The Baptist Digest

The Thought Occurred To Me

2012-01-01T06:20:06+00:00

When someone says, “Jesus is Lord,” what are they really saying? Is “Lord” a part of his name or does it mean much more? How does His Lordship relate to His Kingdom?

Theologians have suggested, “The Kingdom has come and is to come.” With Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, the kingdom has been ushered in and yet; the fullness of the kingdom will be realized with His second coming. When I think about the coming Kingdom, I cannot wrap my mind around all of the profound nature of that event. However, the present Kingdom is something in which I can participate.

If one has trusted in Christ, he or she has the opportunity to experience kingdom realities now. This is a profound spiritual truth that many Christians are missing in their daily lives.

If Jesus is Lord of our life and the life of the church, then he is King over all. “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and all who dwell in it” (Ps. 24:1). Instead of being joyful stewards or servants within the Kingdom, many Christians claim personal ownership of God’s world and resources (our lives, vocations, abilities, financial resources and time). What has happened to the Lordship of Jesus Christ? When did we lose the biblical truth that He owns it all, including us?

The Church prospered in the 1950’s through the early 1970’s because of the churches’ dependence on the Lord God. In the last several decades the church in North America has declined because we have depended on our human resources rather than the resources of the One who brought us out of bondage (sin) and set us free in Christ Jesus. Either He is Lord, or He is not. Either we are active citizens of the His Kingdom, or we are not. We cannot have it both ways.

It is time for REPENTANCE…. Just a Thought!

Ready. Aim. Shoot.

2012-01-01T06:19:04+00:00

If you aim at nothing you will hit it everytime. Aim at something and you’ll have a chance to hit it sometime. Even if you often miss at least you’re aiming at something. Many years have come and gone since I started following Jesus. Too many of these years have been repeats. I mean, for too many of these years I was not sure if I grew at all. I had no plan to help me evaluate my spiritual growth or to focus on growth in the year ahead. 2012 will not be one of those years for me. I pray also it will not be one of those years for you.

By framing spiritual growth as a personal responsibility, I dont mean to imply that transformation is our responsibility. The reality is the Holy Spirit is the one who transforms us into Christ-likeness and, at times, he works alone. However, the Bible is clear about our participation in our own transfomation (see Romans 12:1-2; Galtians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

My theme for my spiritual growth plan this year is living the gospel. Colossian 2:6 encourages this: “As you have received the Lord Jesus, so live in him.” Receiving Jesus requires repentance and trust. Living in Jesus requires the same.

I used to think that the gospel is only a set of statements about salvation, but now I see that the gospel is more than our personal salvation. Salvation is the result of Jesus living out the gospel. However, the Gospel includes the facts that God created a world that has gone bad and has turned against him. God is taking charge again over his creation. He started by picking a people to live under his beautiful and wise rule. He gave them kings and prophets and priests to be in charge for him. But all the kings and the kings’ men couldn’t put this fallen humpty dumpty together again. Finally, God came himself to take charge and redeem his creation. In Jesus Christ he took charge over his creation in love. The Gospels show us king, Jesus, in charge, defeating his archenemy, the Satan, sacrificing, being killed, buried, and rising again to prove his kingship. One day when his work is complete he’ll return. The Gospels tell us what the gospel is. Meanwhile we’re to live this gospel out in our individual lives and in our communities of faith.

The spiritual growth plan I share with you is simple and personal. I don’t mean for you to adopt it, unless you think you should. If you find some things helpful, use them. If not, devise a plan with your personality in mind.

My plan for 2012 looks something like this:

First, I will immerse myself in the Gospels to get the gospel under my skin. The Gospels are the best way of understanding the gospel. They are called Gospels because those who received them thought they were the gospel. Each of them shows how God in the flesh lived among us, revealing his will, taking charge of his world by healing, teaching, establishing his rule. I will let this gospel of Jesus himself get under my skin and shape my heart.

To get at this, I will repeatedly read the Gospels this year. Here’s how I’ll do it. The first three months, I’ll spend with Jesus as Matthew reveals him. From April-June I’ll let Mark help me understand the Gospel from his point of view. July-September is Luke’s turn to form my life in the Gospel. John will shape my Gospel living from October-December.

I will read each Gospel once in one sitting. The gospel were not meant to be read one chapter or verse at a time. They were ment to be savored all at once. So I will carve out time the first week of January, the first week of February, and the first week of March to read Matthew in one sitting. That should take about an hour or two. I’ll do the same for the other Gospels. I will read Mark the first week of April, May, and June, Luke, the first week of July, August, and September, and John the first week of October, November, and December. For weeks 2 to 4 I will read each Gospel slowly and prayerfully.

Three questions will guide my reading with paper and pen close by. First, I want to know what was Jesus passionate about? I will constantly evaluate and align my own life with Jesus’ deep desires. Second, how will I love my neighbor the way I come to believe Jesus wants to love him through me. Third, how is God taking charge of this world and my world change the way I see things? If you have another plan, go ahead and use it. The important thing is to excecute the plan.

Second, I will keep the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a specific day each week where I will focus on worship and rest. This is very challenging given how busy life can be. I have come to believe, however, that my life is poorer not richer for being too busy. The early Christians conflated two days (a Jewish day: the Sabbath, and a Christian day: resurrection day or the first day of the week) into one: a day of rest and a day of worship. A day to cultivate holiness, and a day to let me realize that God is in charge of my life again. So one day a week I will cease from labor and I will worship. The Sabbath commands in Scripture are associated with creation and work and with holiness and worship. What does that look like in practice?

To rest I will cease from working on the Sabbath. I will put the electronics away. I will not strive produce anything. This will rest my body and my soul. I will spend time with loved ones, enjoying any number of soul nourishing activities, such as reading, talking, walking, cooking (for me cooking is restful), and the like. And doing good! Any activity that nourishes me and expresses love toward others is fair game.

Along with ceasing from work, I will keep the Sabbath holy. That means the Sabbath is the day set aside for worship in community or with other Christ followers. It’s a day to pray extensively. It’s a day to take prayer walks, pay attention to how God has been working in my life and around me. Each week I’ll remember that God is holy and to cultivate a deeper understanding of holiness, of being set apart for God’s purpose.

The formation of our lives in Christ happens by the power of the Holy Spirit and with our participation. I know the Holy Spirit will do his part. Those who walk with the Master will also do their part in learning to live the Gospel. I invite you to plan your spiritual journey this year and to track your progress in imitating Christ of living the gospel and in keeping the Sabbath holy.

God’s Plan For Sharing

2012-01-01T06:18:43+00:00

Family gatherings and church Christmas celebrations have filled these past weeks. Hearing of what is happening with family and friends enriches these days. And I love to celebrate!
As 2011 draws to a close and 2012 begins, I am discovering a new area for encouragement and celebration. Hearing what God is doing in our churches and seeing the number of new believers defines how I celebrate God’s harvest here in Nebraska and Kansas. God is at work and we are honored to observe His leading in watching brothers and sisters decide to obey the Lord with their baptism. Churches have been faithful to report these baptisms, and as a result I have celebrated.

Let me share several of the items that have encouraged my heart with the close of the year. We have grown to 409 churches across Nebraska and Kansas. One of the encouragements is that of the 409 churches, 41 are less than three years old. Those new churches and missions demonstrate the growth and expansion of our faith and reported 210 baptized in their fellowships. We still have yet to hear from 16 of those new churches. I believe as we hear what has happened in these 16 churches, we will have further reason to celebrate.

