ST. LOUIS – While the fall of 2020 has been a semester of upheaval, closed doors, and uncertainty on college campuses across Missouri, it has also been something else for our MBCollegiate students and their Campus Missionaries: a semester of serving. Since COVID limits or inhibits many normal avenues of serving, some ministries have gotten creative with how to serve in safe ways. Kale Uzzle, Collegiate Strategist and Campus Missionary in the St. Louis area, partnered with Mission St. Louis … [Read more...]
WMU’s Carter speaks about grief
ROACH – During the holiday season it is not uncommon to find those who are grieving the loss of a loved one and the Christmas festivities don’t seem nearly as much fun. Those who have lost family in the past year will find the holiday activities and rituals to be even painful to endure without their spouse, parents, siblings or children. Sandra Slocum was thinking along these lines as she planned a recent seminar for the wives of directors of missions (DOM) at Windermere Conference … [Read more...]
Baptist Home lands $1 million gift
Trustees approve funds for Ashland construction JEFFERSON CITY (The Baptist Home) – Trustees of The Baptist Home and The Baptist Home Foundation, meeting at the Missouri Baptist Convention’s building here, Dec. 4, received the second distribution from a $1 million dollar estate designated for the benefit of The Baptist Home. Neil Franks, president of the Missouri Baptist Foundation, presented the $261,900 check to Baptist Home Trustee Chairman Ken Parker during the meeting. Currently, TBH … [Read more...]
Missouri Baptist University’s trustees hear report on strategic planning project
ST. LOUIS – In his Nov. 19 comments to Missouri Baptist University trustees Keith Ross, university president, outlined a new project to aid the university’s strategic planning, said MBU has successfully addressed COVID challenges to in-person classes so far this fall, explained new campus technology improvements, and reported that fall 2020 sophomore retention – a measure of returning first-year students – matched prior year results despite COVID’s effects. Ross described how the strategic … [Read more...]
Missionaries needed to share gospel with Mo. children
This month we celebrate the greatest gift that was ever given to mankind – the gift of a Savior and a Redeemer. When we accept and receive that gift, we enter into an eternal, everlasting relationship with the God who is the Author of all creation and who formed us and knew us, even in the womb. What a gift! And it is one we are to share with others. The shepherds heard the message of the glad tidings of the birth of the Savior from the angels. But, Jesus told us that we are to be His … [Read more...]
MWMU pushes forward to equip churches missions
JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri WMU board members want to push forward their support for international missionaries through the 2020 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering (LMCO). The topic resonated throughout Missouri WMU (MWMU) Board Meeting held at the Baptist Building here in November. Along with an emphasis on LMCO, the board had a full agenda of reports from board members, consultants and specialists. Messages were also delivered by MBC Executive Director John Yeats, missionary speakers and … [Read more...]
FBC Maysville secretary to retire after 34 years
MAYSVILLE – Martha Spiers is about ready to retire. Maybe. She’s served 34 years as the church secretary for First Baptist Church here. At age 96 she thinks it might be time. She announced her decision but said she will work until a replacement is found. Her pastor, Greg Dixon, said she “exemplifies what a church secretary should be: loyal, discreet, professional, and kind. The delicate balance of these qualities is hard to maintain for a church member who is also a church staff member. … [Read more...]
‘Church undivided’: New curriculum leads churches to grow in love, faith, unity
ST. LOUIS – Bob Ingle says church unity is a bit like a kiss—the actual experience is so much different than a description. “The dictionary definition of a kiss is pretty mundane. But, if you’ve ever experienced a kiss, you know it’s far better than the definition.” He says church unity is similar: “You can give a definition of unity but the experience is far sweeter and you know it when you have it and you know when you don’t. And it’s an awful thing when you don’t.” Ingle, lead pastor at … [Read more...]
Online Youth Evangelism Conference set, Dec. 29
JEFFERSON CITY – High school and middle school church groups are being encouraged to participate in the Missouri Baptist Convention’s (MBC) online Youth Evangelism Conference (YEC), Dec. 29. The virtual event will feature guest speaker Jay Barbier, youth ministry specialist with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. Micah Christopher will lead worship, and Christian illusionist Brock Gill will also perform throughout the event. YEC will take place from 9:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., involving three … [Read more...]
Twelve accept Christ as eyeglasses clinic keeps focus on gospel
KANSAS CITY – After they had to postpone their eyeglasses clinic this spring, Luis Mendoza, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Palabra Viva (Living Word Baptist Church), didn’t know what to expect for their November attempt. Aware that crowds would be a problem, he was reluctant to even advertise. Yet the people from the church’s northeast Kansas City neighborhood showed up for the joint ministry between Palabra Viva and Vision 3:16, an evangelistic vision care ministry. An hour before the doors … [Read more...]
Midwestern Journal of Theology’s fall edition released
KANSAS CITY – Midwestern Seminary released its Fall 2020 issue of the Midwestern Journal of Theology on December 10, featuring works by several of the school’s faculty as well as academics from the wider Baptist community. The fall edition addresses theological topics ranging from the use of Psalms in devotional practice, the Bible’s description of ethnic harmony, Charles Spurgeon’s view of the role of the church in the stand for orthodoxy, and the significance of authorial answers for the … [Read more...]
SBU honors Bolton, McCarley with Life Beautiful Awards; celebrates employees for years of service
BOLIVAR, Mo. — David Bolton, chief technology officer of Information and Technology Services, and Dr. Renay McCarley, division head of Associate Level Nursing and Health Sciences, received the Staff and Faculty Life Beautiful Awards on Friday, Dec. 11 at Southwest Baptist University. “The designation ‘life beautiful’ is the highest honor a person can receive at Southwest Baptist University,” said Dr. Brad Johnson, SBU’s acting president. “Each year during the Bolivar spring commencement, … [Read more...]