{"id":26727,"date":"2025-01-21T15:00:35","date_gmt":"2025-01-21T20:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/?post_type=resource&p=26727"},"modified":"2025-01-23T11:58:23","modified_gmt":"2025-01-23T16:58:23","slug":"hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/","title":{"rendered":"Hawaiian paradise includes challenges as state convention welcomes church planters"},"content":{"rendered":"

HONOLULU (BP) \u2014 Visiting Hawaii and the reality of living and ministering there can be two different things. For mainlanders, mention of the state produces images of beautiful beaches, relaxation and weather so perfect it\u2019s unfair to the rest of the world.<\/p>\n

Those all hold true for the ones who call it home, but with more complexity.<\/p>\n

The diversity of the state is reflected in the churches of the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention, itself stretching to the South Pacific and Micronesia. The HPBC goes so far west that it actually becomes east, including a dozen churches in the Asia Baptist Network.<\/p>\n

Three churches set to launch this year model that diversity. The planters and their wives were introduced during the convention\u2019s annual meeting<\/a> last year. They joined five existing North American Mission Board (NAMB) endorsed missionaries who are part of the HPBC: three in Hawaii, one in Guam and another in Japan.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention state executive Craig Webb, standing in back with microphone, stands during last November’s annual meeting and leads in a prayer over church planters moving to the state in 2025.<\/em> (Photo courtesy of HPBC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Craig Coppenbarger is launching Valor Church Pearl Harbor alongside his wife Maggie through Send Military Communities, an effort by the Send Network focusing on reaching military communities. Nasa Sete will pastor a church on Oahu where he and his wife Coroline will focus on reaching Polynesians. Mike and Monica Brennan will be moving from Wyoming to plant a church reaching out to those impacted by human trafficking.<\/p>\n

Such callings to Hawaii bring \u201csuffering for the Lord\u201d jokes. However, the fertile soil of the islands can be a tough place for Gospel seed to find root.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s truly cross-cultural missions,\u201d said Craig Webb, HPBC executive director-treasurer. \u201cThere is a high cost of living, which is compounded by the distance from family. It can also be difficult to find spaces to meet due to the limits of renting areas or finding a building to purchase.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of those make planting a church here more like doing it in a foreign country.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although he just took on the role last August, Webb was born in Honolulu and his childhood home is within eyesight of the building where he now works. His father Henry was a pastor and collegiate minister in the area.<\/p>\n

Webb moved from Hawaii when he was 11, coming back as an adult in 1994 to pastor nine years at Lahaina Baptist Church. He then moved to Tennessee and worked for Lifeway before returning to his home state in 2018 to work with the state convention.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you talk about the HPBC, there is so much variety,\u201d he said. \u201cBut even [in Hawaii] there are six islands, each very unique. The heart for Nasa and Sete is to reach Polynesians, so they will be in a rural area on the north side of Oahu that has a large Mormon influence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hawaii has also become increasingly secular, with the effects of the resorts, restaurants and other tourist trappings playing their part. Homelessness has grown since the COVID pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s worse than you can imagine,\u201d Webb said.<\/p>\n

Coppenbarger, currently serving as a Department of Defense civilian as well as military reservist, speaks like someone with 19 years of ministry experience who has also been in the Air Force since 2002.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur primary target group is incredibly transient,\u201d he told BP. \u201cThey move every three to four years. We have to be very strategic and intentional with our discipleship, development and the way we equip our people.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are already trained to lead and serve; we just have to share Jesus with them and get them set on His mission.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added that with approximately 101,000 active duty members on Oahu, additional family members and other DoD employees add up to 230,000 affiliated with the military.<\/p>\n

That leads to a group who can become \u201cincredibly effective for ministry when they get set on the right course.\u201d<\/p>\n

The church planters introduced at the annual meeting bring the number to five endorsed by the Send Network to the HPBC. The other two serve in Guam and Japan, said Shane Critser, Coastal West director for Send Network.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverywhere is getting diverse, but places like Hawaii are diverse<\/em>,\u201d he said. \u201cThere isn\u2019t necessarily a majority culture. You have Hawaiians, Samoans, Tongans, Japanese and Anglos \u2013 so many nations are represented.\u201d<\/p>\n

Currently there is no Send catalyst in Hawaii, so Critser is assisting the HPBC temporarily in that capacity. In his time doing that, he\u2019s observed the unique challenges to gathering missions muscle for the state.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople tend to think that if you\u2019re going on a mission trip to Hawaii, it\u2019s like a vacation,\u201d he said. He\u2019s even heard from partner churches who decided not to take a mission trip there because it was difficult asking for funds from members to fund a trip to the islands.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the truth is it\u2019s an extremely difficult place to do ministry, and our churches there need help,\u201d Critser said.<\/p>\n