Currently our total is 2,321 baptisms for 2011. That is 10.1% more than back in 2010 and a reason to celebrate. One of the dynamics that contributed to this growth is the number of churches that went beyond zero baptisms. This year, 39 churches that reported a “0” in their baptism for 2010 baptized one or more in 2011. Those 39 churches celebrated the obedience of at least one of their members as they followed the Lord in baptism and this adds to my celebration!

Finally, I watch three “number goals” for baptism. First, any church that has over 100 baptisms is seeing two persons a week or more in this step of obedience. This year three churches broke the 100 mark. Those churches were Lenexa Baptist and Westside Family both from Lenexa along with Cross Point in Hutchinson, Kansas.
My second marker is 52 for an average of one person a week responding. This year six churches baptized more than 52 and that doubles the number from 2010 of three churches that accomplished the 52 baptism goal. That encourages me in that we doubled from 2010 to 2011 the number of churches that saw an average of one a week baptized.

Finally, churches seeing 12 or more baptized represents an average of at least one person a month obeying the Lord in baptism. KNCSB had 56 churches baptizing 12 or more during the 2011 church year. These 56 churches represent 13.6% of our Kansas-Nebraska churches with at least one baptism a month. However, even with this good news, I would love to see us grow beyond this year’s great report. My dream would be seeing where we have 20% or more of our churches baptizing at least 12 during the year.

I hope you can see my reason for celebration this year. We have seen God doing great things in the hearts of our new members. Celebrating the harvest is one of the “mile markers” for God’s Plan for Sharing. I appreciate the opportunity of letting you in on this encouraging element of working alongside each of our churches in fulfilling God’s Plan for Sharing.

“Train Up A Child” - Teaching Kids About Money

2012-01-01T06:17:41+00:00

As parents, one of our responsibilities is to educate our children. Although we spend the better part of 18 years trying to instill our values and our knowledge in them, we often overlook a vital part of their education — how to handle money responsibly. Here are some pointers for introducing your children to the basic stewardship tenets of money: earning it, using it, investing it and sharing it.

Earning it. Children need to understand that everyone in the family has a job. Their responsibilities change as they get older, but they receive an allowance for the completion of their assigned task. There is a great life lesson in knowing that with hard work you can purchase something you want — and that you may have to wait for that purchase to happen.

Using it. For young children, start with the basics of what money looks like and the names of the coins. Later you can move to the cost of items and the concept of needs versus wants. Explaining the value of an item versus the price of that item helps older children determine if something is a good use of their resources. Help them to develop their own personal budget and allow them to be responsible for some expenses. As they reach high school, you can begin to teach them about the proper use of credit cards and the danger of reckless borrowing.

Investing it. School-age children can understand the concept of saving. At that age you can begin to explain the idea of earning interest on what they save. Opening a bank account will help them learn to regularly deposit what they save. As a family, you can discuss articles in the newspaper or on TV that discuss the stock and bond markets or investing. Specifically, children need to be familiar with basic concepts of investing their money, such as diversifying investments (using more than one type), to manage risk, saving consistently over time and the benefits of compound interest to help their money grow.

Sharing it. Last but not least, our children need to realize that it is our responsibility to share a part of what we have. In order to teach a sense of social ethics, we need to model charity ourselves — either through giving money, our time or donating part of what we have. Teaching children that the first tenth of all we earn should be given to the Lord should be an integral part of every Christian parent’s legacy.

It’s up to us to teach our kids to be responsible stewards of money. It will take a consistent effort on our part, but it’s a lesson that will serve them well throughout their entire lives.

Adapted from an article at Guidesone.org

Who Needs A Will?

2012-01-01T06:16:35+00:00

Who needs a will? The simple answer: You do! Approximately 70% of Americans have no will. It is important that Kansas and Nebraska Baptists be given opportunity to make a Christian Will or Revocable Living Trust.

A Christian Estate Stewardship Seminar is available to provide information on Christian Wills and Revocable Living Trusts. The seminar is designed to encourage and assist Southern Baptist Church members in making adequate plans for the distribution of their estate in a Christian manner. It is led by employees of the Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptist Foundation at no cost to the local church or association. All it takes is an invitation from the pastor. Bob Clark of Lenexa, KS, and Charles Wood of Wichita, KS, serve as the KNSBF Planned Giving Consultants.

These seminars, usually an hour in length, can be scheduled at any time. Those attending the seminar who would like the assistance of the Baptist Foundation in preparing a Christian Will or Revocable Living Trust will be asked to make an appointment for a confidential interview with a Foundation employee to develop their estate plans.

For further information or to schedule a seminar, contact Bob Clark at 1-800-984-9154 or bclark@kncsb.org. If in the Wichita area, you may reach Charles Wood at (316) 788-6935 or clwood1@cox.net. The Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptist Foundation is a subsidiary of the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists.

Develop Your Stewardship Strategy

2012-01-01T06:15:48+00:00

People enter every situation with preconceived notions. This is an educational fact. Sometimes our preconceived notions are completely off base. There are other times when when we know exactly what to expect.

Skeptical people have their guns loaded and are looking for reasons to become more skeptical. When it comes to church, unengaged people expect to be made to feel guilty about not giving. We often play right into their hands by turning a sermon about Noah’s Ark into a challenge to give more. Our financial pleas are often forced and unnatural. We come across looking more like a poorly produced telethon than a church. And the skeptical grow more skeptical, perhaps even cynical.

Newsflash… it’s not working because they aren’t giving.

If we understand the preconceived notions people hold, we can be more strategic about countering those notions. Without a predetermined strategy, we will inadvertently reinforce all of the reasons people have for being resistant to giving to church. Herein lies the problem in many churches: People don’t give because we haven’t countered their resistance.

So, how do we counter people’s resistance to giving? By showing them how their participation makes a difference. We must tell the stories of life change. When we do, those who are uninvolved will begin to see involvement as desirable. Their staunch resistance will weaken. Their attitudes will soften, and they will begin to give. Maybe they will give a little to start, but eventually, their giving will increase. Over time, their preconceived notions will change and they will become vocal supporters of the church and its ministries. Isn’t this what we want to see happen?

What’s your strategy to champion stewardship in your church?

David Waganer, Southern Baptist Stewardship
Development Association

Teen Girls Urged To Serve People Living In Poverty

2012-01-01T06:14:31+00:00

Participants in Shine 2011 were challenged to focus totally on God and avoid having a divided heart.

Shine, which is KNCSB’s annual retreat for teen girls, drew a packed house to Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan., Nov. 11-12. The retreat theme was “Heartbeat,” based on Psalm 86:11.

EternityFocus, a group of four sisters from Lebanon, Kan., led worship and also issued challenges to Shine participants. Mindy Jamison was the featured missionary. She is a North American Mission Board missionary who works with her husband, Jon, at the Baptist Friendship Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

Shine also offered the girls opportunities for hands-on missions, including assembling hygiene kits for the Baptist Friendship Center. Tables in the back of the chapel in the WCC multipurpose building were covered with supplies the girls brought for the hygiene kits.

The hygiene kits will meet a great need, Jamison said. The Baptist Friendship Center “was completely out of hygiene items” in mid-November when Shine was held.

As the girls assembled the hygiene kits, Jamison urged them to pray for the people who will receive the kits.

Jamison told how she accepted Christ as her Savior while attending Vacation Bible School at her grandparents’ church. “The summer between 6th and 7th grades I heard about Jesus for the first time. I had never heard the gospel presented.”

