SCBaptist’s May Advance Rally focused on caring for vulnerable populations and the duty of believers to help those in need.

Staff heard from Tom Turner of SCBMA, Jon Jamison of SCBaptist’s Serve Team, and Danny Nicholson of Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries. Although a difficult topic, “it’s important for us to understand some things about vulnerable populations in today’s society,” Bryant Sims, SCBaptist Chief Operations Officer, said. 

Providing Compassionate Care

Sims shared that earlier in his ministry, he believed the most important aspects of the Christian religion involved missions, discipleship, and evangelism. While he recognized those are still important, he learned from James 1:27 that caring for the vulnerable is not an afterthought for believers. “As I grew in my understanding of the word, I began to understand that this is not something to do when we’ve done other things well,” Sims said. “This is basic Christian decency.”

Tom Turner, President and CEO of SCBMA, shared about their ministry to senior adults. “Our mission is to provide services for seniors with compassionate care in the name of Jesus Christ,” he said. Through retirement communities, Bethea and Martha Franks, the ministry provides housing, senior services, assisted living, memory care, nursing care, and more, aiming to provide a holistic experience to its residents. He addressed common issues senior adults face, including lack of transportation, isolation, chronic illness, and poverty, and how SCBMA aims to tangibly meet needs.

Serving Communities

Jon Jamison, Serve Team Director, shared about the fundamental ideas behind SCBaptist’s belief that every life counts. By weaving in the biblical texts from Genesis and James, Jamison reinforced the theological basis for this commitment to service. “As South Carolina Baptists, we believe that every person is an image bearer of God. And because of that, we believe that every life is valuable and has potential,” Jamison said.

His call to action was clear: to continue expanding partnerships and efforts to reach the vulnerable. He shared about the lives impacted by programs like Prisoner Packets, Heart4Schools, and more. He also shared about Kim and Matt Black, the first family to receive the SCBaptist Adoption Grant, who adopted Chandler out of the foster care system. “Now Chandler is growing up and a safe loving environment where he not only will have the opportunity to hear about the love of Jesus, but he’ll get to witness it day after day after day,” Jamison said.

Experiencing the Love of God

Danny Nicholson, President of Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries, shared the heart behind the ministry, weaving his own story of adoption into the larger narrative of the transformative power of love and belonging. He recounted the loving sacrifice of his adoptive parents, who gave him a home and a future. “Every time I walk across Connie Maxwell’s campus, I can’t help but be moved and to weep at the compassion of two regular ordinary people who gave me a shot,” Nicholson said. 

He emphasized how this act of love mirrored the concept of being chosen and cherished by God. By comparing his earthly adoption to the spiritual adoption by God as described in Ephesians, Nicholson highlighted the overarching theme of unconditional love that defines both his personal journey and the work done at Connie Maxwell. He shared his story, “hoping that through an understanding of my adoption rescue story, you may get a better glimpse of how much God loves the vulnerable,” he said.

The resounding message of May’s Advance Rally was for SCBaptists to continue to step up, guided by faith, to support the most vulnerable and ensure they are not only cared for but also integrated into a supportive and caring community.