ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (BP) – David Platt has “five desires that are driving me” as president of the International Mission Board. Platt, speaking to editors of Baptist state papers Feb. 10, listed the desires that are key to him at the six-month point of his leadership of Southern Baptists’ overseas missions initiatives: “to exalt Christ” “to mobilize Christians” “to equip the church” “to facilitate church planting” “to play our part in the accomplishment of the Great … [Read more...]
Naghmeh Abedini shares evangelism passion
EULESS, Texas (BP) – Naghmeh Abedini, whose husband Saeed Abedini is imprisoned in an Iranian prison for sharing his Christian faith, expressed her passion -- and her husband's passion -- for rescuing "that one sheep" with the Gospel during an evangelism conference, Feb. 23. Naghmeh was one of the speakers at the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention's Empower Conference at First Baptist Church (First Euless) in Euless, Texas. During her message, she said the evening before she had … [Read more...]
Korean churches see CP’s value
TORRANCE, Calif. (BP) – The more time Paul Kim spent with his fellow Southern Baptist pastors, the more he saw the discrepancy between the way they did missions and the way he led Good Community Church to do missions. The California church doubled in size after he refocused his congregation to join together with other Southern Baptist churches for cooperative missions. Good Community Church was organized in 1991. By 2007, it had grown to 500 people participating in Sunday morning worship … [Read more...]
Gospel spreads despite Boko Haram
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (BP) – As Boko Haram militants continue to attack Nigeria and threaten neighboring countries, Christian workers there say the Gospel is going forth and impacting receptive hearts. Greg Dorsey*, a Christian worker in West Africa, said Nigerian Christians are effectively engaging many areas of the country. “The northeastern corner of Nigeria where Boko Haram has wielded most of its activities remains a difficult area for believers to freely worship and share their faith,” … [Read more...]
Saudi blogger to receive 1,000 lashes
WASHINGTON (BP) – The first 50 of 1,000 lashes was meted out to a Saudi blogger in front of a mosque last month in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, according to news reports and human rights organizations. The blogger, Raif Badawi, is "the victim of a cruel and barbaric act carried out by the Saudi justice system," the chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Katrina Lantos-Swett, said in a news release the same day. Badawi is sentenced to receive 50 lashes weekly after … [Read more...]
Arkansas church impacts African city
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (BP) – Dinner was a far cry from an Arkansas Baptist church supper. On this night, six members of Arkansas’ Valley Baptist Church in Searcy squeezed into a modest Muslim home in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and dipped their spoons into African groundnut stew and fish sauce served over attiéké, the staple Ivorian food made from cassava. They were eating with a local family who was breaking their Ramadan fast. “Man, you couldna told me 10 years ago I’d be over here eatin’ with … [Read more...]
Missouri answers Bucket Challenge
JEFFERSON CITY – Baptist Global Response (BGR) – the international disaster relief arm of Southern Baptists – is asking Missouri Baptists to help provide “buckets of hope” to sub-Saharan Africa, an area ravaged by HIV/AIDS. More than 23 million people there are living with HIV/AIDS, with more than a million dying each year. The “hospice kits” packed into a five-gallon bucket by Missouri Baptists is one way BGR has been able to open doors to share the gospel, said Missouri coordinators and … [Read more...]
Mo. couples heads to epicenter of slavery
Editor’s note: * denotes name changed. PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – Having sold most of their belongings, a Missouri Baptist couple will venture next year to the epicenter of 21st-century slavery. “There’s not much going – an eight-by-12 foot container, and we probably have a lot of spare room,” said Pete Livingston, who finishes his tenure as executive pastor of Concord Baptist Church, Jefferson City, this December. But Pete and his wife, Debbie, have no regrets. “I thought it would be harder … [Read more...]
Human trafficking targeted by WMU ministry
BIRMINGHAM (BP) – The Woman’s Missionary Union’s WorldCrafts ministry has launched the Support Freedom campaign to help deliver women from human trafficking and sexual exploitation, and has partnered with seven new people groups to expand its craft items for sale. Each year, by force, fraud, or coercion, millions of people find themselves trapped in bonded labor and sexual exploitation. WorldCrafts artisan groups are working to end these evils by providing a sustainable income to people in … [Read more...]
Springfield cyclist uses talents for Jesus
Lee Warren/contributing writer SPRINGFIELD – Eric Hertzler’s aha moment came on the mission field in Nicaragua in 2012 after he restored the brakes on a boy’s bicycle, making him so happy that he pedaled thirty feet and did a power slide, showing Hertzler a giant smile. “Right then, I was like, ‘This is what I need to do,’” Hertzler said. Hertzler, who attends Ridgecrest Baptist Church and went on that mission trip with Real Encounter (an action sports ministry) and a couple of BMX … [Read more...]
Mo. missionaries brew a method to reach Indonesia
Editor’s note: Names have been changed for security. INDONESIA – When God pricked the hearts of Missouri missionaries Jim and Marcia to minister in Indonesia, they didn’t expect to be in the coffee business. “Indonesia is a country of creative access,” Jim said. “Visas are not granted for missionaries. It is illegal for active evangelism or proselytizing. So, we spent our first year in southern Sumatra learning how to live in the country and to get a foreign visa.” Coffee proved to be … [Read more...]
A year after typhoon, Filipino island thriving
GIBITNGIL, the Philippines – What a difference a year – and a lot of Baptist sweat – make. Twelve months ago, nearly 100 kids scampered from a collapsing classroom as Typhoon Haiyan (called Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines) tore their school apart. They rode out the storm for hours crammed into in an unfinished concrete bathroom as winds topped 200 mph and 50-foot waves battered the rocky beach below. One year later, however, the island’s school classrooms are rebuilt and instead of … [Read more...]
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