baptist digest may 2016

8/17/2019 Baptist Digest May 2016

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www.baptistdigest.com

Newsjournal Of Kansas and Nebraska Southern Baptists

Vol. 60 No. 5

Baptist

igest May 2016

Participants in Glow learned how to be the handsand feet of Jesus in times of need. Glow is theKNCSB retreat for girls and their mothers or otherwomen in their lives. It was held April 8-9 atWebster Conference Center, Salina, Kan. “Disaster

Relief: Love in Action” was the retreat theme.

Cecil Dale told participants in the KNCSB Glow retreat how Southern Baptist Disaster Relief servespeople in times of great need. He is director of missions for Central Baptist Association and KNCSB in-terim director of disaster relief. Retreat participants had the opportunity to tour Central Association’snew disaster-relief shower/laundry unit. Smoky Hill Baptist Association’s disaster-relief chainsaw unitalso was on display.

SBC Annual Meeting

June 14-15

America’s Center

St. Louis, Missouri

Find complete information on the SBC annual meeting

website at http://sbcannualmeeting.org/sbc16/default.asp

‘Glow’, retreat for girls and their mothers held April 8-9 at Webster Conference Center

Fostering: An Earthly Picture of the Gospel.See page 7

A Cooperative Program forToday and for the Future. Read more on page 3

VBS Clinic Trains Workers

to Reach Children. Turnto page 6


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Sharing & Strengthening

A Cooperative Program for Today & the FutureSPRINGDALE, Ark. (BP) -- Last fall before speakingat one of our state conventions, I had the privilegeto meet a man employed by another major denomi-

nation. As we were talking, I asked what he feltwas one of the biggest challenges in their denomi-nation.

He said their biggest problem is their churchesnot funding missionaries like they used to. Hestated they are searching for a new way to get thisdone because when the missionaries come to theirchurches to raise their individual financial support,the churches are doing so much themselves, they nolonger feel they need the missionaries. Additionally,due to the changing nature of church life and theeconomy, churches are struggling to support mission-

aries individually and consistently.Then he stated, “You guys seem to do that sowell.” I told him about the Cooperative Program andthe way it functions. I explained it is not just the waywe fund our international missionaries, but also ourministries and mission work statewide and nation-ally. He was amazed and very complimentary.

I believe a Cooperative Program for today and aCooperative Program for the future has to be builtupon five major convictions.Conviction #1: Mission, not money

The driving engine of the Cooperative Programis not money, but the mission of God to redeem theworld from sin. The final orders of Jesus before Heascended to heaven were the words given to us inActs 1:8, “But you will receive power when the HolySpirit has come upon you, and you will be My wit-nesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and tothe ends of the earth.”

His final words were not, “Give money to theCooperative Program.” The compelling mission of Jesus Christ to be His witnesses regionally, state-wide, nationally and internationally is what theCooperative Program has been built upon, is builtupon, and must be built upon in the future.

This is why churches give through the CooperativeProgram, not to the Cooperative Program. We givethrough the Cooperative Program in order to fundour work together with one compelling cause: pre-senting the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in

the world andto make dis-ciples of all the

nations.I am con-

vinced themore we talkabout whatwe are doingto accomplishthis mission,the more dol-lars will flowthrough theCooperative

Program.Conviction#2: Unity, notunbelief

The CooperativeProgram is our unified plan of giving. It places usshoulder-to-shoulder in our work together, regardlessof the size of our church, the color of our skin, or ourlocation in America.

When we continually question this plan, we repre-sent uncertainty to generations of Baptists. Clashingopinions lead to an unseemliness that affects our mis-sion effectiveness.

Entertaining societal methodology jeopardizes ourunified plan of giving. Just as it would damage achurch’s fellowship and mission, it would even moreso in our convention. We need to continue believingin the value of our unified plan of giving.Conviction #3: Cooperation, not competition

The spirit of cooperation is so important in fund-ing our work together. A societal method of financialsupport would fuel competition between our state,national and international work. The CooperativeProgram eliminates competition between our entitiesas it provides a balanced approach for support.

