Haitian, Hispanic, Black/Multicultural, and Asian-American Baptists each gathered to share a meal, connect in fellowship, and testify to how God is moving in their churches and communities.

Below are scenes from these gatherings.

ORLANDO- Florida Baptist diversity was on full display on Monday night’s dinner fellowships at First Orlando during the Florida Baptist State Convention annual gathering. Haitian, Hispanic, multicultural, and Asian-American Baptists gathered to fellowship and celebrate what God is doing in and through each of their churches. Below are scenes of these diverse gatherings.

Haitian Fellowship

Mimose Jules and husband Erik Jules, pastor of One God in Three Persons, worship during the Haitian Fellowship.

Retired pastor Luc Dominique worships alongside Haitian brothers and sisters during the group’s fellowship.

Asian-American Fellowship

Pablito Lucas (center), Asian-American multicultural consultant and Asian-American Baptists at the Florida Baptist State Convention.

Hispanic Fellowship

Hector Torres, the Spanish/discipleship pastor at Elevate Church, enjoys dinner with his daughter and wife at the Hispanic Fellowship dinner.

Eloy Rodriguez (sitting), Spanish pastor at Idlewild Baptist Church, catches up with Emanuel Roque (left), FBC Hispanic ministries catalyst, at the Hispanic Fellowship.

Multicultural Fellowship

Erik Cummings, multicultural catalyst for the Florida Baptist Convention, conveys diplomas on Baptist University of Florida graduates and honors retired pastors during the multicultural fellowship gathering.

Second-Chair Fellowship

Micah Fergurson, director of strategic initiatives for the Florida Baptist Convention, meets with second-chair cohorts gathered for a celebratory dinner.

LAKELAND–In May 1998 Lito and Lilybeth Lucas moved to Lakeland with the firm belief that they were following God’s direction to plant a church in Central Florida.

Lucas had recently completed his studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, and as he and his wife prayed and laid hands on a map, they felt drawn to Lakeland. There, they knew no one and were, in a sense, “lone rangers,” Lucas recalls. Yet, they focused on the calling from God and persevered. Soon the couple, both Filipino, started a six-person Bible study in their apartment.

The couple’s lone ranger status didn’t last long as they chose to partner with South Florida Baptist Association and the Florida Baptist Convention, even as their fledgling Bible study took shape and began to grow in numbers.

Today that Bible study has become Philippine International Christian Fellowship, a thriving congregation that celebrated its 25^th anniversary Sunday, March 3.

The past 25 years–along with the building where the congregation now worships–are “a testimony of God’s faithfulness and grace. I could not imagine the bountiful blessing God bestowed on this church,” Lucas said during the church’s anniversary celebration, adding that God used each person in attendance to help sustain and grow the congregation.

“When you look back at how God provided … I could not express words of gratitude to God,” said Lucas, who had no guarantee of a salary when he first planted the congregation.

“I believe when God calls you to do a ministry, just be faithful; He will provide resources,” Lucas said.

‘Part of a family’

The pastor expressed gratefulness to his local association and the state convention for their partnership in coming alongside the church plant through the years.

Florida Baptists, he said, are “a family. I enjoy being part of a family who loves the Lord, loves the gospel, and loves the people of Florida.

“It’s a blessing to be part of Florida Baptists.”

For Lucas, the partnership goes both ways. He has served in numerous volunteer roles with the association, from moderator to prayer coordinator to committee chairman. Also, he serves as second vice president for the Florida Baptist Pastors’ Conference and is the Asian-American multicultural consultant for the Florida Baptist Convention.

‘Aroma of smoke goes to … altar of praise’

One noteworthy aspect of the anniversary celebration was the “burning of the note,” signifying that the financial loan for their recently acquired and renovated church facility had been paid in full.

Through the years, after the small group moved from Lucas’s apartment, it had a couple of temporary homes–first, the associational office and next, nearby Lakes Church (then known as First Baptist Church at the Mall). Grateful for these temporary homes, the church still longed for a place to call its own.

“It (the church facility) was a dream before it became a reality,” said Lucas during the church’s anniversary celebration.

As he prepared to burn the note, Lucas read an excerpt from a letter written by Richard Williamson, associational missions strategist for South Florida Baptist Association: “I’m thankful for what God is doing in the life of your church family. It is my prayer that this building will be home to your church family for many years to come. May God do great and mighty things in your midst as you faithfully follow Him.”