God then called Jamison to serve people who are living in poverty. She and her husband have worked in Des Moines for 12½ years.

“God called me to serve the ‘least of these’,” Jamison said. “That’s what I get to do every day.”

The Baptist Friendship Center serves an inner-city neighborhood in Des Moines, which has a diverse ethnic population, including African-Americans, people from countries in Africa, as well as Spanish-speaking people.

“The world has come to Des Moines,” Jamison said.

She challenged the girls to go home and find ways to serve people who are living in poverty.
“In your town there are people who don’t have what they need,” she said. “You can do so much in your community.”

Jamison also thanked the girls for supporting the Cooperative Program and giving to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions. As North American Mission Board missionaries, she and her husband receive support from the Annie Armstrong Offering.

During the large-group sessions, Jamison led the girls in praying for missionaries who had birthdays.
Missionaries “are counting on your prayers,” she said.
Jamison’s birthday is on Valentine’s Day. Like many other missionaries, she postpones important decisions until her birthday because she knows Southern Baptists will be praying for her.

Campers On Mission Plan Winter Projects

2012-01-01T06:13:25+00:00

After a busy year of service, numerous members of Kansas-Nebraska Campers on Mission will be serving in warmer climates this winter.

The group gathered for a Christmas party on Saturday, Dec. 3, at Central Baptist Church, Winfield, Kan. They celebrated a busy year of service and discussed locations for winter projects, including:

Texas Baptist Encampment, Palacios, Texas
Valley Baptist Retreat, Mission, Texas

COM members tackled a variety of projects during a September 2011 work project at Weir Baptist Camp, 12 miles southwest of Pittsburg, Kan. The work project was held in conjunction with the COM fall rally at the camp.

The group installed cabinets in Adam’s Cabin, the new cabin at the camp. COM member Bill Streeter, a retired carpenter, made the cabinets during an earlier work project.

During the September work project, Streeter and Curtis Kirkley made and installed the cabinet doors.

Paul Wade, Deen Satterlee and Gary Shaw installed new chain-link fencing along approximately 500 feet of the camp frontage along Kansas Highway 103.

In addition, two of the COM couples worked at First Baptist Church in nearby Cherokee, Kan.

After serving at Weir Baptist Camp, the group then went to Riverside Baptist Church, Independence, Kan.
Campers on Mission events in 2012 include:

Kansas-Nebraska COM spring rally, May 4-6, 2012, at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan.
National COM rally, July 18-20, 2012, Rayne RV Campground, Rayne, La. Find more information at http://purelightsolutions.com/campersonmission/?ai1ec_event=national-rally-2012
Kansas-Nebraska COM fall rally, Sept. 21-23, 2012, at Weir Baptist Camp, Weir, Kan.

COM work projects in 2012 are being planned and will be announced when details are finalized.

To find out how you can get involved in Kansas-Nebraska Campers on Mission, contact Gary Shaw at GSHAWSSS@aol.com.

COM is open to all interested people. You don’t need a recreational vehicle to participate.

McDonald Ministers Along I-80 Corridor In Oregon Trail Baptist Association

2012-01-01T06:12:45+00:00

Crossroads Church in Kearney, Nebraska is a winning hope ministry, and they continue to give hope to their community. Dave McDonald, Church planter/strategist for the Oregon Trail Association, continues to reach out to the Kearney community. “Crossroads Church has been constituted and we just ordained Pastor Dan Cole, that we raised up from within the church,” McDonald said. McDonald is now the Church’s mission pastor so he can continue the work he does.

That work is expanding into several different areas. McDonald started Palmer Bible Fellowship in Palmer, Nebraska. That new Church has also been constituted. “We ordained their pastor, Ralph Superdahl. I’m also working with Ralph in Aurora, Nebraska,” McDonald said. McDonald is trying to get another Church start off the ground called New Beginnings.

But perhaps the biggest project for him currently is a multi-housing project called Mission 87. This mission is targeting East Lawn Trailer Estate in Kearney. The park houses 350 trailers but there are no churches and no affiliations there, although there now is one Hispanic group just starting. “When we first talked to the manager, she said, ‘We’ve been praying for someone like you,’” McDonald said. “That gave us a good connection with the management.” McDonald was given a lot and a trailer. They re-did the trailer and use it for the ministries that are in place so far. “It uses the 12 steps, but it is designed for whatever people struggle with. It doesn’t just focus on drug addictions, but also relationship addictions or whatever they are struggling with,” McDonald said. “Right now our focus is on Bible study, the children, food pantry, and the Recovery for adults. Our goal would be a church here.”

Another new area of ministry for McDonald could be a Hispanic work in Grand Island and in Alta. It hasn’t been fruitful yet. “We will be having some men this summer do Hispanic missions. The challenge is to keep them around,” McDonald said. “We’ve had people come and some professions of faith, but it’s physically being there to follow up.” He is hoping to still pursue a Hispanic work in Grand Island. In the town of Alta (also in a trailer park) he said there was a great opportunity for a Hispanic work. “I’ve talked to the community leaders in Alta and they’d love to see something there,” he said. He especially wants to start an ESL (English as a Second Language) ministry.

McDonald said in all these opportunities come big challenges. “My biggest challenge is prioritizing which mission I put my time on. There is such need, so where do I put my time?” Another challenge is not having enough people. “We have the people who need ministry, we just need people in place to help,” he said. McDonald could probably find workers, but he can’t finance them. “Even if they fall in love with area and the people, it’s a huge sacrifice,” he said.” Sometimes that’s so overwhelming.”

There are blessings too. McDonald has the freedom to do what he’s called to do. “I am able to share the Gospel and have the opportunity to see people’s lives changed and see things develop.” McDonald said the one thing he needs is prayer, but not just for him. He wants people to understand the need for prayer for rural America. “We focus so much on urban, but my aspect, since I’m out here, is we’re an area people don’t think about,” McDonald said. “Yet, the need is just as great. It’s not just the cities that are hurting.” He said rural areas have the same drug problems, and family problems as urban areas. “There’s just as much darkness, and we need people to be aware of the rural communities and pray for them.”

Church’s Ministry To School Hits High Gear

2012-01-01T06:11:06+00:00

As the Southwest High School football team was leaving its game on Friday night, Oct. 21, someone fired several shots at their bus.

Since the school doesn’t have facilities to host football games, the team plays at Southeast Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The stadium is in a state of disrepair — there are no lights in the parking lot, and the scoreboard and public-address system don’t work.

The unfortunate incident thrust the beleaguered school into the Kansas City media spotlight. But members of Wornall Road Baptist Church were already in place to support the Southwest High team in this troubled time.

Messengers to the 2009 KNCSB annual meeting welcomed Wornall Road Baptist Church into the convention. It is located 2 blocks north of Southwest High School.

The church began serving the school in small ways during the 2010-2011 school year. Fall 2011 marked the first time in 15 years that Southwest High had fielded a football team. And the door opened wide for the church to serve the football team.

Tim Johnson, the Southwest High head football coach, and Mark Clifton, Wornall Road’s lead pastor, knew each other from their days at William Jewell College in nearby Liberty, Mo. Johnson played football, and Clifton helped broadcast the games.

As the football season was beginning, Clifton met with Johnson and the other coaches. Clifton gave each of the coaches a copy of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees’ book “Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity.”

“Hey, I am now the chaplain for Southwest football, have no idea what I am doing .. .but living the life we preach (grin), embracing the opportunity,” he wrote on Facebook.

