what the Lord will do! May the Congress continue to be blessed through committed persons such as yourselves.

Sincerely,

Dean A. W. Anthony Mays

Meeting with the Boy Scouts of America

In efforts to re-establish our relationship with the Boy Scouts of America, President Tolbert and the State Presidents of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and New Mexico met with the Boy Scouts of America during the meeting last week.

New Initiative - Debt Free Launch

NBCA launched a debt free campaign during the meeting and Dr. DeForest Soaries, founder of the dfree® Financial Freedom Movement preached and also gave us an introduction to the dfree® Financial Movement, which is designed to help people understand debt, the spiritual perspective of debt and how to systematically go about decreasing debt, delinquencies and deficiencies in order to increase deposits and deeds. He also gave away a copy of his book, "Say Yes to No Debt" to all of the delegates in attendance during the Monday morning session.

His organization also provides a "Train the Trainer" programs and during our Congress session in June, his team will be training representatives from NBCA churches so they can go back and teach the dfree® program at their church. More information on these training classes will be forthcoming.

In addition, dfree® will have Train the Trainer session on April 22-23 in Ville Platte, LA at the Ninth Baptist Church where Rev. Darwan Lazard is pastor. This event is coordinated by the Louisiana Home & Foreign Missions Baptist State Convention, where Rev. Mallery Callahan is President.

Business Session Highlights

National Prayer Ministry
President Tolbert shared with the convention that Rev. Roy Brackins has been calling Rev. Tolbert for over a year now every Wednesday morning just to have prayer with him. No conversations, just prayer. He also mentioned that there were other ministers and leaders in the convention that Rev. Brackins calls on different days to uplift them in prayer. In understanding how effective his prayer calls are, Rev. Tolbert has asked Rev. Brackins to develop a prayer strategy template that churches can customize and implement so that they can begin calling members and praying for one another. More information on the National Prayer Ministry will be released as it becomes available.

Disaster Services Network

The National Baptist Convention of America and Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Society, in partnership with the American Red Cross, has formed a Disaster Services Network; wherein, Lott Carey and NBCA will help vulnerable communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from large scale disasters.

Disaster Response Strategy:

Educate congregations and communities toward effective disaster preparedness;
Encourage congregations to recruit and train volunteers to participate in disaster response;
Recruit churches to become certified shelters for vulnerable populations;
Provide spiritual care and case management in communities of color;
Facilitate effective church and community philanthropy in response to disasters

For a full presentation on the NBCA and LCBFMS Disaster Services Network in partnership with the American Red Cross, please click on the link below.

NBCA and LCBFMS Disaster Services Network Presentation

Covenant Action Plan (CAP)

President Tolbert recently sent out a letter to pastors indicating that one goal he has this year is to get 1,000 Covenant Action Plan (CAP) partners contributing at various levels consistently each month. We are striving to have CAP's monthly giving the primary method of support for our Convention. CAP is the key component that NBCA is missing in order to serve and grow our Convention and partnerships in the manner that gives Glory to God. We have been able to successfully initiate or enhance some valuable partnerships. Yet, the most valuable partnership, Pastor, is the one we need with you and your church.

I am asking every Pastor to prayerfully commit to CAP which means:

To pray for God's guidance and direction for CAP
To place CAP in your budget
To contribute consistently on a monthly basis, and
To send a check to NBCA (CAP)- Office of the Treasurer c/o Rev. F. D. Sampson P.O. Box 21219 Houston, TX 77226-1219

If you wish to become a CAP church partner, please click on the link below and download a copy of the CAP church pledge cards.

CAP Church Pledge Card

College and Seminary Board

The College and Seminary Board of the NBCA is committed to owning not renting The Strategic Plan of Our Convention. Our general president is committed to strengthening the impact of our churches locally and broaden their impact globally. The college and Seminary Board is the vehicle that will aid in the transformation, Renewal, and Service provided to our church's and leaders. Our General President in an attempt to celebrate the courage, commitment and scholarship of our own Rev Dr. Wallace Hartsfield has worked tirelessly to establish "the Wallace Hartsfield Scholar" a scholarship offered through The Chicago Theological Seminary. Additionally, the development of The NBCA Online University will provide opportunity for lay and Clergy to receive quality training at little or no cost to individuals or the churches. We are also working diligently to complete an on Line undergraduate partnership with Simmons College of Louisville Kentucky which is currently projected to start fall 2016. Last but not least we are committed to maintaining and expanding, the Education Management Corporation (EDMC) scholarships currently being provided. We, the College and Seminary Board are excited about the "The NBCA Strategic PLAN".

Rev. Delbert Brown, Th.B.

Executive Secretary Treasurer College and Seminary Board

NBCA International Inc.

Daily Devotional Messages and Sermons

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Morning Devotional Message
Rev. Henry Vaughn - "A Strategic Plan", Nehemiah 2:11-12

Evening Devotional Message

Dr. Kenneth Kemp - "You Better Work", Nehemiah 2:17-18

Evening Sermon

Rev. George Parks - "Help for the Heartbroken" Matthew 26:47-54

TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2016

Morning Devotional Message
Rev. Jordan Ivey - "From Vision To Victory" Nehemiah 2:17-18"

Morning Sermon

Rev. Ngwedla Paul Msiza - "The Divine Appointment" Luke 5:1-11

Evening Devotional Message
Rev. Kevin Donalson - "The Simplicity of Salvation" Ephesians 2:8-10

Evening Sermon

Rev. Timothy Woods - "The First Touch" Acts 2:47b

Late Night Sermon

Bishop Kenneth Robinson - "Stand" Galatians 5:1

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2016

Morning Devotional Message
Rev. Bobby Showers - "Three Things the Gospel Message Brings" Acts 17:32-35

Evening Devotional Message
Rev. Rikki Ferrell - "Reach Beyond the Break" Mark 5:28

Evening Sermon
Dr. DeForest Soaries - "Amazing Faith" Matthew 8:10

Late Night Sermon

Rev. Kenneth M Davis - "Trusting God" Psalms 91:14-16

Pictures from the Mid-Winter Board and Mini-Congress

We would like to thank Rev. F.D. Sampson, Jr. for taking photos during our session. To view the photos, please click on the link below.

Mid-Winter Board and Mini Congress Photos

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