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 Sharing & Praying at Trinity Baptist Church 08.19.2026 Amanda and I had the privilege of worshiping with the church family at Trinity. Tim Hodge (no relation) and the church members were very gracious in welcoming us. God is doing a great work there at Trinity!  Visiting McGalliard Falls On Sunday, Aug. 23, Amanda and I worshiped alongside the church family at McGalliard Falls. Their new Pastor Ben Ramsaur spoke on biblical church membership. Great Commission Project One of the ministries of our CRBA is our Great Commission Project where Pastors and Leaders from our CRBA Churches come alongside fellow churches to equip and encourage churches to engage the lost. This is not other churches acting as if they’ve “arrived.” Instead, it’s our best attempt at uniting in purpose and encouragement. Our Great Commission Team will be at Enon Baptist Church from Sunday morning Sept. 13 through Sept. 16. Each service will focus on one aspect of a biblically based strategy for being a Great Commission church. Join us in praying for these meetings in September – that God will use them for advancing His church. | From the Desk of your DOM Wednesday, August 26 What a blessing to be here in Burke County with all of you! You are such an encouragement to me and those whom you serve. It is our joy to work alongside you in advancing the Gospel in Burke County and beyond. For this week’s newsletter, I want to approach the topic of serving according to our gifts. It’s a topic that came up in a recent gathering with some pastors. Here is the thought that stirred in my mind – – when I come into alignment with who God wants me to be, I experience great joy and peace in serving Him. The question that follows is – – what does that look like in my life and ministry? Created God formed you intentionally. Your life is not the result of careless or impersonal design. We believe in the powerful, creative hand of our God. You are not an accident. Redeemed Sin has touched every part of us, so God does not leave us exactly as He finds us. In Christ, He forgives, cleanses, and transforms us. We are fallen and He alone is the remedy for our plight. Commissioned God employs the person He has redeemed—your gifts, experiences, personality, relationships, and opportunities—to serve others and bring Him glory. So, that leads us to reflect on this question: What would it look like for everything God has given me—and everything Christ is transforming in me—to be fully surrendered to His glory? This is not self-improvement lingo like “the best version of me.” Instead, this is a question about how God will use the redeemed, surrendered, and Christlike version of my life. Here is the problem – – we often act as if God cannot use our uniqe gifts, personality, and strengths. We end up trying to be someone else – rather than allowing God to work through us. But He formed us and knows us intimately. He understands our abilities, personalities, experiences, limitations, and opportunities better than we understand them ourselves. That does not mean God simply wants us to “be ourselves.” Sin has distorted every part of us, and Jesus loves us too much to leave us as He found us. He is transforming us into His likeness. Yet becoming more like Jesus does not make us interchangeable or cookie cutter individuals. Christ produces a shared character in His people while employing a wonderful variety of personalities, gifts, experiences, and callings. God is not calling you to become your neighbor. He is calling you to become more like Jesus—and to reflect Jesus through the particular life He has entrusted to you. The body of Christ does not need another copy of someone else. We needs you, redeemed by Christ, shaped by Scripture, empowered by the Spirit, and faithfully using what God has given you for the good of others and the glory of God. What a blessing to have so many of you offering your life, gifts, and abilities to the Lord for His glory! It is a joy to serve alongside you! Michael R. Hodge Director of Missions Which Title to Use? In case you missed this in the previous newsletter, we are simplifying your introductions and greetings as we are there with you at your churches by reverting to the previous title – “Director of Missions.” While you will see Associational Mission Strategist (AMS) in some materials occassionally, we recognize it’s easier to stick with this familiar title. Whatever you title you choose – we’re just glad to be invited to join you! |
 Our ministries at Catawba River Baptist Association are guided by this summary statement capturing our three categories: We exist to Equip and Encourage pastors and churches to Engage communities with the Gospel. | |
 | PASTORS — Tomorrow is Thursday and we get to gather for our weekly lunch. Bring your lunch. Time: 12noon. You WILL be out the door before 1pm! Pregnancy Care Center: We will offer the Pregnancy Care Center the first 10-15 minutes of our time to promote and share their ministry. Please be present to hear more about their amazing ministry. We actively support this program. Scripture-Based Prayer Focus. Following the PCC presentation, we will return to 2 Timothy for a time of study and prayer. Then, we’ll wrap up our time in prayer for one another. Michael Hodge will be sharing again this week (08.27.26). Our focus will be on Scripture-Guided Prayer. |
 Our special guests for the opening portion of our Pastors Luncheon. | |