Each state convention has the privilege to annuallyevaluate the percentage of monies utilized for theirstatewide ministries versus what is forwarded on toour national and international work. This is why eachchurch needs to have representation in their state

convention. As this is evaluated annually, the desiresof the churches are fulfilled. The financial formula forthe allocation of monies received nationally from the

churches through their state conventions is regularlyreviewed by our Executive Committee. I have statedthis for one purpose: to let each of you know changeis possible and does occur. We are working togethertoward a common goal.

The Cooperative Program exists to serve thechurches in helping them accomplish their God-givenresponsibility to fulfill the Great Commission; it doesnot exist for the churches to serve it.Conviction #4: Partnership, not personalities

Partnership is the key to the CooperativeProgram. Churches partner with other churches

through their state conventions and our nationalSouthern Baptist Convention. Each state conventionpartners with other state conventions in funding thework of the Southern Baptist Convention. And ournational entities partner with each other and stateconventions to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ toevery person in the world and make disciples of allthe nations.

Partnership, not personality, drives our mission. Ifwe keep our eyes on personalities and things occurthat cause tension, we may be tempted to considerour financial support as optional. This is not thewisest approach nor best for our work together.

Refuse to let personalities determine your sup-port. If concerns exist, each state convention has anexecutive board and each national entity has a boardof trustees. In other words, a process is in place todeal with a personality that may concern you. Baptistwork is built upon our partnership together for theGospel, not on human personalities.Conviction #5: History, not just the here and now

While the relevance of the here and now is impor-tant, we must never disregard the lessons from his-tory. Southern Baptists do not need to make the samemistake our nation is making today.

Just think how many times we hear in our societythat things have changed and we need to adjust ourmoral beliefs because of it. In other words, what isvalued as truth in the here and now is more impor-tant than our own history as a nation.

I believe the Southern Baptist Convention must be relevant today. In regards to funding our worktogether, we do not need to return to what wewalked away from 91 years ago, a societal methodof financial support. The Cooperative Program isnot perfect. But I believe this unified method of sup-port that began in 1925 is still relevant today, and

have seen others marvel at how we are able to worktogether to accomplish our mission.

Therefore, Southern Baptists, let’s continue for-ward in our work cooperating for the cause ofChrist. Built upon these five convictions, we willhave a Cooperative Program not just for today, but aCooperative Program for the future.

Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com), news service of the Southern Baptist

Convention.

Ronnie Floyd, SBC President

The Kansas-Nebraska Convention of

Southern Baptists is Committed to the

Cooperative Program-The Best Method Ever

Devised to Fund the

Great Commission.


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KNCSB ON MISSION

VBS Clinic Trains Workers to Reach Children

Hispanic Southern Baptist churches are seeing great success with Vacation Bible School (calledEscuela Biblica de Vacaciones in Spanish). The KNCSB Vacation Bible School Jumpstart Clinic offeredtraining in both English and Spanish. It was held Saturday, April 2, at Webster Conference Center,

Salina, Kan.

Hispanic Southern Baptist churches in southwestKansas saw God move in a mighty way during Vaca-tion Bible School 2015.

Members of these churches turned out in forcefor the 2016 KNCSB Vacation Bible School JumpstartClinic held Saturday, April 2, at Webster ConferenceCenter, Salina, Kan.

Training was held in both English and Spanish.Gabi Ureña led the Spanish preschool training. She is amember of Tabernaculo Bautista in Garden City, Kan.

Deyna Bluvan led the Spanish children’s training.She is part of Ministerio Hispano at First SouthernBaptist Church, Garden City.

“Submerged: Finding the Truth below the Surface”is the 2016 Vacation Bible School theme from LifeWay

Christian Resources.It will take children on an adventure deep within

the mysterious sea. They will learn how Jesus lookeddeep inside people.

