By Vicki Stamps Contributing Writer FLORISSANT – Remembering isolation as a Christian student during his teen years prompted Ryan Webb, art teacher at Cross Keys Middle School, to develop the “Food for Life Conference.” The January conference reached 110 people representing 17 churches with students in 26 schools. The two-day event sponsored by the St. Louis church plant Passage Community Church is designed to network Christian students in the various area schools. “About a year and a … [Read more...]
Aspects of church health vision developed
By Allen Palmeri Associate Editor JEFFERSON CITY—Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) Executive Director David Tolliver cast his church health vision Feb. 1-3 during Staff Advance in the Baptist Building and paid close attention as MBC staffers signaled varying degrees of ownership. Tolliver, 59, who celebrated his birthday Feb. 2 and his one-year anniversary as MBC executive director Feb. 3, showed a Powerpoint that tied every staffer to the vision in one way or another. On Feb. 8, the … [Read more...]
Cross-centered evangelism conference inspires
By Allen Palmeri Associate Editor BRANSON—From start to finish Jan. 25-26, the hope, heart, and lifeblood of the Missouri State Evangelism Conference was the Cross. Messages at First Baptist Church here pointed to the blood Christ spilt at Calvary. Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) Evangelism Director Gary Taylor spoke of Christ crucified. Christ and Christ alone, the Lamb who was crucified, is the spotless victor! “Help us in this time to be inspired—not through trickery, but Father, … [Read more...]
GPS material requests top 800,000
By Brian Koonce Staff Writer JEFFERSON CITY – GPS (God’s Plan for Sharing) is gaining momentum in Missouri as churches across the state are banding together for an evangelistic push leading up to Easter April 4. The Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) has now ordered nearly 800,000 clear plastic bags to be hung on 800,000 doors across the state, each containing only two items: A Find it Here Gospel drop-in piece and in invitation from the local church to attend Easter services. Churches … [Read more...]
Nursing grads enjoy combined ceremony
By Staff SPRINGFIELD—History was made Dec. 17 when the first combined pinning and commencement ceremony was held for St. John’s College of Nursing & Health Sciences of Southwest Baptist University (SBU). Ridgecrest Baptist Church here hosted the event for 100 nursing graduates. SBU and St. John’s joined together in 1996 to offer academic degrees in nursing. Since 1905, St. John’s nursing graduates have been presented with a pin to symbolically welcome them into the profession. In the … [Read more...]
BGEA attempts fresh outreach to youth
By Allen Palmeri Associate Editor JEFFERSON CITY—Building on their successful Rock the River Tour from the summer of 2009, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) has launched a multi-faceted Christian Web resource named Ransom. Music videos and testimonies from Christian artists, athletes and other personalities are being combined with social networking pages and channels in an attempt to engage youth and young adults. The site www.Ransom.tv became a priority as Billy Graham … [Read more...]
Springfield church shows church discipline can be done
By Allen Palmeri Associate Editor JEFFERSON CITY—Biblical reconciliation often begins in the local church, where church discipline can be used to settle disputes. Boulevard Baptist Church in Springfield is one example of how this works. Pastor Doug Shivers is in his 15th year. Eight years ago, the church had more than 1,200 members on its rolls. Now the total is less than 500. “While we’re not trying to become meddlesome, or some kind of Christian CIA, there is a place for seeking … [Read more...]
Scribner: Church must take an honest look at history
By Allen Palmeri Associate Editor JEFFERSON CITY—The attempt to pursue Biblical reconciliation in the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) is tied to an acknowledgment of the seriousness of sin that is prominently mentioned in a 2004 document adopted in July as part of the Peace Committee’s final report. The resolution “On Holiness and Cultural Forces of Influence” uses the phrase “seriousness of sin” six times. Peace Committee Member Jay Scribner has deliberated its significance and … [Read more...]
Hamartiology may be a big word, but it is part of systematic theology
By Allen Palmeri Associate Editor JEFFERSON CITY—Sermons on the seriousness of sin need not be dark, dreary, and depressing. “Jesus came to save His people from their sins,” said Vic Borden, pastor, Red Bridge Baptist Church, Kansas City, and member, Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) Executive Board. “I think you’re on pretty good footing if you deal with sin, because the Gospel has to do with dealing with sin. It’s the crucifying of the sin nature, and it is the bringing to life of the … [Read more...]
Verona Hispanic work comes to life
By Kayla Rinker Contributing Writer VERONA – When Lendall Morris was called to be the pastor at Verona Baptist Church, the people there already knew what God was calling them to do. “It seemed like when I was interviewed they asked me three questions: ‘What’s your name? Can you give us your testimony? And, we have a big population of Hispanic people in Verona, what do we do?’” Morris said. “That issue has always been big in their minds and it’s a very unique issue for a small church in a … [Read more...]
Church turns old bar into something spiritual
By Kayla Rinker Contributing Writer VERONA – The old building, which for many years housed the local bar, represented nothing but bad memories for Linda Gates. “For many, many years that bar brought destruction to people’s lives,” said Gates, who has lived in Verona for 26 years. The building was her father’s and he operated the bar until he got sick and was forced to close it down. When her father, Tom Hobson, died, he left the now abandoned building to Gates and her two sisters, Lori … [Read more...]
Second reaches Muslim tribe in Senegal
By Staff CESA, Senegal—Second Baptist Church, Springfield, recently participated in a mission trip within the targeted Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) “uttermost” area of West Africa when short-term missionaries went to the Jahanke people group in a rural area of Senegal. The tribe lives in the village of Cesa, which is around a 13-hour drive from the capital city of Dakar. There are 89,000 Jahanke, with no reported believers. They are known as the Islamic leaders in West Africa, with … [Read more...]