The Baptist Digest

Hispanic Churches See Challenges, Blessings

2013-05-08T15:35:55+00:00

Easter 2013 brought new beginnings from good and bad circumstances for the Hispanic Southern Baptist churches in Garden City, Kan.

A fire on Sunday afternoon, March 24, caused major damage to the building of Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana. It is the original Hispanic Southern Baptist church in Garden City.

“Someone driving past the building called the Garden City Fire Department and then the number on the church sign to alert Pastor Adolfo Armenta,” The Garden City Telegram said.

“The alarm went off at 3:55 p.m. Sunday (March 24) and firefighters arrived at 3:58,” Fire Chief Allen Shelton said.

Seven units and 18 firefighters stayed on scene until 9:08 p.m.

“Shelton said the blaze did extensive damage to the L-shaped building’s roof,” The Garden City Telegram continued.
“He said the fire was contained to the roof or attic part of the building. The fire started in the area of the furnace and there were no injuries. The cause is unknown at this point, partly due to the extent of the damage, Shelton said.”

Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana holds services at 10:45 a.m. and 6 p.m. Many of the church members gathered to watch as firefighters battled the blaze in the 40-year-old building at 309 W. Campbell.

The church is planning to start a new mission at 3111 E. Spruce St. in Garden City. However, the building’s basement is not complete. But the church got permission from the city to use the upstairs temporarily. And that is where the congregation met on Easter.

Adolfo Armenta has pastored the church for 12 years.

Meanwhile, the new Hispanic congregation in Garden City, Iglesia Bautista del Sur, dedicated its new building during a 5 p.m. service on Easter. The church began in October 2011.

Iglesia Bautista del Sur held its Easter morning service at its original location— a spacious room in the back of Red Line Motors, 804 E. Fulton.

The building dedication was the first service in the new building, a former Masonic lodge at 1107 W. Olive.
Both church members and well-wishers from other Hispanic churches in the region gathered for the building dedication.

Bernabe Augilar preached the dedication sermon. He is pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista Hispana in Liberal.

A team of 40 people from Juarez, Mexico, came back again this year to help share the gospel with Hispanics in southwest Kansas and the Panhandles of Oklahoma and Texas.

The group also included four people from Chihuahua, Mexico.

The Thought Occurred To Me

2013-05-08T15:32:54+00:00

Why is communication so difficult? In this age when a plethora of information is at our fingertips, why is it so difficult to communicate? Perhaps it is because we have so much information bombarding our minds we fail to focus on what might be important. I find myself sifting through what seems like an endless flow of data. Will I miss something important, or am I just wading through informational noise? As I write this, it seems like the hard drive of my mind is at capacity.

Perhaps the communication problem may have to do with our inability to listen. I have discovered that at times I am formulating a response to someone’s comments without really listening to all they have to say. Or, it might be that I have a prejudiced conclusion that I have drawn without really listening completely to the discourse being presented. The art and science of listening is a skill all of us need to develop. I believe some of us intuitively are just good listeners while others need to develop listening skills. Listening might even be described as spiritual discipline. For example if we fail to listen, how can we adequately meet the needs around us? Ministry demands a focused listening heart.

Let’s try an experiment in communication by answering a question. What is it the Kansas Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists does to assist churches and leaders?

1. Church Planting (Starting)

2. Strengthening leaders and churches (Strengthening)

3. Resourcing and training for sharing Christ (Sharing)

4. Mobilizing our leaders and churches to be on mission. (Sending)

Should someone ask you….What does the state convention do? Can you tell them?

The Spirit Annointed King

2013-05-08T15:04:02+00:00

Can we separate what Jesus the Anointed King did in his humanity from what he did because of his deity? “Georges,” some may say, “don’t you have anything better to do than to ask such questions? What practical difference does this question make?” Well, I see this question as crucial for our lives as Christians and for learning Jesus. After all, does not the New Testament encourage us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus?

Let it be said that in learning Jesus we have to maintain his indisputable deity. A few examples will make this point. Jesus forgives sin in Mark 2:1-12 (the Scribes and the Pharisees murmur rightly “only God can forgive sin”). Jesus also exchanges his humanity for his divinity for just a brief moment (transfiguration) in order to affirm his God-identity to his disciples, Peter, James, and John. We also learn the divine Jesus when we see him raise the dead, hear his claim “I am the resurrection and the life” and witness his death as the atonement of our sin and the sin of the world. These, among the many instances when his disciples and others worship Jesus, show us the divine side of our Lord and our God (Matthew 14:22-23; 16:16; 28: 9, 17, John 20:26-29; and 2 Peter 3:18).

On the other hand, when the Bible says that Jesus never sinned, was that because he was God or not? If he was sinless because he was God, what hope do we have of aspiring to live holy, perfect and blameless lives as he did? If Jesus lived a holy, perfect, peace-filled and enemy-loving life, which he did, was it because of his divine nature or not? When Jesus performed miracles of healing and casting demons out, walked on water, and spoke amazing wisdom, were these due to his divinity or to his humanity? What of all this is imitative? Did he really mean it when he said that his disciples would do greater things?

Is following in Christ’s footsteps doable? If so, how doable is it? Is what Peter commands in 1 Peter 2:21ff (to follow in the footsteps of Jesus) to be taken seriously?

Clearly, Jesus is divine in nature and essence. And we are not. How can the human imitate the divine? Perhaps this is the wrong question. A better one may be: How did Jesus do what in his humanity he was able to do? And is that power available to us, human beings, who follow him?

One of the most important lessons to learn about Jesus and to learn Jesus is that “God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him” (Acts 10:38).

Bruce Ware (in The Man Christ Jesus) quotes Jeremy Hawthorne in agreement: “the genuineness of his [Jesus’] humanity, for the significance of the Spirit in his life lies precisely in this: that the Holy Spirit was the divine power by which Jesus overcame his human limitations, rose above his human weakness, and won out over his human mortality” (The Presence and the Power: The Significance of the Holy Spirit In The Life an Ministry of Jesus). Everything that took supernatural power and ability Jesus did by the power of God and the anointing presence of the Holy Spirit in his life.

In learning Jesus we must come to terms with his dual natures. The New Testament puts a huge emphasis on his humanity: He is the second Adam, the seed of Abraham, the son of David, born fully human to Mary. He lived his life as one of us, tempted in all ways as we, yet without sin. It was the “man Christ Jesus,” who is called the “Mediator between God and man” (1 Timothy 2:5). It is in his Spirit-anointed humanity that Jesus lived his life and accomplished his mission.

Scripture after Scripture testify to the power of God and the enabling of the Holy Spirit by which Jesus lived his life and did his amazing and God-glorifying ministry. We would do well to ponder Isaiah 11:1-3, 42:1-4, Luke 4:17-21, and Matthew 12:24-28. These passages make it clear that Jesus, in his humanity, was able to do and to teach what no human was able to do and know without being anointed by the Spirit of God. No one like Jesus ever had the mark of the Holy Spirit on his life, anointing him to do the marvelous things he did and to live in total obedience to God as he did. The Holy Spirit, says Bruce Ware, added nothing to the divinity of Jesus, but everything that enabled Jesus to do what is not humanly possible to do.

