MISSION STRATEGIST REPORT FOR JULY THROUGH OCTOBER 2025

Since last we met, yours truly turned 70!  Yet, God has blessed me with enough manual dexterity and mental acuity to maintain ministerial activity. No grass grows under my feet! Maybe it will be said of me what was declared of the late Dr. Johnnie Tiller--who preceded me as pastor at Pole Creek: “He will make heaven, if he doesn’t run past it!”

This summer I completed my fourth year of teaching Biblical Counseling at Fruitland Baptist Bible College. For the first time I was privileged to deliver the Commencement Address. One of the graduates was Isaac Brooks, Pastor of Dutch Cove.

Speaking of counseling—I have met with several men from our Haywood churches to give direction and offer encouragement. 

Currently, I am the Interim Pastor at Bethel Baptist. During this time, the last pastor, Dr. Roy Kilby passed away after serving Bethel for some 46 years. He was a pillar of the community and a stalwart in the Association. He will be missed. Pray for Bethel as they search for a new pastor. I trained their Search Committee and have started Sunday School Worker Training. I have also led them into several outreach events.

Progress on the Mission Center has been slow, but steady. We have found a new architect after the death of the prior one and the plans are being drawn up. Hopefully, the construction will begin soon. There is much red tape in dealing with city, county, and state regulations when you make sleeping quarters available which is our intention in housing mission teams.

An exciting opportunity has opened for me to teach a group of pastors in India online each month. I did another lesson on October 22. We have raised money to feed the men and help them with their travel. It is such a joy to see these servants hunger learn.  Several expressed how much these studies are helping them.  Further, we have also given money for buying Bibles to distribute. If you want to give to this then send a check made out to the Association and designate it for India.

We are helping train our own pastors through Blueprint for Ministry. Several of our men are participating in this monthly learning cohort. One of them, Will Mercer—pastor of Mt. Zion—meets with me as we follow-up on the lesson.

Several of our pastors of healthy churches—Stephen Buys of The Orchard, Adam Black of Woodland, and Mark Tice of East Fork are working with Hazelwood on church revitalization. I met with these men as we strategized together. To be better equipped in helping such struggling churches become vibrant again, I traveled to Marion where Grace Community Church hosted “The Reconstruct Conference.” Several of our pastors and their staff members attended.

I preached an ordination message for Jeremy Canipe as he became youth pastor at North Canton. Also, I spoke to the Joyful Hearts—the Senior Adults of Crestview. We hosted a Lunch and Learn with Davis Blount of the NC Baptist State Convention discussing church finances. I spoke at chapel services for Bethel Christian Academy. Further, I shared an evangelistic message with the workers at the Mountain State Fair. We hosted Mark Brumbelow, his wife, and some leaders of Operation Christmas Child. It was not well-attended but very inspirational for those who were there. I also preached at Encouraging Word.

Recently, we had “A Night of Reflection, Repentance, and Revival” at Lake Junaluska’s Stuart Auditorium. It was a large crowd, stirring worship, a powerful service, and we saw an atheist become a believer! Thanks to all who supported this effort and made it happen. I heard many positive comments from those who attended.

My wife and I traveled to the Replenish Retreat at the Baptist Assembly at Ft. Caswell. The pastoral staff of Woodland and their spouses were also present. It was a time of spiritual refreshment. I just played in a golf tournament fundraiser to send missionaries to Southeast Asia.

During the past month, our Administrative Assistant, Karen Holcomb, took the job of Children’s Ministry Director at Calvary Road. She will stay on and work on financials on Thursday, while Diane Royer will staff the office Monday-Wednesday, focusing on communications and office matters. Having the two of them gives us redundancy, in case one needs to be out. Diane is a member of Woodland and has volunteered in their office. Please make her welcome!

Thanks for the privilege of serving the Lord by serving Haywood Baptists!

Your Mission Strategist,

Dennis Thurman