As smoke from the burning note wafted into the sanctuary, Lucas prayed, “We pray the aroma of the smoke will go to Your altar of praise as we express thankfulness to You.”

Having a church facility opens up numerous opportunities for the congregation to plan and conduct outreach events focused on the community, such as hosting holiday events for families and providing food to local residents displaced by a recent hurricane, Lucas believes.

“We give God all the glory for providing us a place to worship so that we can be a beacon of light and hope not only to the Filipino community but to the rest of the community. Our prayer is to be more diverse—a more multicultural, multigenerational church,” Lucas said.

To that end, Lucas said that his congregation wants to open the doors of its facility to other churches, particularly those focused on reaching specific ethnic groups.

“Our church is open to sponsor them, and we have a space for them. We will encourage them to grow,” he said.

As Philippine International Fellowship Church celebrates its quarter century, Lucas knows that the Lord has a future for the congregation as it continues to be faithful in obedience to Him.

“Pray for us that we will be continually focused on the Lord, share the gospel, love the community and make a difference not only to each other but to everyone,” he said.

How is God moving through the Sunshine State? Here’s your answer. Planting and revitalizing churches, reaching unreached people groups, baptizing new believers, ministering and witnessing during times of crisis–these are just a few of the Florida Baptist Convention’s 20 most-read stories in 2023.

1. Pastor Brings Churches Together to Revitalize First Baptist Fort Lauderdale

By David Moore, Oct. 13. 

FORT LAUDERDALE–Pastor David Hughes helped turn things around for what is now Church by the Glades decades ago, and now he and members of that church are working together to help revitalize First Baptist Fort Lauderdale.

2. Brazilian Church Plant in Delray Beach Reaches Haitians with Gospel

By Keila Diaz, June 2.

DELRAY BEACH— One-year-old church plant Brazilian Baptist Church is reaching not only Brazilians in the Delray Beach community, but also Portuguese-speaking Haitian families.

3. Baptist College of Florida Partners with Local Church to Launch Extension Campus

By Jessica Pigg, Aug. 9. 

CLEARWATER– The Baptist College of Florida recently has announced a partnership with Calvary Church in Clearwater to launch a new extension campus slated to open in August 2024.

4. Southwest Florida Church Witnesses Unprecedented Number of Baptisms/Life Change

By Jessica Pigg, May 18.

NAPLES—April found herself searching for purpose and struggling to find direction. She had grown up attending church with her family, so she did an online search for Baptist churches near her and found First Naples. On January 23, after years of searching for purpose, April found life change.

5. Pastors to Be Nominated to Lead 2024 Florida Baptist Pastors’ Conference

By Margaret Colson, Oct. 2.

LUTZ­–Aaron Burgner will be nominated by fellow Florida Baptist pastor Alan Brumback to serve as president of the 2024 Florida Baptist Pastors’ Conference.

6. Church Replant Breathes New Life into Historic Community/Unites Local Churches

By Brooke Mannion, March 8.

PENSACOLA­–A new God story is unfolding in West Pensacola’s rich historic religious landscape. The Point Church Jackson Campus, a replant of West Pensacola Baptist Church, is breathing new life into the historic 12-acre campus, which had been “a foothold for the gospel” in the community for more than half a century.

7. Florida Baptists to Celebrate/Conduct Business at 2023 Annual Meeting

By Margaret Colson, Oct. 30.

LUTZ–Florida Baptists will gather to conduct business and celebrate churches working together to expand God’s kingdom when the 2023 Florida Baptist State Convention convenes at Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz Nov. 13-14.

8. Horseshoe Beach Church Serves ss ‘Lighthouse’ for Community Amid Hurricane Devastation

By Jessica Pigg, Sept. 5.

HORSESHOE BEACH—Known as a laid-back, friendly fishing village, the quaint community of Horseshoe Beach found itself directly in the path of Hurricane Idalia’s 125 mph winds and 10-foot storm surge. The catastrophic devastation has left the fishing and boating community in pieces.

Picking up some of those pieces is Robin Hoffman. Hoffman’s family has owned a home in Horseshoe Beach since the early 1970s and is a longtime member of First Baptist Church Horseshoe Beach—the only local church within 20 miles.

9. ‘Incredibly Gracious and Big God’ Fuels Partnerships Between Churches/Regions

By Jessica Pigg, June 28.

FT. LAUDERDALE–The long, scenic miles across Alligator Alley could not hinder southwest Florida Baptist pastors from coming “right beside” Larry Brister, a pastor serving in Ft. Lauderdale.