Staggering implications follow from these thoughts as Bruce Ware shows. We too can overcome the limitations and weakness of our humanity but only by the enabling presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the power of God. We are able to live in the footsteps of Jesus because the same Spirit has been gifted to us, his church. Another implication is to learn the way of humility from Jesus, who as divine would willingly live as a man, in order to show us a full-orbed, Spirit-anointed humanity under God.

And let us not forget to constantly ponder the truth that once Jesus became a man, the Holy Spirit anointed man, the God-man, he so exists today and forever dependent on the Holy Spirit. The cost of our salvation and sanctification does not stop at the cross. Accepting our dependence is the beginning of our walk in imitation of the Master.

The Cooperative Program & The Future Of Collaborative Ministry

2013-05-08T14:55:49+00:00

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (BP)—As a convictional Baptist, I am committed to two, and only two, ordinances for the local church—baptism and the Lord’s Supper. If I advocated a third ordinance, however, it just might be the Cooperative Program. Of course I am speaking with hyperbole, but over the last 15 years my appreciation for this denominational staple has grown by the day. In concert with my deepening affection for the Cooperative Program has arisen a parallel, and increasingly urgent, concern for its future.

It has been said that numbers are like people: if you squeeze them, you can make them say whatever you want. Yet Cooperative Program statistics need not be squeezed to signal clear and troubling trends. Since the 1980s, the average percentage that churches allocate to the Cooperative Program has steadily declined. Over the past 25 years, the portion churches forward to the CP has decreased by almost 50 percent, dropping from 10.52 percent in 1987 to 5.41 percent in 2011. Moreover, one of the Cooperative Program’s predominant challenges is generational. Simply put, by and large, the younger the minister is, the less committed he is to it.

As president of Midwestern Seminary, I have little desire to sustain a denomination’s machinery. I have even less desire to be or become a denominational bureaucrat. These things did not beckon me to Kansas City, nor will they keep me here. I do, however, desire to propel forward the Kingdom of Christ by training pastors, ministers and missionaries to strengthen His church and advance His Great Commission. This is exactly what the Cooperative Program is about and precisely what I am about as well. To this end, we would do well to reconsider the case for the Cooperative Program.

ITS NEW TESTAMENT ETHOS
In Paul’s correspondence, we repeatedly see churches praying for, financially supporting and ministering to other churches, individuals and missionary endeavors. This is exactly what the Cooperative Program does: it facilitates believers with similar convictions to accomplish more together than they could alone, all under a New Testament template.

ITS PROVEN SUCCESS
Approaching nearly 90 years of existence, the Cooperative Program has advanced Kingdom causes unlike any human instrument in the history of the Christian church. For decades, Southern Baptists have been the envy of the evangelical world with our unified funding program that provides affordable theological education, deploys the largest missionary force in the church today, and supports numerous other ministries. The Cooperative Program is without peer as a proven tool for Gospel work.

ITS CURRENT IMPACT
The aforementioned financial challenges notwithstanding, we are witnessing the Cooperative Program’s impact on a scale as never before. In addition to the work being carried out at the state level, at the national level Southern Baptists are experiencing record enrollment in their six seminaries, all of which are training pastors, ministers, and missionaries for the church in the context of confessional integrity and denominational accountability. The North American Mission Board is demonstrating renewed effectiveness in church planting, and the International Mission Board is making great progress toward getting the Gospel to the world’s remaining unreached people groups. As never before, we need the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission speaking with a prophetic voice. Though the Executive Committee receives a decreasing portion of Cooperative Program funding, and Guidestone and LifeWay receive no CP support, Southern Baptists are well served by and can be well pleased with their respective ministries as well.

ITS UNIFYING EFFECT
Southern Baptists tend to be Jacksonian at heart—both individualistic and opinionated. Yet, a closer look reveals collectivism and collaboration, not individualism, are the leading markers of Southern Baptists. As a convention with some 45,000 autonomous churches, the Cooperative Program is a constant reminder that we are not alone in the great spiritual struggle before us. Rather, we stand with millions of Southern Baptists from thousands of Southern Baptist churches, praying and partnering together for the advancement of the Gospel of Christ.

ITS PRESENT VULNERABILITY
A sluggish economy, shrinking offering-plate dollar, apathy among God’s people, and other factors are forcing almost every church to evaluate, and often trim, their budgets. Finance committees in churches throughout the denomination are wrestling with urgent budgetary decisions: Can we provide healthcare for our ministers? Should we grant our pastor a raise? May we undertake a new ministry initiative? Shall we tackle long-delayed maintenance needs? All of these considerations may be urgently important, but too often these conversations occur without a Cooperative Program advocate seated at the table. As the saying goes, the squeaking wheel usually gets the oil. When this is the case, the Cooperative Program often suffers.

The Cooperative Program should not be a sacred cow, for there is nothing sacrosanct about a funding mechanism. But, if it is much more than an organizational apparatus, and I believe it is, Southern Baptists of all stripes need to support, defend and promote the Cooperative Program. Neither guilt nor nostalgia should be our mode of promotion; rather, we should love the Cooperative Program because we love the church and the Great Commission.

As a denomination, we should be proud of the accomplishments of the Cooperative Program, and we must redouble our efforts to strengthen it. I say consider the evidence; the results speak for themselves. As you do, you and I might find ourselves of similar opinion: I don’t intend to argue for a third ordinance, but if I did, I might just argue for the Cooperative Program.

Jason K. Allen is president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Mo

It’s Everywhere - Displaying Scripture In Church

2013-05-08T14:50:51+00:00

It’s the first thing you see as you drive into the church parking lot. It’s a focal point as you enter the lobby. You may discover it near the water fountain, the clock, the exit, the church bulletin, the foyer, the mirror in the restroom. What a concept: placing God Word in plain sight!

Here are some simple ways to intentionally use Scripture to enhance your church’s décor:

Beautiful framed Scripture art can adorn hallways and other common areas. You’ll find many at your Christian bookstore.
Add an appropriate Scripture on a metal nameplate for each sculpture or piece of art in the church. For example, use the words of Psalm 113:3 for a sunset landscape.
If you have spectacular Scripture banners in storage, consider hanging one high on a large foyer wall.
Matted acrylic frames can be hung low in a children’s area for interchanging kids’ original Scripture art.
Youth could paint an artsy rendition of their theme Scripture on a focal wall of their classroom.
Purchase or make vinyl or stenciled lettering of a Scripture. Large or small, these can make an enormous impact.

