Clint and Harriet Bowman debunking myth that small churches can't do missions

Missions have always been an integral part of life for Georgia Baptists, including these folks from Mt. Olivet Baptist Church.



By ROGER ALFORD
The Christian Index

WAYCROSS, Ga. – Former International Mission Board missionaries Clint and Harriet and Bowman want to help small- and medium-sized churches learn that they have big roles to play in getting the gospel to the ends of the earth.

The Bowmans, who served in Sub Saharan Africa for 19 years, are now back in the U.S. serving on the staff at Second Baptist Church in Waycross, a platform they’re using to encourage congregations, no matter their size, to get involved in missions.

“Sometime back, the Lord gave Harriet and I a vision to help smaller churches develop and do missions from their ‘Jerusalem’ to the ends of the earth,” Clint Bowman said. “The pathways and opportunities are there. The support is there. The coaches and encouragers are there. We just have to trust the Lord and step out and go as He leads.”

To show churches how easy it is to get involved, the Bowmans will lead a missions conference on Oct. 23, beginning at 8 a.m., at Second Baptist in Waycross.

“This conference is the first step,” Clint Bowman said. “It is an educational conference and will also hopefully be an exciting, encouraging, and inspirational conference. We are seeking to make it as practical as possible.”

The event will include several breakout sessions hosted by people with hands-on experience on the mission field.

-- Harriet Bowman will lead sessions on prayer walking on local, national and international mission fields.

-- Glenda Bashlor will talk about women’s ministries, including making wigs for cancer patients, caps for newborns, and ministry to victims of human trafficking.

-- Lisa Mathis, director of Kingdom Care Ministry, will discuss how to begin a medical mission.

-- Doug Todd and Laura Walker will talk about ministry to campers at local parks.

-- The Bowmans will also lead a group to highlight mission opportunities for churches among unreached people groups living in their own neighborhoods.

-- Greg Queen will explain how to connect with the International Mission Board to serve in various parts of the world.

-- Jered Everson will tell about the impact three small churches have made in working with the Mswanka in West Africa and he will explain how other small churches can adopt unreached people groups in various parts of the world by partnering with the International Mission Board.

“Many churches have told us that they simply could not afford, financially, to do missions,” Clint Bowman said. “We believe that, if God is leading, you can afford to do missions and we have seen this happen many times.”

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Registration is $5 per person. To register, please call Second Baptist Church at 912-283-0436.