The VBS theme verse is “Search me, God, and knowmy heart; test me and know my concerns. See if thereis any oensive way in me; lead me in the everlastingway.” (Psalm 139:23-24) (Holman Christian StandardBible)

“Jesus sees. Jesus knows. Jesus saves” is the moo.The daily content for “Submerged” is:

Day 1

Jesus Saw ZacchaeusLuke 19:1-10Today’s Point: Jesus knows who I really am.Bonus Verse: “For the Son of Man has come to seekand to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

Day 2Jesus Saw the Woman at the Well

John 4:1–42Today’s Point: Jesus knows my worth.Bonus Verse: “I will praise You because I have beenremarkably and wonderfully made. Your works arewonderful, and I know this very well.” (Psalm 139:14)

Day 3Jesus Saw Nicodemus

John 3:1–21; 19:38–42Today’s Point: Jesus knows I need a Savior.Bonus Verse: “For God loved the world in this way:He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who

believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”(John 3:16)

Day 4

Jesus Saw a Blind Man John 9Today’s Point: Jesusknows my purpose.Bonus Verse: “For it isGod who is working inyou, enabling you bothto desire and to workout His good purpose.”(Philippians 2:13)

Day 5Jesus Saw the Children

Mark 10:13–16Today’s Point: Jesus lovesand accepts me.Bonus Verse: “We love

because He rst loved us.” (1 John 4:19)Backyard Kids Club

LifeWay Christian Resources is also oering Back-yard Kids Club. This adapts “Submerged” to a formatthat can be used in missions seings.

Read more at hps://vbs.lifeway.com/backyard-kids-club/

Zip for Kids

LifeWay also oers Zip for Kids which helpschurches created customized events to reach children.It can be used in a variety of seings.

Read FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) at hp:// bit.ly/1TlxrsX

E-Anytime AnywhereE-Anytime Anywhere consists of individual lessons

that may be downloaded for a fee. It can be adapted touse in many dierent seings. Lessons are available forchildren and preschoolers. Read more at hp://lfwy.co/1Dhz98a

2017 VBS ClinicParticipants in the VBS Jumpstart Clinic were urgedto put the 2017 event on their calendars. It will be heldSaturday, April 1, at Webster Conference Center.

Tank You for Supporting the Cooperative ProgramFind resources to promote the Cooperative Program at http://www.sbc.net/cp/default.asp


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KNCSB ON MISSION

Growth

Continues at Weir Camp

Many improvements have taken place in the past year at Weir Baptist Camp, 12 miles southwest ofPittsburg, Kan. The dock was completed at the shing lake on the southwest corner of the property.The Kansas-Nebraska Campers on Mission women painted the dock during the fall 2015 COM rally atthe camp.

(This article includes information from the SoutheastKansas Baptist Association newsleer.)

As Weir Baptist Camp marks 54 years of ministry,plans are in place to reach even more people for Christand disciple them.

The camp has seen signicant improvements in the

past year.Volunteer Christian Builders, based in Texas, came

for a two-week work project in April 2015. Their majortask was constructing shade pavilions at the shinglake and the boating lake.

VCB did the major construction on Bethel Cabin,the second new cabin at the camp, and the dining-halladdition.

Some of the Volunteer Christian Builders couplesalso serve during summer camps.

Kansas-Nebraska Campers on Mission and localvolunteers also play important roles at the camp.

The Campers on Mission spent two weeks workingat the camp in 2015. The group came in late May andearly October in connection with the COM fall rally.Among their projects were building picnic tables andrenovating the kitchen island.

Many other improvements took place at Weir Bap-

tist Camp in the past year including:n

Upgraded water sliden Newly carpeted platforms on the miniature golfcourse

n A paddleboat and new kayaks were purchasedn New gravel was hauled in for the roadsn New sewer laterals were laid from the Dining Hall

n 40 newmaresses werepurchased forthe cabins,thanks to severalpeople who gavemoney

nNew recre-ation equipment

The securitysystem was com-pleted and will

help notify of severe weather and hazardous events to

help keep campers and sta safe.Paul Duncan, pastor of First Baptist Church, Crest-line, made signs for several of the cabins and outbuild-ings.

