Spreading Good News Spring 2017 1 My inbox lit up one afternoon. I opened it and followed its instructions to give the sender a call. On the other end of the call was an associational missionary who serves in eastern NC. After a few pleasantries, we got to the point of the conversation. He wanted to say some good things about the Foundation. Well, I’ll have to admit he had my full attention at that point, as we all like a few “attaboys”. I leaned in and listened a little closer as he began to remind me of a story. Not only did he remind me of the story, he wanted to find ways to tell others the story as he felt it had significant meaning. I call his story “The Parable of the Dryer” and wanted to share it with you. Before Hurricane Matthew arrived, the storms and floods of September had already made their presence known in eastern NC. Many were affected by these floods. Among those affected were a retired pastor and his wife. They had faithfully served throughout the years, but now found themselves in great need, as the floods had taken pretty much everything they owned. They had to find a new residence, as their home was no longer a place they could stay. To put it plainly, their needs were great. My missionary friend went to visit the pastor and his wife and noticed the need. Besides the obvious need of financial assistance, my friend recognized a particular need, one most of us take for granted. They had no washer or dryer. If they did manage to get their clothes washed, they had no way of drying them to keep them from molding. The missionary went to work and began to find ways to help this dear couple. In his efforts, he remembered that the NC Baptist Foundation might be able to help. He remembered that there had been money set aside a long time ago by some Baptists with the Foundation that was to be solely used for retired pastors. The missionary called the Foundation and told the story of the retired minister. The funds, left many years ago, were for this very purpose and were able to provide not only a monthly stipend, but a washer and dryer as well. The missionary served as a bridge (pun intended) between a great need and resources left at the Foundation for Kingdom work. The Kingdom of God is like an endowment given a long time ago and used years later to provide a dryer. The moral of this parable is simple. God uses present generosity to meet needs, both present and future, in ways that we can’t imagine, even via a dryer. We, at the Foundation, are excited to be a part of a ministry that bridges the gap between givers and recipients of the generosity of NC Baptists. To God be the glory. Spreading Good News Celebrating 97 Years of Serving Those Whose Stewardship Lasts Forever Spring 2017 Vol. 33 – No. 1 The North Carolina Baptist Foundation, Inc. www.ncbaptistfoundation.org Established 1920 The Parable of the Dryer By Daryl Trexler, Eastern Area Manager Windsor Flood Rev. Terry Stockton, Director of Missions, West Chowan Baptist Association “To our great delight the NC Baptist Foundation came through with a monthly stipend and, you guessed it, a washer and dryer. The joy of seeing that servant and his wife experience this blessing was worth every minute of my time and effort.”
Transcript
Spreading Good News Spring 20171
My inbox lit up one afternoon. I opened it and followed its instructions to give the sender a call. On the other end of the call was an associational missionary who serves in eastern NC. After a few pleasantries, we got to the point of the conversation. He wanted to say some good things about the Foundation. Well, I’ll have to admit he had my full attention at that point, as we all like a few “attaboys”. I leaned in and listened a little closer as he began to remind me of a story. Not only did he remind me of the story, he wanted to find ways to tell others the story as he felt it had significant meaning. I call his story “The Parable of the Dryer” and wanted to share it with you.
Before Hurricane Matthew arrived, the storms and floods of September had already made their presence known in eastern NC. Many were affected by these floods. Among those affected were a retired pastor and his wife. They had faithfully served throughout the years, but now found themselves in great need, as the floods had taken pretty much everything they owned. They had to find a new residence, as their home was no longer a place they could stay. To put it plainly, their needs were great. My missionary friend went to visit the pastor and his wife and noticed the need. Besides the obvious need of financial assistance, my friend recognized a particular need, one
most of us take for granted. They had no washer or dryer. If they did manage to get their clothes washed, they had no way of drying them to keep them from molding.
