KANSAS CITY — Many Burundi parishioners were gathered March 10 at the ordination service of Burundi Pastor Dany Byamungu here at Iglesia Cristiana Palabra Viva. The congregation meets at Central Baptist Church where Pastor Omar Segovia, who recently joined the church planting staff of the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC), also serves. Byamungu, 29, was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire) where he was raised by Christian parents whom he thanked during the service. Due to war, … [Read more...]
Religious liberty of child care providers threatened
JEFFERSON CITY – Church child care ministries will no longer be exempt from government regulations if a bill filed by Rep. Jeremy LaFaver, D-Waldo, becomes state law. “House Bill 493 is a threat to religious liberties,” said Kerry Messer, lobbyist for Missouri Baptist Convention’s Christian Life Commission. The question of licensing such ministries has been a recurrent effort in the Missouri General Assembly, but Messer calls HB 493 “the most direct frontal assault on church child care … [Read more...]
Twin Rivers helps raise missions awareness
WARRENTON — For the second time in three years, Twin Rivers Baptist Association (TRBA) held a missions conference, bringing missionaries from the United States and the world to meet, dine, and fellowship with Baptists in St. Charles, Lincoln, Montgomery and Warren counties. Director of Missions Brent Campbell said that 15 missionaries from the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and International Mission Board (IMB) participated in events across 15 churches during the On Mission … [Read more...]
Layman finds satisfaction in vibrant library ministry
ST. PETERS – For many people, a career that spans decades starts to look like the one they will retire in … or certainly not move far from in another role. For James Stull, more than 20 years of teaching experience was simply a prelude to a marketing position for a Christian library. Last fall Stull—a member at First Baptist Church, Fenton—did not return to the private school where he had taught for 20 years. Instead, he began a role as the development director for The Family Vision … [Read more...]
Lawmakers consider rights protection measures
JEFFERSON CITY–The rights of parents and health care workers are being addressed in bills recently filed with the Missouri General Assembly. Speaker of the House Timothy Jones, R-Eureka, is sponsoring House Bill 457 (HB 457), which seeks to protect the conscience rights of health care workers who decline to participate in medical procedures or research that violates their consciences. Jones is joined by 57 other representatives in sponsorship of the bill. “The bill protects employees in … [Read more...]
Pastor, lawmaker recalls impact of Air Force days
MURPHY – Born in Columbus, Miss., to a father serving in the Air Force, state Rep. John McCaherty, R-Murphy, spent many of his formative years in proximity to some form of military influence. After completing his enlistment in the early 1970s, his father moved the family to Bossier City, La., near Barksdale Air Force Base. Graduating from Airline High School in 1983, McCaherty began attending Centenary College, but left after completing only one semester. “Like many kids that age,” he … [Read more...]
Pro-life pastor, lawmaker stands strong
JEFFERSON CITY – Rep. John McCaherty, R-Murphy and pastor of First Baptist Church, Murphy, and 41 other members of the Missouri House of Representatives believe that a mother should not be coerced into having an abortion simply because she wants a child of the opposite sex. They have joined together to sponsor House Bill 386 (HB 386) which would also protect unborn babies who have been diagnosed with possible physical or mental disabilities. “We are trying to stop the sales process,” … [Read more...]
HLGU nursing grads net 100 percent pass rate
Hannibal – Hannibal-LaGrange University’s 35 nursing graduates for 2012 garnered a 100 percent pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The NCLEX-RN is an exam distributed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing used to ensure and regulate that only competent and licensed nurses are practicing in the healthcare arena. The Missouri state average for first-time exam takers is a 93 percent pass rate. The national average is 90 … [Read more...]
‘Having’ Sunday School or ‘using’ Sunday School
Almost every church I pass as I drive around the great state of Missouri has a sign out front that shows their schedule for worship and Sunday School. Some call it “Bible Study.” Some call it “Life Groups.” But really it is “Sunday School.” I often wonder if all these churches are having Bible study each week, why aren’t we seeing more of an impact on our communities? Why are most Sunday Schools in decline rather than growing? Why are we not seeing the lives of those attending being … [Read more...]
Tree of Life aims to give back love
KANSAS CITY – A Tree of Life grows in Kansas City. The four-year-old church plant is branching out to reach its urban neighborhood for Christ. Pastor Jerry Akins said the church focuses on serving the Lord by serving people – many of whom are scarred by life. “It’s hard for them to trust God,” he said. “If they’ve never had a man they could trust, how can they trust God? Then when they do trust God and something bad happens, they regress.” At Christmas, Tree of Life partnered with Toys … [Read more...]
Midwestern tops previous spring semester enrollment
KANSAS CITY – Beginning a new semester of training students to better serve the local church, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS) administrators received encouraging news Feb. 11 that more students have enrolled in classes this spring semester than any other in the school’s 56-year history. Enrollment for classes at Midwestern is up 3 percent over the school’s previous top enrollment. With the school’s online program still having a second term of enrollment upcoming, Midwestern … [Read more...]
MBTS prepares hub for I-29/49 corridor project
John L. Inman III/contributing writer KANSAS CITY — Ideas are still flowing after a Nov. 16 collaboration meeting here at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS) over the Interstate 29/49 Corridor Project. Representatives from five Baptist state conventions plus those from MBTS attended to look at reaching a largely unreached area. One of the key MBTS leaders involved with the project is Rodney Harrison, vice president for institutional effectiveness who will be a key in activating … [Read more...]