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Asian-American leaders learn about GuideStone services


DALLAS (BP) — Leaders of eight Asian-American fellowship groups met at GuideStone Financial Resources to learn about the Southern Baptist entity’s services, among ways of partnering more closely with the SBC.

Paul Kim, Asian-American relations consultant for the SBC Executive Committee and pastor emeritus of Antioch Baptist Church in Cambridge, Mass., joined leaders from the Japanese Fellowship, Hmong Fellowship, Vietnamese Fellowship, Filipino Fellowship, Laotian Fellowship, Chinese Fellowship, Korean Fellowship and Cambodian Fellowship in the meetings at GuideStone Financial Resources.

The leaders learned about services that GuideStone makes available to all Southern Baptist churches, including retirement, investments, insurance and property and casualty for churches and ministries, as well as Mission:Dignity, GuideStone’s financial relief ministry for retired Southern Baptist pastors and their widows.

The GuideStone visit preceded an inaugural A2CP2 conference at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. (See Baptist Press story today.)

“We count it such a joy to tell the GuideStone story to these dear brothers in Kingdom and Southern Baptist work,” said GuideStone President O.S. Hawkins, who welcomed the guests to the SBC entity’s Dallas offices.

“It was such a privilege to hear about their work and witness and to share with them the opportunities GuideStone has to serve their churches, their pastors and their people.

“We hope this meeting is useful in helping to equip these leaders to go to the pastors they represent and further share what GuideStone is able to provide in service to them as they serve the Lord.”

Joel Rister, GuideStone’s managing director of denominational business services, served as coordinator for the April 8 meeting.

“Dr. Kim approached GuideStone about holding meetings that would allow the Asian-American fellowship groups to hear about the work GuideStone does on behalf of Southern Baptist churches and how they, as fellow Southern Baptists, could avail themselves of the services we offer,” Rister said. “… I was deeply impressed by their excitement for church planting and greatly encouraged by their willingness to strengthen the partnerships between their churches and the broader Southern Baptist community.”

Kim said, “We want to encourage these pastors and their churches to become involved in all parts of Southern Baptist life, at the associational, state and national level. We want them to attend the meetings, to serve in various capacities, so that they can be informed and active participants in Southern Baptist life.”

Kim said he will be visiting with leaders of the various Southern Baptist Asian fellowships, encompassing nearly 2,000 churches, during the coming year to “remind them to get more involved in Southern Baptist life and in GuideStone. I want to make sure these presidents are making sure their pastors know what GuideStone has to offer the pastors and churches.

“We are of one heart and one mind with our Southern Baptist brothers.”

    About the Author

  • Roy Hayhurst

    Roy Hayhurst is director of denominational and public relations services for GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.

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