ORYOL, Russia (BP) -- Missionaries Donald and Ruth Ossewaarde always suspected their Gospel ministry in Oryol, Russia, wouldn't last when they began in 2002, he told Baptist Press by telephone from his home in the central Russian town of 320,000. But he had not expected to be among the first people arrested under Russia's new law prohibiting organizations from evangelizing outside church walls and without a government permit. Two weeks after police interrupted Ossewaarde's Sunday … [Read more...]
3,202 decisions for Christ reported in Brazil
BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil (BP) – Southern Baptists returning from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, are sharing testimonies of widespread revival in churches, communities, prisons and schools, following an 8-day schedule of crusades, medical ministries and other outreach efforts in this South American country. Wayne Jenkins, director of evangelism and church growth for the Louisiana Baptist Convention, said there were a recorded 3,202 salvation decisions resulting from events conducted July … [Read more...]
First Baptist, Sarcoxie opens arms, doors to community
SARCOXIE – For First Baptist Church here, the recipe for being a loving church is as simple as opening the door. That open door has led to the church of just over 100 canvassing their entire town in prayer walking and gospel distribution, as well as inviting the local school district to use the church’s gym for PE classes, volleyball and basketball practices. “That has created a really unique opportunity for us to partner with them but also to bridge that gap with the students, parents … [Read more...]
‘The harvest is plentiful’
SEDALIA – People were seated in the big tent which sat between a corn dog stand and a barbecue restaurant wafting smoky pork flavors through the tent. State fair-goers were interested in signing up for a chest freezer and 200 pounds of beef, pork and chicken. And they did, but they were able to sign up after they listened to a three-minute Christian testimony of a tent volunteer. And at least 35 of them asked Jesus into their heart there in the tent. David Mifflin, state fair evangelism … [Read more...]
Thousand Hills Baptist Association sends missionaries to help Alaska church plant
WASILLA, Alaska – The north Missouri mission team stepped out of the Anchorage, Alaska airport into much cooler weather and spectacular scenery as they prepared to ride in church vans 45 minutes north to the town of Wasilla. They were preparing to work for a week with the Cottonwood Creek Cowboy Church, a mission of Fairview Loop Baptist Church in late June. The group constructed a horse corral for the cowboy church to use to hold horse expos and they blazed some trails through some … [Read more...]
Atheist responds to Baptists’ service, love
SEATTLE (BP) – Kim Menon was an avowed atheist. As a child, her parents took her to church but no one could satisfy her with the answers she sought. “I thought believers just weren’t intelligent enough,” Menon said. Now a kindergarten teacher in Seattle, education is a central part of Menon’s life. Striving to get involved in her students’ lives and to know their parents, she believes that’s how students best learn and grow. But Menon had no idea this path would lead her into a Christian … [Read more...]
MMO: Making memories, changing lives
In its most recent board meeting, trustees of the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home Board learned that annual liability insurance premiums for the ministry are jumping from $18,000 to $134,000. This rate increase was in spite of zero claims and clear risk-management training. The former carrier didn’t even want to underwrite them. Yet the liability insurance is necessary to do the life-transforming work Missouri Baptist churches have assigned MBCH to do. Another record year at Super … [Read more...]
Missouri father, son team up in Mexico
MATAMOROS, Mexico - It took 45 years, but Gene Butler finally got to sing a duet with his son. “We figured it was about time,” Gene said with a laugh. Gene, a member of First Baptist, Arnold and his son, David, the worship pastor at First Baptist, St. Charles, recently returned from a mission trip to Matamoros in northern Mexico. Their trip was with a group known as Focus on Missions that partners with a small, local Baptist Church and Pan de Vida (Bread of Life) Children’s Home for … [Read more...]
MBC church planter networks to reach Japanese
ST. LOUIS – A network is defined as an association providing mutual assistance and helpful information based on a common interest. Jesus is the common interest for Missouri Baptist Church Planter Yoshi Ubukata, pastor of Japanese International Harvest Church which meets at The Rock Church, and the Japanese Christian Fellowship Network (JCFN). “We work with the Japanese Christian Fellowship Network,” Yoshi said. “The network helps us here and in Japan with Christians returning home. The … [Read more...]
FBC Laddonia aims to be church without walls
LADDONIA – To paraphrase an adage, First Baptist Church here has found the mission field, and it is among them. On July 15-17, some 15 church members plus another five from Texas County Baptist Association had service projects in Laddonia and nearby Martinsburg. Pastor Chris Atkinson said Community Action was contacted for people needing help. That weekend, the group in two teams painted one house and partially re-roofed another home. That Saturday night the movie Woodlawn was shown in … [Read more...]
Financial struggle segues to church planting
AUSTIN, Texas (BP) – High Pointe Baptist Church was struggling financially when Juan Sanchez arrived as pastor just over 10 years ago. Sanchez and High Pointe members decided that if God allowed the church to grow “we would no longer build auditorium space, but instead we would plant churches.” The Austin church committed to reaching beyond its walls to ensure they were not keeping all the money for themselves and were modeling by faith sacrificial giving, Sanchez told the Southern … [Read more...]
Much ventured, gained by Ariz. church planter
KINGMAN, Ariz. (BP) – The idea of starting over is ominous: driving off, developing new friends and breaking the barriers of the unknown, all with risk. Meet Tommy Thomas, North American Mission Board church planting catalyst in northern Arizona. He has turned starting over into an art form. Thomas repeatedly risks everything: reputation, safety, finances and the future. In remote rural life, there’s another risk – a stint in irrelevance if he fails. In a nation where urban ministry … [Read more...]
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