Partnership Missions

Virginia Baptists currently have focus partnerships with South Africa and the International Baptist Convention.  The other members of the Virginia Baptist partnership family are Brazil, the Caribbean, China, the European Baptist Federation, the Gypsy people group, India, Italy, and Macau.

Through partnerships missions, Virginia Baptists and our partners work together in a variety of projects as requested by the partners. Browse the Servant Opportunities for ways your church can get involved.

Partnership Missions is a mutual relationship. Our partners have much to offer us. Please think of ways that our partners can help you in your ministry, whether developing a new project or assisting with an existing ministry.

Virginia Baptist Focus Partnerships

South Africa
In partnership with the Baptist Union of South Africa and the Norfolk Area Baptist Association, the Virginia Baptist family is participating in Impact 2010. In this church-planting and evangelism thrust, our special role is to provide financial support and volunteer helpers for indigenous church planters in the Free State province. Through Africa for Christ, Virginia Baptist associations and churches are sponsoring 14 indigenous church planters in South Africa.

Two ministries in Johannesburg are also important partners in our South Africa relationship. The Door of Hope ministry rescues abandoned infants. The Touch Life Centre daycare at Troyeville Baptist Church gets kids off the streets and into a loving environment. Virginia Baptists have sent four long-term Venturers to assist in these ministries.

Deeds of Love Ministries (DOLM) is the social arm of the Baptist Union of Southern Africa. DOLM helps churches minister to their communities through orphan care, small business projects, consultation and help for AIDS infected and affected persons, as well as disaster relief.

International Baptist Convention
The International Baptist Convention (IBC) is a fellowship of more than 65 English-speaking churches in 23 countries. The Virginia Baptist family has been partnering with the IBC since October 2007. Our kickoff project was during the IBC’s 2008 summer meeting in Interlaken, Switzerland, when about 40 Virginia Baptists from all over the state provided a children’s retreat.

The IBC has a fascinating role in the Kingdom, ministering to people on the move throughout Europe and the Middle East. Recently several international churches from Central and South America have joined their family. With the prevalence of English in business and communication, as well as the freedom of movement in countries formerly communist, many people are living in countries where they are strangers. IBC churches offer a home to these people who do not feel “at home.”

Download the flyer for the 2009 IBC Summer Conference in Interlaken, Switzerland, which includes volunteer opportunities at the conference.

Partnership Family

Appalachian Regional Ministry
Appalachian Regional Ministry (ARM) is a Cooperative Program ministry of the eleven Baptist State Conventions of the ARM region in partnership with the North American Mission Board and the Woman’s Missionary Union. ARM works to bring together mission volunteers, local churches, and other resources to meet needs in the multi-state region of Appalachia.

Brazil
Virginia Baptists continue to work with the Parana Baptist Convention, headquartered in Curitiba, the capital of Parana province. Through our partnership, we have helped to build almost 60 churches, and the Baptists in Parana have grown from 38,000 to 43,000 members. There is always the possibility of building additional chapels in Parana, and the cost of materials is approximately $15,000.

There are two special areas that can use teams of all kinds and which do not necessarily require extra funds for materials. Pastor China of the Bacacheri Baptist Church has a church plant and large social ministry in the poor community of Vila Zumbi, near Curitiba. There are a school, church, soccer school for children, food distribution, and many other ministries to the community. The Shiloh Baptist Association (Culpeper area) has taken special interest in this project and is also a great source of information about it.

The other project is the seacoast clinic and mission in Tagacaba. This is also not too far from Curitiba. River Road Church (Richmond) is already heavily involved in this project.

Caribbean
The Caribbean Baptist Fellowship is an umbrella organization for over 30 Caribbean Baptist groups. To date, Virginia Baptists have worked together with churches from the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Trinidad, and the Jamaica Baptist Union.

Projects in the Caribbean are less expensive than other international mission trips and have the advantage of deepening our relationship to our next-door neighbors. The official partnership ended in 2008, but we will continue to receive individual project requests, as well as facilitate church-to-church partnerships and special projects such as IMPACT! mission camps in the Caribbean. The projects are diverse: construction, children's work, training, outreach/evangelism, sports ministry, etc.

China
In China, Virginia Baptists are blessed to have Lynn Yarbrough serving as a Virginia Baptist Ambassador. Lynn teaches college English there, but she also coordinates our work with the Amity Foundation, the YMCA in Xi'an, and some projects with college students.
Visit Lynn’s webpage.

Each summer Virginia Baptists send several Virginians to China for four weeks to teach conversational English to Chinese middle school English teachers. There are also shorter mission projects, such as working 10-14 days with young children in schools for poor migrant workers, tutoring English to college students, or playing basketball.

European Baptist Federation
The European Baptist Federation (EBF) serves most of the Baptist conventions in Europe and the Middle East. For the past couple of years, Virginia Baptists have been supporting indigenous church planters through the EBF’s Indigenous Missionary Project. Now we have specific requests from Moldova for teams to assist the church planters we are helping there.

Gypsy People Group
For several years, Virginia Baptists have partnered with the Gypsy Ministries of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Project Ruth. In Hungary, Romania, and Moldova, there are opportunities to help with construction and children's work.

India
For over 25 years, Virginia Baptists have had ties to the seminary of the India Baptist Convention of Kerala, as well as to the Precious Children Home there. Dr. Kunjumon Chacko has been in Virginia many times, especially after the tsunami ravaged South Asia in December 2004.

Since 2004 Virginia Baptists have rallied to the aid of the children and fisherfolk affected by the tsunami. Our partnership with our Indian friends includes the sponsorship of children, school supplies, fishing boats, and rebuilding projects. Teams are also needed to help expand the children's home, as well as do children's ministry there.

Italy
The Italian Baptist Union has an old connection to Virginia – some of the first Baptist workers in Italy were from Virginia. Virginia Baptists work closely with the Italian Baptists in the area of youth ministry. We have had several youth ministry exchange teams, both in Virginia and in Italy. Churches are encouraged to host youth groups from our partners and to do projects together.

Macau
In Macau, Larry and Sarah Ballew lead Light for the City, a ministry among the business community and college students. On their website, they write: “Macau is a Chinese city of almost 500,000 people located on the southern coast of China. As in every city, Macau is full of challenges. But we believe that every challenge when seen through eyes of faith is also an opportunity. We hope that you will be challenged by the many opportunities there are in Macau for proclaiming blessing and hope to people searching for a full and prosperous life.”

For more details, contact Craig Waddell at 800.ALL.BGAV (255.2428).