Carefully select an appropriate Scripture verse for each venue. For example, a framed Scripture hangs over one church’s water fountain, reading, “Whoever drinks of the water I give him will never thirst… John 4:14.” Another church stenciled “Go and make disciples…” Matthew 28:19 above their main exit doors. If your pastor selects a Scripture of the Year, be certain it’s displayed prominently.

Our small church purchased a vinyl-cutting machine, and I’m in awe of its uses—professional-quality car window stickers, entry door lettering, banners. But it can also create beautiful vinyl wall Scripture, similar to those you can order online. Now, a lovely metal wall sculpture of a tree is flanked by vinyl lettering from
Psalm 92:12, “The righteous will flourish like a tree planted in the house of the Lord.”

The Bible challenges us, in Deuteronomy 6:6ff, to “Tie them [his commandments] as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” Will you intentionally add Scripture to the décor of your church?
Try it! You never know who might be reading.

“It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”
Isaiah 55:11

Festival Of Marriage - 2014

2013-05-08T14:40:58+00:00

Festival of Marriage will return to Branson, Mo., March 21-23, 2014.

It will be held at Chateau on the Lake Resort and Convention Center. LifeWay Christian Resources is the sponsor.

Festival of Marriage 2014 will feature a number of renowned marriage experts, including Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott. Other speakers will include Brandon and Jen Hatmaker. Jen Hatmaker was the featured speaker for the KNCSB Wonderful Weekend for Women in September 2011.

LifeWay is offering discounts for early registration:

Super Early Bird $129 (through June 30, 2013)
Early Bird $169 (July 1-Dec. 31, 2013)
Regular $199 (Jan. 1-March 21, 2014)

Find more information at
http://www.lifeway.com/Event/Adult-Event-Festivals-of-Marriage-Branson-MO

Westside, Omaha, Expands Its Vision With Satellite Churches

2013-05-08T14:26:03+00:00

God led Westside church in Omaha in the direction of satellite churches in Fremont, and Elkhorn, Nebraska through a process of prayer and logical analysis. Pastor Curt Dodd, Senior pastor at Westside had utilized the satellite concept when he was in Colorado.

“Because I had done that, trying to reach as many people as possible, this became a logical conclusion based on my experience,” Dodd said. Previously, Westside Church had bought land to build on, but the Church reevaluated and decided they needed more land. They sold the land and bought a larger parcel. The economy dictated that building on the land now was not good stewardship of their money.

When the congregation was presented with the alternative of satellite churches, they responded favorably. “ The initial vision on both Fremont and Elkhorn Campuses has been realized,” Dodd said. “We are still headed in the same direction, but we knew we would walk through some unique challenges.”

Plans were made to have meetings in Elkhorn and Fremont to see what the interest would be. Pastor Mike Wenig would pastor the Fremont Campus while Pastor Jonathan Dodd would pastor in Elkhorn. Wenig said the informational meeting in Fremont was attended by 60 people. “We knew some had come to the Christmas Pageant, Women’s Bible studies, and Sunday services, we just didn’t know if they’d want to be a core group on the Fremont Campus,” Wenig said. The meeting was favorable, but they had no location or time set. A location was found at Midland University and they set the time at 10:10. That gave them a chance to get the sermon video from the Dodge Road campus to Fremont in time.

It was decided to kick off as a church on Easter Sunday, 2012. Before that they did four services not open to the public. “We wanted to make sure all our technology was working; lights, sound and transferring the video. We had to make sure we had ushers, and other volunteers in place,” Wenig said. Advertising was done in newspaper, fliers, bill boards and direct mail. 320 people attended on Easter Sunday.

Now the average is about 160 on Sunday. They have had membership classes, and a number of baptisms. Wenig said the Campus has made it’s presence known by getting involved in activities in the community. “ We help serve meals at Care Corp, and help with Bible Studies,” Wenig said. “ We had a tail gate party with free hot dogs and pop for Midland’s first football game.”

“We didn’t want to pull from other churches, but to reach folks who weren’t growing in faith or didn’t have a church home,” Wenig said. The worship style has an appeal across generations. It is lively and contemporary, yet traditional enough for those at the other end of the spectrum. “What we have is real worship, not pretend worship,” Wenig said.

The Fremont campus also has men and women Bible studies in members’ homes, youth activities, and children’s ministry. “Midland has been so gracious, and have given me an office space for no charge in the building where we meet. We are on the lookout for a facility that would give us access all week.”

Wenig likes being in a smaller church and is getting to know people on a more intimate level. “I’m very gratified by the encouragement I receive from people who appreciate the church,” Wenig said. “I love being in Fremont and look forward to being here the rest of my days if God allows.”

In Elkhorn, Pastor Jonathan Dodd also had meetings leading up to practicing to be ready for Easter Sunday, 2012. They had a core group of 150, and now average 115 each week. Their campus also used various media to let people know they were starting a new church. The Elkhorn campus is housed in Sempeck’s Bowling and Entertainment. They also have mens’ and women’s Bible study and youth attend church together on Sunday and sit together at one of the tables. “We utilize all the tables. Every week we have a discussion after Pastor Curt’s message,” Jonathan said. “Last week we had communion as a meal at the tables. It gives us a great opportunity to build those relationships.

This spring the Elkhorn campus will kick off a huge garden. They will team up with another church in Elkhorn that has land. The 100 x 150 foot garden will be worked by people in church and other churches. “We’re going to start feeding people. We want the community to see us working together.” Elkhorn would like to have a permanent home, but the next need is office space. “This is the best community of people I’ve ever been a part of,” Jonathan said. “This is my church.” He said what they do is not about programs, but about relationships, including a great relationship with the owners of Sempecks. “We’ve had some hard times, but the difficulties make us grow.”

According to Pastor Curt, this first year for satellites was euphoric. “There is a great sense of excitement. The second year you begin to wrestle with some of the issues your excitement wouldn’t allow you to,” Curt said.

The Dodge Road Campus has also been impacted, because it has expanded their influence into other locations. It has realized more people in leadership. “It has impacted in that the initial exodus of some of our people to the other campuses has filled back in with new people,” he said. “Just to see our people excited and more people in leadership and owning their ministries, is fulfilling. We are equipping the saints for ministry,” Curt said. He said there are more satellites in the future. “This is a strategy God is using, and God is honoring, so we will continue.”

SE Kansas Team Spreads God’s Love In Fort Worth

2013-05-07T21:36:02+00:00

(Information for this article was taken from the Southeast Kansas Association newsletter with special thanks to June Newman.)

The 21st annual Southeast Kansas mission trip to Fort Worth, Texas, is now history —and we mean HIS –STORY!

God used the 91 team members to be His hands and feet at the Beautiful Feet homeless ministry. Led by Elijah “Touch” Touchton and supported by many team leaders, much was accomplished at the facilities, repairs were completed and lives were changed.