The missionary went to work and began to find ways to help this dear couple. In his efforts, he remembered that the NC Baptist Foundation might be able to help. He remembered that there had been money set aside a long time ago by some Baptists with the Foundation that was to be solely used for retired pastors. The missionary called the Foundation and told the story of the retired minister. The funds, left many years ago, were for this very purpose and were able to provide not only a monthly stipend, but a washer and dryer as well. The missionary served as a bridge (pun intended) between a great need and resources left at the Foundation for Kingdom work. The Kingdom of God is like an endowment given a long time ago and used years later to provide a dryer.
The moral of this parable is simple. God uses present generosity to meet needs, both present and future, in ways that we can’t imagine, even via a dryer. We, at the Foundation, are excited to be a part of a ministry that bridges the gap between givers and recipients of the generosity of NC Baptists. To God be the glory.
Spreading Good News
Celebrating 97 Years of Serving Those Whose Stewardship Lasts ForeverSpring 2017 Vol. 33 – No. 1The North Carolina Baptist Foundation, Inc.
www.ncbaptistfoundation.orgEstablished 1920
The Parable of the DryerBy Daryl Trexler, Eastern Area Manager
Windsor Flood
Rev. Terry Stockton, Director of Missions, West Chowan Baptist
Association
“To our great delight the NC Baptist Foundation came through with a monthly
stipend and, you guessed it, a washer and dryer. The joy of seeing that servant
and his wife experience this blessing was worth every
minute of my time and effort.”
Spreading Good News Spring 20172
Quarter to Date
1 Year 3 Year 5 Year Since Inception*
NCBF Domestic Equity 1.99% 5.51% 4.85% 11.91% 5.96%NCBF International Equity -0.84% 3.06% -3.38% 3.46% 2.38%NCBF Tactical Composite 1.29% 3.65% 2.27% 4.57% 6.29%NCBF Fixed Composite -1.08% 3.60% 3.11% 2.90% 3.96%S&P 500 Index 3.82% 11.96% 8.88% 14.67% 13.34%MSCI AC World ex US (net)
Source: Consulting Group's Orion. The information above has been obtained by sources considered reliable. Past performance in no way guarantees future results.
Many of us enjoy following the financial markets because the majority of us, especially through retirement accounts, have a vested interest in market performance. Some of us also follow closely the performance of particular stocks that are a part of our personal investment portfolio. We even enjoy comparing our
investment returns to those of our friends. It makes us feel good to know that our investments are doing “better” than others.
It is not uncommon for our Foundation investments to be compared to the performance of the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrials or the Nasdaq Composite. It is certainly fine to make that comparison as long as we understand that our Foundation investment pools will never mirror any one of these US indices. A stock index is simply a grouping of a number of different stocks, often with similar characteristics. For instance, the Dow Jones Industrial Average does not exclusively track heavy industry any longer. It is an index of 30 large stocks from a wide spectrum of industries. These 30 stocks are selected by the editors of The Wall Street Journal who try to pick stocks that represent the broader market.
The Standard and Poor’s 500 index is usually referred to as large-cap and is made up mostly of the 500 largest companies in the U.S. The companies in this index are chosen by a committee at investment company Standard and Poor’s. New members are added to the 500 only as others drop out because of mergers or a faltering business.
The Nasdaq Composite consists of the stocks of more than 3,000 companies, including stocks that are listed on the technology-company-heavy Nasdaq stock exchange. For a stock to be included in the Nasdaq Composite it must trade on the Nasdaq stock exchange and meet other specific criteria. It is one of the world’s largest exchanges.
While it is interesting to compare NCBF pool investments to these indices, that is all it is-interesting. We must keep in mind that in order to keep the proper amount of diversification, the Foundation will own stocks traded on all these markets and others world-wide. In addition, our pools will always include an appropriate amount of fixed income investments.
The point I want to make is that Foundation pool returns will never reflect the S&P, the DOW or the Nasdaq because we will always keep the diversity necessary to insure that when one segment of the market is down it will not have a drastic negative effect on our returns. Plus all our investments are socially screened.
To put it another way, while we make every effort to realize a good return on our investments, our primary focus is on protecting the assets. As I say frequently, we don’t try to hit home runs, we focus on hitting singles that eventually score runs.
