Bob Feeler
INDIANAPOLIS – Missourians at the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) were greeting friends, old and new. They browsed the exhibit hall and picked up books and information. They were inspired by Bible preaching, and then they voted for and against business session items.
The Pathway spoke to several in the hallways who hail from the “Show Me State,” and they had various experiences and opinions to share.
Don Satterwhite
Bob Feeler, the associational mission strategist of Twin Rivers Baptist Association, Wright City, was encouraged with the emphasis in the SBC on church revitalization and replanting churches. He said, “We have two churches being replanted. One was sitting empty five years. It’s been replanted in that building. We have other new church starts that are able to take advantage of available church buildings to get started.” One is the Salt Lick Baptist Church, which was established in 1823. They are being restarted and have new life as a revitalized congregation.
Abner Neil
One pastor who has Missouri roots was willing to speak about his experiences. Abner Neil is now the pastor of First Baptist, Sutherland Springs, Texas and formerly First Baptist Church, Princeton, Mo. He left Missouri last fall to serve in Sutherland Springs where an active shooter event in 2017 devastated the small rural Texas church. A gunman burst into the church service firing multiple weapons, killing 26 people and wounding 22 others, including several children. That gunman was located soon after and shot near the outskirts of the town. The church has been in great stress and shock, but Neil said they are doing much better than most people would think.
He was encouraged by the emphasis on family he found in the Pastors’ Conference especially by Pastor Jimmy Scroggins of Florida, preaching on the pastor’s family life. Neil said, “I see lots of messengers here with young families with them, and that encourages me.” He added that he loved his time spent in northern Missouri serving as pastor at Princeton.
Jim Plymale
Don Satterwhite, a retired minister, living in Springfield, and member of Second Baptist, Springfield said he particularly enjoyed the NAMB luncheon where some families in the process of adopting and fostering children were given recognition and special gifts. He thought it was the best NAMB luncheon he had ever experienced. Satterwhite retired from Calvary Baptist in Sedalia a year or so ago, and he’s now pursuing pulpit supply and interim pastor ministry.
Another man with Missouri connections was Steve Fowler, who is an associational missionary with the Yellowstone Baptist Association in Montana. He also pastors a church there. Fowler said the Missouri-Montana missions partnership is working very well from his perspective.
Randy and Teresa Conn
Fowler remarked, “One project in particular is so helpful. Some associations in Missouri are partnering with associations in eastern Montana to give support and encouragement to lonely Montana pastors. He said there are about 120 SBC congregations in Montana and the distances between churches is often very far. Missourians have been coming up and doing ministry, filling the pulpits for a month or so and giving the Montana pastors a chance to take a vacation. He invites more Missourians to come to Montana and help share the gospel.
Jim Plymale, the director of missions for the Franklin Baptist Association in Union, said being at the convention was a good experience for the relationship building and networking he can accomplish while there. He attended the Southern Baptist Conference for Associational Leaders (SBCAL) prior to the start of the SBC meeting. Plymale said when he has a problem to solve, he often turns to other DOMs or to fellow pastors to help him think through issues. He is located southwest of the St. Louis metro area, so he has people with urban and rural roots.
Mike Hibbard
His church believes in Cooperative Program support for missions and they give generously, he said.
Randy and Teresa Conn, of FBC Delta, were heading to a worship session. They were still talking about an inspiring message by Jeff Iorg, president of the SBC Executive Committee. Conn said he is supportive of the SBC and thinks there is room for improvement still. He thinks the convention is starting to head in the right direction, although there have been some significant struggles in the past few years.
Mike Hibbard, the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Fulton, was leaving the main convention sessions on Tuesday evening. He seemed a little conflicted. He said, “For me the SBC annual meeting is a mixed bag of emotions, I can be both proud and embarrassed to be a Southern Baptist within a few minutes. On the same day we celebrate sending 83 new missionaries around the world, and then we vote to break fellowship with a sister church because our polity is not aligned.”