10. Calvary Church Reaches Deaf Community for Christ

By Jessica Pigg, July 18.

CLEARWATER—For Ron Cooney, a specific church ministry originally brought his family through the doors of Calvary Church when he was 14 years old. As a child of a deaf adult (CODA), Cooney and his family were able to find a home at the Central Florida church. Now, years later, Cooney still calls Calvary Church home—as its executive pastor.

11. ‘God Has Showed Up and Showed Out’ for Worship/Youth Pastor

By Brooke Mannion, Oct. 15.

CRAWFORDVILLE–An excruciating cry of pain rang out through the worship center as Pastor Wayne Baker presented the altar call at First Baptist Church of Wakulla Station on Sunday, April 23. Baker quickly realized that Pastor Daniel Lloyd, worship and youth pastor, had fallen to the ground in debilitating back pain.

12. ‘I’ve Always Had a Love for Pastors’ Says Retiring Catalyst Gary Townsend

By David Moore, July 16.

Helping pastors and their churches was one of the things Gary Townsend enjoyed most about his role as north regional catalyst for the Florida Baptist Convention.

13. Monticello Church Marks 192nd Anniversary with Heritage Day Celebration

By David Moore, July 6.

MONTICELLO­–When Elizabeth Baptist Church in Monticello held its heritage day celebration recently, members and guests gathered to commemorate 192 years of history in various ways, which included:

Dedicating its new bronze plaque containing a handwritten replica of the church’s original constitution, now attached to the front of the church.
Honoring its historian and a couple of longtime, dedicated members.
Thanking its members for its status as one of the most generous Baptist churches in Florida.
Rejoicing in the baptism of a new believer.

14. UF Students Spend Spring Break on Mission in South Sudan

By David Moore, May 11.

GAINESVILLE–South Sudan in East Africa is not your typical spring break destination for today’s college students, but when the opportunity arose to go there on a mission trip, Emma Formet was all in.

15. Diverse Populations Unified in Christ at Crestview Baptist Church

By Teodosia Rivera, Oct. 10.

LAKELAND­–As David Renfroe celebrates his 20th anniversary as senior pastor of Crestview Baptist Church in Lakeland, the true celebration focuses on the more than 1,500 individuals­–representing dramatically diverse walks of life­–who have made professions of faith and been baptized over the past two decades at the Central Florida church.

16. Florida Baptists Come Together to Celebrate Victories, Look to Future During Challenge 2025 Gathering

By Margaret Colson and Keila Diaz, March 3.

ORLANDO­–Close to 1,000 Florida Baptists came together to celebrate victories and look to the future in reaching Florida’s 22 million residents with the gospel during the Challenge 2025 Gathering held Feb. 28 at First Baptist Church in Orlando.

17. Cloer Inaugurated as Seventh President of Baptist College of Florida

By Margaret Colson, April 26.

GRACEVILLE–The Baptist College of Florida inaugurated Clayton Cloer as it seventh president in a ceremony April 25 on the school’s main campus in Graceville.

18. Culbreth Retires, Credits God with Ministry Opportunities/Impact

By Margaret Colson, March 24.

JACKSONVILLE–After serving the Florida Baptist Convention, where he has “invested his life in the church,” for 25 years, Craig Culbreth, is retiring March 31, 2023.

19. Cooking up a Community that Glorifies God

By Brooke Mannion, June 1.

PENSACOLA­–Working late nights and serving the Sunday brunch crowd, restaurant workers can find it difficult to draw near to God, consistently fellowship with believers and receive encouragement to walk with Christ.

20. Chipola Churches Share Christ, Give Generously and Celebrate Milestone

By Brooke Mannion, Sept. 21.

MARIANNA–Smiles, singing, crafts, praising Jesus and learning about His love and sacrifice fueled the summer for churches in Chipola Baptist Association.

It’s just the kind of story Pastor Chinh Nguyen hoped for as he and other church volunteers shared the gospel with Vietnamese residents who received dental care over the course of the four-day clinic held at the church in Jacksonville.

“After he became a believer, he told me ‘I am quitting Buddhism, and I have become a Christian’,” said Nguyen. “It brought tears to my eyes that day. I am so happy for him and for the kingdom of God.”

This man was one of four who accepted Christ during the mission. One of the other three lives more than an hour away in Daytona, and the other two work on Sundays, making it difficult to attend church services. Still, Nguyen is hopeful that he will eventually get to baptize the others and help them grow in their faith.

