Jan 20, 2021
By Patty Petersen
One of the best parts of my job as the New Contacts and Data Management Coordinator for our Conference is hearing the excitement of people who have newly discovered God’s holy day, the seventh-day Sabbath. They are very excited to find Baptists who keep the Sabbath. Their next question is usually,
“Is there a church near me?” And my reply is usually, “The nearest church is several hundred miles away. Here is a link to a list of our churches with online services. Would you consider starting a group?”
Based on the records in our database, we receive 60 to 70 inquiries per year, or about 5 to 6 each month, the vast majority asking, “Where is the nearest church?” In the past three years, five of these inquiries have become (or will soon become) new church plants or small groups. Praise the Lord!
Is it a coincidence that people are coming to us as we are taking more action to fulfill our mission of actively advancing God’s Kingdom through planting more churches? Let’s review some recent SDB history.
· We know that faithful prayer is needed for something as momentous as church planting. The young adults initiated a weekly time of fasting and prayer for SDB church planting starting in 2002 and lasting several years. Today we are continuing the prayer support through the “Team 21 Prayer Initiative”. (To join in, email contact@seventhdaybaptist.org.)
· Rob Appel told us in his 2011 annual report as Executive Director that he believed God was telling SDBs to “get ready” to receive the people God would bring to our SDB movement; people in search of a like-minded Christian family where the Bible is our authority and the Sabbath a special joy.
· Do you remember the 2012 Conference theme? It was, “Are You Ready?” President John Pethtel asked, “Are you ready for God to bring His Kingdom growth into Seventh Day Baptist churches?”
· The churches of the Allegheny Association had a sense of calling to help motivate and equip our Conference for church planting, so they hosted a Church Planting Conference open to all SDBs in the spring of 2014 with 17 in attendance.
· In 2019, the Conference theme was “People, Get Ready.” President Jane Mackintosh told us “the Church is returning to the Sabbath.” Many Christian leaders are writing about and practicing the Sabbath concept, some keeping the actual Sabbath and some choosing another day of the week. Jane urged us to “get our houses in order” so we would be ready to welcome those God would send us.
· When I heard Pastor Kevin Butler announce the 2021 Conference theme, “Restored for a Purpose,” I felt sure that purpose had to do with planting more SDB churches. We can provide a home for both new disciples of Jesus and those who have newly found the Sabbath.
God is bringing new Sabbath keepers to us, including ministry leaders. God is raising up church planters and supporters within our existing churches, raising our level of passion for this work. How will you personally participate? Pray? Train workers? Support with finances? Tell God you are available if He wants to send you? How will you encourage your church to participate? We are restored for a purpose!
The family of Eusebio and Karina Vergara, leaders of the Hispanic SDB church plant in Auburn, WA.
Below are highlights of the communication I’ve had with people seeking to know more about SDBs and be part of us, wherever they live. I hope these encourage you to join God in this exciting work.
“Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.”
—Matthew 9:36-38
A pastor and experienced church planter in Texas: With his family, he visited the Remembrance SDB church and talked with Pastor Steve Saunders. He felt led to get an SDB group going in September. “Thanks for your emails, information, encouragement and prayers. We are planning to have our first service this Sabbath, starting off with a house full at a friend’s house. We had not discussed this with them before, but they have been discussing Sabbath issues and researching for about a month and wanted to discuss it with us!” (This pastor is attending our monthly Church Planting Boot Camp.
See www.seventhdaybaptist.org/church-planting/sdb-church-planting-boot-camp/)
A brother in Alabama: He was happy and surprised to find there were Baptists who keep the seventh-day Sabbath (found us online). “It would be a wonderful thing if at some point a church of our own Baptist background that honors the Lord’s Sabbath would be stood up in our area. Baptists have a strong foothold here in the South but many who are under the same Sabbath conviction as me may not be so bold to venture out to a church that doesn’t at least identify as being Baptist. I am definitely praying about this.” (Also a Boot Camper.)
A married couple moving to North Carolina: As a seminary student several months ago, he was digging in his Bible and saw that the Sabbath was still for us, the seventh day. Went to his parents and shared the study with them. He found SDBs online and thought we “had it right.” “How can we be part of the SDB movement?” (Also a Boot Camper.)
The father of the above couple: “The more my wife and I have talked and prayed about all this, the more we feel called to serve in ministry. I have been continuing my seminary classes online and I will check out the information for the SDB University. I am excited to start digging into these courses. We are also very excited about the long-term possibilities to mentor and equip others to spread the church all throughout NC and beyond. I went ahead and registered for the Church Planting Boot Camp.”
A pastor in southern Mexico reached out to us via a circuitous route: He found Pastor Luis de la Cruz of Spain (SDB), then Pastor Bernardino de Vargas Sobrinho of SDBs in Brazil, then Pastor Manuel Marambio Torres of SDBs in Chile, then Pastor Miguel Leiva of the Hispanic SDB church in Houston, who referred him to me. He said he had “always been looking for a group like yours.” (Also a Boot Camper.)
