WATSEKA, Ill.– Their first day going door to door on the streets of Watseka was pretty intimidating. Their adult mission team leaders, Pastor Gregg Boll of First Baptist Church, Crane, and Pastor Josh Hall of Selmore Baptist Church in Ozark, did most of the talking.
But, it didn’t take long before the three junior high boys from Crane – Nick Lippold, Dylan Waisner, and Robbie Williams – memorized the questions and took the lead on the surveys, including boldly asking the last question, “How can we pray for you?”
“The boys had never been on a mission trip before and watching them gain confidence and initiate that kind of conversation really blessed me,” Boll said. “They learned to do it by on-the-job training and they became uninhibited when talking about the Lord and about spiritual things.”
The church plant community assessment was part of a week-long mission trip that took place last June. A partnership within a partnership, Selmore Baptist Church and First Crane sent 22 church members collectively and cooperatively to join the statewide partnership mission effort in Northern Illinois. They were also joined by seven people from Anna, Ill., a community located near the southern tip of the state.
The mission team was able to divide their resources and do mission work for the church plant, as well as two other churches, all in Three Rivers Baptist Association (TRBA), an association serving the south and southwest suburbs of Chicago.
Hall said each person was able to plug in and serve to their strengths. While some worked on the assessment survey, others did construction work, essentially converting a house into a church. Another team organized and provided Vacation Bible School for a primarily Hispanic community.
“It was an awesome week,” Hall said. “We believe the local church is central to God’s plan, so our goals for the week were simply to go there and do what we could to strengthen the local church and help build them up to reach their community for Christ.”
Dan Edington, TRBA director of missions, said seven different partnerships involving 21 churches were brought together over the course of the summer between churches in his association and Missouri Baptist churches.
“We have 1.5 million people living where our association of just 34 churches is serving,” Edington said. “The partnerships have been a lifeline for our churches and we have great respect for those who choose to come. Without the help of Missouri Baptists we would not be able to do the things we need to.”
Hall, who has led his church in state partnerships and short-term trips the last seven years, said Missouri churches should utilize Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) partnerships more than they do.
“It’s great because the groundwork is already laid out for you; all you have to do is plug into it,” he said. “Northern Illinois is an open mission field. I would just encourage congregations to send their pastor and church leaders up there and have them meet and talk to some of their leaders. They will see the needs, as well as the many different ways their church can help.”
KAYLA RINKER/contributing writer