JOPLIN – Even as Missouri works to recover from recent tornadoes and damaging winds, for many, every severe weather warning and dark cloud brings to mind the deadly tornado that hit Joplin on May 22, 2011. A new documentary from Netflix, “The Twister: Caught in the Storm,” tells the story of that Sunday evening as people gathered for Joplin High School’s graduation, ran to Target to pick up some hair dye, or just drove around to do some amateur storm chasing. I was on a road trip that … [Read more...]
‘Modern-day Macedonian call’: Online connection leads to partnership with Filipino church
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Chris Cook, pastor of Parkade Baptist, Columbia, didn’t know what to think when Pastor Mayinto Ganzon reached out to him on Facebook in November of 2023. Cook was a little skeptical at first, but he replied. “I wasn’t going to just delete the message, he said, “So I responded to figure out if he was real.” He was real. After some messaging back and forth, he agreed to lead an online Bible study for Ganzon’s congregation on the other side of the world, Grace … [Read more...]
ReHope enters 2025 with gala, new community of ‘tiny’ homes
Ministry helps trafficking survivors see their value in Christ KANSAS CITY – Ministry involved glitz and glamor for one night, on Jan. 25, as ReHope hosted its 11th annual fundraising gala to support its services to survivors of human trafficking. ReHope, a faith-based ministry formerly known as Restoration House, was originally an effort of Blue River-Kansas City Baptist Association. Its residential and recovery ministry provides survivors with individual attention and focused … [Read more...]
‘Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Assassin’ … an imperfect, but exciting film
KANSAS CITY – The Second World War is an endlessly fascinating mine for cinematic story-telling. Bullets, bombs, and clearcut villains and real-life, world-shaping stakes tend to do that. So it’s always a delight when an under-told twist on the stories makes it to the screen. Such is the case with Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. You may know the name behind this based-on-a-true-story film. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor who resisted the Nazi-fication of the church in 1940s … [Read more...]
Williams urges refocus on God’s purpose, glory during MBC annual meeting
ST. CHARLES – Missouri Baptists ought to be laser-focused on God’s purpose and God's glory, Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) President Chris Williams told messengers at the MBC annual meeting Oct. 28. Williams, senior pastor of Fellowship, Greenwood, delivered his presidential address based on Psalm 57, narrowing in specifically on verse 2: “I call to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me.” When he wrote this Psalm, David was going through a major valley in his life, … [Read more...]
Missouri Baptist task force to clarify pastoral roles as limited to men
ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Messengers to the Missouri Baptist Convention’s (MBC) annual meeting, Oct. 28-29 here, approved the creation of a task force to aid in the evaluation of a church’s position on certain elements of Baptist identity, especially the office and function of pastoral leaders being limited to biblically qualified men. The motion passed overwhelmingly, with fewer than a dozen “no” votes. The task force came about through a motion by Jeremy Sells a messenger from First … [Read more...]
Missouri Baptist resolution urges ‘No’ vote on pro-abortion Amendment 3
Other resolutions address CP’s anniversary, Christian higher education, criminal justice ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Messengers approved a slate of five resolutions during the Missouri Baptist Convention’s (MBC) annual meeting, Oct. 28-29. Most notably, MBC messengers urged people to vote “No” on pro-abortion Amendment 3 in the Nov. 5 election. All resolutions may be read in their entirety in the “Tuesday Morning Bulletin," posted on the MBC website here. On Opposition to Amendment 3, the … [Read more...]
Ladies’ Sunday school class cooks comfort food for carnival workers
SIKESTON, Mo. – “Carnival food” brings to mind corndogs and funnel cakes, but for the traveling workers of the Sikeston American Legion Cotton Carnival, who visit Sikeston each year, it means a hot homecooked meal thanks to First Baptist Church, here. The meal is an annual tradition dating back nearly two decades, with a women’s Sunday School class taking it upon themselves to love on the workers with nothing but hearty, home-cooked fare. This fall, they fed 40 workers at the church on … [Read more...]
Abundant Life’s Re:gen ministry offers biblical hope from addiction, brokenness
LEE’S SUMMIT – In a world where opportunities and outlets for sinful dependency swirl, the gospel of Jesus truly is good news, even to those struggling with addiction. That’s been the message of hope presented by Re:generation, a discipleship program that teaches recovery in Christ when life is broken. The program began in Texas, but has spread nation-wide and it’s thriving as a ministry here in the suburbs of Kansas City, mostly through word of mouth. Abundant Life’s iteration of Re:gen … [Read more...]
One hundred years later, Olympic runner Liddell’s faith still inspires
Classic film, ‘Chariots of Fire,’ perfectly caps summer Olympics PARIS – If the Opening Ceremonies from Paris left a bitter taste in your mouth that affected your enjoyment of the Olympics, the remedy may just be reliving the athletic prowess – and courageous Christian determination – of Scottish runner, Eric Liddell, from the games 100 years prior. It’s an iconic Olympic story that almost didn’t happen. Liddell was born in China to missionary parents, returning to Scotland to play rugby … [Read more...]
Young Oklahoma prayer warrior meets St. Louis church planter
ST. LOUIS – You never know who might be praying for you. Just ask Michael Byrd, the pastor of Faith Community Bible Church in north St. Louis. Or you could ask Bethany Chapin, an 11-year-old from Oklahoma City. Byrd, his wife, Traci, and Faith Community were featured last summer as part of LifeWay’s Vacation Bible School curriculum, highlighting North American missions. Byrd said it was humbling to know people were praying for them from all over the nation. “During the time we received … [Read more...]
Lifelong pursuit: Pastor’s passion for sanctification inspires book, ‘The Blueprint of Grace’
ROLLA – Sanctification is a process all believers go through in their ongoing efforts to become conformed to the Lord’s will. It’s an ongoing journey none will ever complete this side of heaven, and Bob Allen is keenly aware of it. That wasn’t always the case. Allen, the senior pastor of Salem Avenue Baptist Church in Rolla, grew up knowing many things about the Lord, but it was in the context of a Pentecostal/Charismatic tradition. Because of those teachings, he said his view of the … [Read more...]
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