For churches and other Baptist entities who make decisions about how their assets are allocated, we do provide an option that is exclusively S&P 500 stocks that are socially screened. Please contact your area manger or the Cary office if you have any questions about investment options or our investment policy.
As I say frequently, we don’t try to hit home runs, we
focus on hitting singles that eventually score runs.
Clay WarfExecutive Director
All From Clay
Spreading Good News Spring 20173
“To equip people in extended financial discipleship” came the answer from the Lord to my inquiry about what He was doing in my life to call me to serve with the NC Baptist Foundation after 35 years plus in pastoral ministry. As a
pastor and church staff member for all those years, my heartbeat was to help people to come to Jesus as Lord, and then to become like Him as His disciples. After all, that’s the focus and goal of the life of faith, right? So the Lord’s answer to me about my new role was still about discipleship – financial discipleship!
Did Jesus talk about that? Not in the direct way that we understand finances, but He talked about our possessions, our stuff, all the time. Did you know that 15% of everything that Jesus taught was about money, possessions and treasures? In fact, of His 38 parables, 16 of them were concerned with how to handle money and possessions. Jesus
taught more about these things than He ever did about heaven or hell. In fact, in the Gospels, an amazing one out of ten verses (288 in all) deals directly with the subject of money.
In our ministry at the Foundation, we are helping people discover how
to be involved with “extended” financial discipleship that results into cheerful generosity (2 Corinthians 9:7). Such generosity is seen in the life of Jim Briley of Charlotte. Jim came to faith as a young adult after growing up in eastern NC. After coming to Jesus, he immediately became involved in Baptist missions in Okinawa, where he was stationed in the Air Force. Thus, the passion of his life and walk with Christ has been missions. When Jim was introduced to the ministry of the F.R.O.G. Centre (Fully Relying On God), in the Mitchell’s Plains area of Cape Town, South Africa, in the late 1990’s, he and his wife, Millie, set up an endowment with the Foundation to support this key community ministry center of West Ridge Baptist Church. The Brileys had always been faithful tithers
and supporters of mission offerings, but now their mission passion stimulated their extended financial discipleship.
Let the Foundation help you and your church to grow in extended financial discipleship. We look forward to discovering with you how God can help your passion grow into a greater kingdom impact.
We look forward to discovering with you how God
can help your passion grow into a greater kingdom impact.
Growing in Extended Financial Discipleship
Allen SchuylerWestern Area Manager
2016 Noel Inspiration Retreat - Above and Beyond
Good food and good fellowship are always a part of the Noel Inspirational Retreat
Sylvia Stafford is delighted to be a door prize winner…again!
Dr. DuPre Sanders leads us to understand that grace giving is
a spiritual matter.Guests brought lots of good things to share
at our first ever Silent Auction.
George is always stepping up and cutting up.
Josh and Rachel Hart from New Bern brought us to tears with their beautiful music.
Spreading Good News Spring 20174
“Love and thanks to each of you for all you do for others and for sharing God’s love in your many gifted ways.” These handwritten words came in a lovely Valentine’s Day card sent to the Baptist Foundation staff this year. We receive lots of mail here at the Foundation
and many letters contain generous contributions from friends and donors far and near, but these words touched me in a special way.
This donor friend did not realize it, but the week before Valentine’s Day I had asked the entire Foundation staff to share with me their favorite “warm fuzzy” about the Baptist Foundation so that I could share some of them with you. And almost immediately a donor sends us a “warm fuzzy” inside a Valentine’s Day card. Look at what was packed inside that one sentence: love and thanks for what we do for others; love and thanks for sharing God’s love….and love and thanks for our gifted ways. Wow!
The staff did come up with some nice “warm fuzzies” about the Foundation and I want to share a few of them, but the bottom line to me was three-fold. First, all we do is for the Lord and all credit goes to Him. Second, we love being servants that get to help others. And finally, we are simply a conduit for the m a n y
generous donors since 1920 that have provided the funds to help others in Jesus’ name.