These four were part of the 75 people who received care from the Florida Baptist Mobile Dental Ministry, ranging from fillings, tooth extractions and cleanings. The dental mission included seven local dentists, six dental assistants, four dental hygienists, all volunteering their time, and about 22 other volunteers. Anna Guy is one of the volunteers who helped coordinate the dental mission. As a member of Lake Shore Baptist Church in Jacksonville, she has about 12 years of experience coordinating these clinics. When Marc Johnston, community ministries catalyst for the Florida Baptist Convention, contacted her about helping this new church, she was happy to say yes.

The host church is responsible for finding and enlisting dentists and assistants, she said. “Since this is the church’s first time doing this, I thought it would be helpful to take care of scheduling the dentists for them.”

Guy and other volunteers also took care of registering attendees over the phone, after they had pre-registered online. Since this ministry is for the underprivileged, participants can’t have dental insurance, and their income must be below a certain level.

Every person attending received a personal care kit and gift from the church. All the Vietnamese attendees also received a Vietnamese Bible.

“I can’t say enough about the dental services that the Florida Baptist Convention provides,” Guy said. “This is a real passion for me. The people are always so appreciative. That’s why it’s such a wonderful ministry. It’s so rewarding and fulfilling to be able to help and minister to these people. It’s the icing on the cake when people accept the Lord.”

While 75 people attended the clinic – the maximum that can be accommodated, Nguyen said only about half were Vietnamese. There was a long waiting list, but few cancellations. He’d like to host the dental mission again, but he’d like to be a little more strategic about attracting the target audience of

Vietnamese residents who are unbelievers. One idea he has is to set up a table at the local Vietnamese market and pre-register attendees. This method would also benefit older residents who are not computer savvy enough to register online.

The mobile dental mission is a great service to provide to the Vietnamese community, he said. While most Vietnamese people care about their health and buy medical insurance, many can’t afford dental insurance.

“This is such a good mission,” Nguyen said. “It’s amazing what God has done through this mobile dental service.” This Vietnamese-language church plant began meeting in October 2022 and currently has about 55 regular members and attendees. As the church prepared to celebrate the end of its first year, they liked the idea of doing the dental mission clinic.

With approximately 12,000 Vietnamese residents in Jacksonville, Nguyen said there is definitely a need for Vietnamese-language churches like this one. He said there are only three in the city that he is aware of, including his own, but there is room for more. Before answering God’s call to come to Jacksonville to start the church, he lived in Denver where there were eight Vietnamese churches.

“I believe there are good number of unreached Vietnamese people here in Jacksonville,” he said. “That is one of the reasons we moved here and started the church.”

Drawing 1,484 attendees, including 955 messengers from 491 churches and 529 guests, the November 2023 gathering was a vibrant mosaic of multiple cultures and ethnic backgrounds, featuring Haitian, Asian, Hispanic and Black communities, among others.

Dinner on Monday, Nov. 13, provided a unique space for various ethnic fellowships to connect. Attendees enjoyed dining together, hearing biblical messages, and exploring the myriad opportunities and resources offered by the Florida Baptist Convention and the broader Southern Baptist Convention family.

At the Asian fellowship dinner, around 20 pastors, their spouses and church leaders gathered to strengthen bonds and build new connections. “This is an excellent occasion to form relationships and unite with other Asian believers,” remarked Lito Lucas, pastor of Philippine International Christian Fellowship in Lakeland, and recently elected second vice president of the 2024 Florida Baptist Pastors’ Conference. “With each year, our numbers grow,” he added.

The Haitian dinner, with an attendance of approximately 200, welcomed Tommy Green, Florida Baptists’ executive director-treasurer, expressing heartfelt camaraderie. “I’m so glad you’re here to fellowship, and I’m grateful for our partnership in the kingdom,” he said, encouraging Haitian Baptists to actively seek support for their missions.

At the Hispanic dinner, Green praised the group’s robust engagement, asserting, “Your Hispanic Fellowship is leading the nation and setting the pace. We are fully committed to supporting you.”

Myles Dowdy, Florida Baptists’ lead catalyst for missions and ministries, unveiled a new mission partnership with the Ohio Baptist Convention. He commended the Hispanic community for its dedication to missions both locally and internationally, saying, “Thank you for your efforts, whether they take you across the street or across the globe.”

