KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Rev. Dr. Toya Richards
Rev. Dr. Toya Richards is a Global Servant called to empower and equip the people of God so all may thrive. She lives out that call as an endorsed and appointed missionary to South Africa via International Ministries, and as a theologian and pastoral care practitioner working through her social enterprise, Grace Multimedia. Rev. Richards has recently completed doctoral research on the healing of black women impacted by racism and white supremacy in South Minneapolis, Minnesota. She also is preparing for a five-year mission assignment at Cape Town Baptist Seminary, where she will teach biblical justice and peacemaking, and research methodology. Her portfolio also includes a broad career in secular and faith-based communications, ministry positions at churches in Kentucky and Minnesota, and extensive work in global missions. Rev. Richards holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from McCormick Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity degree from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from Western Kentucky University.
WORKSHOPS & FACILITATORS
AM SESSION 1 | GLOBAL MISSIONS THROUGH THE LENS OF UBANTU
This workshop will examine the idea that we cannot fully advance as it relates to peace, justice and equity in our own contexts unless we recognize and strengthen our connections with our siblings doing the same work globally. Drawing on the wisdom of the Africa philosophy of Ubuntu, which loosely translated means “I am, because you are,” this discussion will amplify it the through the line stretching from local churches and communities to our neighbors around the world. It also will invite those gathered to do the work necessary to partner cross-culturally and authentically for the greater good of all.
Rev. Dr. Toya Richards
Rev. Dr. Toya Richards, an endorsed and appointed Global Servant with International Ministries, will lead the session. She will draw upon her 18-year history doing short-term global missions, an extensive career as a secular and faith-based journalist/communicator, and her current call into full-time mission service in South Africa.
AM SESSION 2 | AN HISTORIC PASSION FOR MISSIONS
Since the mid 1700s Baptists in Massachusetts have had a passion for spreading the Gospel by sending out and supporting missionaries across the continent and overseas. This workshop will introduce you to our rich history of missions involvement and some of the missionaries from Massachusetts who led the way over the years.
Rev. Diane Badger
The Reverend Diane L. Badger is an ordained American Baptist Minister. She graduated from Eastern Nazarene College with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. She served in Nonprofit Administrative and Financial positions for nearly twenty years prior to being called to the pastoral ministry. She received her Master of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School in May 2009 and was ordained that same year. While still at seminary, Rev. Badger was called to be the pastor of Community Baptist Church of Marion, MA and served there until 2014. During that time, she also served as a hospice chaplain on Cape Cod.
Rev. Badger has served on the Executive Board of the Old Colony Baptist Association since 1998, first as clerk and now as treasurer. She also serves on the board of the Conference of Baptist Ministers in Massachusetts (CBMM) and MABIT (Massachusetts American Baptist Investment Trust). Since August 2021, Rev. Badger has worked for TABCOM as the administrator for the Commission on Ordained Ministry ushering candidates for ordination through the maze of paperwork and requirements to become ordained ministers.
In her spare time, Rev. Badger does research on genealogy and Massachusetts Baptist History uncovering our past before it gets lost in the mists of time.
PM SESSION 1 | GOD’S WORK IN EUROPE & HOW YOU CAN PARTIPATE
Taste the richness of God’s presence in the nations and learn about the splendor the kings bring into the Lord’s presence (Rev.21:24). Taste how together with all the saints (Christians world-wide), we find different perspectives in discovering the magnitude of God’s love (Eph3:18), and how we can be part of it. Learn about opportunities for STM work in Europe and learn about God in multicultural and multidimensional ways. Be inspired through the stories of two seasoned missionaries.
Pieter & Nora Kalkman
Nora and Pieter have a mission to share the love of Jesus and glorify God through networking with Baptist churches in Europe and the Middle East, developing mission awareness and coordinating the skills and interests of short-term mission volunteers with the needs of the 50-plus Baptist conventions. They are based in the Czech Republic and serve through International Ministries with the European Baptist Federation. With only 2.5% evangelical Christians, Europe is a priority mission field. Their ministry impact multiplies through volunteers.