What are some of the staff “warm fuzzies?” One quotes those that know that we are not after a donation but that we want to help donors with their stewardship; we are more like a good friend. Another tells of the many thank-you letters we receive from impoverished older pastors and their widows who receive a monthly check or assistance with a special need. One other loves that the staff and board prays a lot for each other, for our donors and for our ministry. There was even one that shared of a pastor that had felt in the beginning he had to “duck and hide” from us but now seeks us out for advice and to offer his own assistance back to us.
Our thanks to the many generous friends and donors who make the ministry here at the NC Baptist Foundation possible. We love being your conduit in helping others in Jesus’ name. Thank you for being our “warm fuzzy.”
Thank you for being our “warm fuzzy.”
In the fall of 2016, eastern NC was devastated by Hurricane Matthew. One of the places hit the hardest was Lumberton. The Lumber River reached a record high of 24 feet. West Lumberton Baptist Church, located near the Lumber River, suffered a tremendous amount of damage to several of its buildings when a levee near the church could not hold the rushing water. The sanctuary and education building were
damaged and will have to be renovated. The fellowship building will have to be rebuilt, and the former sanctuary and parsonage had to be torn down. As you can imagine, it is a challenge to meet all of the ministry needs of a church when four buildings have been reduced to only two.
West Lumberton, a member of the Robeson Baptist Association, has been serving the Lumberton community since 1910. Pastor Rick Foreman retired from the Navy and soon after was called into the ministry. He has been pastor at West Lumberton since 2014. As a military guy,
he met challenges head on, but none were more important than this one. He had been called into action to lead the charge in getting West Lumberton back to normalcy.
West Lumberton needed financing for the damaged buildings and sought help through the Small Business Administration. They were finding it difficult to move through the loan application process, so Robeson Association DOM Alan Taylor suggested they contact NCBFS. We were blessed to be able to join West Lumberton in ministry to provide a loan to rebuild.
The good news of this story is not that they were able to get a loan through NCBFS. The good news is that this tragedy has allowed West Lumberton to share The Good News in ways they hadn’t before. Pastor Rick has been thankful for and excited about the ways his folks have reached out to the community. Even though they have been the victims of this devastating storm, they are more focused on helping the community. One day recently while the church buildings were literally being torn down behind them, the members were in the front of the church handing out water bottles, food and clothing to the community. For 52 days, they operated as a distribution center, handing out blankets, coats, furniture, food and water to over 400 people each day. The people have drawn closer to God and
Foundation Facts and Figures
Sure Foundation
Bill OverbyDirector of Trust &
Endowment Development
Russell Jones, Managing Director
North Carolina Baptist Financial Services
Spreading Good News Spring 20175
The people have drawn closer to God and to each other through this tragedy
The services of the North Carolina Baptist Foundation (NCBF) have often been called the best kept secret in Baptist life. The NCBF offers many services in partnership with associations and churches to further their ministry. A few of the less familiar services of the NCBF are our newer ones. This includes church
loans and church loan investments offered by North Carolina Baptist Financial Services (NCBFS, a ministry of NCBF). Loans are offered to qualifying churches and entities for the acquisition, construction and renovation of worship facilities, parsonages, schools and other similar structures. Rates and terms are competitive with other lenders and NCBFS is familiar with the needs of churches. Church loan investments are available to churches and their members at rates above the market. These investments are loaned to churches to help fund their growth needs and are available in the form of demand and timed certificates.
Another lesser known service of the NCBF is the student scholarship funds for students seeking an education in institutions of higher learning, to include seminaries, Baptist and non-Baptist colleges and universities, and technical schools.The Foundation also has limited grant funding available that was provided by faithful NC Baptists for special projects of churches, associations and other Baptist organizations.
Some of the more familiar services of NCBF are estate planning for individuals when there is a charitable intent for Baptist ministries and asset and endowment management for churches. Did you know that the Foundation is available to come to your church or association for speaking engagements such as sermons, senior and young adult programs, Christian estate-planning seminars, consultation with committees, and gift-planning events?
