Japan’s population is aging. Almost 30% of its population is 65 years old and older. This statistic is affecting church planting, church health and church growth. International Mission Board missionaries and Japanese Christians must answer the question, “Who will lead the next generation of believers?” Scott Bradford, a missionary in Tokyo, said the average age of local pastors is between 60 and 70 years old. Many pastors are in their 80s and don’t feel they can retire because there is … [Read more...]
College Park Church reaches students seeking community
ST. LOUIS – A July 2021 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship survey found that today’s college students, identified as Generation Z, experience isolation and lack social interaction in their lives. For church they desire community, Scripture study, and prayer. Jordan Cox, lead pastor of College Park Church, which meets at Missouri Baptist University (MBU), saw the same characteristics among students, leading him to plant the church a year ago. Fellowship of Wildwood in St. Louis County was … [Read more...]
FBC Ferguson ministers to elderly, disabled in North County, St. Louis
FERGUSON – Loving your neighbor is a commandment and First Baptist Church of Ferguson has found a new way to express that love. Engage NOCO is a new mission to serve the local community by ministering to the elderly and disabled. “Many of the folks in Ferguson love their property and want to take care of it, but they are not able,” Doug Inman, associate pastor, said. “We want to show them love and help them be proud of the community.” The church purchased a trailer with donations as … [Read more...]
Persecution persists as gospel spreads
Kingdom growth is always met with deep spiritual warfare for Aquila*. For him this includes active and imminent threats to his life. “Please pray for us!” Aquila asked the prayer team in a September 2020 message. He had heard that an extremist group was coming to the area where he lived. Because of his gospel witness, Aquila found himself on this group’s “top 10” hit list. He was fearful for his life and his family. He’s been on this list for seven years, yet his gospel witness hasn’t … [Read more...]
Ky. student connects with MBCollegiate, becomes Mo. Baptist summer missionary
JEFFERSON CITY – The scope of MBCollegiate isn’t limited to Missouri college students. Sometimes a simple connection through a friend is all it takes to reach across state borders to impact collegians on other campuses in other states. Olivia Helm is one such case. Helm, a senior at Campbellsville University in Kentucky, learned of a Mexico mission trip opportunity over Christmas break through a Campbellsville friend who had done her undergraduate at Hannibal-LaGrange University. Now, … [Read more...]
‘The Chosen’ makes great TV
Six reasons to watch this creative, biblically faithful show KANSAS CITY – If you aren’t watching “The Chosen,” I think you’re missing out. “The Chosen” is an independent television show depicting the life of Christ through the eyes of His disciples. Its 16 episodes range from 35 minutes to an hour in length, and the Season 2 finale came out, July 11. Season 1 is available on NBC’s streaming service, PeacockTV; I watched both seasons at watch.angelstudios.com/thechosen. You can also … [Read more...]
Churches’ partnership after fire paints picture of Christian unity
LOUISIANA, Mo. – There’s a beautiful picture being painted here. The canvas is the body of Christ in two churches – one whose building is temporarily out of service and one reaching out to the other. The brush is the movement of the Holy Spirit. The picture is titled, “Christian Unity.” As dark colors can accent a picture, so the dark times, like a church fire, can highlight God’s work. In September, 2020, lightning struck the New Jerusalem Tabernacle, a non-denominational black church in … [Read more...]
Lowe’s, Home Depot programs to benefit DR
JEFFERSON CITY – A couple of new programs with major retailers will benefit Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (DR). Home Depot and Lowe’s are offering opportunities for customers to register their personal or business credit cards with the program. By doing so, a percentage of each purchase (either in-store or online) goes directly to Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. Officials said there is no cost to the customer. It only requires the process of registering a personal, church or business … [Read more...]
BSU students from Missouri Southern State University partner to bring help, hope to Colorado
EAST TROUBLESOME, Colo. – In March, the Colorado Baptist Disaster Relief sent out the call that they needed teams to come to Grand County, CO to assist their efforts helping locals recover from last fall’s East Troublesome wildfire. Ignited on October 14, 2020, East Troublesome burned at a staggering pace, blazing through over 100,000 acres in one day, making history as the largest single-day wildfire burn in state history. By the time the fire was contained on November 30, 2020, it had … [Read more...]
Disaster Relief fall training opportunities announced
JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief (DR) invites Missouri Baptists to train to participate in disaster call-outs. There will be two training sessions held in the southern and western parts of the state to equip future and current volunteers. Becoming a DR volunteer provides an excellent opportunity for hands-on service to people in need. Training is open to any member of a Southern Baptist church who is at least 18 years of age. Attending training does not obligate a … [Read more...]
Trees, branches cleared after windstorm in Perry
PERRY – Wide-spread damage of trees and branches was reported in northeast Missouri after strong winds, up to 90 miles per hour hit the area. Al Groner, Northeast Regional Coordinator for Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief, said the Mark Twain Lake area, Monroe City, and Center all had some damage. However, none of them had damage to the degree of Perry, and only Perry needed Disaster Relief assistance. Many streets were clogged with downed limbs and some property was damaged. There were … [Read more...]
The personhood of the Holy Spirit
This is another in a series of excerpts from “What Every Christian Should Know About the Trinity,” published by the MBC’s High Street Press (visit highstreet.press). The Bible reveals both the personhood and deity of the Holy Spirit. In this column, we focus on the Spirit as a person, for without personhood the Spirit cannot be divine. In the next column, we show from Scripture how this person possesses all the attributes of deity. One of the clearest demonstrations of the Holy Spirit’s … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 85
- 86
- 87
- 88
- 89
- …
- 219
- Next Page »