JEFFERSON CITY – Nik Ripken is returning to Missouri in October to lead a three-day conference called “Servants in the Crucible.” The IMB missionary and author of The Insanity of God, broke Missouri Baptist hearts for deep lostness while speaking at the 2014 state evangelism conference.
“People don’t usually invite me back,” Ripken said in 2014. Now, he’s returning.
“Nik shares from personal spiritual attacks on his family and on new believers he has been discipling,” said Ben Hess, MBC Church Planting team leader.
“Servants in the Crucible” was developed after visiting 45 countries interviewing 450 believers who live in persecution as a normal way of life. Ripken and his wife, Ruth, have served for more than 30 years as IMB personnel, the majority of that ministering in the midst of persecution. They have to use pseudonyms for security reasons.
Mark Snowden, MBC evangelism/discipleship strategist, is sponsoring the conference.
“This conference calls followers of Jesus to a new normal of bold witnessing that leads to new believers and small groups that can become churches,” Snowden said. “We learned through surveys the past two summers that the nations are among us—not as a threat, but as an opportunity. We are increasingly rubbing counter-culture among postmoderns, too.”
“The conference is a must training for all MBC partners as they serve on mission,” said Rick Hedger, MBC partnership specialist and team leader for Mission Evangelism/Discipleship.
The conference has become well-received because Christians are becoming increasingly polarized from the rest of America’s culture. It is designed to help church leaders make disciple-makers in the midst of persecution and a postmodern culture.
Because persecution is at the heart of the “crucible,” those who attend will walk away with a biblical missiology of suffering. And yet they will also become bolder, biblical witnesses for the planting of New Testament churches in the midst of environments defined by persecution.
“Servants in the Crucible” begins at South Haven Baptist Church, Springfield, at 2:00 p.m., Oct. 28, and concludes with lunch on Friday, October 30.
Attendance is limited to the first 300. Register online at mobaptist.org/servants. The cost is $50 in advance by Oct. 9 and $75 afterward. University and seminary students may register at a reduced rate of $40. Childcare is not provided. The sessions will not be recorded for security reasons.