Nora and Pieter studied and completed their Masters in theology and mission studies, and lived more than half of their lives in various foreign countries.
They met in seminary in California and discovered that their interest and call for Mission was mutual. They married and have one daughter, who is also involved and preparing for life time ministry. Pieter was born in Holland, Nora was born in Mexico and their daughter was born in Germany. Even though Pieter had prepared his undergraduate and graduate studies for mission in Africa including various short term mission trips to East Africa (in the passed century), and Nora had anticipated mission work in Latin America including short term mission experience in Latin America, the Lord used International Ministries to find their mission passion fulfilled in currently serving with a large number of national church leaders all over Europe and the Middle East. They are in their 24th year of Global Service with International ministries, and with the Lord’s help keep counting.
Both feel privileged to have a front row seat to what God is doing with his Church in very diverse circumstances mostly as minorities in friendly, indifferent, or hostile surroundings. This encourages a continues thinking about what the Gospel means in culturally diverse and historical challenging contexts. It also encourages to take the experiences from overseas to benefit the sending churches in the US and be a blessing to those back at the home front. They invite each one who reads this, to consider volunteer service in Europe, and are looking forward to coordinate short term mission work with one of their many mission partners in Europe and the Middle East. They enjoy speaking and sharing in churches during their time(s) in the US and share about God’s work overseas and his glorious richness intended for the churches.
PM SESSION 2 | CONNECTING EFFECTIVELY ACROSS CULTURES
We live in exciting times where God is bringing the world to our doorsteps. What are our and our church’s roles as God’s light to the community? What are some vital ingredients needed for effective connection cross- culturally? In addition, some words that will be highlighted in the workshop include: new lenses, adventurous, sincere, intentional. Sign up for this workshop and let’s learn together!
Rev. Dr. Lily Soh
Lily serves as the Associate Pastor of First Baptist Church in Amherst MA. Lily has been in ministry for more than 30 years. She earned her BA in Missions and M.A. in Pastoral Leadership from Asia Theological Center, Singapore, M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary, and her D.Min. at Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, USA. Lily leads the Missions Ministry at the church. She is also the Chinese Pastor, working together with members to bring the Gospel to residents and students. Lily led a team to Angola to plant a church in 2004, and the church is thriving today under a local pastor, and has planted churches in several other towns. She has taught at seminaries in Singapore and Uganda, trained mission workers, and visited church-plants in various parts of the world to minister to missionaries and members.
PM SESSION 3 | GOD’S WORK IN THE CHURCH IN INDIA
This workshop will share what is happening concerning the Church of India. You will hear about the growth in the Church in spite of the Church in India undergoing a lot of persecution from the Indian government. Emmanuel’s life has been threatened many times. The government is trying to pass an “anti-conversion law.” The network that Emmanuel oversees is planting new churches in the villages. He will share how his church has planted over 30 churches. How they are running an orphanage for girls. His church and others provide housing and training for young men who desire to pastor village churches. The network that Emmanuel oversees reaches out to the homeless with blankets, food and water. They also train young girls to have the ability to get a job by training many to sew and make household items.
Emmanuel & Joy Ambati
Emmanuel Ambati is the lead pastor of Elohim Prayer Ministries and he and his wife Joy live in Vijayawada, India. His career spanned the worlds of business until he planted his first church. Today, his church has grown into a very large church and the ministries of the church work in different provinces among different tribes and beliefs living in India. Pastor Emmanuel is involved in training leaders, leads outreaches, oversees relief work and has planted over 60 churches. Elohim Ministries runs an orphanage and widow home for the homeless and parentless. He holds doctorate degrees in theological studies and mission training. Emmanuel is committed to Kingdom work. He and TABCOM’s Ron Bouthillette have known each other for almost ten years and Ron has travelled to India many times to assist Emmanuel in his endeavors.