The event’s culmination was marked by a message from Edgar Aponte, senior pastor of Idlewild Baptist Church. Addressing the Hispanic gathering, he underscored the importance of faithfulness amid a culture that often strays from such virtues. He called for trust in God’s sovereignty, adherence to God’s word, a life set apart from worldly influences, and a missionary mindset in all aspects of life.

“We serve a God who is good, sovereign and powerful,” he concluded.

PENSACOLA–In its inaugural worship service on New Year’s Day 2023,  Pensacola Chinese Baptist Church welcomed more than 100 in attendance, and four people made professions of faith.

Since that time the young church has continued its gospel outreach, primarily focusing on Mandarin-speaking individuals from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan or Southeast Asia.

“Our goal is to build relationships and attract seekers to the Pensacola Chinese Baptist Church,” said Zhang.

Reflecting on the launch of Pensacola Chinese Baptist Church, Zhang said, “I think it is the Lord’s guidance and blessing for a church-planting ministry in Florida. There are many mission fields from north to south, from west to east in the Sunshine State.”

More co-laborers have become involved in outreach ministry to the Chinese population, resulting in the need for a larger Sunday school classroom. Through the ministry, four new believers were baptized in June.

Brian Nall, executive director of Pensacola Bay Baptist Association, said, “The Chinese community is an under-reached segment of our community. We are deeply grateful for Pastor Dawson and are excited to serve Pensacola Chinese Baptist Church as they advance the kingdom of God in our area.”

Hillcrest Baptist Church has assisted with a room for Bible study on Saturday mornings, and Olive Baptist Church provides a Sunday morning classroom and a chapel area for Sunday evening service. One challenge the church plant has faced is the gap between Sunday school on Sunday morning and worship on Sunday evening. “Some people will not want to come back after a long break during the day, and others are older and limited with regards to driving in the evenings,” said Zhang.

While very grateful for the spaces provided to them, the church is praying for a place to have meeting times without the large gap during the day.

As a recipient of Maguire State Mission Offering funds, Zhang is encouraged and feels God’s grace poured out on the church through the Florida Baptist Convention and Send Network Florida.

The funds received will provide the church with more opportunities to connect with the community and share the gospel through outreach events such as monthly meals to welcome newcomers and build relationships. Additionally, Zhang plans to invite other preachers to share God’s word with the congregation.

Other portions of the funds will help Zhang travel from Montgomery, Alabama, to Pensacola each week. He currently pastors a church plant in Alabama and drives to Florida each week to pastor the Pensacola church. His goal is to eventually pass the torch in Montgomery and move with his family to Pensacola.

Aaron Burgner, State Board of Missions president, encouraged Florida Baptists to “keep working” as he focused on Luke 19:11-13. “Jesus is King,” Burgner proclaimed. The King, he said, has given us all the same resources while “He is away,” just as the king in the parable provided resources to his servants. Believers today have the resources of the Holy Spirit and Scripture. Florida Baptists “have good reason to engage,” he continued, because we have been changed, have been commanded and have a fertile field. Burgner, senior pastor of Lakes Church in Lakeland, concluded that the hope of Florida Baptists and all believers is that the King is returning.

During the State Board of Missions meeting, Tommy Green, Florida Baptists’ executive director-treasurer, proclaimed that the work of Florida Baptists is “unfinished,” as he focused on 2 Timothy 4:24. Calling on Florida Baptists to “rejoice in what God is doing everywhere,” he also focused on how to strengthen the work of the church in the present and future. There is a critical need for partnership, he said, explaining, “Isolation is never healthy for your church or your personal ministry.” Further, there is a critical nature of purpose. “Sometimes we need to show up and show up big,” he said, giving all for the glory of God. Finally, there is a critical necessity of priority, stating, “We must come together because the work is unfinished.”

Paul Purvis, Florida Baptist State Convention president, called on State Board members to focus on the kingdom of God: “We must do everything we can to help others experience the kingdom of God … to help others experience the joy of kingdom living … to expand the kingdom.” Purvis, senior pastor of Mission Hill Church in Tampa, announced the theme of the Nov. 12-14, 2023, Florida Baptist State Convention Annual Meeting at Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz will be “It’s Still the Kingdom.”

Financial snapshot

Florida Baptists’ financial report revealed that the Convention received a total of $29,180,689 toward the 2022 Florida Baptist Convention Cooperative Program budget. Of the total receipts, 51% was forwarded to the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee for distribution denomination-wide, and 49% was retained in Florida.