Two days later Clifton made an appeal for $85 gift cards at Dick’s Sporting Goods to buy football shoes for players who couldn’t afford to buy them.

In 36 hours, the church raised the money to buy shoes for 11 players.

During the game on Friday night, Sept. 2, Clifton wrote this Facebook post, “The most amazing young man just came to me on the sideline, shook my hand, looked me in the eye and said, ‘Sir, thanks so much for the gift card. It’s been real hard lately, and I really need football shoes.”

Clifton then encountered another football player who shared that he couldn’t play as well since he had been shot.

“He was 12 when he was shot in the leg walking home from school. He showed me the scar from the wound and said it caused him pain sometimes still, but a great kid. These kids need us!”

Throughout football season, Wornall Road Baptist Church provided snacks for the team during practice, pre-game meals and food after the games. The church also played host to the team in viewing the post-game films and provided a meal afterward.

Later in the football season, Wornall Road provided money to buy gift cards at Dick’s Sporting Goods for cold-weather apparel for football players who couldn’t afford to buy it.

On Sunday, Nov. 6, Wornall Road celebrated its 90th birthday and honored Coach Johnson and the football team. After the service, the church held a Thanksgiving dinner complete with peach cobbler, a favorite of the Southwest High students.

Now Wornall Road is busy serving the basketball teams at Southwest High School.

Clifton made an appeal for others to join Wornall Road in ministering to the school: “Wornall people are giving mightily. I am asking my other friends, pastors and churches to consider helping us continue this work.”

To find out how you can get involved, call the church at (816) 444-8900, or send e-mail to wornallroad@gmail.com

Visit the church Web site at http://wornallroad.org/ or look for it on Facebook.

Reality Of Violence In KCMO Hits Home

2012-01-01T06:10:27+00:00

The reality of violence in Kansas City hit home late Saturday night, Nov. 19, to Wornall Road Baptist Church. That was when an honor student at Southwest High School became the city’s 100th murder victim in 2011.

Wornall Road is located 2 blocks north of the high school. The church spent the fall serving the school’s football team. Wornall Road was beginning to serve the basketball teams when Rickey King, a popular honor student, was murdered. Although King was not involved in football or basketball, his death was still a blow as many of the athletes were friends with him.

King’s mother, Cheryl Lumpkin, told the Kansas City Star, “My son has never, ever been in any trouble,” she said. “Everybody loved Rickey. Everybody is just flabbergasted.

“Lumpkin said King played baseball, soccer, drums and was involved with ROTC at school. He tutored seventh- and eighth-graders and worked at McDonald’s,” The Star article said.

“He had been talking over the past year with the school resource officer about becoming a police officer. King wanted to join the Navy after high school and return to Kansas City to serve as a police officer, she said.”

King’s death prompted Wornall Road Baptist Church to plan “The Longest Night” prayer vigil on Monday night, Dec. 20. The church planned to pray for and show compassion to the families and friends of murder victims as well as pray for the peace of the city.

Not Me!

2012-01-01T06:09:11+00:00

It was one of those weeks; I knew that the house would suffer neglect. So, I cleaned it up and told everyone, “The dishwasher is receiving. Please make sure the dishes go into it.” By Thursday, I looked into the kitchen with dread. When I asked everyone who did put his or her dishes in the sink and not in the dishwasher, I heard a unanimous, “Not Me!” Okay, so that meant that at least forty something times “Not Me” visited our home. This began the typical Mommy drama of, “What is a leader…”

A leader sees something that needs to be done and simply does it. A leader does not wait to be told and a leader owns the situation even when he or she had nothing to do with it. What would have happened if David said, “Not Me!” when he saw the vision for building God’s temple? Or if his son Solomon said, “Not Me!” when given the opportunity to fulfill that vision. Nehemiah did not say, “Not Me! I am the cupbearer to the king,” when he heard that the walls of Jerusalem were falling down, he risked speaking to the king about the situation and in return was blessed with permission and provision.

What would happen in our homes, churches and communities if each person made a conscious choice to NOT say, “Not Me!” What if the reason you see the need is because it is to be you? What if you washed the dish and put it away? What if you served on that ministry team, went on that mission trip, taught that Sunday School, became a deacon, planted a church, or took that meal? What if you shared Jesus with your neighbor, colleague or checkout clerk and didn’t leave it up to someone else? Maybe, we might have fewer dirty dishes and more saved souls. Both make for cleaner environments!

Let’s make it our New Year’s resolution to get rid of the “Not Me’s” in our vocabulary and take the time to pause and pray, “Is it me?” Then just do it for the glory of the LORD!

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. Ecclesiastes 9:10

Simply,
Tara
(Feel free to contact me at tararye@tararye.com.)

Children’s Ministry Day 2012

2012-01-01T06:08:46+00:00

Children’s Ministry Day is almost here! Saturday February 18, 2012 is the day. The theme is Operation Education. Kids and families nationwide will be involved in ministry projects in their local communities. Now is the time to plan, promote, pray, and teach kids about Operation Education. This year’s bible verse is found in 2 Timothy 2:15 “Do your best to please God. Be a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed. Teach the message of truth correctly.”

Ways kids can pray for CMD are: Hallway Praying: while walking the halls of their school. Playground Praying: during recess, pray silently for their friends and other students. Classroom Praying: before class starts pray silently for your teachers and school. Then on the Sunday before CMD invite everyone in your Church to spend time in prayer for the project your church will be involved in.

Here are a few project ideas for you to think about:
•Serve a school. Clean or decorate a local school. Contact the school Administrator and find out some things you can do on the grounds or in the building. Decorate sidewalks with positive messages that students and teachers can read as they enter and leave school. Arrange to do some light gardening on the school grounds or pick up trash. Clean desks, classroom toys in younger grades, and playground equipment.
•After–School Program Donation Project, or a child care facility collection. Make a list of items they might need and get people in your church to help meet those needs.
•Lunch and Laundry for a college student. Find out who your college students are around your area and provide lunch for them and pass out a laundry kit. Have donated items collected from your church and pass them out to college students after the lunch.

These are just a few projects to get you started on what your church might do for Children’s Ministry Day. This day is set aside every year so children can learn to share God’s love with others by ministering through hands-on projects. Impact your community and the life of just one person for God’s kingdom. Be involved; win one or more for our Lord.

Focus On WMU 2012

2012-01-01T06:07:16+00:00

Focus on WMU week is February 13-19. During this week we are celebrating what WMU has done in the past but also looking at the resources Women’s Missionary Union provides to WMU age level groups, churches, and individuals for missions education to help us live a missions lifestyle, through prayer, giving and going.

When we take a good look at the resources around us and get creative about incorporating them in all of our small groups and worship experiences people will be drawn to the mission of WMU, reaching the lost, the mission of the church itself.

For the next two years our theme is unhindered! The focus Scripture is found in Hebrews 12: 1-11 NIV. This passage of Scripture carries on from chapter 11 where a list of our heroes of the faith are listed and what they believed, lived and died for. We are then encouraged to throw off all that hinders us, including our sin, run the race set before each of us with our eyes fixed on Jesus, who died on the cross for the sins of the world. This is our mission. Live the life, and go and share the gospel with the whole world.

Project Help for the next two years is Human Exploitation, and it covers far more areas than what first comes to your mind. This is a project that touches people around the world from small towns, metropolitan cities, rural areas and everything in between. From bullying, human trafficking to migrant workers and the list goes on! Anytime we use another human being to their harm and for our benefit; that is human exploitation.

