“Reach London and you will reach the world.” That statement is a motto International Mission Board missionaries live by, according to David Bagwell, pastor of Bethel Baptist Church, Westminster. He led a vision trip of 15 people from South Carolina to London Sept. 3-10. The trip was sponsored by the missions mobilization group of the South Carolina Baptist Convention.
Vision team members, from left: (front row) Wayne Terry, David Lee, Linda Hite, Tim Rice, Joy Cranford, Doris McIntire and Paula Oliver; (back row) Jeff Bedwell, Rodney Norvell, Ralph McIntire, Stephen Brown, Andrew Limbaugh, Gordon Jones, Tim Pelley and David Bagwell.Team members included Tim Rice and Wayne Terry from the SCBC. Several churches and associations were also represented on the team. Bethel Church members included Paula Oliver and Doris and Ralph McIntire. First Church, Fort Mill, members included Andrew Limbaugh, Jeff Bedwell, Joy Cranford and Gordon Jones. First Church, Mauldin, was represented by missions’ pastor Rodney Norvell and Stephen Brown. Lexington Association was represented by Linda Hite and David Lee.
Bagwell said that the city of London is made up of 33 boroughs, and the IMB vision is to see every borough adopted by a church or association.
Team member David Lee is ready for his association to adopt the Enfield borough. “The Lord confirmed his call to Enfield through a divine encounter the last evening of our visit,” Lee said, “and when we returned to Columbia, the Lord confirmed again by allowing me to meet a friend here who grew up in Enfield. We are praying that God will open doors in the three to five years for us to bear witness and be a part of a church-planting movement in Enfield.”
Tim Rice of the SCBC was struck by the “vastness of need of a nation that is so far from God.”
Bagwell added, “We are praying that churches across South Carolina will join us as partners in reaching London for Christ.”
For more information about partnering with London, contact the SCBC missions mobilization group by e-mail at gloriashull@scbaptist.org or 800-723-7242, ext. 3800. – SCBC