Many congregations have been dialoguing in the wake of racial violence in the United States this past year about what it looks like for us to work toward racial justice and equity. Mission and advocacy work has long been a part of the DNA of Williamsburg Baptist Church, but our church still struggles like so many to figure out how best to serve and work toward a more racially just world. Listen in as our pastor, Art Wright, dialogues with Mark Snipes about what it looks like for predominantly white churches to become advocates for racial equity in our communities and nation. We think you’ll find Mark’s stories and ideas tremendously helpful!

Rev. Mark Snipes is the Associate Coordinator for CBF Virginia.

Rev. Dr. Art Wright is the senior pastor at Williamsburg Baptist Church.

To find out more about CBF Virginia, visit cbfva.org.

To find out more about Williamsburg Baptist Church, head over to www.williamsburgbaptist.com.

The violence in our nation’s capital on January 6, 2021 was jarring for so many of us. It has been a particularly difficult moment for churches and pastors as they try to figure out how to understand and respond to this shocking and politically divisive moment. In this podcast, Barrett Owen and Art Wright discuss the violence, how they responded (or struggled to respond) as pastors, how members of their congregations reacted, and how they imagine moving forward as people of faith in the context of this difficult moment in American history. 

Rev. Barrett Owen is the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church in Waynesboro, VA. 

Rev. Dr. Art Wright is the Senior Pastor at Williamsburg Baptist Church in Williamsburg, VA.

Art Wright talks with Terry Maples about Nurturing Faith in Community, a new CBFVA resource for congregations. Nurturing Faith is a curriculum written by Terry, in which he proposes a paradigm shift for the way in which Christians and congregations approach spiritual formation. In this conversation, Art and Terry reflect on the nature of faith, the role of the congregation in faith formation, and what it will take for churches to break out of older, patterned approaches to discipleship. It is a wonderful, rich conversation. We hope that once you’ve listened, you will also take a look at the Nurturing Faith curriculum available for download on CBFVA’s website and consider how you might use it in your congregation! Click here to access the PDF.

Terry Maples is the Field Coordinator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia.

Art Wright is the Theologian in Residence for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia.

In this podcast, Art Wright is joined by Jason and Dena Hobbs, authors of the new book, When Anxiety Strikes: Help and Hope for Managing Your Storm (Kregel Publications, 2020). They discuss what anxiety is, the intersection of anxiety and faith, and how we can care for ourselves and others in this anxiety-prone time. It is a wonderful conversation, and the book is a fantastic resource for clergy, lay persons, and congregations.

Jason B. Hobbs (M.Div., LCSW) has been in private mental health practice for fifteen years, assisting people through their journey with anxiety every day. Jason teaches widely on mindfulness, anxiety, and the intersection of religion and mental health, and recently trained as a spiritual director at the Shalem Institute. Jason has also written Unless a Grain of Wheat Fall. Find him at jasonhobbslcsw.com. 

Dena Douglas Hobbs (M.Div.) has been learning to tame her own panic and anxiety for decades. She shares her expertise by leading retreats, speaking, blogging at denadouglashobbs.com. Dena is now the Episcopal and Lutheran campus minister at Mercer University. Her previous works include Lighten the Darkness. Dena and Jason currently live in Middle Georgia. 

Art Wright (M.Div., Ph.D.) is the Theologian in Residence for CBFVA.

Recommended Resources and Links:

https://www.facebook.com/WhenAnxietyStrikes

When Anxiety Strikes Youtube Channel

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Faithnet

NAMI: Tips For How to Help a Person with Mental Illness

Rev. Dr. Michael Cheuk joins Art Wright for a conversation that centers on racial reconciliation and the church. This topic is especially timely for congregations right now, as many (especially white congregations) are wondering how to engage in working toward racial justice.

Michael Cheuk is currently serving as the Moderator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia (CBFVA) advisory council. For over 20 years he has served congregations and denominational organizations as a youth pastor, a campus minister, an associate and senior pastor in Virginia and elsewhere. Michael is a founding member and current Secretary of the Charlottesville Clergy Collective, an interfaith group of clergy and interested lay persons working to address racial justice and equity in the Charlottesville and Albemarle region of Virginia. He is also a church consultant and certified leadership coach.