Check with your pastor and see what you can do to focus on WMU during this week. Maybe it’s time for you to start a new WMU group to be an active part of your churches goal for your community and their larger vision for the world. WMU has mission’s opportunities, ministry projects and resources to help you accomplish these goals set before us!
On line resources can be found at http://www.wmu.com, order materials at http://www.wmustore.com, or by calling 1-800-968-7301.

The Lull-A Message To Ministry Wives

2012-01-01T06:06:14+00:00

As I am writing this, I am slap-dab in the middle of the Christmas hubbub. On my calendar, there are parties:

Sunday School parties, Associational parties, youth group gatherings, birthday parties, Lottie Moon parties, jewelry parties, friend parties, dinners, luncheons, and coffee dates. Throw in our wedding anniversary, a deacon’s meeting, trustees meeting, and the budget discussion. Oh, and the Sears man is coming sometime between 8 and 5 next Thursday! I hope he can fix the freezer.

Between these events, and keeping up with things at school, I am planning for 15 of my family to be here in our home for a week beginning Christmas afternoon. I can’t wait for some great family time! However, this, too, will require some planning and preparation time to make sure we don’t run short on the essentials, like chips and hot sauce, crayons and construction paper!

I clicked on the Contagious Joy website last night and the Christmas devotion theme was “Simplicity”. I did not have to read any further. God began to speak to me about where my focus was. He told me to sit still and remember He is God.

If we could all sit down together, I’m guessing your calendar might look a lot like mine. I spoke with one of my pastor wife friends, (who keeps showing up at many of the same events as me) and she said she is very excited about Christmas, but is already looking forward to the “lull” of January. I totally get that!

God’s word tells us in Ecclesiastes, there is a time for everything. Some seasons of our life are very busy, and some are very slow. I’m thankful for both the joy and excitement of the busy seasons, but also the lull and quiet of January. Both are blessings and both are fertile soil in which we can grow.

Thank you Father for providing seasons for us. Help us to number our days and spend them so everything we do is pleasing to you.

I wish you a very Happy New Year, and continue to pray for you and the ministry God has given you!

I Have Been Born Again!

2012-01-01T06:05:07+00:00

In Feb. 2010, a massive earthquake and tsunami shook Concepcion, Chile with over 500 losses of life. This past Nov. 10-20, 38 North Americans traveled to Concepcion to share about the love of God and the forgiveness of sin.

As we worked with the Baptist Churches in visiting the lost without Christ, we found a common expression. Those who survived the earthquake and tsunami would refer to the survival as being “born again”. In our understanding, it was being saved from death.

Because of this thought, we were able to share how to be “born again” in their spiritual life with Christ. They had given us the open door to share about salvation.

At the end of the week of visits, sharing and prayer, we were able to see 2,110 pray to receive Christ into their lives. Praise God that as we are obedient to go and share, He calls into the Kingdom those who accept. After receiving Christ into their lives, they were able to say they have been “Born Again” for eternity with Jesus.

If you would be interested in going on an evangelistic crusade, call Scott Mayse at 913-731-0539 or e-mail at ScottM@IC-World.org. One of our next trips will be to Piura, Peru, July 19-29, 2012.

A Stewardship Thought - God’s Ownership

2012-01-01T06:04:52+00:00

Stewardship is one of those subjects that often is not popular with some church members. It is usually associated with the giving of money and therefore threatening to those who struggle with biblical ideas about tithes and offerings.

However, stewardship is a much broader subject than monetary gifts to the church. It touches all areas of a believer’s life. It is the recognition that we have an obligation to God to recognize the Lordship of Christ in everything. Stewardship begins with recognizing that God has ownership of everything in His creation.

The book of Genesis reminds us that God created everything out of nothing. He has created; therefore, He owns. Man is part of that creation; therefore, He owns us as well as everything that we possess. In Genesis 1:28, God assigns to man the stewardship of everything in creation. We are still under that obligation. God owns. He has given us all that we have as a trust for our care.

In the context of His ownership God has asked us to contribute to the completion of the Kingdom of Christ. That involves our time, talent and, yes, our money. Why should we willingly comply, even rejoice, in the opportunity to embrace our obligation as stewards?

The answer to that question should be obvious. God has not only created us and given us this wonderful creation in which we live, He has also redeemed us from our sin. Through His act of redemption, Jesus has established His Lordship over us. His Lordship demands our stewardship.

Personally, giving my time, talent and money is a great privilege and a way of showing my gratitude for the salvation that has been given to me freely by Christ. Earlier in my life, I struggled a little with giving money. But the more I have come to understand the greatness of my salvation, the more joyful has been my giving.

Find joy in your giving as we enter into this new year!

Featured Video

2012-01-01T06:03:26+00:00

Available to churches cooperating with KNCSB by contacting library@kncsb.org or calling either 785/228-6800 or 800/984-9092. Ask for Barbara Spicer.

Raising Boys and Girls – DVD
By Sissy Goff, David Thomas & Melissa Trevathan

This kit is designed to help parents, grandparents, church volunteers, and other caregivers of children from preschool to high school learn to better connect with their kids. As adults understand the differences in girls and boys, they can learn to use tools that will help them communicate, understand, and connect with kids of all ages. This study will also help Christian parents and caregivers recognize that being a positive adult example for their boys and girls is one of the most important jobs they have. A great resource for Sunday School classes, parenting classes at church or as a community outreach, and teacher training at church. Each session is approximately 30 minutes.

DVD #1:
Session 1: Stirred to Love (introduction)
Session 2: The World of Preschoolers
Session 3: The World of Elementary-age Children

DVD #2:
Session 4: The World of Early Adolescents
Session 5: The World of Late Adolescents
Session 6: A Final Note

VBS Jumpstart Coming March 3

2012-01-01T06:02:13+00:00

It’s January … time to start preparation for Vacation Bible School! Reserve the date, March 3, 2012, for the event to be held from 9:45 am-3:00 pm at Webster Conference Center.

Amazing Wonders Aviation: Encountering God’s Awesome Power will be the focus of Kansas-Nebraska’s annual VBS Jumpstart. Training for leaders of all ages – preschool through adults – will be offered, plus two afternoon sessions for VBS rotations or enrichment conferences. A one-hour overview of Club VBS: Space Quest will also be offered.

The cost is $12.50 per person if postmarked by February 20, or $15.00 per person for late registration. Find more information in the registration brochures are posted at http://www.kncsb.org/minstry/bible_study. Or contact Barbara Spicer at bspicer@kncsb.org, 1-800-984-9092.

WCC Update

2012-01-01T06:01:47+00:00

“The WCC 2011 Matching Challenge Grant for $50,000 has been met and the Chapel renovation project continues full steam ahead. Thank you for your prayers and generous gifts to WCC.”

User days and operational revenues remain strong…breaking 2010 records. By November 2010 there had been 41,787 user days. By November 2011 there had been 43,237 user days.

Contributions to Webster Conference Center may be sent to:
WCC Administrative Office
5410 SW 7th Street
Topeka, KS 66606-2398
Attention: 2011 WCC Challenge Grant

To contact WCC to reserve space for your next event, call Melinda toll free at 1-877-RESV-WCC.