Friday night the group divided into four teams. One group went to the homeless shelter where Bro. Ben Beauchamp shared God’s Word. Two groups went out into the streets, delivered pizza and prayed with the homeless. Five people were saved that night! The fourth group stayed at the Boot Camp and organized The Feet T-shirt closet. And that’s just the beginning!

The mission team worked together so well and represented people from Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Georgia. They were from 23 different churches and ranged in age from 12 to 72. Each had a specific task to do, and everyone did it “heartily unto the Lord.”

With a group this large and team leaders who knew how to motivate, many, many hours of work were done in a short time. Were we tired? Yes! Did we step out of our box and do something new? Yes! Did God lead in every project and every word spoken? Yes! As obedient servants, we shared with the “least of these” and came away blessed! The personal stories are precious and the love of Jesus was shared with so many people over the weekend.

Jeff Street, pastor of First Baptist Church, Baxter Springs, Kan., shared his experience with the Beautiful Feet 2013 team:

“This year I took my 11th trip to Fort Worth to be a part of our association’s annual mission trip to the Beautiful Feet homeless ministry.

“My oldest son, David, went for his fourth time and for the very first time my wife, Lisa, and youngest son, Daniel, joined us on the trip. It was a blessing for all of us to go together.

“After that many years, you would think you would know what to expect, but God always has surprises for us. Every year we get to talk to people and pray for folks who are really hurting. I always serve on the Evangelism Ministry Team. It is always a blessing to be able to reach out and witness to and pray with these hurting men and women.”

June Newman shared her experiences leading the Clothing Team. She is secretary at the Baptist Area Office in Altamont, Kan., and pastor’s wife at First Baptist Church, Chetopa, Kan.

“This was my seventh year being a part of the Beautiful Feet Mission Team. It was my sixth year leading the group in sorting clothes and shoes and preparing them for the homeless on Sunday morning.

“I had recruited several ladies through the year to come and specifically work all day Saturday in bundling clothes into size and style. There were four ladies from Jefferson Street Baptist Church, Eureka, Kan., who came and were such a blessing. They worked non-stop until they completed that task and I heard a shout of ‘Hallelujah’ for a job well done.

“There were also others who stayed with this task all day long and I’m so thankful for them. We got the job done and in record time!

“The clothes for ladies and children were delivered to the Salvation Army, but all of the men’s clothing stayed at The Feet.”

Jeff Street added, “The support in prayer is priceless as you sent the team off on Friday and prayed faithfully throughout the weekend. Together in Christ we reached out to people in need. The gifts were appreciated, the love was welcomed, and lives were changed forever – both the homeless and the mission team.”

We say a huge thanks to the churches and individuals who:

Collected items for the hygiene bags
Hand-crocheted beanies or stocking hats
Provided blankets, sleeping bags and clothing
Made plastic bag sleeping mats or gave backpacks

Thanks also goes to Southeast Kansas Baptist Association for providing $4,500 toward expenses through the mission funds; for Trinity Baptist Church, Pittsburg, providing $4,000 in project funds; and for WOM and SEKBA providing $500 worth of new shoes and $150 worth of new underwear.

The Lord Claims 2 Nebraska Leaders

2013-05-06T20:41:23+00:00

Dave Sellars, past KNCSB president, died Saturday, March 23, in Norfolk, Neb., at age 78.

The funeral was held Wednesday, March 27, at Northern Heights Baptist Church in Norfolk, where he was pastor for 26 years.

Sellars was born at home in Texhoma, Okla., on Oct. 22, 1934. He graduated from high school in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1952. He earned degrees from Wayland Baptist College in Plainview, Texas, in 1957 and from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1963.

He pastored in Adrian, Texas, for five years and Headley, Texas, for three years. He was pastor of Northern Heights Baptist Church, Norfolk, Neb., for 26 years.

Sellars retired from Northern Heights Baptist Church in Norfolk on Feb. 1, 1997. A week later he started working in pastoral care at The Meadows and the Norfolk Veteran’s Home.

Along with serving KNCSB, he was very active in the Norfolk Ministerial Association and was president of the Norfolk Rotary Club.
In 1954, David married Doris LeFils in Fort Worth, Texas. Doris died in February 1981.

In God’s loving plan, David met Jeanie Wolfe, who had lost her husband, Warren. David and Jeanie became friends and were married on May 31, 1982. She is among the many survivors.

Memorials may be sent to Northern Heights Baptist Church, 708 Georgia Ave., Norfolk, NE 68701.

Quentin Lockwood, an early-day leader in Southern Baptist work in Nebraska, died Wednesday, March 20, at his home in Chillicothe, Ohio, where he had moved in 2008 to be near family.

He was born Nov. 2, 1922, in Louisa, Ky. Quentin loved to read even as a child. He excelled in school, and was named valedictorian of his graduating class at Louisa High School.

In 1940 he entered Ashland Junior College where he met Mary Alene Boggs who became his wife in 1943 just before he was shipped overseas as a navigator in the Army Air Corps. Based in Italy, he completed 40 missions before he was injured when his B24 Bomber was shot down and he was seriously injured in a crash in the Adriatic.

Lockwood returned to Georgetown College, Georgetown, Ky., on the GI Bill. He completed his bachelor’s degree in preparation for the ministry in 1947. He then earned a degree at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky.

He was ordained to the ministry in 1946 and served as pastor of three churches in Kentucky and one in Georgia.

In 1961, Lockwood was appointed by the Southern Baptist Home Mission Board to be the first director of missions for the state of Nebraska. His primary role was to help start new churches. In addition to travelling the state, he and his wife Mary Alene began the Omaha Baptist Center in inner-city Omaha.

Lockwood joined the Home Mission Board staff in Atlanta, Ga., in 1968 and remained there until his first retirement in 1988. He first served as associate director of pioneer missions and then as director of the rural/urban department.

He and Mary Alene moved back home to Ashland, Ky., in 1989. He became interim pastor for a number of churches in the region, earning the endearing title, “Pope of the Big Sandy.”
He retired a second time in 2000 and remained in Ashland until his and Mary Alene’s health required a move to Traditions of Chillicothe, Ohio.

Among the survivors is his wife of 70 years, Mary Alene.

The funeral was held Saturday, March 23. Memorials may be sent to:

Alzheimer’s Association, 6100 Dutchman’s Lane Suite 401, Louisville, KY 40205-3284
Kentucky Baptist Fellowship, P.O. Box 7098, Louisville, KY 40257

PlantKC Event To Feature Eric Mason

2013-05-06T20:15:25+00:00

Join fellow church planters and pastors on Wednesday, May 22, as plantKC continues our series, “Planting a Biblical Church.” We are excited to host Eric Mason who will share with us on “Ordinances in a Biblical Church Plant.”

Our event begins at 9 a.m. at the Westport Flea Market Bar & Grill, 817 Westport Rd., Kansas City, Mo. We will conclude our sessions with lunch.

Eric Mason resides in Philadelphia with his wife, Yvette, and two sons. He is the co-founder and lead pastor of Epiphany Fellowship.

