Several years ago I was invited to join a small group of men to help lead the annual church planters retreat in Montana. I was apprehensive because our church did not have the resources to help fund the retreat in a significant way. Beyond that, I was not sure I had any particular wisdom or expertise to offer, since I was not a church planter. As I flew home after the first year much of my apprehension had disappeared. What I came to realize is that state-to-state partnerships have less to … [Read more...]
Why should we cooperate?
As a local pastor in Kentucky, I would sometimes hear a fellow pastor ask, “Wes, do you think we should continue supporting the Cooperative Program?” For me, it was always an easy answer: Yes. Despite potential concerns, and despite the latest argument on social media, I believe the Cooperative Program remains a vital tool for reaching our nation and the world for Christ. Let me briefly share three foundational reasons cooperation is so beneficial. First and foremost, our missionaries … [Read more...]
Pray for Israel, global missions, the persecuted church
A Missouri Baptist church group nearly found themselves in a war zone early last month. The group of 42 people from Heritage Baptist Church in Lebanon, Mo., flew out of Israel on Friday, Oct. 6 – just before Hamas assailants attacked Israel and sparked an ongoing war that has claimed thousands of lives. “The war started while we were in the air coming home,” Pastor Kevin Smith told me earlier this month. “We came home with full hearts, with everything we had seen and experienced,” he … [Read more...]
Engaging with MBCH to serve, grow
MBCH is committed to serving God by responding to the needs of children, youth and families to make a lasting difference in their lives. The mission of MBCH is an honorable mission and one that our entire ministry strives to fulfill as we carry out our work each day. If you re-read our mission statement in the first sentence, you will notice that it does not say that we seek to fulfill our mission all by ourselves or apart from the local church. In fact, we believe that we are to engage … [Read more...]
Making space to know God better
That trash can, ya’ll. I’m sure I can do it. I’m always absolutely sure I can shove one more thing in there. It doesn’t matter that it’s already overflowing, or that I have to quick-catch some flyaway plastic wrap and wrangle an escaping tea bag resting on some soggy junk mail. I win if I can squeeze in one more thing. I guess the big question is: how many “one more things” can I shove in? My personal kitchen trash can is ever the clown car of wastebaskets. When it comes to squeezing in … [Read more...]
Are your ‘reasons’ actually excuses?
So, I recently received a notice in the mail. No, it was not my reminder that I have a dental appointment coming up. Neither was it a rate increase from an insurance company or that I won a million dollars. It was better than that. It was a summons for jury duty. I have never received a jury duty summons; my wife, however, has served three times. Many of you have already been privileged to fulfill your civic duty before, but I did not know what to expect; I was a little excited and a bit … [Read more...]
The downsize
There are some things you don’t think about too much when you announce you’re transitioning to a new ministry. One is your library. After more than 53 years of ministry, I have accumulated a few books. I’ve had the privilege of either church-provided space or, as a state missionary, I enjoyed a separate room filled with shelves attached to my office for my library. That didn’t count the books Sharon and I collected that we used for personal study, or to provide for our sons when we were … [Read more...]
On cats, dogs and the paradoxes of happiness
This evening, as I began writing my editorial, a white Shih Tzu with patches of sandy fur stood on his hind legs, set his paws on my recliner and stared up at me. Unable to resist, I picked him up and set him next to me in the chair. He has now nestled his small, warm body against my leg and has drifted off to sleep. He’s an affectionate little puppy, the runt of a litter, and his name is Bear. Now, Bear isn’t our dog. We’re actually dog-sitting for family members, as we do every chance we … [Read more...]
MBCH helps churches protect the vulnerable
by Angie Gentry, FRD/TFC Supervisor, MBCH Children and Family Ministries When church leaders and parents learn that one in ten children are sexually abused before they turn eighteen and ninety percent of children are abused by someone they know and trust, the safety of children becomes a top priority for churches everywhere, yet many churches do not have a plan in place to ensure the safety of their children. MBCH Children and Family Ministries can help churches across the state to … [Read more...]
The preserve-driven life
Sneaky, squishy, sticky fruit. I’ve experienced it up close and personal-like. When I was raising my five kids, every once in a while, as we were rushing off to a soccer game or cheer practice or whatever, an apple or banana would arbitrarily get swooped into my bag. I’m not sure if I did it or if it was one of the kids, but I do think I might’ve once accidentally made fruit preserves. Fruit preserves, but not really preserved. I couldn’t even tell for sure what kind of fruit it had once … [Read more...]
God is not done with your story
Growing up, I lived in great fear of my abusive father. His treatment convinced me that I was unwanted, that I was a burden hardly worth being tolerated. By age 15, this led me to become very embittered and depressed. I felt rejected and covered up my loneliness and pain with a protective mask of anger. Void of love and acceptance, I often questioned why I was alive, and whether my life even mattered. Somewhere deep inside, I longed to know that there was more to life than the hard, angry … [Read more...]
The power of a personal invitation
I felt my call to vocational ministry back in 2005 during a revival service at Union Hill Baptist Church in Holts Summit, Mo. Shortly after that, I began looking at colleges to attend in order to begin the preparation process for this calling and I was connected to Dr. Tom Hufty who, at the time, served as Vice President at Hannibal-LaGrange College (now University). I’ll never forget my first discussion with him as I was explaining my call to pastoral ministry and how he looked me in … [Read more...]
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