ASHEBORO — First Baptist Church of Asheboro has an expanded program coming this weekend as part of a celebration of 25-plus years of mission work.
The Church-Wide World Mission Conference on Saturday at the church’s Christian Life Center is open to members and attendees from other churches and the community at-large.
The conference kicks off the 2025 mission program for the church.
The church’s mission team was created in 2000. Jimmy Huffman was a founding member of the church’s “On Mission Team” and he’s helping direct Saturday’s program.
“This is a time of celebration and looking forward,” Huffman said.
Huffman, a church member and director of Sophia-based Camp Caraway, said he hopes the conference attracts people from various churches and denominations.
“It’s an opportunity to come, and these other churches might like some of the missionaries to speak at their church,” said Ellen Lucas, secretary at First Baptist Church of Asheboro.
A mission / ministry fair will be held from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. There will be three hourly mission presentations beginning at 9:30 a.m.
There will be six speakers ranging from those who’ve been commissioned for work in Asia and Europe along with speakers from West Virginia and Wyoming. Mark Abernathy of NC Ministry Partnerships and Mike Pittman, director of NC Send, will make presentations.
The “On Mission Team” normally includes seven or eight active members, Huffman said. Sue Cameron was a founding member and remains active on that team.
“God has used this team — and all of us together — to share the gospel with our community and beyond,” a church release said.
Organizers for the First Baptist Church are planning for anywhere from 150 to 300 visitors for the conference. Normally, the annual missions fair is smaller in scope and involves mostly members of the church.
“This is a much broader spectrum,” Huffman said. “We’re hoping to expose our people and others in the community.”
Based on information from the church, the “On Mission Team” funded $56,000 in support of local and international missions in 2024.