This year’s summer camp dates are:n June 6-10 —Senior High Campn June 13-17— Junior High Camp (grades 6-8)n June 20-24— Children’s Camp (grades 3-5)n June 27-28— Kingdom Kids Camp (grades 1-2)n June 29 — Day Camp (ages 4-5 or have complet-

ed kindergarten)Thank you for praying for and supporting Weir

Baptist Camp. Together we are reaching young peoplefor Christ and building foundations for them to have astrong relationship with Jesus.

Thanks for serving with us for 54 years at WeirBaptist Camp!

Current Needs at Weir Baptist Camp:n $6,000 — Dining Hall electrical updatesn $2,000 — Fill dirt work

n $1,000— Metal roof on North Pavilionn $500 — One new paddle boatn $200— Two soccer goalsPlease send contributions to Baptist Area Oce, P.O. Box 604,

Altamont, KS 67330. Make a note in the memo line about theproject you want to support.

(This information came from the Southeast Kansas Baptist Associa-tion newsleer.)


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KNCSB ON MISSION

Past KNCSB President Gordan Dorian Dies at 93

Gordon Dorian was one of the participants in the July 2007 dedicationservice for a temporary meeting site for First Baptist Church, Greens-burg, Kan. The EF5 tornado that hit Greensburg on May 4, 2007,destroyed the church’s building. KNCSB provided a modular buildingfor the church to meet in until its new building was nished. Dorian, apast KNCSB president, died on Good Friday (March 25) at age 93.

Gordon Dorian, pastor emeritus of Olivet BaptistChurch, Wichita, Kan., died in his sleep on Good Fri-day (March 25) 2016. He was 93.

Dorian served as Olivet’s pastor for 35 years. Healso was a leader in both KNCSB and the SouthernBaptist Convention.

His ministry career had a humble beginning, Dorianrecalled during his retirement celebration at Olivet onMay 7, 1989.

Dorian took his rst step toward a career in ministrywhen he accepted Christ at age 13 in the heart of theDepression. He and his family had lost their home andwere living in a hotel room.

“My mother sold her refrigerator to send me tocamp,” he recalled.

After serving in the Navy in World War II, Dorianstudied at Carson-Newman College, Jeerson, Tenn.There he met his future wife, Doris Overbey, and theywere married in August 1948.

Dorian pastored Altamere Baptist Church in FortWorth, Texas, for four-and-a-half years while studyingat Southwestern Seminary.

While in Fort Worth, Dorian heard about Olivetfrom Tommy Adkerson, who was serving as the solemember of the church’s pastor-search commiee.

During Dorian’s 35 years at Olivet, the church re-corded 2,144 baptisms and 2,867 other additions. Total

receipts were $9,233,922.Dorian also was extensively involved in all aspectsof Southern Baptist life. He was elected moderator ofSedgwick Baptist Association (now Heart of KansasAssociation) ve months after arriving in Wichita in1954.

He served as KNCSB president, on the Southwest-ern Seminary board of trustees and on the SouthernBaptist Convention Executive Commiee.

But Dorian’s rst priority was always leadingpeople to Christ.

During the 1989 retirement celebration, Paul Daviscalled Dorian “one of the greatest one-on-one soul-winners I’ve ever known.” Davis was retired director ofmissions for Sedgwick Association.

Harold Conley, KNCSB’s long-time business ad-ministrator, was one of the many people Dorian led toChrist.

During Conley’s funeral in May 2005 Dorian re-called his eorts to share Christ with him. The Conley

family lived in Wichita in theearly 1960s.

“I kept visiting him in their

home,” Dorian recalled. “Hesure wanted to give me a hardtime.”

Finally Dorian challengedConley, “You need to giveyour life to Jesus Christ.”

Conley gave his character-istic wide grin and said, “Yes,I do.”

“After he was saved, hetook over our bus ministry [atOlivet] and did a great job,”

Dorian recalled.After retiring from Olivet,

Dorian continued to be activein ministry. He joined Imman-uel Baptist Church, Wichita,and taught a Sunday Schoolclass there. He also served asa chaplain at Mel HambletonFord and ministered in manyother ways.

