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...]
Statewide Prayer for revival, evangelism begins Jan. 15
SPRINGFIELD – Churches are encouraged to participate in 21 Days of Revival and Evangelism conducted Jan. 15-Feb. 4 to prepare for personal revival. This leads up to FURNACE: the State Evangelism/Discipleship Conference. Those who registered for FURNACE prior to Jan. 2 were mailed a free Revival & Evangelism: 21 Day Prayer Guide by Sammy Tippit. Springfield’s Ridgecrest Baptist Church will host the conference, Feb. 5-6, 2015. The conference theme, inspired by the story of Shadrach, … [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...]
Canote Family expands music ministry to include focus on missions
CLARK – Following God in ministry means sometimes a change of focus. This is a lesson Chris and Susan Canote and their 10 children continue to learn. The Canotes belong to Perche Baptist in northern Boone County, and for three years he pastored Harrisburg Baptist, resigning to direct the non-profit, family-launched Evident Ministries (www.evidentministries.org). More than a dozen years ago, the couple performed southern gospel music for a revival pastor. As children were added to the … [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...]
Bible’s Christmas accounts ‘complementary’
NASHVILLE (BP) – A historian named Julius Africanus was among the first Christians to wonder why the stories of Jesus' birth in Matthew and Luke differ slightly. Around the year 200, Julius apparently sought Jesus' living relatives to ask them why the genealogies of Christ in the two Gospels aren't exactly the same. Was one of the accounts in error? Jesus' ancient relatives explained, according to the third-century church historian Eusebius, that the lineage of Joseph, Jesus' adoptive … [Read more...]
Pierce City church gives 375 children new shoes
PIERCE CITY – Earlier this fall, members from the First Baptist Church here fitted shoes on the feet of 375 children, as well as nearly 50 teachers and staff members, from the Pierce City Elementary School. By partnering with the rural development branch of Convoy of Hope in Springfield, the church was not only able to provide shoes for children in the community, but they also found a renewed sense of purpose. “It has really given the church a mission again,” said Pastor Ryan McMillian, … [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...]
Original sin and the Imago Dei
In Colonial days students learned to read from The New England Primer, which featured a number of Christian maxims such as, “In Adam’s Fall, we sinned all.” This statement, like others in the Primer, incorporated biblical truths into basic education. From childhood, students came to understand that all human beings are sinful and fallen creatures. While many schools today abandon these truths in favor of relativism, syncretism, and multiculturalism, many Christian parents instill in their … [Read more...]
Camdenton church energizes children’s ministry
CAMDENTON – The energy, variety and flexibility of Vacation Bible School attracts children, and the First Baptist Church of Camdenton has injected their Sunday morning Bible study for children with those traits. “We were not reaching young families,” Randy Chappell, minister of music, said. “We started looking around for new opportunities and curriculum. We observed how much the kids loved VBS, and we wondered if there was a way to tap into it every week.” After meetings with Senior … [Read more...]
Mormons grappling with their history
SALT LAKE CITY – Leaders within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are speaking more openly about Mormonism’s controversial history and teachings. Even as Mitt Romney’s presidential bid drew the national spotlight to Mormonism in 2012, leaders of the nearly 180-year-old religion expressed concern about its future. “We’ve never had a period of – I’ll call it apostasy – like we’re having now,” Marlin Jensen, an official Mormon historian, told a group of Mormon students in … [Read more...]
Six things to know about finishing well
Who wants to come to the end of something and say, “Oops!” Or, “I really messed up!” Or, “If only I had . . .” Whether you are talking about closing out an event, a career, a year, a life or a chapter in your life, you want to glance back over your shoulder and see that you finished well. Years ago, an author/speaker challenged me to consider my birthdate and the reality of my end date. Then he said, “What are you going to do with the middle?” He went on to say that no matter how you … [Read more...]
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