The Missouri Baptist Convention is making it easier for MBC churches to train their congregations to defend the Christian faith. The MBC has launched the Missouri Baptist Apologetics Network, a group of church leaders committed to the defense of the Christian faith and called to equip believers to more effectively share their faith. Each leader is an active member of a Missouri Baptist church and engaged in an apologetics ministry. Inaugural members of the network are Eugene Curry … [Read more...]
SBU Bearcats baseball team to go on mission
BOLIVAR – Last year, Southwest Baptist University (SBU) Bearcats Head Coach Chris Martin led his team to a winning season on the baseball field, and this season he has high hopes for the team. During the 2014 season, the SBU Bearcats entered the post-season for the first time since 1999, and they had nine All Conference players, as well as the program’s first All American player. “We had some good guys do some really good things, and as a group they’ve been able to accomplish a lot,” said … [Read more...]
Rural church chops wood to share the love of God
ATLANTA – In many rural communities across Missouri, families burn wood as their primary or secondary heating source. One northern Missouri church supplies firewood to needy families as a way of reaching out with God’s love. First Baptist Church, Atlanta, created a “woodcutting ministry” three years ago as a way to help out some of their members and it spread into an outreach ministry for folks in the area who were having trouble cutting or buying the wood needed for their stoves and … [Read more...]
Midwestern among fastest-growing seminaries
KANSAS CITY (BP) – Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary ranks among the fastest growing seminaries in North America, according to a report published by the Association of Theological Schools. The article by ATS, an accrediting agency, expounded upon “Why 100 Member Schools have Grown,” saying 37-percent of its 273 institutions have grown over the past five years – with 12 of the 100 schools experiencing growth of at least 50 percent. Among these 12 schools in the March 31 report is … [Read more...]
Two churches merge for kingdom impact
ST. JOSEPH – Dennis and Brenda Riggs figure they got the best deal when their church blended with another congregation. “We got a granddaughter out of the merge,” Dennis Riggs says. The couple are long-time members and serve in the food pantry ministry of King Hill Baptist Church in St. Joseph. Several months ago, King Hill merged with Carnegie Baptist Church to form a new congregation. That’s when the Riggs met 17-year-old Destinee Steele, who attended Carnegie, and discovered they … [Read more...]
FBC Cameron sees eightfold MMO increase
CAMERON – Driven by a desire to reach their Missouri neighbors for Christ, the congregation at First Baptist Church, Cameron, dug deep and gave generously to the Missouri Missions Offering (MMO) in 2014. More than quadrupling their goal of $4,000 and increasing their 2013 offering by eightfold, the church of about 240 gave a total of $18,954 to missions efforts in Missouri. According to Pastor John Sconce (pseudonym used for security purposes), this outpouring is the fruit of a three-year … [Read more...]
Northeast Missouri churches celebrate missions
EWING – Missouri Baptists from Northeast Missouri churches gathered to perpetuate the work of Jesus during “On Mission Connection” (OMC), an event hosted by First Baptist Church here, March 21-23. Fourteen workers representing the International Mission Board (IMB), North America Mission Board (NAMB), and the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) shared their stories at OMC, which was sponsored by the Mt. Salem/Wyaconda Southern Baptist Association. After a dinner at FBC, Ewing, these workers … [Read more...]
Hobby Lobby’s court victory celebrated
HANNIBAL – For the second year in a row, figures from Hobby Lobby’s Supreme Court battle for religious freedom headlined the Missouri Baptist Convention’s Worldview Conference. Unlike last year, they were not merely waiting on a verdict. This time around they were rejoicing in favor before the court and God’s grace. Mike McAfee, director of faith initiatives for Hobby Lobby and the son-in-law of the company’s president, Steve Green, opened in a way that may surprise critics of the Supreme … [Read more...]
Culture decay is a heart issue
HANNIBAL – Pathway Editor Don Hinkle and Hannibal-LaGrange University (HLGU) President Anthony Allen opened the 2015 Worldview Conference at HLGU here, April 2, by urging Missouri Baptists to witness faithfully to an unbelieving society. Reading from Jeremiah 23:16-17, Hinkle said that the secular media is much like the false prophets of old. “The media takes a moral position that flies in the face of biblical teaching,” he said. “There is open hostility to Christian teaching and biblical … [Read more...]
Springfield voters overturn ’gay rights’ ordinance
SPRINGFIELD – In a tight race that showed the value of a vote, Springfield citizens April 7 narrowly repealed a sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) ordinance enacted by the city council last fall that critics said endangered privacy and religious liberty and was unnecessary. The “Yes” votes to repeal totaled 15,347 compared to 14,493 “No” votes, or 51.4 percent to 48.6 percent. Out of more than 29,000 votes, 854 made the difference in returning the city code on the issue to the … [Read more...]
Baptists must defend liberty, expect persecution
HANNIBAL – If the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) rules in favor of same-sex “marriage” this summer, Christians around the nation will face increased pressure to lay aside their convictions about traditional marriage. For this reason, churches must defend religious liberty and prepare for persecution, according to speakers at the Missouri Baptist Convention’s (MBC) Worldview Conference at Hannibal-LaGrange University here, April 2. Baptists have long defended religious liberty for all … [Read more...]
LGBT discrimination law lurking in General Assembly
President Obama recently ordered the opening of the White House’s first gender-neutral restroom in what is seen as a symbolic step by the president to extend rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in the workplace. No surprise there – and get ready. More is on the way as emboldened – and often intolerant – LGBT advocates seek legal avenues to force acceptance of their lifestyle on American society. They go the legal route to get what they cannot get at the … [Read more...]
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