To stay abreast of things happening at WCC, check the website at http://www.webstercc.org

The Thought Occurred To Me

2011-12-13T15:56:49+00:00

On November 4th at 11:50 pm my little granddaughter, Tobi Gavriella Vogel, passed out of this world into the presence of Jesus. She passed away five minutes before she was delivered (five weeks early). On behalf of my family and myself, I want to thank you for your prayers, cards, emails, personal visits, texts and phone calls. Jon and Brittney are brokenhearted but doing well. We are overwhelmed by the support and love we have experienced in these months. We have learned again just how sufficient God’s grace is when you walk through the valley of death and suffering.
During this Christmas season, let us celebrate the wonderful gift of God in Christ. This is a season of joy, peace, love, giving and thanksgiving all wrapped up in the person of Jesus Christ. Let us focus on the message of the Good News in Christ during this time of year.

We have been challenged by the Great Commission to go and make disciples of all people everywhere. As Southern Baptists, we have a great plan for carrying the Gospel to the ends of the earth through the Cooperative Program. I want to thank you and your church for your faithful support of missions through giving to the Cooperative Program.

This Christmas Season is also a time for us to remember specially the opportunity we have to give to international missions. We are blessed to have an agency like the International Mission Board that recruits, trains and deploys approximately 5,000 missionaries serving all over the world.

These missionaries are introducing Christ to people groups that have never heard the name of Jesus. By giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering you are a part of this worldwide mission movement. Thank you for what you and your church are going to do by giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.

From my heart to yours Merry Christmas!

Walking With The Master

2011-12-13T15:55:20+00:00

I’m sounding the alarm. I’m shouting from the rooftop. And if it wasn’t too cold I’d strip down in the middle of the street and cook lentils in a pot on an open fire, fueled by dung.

Ok. I’ll stick with the first two, since I’m no prophet, nor the son of one.

But seriously what’s alarming? An iceberg of confusion has struck the church on the side of discipleship. The gaping hole is causing the ship of discipleship to take water and sink into an ocean of being “no different” from the world. Can this titanic tragedy be reversed?

To change metaphors, there’s a virus sweeping across the churches. MTD is on the rampage. Unless we stem its tide, the damage would be counted in the millions of souls adrift on the waves of “not-different-from-the-world-church.” The MTD virus has infected 33 million young people according to a study conducted by a reputable Christian sociologist (Christian Smith). Its attacks have results in three conditions of the heart.
The first heart condition is a disconnection from anything religious among 33% of the infected. The second attack has infected another 33% with a regularly religious condition. And the last attack has claimed the lives of the last 34% of our 33 million infections, by causing a sporadically religious condition.

What is this MTD virus? MTD stands for Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. Fancy name, eh? Those infected with MTD live a version of Christianity that sounds like this:

God made the world and watches over it. So far so good!li>
God wants us to be good people, friendly, and fair, just as the Bible teaches us to be along with other religions. What? Kinda shallow, don’t you think? Does it serve anyone to really lower the bar on God’s expectations of his people?

The overall goal of life is to go hard after being happy, and have a healthy self-esteem. The American dream replaces Christianity! And Christianity kneels before the throne of psychology. Let’s not dignify this by associating with Christ!

When you need him to fix problems you create for yourself, God stands ready to get involved. Otherwise he must remain in his proper Sunday morning church box. Read: exchange of roles: I’m in control of my life and of God. The creature has finally become the creator!

All people are mainly good and heaven is ready to welcome them with open arms because they are good. Talk about a “wishy washy” new age load of manure.

The spread of MTD is cheapening the worth and honor of the call to follow King Jesus into the demanding life of the kingdom. When Christianity degenerates to the level of MTD, humanity has no hope.

Could it be that we who lead in churches have not taken the call of forming Christians seriously enough? Would any church infect its people with MTD intentionally? Does it seem to you that most of our energies go into other things with little left for the trenches of discipleship?
It’s time for the formation of the Christian to become the topic du jour in every church. It must become the number one subject of our leaders’ yearly planning meetings. What does a disciple of Jesus look like? How do we help him get there? What are the obstacles in his or her way that we need to help him remove? What are the costs he must pay? What cross will she carry daily? What self-denying must she do? What community will support his growth plans? How do we form such a person to be bent on following Jesus as if by second nature? How do we train such people to pass discipleship on to future disciples?

The church and its leaders can no longer ignore the life long project of educating and training the Christian in his efforts to become conformed to the image of Christ. From the cradle to the grave the effort must not wane. Be perfect, be holy, be ye conformed, be ye transformed, be imitators of God, love God, love others, etc… These know no boundaries of age.

If we desire a “different-from-the-world-church,” churches must become schools of conversion (I borrow the term from Jonathan Wilson Hargrove).

A couple of convictions drive my sounding the alarm for churches to become once more the schools of conversion they were meant to be.

First: The heart of believers must be formed because the heart of believers is wicked above all things to the point that often it makes us throw our hands up in the air, baffled by how we act (paraphrasing Jeremiah 17:9). Yes, there’s plenty goodness in us. Yes, God gives us new hearts. But they are hearts ready to be formed into the likeness of Christ. Sinfulness and character malformation have been and will remain our lot. Without spiritual formation our lives will remain formless and void, a morass of chaotic and self-indulgent lies.

For 3 years straight Jesus dedicated himself to the formation of the character of his disciples. Judaism had failed them in the formation of their character. Had he left them to their own devices they would have eliminated each other in their pride. They would have given us a watered down version of Christianity not worth following! Jesus knew, as we know too, that, if you shape the heart, you shape the mind, and, if you shape the mind, you shape the behavior and thus the life of the Christian and the task of the gospel commission.

Second: A salvation experience, as it turns out, does not sufficiently change us to become Christlike. Have we put all our eggs in this basket expecting a one-time experience of salvation to carry more than its fair share of the weight of the Christian life? Our conversion is but the starting point, the springboard that launches us on the flight of discipleship. Too often the emphasis among us has been placed on Genesis 3 and the book of Revelation. In other words, our original sin and our final destiny (heaven) form the bulk of our Christian life. Whatever happened to “make disciples and teach them to do whatsoever I have commanded you…?”

So this is my plea: that churches become once more schools of conversion, or discipleship first and foremost. Walking with the master demands nothing less.

Reunions

2011-12-13T15:41:13+00:00

I must have inherited this deep desire of reuniting with old friends from my Father. He was notorious for going through long processes of seeking out and finding old friends from his past. This was before the day of internet, so he contacted newspapers, searched telephone directories, wrote letters, until he finally found his long lost friends. Whether they were from his army days, or high school buddies, he had this desire to seek them until he found them. There’s something about finding an old friend; a sense of belonging, a team concept, a place where everyone wears look-alike t-shirts.

I recently missed a reunion that I would have enjoyed. It was a reunion of former staffers at our SBC conference center in Glorieta, NM. Now, I made some great friends that summer, and it would have been fun to see them. But that isn’t why I wanted to go. Glorieta is one of my most favorite places in this whole world. I began going there as a child. I worked there the summer before I began college. Several years later, I was back again, this time with a husband and a baby! Our family continued to go, summer after summer, and each time, as I entered those gates, it felt like home. My children played with missionary kids from Africa, Europe, and Asia. We were one big happy family!

To me, Glorieta is just a bit like what I think heaven will be like. The scenery is breathtaking. The air smells so clean. The people are all smiling, and you never meet a stranger. They are all there for the same reason you are! They love God and they‘ve carved out a little time specifically for getting closer to Him.

