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Each summer, Bluefield College serves as a hub for missionary workers throughout the nation. Hundreds of participants willingly spend a week of their summer vacation on the Bluefield College campus to make an impact on the lives of those who reside within the Greater Bluefield community.

July 28, 2008

Article by freelance writer Sharde Sherman    

Each summer, Bluefield College serves as a hub for missionary workers throughout the nation. Hundreds of participants willingly spend a week of their summer vacation on the Bluefield College campus to make an impact on the lives of those who reside within the Greater Bluefield community.    

One hundred twenty volunteers from churches in east central Georgia recently descended on the BC campus, July 12-19, with a mission to restore homes, support local church ministries, and share the love of the Christian faith in Greater Bluefield.    

The 20 participating churches were brought together by the Hephzibah and Kilpatrick Baptist Associations in Georgia. The Hephzibah Baptist Association (HBA), founded in 1794 and the second oldest Baptist Association in Georgia, was created to support existing churches in fulfilling the commands of Christ, summarized in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, and to assist in the establishment of new work (missions, ministries and churches).    

In 2004, the HBA coordinated with the Kilpatrick Baptist Association (KBA) to send volunteers to southern West Virginia to conduct mission Vacation Bible Schools and perform needed construction on churches and private residences. Today, the Associations have developed a mission partnership with Mountain State Baptist Association in Princeton, West Virginia, to provide summer mission work over the next few years. The mission service began with 33 volunteers in 2004, and since has quadrupled in size.     

"Initially, we saw this partnership as a four-year agreement," said David Harbeson, minister of music and youth at Dearing Baptist Church in Georgia. "However, as we have seen and heard the success stories, both the HBA and KBA want to make this a yearly commitment."    

Mason Davis, former director of missions for the Hephzibah and Kilpatrick Baptist Associations, began partnering with the Mountain State Baptist Association with the hope to develop something consistent over a long period of time, rather than having a mixture of mission trips scattered throughout the nation each year. Harbeson believes this vision and commitment have truly paid off.    

"Although the mission field entails much hard work, each year I see more and more change," Harbeson said. "In fact, a story I heard this morning was from participants who were helping out at Bridge Community Baptist Church in Matoaka. Five years ago, when we first started working with that church plant, there were only a few children and a handful of adults. Now, the adults hold the largest class, and I can see how they are sharing the good news with their children and grandchildren. The church is seeing positive growth, and the pastor is looking forward to transitioning from a church plant to finding a full-time pastor."    

During the weeklong mission trip headquartered at Bluefield College, participants had the opportunity to serve in one of eight different ministry sites located in Beckley, Matoaka, War and Bluefield, West Virginia, and Bluefield, Virginia. Working in conjunction with Central Baptist Church (Bluefield), Glade Community Church (Beckley), Calvary Baptist Church (War), and Bridge Community Baptist Church (Matoaka), the Georgia missionaries offered three Vacation Bible Schools (VBS), one Backyard Bible School, and a Friday night Block Party. They also renovated church facilities, offered street ministry programs for children, participated in prayer walks and evangelism, presented a creative arts ministry team, and shared a Christian witness in the community.    

"I have never been on a mission trip," said Vannie Black of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Georgia, who worked in the nursery of the VBS at Glade Springs Baptist, "but it was such a blessing to see the reaction of the people and workers who were excited to reconnect with people who came back to VBS this year."    

Each morning, the Georgia missionaries spent an hour in worship, inspiration and reflection, which is coordinated by various members of the participating churches. Every church had the opportunity to share what God had been doing in the churches of the Greater Bluefield community. Ed James, a member of Powell Baptist Church in Georgia, shared his experience working at Glade Springs.     "We are working in a church that does not even have a building," James said.

"However, it is amazing that the Lord has provided a place for the church to meet every single time. Last year, a man came to the Friday night Block Party and has attended the church ever since. Although he is not yet a member of Glade Springs, he willingly gave up his home for the adult Bible study group to meet, simply because he wanted others to have the opportunity to participate in VBS."      

The mission week provided an opportunity for the Georgia Baptists to use their talents as a cook, teacher, carpenter, artist or mentor and to help smaller churches who may not have these resources. Although only 20 out of 57 churches that are a part of the HBA and KBA made the trip to Bluefield this year, almost every church was involved in the mission in some way.    

"It is remarkable that we have such support from the 57 churches in the Associations," James said. "Churches who can't be here in person send their prayers, materials and money. We couldn't reach people to the extent that we do without their support. Bluefield College has been so gracious to host us. It is a beautiful area, and I can really see God's hand in the region."

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