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 | On LifeWay & Blackaby Ministries Bookshelves… My life has been forever impacted by the truths from Experiencing God – in my early discipleship, ministry call, and mentoring others. Richard Blackaby and sons have released a new resource – “Experiencing God in Everyday Life.” This is a brand new sequel to Experiencing God. I am working through this resource in my personal, daily quiet time. This resource helps participants move from mountaintop experiences to daily, sustainable rhythms of faith through practical exercises and discussion. It features eight small group sessions, weekly personal study, group discussion questions, and material for spiritual growth and discipleship. You receive access to the video sessions when you purchase the book. Quote from Chapter 1: “Spiritual maturity is reflecting the characteristics of Christ, seeing things from God’s perspective, and responding in obedience as He leads.” |
| Discounted Rate at Blackaby Ministries Site. | NOTE: This resource is available for a discounted rate when ordering directly from Blackaby Ministries. The workbook is available for $16.49 directly from Blackaby Ministries by CLICKING THIS LINK. This special deal was communicated to us on 08.25.2026. We will confirm the availability of special pricing when you call the office. |
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| Through our Church Solutions Partner at LifeWay – we can offer these deals when purchased directly through contacting April Rousseau. The online links allow you to preview the material – but the purchase must be made through contacting April’s office. | |
| To Purchase an Item – Call…April Rousseau Church Solutions Partner NC/SC 336.468.7995 | |
| Resources for Pastors | Kingdom First: Starting Churches that Shape Movements. ByJeff Christopherson Org. $14.99. Available for 70% off Our Cry for Revival by Nick Harrison Org. 19.99. Available for 65% off Preaching in a Post-Truth World by Mike Glenn Org. 17.99. Available for 70% off Gathered for Good by Jonathan Griffiths Org. 17.99. Available for 70% off*Click the Titles to see the full description on Lifeway.com. The discounted price is NOT reflected on the website. These deals are only available directly through our Church Solutions Partner (336.468.7995). |
| For Church Members: | Pour Out Your Heart by Jeremy LinnemanOrg. $17.99. Available for 70% off Read the Bible for Life by George H. Guthrie Org. 17.99. Available for 70% off CSB She Reads Truth Bible, Sand Cloth Over Board Org. $43. Available for 70% off 90 Days with the God Who Speaks Org. $12.99. Available for 75% off Experiencing God at Home Day by Day Org. $15.99. Available for 75%*Click the Titles to see the full description on Lifeway.com. The discounted price is NOT reflected on the website. These deals are only available directly through our Church Solutions Partner (336.468.7995). |
| Praying for our CRBA Pastors | |
 Churches Without Senior Pastors Bethlehem FBC Connelly Springs FBC Morganton Catawba Valley Silver Creek First Hmong – Pastor Installation Service – Sept. 26. | Each week, we feature several of our Pastors who faithfully serve in our CRBA churches. We are providing a contact email for encouragement purposes. Please pray for these pastors — and send a much deserved word of encouragement as well! Featured Pastors for this WeekMountain View II Baptist Church (Pastor Larry Combs- acombs621@gmail.com) Mull’s Grove Baptist Church (Pastor Dean McCurry- casey_mccurry@yahoo.com ) New Perspective Church (Pastor John Whisenant- powerhouse76@aol.com) North Laurel Baptist Church (Pastor Mike Wakefield- pastor@northlaurel.org) North Morganton Baptist Church (Pastor JC Bradley- blakabradley@gmail.com) Oak Grove Baptist Church (Pastor Kenneth Mashburn- kenemashburn@gmail.com) Oak Ridge Baptist Church (Pastor Nicholas Wilson- pastornick@oakridgebaptistchurch.net) Pleasant Hill Baptist Church (Pastor Jack Hodges- jackhodges@pleasanthillbc.church )CRBA Churches Seeking Staff If you would like to see a list of the staff openings in our CRBA churches, please visit our website here. Please be in prayer for our churches seeking to fill staff positions. |
| More CRBA Calendar Events | ||
  | August Christmas in August Toy Drive all month September Baptist Mission Offering Emphasis 10- 6:30pm Created for This- Pastor’s Wives Event at CRBA 13- Timothy Project 17- Pastor’s Breakfast at CRBA @ 8:00am. 15- Senior Adult Lunch @ 11am @ Bridge 42 19- Golf Tournament 19- Women’s Breakfast 22- From Our Seats to the Streets 23- SYATP Youth Rally 26- Youth and Children’s Volunteer Training 30- Oct. 8- Armenia Mission Trip October Coats for the City Collection 5&6- Toy Store Registration 8- Timothy Project 9- Baking for Babies- Baked Goods Due 10- Pregnancy Care Center Day for Life – Baking For Babies Booth 18- Fall Meeting @ Mt. Home 18- Coats for the City Donations due at Fall Meeting 18- Momentum Youth Rally @ Burkemont 27- Gospel Legacy Training for Sr. Adults @ 10am November 8- Timothy Project 9- Men’s Rally @ Grace 21- NC Baptist Marriage Conference with Gary Chapman @ Burkemont December 3-6- Coats for City Trip to NYC 7-10- Toy Store | |
| CRBA Resource of the Week | |
 | Your CRBA has an evangelism trailer available for you to check out. Checking out any resource is free of charge to all our CRBA churches. If you would like to reserve any CRBA resource, just call (828) 437-0137. |
| Save The Date: September | ||
 We hope you will invite all your Youth and Children’s Volunteers to join this conference-level training made available to you at no cost! Your CRBA Student Ministry team knows how difficult it is to carve out time for training your volunteers. This is an excellent opportunity to pack a lot of topics in 1 Sat morning. If you would like to know more about the topics covered, please visit the DYM Training website. | ||
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 |   The entire Baptist On Mission budget comes from the North Carolina Mission Offering. |
 | Samaratins Purse has some Seasonal Jobs available – help spread the word. |
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Hopewell Baptist Church | Mull’s Grove Click the image to see the full size promo on Mull’s Grove Facebook page. |
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