Coppenbarger is still forming his core team, but is already very thankful for his support in the upper 48.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have an amazing sending church, First Baptist in Forney, Texas, as well as a few other supporting churches.,\u201d he said. \u201cAll will send teams as we minister to this community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Editor’s Note: This story first appeared here<\/a> on Baptist Press.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

HONOLULU (BP) \u2014 Visiting Hawaii and the reality of living and ministering there can be two …<\/p>\n

Hawaiian paradise includes challenges as state convention welcomes church planters<\/span> Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":26728,"template":"","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"content-type":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"tags":[],"channels":[],"topics":[],"languages":[],"class_list":["post-26727","resource","type-resource","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHawaiian paradise includes challenges as state convention welcomes church planters - Send Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hawaiian paradise includes challenges as state convention welcomes church planters\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"HONOLULU (BP) \u2014 Visiting Hawaii and the reality of living and ministering there can be two … Hawaiian paradise includes challenges as state convention welcomes church planters Read More »\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Send Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SendNetwork\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-01-23T16:58:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/01\/Praying-with-Hawaii-church-planters-1024x683-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"683\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@sendnetwork\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/\",\"name\":\"Hawaiian paradise includes challenges as state convention welcomes church planters - Send Network\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/01\/Praying-with-Hawaii-church-planters-1024x683-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-01-21T20:00:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-01-23T16:58:23+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/01\/Praying-with-Hawaii-church-planters-1024x683-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/01\/Praying-with-Hawaii-church-planters-1024x683-1.jpg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":683,\"caption\":\"Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention state executive Craig Webb, standing in back with microphone, stands during last November's annual meeting and leads in a prayer over church planters moving to the state in 2025. (Photo courtesy of HPBC)\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Hawaiian paradise includes challenges as state convention welcomes church planters\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/\",\"name\":\"Send Network\",\"description\":\"Church Planting Network\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Send Network\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2016\/07\/SN-Logo_Linear_Brandmark-Solid_BlueNavy_RGB.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2016\/07\/SN-Logo_Linear_Brandmark-Solid_BlueNavy_RGB.png\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":393,\"caption\":\"Send Network\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SendNetwork\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/sendnetwork\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/wearesendnetwork\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Hawaiian paradise includes challenges as state convention welcomes church planters - Send Network","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Hawaiian paradise includes challenges as state convention welcomes church planters","og_description":"HONOLULU (BP) \u2014 Visiting Hawaii and the reality of living and ministering there can be two … Hawaiian paradise includes challenges as state convention welcomes church planters Read More »","og_url":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/","og_site_name":"Send Network","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SendNetwork\/","article_modified_time":"2025-01-23T16:58:23+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":683,"url":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/01\/Praying-with-Hawaii-church-planters-1024x683-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@sendnetwork","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/","url":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/","name":"Hawaiian paradise includes challenges as state convention welcomes church planters - Send Network","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/01\/Praying-with-Hawaii-church-planters-1024x683-1.jpg","datePublished":"2025-01-21T20:00:35+00:00","dateModified":"2025-01-23T16:58:23+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/01\/Praying-with-Hawaii-church-planters-1024x683-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/01\/Praying-with-Hawaii-church-planters-1024x683-1.jpg","width":1024,"height":683,"caption":"Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention state executive Craig Webb, standing in back with microphone, stands during last November's annual meeting and leads in a prayer over church planters moving to the state in 2025. (Photo courtesy of HPBC)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/resource\/hawaiian-paradise-includes-challenges-as-state-convention-welcomes-church-planters\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Hawaiian paradise includes challenges as state convention welcomes church planters"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/","name":"Send Network","description":"Church Planting Network","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/#organization","name":"Send Network","url":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2016\/07\/SN-Logo_Linear_Brandmark-Solid_BlueNavy_RGB.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2016\/07\/SN-Logo_Linear_Brandmark-Solid_BlueNavy_RGB.png","width":2560,"height":393,"caption":"Send Network"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SendNetwork\/","https:\/\/x.com\/sendnetwork","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/wearesendnetwork"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource\/26727"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/resource"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26728"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26727"},{"taxonomy":"channels","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/channels?post=26727"},{"taxonomy":"topics","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topics?post=26727"},{"taxonomy":"languages","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.namb.net\/send-network\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/languages?post=26727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}