About this time last year, I was planning to attend my first Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) annual meeting. Needless to say, I was a bit nervous. For two days, I basically went from one meeting to another, met hundreds of Missouri Baptists, and shook more hands than I can count! It was an amazing experience, and I felt both honored and welcomed. Reflecting on the occasion, I have nothing but gratitude for the warm reception my family and I received from Missouri Baptists. In my first … [Read more...]
Gratitude for Missouri Baptist Disaster Relief
In the aftermath of a natural disaster people experience many emotions. Initially, there’s a sense of disbelief - an almost unwillingness to admit something terrible happened. Then, for many, there’s also a sense of shock – the realization that everything has changed in a moment. Following these initial emotions, there’s grief - a deep feeling of hurt and loss. Many other emotions may be present as well (confusion, frustration, anger, etc.), but I believe disbelief, shock, and grief are … [Read more...]
Vote ‘No’ on Amendment 3
It’s well known by now that Missourians will vote on Amendment 3 in November. It’s also well-known that the amendment would change our state’s constitution to allow abortion. The Official Ballot Title asks, “Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to: establish a right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives, with any governmental interference of that right presumed invalid…” First, the answer is an easy “no.” As followers of Jesus, … [Read more...]
May we never become numb
In the last edition of The Pathway, I shared a story about trying to enjoy a “date night” with my beautiful wife, Tara, shortly after an EF4 tornado devastated Mayfield, Ky. (Read it here). As you might recall, the restaurant we chose that evening was about a 25-minute drive from our home, and I explained how disturbed I was for everyone around us to act so normal. Internally, I questioned how they could be unaware of the devastation just a few miles away, or I wondered if they simply … [Read more...]
How can we act so normal?
Shortly after a violent EF4 tornado hit my hometown of Mayfield, Ky., in December of 2021, my wife convinced me to take an evening off and enjoy a “date night.” I realize it sounds awkward to say she had to convince me, but we were living in a rather unique context. Due to the tornado, our staff had been serving the community virtually non-stop for weeks. We helped families with food, water, clothes, shelter, transportation, home repair, and many other necessities. Basically, regardless … [Read more...]
Pray, give, go, send
My wife, Tara, describes her recent trip to Zambia My beautiful wife, Tara, was recently blessed with an opportunity to serve alongside a few of our International Mission Board missionaries in Zambia. Simply put, the experience was incredible! For this edition of The Pathway, Tara would like to briefly share about her journey. I pray you enjoy her reflections, consider her requests, and always remember our mission to reach the nations. “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and … [Read more...]
First-Person: A Time to Weep
Jesus loved Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the location where Abraham prepared to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. It's the city of David, the location of Solomon's Temple, as well as Herod's Temple, the city spoken of so often by the prophets, where Jesus was brought as a child, where He preached, where He healed, and where He fulfilled the Messianic prophecy of Zechariah by entering the city on a donkey. Jerusalem is where he died, where he rose, and where He ascended. It's where the Holy Spirit … [Read more...]
Tell someone about Jesus today
Since moving to Missouri and being called to this new role (which is such an honor!), I’ve been asked many times what initiatives I plan to emphasize. I think it’s a great question! First, one of my primary goals has been, and remains, to spend time with pastors and ministry leaders across the state to understand the “heart” of Missouri Baptists. A second goal has been to learn about and evaluate the current ministries of the MBC. Honestly, there’s a great deal of ministry happening all … [Read more...]
Why should the issue of abortion matter to Missouri Baptists?
There’s a great deal of conversation about abortion. As you are likely aware, in June of 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade, ending the federally recognized “right” to abortion. Now, each state determines to what extent, if any, to allow abortion. In Missouri, if the 380,000-plus signatures for the recent initiative petition are verified, we will vote on whether or not to add abortion “rights” to our state constitution. Does this really matter? Is abortion a … [Read more...]
Is it worth it?
Is cooperation worth it? Is it worth the sacrifice, the effort, and at times the frustration? Well, thank you for asking! To answer this important question, let me share a brief personal story. After we experienced the destructive tornado in Mayfield, Ky., in 2021, I thought about a few things in life I wanted to accomplish. I suppose it was kind of a “bucket list.” There was one thing I had dreamed about for decades, one thing I always thought would be neat - I wanted to become a pilot. … [Read more...]
The church of today
I would graciously disagree with anyone arguing that college students are the future of the church. Instead, I would suggest that college students are the present church, fully capable of leading and serving well! I would further suggest that many college students desire to lead and/or serve, and in the right context will do so with great passion. Are most college students interested in attending a traditional Baptist business meeting? Probably not (I don’t know that I’m all that … [Read more...]
Watering dirt
When we moved to Jefferson City, the housing market was rather difficult. Very few homes were available in the price range and size we desired, so we made an offer on a house in the process of being built. The size and layout seemed sufficient for our family, but since the exterior bricks had not been laid yet, we didn’t even know what the finished house would look like. Regardless, we liked the quiet neighborhood, the trees in the back yard, and the proximity to the office, so we moved … [Read more...]