I love Glorieta, but I’ve been reading recently that the future of Glorieta is uncertain. Everything has a season. One thing IS certain! God’s word says He has prepared a place for us! John said he saw where we will stand with “a great multitude that no one can count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands and they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Rev. 7:9-10

Finding old friends? Sure, I can email and Facebook with them anytime, and it’s so fun to connect. But one of these days, we’ll have a reunion like no other! We’ll see faces we haven’t seen in years! And we’ll all wear the same t-shirts (or white robes!) God’s glory will be all around us. There will be a sense of belonging, because we will finally be with the Father forever.

That’s one reunion I’m not going to miss!

By the way, we had a super time reuniting with some of our ministry wives at our state convention! A big thanks to the staff wives at Lenexa!

Our Response To Christmas

2011-12-13T15:33:32+00:00

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her: “Good morning!

You’re beautiful with God’s beauty, beautiful inside and out! God be with you.”

She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus. He will be great, be called ‘Son of the Highest.’ The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; he will rule Jacob’s house forever— no end, ever, to his kingdom.”

Mary said to the angel, “But how? I’ve never slept with a man.”

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you; therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God.”
“And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.”

And Mary said, “Yes, I see it all now: I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say.” Luke 1:26-38 MSG

As I read these verses I’m challenged by Mary’s perfect response to God. There have been times when God showed up in my life and I responded in a less-than-perfect way.

“Really? Are you sure you’re talking to the right girl?”

“God. I. Do. Not. Have. Time.”

“Why don’t you sleep on that another night and see if in the morning you still want to ask me?”

Yes, those have been some of my responses!

What was it with Mary that the words…”I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say”, would be the immediate response to God’s call on her life? I mean, she was going to rock a baby bump as an engaged woman, never having slept with a man?

Understanding Mary’s response inspires and encourages me. Mary’s first response came from confusion/puzzlement, not unbelief… “how can this be?” How being the key word, you know, because she’s never been with a man. I think that’s a fair question! And her final response…”I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say”, is one of humble obedience, complete trust, surrender to a higher power…based on an established relationship with that higher power. Simple!

So girls! May your response to Christmas, the birth of our Savior, be one of humble obedience, complete trust, and surrender to God. Let it be in your life just as He says!

Have a very merry and grateful Christmas celebration!

Mari

Caught Not Taught

2011-12-13T15:23:11+00:00

I walked into the “man cave” to say good-bye to Greg and DongMin . As was Greg’s custom, he air kissed me “mmmt, mmt” as a reminder that he wanted me to kiss him good-bye. To my total surprise, DongMin “mmmt, mmt’d” me as well. Immediately, I thought, “Does he want me to kiss him good-bye? Can I kiss my foreign exchange son as I do my own son? How sweet!” Then I bent over and kissed him on his beautiful coal black hair. Later in the day, I had to leave to pick Mikayla up from ballet and the guys were still in the “man cave” watching football. Once again, my beloved gave me his faithful hint… “mmmt, mmt.” As I bent over to kiss Greg good-bye, DongMin “mmmt, mmt’d” me and looked with raised eyebrows expressing, “Will you not kiss me as you do Daddy and Grant?” I caught the message and tenderly kissed his cheek. His bright smile made my day.

As I drove to pick up Mikayla, I started to practice my lesson for the Open Door Mission on Monday morning. We were storying Jesus’ baptism as a part of a series I am writing that focuses on the seven moments that Luke refers to when Jesus prayed. It suddenly occurred to me; nowhere in scripture does it say that Jesus told the disciples that they must make it their custom to go off to a solitary place to pray. Scripture simply tells us repeatedly that as was His custom, Jesus withdrew to a solitary place to pray. The concept of prayer observed in Jesus’ model so impacted the disciples that they asked Jesus to teach them how to pray and Paul later wrote to the Thessalonians’ that they needed to pray without ceasing. The disciples caught the value of prayer. Jesus did not teach it! He lived it! Yes, I know He taught them upon their request how to pray, but what changed their lives was the way He modeled prayer. It is amazing how the disciples always knew where to find Him in His solitary place. Even the crowds knew where to go and look.

The things that tend to stick in our lives are best caught more than taught. The lesson tends to happen without us ever knowing we just walked into a life transforming moment. I envision DongMin expecting his beautiful bride to give him a kiss each time she leaves the home just like my Greg does with me. A life habit caught not taught. Greg and I never intended to teach DongMin the value of a good greeting, but our habit taught him this life lesson. As we move into the Christmas season, I wonder how many life-transforming lessons he will catch from us. What will he learn about our love for the LORD? How we celebrate Him as our Savior in a materialistic world?

What lessons will others catch from your life habits? What are some lessons or habits you have caught? Which ones are worthy of keeping and which ones should you let go of?

Father, please help us to be mindful that others catch more from what they observe in our daily habits than we realize.

I wonder does “mmmt, mmt” translate the same way in Korean as it does English.

“Man cave” (a hole in our basement that is set apart for men to watch football and play guy games without women bothering them). I just realized that this is another life habit he is taking back to Korea from our home!

Simply,
Tara
(Feel free to contact me at tararye@tararye.com.)

God’s Plan For Sharing

2011-12-12T22:50:32+00:00

Recently, I was challenged on living out our lives as someone on His mission. Jonathan Dodson had expressed his ideas in an online article. His simple suggestions do not overload our schedules and provide opportunities to share the hope within us. In sharing a few of these suggestions, I would like to elaborate on how this might work in the place where God has placed you.

1. Eat with Non-Christians. In Kansas and Nebraska many are Christian in name but really don’t know much about living their lives for Christ. Sharing a meal with them, getting to know them and communicating that you desire a relationship with them may be all they need to consider their need of a Savior and making Him Lord of their lives. Maybe you could invite a co-worker to share lunch with you intentionally inquiring about what God means to them. Or you could invite your neighbors over for a meal, even just ordering out and sharing the time together. Or you could eat at a family restaurant where you can sit beside others intentionally to get to know them and visit with them about their lives and where God fits. Dodson challenges us to “flee the Christian subculture”.

2. Walk, Don’t Drive. With winter coming this may become more difficult to walk around your neighborhood, but you still could choose to walk in the mall, Walmart, or other large store, at school activities or at sporting events. Greet people you may not know well and attempt to visit with them about their lives. During the holidays you could share individually wrapped candy with those around you. The purpose of walking is to get into your neighborhood or community and not just stay at home. And you can always pray as you go too.

3. Be a Regular. I believe many Kansans and Nebraskans are very good at shopping, eating, getting gas, haircuts, etc. at the same place. This helps you get to know those that are serving you in each of these places. Dodson suggests that you smile, ask questions and be a regular. While eating out you could ask those waiting on you what you could pray for them since you will be praying for your meal.

4. Hobby with Non-Christians. Select and get involved with something that you can share with another person. City league sports, crafts, community gardens, community singing groups, etc. After you become competent in your hobby look for opportunities to teach it to others like sewing lessons, piano lessons, guitar, voice lessons, knitting, gardening, etc. As you participate or teach be intentional, prayerful and outward focused. Have fun!

5. Talk to Others. At work take your breaks with intentionally looking for opportunities to interact with others. Go out with those you work with after work. Form a neighborhood Mom’s group scheduling play dates with neighbors’ kids. As you go to school events intentionally interact with other parents. Look for opportunities to meet a need like car pooling, study groups or babysitting.

6. Participate in City Events. Be apart of fundraisers, festivals, concerts, holiday events looking for opportunities to strike up a conversation thinking and praying over what you see and hear. Pray for your community and truly love it! Be a positive impact on the place where you live.

