Author: cbba

The Link

Carroll-Benton Baptist Association

Jimmy A. Furr
Director of Missions
jafurr@cbba1.org

You were missed….

Suzanne Cunningham
Ministry Assistant
carroll-benton@cbba1.org

March/April
2016

Inside this
issue:
CBBA VBS 2
Clinic
Marriage & 2
Family Series
West TN 2
Minister’s of
Music Concert
FBC Huntingdon 3
20th Annual
Women’s
Conference
Missions 3
Get Together
Calendar of 4 Events
Bro. Jimmy’s 4
Article

My wife Cathy and I have been in the ministry for 8 years. During this time, I have served as a bi-vocational pastor at Sugar Tree Baptist Chapel. Serving as pastor has been the most rewarding and fulfilling work I have ever experienced. I remember the first time I was introduced as someone’s pastor, the first new believer I baptized, and the first night spent in prayer for the church. I also recall the hospital and home visits, phone calls, VBS’, church repairs, and the list continues.
We have been blessed to serve in a wonderful church with such amazing, loving people. They love us, and we love them. However, reality is that working full time in a secular job and serving as a
bi-vocational pastor in a church is strenuous. Due to time away, it can be hard on your wife and children. It can also cause financial struggles. With that being said, a pastor and his wife need a break – a refresher throughout the year. This is why I am writing this. Each year, the Tennessee Baptist Convention offers a retreat for bi-vocational pastors and their wives. It lasts three days; usually beginning on a Thursday and ending on a Saturday. During this retreat, we are allowed to decompress, unload, refresh, and breathe. In years past, my wife and I have left home completely drained and exhausted wondering and asking why we were going. Yet, each year the retreat has been the highlight of our year as a ministry couple.
The retreat is set up to minister to the ministers. We are blessed to have men and women who plan throughout the year for these events. They pursue our Lord’s guidance on each theme. The speakers are always outstanding through sharing biblical solutions, life experiences, and humorous antidote as they “reload” us.
This passed retreat was just as rewarding as all the others. As Cathy and I arrived in Pigeon Forge, we were overwhelmed with being tired, nervous, but yet, excited. As we checked into the hotel, we began to recognize the familiar faces of men and women we have met in the years gone by. As the memories came to mind of shared experiences with these ministers and wives, we began to relax.
The theme of this year was “Telling Your Story”. Cathy and I had doubt that this theme would be of any help to us. However, our Father knew what we desired. Each of us as parents, spouses, ministers, and people in general, suffer from “the human condition”. Cathy and I are no different than any other. We came to the retreat with burdened hearts. Our eighteen year old son had been making some bad choices leading us to blame ourselves. In the first breakout session, the men had the opportunity to hear from a pastor’s son on the effects of being a “pastor’s son”. This session had such a profound effect on me that I openly asked for prayer regarding my son. The men that were present during the breakout session brought me to the front of the congregation, surrounded me, and began to pray in unison for my son and me. The movement of the Holy Spirit was amazing! Almost immediately after that session, I received a text from my son apologizing for his actions. Throughout the rest of the weekend the men and women came to Cathy and me sharing their own experiences with their children and also provided us with encouragement. We gained new friends while also growing closer to those whose relationships were already established.
Why am I sharing all of this with you? The reason is because you were missed. If you are a
bi-vocational minister, or the wife of a bi-vocational minister, please consider attending the next
bi-vocational ministers and wives retreat on January 26th–28th, 2017.
Cathy and I left Pigeon Forge this year refreshed and transformed. I encourage all of my brothers and sisters in the bi-vocational ministry to attend next year! If you would like to ask questions or hope for more information, please call me at 931-212-1565.
In Christ’s love,
Bro. Mark Coggins

Page #

Carroll-Benton VBS Clinic
FBC Huntingdon
Monday, April 4, 2016
Supper begins at 5:30 pm
Program starts at 6:30 pm
VBS Directors Mike Blankenship
Music Rotation Leaders David Boyd
Preschool Leaders Lisa Boyd
Grade 1 & 2 Leaders Kristen Klonowski
Grade 3 & 4 Leaders Delores Steed
Grade 5 & 6 (Preteen) Leaders Katie Bloodworth
Mission Rotation Leaders Ladona Herrin
Craft Rotation Leaders Linda Martin
Snacks and Meal Pat Wright

West Tennessee Ministers of Music Concert
FBC Huntingdon, Monday, March 7th
at 11:30 am in the Worship Center, with lunch to follow in the Family Life Center.
No charge for concert and lunch!