The theme verse on our services brochure is: 1 Corinthians 12: 4-6. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.” The services of the NCBF are too good to be kept a secret. We want to partner with you to educate your members to be better stewards of all that God has entrusted to each of us. If we can assist you, please give us a call.
It’s All His
Robert E. SimonsCentral Area Manager
to each other through this tragedy. Recently they partnered with Crisis Response
International on one of the days of distribution. They served hot meals, gave haircuts and made witnessing bears from towels for the community. That day 6 people were saved. West Lumberton is going to rebuild, but more importantly, they are building for the Kingdom. They are serving as an example of what it is like to be the hands and feet of Jesus. “…whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40 NIV) We look forward to serving with other churches like West Lumberton through our loan and investment ministry.
Ministering to the community
Original church bell circa 1915
Spreading Good News Spring 20176
Central Area ChurchesCalvary, ReidsvilleCartledge Creek, RockinghamCedar Grove, AsheboroCourtney, YadkinvilleCross Road, AsheboroElizabeth, MonroeElkin Valley, ElkinFirst, AsheboroFirst, GreensboroFirst, Indian TrailFirst, SanfordGorman, DurhamGrace, MadisonLawrence Road, HillsboroughLife Community, JamestownLife on Lexington, High PointMaplewood, YadkinvilleMt. Hermon, DurhamNew Bessemer, GreensboroParkwood, ConcordPhaniels, RockwellPitts, ConcordRidgecrest, DurhamRoxboro, RoxboroSardis, CharlotteShady Grove, CherryvilleWest Albemarle, AlbemarleWest Stanley, Albemarle
Central Area AssociationsBeulah Cabarrus Flat River Liberty Montgomery Mt. Zion Piedmont RandolphRowanSandy Creek South YadkinSurry
The following are churches, associations and organizations where we presented, met with committees or preached in 2016. We are grateful for these opportunities and hope that you will invite us to come and share with you this year.
See you in 2017
Central Area Agencies, InstitutionsBSC Board & CommitteesCampers on MissionCaraway Senior Adult Fall FestivalNC Baptist Aging Ministry, PinehurstNC Baptist Aging Ministry, ThomasvilleNC Baptist Men Rally
Other Central Area GatheringsNC Baptist Men Mission Fair
Eastern Area ChurchesAversboro Road, GarnerBear Swamp, LittletonBroad Ridge, OrrumFair Bluff, Fair BluffFirst, Newton GroveFirst, RaleighFirst, WilmingtonGlen Royal, Wake ForestGood News, Roanoke RapidsGourd Springs, Spring LakeGreen Level, ApexHolden Beach Chapel, Holden BeachLaGrange, FayettevilleMacedonia Missionary, WilmingtonPiney Grove, FaisonRiver of Life, Sunset BeachSnyder Memorial, FayettevilleTabernacle, RaleighTrinity, RaleighTurkey, TurkeyVillage, FayettevilleWinterville, WintervilleWest Edgecomb, Rocky MountMacedonia Missionary, Wilmington
Eastern Area AssociationsBrunswick Catawba ValleyColumbus RaleighRobesonSouth RoanokeWest ChowanWilmington
Eastern Area Agencies, InstitutionsBSC Board & CommitteesCampbell Divinity SchoolNC Baptist Assembly, Fort Caswell
Western Area ChurchesOak Grove, ClydeMillhaven MBC, CharlottePeachtree, MurphyWest Ashville, AshevilleWoodland, Waynesville
Western Area AssociationsAsheCaldwellCatawba Valley Green River Metrolina
Western Area Agencies, InstitutionsBSC Board & CommitteesFruitland Baptist Bible CollegeMars Hill University
State-Wide EventsBaptist State Convention Annual MeetingNCBF Noel Inspirational Retreat
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Spreading Good NewsVolume 33 - Number 1
The purpose of this publication is to provide accurate and authoritative information of general character only. The publisher is not engaged in rendering legal or tax advisory service. For advice and assistance in specific cases, the service of an attorney or other professional person should be obtained.
