Annual Report 2008

General Superintendent Dr. Nina G. Gunter, District Superintendents Emeriti Dr. Jim Bearden and Dr. Moody Gunter, Trevecca Nazarene University President Dr. Dan Boone, fellow pastors, delegates, and friends of this assembly: With joy and gratitude I welcome you to this 66^th annual assembly of the South Carolina District Church of the Nazarene.

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. I am grateful for this privilege to give this second annual report on progress made toward our three priorities: Christlike disciples, holiness pastors, and missional churches, and to envision the future to which God is calling us.

Our mission is to make Christlike disciples in the nations. Jesus’ words reveal baptizing and teaching as two important aspects of the mission (Matthew 28:19-20). “Baptizing” points to the importance of evangelism. Our churches baptized 135 disciples in the last eleven months, the same amount as baptized in the prior twelve months. “Teaching” reminds us of the importance of Sunday School in discipleship efforts. Last year, 5,059 persons were involved in Sunday School Ministries each week on the South Carolina District, a decrease of 213 over the previous year.

While long-term discipleship happens best in the context of our local churches, the D. Moody Gunter Camp and Retreat Center has become a center for intensive discipleship opportunities and concentrated times of spiritual growth. This has been evident in our youth and children’s camps as well as in our family camp and retreat opportunities. Over 50 groups used our campground last year. Attendance at youth camp was 209, an increase of 50 over last year, and children’s camps exceeded last year’s attendance as well. District family camp attendance and offerings also exceeded last year. One of the benefits of the 2008 camp meeting was the modeling of altar calls and the large altar response. Scores of seekers came to pray for salvation, relational help, entire sanctification, and deliverance from addictions, and in response to a call to ministry. If revival sweeps across our district, and I pray it will, it will likely begin in youth camp or family camp meeting.

While 30 of our churches baptized believers this year, our vision is to see each of our churches baptize at least one new believer next year.

We envision 6,000 persons being discipled each week through Sunday School Ministries by our 70^th Anniversary Assembly in 2012. This would be an increase of 941 over this year’s average. We can accomplish this as each of us commits to be discipled and to disciple others into the likeness of Jesus. Our churches will need to continue to identify, recruit, and train gifted teachers for all age groups, and then pray for them and support them. Given that only 78% of people attending worship in our churches are attending Sunday School, the best prospects for Sunday School are those individuals already sitting in the pews on Sunday morning who are not yet being discipled.

The construction of a new dining hall is the next step in enhancing discipleship at the campground.

This past year we invested significantly in our district pastors. Key events included two pastoral prayer summits at the campground, a “Missional Pastoral Ministry” seminar with Dr. Dwight Gunter, a Centennial training day, the district Christmas banquet, and the annual district ministry team retreat and first-ever bi-vocational ministers’ retreat with Drs. Nina and Moody Gunter.

This year a Pastoral Leadership and Development program was initiated involving training sessions held one day each month. Seven pastors completed the program this year: Brent Van Hook, Richard Coleman, Tim Haynes, Scott Henry, Matt Johnson, Karen Lawson, and Alan Pullen. Another group of seven will be invited to participate in the program in the coming year.

Eleven of our churches have called new pastors to partner with them in missional ministry: Greenwood Community (Matt Johnson) , Florence Community (Karen Lawson), Charleston Cross Community (Ed Kessler), Walterboro (Gary L. Rupert), Conway (John Griggs), Summerville (Mike Blankenship), Lexington Shepherd (Richard Coleman), York (Brian Walker), Winnsboro (Rick Grimes), West Columbia Hispanic (Luis Valverde), and Duncan (Alan Harkey).

At this year’s youth camp, I was privileged to meet with 33 youth exploring a call to ministry. In addition, eight South Carolina students attended the YES (Youth Equipped to Serve) Conference at TNU for those sensing a call to ministry.

Successful pastoral ministry requires biblical fidelity, theological ability, and a winsome personality; it also requires hard work. Fruitful pastors proactively engage their congregations and their communities by knocking on doors, engaging in conversation, making contacts, and developing relationships in order to reach people. Faithful pastors have a vivid sense of vocation, a sense of being summoned by God to do this work.

I am increasingly convinced that the Church of the Nazarene has been placed in South Carolina to have a “leavening” effect. If we are to accomplish our calling of spreading scriptural holiness, we need to compellingly and convincingly call people to experience God’s transforming grace. We have a holiness message. If we aren’t faithful to proclaim it, it won’t be heard. If we aren’t faithful to live it, it won’t be considered. The celebration of our Centennial gives us an ideal opportunity to preach on holiness, reminding veteran Nazarenes of our heritage and inviting new Nazarenes to experience transforming grace in its sanctifying fullness.

I encourage each pastor to preach on “the call” at least once this year. We must determine to engage and empower a new generation to lead the church into the future God has for us.

Our vision is to see 50 district-licensed ministers added to the roll of licensed ministers between 2007 and our 70^th Anniversary Assembly in 2012. This year six ministers are being credentialed for the first time. In 2008 we have 121 ordained elders (a decrease of one), nine ordained deacons (an increase of one), and 28 licensed ministers (an increase of four).

During this church year I have had the privilege of visiting—and usually preaching in—35 of our 64 churches and NewStarts. In addition, I have had 49 meetings with 21 church boards.

· Columbia First is blessed with increased diversity, began Upward Basketball, and baptized 17.

