Bob Bakke is an authority on revival and spiritual awakening. In a symposium in which Jim Wells, MBC team leader, Strategic Partnerships, and I participated, Bakke spoke in detail about the movement in Scotland that spilled to America and exploded in Cane Ridge, Ky. The Cane Ridge Revival united whites and blacks, rich and poor, rural and urban for weeks. Known as the Second Great Awakening, the Holy Spirit had people praying and crying out to God. And God moved in their midst. Moving … [Read more...]
Dorcas-like faith at FBC Browning
They may not be part of the biggest congregation in the Missouri Baptist Convention, but the WMU ladies of rural First Baptist Church, Browning, are making the love of Christ felt in a big way in a faraway land. The ladies, part of the approximately 40 worshippers who attend the church in Linn County in north-central Missouri, have made more than 600 “pillow case” dresses for orphans in Haiti. They work in partnership with Red Bridge Baptist Church in Kansas City, which distributes the … [Read more...]
Seven keys to keeping clean
Health departments are serious about people washing their hands. It is not uncommon for Sharon and I to be away from home speaking at churches and sharing with Missouri Baptists. Every place we go, the facilities are marked with signs that encourage washing hands. Washing our hands is good hygiene. As followers of Christ, we also need to experience the washing of our hearts. Life is filled with plenty of moral distractions and intellectual traps that lure us away from a pure heart. Even … [Read more...]
Christianity without hell
John Shore recently authored a commentary for Patheos entitled, “What Christianity Without Hell Looks Like.” Patheos is a website providing information about various religions. Reprinted in TIME Ideas and complete with a photo of a dove soaring in the sunlight, the article’s main point is that Christianity without hell “would allow Christians to point upward to God’s love.” Shore is a popular Christian blogger and author, yet his column features a string of shockingly bad theological … [Read more...]
Mohler: Newsweek on the Bible — So Misrepresented It’s a Sin
Newsweek magazine decided to greet the start of 2015 with a massive cover story on the Bible. For decades now, major news magazines have tended to feature cover articles timed for Christmas and Easter, taking an opportunity to consider some major question about Christianity and the modern world. Leading the journalistic pack for years, both TIME andNewsweek dedicated cover article after article, following a rather predictable format. In the main, scholars or leaders from very liberal … [Read more...]
Servant evangelism: ‘Crazy love’ lights up Missouri
Reports are coming in from churches lighting up their communities for Jesus! Darron Edwards serves as pastor of United Believers Church in Kansas City. They conducted “Transformers” evangelism training in April. “Mothers Like You,” was a prayer breakfast conducted on the Saturday before Mother’s Day. There were 21 women that made a commitment to return to church. In June, the church distributed more than 1,100 water bottles in 10 strategic locations. In July and August, they conducted VBS … [Read more...]
Plowing, planting, harvesting in your fields
A farmer spent years teaching his son how to plow, plant, and harvest. Through years the farmer grew old. By 1947, the man was a grandfather and his son now had a boy of his own. Together, the two men watched the son plow by himself for the first time. By the middle of the day, the son had grown weary and was far from finished. He looked up at the house and his father held out a glass of water. When he got to the house he saw food and a pitcher of lemonade. As the son devoured the meal, … [Read more...]
Speechless to the spectacular
Once a month the MBC team leaders get together for prayer, reports, recommendations and presentations relating to ministry initiatives that impact our cooperative work with churches in making disciples, multiplying churches and developing next generational leaders. If you have been around Baptists very long, you know we participate in a lot of meetings. This month’s meeting was rather eventful and worthy of sharing a peek with you. First, I shared some of the ramifications regarding the … [Read more...]
Evangelizing while in the furnace
After interviewing five men from Central Asia in refugee camps, I asked them what would attract them to actually listen to Bible stories on the radio. After suggesting five or six options, I asked, “Would you listen to conversion testimonies from Muslims, even Muslim religious leaders?” Their eyes grew wide. One asked through an interpreter, “There is such a thing?” In their country, conversion was considered an act of treason punishable by death. One man said that his child was almost … [Read more...]
Homosexuality: A gospel issue
It is a gospel issue. We must understand in no uncertain terms that to capitulate on the issue of same-sex marriage or “Gay Rights” legislation as has been proposed in Springfield is to abandon the gospel. This is not a civil rights issue. This is not discrimination. This is not bigotry or religious fanaticism. The acceptance of homosexuality as a legitimate alternative lifestyle is a rejection of the gospel. The Bible teaches very clearly that God created everyone and everything that … [Read more...]
It’s no wonder there’s no wonder
In line. Again. Sometimes I wonder if I’m spending my entire Christmas season in line. Ready…set…WAIT. People do say it’s the season of wonder. I was in an express line at a department store the other day doing some intense wondering. First, I was wondering why they call it “express.” How express is the line if I’m in it for over half an hour? Second, I was wondering why there was mistletoe hanging at every checkout. What, they want to give me a smooch? Don’t take this the wrong way, but … [Read more...]
Not so Merry Christmas for America’s families
PNC Financial Services has released its annual Christmas Price Index which shows the current cost for one set of each of the gifts given in the song The Twelve Days of Christmas – and the news is not merry. For example, the price for six geese-a-laying jumped a whopping 71.4 percent in 2014 compared to the year before. Three French hens saw the price jump from $165 to $181.50 over the same period. Overall the total price for all 12 gifts – from one partridge in a pear tree to 12 drummers … [Read more...]
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