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In Memoriam
Many faithful Baptists have been motivated over the years to enhance their stewardship through the establishment of a permanent fund supporting Christian causes. Some chose to use a trust to provide personal income while living and then to fund an endowment at death. Others chose to establish an endowment or trust through their Last Will and Testament.
Some personalized their endowments by dedicating them in loving memory of someone special. Others chose to honor a special friend or family member by dedicating their fund to them.
This issue of Spreading Good News is dedicated to the memory of the special Foundation friends who passed away in late 2015 and in 2016. Among these were donors, special honorees, and Foundation Board members. All were wonderful Christian servants.
Richard R. Smith, RaleighDella B. Dillard, Cary
William C. Lee, HamerArnold Ray Potter, WilmingtonIrene Beach Bentley, Lenior
Robert Stanley Bridges, RutherfordtonLinwood A. Matthews, AngierRev. Joe Larrimore, WingateEmily G. Millsaps, RaleighOren E. Matthews, Brevard
Henry B. Stokes, Winston-Salem
Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life. Revelation 2:10
Mary “Dalilah” Stinson, Winston-SalemJean Mauney, Shelby
Marie Hocutt, CharlotteEudell Smith, Clayton
Dr. Sylvester A. Moorhead, OxfordMary Ellen Padgette, HobgoodAda Louella Stringfellow, ClydeRuth E. Faires, Winston-Salem
Esther H. Kidd, Raleigh
We Want to Hear From You!
Spreading Good News Spring 20178
Spreading Good NewsThe North Carolina Baptist Foundation, Inc.201 Convention DriveCary, North Carolina 27511-4257
ON THE INSIDE . . .The Parable of the Dryer ............................. Page 1All From Clay ............................................... Page 2Investment Returns ..................................... Page 2Growing in Extended Financial Discipleship Page 32016 Noel Inspirational Retreat ................... Page 3Foundation Facts and Figures ..................... Page 4Sure Foundation .......................................... Page 4-5It’s All His ..................................................... Page 5See You in 2017 .......................................... Page 6Clip n Send .................................................. Page 7In Memoriam ................................................ Page 7Scholarships ................................................ Page 8
Board of DirectorsDavid Ashcraft, RaleighBruce E. Cannon, BakersvilleJack A. Cooper, Elizabeth CityMichael C. Cummings, CharlotteDale Fisher, Hudson Bobbie Furr, Raleigh
Molly L. Foy, CharlotteNancy G. Harper, OrientalRodney S. Hicks, DurhamRobert D. Howard, SouthportCoy H. Jeans, Old FortRoy Krege, Banner Elk
Harvey Montague, Raleigh C. Allen Overton, Clinton, ChairJames C. Shelley, Jr., CreedmoorGlen Warren, Fuquay VarinaHarold W. Vaden, Reidsville
PRSRT STDNon-Profit Org.U. S. Postage
PAIDCary, NC
Permit 333
Scholarships120 Scholarships Totaling $303,400 Awarded to NC Baptist Students in 2016-2017
The NC Baptist Foundation administers three scholarships that are open for online applications each January to NC Baptist college students. The guidelines for each may be found on our website at http://www.ncbaptistfoundation.org/scholarships.aspx.
Following is a summary of the scholarships awarded for 2016-17:
Luther H. Butler Scholarship for NC Baptists – $274,500 awarded to students attending one of six historic Baptist schools in NC: Campbell University- 19 students, Gardner-Webb University- 40 students, Mars Hill University – 11 students, Wingate University- 14 students, and Meredith College- 3 students
Martha Watson Scholarship- $17,250 awarded to 22 students attending any school of choice Bullard Family Scholarship- $11,650 awarded to 11 students going into full-time Christian ministry
To see a complete listing of the students awarded scholarships for the 2016-17 school year, go to our website at: www.ncbaptistfoundation.org/ScholarshipAwards.aspx.