· The Duncan LifeSpring Community Church of the Nazarene was organized on July 27. This self-governing and self-supporting congregation is presently averaging 45 in worship attendance and meeting at the Duncan YMCA. The vision and support of the Simpsonville LifeSpring Community Church and Pastor Bill Higgins were instrumental in the birth of this new church.

· Greenville First has begun weekly prayer meetings and dedicated their state-of-the-art youth building, “The Station.”

· Greenwood Community, Greenville First, and Manning NewStart have significant Hispanic ministries.

· Manning NewStart is constructing a building to house their growing Hispanic and youth ministry, and sponsored a Work & Witness trip to Nicaragua.

· Pageland Rose Memorial has purchased property to relocate and is moving toward construction of a worship facility.

· Pelion baptized 19 believers and impacted their community with their PACE (Compassionate Ministry) House.

· Rock Hill Celebration Place is beginning to develop their property and hope to begin construction soon.

· Rock Hill Grace purchased adjacent property and dedicated a family life center.

· Rock Hill Oakdale purchased adjacent property to expand their ministry potential.

· West Columbia Central is anticipating relocation to property on Longs Pond Road.

I am grateful for our Mission Area Directors for fostering fellowship and helping formulate strategy: Geoff Kunselman, Bill Watts, John Porter, Ted Hambrick, Mark Foster, Dale Turner, and Chuck Fountain.

Eighty-three percent of our organized churches paid their denominational allocations in full. You are to be commended and we are grateful for what you have done. We continue to build on our heritage as a missional and mission-minded district. It was my privilege to be a member of the District Work & Witness Team to Guyana.

Due to the 11-month church year, we experienced decreases this year in financial areas. In the area of financial stewardship, South Carolina Nazarenes gave to the Lord a total of $10,244,019 this year. Giving to the World Evangelism Fund totaled $610,497 (102.1% of our goal). Our total Missions giving totaled $792,352. Fair Share Plan giving totaled $1,009,623. These monies enabled us to support Pensions and Benefits with $161,722 (100% of our goal), Trevecca Nazarene University with $254,711 (90% of our goal), as well as District Operations ($318,027), District Missional Growth ($91,246), District Camp ($96,050), and District Auxiliaries ($30,150 each).

We turn now to missional fruitfulness. At the end of the 2007-2008 church year, we have 9,673 members (a decrease of 126), 281 new Nazarenes (a decrease of 136), and an average primary worship attendance of 6,459 (a decrease of 271).

We anticipate that the three present Church-Type Missions (CTM) at Clemson, Indian Land, and West Columbia Hispanic will progress to the point of becoming fully organized churches. In addition, we would encourage more local church and district partnerships in beginning NewStarts. Starting healthy churches is the single biggest measurable difference in membership and attendance growth in the Church of the Nazarene.

I encourage each of our churches to launch, or partner in launching, a new ethnic congregation, a new congregation in a nearby community, or a new worship service this year. Many of our churches are not growing. The challenge is to have pastors and churches that are willing to do whatever is necessary to make disciples and have a missional ministry.

Reducing the District Fair Share percentage from 12.5% to 12% will provide more resources for missional local church ministry. With this decrease in district funding we will need 100% participation from every church in order to meet our missional obligations.

Our vision is to see 70 strong, missional Churches of the Nazarene in South Carolina by our 70^th Anniversary Assembly in 2012. The number of organized churches on the South Carolina District stands at 61, with one church being disorganized (West Columbia Hope in Christ). One church (Duncan) was organized last Sunday. We also added one CTM: West Columbia Hispanic.

I want to thank our pastors—the South Carolina District Ministry Team—for their faithfulness and fruitfulness. I am privileged both to serve you and to serve with you.

Executive assistant, Peggy Smith, office manager, Rachael Watts, and district treasurer, LaNora Jensen, continue to provide the district skillful service with servants’ hearts. We appreciate the leadership and great service Dennis Johnson provides as manager of the D. Moody Gunter Camp and Retreat Center.

The District Advisory Board has met regularly to extend good advice and godly counsel. I am grateful for the service of these wise laymen and pastors: Jimmy Haynes, Ron Howard, J. B. Hucks, Wendel Nixon, Chuck Fountain, Rodney Lindsay, Mike McAdory, and James Thrower.

Our auxiliaries provide leadership with district discipleship and mission efforts. We are grateful for the service of district ministry leaders Greg Pressley (Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International), LaNora Jensen (Nazarene Missions International), and Andy Barnette (Nazarene Youth International). John Powell continues to serve ably as our district secretary. We are grateful to Marion Love for her work collecting and organizing archival material related to the South Carolina District. We appreciate Amy Henthorn for redesigning and maintaining our district website and district newsletter.

I thank God daily for Diane, who makes our home a joyful, loving, happy place, and for Josh and Jeff, who enrich our lives in many ways.

On October 5, 2008, the Church of the Nazarene will celebrate her Centennial – 100 years of holiness evangelism and Christlike discipleship. Out of Many One, Out of One Many will provide us a wonderful opportunity to rediscover our roots, celebrate our heritage, teach our doctrine, plant new churches, welcome new members, and baptize believers. South Carolina District churches are being encouraged to receive a Centennial Sunday offering for the Global Ministry Center on October 5, 2008.

It is not too early to begin praying for the 2009 General Assembly, especially given that the church will experience a significant transition in global leadership at that time.

Diane and I are excited and humbled at the opportunity to serve the wonderful Nazarenes of South Carolina and to join you in the mission. Thank you for the opportunity to be your district pastor.