Survivors include his wifeof 68 years, Doris; a son, Mark;

two daughters, Deborah (Pete)Ochs and Diana (Je) Brown;one niece; ve grandchildren;and eight great-grandchildren.

The funeral was heldFriday, April 1, at CentralCommunity Church, Wichita.Burial was in Kensington Gar-dens, Wichita.

Many tributes to Dorianhave been posted online athp://bit.ly/1RW85Sc

Memorials may be sent to:n Trinity Academy, 12345

E. 21st St. N, Wichita, KS67206

n Dorian Ministries forMissions in care of OlivetBaptist Church, 3440 W. 13thSt. N., Wichita, KS 67203

Save the Date

Te 2016 KNCSB annual meeting will be held Monday

night, Oct. 10, and uesday, Oct. 11, at LifeSpring Church,

Bellevue, Neb. Information will be posted this summer at

http://www.kncsb.org/ministry/annual_meeting

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www.knwomen.com

My husband and I had always said we were interested in

adoption. We talked about it even before we were married. I

think it was our back up plan, if we

couldn’t have kids of our “own”. It

somehow made me feel good aboutmyself for even being willing.

Six years later we were happily mar-

ried with two children and another on

the way. We hadn’t really had time to

even think about adoption much less

a new idea of fostering. There had

been a few people in our church that

had foster kids and my husband and

I talked about how hard that must be, but how great those

families were for doing it. It seemed like those people were

some kind of super Christian, over and above the typical

Jesus follower for sure.During our ultrasound to find out if baby number three

was a boy or girl, we found out that our son had died. We

were devastated. During the next few years we worked

through our grief and decided to try for another baby. We

never had any trouble before so we assumed it would happen

right away. God, in His wisdom, had other plans.

God placed a friend in my life who was fostering. Again I

thought how awesome that was but that it was for sure some-

thing I could never do. It would be too hard, I would get too

attached, I loved kids too much to give them back. The more

time I spent with my friend the more I was drawn to foster-

ing. It was such an earthly picture of the Gospel. I brought it

up to my husband who also was very interested and ready to

take the next step.

My friend directed us to a recruiter for a privatefostering agency. The first step was to take an 8-week class.

During the class I realized that foster parents are just normal

people, and foster kids are just kids who need love. After

the class there was tons of paperwork. Nothing hard to

complete, just time consuming. The final step was a home

study. After scrubbing my home clean, I anxiously awaited

the arrival of the government-licensing agency. They were

in and out of my house in less than 5 minutes and we had our

license! Now we waited for the call to go pick up a child.

It came September 18 and resulted in an 18 month old baby

girl and a 2 month old baby boy coming to our house. When

we accepted their placement we were told it would be longterm, but a mere 10 days later they were reunited with their

grandparents who loved them very much. The call we re-

ceived on November 2 brought us a 13-month-old baby girl.

I love our foster baby girl very much. I would love to keep

her forever, but I would also love for her mother to be able

to get her back. There is such a strange

mingling of the two emotions and knowing that either way

there will be extreme sadness, but also

unimaginable joy. Being a foster mom has opened my eyes

to needs and people in my town that I never knew about-

people that God loves and sent His Son to die for, people

who need to see His love. As a foster mom I love our baby

girl even with no guarantee that I will have her forever.

What I have come to realize is that I am not guaranteed any

time with my biological children either. God could take

either one of them any day, so I love all my babies today and

know that God holds tomorrow.

Before we started fostering I had concerns about how my

children would react to loving and losing children. When we

sent our first two children back to their

grandparents our son especially was very upset. We held

him and cried with him and pointed Him to Christ. We told

him that God loves him and the foster babies and will com-

fort them both. Fostering has been so good for my children.

It has taught them to love withoutmotive, and has been an up-close and tangible example of

“loving the least of these”.

Fostering isn’t for everyone, but I believe it is for more

people than are currently involved. It’s for messed up people

saved by grace who are learning to lean on God every day.

Don’t let fear stop you. If God has laid fostering on your

heart, I would love to talk to you about it and see how He is

leading you to become a part of His story. My phone number

is 239-851-6569 and my email is [email protected].

