CONWAY – Working together on a hands-on project is a key learning principle for children. The Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) has tapped into that principle with a craft project for teaching about the Cooperative Program. The children in mission groups, summer camps and Vacation Bible Schools across the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) are making craft stick units to help them understand how the 47,000 churches in the SBC work together through the Cooperative Program (CP) for the sake of … [Read more...]
Accreditor confirms HLGU turnaround, removes university from probation
HLGU praised for improvements in financial stability, enrollment growth, budget management HANNIBAL, Mo. (HLGU) – The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) announced earlier this month that Hannibal-LaGrange University (HLGU) has been removed from probation. HLGU leaders see the decision as marking a new era of strength, stability and growth for the institution. And they believe this positive development underscores the HLGU's commitment to ensuring a strong future for its students and … [Read more...]
MBC’s Bennett to join Silver Dollar City as chaplain
JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) Director of Making Disciples Brad Bennett will be leaving the MBC staff at the end of the year to pursue another ministry venture in Branson. According to an Oct. 7 memo to MBC staff, Bennett will become, in January 2025, the chaplain for Silver Dollar City, White Water, Branson Showboat Belle, and the Silver Dollar City Campground. This news was also announced to MBC messengers during their annual meeting, Oct. 28-29, in St. Charles. “In … [Read more...]
IMB’s Pratt: Local church ‘foundational’ to missions
O’FALLON – The local church is “the foundation” of training overseas missionaries for the International Mission Board (IMB) said the organization’s vice-president of field personnel, Zane Pratt, at the annual Global Missions Celebration at First O’Fallon, Oct. 10-13. Speaking as the mid-week conference kickoff speaker, then echoing his remarks during the church’s Sunday morning worship service, Pratt said, “The local church is the heart of missionary training.” Local churches, he said, … [Read more...]
Sixteen students find faith through MBCollegiate
KIRKSVILLE – In the first six weeks of the semester, 16 college students connected to MBCollegiate ministries put their trust in Christ for the first time. Greg Xander from the Truman State BSU reports two stories of two international students who joined the family of God in the last month. One student comes from an Eastern European country and grew up in a Muslim world. Xander says, “We have gotten to know him over the past two years since he went on our spring break trip. During these … [Read more...]
Jamestown Baptist reaching out to community amid holiday season
JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown Baptist Church is staying pretty busy this holiday season. They hope to reach out to their town this fall by sharing generously. And they are collecting for missions work in a couple of ways. Ken McCune, the pastor for the church for the past eight months—and interim pastor off and on for a couple of years prior—said it is a generous church, and they have recently seen a half dozen new families starting to attend. Three of these couples have joined the … [Read more...]
MBC messengers share thoughts on the CP
ST. CHARLES – Messengers to the MBC Annual Meeting in St. Charles, Oct. 28-29, shared their thoughts on the Cooperative Program by taking part in a short survey. The results reveal their knowledge of CP and their preferred usage of CP materials provided by the MBC missionary staff. Nearly 200 messengers and guests completed the 10-question survey, which consisted of two parts. Part I sought to discover what Missouri Baptists know about CP. Part II asked for feedback on which CP materials … [Read more...]
Gasconade Valley Baptist Association explores mission work in Poland
BLAND – The Gasconade Valley Baptist Association is considering ways they can assist the Warsaw Bible Church in Warsaw, Poland. This church ministers to many refugees from Ukraine, and their numbers have swelled considerably since Russia invaded the Ukraine homeland of these refugees. The association sent four people to Poland in August to consider partnerships and future mission trips. Kevin Sullivan, the pastor of First Baptist, Owensville, went on the trip along with Trent and Dana … [Read more...]
Missouri Baptists set their eyes on Christ during Missouri Pastors’ Conference
ST. CHARLES – Missouri Baptists set their minds on Christ during the Missouri Baptist Pastors’ Conference at the St. Charles Convention Center here, Oct. 28. The theme of the conference, which took place immediately prior to the Missouri Baptist Convention’s (MBC) annual meeting, was “Consider Christ,” based on Hebrews 3:1-2. Featured speakers during the Pastors’ Conference included Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s Hershael York, Pastor Josh Boley and Midwestern Baptist … [Read more...]
MBC annual meeting wrap-up: New vision for MBC shared, new slate of officers elected
ST. CHARLES – During the Missouri Baptist Convention’s (MBC) 190th annual meeting, Missouri Baptists began celebrating 100 years of ministry made possible through the Cooperative Program and looked forward to the future of cooperative ministry within the state. Coming from 472 churches, 1,064 Missouri Baptist messengers and 265 guests gathered at the St. Charles Convention Center here, Oct. 28-29. Fowler shares new vision for helping churches bring gospel transformation A year ago, … [Read more...]
MBC premieres animated Cooperative Program video
ST. CHARLES – Missouri Baptists kicked off a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program (CP) at the MBC Annual Meeting Oct. 28-29 in St. Charles. In the process, they were among the first to see a new animated video produced by MBC graphic designer Ryan Lake, videographer Neil Sneed, and Communications group leader Tony Boes. “Cooperative Program in the Balance” was nearly a year in the making, and it literally illustrates the MBC’s efforts to serve as a … [Read more...]
First Baptist Church, Elsey, sustains damage in tornado
CRANE, Mo. – The First Baptist Church of Elsey, located near Crane, sustained roof damages in a tornado on Monday night, Nov. 4. The church building has pretty serious roof damage from a tornado that struck about 6:15 that evening. The National Weather service indicated the path of the EF-0 tornado was about 1.5 miles, touching down about a mile west of the church. One other home was reported to have damage from the twister. The Branson Tri-Lakes newspaper reported the tornado was about … [Read more...]