Associations: Changing lives with NCMO funds

Pastor Francisco Ortiz is quite healthy, but thousands of North Carolina Baptists help him step into the pulpit each Sunday.

His small but growing congregation is "Iglesia Bautista Hispana Cristo el Salvador," or Christ the Savior Baptist Church, in Jefferson. Most of the Spanish-speaking members are from Mexico, Ortiz said. 

They meet Sunday afternoons in the building of partnering Fletcher Memorial Baptist Church in Jefferson and are receiving start-up funds from Ashe Baptist Association, the local fellowship of 44 Baptist congregations.

Ashe, in turn, has received the funds from North Carolina Baptists through their North Carolina Missions Offering (NCMO). 

Each year 10 percent of the North Carolina Missions Offering is distributed to the state's 79 Baptist associations for use in area missions and ministry projects.

If North Carolina Baptists meet or surpass the NCMO goal of $2.1 million this year, $210,000 or more will be sent to the associations, distributed on the basis of how much churches in each association contribute to the offering.

Here are samples of the diverse and life-changing ways associations put those NCMO funds work.

NCMO: New churches
The Cooperative Program provides 2/3's (two-thirds) of the funds used by the Baptist State Convention for church planting. The NCMO supplements Cooperative Program funds by providing the other 1/3 (one-third) used in church planting. Together, these funds supported 98 new churches in 2009.

But associations also use NCMO funds to start other new churches locally.

Greater Gaston Association, based in Gastonia, was one of the leaders in church planting - they worked with 19 new church plants in 2009, said Larry McElreath, associational missionary.

"Some of these received NCMO funds. Thousands of people's lives were impacted with the Gospel message. These mission dollars were very much needed and appreciated. Without these funds, we as an association could not have made much of an impact in the community," McElreath said.

NCMO funds also helped Greater Gaston send out summer missionaries to hold Vacation Bible Schools and Backyard Bible Clubs. "They also helped with summer camps and other summer community outreach events sponsored by the association. I am more thankful every year that we have an opportunity to be part of the NCMO. I believe that doing together what we can’t do alone makes a huge difference in Kingdom growth," McElreath said.

Sandhills: New church plant in Pinehurst, new Hispanic ministry in Robbins, plus lifestyle evangelism training for pastors.

Sandy Creek: New cowboy church and purchase of witnessing tracts for use in public events.

Raleigh: New church plants: The Creek Church in Cary and The Passage Church in Wendell. 

New churches are needed throughout the Raleigh area as the capital city’s population has topped 400,000, making it the nation's 45th biggest city by population.

That means Raleigh has more residents than such nationally-known cities as New Orleans, LA; Tampa, FL; Minneapolis, MN.; St. Louis, MO.; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Newark, NJ.

NCMO: funds for outreach and ministry
Yancey: Witnessing booth and diaper-changing station in downtown Burnsville for the Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair last year.

"We had 33 professions of faith," said Harvey Sharpe, missions director.

Catawba River: Ministered at the Historic Morganton Festival last September, partnering with volunteer teams from Hull's Grove Baptist Church, Vale.

"Hull's Grove sent their Horseshoe Ministry Team and we passed out over 600 horseshoes, each with the person's name stamped on it. While they waited (on the stamping), we were able to share the Gospel message," said Phil Oakley, associational missionary. 

"We had 28 people to pray to receive Christ that day. A week later, our evangelism team joined Hull's Grove to do the same thing in Lincolnton and 40 more people were saved," Oakley said.

Catawba River also used NCMO funds to support their annual Christmas toy store. In 2009 the association helped 504 families and gave toys to 1,069 children.

"But even more important, we had 49 people to pray to receive Christ as Savior. Each family that we served had the Gospel presented to them and we had 203 homes that were to be visited for follow-up," Oakley said.

South Yadkin: Christmas toy store ministry, purchase of Bibles for distribution in local food and clothing ministry.

Rowan: Will mobilize 20 churches to visit 5,000 homes for door-to-door witnessing in July this year, part of an ongoing "Reach Rowan" summer missions blitz.

Randolph: Held a Sports Expo in March which drew a whopping 1,200 hunters and fishermen for a meal and evangelistic message.

"Sixteen were saved and about 13 made rededications to Christ at the event," said Steve Sells, director of missions. Also bought "Celebrate Recovery" workbooks for ministry to those struggling with hurts, habits and hang-ups.

Ashe: Along with supporting the Hispanic church plant, sponsored a National Day of Prayer observance in May on the steps of the Ashe County Courthouse, Jefferson.

Robeson: Supported Hispanic mission in Raeford, constructed wheelchair ramps and repaired roofs on area homes.

Metrolina: Supported three college students for 10 weeks to work with Vacation Bible Schools, youth camps, outreach projects, ministry in multi-housing areas.

"NCMO has been the primary funding tool for our summer missions effort in Metrolina Association. A special thanks to our churches that gave to NCMO, which made possible the return of money to our association for local missions ministry," said Bob Lowman, missions director.

Green River: Sponsored worship services during the summer at two campgrounds in the Chimney Rock recreational area.

NCMO: Missions trips
Stanly: Sent dozens of area Baptists on their first missions trips, including some to overseas.

New South River: Helped high school seniors make mission trips with Baptist Student Union, sponsor a youth crusade, bought resources for churches.

West Chowan: Sending missions team to Quebec, Canada, this summer.

Beulah: Sending missions team to Rhode Island; supporting a local pastor and his family serving two years in Turkey. Sent pastor on missions trip to Peru. "Each of these has produced Kingdom purpose results and we are so grateful we were able to help," said Danny Glover, associational missionary.

NCMO: Meet needs
South Fork: Funded local missions projects by Baptist Men.

"So far, we have helped purchase a used mobile home and renovate it for a woman," said associational missionary Bob Wise. Her previous house was in such poor condition that Social Services deemed it unsafe; the agency took the woman's children.

"The family is now reunited in their new home, thanks to the NCMO and many, many local volunteers," Wise said.

Three Forks: Local missions projects, including home repairs, handicap ramp construction, roof repair and providing food and heating costs to needy families. "The majority of our funds are set aside for our Oct. 2 Operation Inasmuch Community Blitz Day," said Barry Neely, associational missionary.

Macon: Planted garden to feed needy families; ministered to carnival workers.

Columbus: Bought Bibles for disaster relief teams to distribute; provided services for senior adults.

Surry: Supplemented support for their Surry Christian Counseling Center, seeing more people because of high unemployment. "Thanks for helping us to help our community with Christian counseling," said Billy Blakley, associational missionary.

Tar River: Bought equipment to improve missions training;  provided youth workers to area churches for summer.

Photo information:

Pastor Francisco Ortiz preaches at Cristo el Salvador, Jefferson.

Chris Melton preaches in the game room of a campground at Chimney Rock, work supported by Ashe Association, using NCMO funds.