Following is another in a series of columns on The Baptist Faith & Message 2000. Article V of The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 reads: “Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting … [Read more...]
God had plans for bivocational pastor on court, behind the pulpit
WILLOW SPRINGS – From an early age, David Cox knew what he what he wanted to do when he grew up. But God had a different plan. “My original plan in life was to be a teacher and coach,” said Cox, now the pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, here. Growing up in Indiana, he had Hoosier Fever and was in love with basketball. “I thought nothing else would ever grab me like that,” Cox said. And yet, the Lord kept nudging Cox in a different direction. When he was around 16 years old, Cox began … [Read more...]
From prison to the pulpit: Midwestern Seminary student finds new life, purpose in Christ
KANSAS CITY – Having spent over a decade of time behind bars, coupled with a long history of drug abuse, Keanon Hurst is perhaps one of the last people you would expect to find on Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s campus, let alone behind a pulpit. A native of eastern Nebraska, Keanon describes himself in childhood as “the outcast who would do and say things to just get attention.” “It was obvious from a young age I was headed down the wrong path,” he said. However, it wasn’t … [Read more...]
GEM event fosters passion for missions
JEFFERSON CITY – Girls Experiencing Missions (GEM) is a two-day event where girls think about missions and pursuing a living relationship with Jesus Christ. Girls experience hands-on missions in praying, giving, learning and doing, and meet with a missionary. This year 57 girls, leaders and staff met at Concord Baptist Church, Jefferson City, to do just that. The girls traveled through six different missions rotations, fulfilling the different objectives of Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) – … [Read more...]
‘It Takes a Village’: Fifteen churches pitch in to plant new congregation in Colorado
DENVER – It’s easy to picture a church planter as the lone ranger – alone in a strange city, with little support structure, just a Bible and a dream. That’s not the case for Bryson and Sarah McGuire; there are over 15 churches in their corner. Bryson McGuire was born and raised in Springfield, Mo. “I joke that, in Springfield, there’s a church and coffee shop on every corner,” he says. He soon discovered that Denver is quite the opposite. “There’s one church for every 30,000 people in … [Read more...]
Joyful Giveaway: FBC Kearney cheerfully serves community
KEARNEY – On Dec. 3, First Baptist Church, Kearney, held its annual Joyful Giveaway (a community outreach event) served 165 families, met over 780 people, and gave away more than 400 bags – or 3-1/2 tons – of groceries. The church has presented Joyful Giveaway since 2011. Ken Parker, senior pastor, said the idea came out of his noticing a similar event at First Baptist Church, Branson. “We want to do something that makes people feel really special,” Parker said, “and demonstrate that … [Read more...]
‘Keeping Christmas Well’: Dickens, Scrooge, Spurgeon
LONDON, England – Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a ghost story. Sure, it’s a beloved yuletide tradition, but it’s still a ghost story – and at times a frightening one! Despite that, it’s easy to see why it’s so popular. The book is an easy (and humorous!) read, even for those who say the “classics” aren’t for them. It’s been adapted on screen more times than I can count (I’m particularly fond of the 1992 Muppets version starring Michael Caine as Scrooge). After all, it’s an allegory … [Read more...]
First Baptist, Lewistown, hosts community concert to celebrate Christmas season
LEWISTOWN – First Baptist Church is continuing a tradition with a community Christmas vocal concert called “A Brand New Hallelujah.” “The church has done this (community choir) several years before. This is my first year at the church. We put out word to several churches, and we’ve been practicing on Sunday nights,” said Pastor Tony Stottlemyre. Director Cathy Kelso, said in addition to the FBC Lewistown, approximately 30 people from at least four other churches of the Mt. Salem/Wyaconda … [Read more...]
‘I Heard the Bells’ belongs on screen
Sight & Sound’s first full-length movie tells true story of ‘peace on earth’ FERGUSON – Eight years ago, I remember worshipping at First Baptist Church, Ferguson. It was the Sunday after a second round of unrest and rioting following the announcement that the police officer who shot Michael Brown would not be indicted. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the incident, it was a time of pain, anger and fear. Things were tense that cold, quiet morning. As the service began, the … [Read more...]
Live Nativity play presented in Springfield by Greene County Association volunteers
SPRINGFIELD – For their 40th year, Springfield area Baptists staged a play of the life of Christ in the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds. Held in early December, the play is a series of scenes of the life of Jesus Christ from birth to resurrection. This year about 2,000 people sat in bleachers to see the scenes enacted. At the end of the three evening run, the organizers discovered there were 84 people saved and 133 who asked for prayer. Local church volunteers will follow up on each of these … [Read more...]
Free Christmas store offered to low-income families at Grand Oak Mission, Springfield
SPRINGFIELD – The Grand Oak Mission Center is offering a free “Christmas store” to their low-income neighbors that participate in the activities of the ministry center. David Jackson, Grand Oak Mission director, said they set aside usable gifts, that people donate and people may “shop” for items for their family members. He said it is a blessing to the community, and they can choose up to three gifts for each of their family members who are registered with the center. Director of … [Read more...]
‘Best of times, worst of times’
“It was the best of times…it was the worst of times.” You have probably heard these words before, but before you expend too much brain power trying to come up with the source, let me go ahead and tell you that author Charles Dickens wrote them. You may know him from his work, A Christmas Carol. However, this quote is actually from another of his writings, A Tale of Two Cities. While at first, it may seem odd I am not using a quote from A Christmas Carol, the more one considers those … [Read more...]
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