Board members learned that the year-to-date total for Florida Baptist CP budget receipts is $169,816 above projections. Additionally, during the first two months of 2023, Florida Baptists have given $4,363,974 in designated gifts.

The Board approved a distribution of 4% from the CP Endowment Fund, established in 2000 to create an income stream to supplement CP giving, to the convention’s 2023 CP budget.

After reporting that $939,238 was received for the 2022 Maguire State Mission Offering, the Board recommended a 2023 goal of $880,000, earmarked exclusively for the Florida Send Network for church planting. Florida Baptists are moving toward a Challenge 2025 goal of $1 million for the Maguire State Mission Offering in 2025.

The Board learned that a total of $27,817 was provided in financial assistance for 59 pastors January-February 2023.

Denominational matters

During the meeting, Florida Baptists’ State Board of Missions, acting ad interim on behalf of the Florida Baptist State Convention, unanimously approved a resolution March 31 expressing deep concern with the utilization of Guidepost Solutions or its subsidiary Faith Based Solutions in Southern Baptists’ sexual abuse response initiative.

The Board also approved a recommendation for the Florida Baptist State Convention to establish an affiliate relationship with the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention “for the primary purpose of training/resourcing Florida Baptist churches in the areas of child protection, abuse prevention and response.”

The affiliate relationship with ECAP is a “very positive and proactive step to help churches excel in abuse prevention,” said Green.

Personnel changes

The State Board of Missions approved numerous personnel changes, including new catalysts for the North and East regions of Florida. Following the March 31 retirement of Craig Culbreth as East region catalyst, the Board approved naming Patrick Coats to fill the position. Coats has served as Black multicultural church catalyst for Florida Baptists since 2017 in addition to serving in numerous other ministerial roles in Florida for close to 20 years. In anticipation of the retirement of North region catalyst Gary Townsend on June 30, 2023, the Board approved Florida Baptist pastor Phillip Herrington to assume the role. Herrington has served as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Live Oak since 2005 and served the church as associate pastor of students and children 2000-2005.

Additionally, the Board approved the transition of the Board-elected positions of Black multicultural catalyst to a consultant/contract position, with Erik Cummings named to the role. Cummings will continue to serve as pastor of New Life Church in Carol City. The Board also welcomed Pablito Lucas to serve as Florida Baptists’ Asian-American multicultural consultant. Lucas will continue to serve as pastor of Philippine International Christian Fellowship in Lakeland. The Board also approved renaming the Hispanic and Haitian church catalyst positions to Hispanic and Haitian multicultural catalysts.

Other business

Board members learned that the Florida Baptist Convention signed on to an amicus brief with the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops in support of Florida’s current 15-week abortion ban which is being challenged in the Florida Supreme Court. The Florida Legislature is currently considering a bill that would ban abortion after six weeks gestation.

The Board approved the recommendation to change the official name of Florida Baptist Children’s Homes to One More Child. The name change requires affirmative votes by messengers at two consecutive Florida Baptist annual meetings.

The State Board of Missions will next meet Aug. 24-25 at the Baptist Building in Jacksonville.

Pensacola Chinese Baptist Church, pastored by Dawson Zhang, had more than 100 in attendance at its inaugural worship service Jan. 1. Most attendees are Mandarin-speaking Christians from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan or Southeast Asia.

Zhang gave a gospel presentation, sharing that anyone who accepts God’s Lamb, Jesus, will be justified by His blood, with four people responding with salvation decisions.

Just three weeks later, the young congregation celebrated Lunar New Year, with food, entertainment and expressions of gratefulness to God.

“Happy Lunar New Year of the Rabbit to all my Facebook friends. … Tonight in Pensacola the Chinese community celebrated the new year with joy and blessings,” Zhang wrote in a Jan. 22 social media post.

Reflecting on the launch of Pensacola Chinese Baptist Church, Zhang said, “I think it is the Lord’s guidance for a church-planting ministry in Florida. There are many mission fields from north to south, from west to east in the Sunshine State.”

During the summer of 2022, the Zhang family visited Pensacola Christian College in preparation for their teenage sons to attend in the future. While visiting, they learned of the Chinese Bible study group meeting at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola.

Zhang, a church planter with churches in Mississippi and Alabama, contacted David Welch, a former International Mission Board missionary to Taiwan and current Bible study leader for the Chinese-speaking group at Olive.