Travis Curtman
Hibbard added, “The International Mission Board introduced (by video) 83 missionaries and many of them couldn’t even display their faces or say exactly where they were going because of their safety. That’s what Baptists should be all about (missions). It seems we get so occupied with internal regulations that we lose sight of what’s really important, what our purpose is, the Great Commission emphasis.”
Travis Curtman, associate pastor for worship and students at First Baptist Church, Kirksville, was in the exhibit area, and his daughter was checking out some Christian colleges. Curtman said their family really enjoyed the International Mission Board commissioning service for new missionaries.
He said, “The opportunity to develop community, to experience different ministries and find collaboration” was a plus for him. He is enrolled in Southern Seminary to study worship leadership.
Brian Baker
Brian Baker, the pastor of FBC Marceline, said his summary of the convention was “I’m proud to be a Southern Baptist because of our commitment to missions in every corner of the world, and because of the incredible range the SBC’s size, it allows churches to articulate in so many different places and ministry contexts.I attend the annual meeting because I feel FBC Marceline should be represented here. This allows me to have a far broader, and more accurate, perspective on the state of our denomination. And even better, the fellowship just can’t be beat.”
Read more about Missouri Baptist involvement at the SBC annual meeting in the photo gallery below:
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- Eighty three new IMB missionaries, plus two previously appointed who participated with spouses, were recognized at the IMB’s Sending Celebration to end the June 11 morning session of the SBC annual meeting. Three of the missionary couples – including Jude & Joanna – were sent by Missouri Baptist churches. Because they’re going to countries where it can be dangerous to share the gospel, their identities were withheld, and their faces were never shown.
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- INDIANAPOLIS – Missouri Baptist minister Matt Goodsell, who serves as North America global director for Capitol Ministries while also ministering to elected officials at the Missouri State Capitol, speaks to guests at the Capitol Ministries booth in the exhibit hall at the 2024 SBC annual meeting here. (Pathway photo)
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- Eighty three new IMB missionaries, plus two previously appointed who participated with spouses, were recognized at the IMB’s Sending Celebration to end the June 11 morning session of the SBC annual meeting. Three of the missionary couples – including Jonathan & Kelsie – were sent by Missouri Baptist churches. Because they’re going to countries where it can be dangerous to share the gospel, their identities were withheld, and their faces were never shown.
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- Gaylon Moss (left), director of Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief, speaks to guests at the Disaster Relief booth in the exhibit hall at the SBC annual meeting here. (Pathway photo)
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- Eighty three new IMB missionaries, plus two previously appointed who participated with spouses, were recognized at the IMB’s Sending Celebration to end the June 11 morning session of the SBC annual meeting. Three of the missionary couples – including Julian & Bethany – were sent by Missouri Baptist churches. Because they’re going to countries where it can be dangerous to share the gospel, their identities were withheld, and their faces were never shown.
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- INDIANAPOLIS – Matt Dunn, a messenger from of First Baptist Church in Bates City, Mo., moves that all Southern Baptist Convention entities release a statement supporting Israel.
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- INDIANAPOLIS – Missouri Baptist University (MBU) representatives TJ Williamson, Janet Mayfield and Aaron Lumpkin speak to guests at the MBU booth in the Southern Baptist Convention exhibit hall here. (Pathway photo)
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- INDIANAPOLIS – Missouri Baptist pastors Jon Nelson of Soma Community Church, Jefferson City, and Matt Cullum of First Baptist Church, Brookline, speak in the exhibit hall at the SBC annual meeting here. (Pathway photo)
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- INDIANAPOLIS – Hannibal-LaGrange University (HLGU) representatives Lauren Youse and Ray Carty speak to guests at the HLGU booth in the Southern Baptist Convention exhibit hall here. (Pathway photo)
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- INDIANAPOLIS – Beverly White and other Midwestern Seminary staff members help guests at Midwestern’s booth during the SBC annual meeting here. (Pathway photo)
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- INDIANAPOLIS – Southwest Baptist University (SBU) representative Brandt Merritt (left) speak to guests at the SBU booth in the Southern Baptist Convention exhibit hall here. (Pathway photo)