In addition to his role at Epiphany Fellowship, he serves as the president of Thriving, a ministry dedicated to aiding ethnic minorities to be resourced and trained for ministry in the urban context.

PlantKC is a collection of churches, church plants and people who seek to create a climate that encourages and equips gospel-centered, reproducing churches.

As a close affiliate of the Blue River-Kansas City Baptist Association, our calling is to actively recruit, equip, coach and deploy church planters in the Kansas City area. From providing regular training events and hooking planters up with qualified coaching, to identifying funding sources for new works, plantKC seeks to see God’s church grow in Kansas City.

Kansas City has just been named a SEND city through the North American Mission Board’s SEND North America initiative.

WWW Is Coming!

2013-05-06T19:33:37+00:00

It is almost time for registration to start for the 2013 Wonderful Weekend for Women at Webster Conference Center in Salina, Kansas.

Join us September 13 & 14 for a weekend you won’t want to miss.

Our theme is ‘Chase’ with teaching from author Jennie Allen. http://www.jennieallen.com

We will also have a variety of breakout conferences led by women from Kansas and Nebraska.

Promotional and registration materials will be in churches and online around the middle of June. http://www.knwomen.com or like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/KNWWW

Summer Missions Ideas

2013-05-06T19:27:00+00:00

I am a big fan of having kids involved in sharing the good news. If children are exposed to it at a young age, it is easier for them to be involved as they get older. Here are a few ideas of how families can actively share Christ this summer.

One thing you can do is make greeting cards for the local nursing or retirement home residents. After making the cards, take them as a family, and hand them out as you visit with each resident.
Find someone in your neighborhood that needs help with yard work.
Go through old toys and clothes, make sure they are clean and in good condition, then take them to a local clothes closet. Before taking the items, see if there is a day that your family can volunteer to help while visiting.

Adopt someone who is a member of your church but unable to make it to church and visit them. Bring them a bulletin from church so they can stay caught up with church activities. Get a little devotional book and do a small devotion time, sing with them, or read the Bible to them.
Prayer-walking. This is a wonderful way to help make your children aware of the needs in your community. As a family, walk your neighborhood, and as you are walking pray, out loud, for the people who live, work or drive there. If you can pray by names, do. If there is a school, pray for teachers, cooks, bus drivers, etc.
Who is going to be a better example of missions to your family than you?

Saturday Morning Soccer Spiritualism

2013-05-06T19:23:42+00:00

I Cor. 15:58b-“Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
On a recent Saturday morning at a crowded soccer field, a group of five-year-old girls experienced their first–ever soccer game! In the chill of that morning, while watching my adorable twin granddaughters and their father-coach muddle through the ramifications of directing this excited group of girls, (more like herding cats!), God gave me some spiritual points to ponder. These reminders may come in handy to you, fellow ministry wife!

1. Ask your Father for what you need. Before we even left the house, Addy was trying to wear her brother’s socks. Correct color, but they didn’t come up high enough to cover her shin guards. It was causing quite a disturbance, so she finally asked her Dad for help. Matt went and instantly found the correct socks.

2. Know where your field is. We arrived to a literal sea of people and we had to search for our assigned field. The girls were ready to jump out of that car and play on any of those fields! Follow your Father. He will lead you to where you are supposed to be.

3. Get instruction from your Father before jumping into the game. Since we arrived early, Matt sat the girls down in a line, and they watched the end of a game that was being played. He coached the girls on what to do, and what not to do, as they watched the example of this other team. Learn from the example of others.

4. You can’t wear your coat onto the field. If you do, then no one will know which team you are on! No secret players. Make sure those around you know Who you represent.

5. Know which goal is yours. Make sure you are running the right direction! Keep your eyes on the coach! He will let you know if you start heading the wrong direction.

6. When you fall down, get right back up in the game. No whining. Stand firm. Stay strong.

7. Celebrate victories! Share in each other’s joys!
And in OUR family, platters of cheesy enchiladas and lots of hot sauce are usually involved!

Blessings,
Patti

Like Jesus

2013-05-06T18:31:20+00:00

It seems that I don’t always communicate as clearly as I would like. As Mikayla and I were riding along in the car, we were discussing all the crazy things that have come out of my mouth that made complete sense to me, but when my family heard what I said all they could do was laugh. Some of them have become what they might call typical mom moments. One day as we were driving home from VBS, I said, “Let’s go home and mow the van and wash the car.” Once when I saw something really fast I said, “WOW! That was like a ninety-minute bullet!” Just last night, I said, “Selah (my car) needs a hair cut!”
In each of these situations, I knew exactly what I was saying, but for some reason as I opened my mouth the words came out different from what I intended. In all three cases, the family was able to figure out what I meant, but more often than not I have to explain to my family what I intended to say. In these moments, it is laughable, but when it comes to spiritual matters, it isn’t always so funny.

As Mikayla and I talked about this, I told her that it reminded me of how I can talk to someone about Jesus or a biblical principle and think that I am speaking quite clearly what I am trying to communicate, but there will be times it will not always make sense to the person. Sometimes it might be because I am not communicating what I thought. We simply mess up. Other times, it might be because it might be a difficult subject. In either case, I need to pause and take time to understand why I am not communicating what I want. I am learning more and more that there is a lot more grace out there if I simply say, “I don’t know how to explain this, but let me see if I can.” I might say something like, “I can tell this is very important to you. I want to make sure I answer it with respect and honor. I can only answer this by using a Bible verse. I don’t want to mess it up with my words.”
I had this happen to me recently when someone was talking to me about homosexuality. It was obvious there was great grief over this temptation to sin and that there had been enough condemnation personally and socially that I did not need to add to it. It was also obvious in this situation that this person knew it was a sin. I feared messing things up more. After a short silent prayer, I felt led to focus on how to counter temptation rather than focusing on homosexuality. This opened up the conversation and put us on the same level ground. Both of us have temptations and both of us needed to guard our hearts against that which we are tempted. This kept me from being the ruler and judge and allowed us to walk through God-given solutions for clarity.
Father, please give us clarity as we speak to others.

Simply,
Tara

(Feel free to contact me at tararye@tararye.com.)
Proverbs 16:23-24 (NIV)
23 A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction.
24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Cooperative Program: The Southern Baptist Plan To Fund Missions

2013-05-06T16:51:21+00:00

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (BP)—M.O. Owens Jr. was still in knickers on May 13, 1925, the day his parents took him to a pivotal session of the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting. That was the day the Cooperative Program was born.

“I was there but I was only 11,” Owens (now 99) told Baptist Press. “I don’t have a keen memory of specifics. There wasn’t any great opposition, but it was a new idea to the pastors.

“I remember very vividly how excited my dad was, how delighted he was, and I do remember so well he was concerned about enlisting the other pastors,” Owens said of his father, the late Milum Oswell Owens Sr., who pastored two churches. “He was the only pastor from that association [Orangeburg County, S.C.] who attended that convention.”