God Bless You!

Sarah Feather, Covenant Baptist Church, Topeka KS

Fostering: An Earthly Picture of the Gospel Ministering to Women inCrisis

Crisis: Bad hair day? Got up on the wrong side of the

bed? Thrown ‘under the bus’ by a loved one? Didn’t get

your way? We all have bad days, weeks, and sometimesyears, but is it a crisis?

A crisis is when an event, situation, or relationship

becomes more painful or challenging than a person can

handle. The problem overwhelms a person’s resources

and requires action. How do you minister to women who

have become paralyzed with the inability to do daily

tasks, make practical decisions, or care for themselves?

Women will often seek out a leader to share their crisis

with, but usually there are physical signs that she is under

heavy stress before that. Be sensitive to physical changes,

ask careful questions, then listen, pray, love, accept,

walk with, provide as you can, and refer her to agencies,services, or your pastor when you realize what she’s suf-

fering with is bigger than your abilities.

Respond to physical or emotional needs first, then

move to spiritual. Refrain from judging, declaring her sin,

calling her out, demeaning her pain, or injecting humor.

“Love one another. Just as I have loved you…” (John

13:34). Love her as she is and where she is until she’s

where God wants her to be.

Shiggaion!

Mari

“Music On, World Off.” I saw this quote recently and it took me back to a mem-

ory that I hope to never forget! Mygrandfather was battling Alzheimer’sDisease, and he was at a point wherehe didn’t recognize any of us includ-ing my dad, his son, who wouldoccasionally pick him up and bringhim to our Sunday evening service.One particular night I watched thetwo of them as they sat together. Mygrandfather was, in that moment, not

the man that I would remember. Iwould choose to remember the loving, energy-filled, outgo-ing, friendly, and godly deacon who served and loved thechurch in a tangible way.

As I sat watching the two of them from behind, I’ll admitI wasn’t listening to what was happening in the service. Wewere asked to stand and sing, and as he stood I continuedto watch and listen. He rose and sang those favorite oldhymns with the same bold recognizable tone and sang themword-for-word perfect! It brought tears to my eyes then justas it does now. This horrible disease may have stolen thememories of his family BUT he never forgot his Savior!The theology, doctrine, and promises of heaven were still

vivid in his mind and brought to life in those songs.Most of his world, the world as he knew it, had beenturned off by Alzheimer’s but there was comfort in the mu-sic. We all have days that we only wish we could turn theworld off and shut out the hurt, disappointments, and fears.It was what God used in that moment to speak to me and a peace for my grandfather of the familiarity and security ofhis relationship with his Heavenly Father. God speaks tome through the music of my day at my desk, in my kitchen,or in the car. The struggle is this: “Am I really listening?”.

~ Calah

“I’m a mess. But I’m a beautifulmess. And I’m His masterpiece

and that’s enough.”

This quote from “Mom’s Night Out” has been an

inspiration as we have planned, prepared, and prayed

for WWW 2016. As Peter reminds us, we should not

be surprised when life turns messy! Often, we find

ourselves in the midst of a mess…and we can’t see the

beautiful inside the mess. This year, we are excited tohear from Janelle Irwin, a young woman who allowed

God to use her messy life and transform it into some-

thing beautiful. His masterpiece.

