JEFFERSON CITY – Following the death of the renowned vocational evangelist Billy Graham, Feb. 21, members of the Fellowship of Missouri Baptist Evangelists (FMBE) commended Graham for the positive influence he has had on the ministry of all vocational evangelists. But few of them have felt the impact of Graham’s ministry as much as Missouri Baptist vocational evangelist Clyde Chiles. “I was saved at a Billy Graham crusade service in Ocean City, N.J., when he was a Youth For Christ … [Read more...]
Generous gifts bless Texans in aftermath of Harvey
BEAUMONT, Texas – In its 69-year existence, East Gill Baptist Church here has survived four catastrophic events. But last August, when Hurricane Harvey ripped through the gulf coast, the church’s building met its match. After the storm passed, Pastor Jearon Chew took a boat to the sight of the church. “We were only able to see the roof of the building,” Chew said. For seven days, the church – located in a lower-income area of Beaumont – sat under water. Once the waters receded, they … [Read more...]
Nearly 100 years after ‘Scopes Monkey Trial,’ state lawmakers continue to challenge Darwinism
JEFFERSON CITY – On May 4, 1925, George Rappleyea, a metallurgical engineer in Dayton, Tenn., stumbled upon an advertisement in the Chattanooga Daily Times that, he thought, could bring renown and money to this struggling coal town. The advertisement, put out by the ACLU, challenged a Tennessee law that made it illegal “to teach” in public schools “any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower … [Read more...]
The ‘prince of preachers’ spars with Darwin
KANSAS CITY – Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), the “prince of Baptist preachers,” died only a decade after Charles Darwin (1809-1882), who infamously proposed a way for explaining the origin of all species without any need for God. Though they lived in the same England at the same time, these men were poles apart in their views of creation and the origin of life on earth, according to Christian George, director of the Charles Spurgeon Center for Biblical Preaching at Midwestern Baptist … [Read more...]
First Baptist Bolivar expands building, heart for ministry
BOLIVAR – Last month, the members of First Baptist Church, Bolivar, completed a $3 million project to improve their facilities. They held an open house on Jan. 14 and celebrated the potential for reaching their community made possible by these facilities improvements. The building project, which included improvements in the church’s children’s area, was part of the congregation’s “Beyond Us” strategy – a plan to reach out and bring transformation to their community and beyond. “We’ve … [Read more...]
‘I Can Only Imagine:’ Mo. pastor’s son stars in anticipated Christian film
LEBANON – In 2008, John Michael Finley – a student at the prestigious performing arts school at Roosevelt University – came home to Lebanon after his spring semester only to hear bad news. His father told him that Roosevelt University was simply too expensive, and he’d need to finish his college education elsewhere. This news didn’t necessarily bode well for his aspirations as an actor, yet Finley took it in stride. But only a few weeks later, he and his family were shaken by tragedy. … [Read more...]
Churches across the state benefit from Missouri Baptist Convention’s apologetics resources
JEFFERSON CITY – Churches and associations from across the state are benefiting from resources provided by the Missouri Baptist Apologetics Network – a group of church leaders committed to the defense of the Christian faith and called to equip believers to more effectively share their faith. In particular, Missouri Baptists have widely used apologetics tools by Rob Phillips, ministry support catalyst at the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC), who leads the MBC’s apologetics efforts. … [Read more...]
Japanese gang member finds Christ, ministry call
TROY – When he was 15 years old, Jonathan Hayashi had been arrested, tried, blacklisted, and put behind bars. He hated Christians, he hated his father, and he hated God. He never imagined how God was already working to bring him to faith and to send him, eventually, to minister in a Baptist church, more than 6,000 miles away in Missouri. In fact, God was at work long before this. Years earlier, when Hayashi’s mother studied English at a college in Japan, she met International Mission Board … [Read more...]
Mayview Baptist continues ministry heritage
MAYVIEW – Rhonda Barnes has been a member of Mayview Baptist Church here her whole life. In fact, her heritage at the church goes back five generations, and her children and grandchildren now attend the church, as well. Her great grandfather, grandfather and father were deacons at the church, and her brother, Greg Bertz, now serves as a deacon. Barnes’ story is representative of this small church in Missouri’s West Central Baptist Association. Many families in the church have lived in … [Read more...]
From the Archives: Firearms in church?
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been edited and updated, having run previously in the Oct. 8, 2013, edition of The Pathway. NORWOOD – Pastor Stephen Fugitt believes that churches have the right to arm themselves for the day when a gunman enters their buildings to do harm. Yet no one had time to open fire against a gunman who aimed his .357 magnum revolver at Fugitt as he preached to his congregation at the First Baptist Church, Norwood, July 21, 2013. Instead, one church member grabbed … [Read more...]
Slain pastor’s daughter sees God amid pain
HANNIBAL – A few years ago, while serving as a summer missionary in Chicago, Cassidy Winters saw for the first time how God was “putting together the broken pieces” of her life for His glory. That summer, Cassidy worked as a camp counselor, and the experience was far from the Bible-belt variety Vacation Bible School she at first expected. Her students – 7-year-old boys transplanted from inner city Chicago to a campground in wide-open spaces – yelled, played and created havoc as she … [Read more...]
Pastorless churches find bright futures through CP: Transitional pastors available through MBC
JEFFERSON CITY – Losing a senior pastor for any reason can send a church into crisis mode. But the Missouri Baptist Convention’s (MBC) “transitional pastor ministry” aims to help pastorless churches prepare them for a bright future of ministry. “One thing that a transitional minister can bring to a church is hope,” said Mark Arnold, a member of the MBC’s network of transitional pastors. “He helps them understand that God still has a future for them, still has a purpose for them.” The … [Read more...]
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