HILLSBORO – When it comes to serving, pastor David Wells prefers to lead Sandy Baptist Church by example. “Whether it is serving through missions, ministering or disaster relief, you can’t take the people where you haven’t been,” he said. “If I want them to serve, I need to be their servant first. Servanthood is about doing it with them, not for them.” Wells was in a perfect position to model servant leadership for Sandy Baptist. When they called him as pastor, they specifically asked … [Read more...]
Called to shepherd the flock of Christ
JEFFERSON CITY – The preaching of God’s Word is central to a lead pastor’s role in the local church, but the pastor—as an under-shepherd of Christ’s flock—is required to do much more than this during his weekly routine. “The pastor has to be a shepherd,” said Tony Preston, director of missions for the Clay-Platte Baptist Association and professor of pastoral leadership at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. “A shepherd does a number of things: he protects the flock. He provides for … [Read more...]
‘May we never forget’
I appreciated the article in the August 8th issue entitled, Missouri Baptists honored by seminary for leadership in Conservative Resurgence. The resurgence is a significant part of the history of a people called Southern Baptist. That Southwestern Seminary would honor John Yeats, Gerald Davidson, Jim Wells, Fred Powell, and James Hefley for their leadership in moving the SBC back to its historic commitment to the Scriptures as infallible, authoritative, and inerrant is commendable. Without … [Read more...]
Why our church recites the BFM 2000
As a pastor, I’m grateful for the way our church family participates and responds in worship. They are “all in” whether it’s during the musical portion of worship, praying, reciting verses, or the sermon, and I greatly appreciate it. I especially appreciate our time together as each week we recite an article of the Baptist Faith & Message 2000. Granted, I know it’s not the same as Scripture (no Baptist should ever say it is), but it highlights some top-tier things we believe about … [Read more...]
MBC partnership enables Emmaus KC to train pastors, reach community, send out church planter
KANSAS CITY – Emmaus Church in Kansas City launched on January 4, 2015 with 35 people. Seven of those were pastoral residents, learning how to plant a church by planting with experienced planter, Joshua Hedger. Two and a half years later, Emmaus is averaging 186 in attendance and has 110 covenant members. Through this season of growth, it became more evident that the location they had planted in was not going to be their long-term location. On July 23rd, 2017 Emmaus had their first … [Read more...]
MMO supports associations, church revitalization
JEFFERSON CITY – The Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering supports 18 ministries in Missouri. This year’s theme is taken from 1 Cor. 3:9a (KJV): “For we are labourers together with God.” Following are two short stories of how the gifts of Missouri Baptists support missions projects throughout the Show Me State. Associational Partnerships – LifeCare Comes to SE Missouri Outfitted with two medical exam rooms, a lab, a waiting room and other features, this mobile medical unit … [Read more...]
Summer reports indicate you are making a difference
Our state missionary staff has been all over the state this summer with a variety of powerful ministries that you enable by your church’s giving through the Cooperative Program and the Missouri Missions Offering. Last week the reports of MBC summer ministries started coming in. The St. Louis Mission Project included our state staff and our collegiate summer missionaries, collaborating with Global Encounter to reach pockets of lostness in a part of our state. Matt Kearns, catalyst … [Read more...]
MB125 encourages small church pastors, families
BRANSON - Small church pastors might feel left out from some conferences – they may lack ministry teams, large budgets or multiple programs. The Missouri Baptist Convention recognizes this and offered its seventh MB125 conference June 28-July 1 at Skyline Baptist, Branson, catering to churches with under 125 attending Sunday morning services. Gary Mathes, MBC Church Revitalization/Developing Leaders Specialist, said 73 pastors registered for the event and the number of first time … [Read more...]
When you need a transitional pastor
Throughout the years, I’ve had the opportunity to serve on staff and as pastor of some great churches. Since God’s call has led me to state convention service, I’ve had the honor of serving 12 churches as transitional (interim) pastor. With rare exception, throughout the life of a church, pastoral leadership has a way of changing for multiple reasons, and when it occurs it is a great time for assisting church leaders with the process of change. One of my colleagues in the role of state … [Read more...]
Churches up in 2016, baptisms decline
NASHVILLE (BP) – Southern Baptists experienced growth in the number of churches that cooperate with the SBC in 2016, according to the latest Annual Church Profile report (ACP). However, other key measures declined in 2016, including membership, baptisms, average worship attendance and total giving, according to the ACP compiled by LifeWay Christian Resources in cooperation with Baptist state conventions. The number of churches cooperating with the Southern Baptist Convention grew by … [Read more...]
‘10 Questions’: Frank Page’s guide for pastor searches
NASHVILLE (BP) – “Pastor Searches for Dummies” would have been a fitting title for the latest book from Frank S. Page, he wrote in the book’s introduction. Instead, the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee President and CEO chose “Looking for a New Pastor” as the title of his new guidebook. The book released today (June 1) from B&H Publishing shares biblical instruction and practical insights gleaned from Page’s 34 years in the pastorate and additional, ongoing … [Read more...]
Leaving a legacy through church revitalization: 30 St. Louis area churches have sought revitalization
ST. LOUIS (BP) – Two years ago, First Baptist Church of Affton, Mo., knew it was dying. So it sought help from the local St. Louis Metro Baptist Association. In a process facilitated by executive director of missions Jim Breeden, First Baptist decided to replant itself in March 2016 as Church at Affton, led by replanter Jason Helmbacher. During its first year, the replant baptized 15 new believers and has come to average just over 100 worship attendees – about 40 of whom were First … [Read more...]
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