The Pathway is not just one thing it is a potpourri of many things. Often its stories are like a pleasant scent—there’s just something special about God’s people on mission with Him.
Potpourri is that dried, good smelling stuff in a jar or a cannister that you drag out of the closet or cabinet to fill a room with the aroma of the season. Maybe you are like me when a seasonal pumpkin scent hits the olfactory nerves in my nose, I start salivating for a big slice of “punkin pie.”
“But thanks be to God, who always puts us on display in Christ and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For to God, we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing” (2 Corinthians 2:14-15 HCSB).
When you consider the great things happening collectively among Missouri Baptists, there is the release of a pleasant aroma pleasing to God.
Allow me to name a few:
• The unanimous call of Dr. Wes Fowler as the next executive director-treasurer. You are going to learn to love this man of God who loves deeply his family, God’s church and the people of God on mission with God. The Executive Board and its search team are a diverse group of people. However, when Dr. Fowler was presented, when he testified of God’s work in his life and when he demonstrated a servant’s heart of leadership, the group came together and selected him as our next leader. You want to meet him at the MBC Annual Meeting, Oct. 23.
• The MBC Annual Meeting is a year to be present. We are hosted by a great church, Crossway Baptist in Springfield. As you will see in this issue of The Pathway, we plan to experience wonderful worship, super reports and great preaching. On Monday evening, I have the honor of passing the baton of MBC executive leadership to Dr. Fowler. When have you seen that done in a Baptist meeting? After the session, a large reception and welcome event is planned for everyone at the Convention Center located in the DoubleTree Hotel on Glenstone. Count on it being a historic evening.
• Your church’s giving combined with the contribution of other Missouri Baptist churches is running ahead of last year and ahead of the 2023 Spending Plan. MBC-CFO Samantha Spencer reported that at the end of Aug. 31, we received a daily average of $41,656.54. Compare that to the same time last year with a daily average of $40,034.76. That is up 4.05% over last year and 1.36% over the projected 2023 spending plan. How is that possible in a downturned economy? The answer is FAITHFULNESS by our churches and FAITHFULNESS with your tithes and offerings to your local church.
• This week is the week of prayer for the Missouri Missions Offering. Last issue of the Pathway told the story about the amazing people who are part of our Missouri Baptist family serving on mission. You are part of every life that is “sent” and every life that is “touched” by God’s grace through the 2023 projects.
Missouri Baptists, you are an amazing people. When I read or hear about a life transformed because of you and your church giving to the MMO projects, my spirit is encouraged by your passion to bring help, hope and healing to the lost and to those who are victimized. You are making a difference. Last year, you broke a giving record. Could we collectively do greater things this year?
• We are humbled by your spirit of forgiveness. In the Aug. 8th print issue of The Pathway, we published the wrong file that reported the mid-year contribution of every church affiliated with the MBC. Human error contributed to the problem. But in defense of our Pathway staff and all of our MBC missionary staff, they work hard and produce more today with 37 full-time employees than what was produced when the MBC had 156 full-time employees in the mid-1980s.
We know that every contribution from our churches is precious. We work hard at stringent accounting measures to be absolutely accurate with every dollar sent from our churches through the MBC. The Mid-Year Report in the Sept. 12th print issue is accurate. Find your church. Give thanks to the Lord for your local church’s investment in the larger work of ministry.
There is much more in this issue. There are many more things that didn’t make it to the printed page. God is at work through His people on mission together with Him. And you are a sweet aroma of God’s grace.