It was hot that day, Owens recalled; other reports say air was “oppressively muggy” in the convention center (the Memphis and Shelby County Auditorium and Market House) with about 5,600 people in their Sunday best. Owens recalls his father wore a suit and his mother, her best dress plus hat and gloves.

“Before that day [of the CP vote] there were very few Sundays there wouldn’t be someone appealing for an offering,” Owens said. “I remember my parents talking about it, Dad saying we needed to figure out a way to lump some of these appeals together—foreign missions, home missions, Indian missions, orphanages and more. And then he heard about [what is known today as the Cooperative Program] and he was tickled pink when it happened.”

Owens Sr. wasn’t alone in his pleasure that the Cooperative Program was approved. An article by Todd Starnes written in 2000 for SBC LIFE noted that “the messengers heartily approved the report [by what was known as the Future Program Commission] with the following recommendation: ‘That from the adoption of this report by the Convention our co-operative work be known as ‘The Cooperative Program of Southern Baptists.’”

“The agencies and institutions were not happy with the new plan at first, but in only a few years they realized how fortunate they were in the benefits of the plan,” Owens said. “They no longer had to go begging, and their financial benefits began to increase. ... It was only a few years until it was recognized by the churches as a divinely-oriented concept.”

Owens said he has watched for years the strength of the CP his father was so pleased to help pass.

“It is a beautiful arrangement,” Owens said. “The churches are not plagued by appeals for money. Each church can choose to participate—or not. Each agency and institution can feel fairly secure in anticipating its designated share.”

The CP has enabled the SBC to develop a well-organized worldwide missions thrust that reaches into more than 160 nations, with missionaries trained by six of the “largest and most effective seminaries in the world,” Owens said. “Each state has had the privilege of using its share of CP funds for colleges, children’s homes, hospitals, homes for the aging, or whatever its apparent needs might be.”

The CP method of pooling mission dollars for maximum effectiveness “is not perfect, but its advantages are great,” Owens said. “There are biblical reasons why it is good, and there are compelling logistical reasons why it works so well.

“Through the Cooperative Program, we Southern Baptists are supporting thousands of missionaries here in America and all around the world. And these missionaries are specially trained to plant the Gospel in whatever area they are working,” Owens continued. “In 2011 ... they planted more churches and baptized more people than all the 45,000-plus Southern Baptist churches here in the USA.”

Leadership Baton To Be Passed In 3 Campus Ministries

2013-04-16T19:33:11+00:00

The leadership baton will be passed at the end of the school year in the Southern Baptist campus ministries at the three largest universities in Nebraska and Kansas.
Rick Clock will be retiring after 32 years at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Brett Yohn and Bob Anderson will be retiring after 40 years of service. Yohn leads the ministry at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln while Anderson serves at Kansas State University, Manhattan.

The KNCSB Mission Board on Friday, March 8, affirmed the three men and their wives who will be assuming the new leadership roles after Clock, Anderson and Yohn retire.

Robbie Nutter (left) will take over the leadership role at K-State Christian Challenge, where he now serves. Jeremy Pape (center) will assume leadership of Christian Challenge at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, where he has served since 2005. Ryan Stelk will take over the leadership role at the University of Kansas. He has served for 10 years with K-State Christian Challenge. The Mission Board held a special prayer time for the three men and their wives.

The Thought Occurred To Me

2013-04-16T19:29:12+00:00

I want to thank you for your responses to my article that Discipleship is not just about a course of study. It is not just the cognitive acquisition of information.

For so many years, I think we as Southern Baptists have viewed discipleship as completing one study after another hopefully resulting in one being more conformed to the image of Christ.

How has that worked for us? My conclusion would be, not very well. Whereas, I think one part of discipleship is cognitive we must not ignore the experiential.

Southern Baptists have done a less than stellar job in developing believers into Christ followers. Perhaps we have viewed evangelism and discipleship as exclusive to each other. I think they need to be viewed as a continuous action of discipleship.

The Great Commission provides us with the clear mandate… “To make disciples.” When an individual comes to faith in Jesus Christ and is baptized, the journey begins. In too many of our churches we fail to develop and intentional plan for growing followers into Christ likeness.
It is little wonder why we have congregants who know and do little about stewardship, evangelism, missions, church planting and simple Biblical literacy. Who has taught them? Who has shown them the way?

Perhaps the most effective way to realize discipleship is to provide an intentional mentoring system for all believers. Basic questions need to be asked of all of us. Who are you mentoring and who is mentoring you? Who are we doing life with on this disciplined spiritual journey?
Knowing spiritual disciplines and living them out in this life with brothers and sisters in the faith is, I think, God’s design.

Learning Jesus: “Where Is The One To Be Born King Of The Jews?”

2013-04-16T19:15:26+00:00

I have embarked on a yearlong journey of learning Jesus inspired by Ephesians 4:20. Other than reading the Gospels repeatedly while paying close attention to Jesus’ words and actions, I am also reading books such as The Man Christ Jesus, by Bruce Ware. I’ll recommend others in months to come. Thanks for being learners with me.

The Father and the Son lived a life of loving relationship before the world was made. This loving relationship extends to the life of the Son in Jesus the Messiah and by extension to us (John 17:24, 3:16). We must learn this loving God who became Man and grow to be more like him.

This Love come to earth is costly. The title of this article is a haunting reminder of the cost. A twisted evil mind, a pitiless king, a fearful king, an egomaniacal despot, an insecure dimwit, a merciless murderer of children, some his own, a misogynist, beheading his own wife, a killer of prophets who dared speak the truth, tried to kill this love. It was said of him, “it is better to be Herod’s pig than to be his son.”

The Coventry Carol poet hit the nail on the head depicting this king’s evil: “Herod, the king, in his raging, charged he hath this day, his men of might, in his own sight, all children born to slay.” While this self-aggrandizing fool (Psalm 14, 53) was bent on becoming glorious in the eyes of man Jesus came into the world in self-abasement to bring glory to his Father and shed his love abroad in the human heart.

Herod went to his damned destiny but eternal love flourished in Jesus.

The Son accomplished this feat of love by an emptying, which unfolds in three steps: a taking on of humanity, a human birth, and obedience unto death. We must learn the humanity of Jesus and his self-emptying ways. Though hard to grasp, Jesus emptied his very self, not something in himself. But this emptying, strange as it may sound, is actually an addition. It sounds strange: subtraction by addition! How can it be?

A feeble illustration: Let’s say you take a walk in the rain on a dirt road. Dirt turns into mud. You drop your treasured gold and diamond ring in the mud. After searching for a long while you give up and go home. Later up comes the sunshine and dries up all the rain. You return to search. You find your ring, but it’s caked with dirt. It looks different yet it’s the same ring. The gold and diamond are still there. The mud is added. The ring has now become more, not less.