7. Serve Your Neighbors. Help a neighbor by scooping snow, mowing, fixing a car, weeding a yard or garden or building something together. If you live in an apartment stop by the office and ask if there is anything you can do to help. Ask your local Police or Fire Stations or community center if there is anything you can do to help. One community painted fire hydrants and saved the city a lot of money.

Most of these suggestions begin in our hearts and attitudes and grow as we understand the gift of abundant and eternal life that is ours and the desperate needs of those around us. My prayer is that we won’t keep it to ourselves but we will choose to share with others the hope we find in Christ. As we live on mission, we must find ways to participate in God’s plan for sharing.

A Christmas Gift

2011-12-12T22:48:34+00:00

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
2 Corinthians 9:15 (NASB)

What is the best gift that you ever received for Christmas? As I look back across the years I can remember some remarkable gifts that I received at Christmas. Sometimes it was the gift itself. Sometimes it was the thought or the sacrifice behind the gift.

I remember one Christmas in particular when I was not expecting very much for Christmas. My father’s union had called a strike against his company and he had been out of work for weeks. I knew that we were struggling and I suspected that there would not be much under the tree.

However, when I woke on Christmas morning and ran to the living room, I was shocked to see present after present for both me and my sister. I still don’t know how they did it. I never asked where the money came from. But, at that moment, I knew that I was loved because of the sacrifice that went into those gifts.

Years later I experienced the gift that is described in the verse above. That gift of Jesus Christ has eclipsed all the other gifts that I received since or before. Even the sacrifice of my parents on that Christmas long ago pales in comparison.

This year I will give and receive gifts. I will enjoy both the giving and the receiving. I love the lights and the decorations. I love the family gatherings. However, in all of the celebrating, I will remember that the “indescribable gift” of God in Jesus Christ is the real “reason for the season.”

Tim Boyd, Digest Editor

Offering Helps Missionaries Disciple New Believers

2011-12-12T22:42:35+00:00

This is the story of how Jesus has brought hope to the life of a young man from Zambia. His name is Given Mwala.

Given’s parents died when he was young. After that he moved from one relative’s home to another, always knowing he would be asked to move again soon. He finally came to live at his older sister’s home in Sesheke where he is attending high school.

One day after school Given met a foreigner who happened to be a volunteer on a mission trip. This young man, Matthew, told Given about how he could have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Given had been going to the witch doctor to seek help passing his exams at school. He was hungry to hear how Jesus brings hope and freedom. Given gave his heart to Jesus that day. At the end of the week Given even shared with a large group gathered for a Bible study how Jesus was more powerful than a witch doctor.

Since that day Given has been studying hard at school and growing by leaps and bounds in his relationship with Christ. Mark meets with Given weekly to help him learn more and more about following Jesus.

Given has begun to feel God calling him to be a pastor. He and another young man who has followed Jesus asked to be baptized in the Zambezi River.

Now Given is preaching in classrooms at his high school. He is sharing Jesus with his family at home, even though they are very, very tough on him. He is preaching under a tree on Sundays with a group of believers who call him pastor.

Please pray:
That Given will stay strong in his relationship with Christ, despite any difficulties that he will surely and already is facing.

That he will finish high school well.

For God’s love to pour out of Given into his family, even though his home life is very challenging.

For Given as he leads the flock meeting under the tree that it will grow and have a permanent place to meet.

That God will grow His Kingdom in Sesheke, Zambia!

Your gifts to the Lottie Moon Offering for International Missions help us share Christ with people like Given, who then bring others to Christ.

Worker Sees Fruit From Short-term Trips

2011-12-12T22:39:15+00:00

(The writer of this article is a Southern Baptist worker from Kansas-Nebraska who works in a location that cannot be disclosed.)

On June 17, 2007, I met Mary on our school campus here. I was here for my third time on a short-term summer trip to this city, and was eager to share more of HIM!

Mary and I quickly made an appointment to have dinner together. At dinner I was able to share His story with her, and she said she wanted to believe. After dinner we went to a park and there on the bench, Mary accepted Jesus into her heart.

We have remained good friends for the past four years. Now since I live here we spend time together whenever possible.

On Dec. 7, 2010, I met Mary again, but this time it was in a hotel room. Why a hotel you might be asking? This is the only place we could find a bath tub. Why did we need a bath tub? Because this was the day that my dear friend was getting baptized!

There is no church for her to get baptized in and it’s safer for her to just rent a hotel room for a few hours.

As I walked through the door I could see her face. She was so happy and excited to be getting baptized and also that I could share this special day with her.

There was a small group of people there to support her and another lady who was also getting baptized. We sang some songs in the local language (I only knew a few words), prayed, and the two of them shared their testimonies.
I think this story testifies to doing this work both short term and long term. Through my short-term trip, God was able to use me to draw others to Himself.Through living here longer term, He is continuing to use me to draw others to Himself as well as encouraging fruit from the past. He is good!

Sharing Christ In Northwest Nebraska

2011-12-12T20:07:57+00:00

On a sunny summer morning a snow cone booth was set up on Main Street in Chadron, Neb., in the northwest corner of the state. With the start of the annual Fur Trade Days parade about an hour and a half away, the street was still quiet.

But Pastor Darrin Willett and members of Grace Baptist Fellowship were in place and ready to reach out to their community by giving away free snow cones. They were assisted by a four-member team from Westwood Baptist Church in Alexandria, Ala.

The Alabama team was back in Chadron for its third year. With an average Sunday morning attendance of 350 people, Westwood Baptist Church is small by Southern standards. However, the church sends mission teams to locations ranging from Nebraska to Africa.

“This work right here is amazing to me,” Rodney Gardner said of Grace Baptist Fellowship. He is the Alabama church’s minister of education and missions.

Darren Willett, pastor of Grace Baptist Fellowship, is from Superior, Neb. During his career in the Army, he ended up in the South and was saved in Alabama.

After a two-day drive to northwest Nebraska, the Alabama team spent its first day in Chadron visiting door to door.

“I did not meet one rude person,” Gardner said. “They were all glad we had stopped by.”

The first full day of ministry for the Alabama team also included a two-hour drive north to Sharp’s Corner Baptist Church on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Mike Brennan, pastor of Sharp’s Corner Baptist Church, is a joint church planter with South Dakota and Oregon Trail Baptist Association in Nebraska.

Usually the Alabama team holds a block party at Sharp’s Corner Baptist Church, but that didn’t work out this year.

As the starting time for parade in Chadron drew closer, people began setting up lawn chairs along Main Street. A line formed at the snow cone booth, and the Nebraskans and the Alabama team served side by side.

Gardner engaged people in conversation and passed out tracts. Grace Baptist Fellowship also gave away a free bicycle. As people registered for the bicycle, they were asked if they had any prayer requests.

“People can’t believe they’re getting something for free,” Gardner said of the snow cones. “We attach the gospel to it however we can.”

Along with the Fur Trade Days outreach, the Chadron church turned its focus south to Alliance. This strategic town of 9,000 does not have a Southern Baptist presence.

Grace Baptist Fellowship planned to hold a block party in Alliance with hopes of starting a Bible study there.

The end of summer signaled the kickoff of the brand-new Christian Challenge at Chadron State University. School began on Monday, Aug. 22, and that was the official launch date for Christian Challenge.

As Willett leads Grace Baptist Fellowship, he is constantly reminded of how he grew up in Nebraska without hearing the gospel.

“Growing up, I don’t remember anyone knocking on our door and sharing Christ with my family.”