COLUMBIA – What happens when a predominantly white church helps a predominantly black convention hold one of its meetings? God is glorified.
Parkade Baptist Church hosted the Missionary Baptist State Convention of Missouri (MBSCM), July 7-11. Parkade has several African-American members, but they are predominantly a white congregation while the MBSCM is a black ministry organization.
Parkade Baptist Church Pastor Chris Cook said about 400 people attended the conference.
“They had educational classes, family development classes, discipleship, and an evening worship service,” Cook said. “Our church hosted them and greeted them. We used about every space of our church.”
The timing of the annual meeting worked well in the Parkade schedule.
“It came at a time it’s otherwise dead in the church, right after the Fourth of July,” Cook said.
Cook was enthusiastic sharing about hosting the Missionary Baptist State Convention of Missouri meeting.
“Sunday’s traditionally, are (for many churches) our most segregated time. It was such a sweet fellowship. … Usually the convention meets in Columbia, in Kansas City or in St. Louis. They talked about coming back to Columbia. They are welcome to come back here. They left the church better than they found it.
“Basically, we have the same beliefs. Their style of worship is more animated,” Cook said. “We share a common name – Baptist. They are Baptist to the core. I attended the evening worship services. The preachers in the African-American group preached from Christ crucified to Christ resurrected. It’s very rejuvenating to listen to their preaching and their experiences.”
Cook said the interracial experience can be a witness to another generation.
“The young people today are concerned with social justice. Hopefully they can see we are trying to reach out to the African-American community,” he said.