The kind of obedience of the Son, and the extent of it are remarkable. Not remarkable because it was the first time the Son obeyed. No, the Son is eternally obedient in doing the will of his Father (1 Corinthians 8:6; Hebrews 1:1-2). God creates his creation through the Son and the Spirit according to the will of the Father. The Father sends the Son whose willingness to come is his very act of obedience (John 6:38). Willing and loving submission of the Son has always marked the relationship within the Trinity.

The stress of Philippians 2:8 is on the obedience unto death by crucifixion. God the Son became human knowing when he was sent that his obedience would lead to a most cruel death. This is a one of a kind, one-time, obedience that the Son experienced in becoming human. He was always obedient but this obedience was remarkable in that it was unto death.
Because of the cross God knows human suffering as we do! Sobering! Selah.

Are there implications of learning this emptying, suffering, dying, Son of God? How can there not be? To my mind this reality changes everything: Who God is, who we are, and what God wants to do through us in this world!

1. For one, we should not quickly or glibly speak of imitating Christ until we have understood something of the extent of his suffering, death, and obedience. There is no imitation of Christ without imitation of his suffering. Our God is a dying and death defying God who has modeled for us how to die and live in obedience (1 Peter 2:21-23). We follow in his footsteps in our willingness to love and experience the suffering of love as he did (1 Corinthians 13).

2. When the heart is invaded by such a God-love the desire for imitation is born. Philippians 2:5 commands: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” To be like Jesus is to give ourselves in humble service to others. We can’t serve to the extent he did (dying on behalf of the world) but our service should follow in his steps. Serving those we lead and those who are our neighbors is a great act of imitation of the Jesus we learn.

3. We learn Jesus when we learn the journey of love. First we begin by loving ourselves for our sake. Next we learn to love God for our sake and then God for his sake. But the last degree of love is to learn to love ourselves only for God’s sake. This ultimate love is what Christ came to demonstrate and accomplish.

Christianity is the religion of self-emptying, of love, of service to the world. Learning Jesus is learning to love God and the world and to love ourselves in honor of the One who made us. May it be so!

God’s Plan For Sharing

2013-04-16T19:09:09+00:00

Today’s world needs to know, believe and experience the power of the Good News of Jesus Christ more than ever. As Christ-followers, we are called to be ambassadors of Him and to be obedient in working with others to make new generations of Christ-followers where we live and work. We can’t ignore this command.

This past month, ten of us agreed to work together to serve the Kansas and Nebraska churches to continue the task of sharing the gospel. Across our two states we have more than 400 churches and mission points. It excites me to imagine the number of relationships we have with folks that have yet to discover the hope and peace that comes from having a relationship with Christ. To work with all our churches, our Share Team intends to focus on three areas. These include:

1. To encourage every believer to passionately share the truth of Christ in their life context.

2. To cooperatively ignite a zeal for sharing the Gospel by hearing of where evangelism is impacting local communities.

3. To catalyze our churches to extend beyond their building and current ministry with involvement in schools, local governments and other community settings.

In our churches, we already have good evangelism events and opportunities at hand. For example, a good number of churches have had Easter celebrations for children and an outreach into the community and with warmer weather, opportunities to engage others will increase. One approach for the Share Team is getting this good news out across the Convention. Communication of “best practices” is one of the applications we could strengthen. God is using our members in making Him known. We want to see that number increase.

Another area of our focus is encouragement and training to move regular ministry into the community. During 2014-15, many of our sister Conventions will be using tools provided through the God’s Plan for Sharing website. These recommendations will highlight servant evangelism with a “Day of Serving” or “Season for Sharing.” Elements of these outreach ministries will be building a solid prayer base, training as many as possible and encouraging churches to get involved More information will be coming to help our 400 churches understand and implement efforts to reach out to the local communities. This is just one way of being “salt and light” where we live.

These are my initial ideas as I work with the new Sharing Team. I am so grateful for the commitment to evangelism I see in our churches across Nebraska and Kansas. However, I believe the new vision and energy of the team can encourage a greater impact as we continue to make Him known. I look forward to passing on to you the results of our team as we focus here in Kansas-Nebraska on God’s Plan for Sharing.

A 30-Second Celebration

2013-04-16T18:57:29+00:00

I’ve noticed an interesting common denominator in vibrant, growing churches: They always seem to be celebrating something God’s doing there. Your church can do that! Use these two simple steps to add a mini-celebration during weekly church announcements.

Step One: Be vigilantly observant to see what God’s doing in His church. He is at work! Keep an ongoing list, and select at least one current praise to mention each Sunday.

Step Two: Plan the best way to brag on God. Use varying methods to praise Him for that specific blessing during Sunday worship’s announcements. Here are some ideas and examples, each requiring less than thirty seconds:

1. Show it. “The Fire Department sent this thank you note for our church’s prayer and the Fireman’s Bibles we gave them!”
2. Numbers. Create giant numbers, and use them to announce camp enrollment, baptism numbers, cans of food collected, etc.
3. Tour instructions. “After worship, follow the yellow arrows to see our remodeled nursery!”
4. Assignment. “God’s blessing our new singles class! They are distributing invitation cards for you to give a single adult you know.”
5. Tradition. Play four musical bars of “Jesus Loves the Little Children” then announce “God’s newest blessing at our church—Ian Key, born to Hal and Jan on Monday.”
6. Reminder. “We exceeded our Annie Armstrong offering goal! Take the bookmark in your chair to remind you to pray for our North American Mission Board missionaries.”
7. PowerPoint slide. Add praises into pre- and post-service audiovisuals. “73 stopped here to pray on National Day of Prayer!”
8. Facebook. “Ann, who is being baptized today, wrote her testimony as a Facebook post! Share it on your page today.”
9. Wall graphic. After every baptism, our pastor refers to the wall visual tallying God’s blessing of new believers.
10. Applause. “God has answered our church’s prayers for new small group leaders. Let’s all applaud Him for His blessing!”
11. Raise hands. “Our men’s Bible class is the fastest-growing in the church. If you’re in that class, raise your hand.”
12. Certificates. “Everyone on the front row has completed our Discipleship 101 class! Each received a beautiful certificate like this one.“
13. Visible results. “Our youth garage sale raised $800 to buy these 40 Bibles and 100 witness bracelets for their Mexico mission trip!”
14. Stand up. “Our 5th grade Bible class set a record attendance of __! Stand up, 5th graders!”
15. Photo. Use supersized or PowerPoint photo. “Here’s the property our church plant, Soma Church, has purchased!”
16. Ask for action. “Let’s use our vehicles as mobile church invitations! Take a church window sticker. Volunteers in the parking lot can help you with installation.”

God is at work in His church. Will you be constantly on watch, and use praise announcements during worship to intentionally, joyfully celebrate what He’s doing?

