LONDON, England – Blue crosses marked many doors of disease-ridden London homes in 1563. That year, the bubonic plague once again ravaged England’s capital city, despite efforts to prevent the spread of disease: Stray dogs throughout the city, thought to transmit the plague, were rounded up and killed. Bonfires – believed to “consume the corrupt airs” – filled the streets at sundown three times each week. Plays, fairs and other gatherings were prohibited, and London’s Christians were … [Read more...]
Mo. House bill enables churches to fight abuse
JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Baptist pastor and lawmaker Doug Richey has introduced a bill in the Missouri House of Representatives that, if passed and signed into law, will empower churches and other nonprofits in the state to disclose credible allegations of sexual abuse without fear of civil liability. Richey, a state representative and pastor of Pisgah Baptist Church, Excelsior Springs, called Missouri House Bill 1446 (HB 1446) a bipartisan bill that should make its way to the governor’s … [Read more...]
Executive Board rescinds Windermere prohibition
JEFFERSON CITY – During their March 3 meeting here, Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) executive board members rescinded a previous board decision that prohibited MBC staff from using the Windermere Baptist Conference Center (WBCC). The board also encouraged churches to consider using the campground for ministry. The board’s decision comes nearly three months after the WBCC was restored to the Missouri Baptist family, after a subsidiary of the Missouri Baptist Foundation (MBF) last December … [Read more...]
Churches called to ‘be poised’ for ministry when coronavirus subsides in Italy
ITALY – Though some Missouri Baptist churches have halted their plans to send mission teams to Italy because of the COVID-19 outbreak, Missouri Baptist Convention Multiplying Churches Director Rick Hedger is urging churches to keep Kingdom growth at the forefront even as they wait for the virus to subside. According to Reuters, Italy is the European nation hardest hit by the coronavirus, with 5,883 cases and 233 deaths reported in the nation as of March 7. Northern Italy, where Missouri … [Read more...]
After 25 years overseas, couple trains leaders, makes disciples in Missouri
JEFFERSON CITY – David Ford, an elder at Freshwater Church here, admits that his wife, Janene, was right. When David surrendered his life to the ministry, he knew – rather, he insisted – that he’d never move outside of the state of Missouri. He grew up at the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church on Highway 54, outside of Jefferson City. “I was a Missouri boy,” he said, “and dad never took vacation. So (our family) never left the state of Missouri.” After earning a degree at Southwest Baptist … [Read more...]
Teen baptisms falling – Southern Baptists urged to reverse ‘horrific decline’ by calling, equipping parents to disciple teenagers
NASHVILLE – Equipping parents to disciple their teenagers must be central to efforts to reverse the decline in teen baptisms within Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) churches, according to youth ministry experts within the denomination. SBC Executive Committee (EC) President Ronnie Floyd implored Southern Baptists to address this decline during his address to EC members meeting in Nashville, Feb. 17. He told committee members how he came to Christ as a teenager in 1972, at the height of … [Read more...]
Couple fights to honor God with bakery – Eight years after losing business, religious liberty battle continues in Oregon courtroom
SANDY, Oregon – In early September 2013, Melissa Klein sat in her empty bakery and wept. She and her husband, Aaron, had finished collecting her pots and pans for storage. The counters and display cases were empty—no red velvet, raspberry cream, caramel apple, German chocolate or chocolate cinnamon ribbon cakes remained. But Melissa wept mostly because of the silence. No longer would she hear her children playing in the back of the shop where she and Aaron had set up a playroom with toys … [Read more...]
‘The most troubling situation’ – Open Doors president discusses rise, impact of persecution in China
EDITOR’S NOTE: On Feb. 5, I spoke about the global persecution of Christians – particularly of those in China – with David Curry, president of Open Doors, a California-based ministry that supports and raises awareness about persecuted Christians around the world. The following is a transcript of our interview: Benjamin Hawkins: How would you describe the current condition of Christianity in China today? David Curry: “Well, the persecution in China I think is the most troubling … [Read more...]
‘Nobody can stop His work’ – Missouri couple sees hope amid increased persecution in China, 30 years after Tiananmen Square Massacre
BEIJING, China – In the early hours of June 4, 1989, Chinese troops opened fire in the Tiananmen Square here, where student protesters gathered to call for greater freedom and democratic reform in the Communist regime. During the previous weeks, similar protests had spread to nearly 400 other cities, including Wuhan – a city located 750 miles to the south of Beijing. At the time, Wuhan was the home to then newly-weds Wenping Qiu and Lisa Sun. They serve today with a Missouri Baptist … [Read more...]
‘God brought the mission field to me’ – Kansas City church deacon invests retirement for making disciples
KANSAS CITY – Now roughly eight years into his retirement, Ray Beeson wonders how he ever had a spare moment for a full-time job. The 73-year-old deacon and Sunday school teacher at Redbridge Baptist Church spends his days studying Scripture with other men, taking the gospel from door-to-door, studying Arabic with the help of a Christian Egyptian and ministering to members of Kansas City’s large refugee population. In 1975, at the age of 29, Beeson came to grips with the gospel and had “a … [Read more...]
LGBT agenda ‘grooms children’ – Mo. House Bill 2044 empowers parents to protect the young in public libraries
ST. JOSEPH – Sporting a pink floral dress and a white bead necklace, Romeo Huff-Garza was met with applause by crowds within the St. Joseph Public Library here last fall. Meanwhile, protesters gathered outside the library picketed the occasion, decrying what they called – according to the St. Joseph News-Press NOW – “child abuse through gender confusion.” Having performed as drag queen Vivian Versace for eight years, Garza was invited Sept. 10, 2019, to participate in the library’s Drag … [Read more...]
Nine salvations reported at MBC’s first Youth Evangelism Conference
COLUMBIA – At least nine students professed faith in Christ during the Missouri Baptist Convention’s (MBC) annual Youth Evangelism Conference (YEC) at Woodcrest Church here, Jan. 19-20. The event was the MBC’s first YEC, at least in recent decades, and it drew 332 students and ministers from 33 churches around the state. “I am so encouraged by what the Lord is doing in our state among students in the area of evangelism,” Brad Bennett, Making Disciples director for the MBC, told The … [Read more...]
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