JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Baptists proved themselves resilient and resourceful in 2021 – in record-breaking fashion, according to preliminary figures just released. Despite the continuing challenges of Covid-19 and its variants – which affect worship, fellowship, and methods of giving – Missouri Baptists set a new giving record for the Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering (MMO), contributing $824,436 in 2021 – surpassing the previous record of $821,722 set in 2019. Total MMO … [Read more...]
Southern Baptists celebrate 100 years of partnership in Romania
This year, the Baptist Theological Institute (ITB), in Bucharest, Romania, celebrated 100 years of existence and partnership with Southern Baptists. From vision-casting to sending personnel, Southern Baptists have walked alongside Romanian Baptists. The plot of land the institute sits on and the buildings that house it were purchased with Southern Baptist money, some of which was raised by members of Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) who sold eggs collected on Sunday mornings. That … [Read more...]
Hospital honors church for service amid pandemic
INDEPENDENCE – Sometimes, “paying-it-forward” brings return blessings. This could summarize the relationship of Country Meadows Baptist Church (CMBC) and Centerpoint Hospital. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, CMBC wanted to do something to reach out to the hospital caring for patients with the virus and other medical needs. “We wanted to do something, but not what everyone else was doing. We wanted to make a difference,” said Pastor Ashley Olinger. Olinger said he and a … [Read more...]
Canaan Baptist Church sees Christmas as good time to be missional, evangelistic
ST. LOUIS – Thirty families in the South County area of St. Louis received free Christmas gifts for their children through a recent outreach project of Canaan Baptist Church. Pastor Daniel Carr told The Pathway it was a fairly easy project to set up. “We had church members and a guidance counselor at our school link us to thirty families, and we set up a Christmas store at our church.” There were 78 kids from the thirty families that came through the “store.” The kids were directed to … [Read more...]
Lottie Moon’s home church stays true to her vision
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (BP) – First Baptist Church (on Park Street), where Lottie Moon was baptized, is regaining its health. All it took was a new pastor who said it was too historically significant to wither away, who believed it could become vibrant again, and a congregation that responded to the pastor’s message. “First, I believed it could rebound,” Rob Pochek said. He’s been pastor of First Baptist Church on Park Street since 2016. “If you don’t believe God can breathe life back into … [Read more...]
FBC Ferguson helps organize Kentucky tornado response
FERGUSON – The power of a tornado takes minutes to destroy a town, but the impact on the survivors lasts a lifetime. First Baptist Church of Ferguson is working with fire departments and the city of Ferguson to support the survivors of the Mayfield, Ky., tornado. Doug Inman, FBC associate pastor of missions and youth, is also a firefighter in his community of Orchard Farm and the chaplain for the Ferguson fire department. “A fellow firefighter from Orchard Farm said he was willing to … [Read more...]
Hope always
“As for me, I will always have hope.” (Psalm 71:14a) Hope. Merely reading the word can stir our emotions, inspire positive thoughts and lift our spirit. Hope is what keeps us going, causes us to press forward even in the face of hardship or despair, and prevents us from giving up on ourselves or others regardless of past disappointments or current circumstances. Hope is life-giving and life-sustaining. Human flourishing requires hope. When coupled with the word “eternal,” the two-word … [Read more...]
Trafficking survivors find new life at Mo. Baptist Children’s Home
BRIDGETON (BP) – The debilitating trauma one survivor suffered after being trafficked for sex is emblematic of those rescued through the Freedom 43:19 human trafficking ministry of the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home (MBCH). Freedom 43:19 Case Manager Supervisor Jacqueline Williams told the story to Baptist Press, maintaining the survivor’s anonymity. The trafficker had maneuvered himself into the woman’s life, taking his time and gaining her trust after she became bored with the man who … [Read more...]
UPDATE: DR teams deploy within Missouri, to Kentucky after tornadoes hit
UPDATE (Dec. 15): As of Dec. 15, Missouri Disaster Relief (DR) crews are working in the Kentucky towns of Princeton and Dawson Springs. The operations may be shifting more to debris removal and mass feeding instead of chain saw work. MBC DR Assessors on the ground in those areas are reporting the tornado took a very narrow path and the affected areas are very clearly “totally destroyed” or “hardly touched.” There were only two chain saw work orders turned in after assessing several areas … [Read more...]
West Africans take lead in sharing Bible stories
WEST AFRICA – Mrs. Lombena transitions with ease from the standard West African greetings into the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery. The Togolese man listening to the story is quickly attentive to her vivid storytelling. What follows is a lively discussion about the truths and implications of the Bible story she had crafted into his native tongue. With sincerity on his face, he asks her to pray for him in the name of Jesus, the One who came not to condemn but to save. Rev. … [Read more...]
Churches grow, multiply in Czech Republic
CZECH REPUBLIC – When Larry and Melissa Lewis and their family moved to Czechia (also known as the Czech Republic) in 2009 as IMB church planters, they knew they had a tough job ahead. Only 29% of the population acknowledges the existence of a god and less than 1% choose to follow Jesus. In fact, Czechia is well known for being the most irreligious country in Europe. But trusting God’s call, the Lewises came and began a Bible study in their home in the western Czech city of Plzeň. That … [Read more...]
Prayer, miracles transform hearts in Southeast Asia
SOUTHEAST ASIA – Stephen and Erin Spencer* minister in a region of Southeast Asia where tribal warfare is ongoing, civil unrest is on the rise and foreigners are blacklisted from entering certain regions. However, the good news is entering homes and hearts. One of these hearts is a woman who goes by the name “Momma.” Momma has seen miraculous answers to prayer — a pig raised from the dead, rashes disappeared, and a woman healed from paralysis. The Spencers say prayer transformed Momma’s … [Read more...]
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