BOLIVAR – Southwest Baptist University President Dr. Eric A. Turner presented to employees on June 2 the University Sustainability Plan designed to guide the University through current and future disruptions to higher education. The University is nearly two years into a strategic planning process, Shaping our Story Together. The Sustainability Plan was formed by the process and works in tandem with the overall strategic plan. Changes will be implemented throughout the next two academic … [Read more...]
‘Parenting from the pew’ – Windermere to host online workshop to help parents, ministers disciple children as churches reopen
ROACH – As Missouri Baptist churches have grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic, many have decided to cancel children’s Sunday school classes and other programs. According to Teresa Huddleston, this presents an opportunity for churches across the state to refresh the way they think about children’s ministry. For nearly three decades, Huddleston – the wife of Windermere President Tim Huddleston – has served in children’s ministry. And she sees parents as essential for the discipleship of … [Read more...]
State’s sole abortion clinic can remain open, according to Missouri commissioner
ST. LOUIS – A decision issued May 29 by Missouri Administrative Hearing Commissioner Sreenivasa Rao Dandamudi means that a Planned Parenthood clinic here can remain open and perform abortions. The news came after a year-old legal fight that had pitted the Gov. Mike Parson – a member of First Baptist, Bolivar – and the state’s Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) against Planned Parenthood. The question was whether to renew the facility’s license. A March 11-13, 2019 annual … [Read more...]
Drive-in VBS gives kids, families ‘firm foundation’
BOLIVAR – Preparations for Vacation Bible School at First Baptist Church, here, had already been underway for a month when the COVID-19 pandemic tossed all plans out the window. Missy Vestal – the VBS director – and the rest of the team met via Zoom and looked through their options, settling on a solution: Drive-In VBS. So for every other evening from June 1-5, 60 to 70 cars show up at First Baptist’s parking lot where volunteers lead in VBS while kids and their families remain in their … [Read more...]
Pastor continues to serve in half-century ministry
HURDLAND – Rev. Robert Shobe may have slowed down, but he has not stopped pastoring First Baptist, Hurdland. Come September, it will be 50 years of faithfulness to that church. Shobe surrendered to preach in 1967 and served Emmanuel Baptist in Hannibal and did supply preaching for various churches. He was at Hartford when he learned Hurdland needed a pastor, and accepted that pastorate in 1970. For several years, he and his wife Susie lived in Lancaster but pastored in Hurdland. The church … [Read more...]
MBCollegiate ministries challenge students to take initiative and share their faith
JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Baptist Convention’s collegiate ministries – called MBCollegiate – have a threefold goal: make disciples, pursue missions, and develop leaders. With the COVID-19 crisis, many of their mission opportunities have been cancelled, but that hasn’t stopped their ministries from continuing to make disciples and develop leaders. Across the state, students are stepping up and taking initiative in their faith and on their campuses – even if from a distance. Levi … [Read more...]
Diamond kids take Jesus with them everywhere – ‘Flat Jesus’ helps children connect when not at chur
DIAMOND – Step aside, Flat Stanley. Flat Jesus is here. When Ron Crow, pastor of First Baptist Church, Diamond, was trying to think of a way to keep kids engaged with the church when families could not gather in person, his mind went to his two daughters. “When things started closing down, I told them I was burdened for our children. ‘What can I do for the kids?’ They said, ‘Flat Jesus!’” Both school teachers, Crow’s daughters were familiar with Flat Stanley. Flat Stanley is a paper … [Read more...]
‘Exploring His creation’ – Former NASA engineer, MBU professor marvels at SpaceX launch
ST. LOUIS – During the 1990s, Jerry Deese was part of a team at McDonnell Douglas Research Laboratories that partnered with NASA on various engineering problems. His resume features phrases like, “equations of fluid mechanics at speeds ranging from subsonic to hypersonic,” and “nonlinear partial differential equations based on explicit time-stepping techniques and including models for turbulence and non-equilibrium chemical kinetic effects.” But while those phrases are incomprehensible to … [Read more...]
Voter registration packs ready for churches
JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Baptist Convention's Christian Life Commission has prepared a voter registration packet for churches. The packets include step-by-step instructions and materials that will be needed to conduct a voter registration drive on site. Churches are encouraged to hold these registration drives on the weekends of June 27 and July 4. Citizens must be registered to vote (or change their address if they have moved since the last time they voted) by July 8 in order to vote … [Read more...]
‘We cannot be silent’ – Churches stand for human dignity, life after George Floyd’s death
KANSAS CITY – Missouri Baptist churches across the Kansas City metroplex are linking arms to stand for the value of every life made in God’s image and to declare the gospel’s power to break down racial barriers in the nation. United Believers Community Church in south Kansas City and the Fellowship Church in Greenwood partnered with other area churches and the Christian radio station, Life 88.5, to host an online prayer rally, June 4, focused on opening fruitful conversation about racial … [Read more...]
Spurgeon’s lessons valued during crisis, day-to-day life
KANSAS CITY – Though there were no Zoom calls and live streaming back during the cholera outbreak in 1854, seminary leaders continue to marvel today at how legendary British Baptist pastor Charles Spurgeon, who wasn’t even 20 years-old at the time, ministered during a crisis. Nearly 130 years after his death, and amid today’s COVID-19 pandemic, C.H. Spurgeon is the subject of various related stories, podcast discussions, a recent online event, entitled “24 Hours with Charles Spurgeon” that … [Read more...]
WMU’s prayer, service the backbone of the Missouri State BSU ministry
SPRINGFIELD – If it weren’t for the WMU, the BSU ministry at Missouri State University might not even exist. “I don’t think BSU would be around without them getting their churches to rally around,” says Campus Missionary Chris Wilson, who has led the BSU at his alma mater since 2010. “When I was a student at MSU in the 90’s, they were there, the same ladies,” Wilson says. “They’ve provided that support for a long time.” The integral role of Baptist women in the BSU goes right back to its … [Read more...]
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