Excited and encouraged by one another, they met with Ted Traylor, Olive Baptist Church pastor, and Shaun Pillay, associate pastor, to discuss a church plant in Pensacola.

“After years of having a small Sunday school class for those with a Chinese background,” Traylor said, “I’m thrilled to partner with pastor Zhang and the North American Mission Board to make the Chinese church a reality on the Pensacola campus.”

In attendance at the Lunar New Year celebration was Brian Nall, executive director of the Pensacola Bay Baptist Association, who said, “The Chinese community is an under-reached segment of our community. We are deeply grateful for Pastor Dawson and are excited to serve Pensacola Chinese Baptist Church as they advance the kingdom of God in our area.”

MELBOURNE–Pastor Jongha Park planned to retire, but God had other plans.

He had been in ministry since 1996, serving as pastor at a Baptist church in Daytona Beach and for 20 years as pastor of Korean Open Door Baptist Church in Oviedo. At 70 years of age in 2019, he retired from full-time ministry, and he and his wife, Younghee, planned on doing mission work in other countries. But as the impacts of COVID took shape, their plans to serve were interrupted. During this time of uncertainty, God called Pastor Park back into ministry.

Throughout the winter of 2019, a small group of Korean Baptists were meeting at a local park in Melbourne, praying for God’s direction on forming a new church. Although there were already two Baptist churches in the vicinity, the group felt led to plant a new church in their community. Through a shared connection with a local Korean intercultural mission and Pastor Park’s wife, the group reached out to Pastor Park to ask if he would consider pastoring the new congregation.

“We were going to be doing short-term missions, but COVID interrupted our plans. So, when the group called me and my wife, I felt that it might be God calling me to do this new mission,” recalled Park.

Pastor Park and his wife met with the group to discuss the possibility of formalizing the meetings and creating a new church. Park said he had two conditions that had to be met before he would consider pastoring the new church.

“The church had to be Southern Baptist, and it had to be mission-oriented,” he said. “They accepted the conditions and Woori Korean Baptist Church was started.”

In April 2021, Park reached out to Brevard Baptist Association and put the wheels in motion for establishing the church and finding a location.

“The then-administrator from the Brevard Association knew that Bowe Gardens Baptist Church in Melbourne had some available space on its campus,” said Park. “So he introduced me to the pastor at Bowe Gardens. After the members of Woori went to see the space, we all decided to start the church there.”

“From the time I talked to Brevard Association in April to the time we had our first service at Bowe Gardens in May 2021 was only two weeks,” recalled Park.

Sharing space with Bowe Gardens has enabled Woori to have its own service times and enact a ministry plan that is both service-oriented and missional. Park said the church, which has grown from 10 members at its inception to more than 30, has a senior service on Tuesdays which includes Korean food and Korean dance lessons, a Wednesday Bible study, and a worship service on Sunday. The church is also planning a mission trip to the Dominican Republic in February 2023.

Although Woori is a Korean Baptist church that conducts bilingual services, Park said the desire of the congregation is to reach the larger community and not just Koreans.

“Woori is a Korean word that translates to ‘we’ or, ‘together,’ so when we started the church, we agreed that we want to be intercultural and be a church that is open for everybody – I don’t have a special group in my mind that we want to reach.”

Being located at Bowe Gardens Baptist Church has created an opportunity to embrace that multiculturalism – the two congregations have come together for an outdoor picnic in November, partnered on Operation Christmas Child and are planning more fellowships in the future.

Pastor Mitchel Dubolsky went to Bowe Gardens in August 2022, having formerly served as senior pastor at King Street Baptist Church in Cocoa. When he got to Bowe Gardens, he learned about Woori and the past relationship that existed between the two congregations. He said that although the churches are separate congregations sharing a physical location, he believes the two congregations will come together more and more as time progresses.

“I am excited to be able to partner with them and serve together with them for the glory of God. Not every church is in the unique position that we are in, so I’ve encouraged our congregation to continue to look beyond cultures and appearances and understand that we are all believers in Christ,” said Dubolsky. “This will enable us to accomplish so much more … working hand in hand with Woori toward reaching more people.”

Pastor Park said that by working to reach the entire community for the gospel, they have been able to engage the local university and, as a result, five Korean students are now attending Woori. He also believes that his congregation’s dedication to growing the church will have eternal impact.

“All the church members are working very hard for the Lord and His work. I am so pleased to work with my congregation.”