Art Wright is the Theologian in Residence for CBFVA.

Drs. Tracy Hartman and Steve Booth join Art Wright to discuss the challenge of leading churches right now. Tracy and Steve share insights gleaned from Family Systems Theory to encourage and support pastors and key leaders in congregations. The pandemic has ramped up anxiety in congregations and caused a great deal of personal and communal fear, especially due to the rapid changes that have taken place in society and in how churches function now. Leaders who are able to manage their own anxiety and reactions well in this stressful period will be better situated to steer their congregations through these difficult times and the eventual challenge of returning to a “new normal.”

Steve Booth is the Associate Pastor for Christian Formation at Richmond’s First Baptist Church

Tracy Hartman is currently serving as Intentional Interim Pastor at Farmville Baptist Church

Art Wright is the Theologian in Residence for CBFVA

Art Wright talks with Melissa Scott, Alice Cates Clark, and David Haun about youth ministry in CBF Virginia churches during the age of the pandemic, isolation, and social distancing. Their conversation includes a discussion of the challenges facing youth and students right now, the grounding theological principles and goals of ministry with youth, creative brainstorming for youth ministry right now, and some best practices for navigating privacy and safety issues online.

Melissa Scott is Associate Pastor at Colonial Avenue Baptist Church, Roanoke, VA.

Alice Cates Clark is Associate Pastor of Youth & Community Engagement at Derbyshire Baptist Church in Richmond, VA.

David Haun is Minister with Youth and College Students at Fredericksburg Baptist Church in Fredericksburg, VA.

Art Wright is the Theologian in Residence for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia.

Listen in as Art Wright, Theologian in Residence for CBF Virginia talks to Steve Law, a trusted consultant for church finances and administration. They discuss how churches can navigate the economic fallout of the pandemic, including how to encourage members to continue giving and how to reduce expenses. Steve discusses opportunities for churches in the recently passed CARES Act, the $2.2 trillion bill passed by Congress, which supports small businesses and non-profits. They also consider some hard decisions that churches may face as a result of the pandemic.

Web Links for Information on the Paycheck Protection Program:

https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program-ppp

https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/PPP--Fact-Sheet.pdf

Steve Law’s Websites:

www.financeforchurches.org - over 400 blogs on church administration 

www.churchbestpractices.org - dozens of free templates and documents for non-profit administration

www.facebook.com/financeforchurches

We have experienced tremendous disruptions to daily life as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across our nation and the globe. Many of us as church leaders are struggling to find ways to adapt to the situation. On Friday, March 20, 2020, Rev. Kris Aaron (Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Bristol, VA) and Art Wright (Theologian in Residence for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia—CBFVA) talked via Zoom about how First Baptist Bristol is navigating these challenges and adapting to offer worship, educational and fellowship opportunities, and pastoral care right now. In our conversation we discuss some of the practical challenges that we are facing, some of the ways in which First Baptist is adapting to rapidly changing circumstances, and how to be church together during these trying times. We hope this conversation will be helpful not only to churches of CBF Virginia, but churches of all denominations near and far, as we try to be the "big-C" church together right now.

For more information about First Baptist Church, Bristol, click here.

For more information about the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia, click here.

We have experienced tremendous disruptions to daily life as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across our nation and the globe. Many of us as church leaders are struggling to find ways to adapt to the situation. On Thursday, March 19, 2020, Sterling Severns (Senior Pastor, Tabernacle Baptist Church in Richmond, VA) and Art Wright (Theologian in Residence for CBFVA and member at Tabernacle Baptist) talked via Zoom about how Tabernacle is navigating these challenges and adapting to offer worship, educational and fellowship opportunities, and pastoral care right now. In our conversation we discuss some of the practical challenges that we are facing, key technology that we are using as we strive to be church virtually, and we also reflect on deeper theological and spiritual dimensions of leading churches during these trying times. We are sharing this conversation in hopes that it is helpful for churches near and far.