JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri Baptist Convention is closing the Baptist Building the week of March 23 in an effort to better safeguard the state missionary staff and guests from the spread of the coronavirus. The MBC continues to provide support to its clients who operate in the building, including the Missouri Baptist Foundation, the Missouri Baptist Credit Union, and the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home, as well as individual business tenants.
Most of the MBC’s state missionaries are working from home and are available by phone and email to continue ministering with Missouri Baptists. This includes having incoming calls to their offices forwarded to their mobile phones.
In light of the context of the Corvid-19 global crisis, MBC state missionaries are praying for and contacting pastors and churches as they navigate these unprecedented times. “We are incredibly grateful for our churches’ continued Cooperative Program support,” said Dr. John Yeats, MBC executive director. “We are interceding and believing that on the other side of this ‘humbling’ is extraordinary ministry and advance of the gospel.”
MBC leaders plan to assess the situation next week and will make a decision whether to reopen on March 30 or to remain in a closed mode for an undetermined length of time.
“This is a very fluid situation and our amazing MBC staff has responded with great flexibility,” said Yeats. “We will continue to monitor and make prayerful decisions accordingly.”