Ministry is a large part of the Southern Baptist doctrine.
NEW ORLEANS – Ministry is a large part of the Southern Baptist doctrine.
Carver Baptist Center in New Orleans is doing its best to minister to members of the surrounding community. Carver participates in various ministries ranging from children’s Vacation Bible Schools and backyard Bible schools to adult oriented Bible studies and English as a second language courses.
Local southern Baptists and what is presently known as the North American Mission Board (NAMB) worked together to create the first African American Southern Baptist ministry center in New Orleans.
Named after George Washington Carver, Carver Baptist Center was established in 1951. Carver Baptist Center’s mission remains “to build bridges to intentionally share the gospel and disciple believers to be like Jesus.”
Assistant director of Carver Baptist Center, Jennifer Fannin uses her various skills to perpetuate Carver’s mission. “I don’t feel as if I have any spectacular gifts but everything I have, God is able to use in this ministry,” said Fannin. “I get to do a little bit of everything. I can utilize my painting, cleaning, using my elementary education degree, accounting, carpentry and coaching skills in my current position.”
NAMB Missionaries spend their summer months living and working in Carver Baptist Center as staff. The Center staff works directly under the director and assistant director while taking care of the center’s needs. One of this summer’s staff members, Chip Powell, became attracted to New Orleans’ needs shortly after Hurricane Katrina. “Four months after Katrina hit, I came to Louisiana to help gut houses. I came to New Orleans for a total of six weeks to aid in various ministries,” said Powell. “Three years ago I met the Assistant Director of Rachel Sims Baptist Mission. After talking to her, I felt led to become more involved here.”
Throughout the summer various groups spend a week at Carver Baptist Center while aiding in its various ministries. A total of three-summer missionaries work in staff positions at Carver Baptist Center and one of them, Tenisha Carey, became aware of the summer missionary staff position while on a weeklong mission trip last summer. “I had been on a couple of mission trips with my church, however last summer’s trip to New Orleans really had an impact on me,” said Carey. As a result, Carey applied to come to New Orleans as a summer missionary.
The third summer staff member, Amber Gould, learned of summer missionary work through her college campus’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) program. My BCM director is really mission oriented,” said Gould. Gould went on to explain how she ended up as a staff member at Carver Baptist Center when she said, “I applied for a summer missionary position with NAMB and they placed me here.”
Gould’s position allows her to work with children similar to those she hopes to work with after her college graduation. “I major in psychology with a minor in sociology. I hope to get involved in social work once I complete school,” said Gould.
Powell’s staff position has allowed him to witness positive life changes. “The most rewarding experience this summer has been watching a member of our first ministry group accept Christ,” said Powell “That really set a precedent for the rest of the summer.”
This kind of ministry work is not without its challenges, however. Carey said, “I enjoy what I get to do here, however I feel as if I am disciplining more than I am working on building relationships.” Gould wishes to learn more and strengthen her faith, however her ministry does not make that a simple task. “I feel as if we don’t get as much pouring into because we pour out constantly,” said Gould. “I feel as if I have more growing to do.”