HELENA, Mont. – MPact is an annual event in the springtime where Montana Southern Baptist pastors and wives gather for inspiration and training. This year Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) leaders from the convention offices as well as from Crossway Baptist Church in Springfield went up to Montana to help lead the event.
Missouri Baptists have recently established a new 7-year missions partnership with Montana Baptists and convention leaders were invited to provide music and leadership training in the Montana MPACT event.
Montana Southern Baptist Convention Executive Director Barrett Duke said, “We were blessed to have more than 20 people join us from the Missouri Baptist Convention, our new state convention partner.”
He added, “Executive Director, Dr. John Yeats and most of his cabinet spoke. We were blessed, taught, and challenged by every message. We were also blessed to have a dozen member worship team from Crossway Baptist Church in Springfield, Mo. They did an absolutely fabulous job leading us in worship. We had great attendance and the spirit was really sweet.”
Rick Hedger, MBC Multiplying Churches director, said it was a blessing to be able to recruit the members of the worship team from Crossway Baptist in Springfield to make the trip to Montana and lead the worship sessions. “Mark Mathis, the music minister, and his team provided excellent music for the event,” Hedger said.
Also on the trip were Pastor Lane Harrison, of LifePoint Church, Ozark, and Pastor Chris Willams of the Fellowship Greenwood in Kansas City. These men are second and first vice presidents of the Missouri Baptist Convention currently. Some of the MBC staff also attended along with several of their wives. They taught many of the breakout sessions during the MPACT event. Sandee Hedger, Janet Bennet and Sharon Yeats, wives of MBC staff members, led a session for Montana pastors wives.
John Yeats said there is a great benefit for both Montana and Missouri churches when partnering together to do missions projects such as this.
“It’s walking the journey together,” Yeats said. “The Missouri/Montana partnership is about finding ways to engage in ministry together.” For Missouri Baptists it is healthy for us to step out of our local ministry context and experience the challenges and opportunities our co-laborers in Montana experience every day.”
He added, “When Dr. Barrett Duke requested that our state missionary staff come and staff their MPACT conference, our state directors and select pastors were the speakers at the event. However, because of conversations and testimonies, the teachers have become the learners and now we want to encourage fellow Missouri Baptists to engage in a conversation with Montana Baptists that leads to gospel-driven ministry.”
Hedger pointed out that Missouri Baptists are just starting to take five vision trips to Montana in order for Missouri Baptist pastors to see what is available for them to do as they partner with Montana churches.
The vision trips that are scheduled are:
• March 22-27
• May 3-8
• June 21-26
• August 23-28,
Hedger said Missouri Mission Offering funds made it possible for the Missourians to be able to travel to Montana. He said if Missourians are interested in learning more about the partnership opportunities they can get in touch with his office at 800-736-6227, ext. 316. Or check the website at: www.mobaptist.org/partnership-missions/samaria.
