JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Baptists are a diverse group of half a million followers of Jesus, who worship and serve in more than 1,700 independent churches across the state.
These churches cooperate voluntarily to transform lives and communities with the gospel. They network, share finances, and volunteer resources through associations, the Missouri Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention.
But in the midst of this dizzying array of kingdom work, how do Missouri Baptists stay connected with one another?
“One of the key roles of the MBC missionary staff is to create and maintain a vibrant network of cooperating churches,” according to John Yeats, executive director of the MBC. “We are not a hierarchy or a top-down organization. Rather, we respect the biblical principles of the priesthood of the believer and the autonomy of the local church. With the Baptist Faith & Message as our theological guide, our missionary staff strives to make it easier for Missouri Baptists and MBC churches to work together for the sake of the gospel.”
One way MBC missionaries connect Missouri Baptists is through dozens of “touchpoints.” These are points of contact designed to facilitate two-way communication among Missouri Baptists and their local churches.
Specifically, the MBC offers touchpoints in five general areas:
(1) Publications. These include The Pathway news journal, which reaches roughly 30,000 homes 20 times per year with news, feature stories, commentary, and resources from a biblical worldview. Other publications are the Annual Report & Statistics; the Bulletin & Book of Reports; annual and mid-year giving reports; books for personal and group study through High Street Press; bulletin inserts; posters; and much more.
(2) Web communications and social media. These include MBC websites such as mobaptist.org, mbcpathway.com, highstreet.press, and mbcollegiate.org; newsletters like mbConnect and the MBC Stewardship Journal; social media; blogs; and specially designed apps for the Annual Meeting and Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief.
(3) Networks. These networks are wide-ranging and often overlapping, and they include the Executive Board, which governs MBC ministries; the MBC missionary staff; Missouri Baptist entities such as the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home, The Baptist Home, the Missouri Baptist Foundation, and three universities; collegiate ministry on 26 campuses; disaster-relief volunteer mobilization; and much more.
(4) Events. The MBC Annual Meeting is the featured event of the year, when Missouri Baptists gather for worship, fellowship, and important business. Other events include a Youth Evangelism Conference; mbCollegiate Conference; Next Generation Retreat; LIFE Discipleship Training; Super Summer; WMU events; and many other regional and statewide opportunities for training and discipleship.
(5) Direct mail. These are important print resources sent directly to your church. They include the Annual Church Profile (ACP); church remittance forms; church-giving reports; promotional items for the Missouri Missions Offering, Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, and Lottie Moon Christmas Offering; and more.
“In all, the MBC missionary staff maintains dozens of touchpoints so that the cooperative work of Missouri Baptists stays focused on our vision of transforming lives and communities with the gospel,” says Yeats.
The infographic on this page offers an overview of MBC Touchpoints. For a more detailed list of ways the MBC connects Missouri Baptists, visit mobaptist.org/touchpoints.