Hispanic brother in Florida: “I received the package [of literature]. I’m excited reading about the denomination. I also went to the links you sent me. I really appreciate the invitation to work together opening a group in this part of Florida, which would be an honor for me. We meet every Saturday, about 5 to 10 people, to pray and worship the Lord…so we are praying about this with gratitude in our hearts.”
A brother in Ohio: “I’ve been keeping the seventh-day Sabbath for about three years now and I live in northwest Ohio. Today I visited the 7th Day Baptist Church in Pataskala, Ohio, and really had an enjoyable Sabbath with them. I’m leading a Bible study at a public school and I’m thinking about transitioning to Saturday meetings with these school children, inviting the parents to come along and neighbors and acquaintances that are interested. I’m basically starting a Saturday afternoon church and I’d like to know any support you could provide or any direction or guidance.”
A sister in Vermont: “How does one determine what’s ok/not ok to do on Sabbath? I know that ultimately it’s between one’s conscience and God, but are there any type of guidelines or ‘arguments’ for lack of a better word about how other Baptists do this?”
A married couple in Connecticut: “We have been doing a lot of reading and study. Last weekend we started to observe the 7th day Sabbath. We wondered if it was okay to attend a Sunday church, since no SDB churches nearby?”
A brother in Virginia: “I contacted your group on Facebook. I have been keeping the Sabbath day for seven years. I absolutely love the simple statement of beliefs for your organization and its history. Unfortunately, there are no close congregations to me. What is the process for starting a church here? Do you allow lay pastors? Any advice would be appreciated.”
A brother in Kansas: “I have long felt a call to observe the Sabbath, but in this contemporary Christian world it seems like such an oddity, even absurd. Unfortunately Sabbath observance is so often connected with fringe sects. So you can imagine how excited I was to discover your website and that such people exist. I’ve read your statement of faith and am in total agreement. I would love to attend one of your churches but it is much too far for me. I don’t know what God will ever bring of it if anything, but I have preaching experience. Please help my family in any way that you can.”
A retired couple in South Carolina: Baptists most of their lives and did missionary work all over America. They watched a television program on the End Times and became interested in the seventh-day Sabbath. Searched the Scriptures and noticed the Sabbath began at Creation. Interested in starting an SDB group where they live.
A pastor in Nevada: He became a Sabbatarian about six years ago after reading a brochure from a seventh-day group and studying the Sabbath in the Bible. He has done a lot of research on the Sabbath. He embraces our statement of faith and appreciates the freedom of thought. He started a Sunday church in Las Vegas in 1980. He would like to get an SDB fellowship going.
The widow of a Baptist pastor in California: “I am interested in seeing the basic beliefs and teachings of the Seventh Day Baptists as I feel that Saturday is the true Sabbath and the day that you should worship on. Please send information so I can research and explore.”
A sister in Kansas: “Through personal study and prayer, I am convinced that the Sabbath is the true day to worship God. I live in a small town in Kansas that doesn’t have a Sabbath keeping church. I am also homebound due to a disability. Can you please direct me to any resources, i.e. books, study guides, blogs and/or websites that will help me in my personal worship on Sabbath?”
A brother in South Carolina: “I was calling because I’m in prayer about planting a church in South Carolina and wanted to get some information about the process to go through to be a part of the Seventh Day Baptist organization.”
A brother in Texas: “I would be interested in possibly starting a group here in Austin. Please send me a packet of information on Seventh Day Baptists. I would also like some of your resources, quarterly Bible study guide, SDB history, tracts on the Sabbath as well.”
A sister in Oklahoma: “I wondered if there were any plans for a plant here in Oklahoma City area, or if you knew of any pastors here that might be interested in planting? Just wondered if there was any action going on here in the Oklahoma City metro area for a 7 Day Baptist Church.”
A sister in Indiana: “I was searching for Seventh Day Baptist churches and came across your website. To my dismay, there are only a handful of Seventh Day Baptist churches and none near Indianapolis… I’ve been doing my own research and study on the Sabbath.”
A brother in Indiana: “I belong to an Independent Baptist church and here lately God has been dealing with me on the Sabbath issue. I would love more info on trying to start something here and hopefully get something going.”
A sister in Virginia: She found the Sabbath “on her own in the Bible.” She was raised a Baptist. She looked online for other Christian Sabbath-keeping churches and found us. She also wondered if she could become a member of an SDB church from a distance and I encouraged her to contact one of the churches if she begins attending online. She can form a relationship from a distance and pursue membership.
In addition to her part-time job for the Conference, Patty volunteers on the PULSE team for Frontier Church—Carbon Valley, a recently replanted SDB church. She enjoys street evangelism as well as looking for opportunities for spiritual conversations in everyday life. Daily walks and chasing young grandchildren help keep her young.