In 2013, Janelle’s world turned upside down as her

1 year old son was diagnosed with Infant T-Cell Leu-

kemia. With treatment now complete, Janelle has used

her experience to help found the Hang Tough Founda-

tion, which helps families that are on a similar path

through childhood illness. Join us September 16-17

in Salina as we embrace Peter’s words: Dear friends,

don’t be surprised when the fiery

ordeal comes among you to testyou as if something unusual were

happening to you. Instead, rejoice

as you share in the sufferings of

the Messiah, so that you may also

rejoice with great joy at the revela-

tion of His glory. (1Peter 4:12-13

HCSB) Sarah Alexander


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WWW.KNCSB.ORG

DINING HALL NEARING COMPLETION: The insulation is currently being in-stalled and the dry wall contractors should be on site any day to install and fnishthe sheet rock. Volunteers are needed to install concrete board on the exterior ofthe building. Please call Bill Cooke toll free at 1-877-WCC-RESV if you have a fewvolunteers who could help.WCC SUNDAY was Sunday, April 10th. Several churches showed the video withpositive results. It is not too late. You can still show the video at any time. Thevideo and handout materials are available on the WCC website (www.webstercc.org) which can be down loaded. Call Terry McIlvain if you have questions.(1-785-228-6824)MATCHING CHALLENGE GRANT: A dollar for dollar matching grant has beengiven to WCC for $75,000 to repave the entry road from just inside the front gate tothe Dining Hall. To date, $44,045.78 has been given.ROAD PROJECT “ON HOLD” AWAITING FUNDING: The bid has been selectedto repave the entire entry road at WCC and the dorm parking lot. However, untilthe Matching Challenge Grant and other funding has been received to pay for thisproject, everything is on hold. If you or your church would like help, send yourtax exempt gifts payable to Webster Conference Center and mail them to: WCC,5410 S.W. 7th Street in Topeka, KS 66606-2398.Sign up for the free monthly WCC E-Newsletters by going to http://www.web-stercc.org/wcc/e_newsletter/.“Thank you” for your continued support of WCC!

Webster

Update

FT Worship Pastor sought to lead blended worship in conservative, reformedSBC in Bartlesville, OK (www.highlandparkbaptist.net) Choir conducting, me-

dia skills preferred. Send resume to [email protected].

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SPRINGDALE, Ark. (BP) -- On June 14, the entire Tuesday evening session of the2016 Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting will be committed to praying forspiritual leaders, our churches, nation and world. There, perhaps, has never been atime in our generation when we have needed to pray more than now.

Testimonies poured in from across the nation after last year’s national call toprayer, where 7,000 Baptists cried out to the Lord together. A common testimonywas, “This was the greatest moment I have ever experienced in a Southern BaptistConvention.” God was with us powerfully and everyone present knew He was!

Last year was the rst session, perhaps in our modern history, where an entire ses-sion of the Southern Baptist Convention was given to prayer.

Due to the work of God among us last year, His present work today, the critical

need of the hour in America, the state of our churches, the needs of our pastors, thestatus of our evangelism or lack of it, and the exponential lostness of the world whilewe are bringing home hundreds of our missionaries, it is time to pray.

Baptists need to pour into St. Louis by the thousands for this historic night of prayer.Those who can only attend this one night, please come. For the members of the 300churches in the metro region of St. Louis, please come for this signicant night.

Southern Baptists who are not able to come to St. Louis may join us as it isstreamed live on the web at www.sbc.net.

3 components of this national prayer gathering1. Spiritual leadership: We will pray for pastors and spiritual leaders in America -- their

lives, leadership, families and ministries.2. Revived churches: We will pray for our churches in America -- for racial unity in our

churches and nation, and for the dry bones of spiritual life in our churches to come alive. OurGod can turn any church around!

3. Nationwide & global awakening: We will pray for America and for where we are in ournation spiritually, morally and politically. We will pray for the next great spiritual awaken-ing in America as well as an explosion of the Gospel to bring about global awakening.

At the present time, the persons who will help me lead this gathering are listed atwww.ronnieoyd.com/blog/. Others may join us in leading as well. Pray for thesepersons by name, gather the people, and let’s come to St. Louis expecting God tomove in our hearts so dynamically, people will say as they did in Acts 17:6, “Thesemen who have turned the world upside down have come here too.”

Reprinted from Baptist Press (www.baptistpress.com),news service of the Southern Baptist Convention

Prayer Session for 2016 SBC Annual Meeting

Is God calling you to rural Missouri? Gainsville First Baptist Church is seeking a full-time pastor. Please send resume with internet link/cd/dvd to Pastor Search Commit-tee, PO Box 627, Gainsville, MO 65655 or e-mail [email protected]

baptist digest may 2016

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