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY SERIES
Community wide event presented by
Eastview Baptist Church
Court Theater in Huntingdon
March 1,8,15,and 22 at 6:45 PM each night
Everyone is invited. Led by Bro. Hunter Jones, using the theater and other
media resources to teach and encourage others. This will be a wonderful
opportunity to sit with others and pray for marriages.
Childcare provided at Eastview Baptist Church with
activities and snacks for the children.

OPEN
DOOR
“ I have placed
before you an open door that no one can shut.”
Revelation 8:8
FBC Huntingdon
Twentieth Annual
Women’s Conference
Friday, March 18,2016
Guest Speaker, Angela Cottrell
Worship Music by “High Road”
Banquet at 6:00 pm
Conference at 7:00 pm
Go to www.fbchuntingdon.com
to print registration form and mail with
$25/person
Price includes Banquet and Conference
Childcare (see reg. form)
Register no later than March 13th

Page #

READY,SET,GO!
April 8-10,2016
Gatlinburg, TN
Gatlinburg Convention Center
Missions
Get Together
an event for women
For more info contact:
Denise Bronaugh at
DBRONAUGH@TNBAPTIST.ORG
OR CALL 800-558-2090,ext. 7920
Connection
A missions event for girls
grades 7-12
For more info contact:
Julie Heath at
JHEATH@TNBAPTIST.ORG
OR CALL 800-558-2098,ext. 7919
Register Now!

News from the Churches...
Missionary Grove is in the early stages of planning a building program. They are also getting ready to add a Saturday night service along with the two Sunday morning services. Praise the Lord for the victories taking place there.
Eva has called Bro. Eddie Martin as pastor.
FBC Atwood has called Bro. Roger Ellsworth as interim pastor.
Natchez Trace has called Bro. Greg Stanford as interim pastor.
FBC Bruceton has called Bro. Ken Zike as interim pastor.
Bro. Fred Ward announced his retirement as pastor of FBC
Huntingdon effective on Sunday, Feb. 28th. Pray for Bro. Fred and Mrs. Lois as well as the church in this transitional time.
Pray for the following churches seeking Pastors:
Holladay, East Side, Enon, Natchez Trace,
FBC Atwood, FBC Bruceton and FBC Huntingdon.
Almost all have interims at this time.

March / April
Calendar of Events
March 11-12 YEC
March 25 Good Friday, office closed
March 27 Easter
April 4 CBBA VBS Clinic
Huntingdon FBC
Supper at 5:30 PM
Program at 6:30 PM
April 8-9 WMU Missions Get Together
Gatlinburg, TN
April 10 Cooperative Program Sunday
April 11 CBBA Executive Board
Faith Baptist Church
Meal at 6:15 PM
April 17 CBBA Bible Drill
Trezevant FBC
Registration at 130 PM
Drill at 2:00 PM
April 23 Regional Bible Drill
Milan FBC

Carroll-Benton Baptist Association

565 High Street
Huntingdon, TN 38344

Phone and fax:
731.986.8818
carroll-benton@cbba1.org
www.cbba1.com

The mission of the Carroll-Benton Baptist Association is to encourage fellowship & equip churches to carry out the Great Commission

Just A Thought……..
A lot of things are going on around Carroll-Benton Baptist Association. We have just completed the training for our CBBA VBS team. They will be leading our training for the leaders of our churches on April 4th. The theme this year is “Submerged”. Lots of ideas can be explored here, pun intended. More information will be found in another section of the
newsletter. The Day of Prayer for VBS is set for Friday, May 20. Please put this date on your calendar and remember to pray for the leaders, the children and all who will be involved in VBS this summer. Pray for
children and adults to have receptive hearts concerning the message of Jesus Christ.
The end of February also saw many of our churches moving Sunday evening services to Union University for the West Tennessee Evangelism Conference. Over 800 from West TN churches attended. Training was provided for all who attended in the art of sharing one’s testimony. Two months of 2016 have passed. Have you attempted to share your faith yet? I issued a challenge to each church and pastor to baptize at least one more person this year than last year. In order for that to happen there must be intentional sharing of one’s faith. Don’t let this year go by without
attempting to share your faith. You and I don’t have to be concerned about the outcome. If we are faithful in sharing a witness, God will be faithful in doing the saving.
We are also looking to our Executive Board meeting on April 11 at Faith Baptist Church in Hollow Rock. If not already elected, I want to encourage each church to elect Board Members and encourage them to attend the Executive Board meeting. Come and hear what is going on in the association and how your church can be involved. I again want to thank the churches for your faithfulness in giving to the work of the
association. Without us working together we cannot do the work God has for us to do.
We have also been working on getting the Block Party Trailer ready for use by the Executive Board meeting. We will attempt to have it there for everyone to see. Later on there will be training for the set up and take down of the trailer. The use of the Block Party Trailer will be on a first come first serve basis just like the bus. More information will be
forthcoming about a date for the training. I want to thank John Cole, Dale Townsend and Donald Bennett for their work in meeting and planning for the BPT to be a reality. They have been wonderful to work with and each has had a different skill to help put the trailer together.
Doing Together What We Cannot Do Alone

Carroll-Benton Baptist Association Permit No. 49
565 High Street Non Profit Org
Huntingdon, TN 38344 U.S. Postage Paid
Return Service Requested Huntingdon, TN 38344

News from the Churches...
Missionary Grove is in the early stages of planning a building
program. They are also getting ready to add a Saturday night
service along with the two Sunday morning services. Praise the Lord for the victories taking place there.
Eva has called Bro. Eddie Martin as pastor.
FBC Atwood has called Bro. Robert Jefferies as interim pastor.
Natchez Trace has called Bro. Greg Stanford as interim pastor.
Bro. Fred Ward announced his retirement as pastor of FBC
Huntingdon effective on Sunday, Feb. 28th. Pray for Bro. Fred and Mrs. Lois as well as the church in this transitional time.
Pray for the following churches seeking Pastors:
Holladay, East Side, Enon, Natchez Trace,
FBC Atwood, FBC Bruceton and FBC Huntingdon.
Almost all have interims at this time.

Atwood FBC $ 1337.88
Bethel $ 1373.65
Bruceton FBC $ 535.75
Camden FBC $ 4579.79
Chalk Level $ 1030.85
Concord $ 80.00
Coopers Chapel $ 0
Eagle Creek $ 300.00
East Side $ 408.00
Eastview $ 487.94
Eastwood $ 0
Enon $ 240.00
Eva $ 1251.60
Fairview $ 60.00
Faith $ 168.79
Grace $ 300.00
Holladay $ 450.00
Hopewell $ 299.32
Howse $ 719.73
Huntingdon FBC $ 5998.38
Liberty Hill $ 36.86
McKenzie FBC $ 6208.20
McLemoresville $ 687.92
Missionary Grove $ 1063.50
Mt. Nebo $ 906.03
Natchez Trace $ 481.66
Prospect $ 75.00
Republican Grove $ 150.00
Sugar Tree $ 369.65
Tennessee River $ 102.00
Trezevant FBC $1127.75
Union Academy $ 346.00
$31176.25
For the 2nd Quarter 2009

This reflects the receipts
That were received by
June 30, 2009

West Tennessee Ministers of Music Concert
FBC Huntingdon
Monday, March 7th
at 11:30 am in the Worship Center
with lunch to follow in the Family Life Center
No charge for concert and lunch!