Church Experiences Kitchen Fire

2013-04-16T18:51:21+00:00

Lighthouse Baptist Church Saint George, Kansas had a fire in it’s kitchen on Sunday March 3. On Sunday nights the church opens up the gymnasium for a basketball ministry. March 3rd was like any other Sunday night as the young men and women made their way into the gym to start warming up.

Pastor Jim whistled and everyone gathered at center court for the usual devotion and prayer. After prayer, the just over 30 people there that night started to shoot for teams. After the first 10 minute game finished and the second was starting one of the teenagers headed to the kitchen to get a case of water and a case of Gatorade. As he opened the door to the church fellowship hall (dining room) black smoke poured out.

Quickly several people started to get everyone out and make sure they were all accounted for. While three men fought the fire two others held lights so they could see. The fire department was called, and everyone was safe.

Standing just outside the kitchen door the pastor continued to run in every time the fire spiked back up until the firemen arrived. Once the firefighters were on the scene they took great care to put out the fire and protect the building. They even went to the extent of putting down kitty litter to keep water from getting onto the gym floor.
The fire investigator informed Pastor Jim that the fire was started by a old electric can opener. The fire was contained to the kitchen, however there was a great deal of smoke and soot damage in that building.

Damage is estimated at $50,000-$70,000. Lighthouse is expected to have full use of the kitchen by the end of April.

Christ First Counseling Center Offers Help And Hope

2013-04-15T21:52:19+00:00

CFCC & Associates, Inc. is a compassionate place for hope and healing for all people in Eastern Kansas. As a 501(c)(3), CFCC is organized exclusively for providing Christ-centered counseling; psychoeducational training classes; specialized treatment groups; and providing clinical supervision for clinical interns. Our primary value is to provide a client-focused, Christ-centered philosophy of care regardless of a person’s ability to pay.

At CFCC & Associates, Inc. you can receive counseling services related to a wide variety of mental health issues by participating in traditional or equine assisted psychotherapy for individuals, couples, families, and/or groups. You may go to http://www.counselingtopeka.com for more information.

We would like to invite you to the ACTHA HELP Trail Challenge (CTC) at Clinton Lake in Lawrence, Kansas on April 27th. The CTC is a casual competitive trail ride, and consists of 6-8 miles of trail, with 6 obstacles spaced along the trail.

The ride is a fundraiser for a program called Horses Easing Life’s Pain (HELP) administered by CFCC & Associates, Inc. in Topeka, KS. The HELP program provides Equine Assisted Psychotherapy to children and adults suffering from a variety of mental health issues like, PTSD, Anxiety, Addiction and Depression stemming from traumatic life events, such as Domestic Violence or Military Service.
In addition to the CTC, we are also having contests for Best Dressed Cowgirl, Best Dressed Cowboy, Best Groomed Horse, Best Dressed Dog, Pluggin’ Along Award, Hard Luck Award, and Farthest Traveled Award. There will be activities back at camp during the ride for kids that don’t go out on the trail.

If you are interested in volunteering or donating prizes for these events please call us at 785-272-0778. Otherwise, go to https://www.actha.us/ride/6438/view to register for the ride! We hope you can make it! It’s going to be fun!

‘Unashamed’ - Voice Of The Martyrs Conference - Lenexa Baptist Church, Lenexa, KS

2013-04-15T21:37:41+00:00

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.” Romans 1:16

Today around the world Christians are ‘Unashamed’ of the gospel and Jesus Christ while under restriction, persecution, and imprisonment. Come and be encouraged by their testimonies of courage and faith, how God is at work in their midst, and what God’s Word says to us about this.

Saturday April 13, 2013 - 9am - 5pm.
Doors open at 8AM for registration, prayer, resource area.
Lunch - noon-1:30 on your own at area restaurants.
No charge to attend. An offering will be received. No child care.

15320 W. 87th Street Parkway, Lenexa, KS 66219

Three Veteran Campus Ministers In Kansas-Nebraska Are Retiring At the End Of The School Year In May

2013-04-15T21:29:44+00:00

Brett Yohn and Bob Anderson have served for 40 years. Yohn serves at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln while Anderson serves at Kansas State University in Manhattan.

A third campus minister—Rick Clock at the University of Kansas in Lawrence recently announced his plans to retire after 32 years of service.

You can help tell the story of how these three men have impacted Kansas, Nebraska and the world by sending your tributes to Eva Wilson at ewilson@kncsb.org.

Please don’t forget to tell about the impact of their wives who have stood beside them through the years, often out of the spotlight.
If you were a part of one of these campus ministries, please list the year you graduated or the years you attended. Please also include your hometown and where you are now living.

Photos, especially in digital format, also are welcomed. Send hard-copy photos to Eva Wilson at KNCSB, 5410 SW 7th St., Topeka, KS 66606. The photos will be scanned and returned.

Thank you for your help in telling the story of these three men’s ministries.

Viola Webb State & Associational Missions Offering

2013-04-01T06:09:12+00:00

As of the end of February, the 2012-2013 Viola Webb State & Associational Missions Offering has received $142,487.55 from the churches of Nebraska and Kansas. Below is a record ofgiving from each association. Remember that the offering is divided equally between your association and KNCSB.

Central 11,330.11
Eastern Nebraska 5,343.20
Flint Hills 21,159.06
Heart of Kansas 21,859.56
Kansas City 34,890.55
Northeast 433.66
Oregon Trail 5,091.82
Sandhills 1,506.10
Smoky Hill 7,326.35
South Central 9,473.66
Southeast Kansas 12,474.05
Spurgeon 1,840.00
Western Kansas 11,599.43

Enthusiastic Crowd Prepares For VBS

2013-04-01T06:08:37+00:00

Gray, rainy weather outside failed to dampen the spirits of participants in the 2013 KNCSB Vacation Bible School Jumpstart Clinc.

The event was held Saturday, March 9, at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan. It helped VBS leaders and workers prepare for what can be a church’s most effective outreach event.

Jumpstart participants learned about “Colossal Coaster World: Facing Fear, Trusting God,” which is the main 2013 LifeWay VBS theme.

The theme is based on 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love and sound judgment” (HCSB).

“Professions of faith made during Vacation Bible School consistently equal about 25 percent of the number of baptisms in the Southern Baptist Convention,” said Jerry Wooley, LifeWay VBS specialist.

VBS rotation sites will reflect the theme park setting:

Main Gate (worship rally)
Coaster Alley (Bible study)
Scissors & Stuff Emporium (crafts)
Tune Town (music)
Global Expo (missions)
Adrenaline Zone (recreation)
Cotton Candy Café (snacks)

Daily themes will focus on the Apostle Paul and how he faced his fears:
Day 1: Dare to Change
Bible story: Paul Obeyed (Acts 9:1-18)
Life application: I can trust God and obey Him without fear.

Day 2: Dare to Speak Up
Bible story: Paul Spoke Boldly (Acts 9:20-30)
Life application: I can trust God to help me speak boldly about Him.

Day 3: Dare to Believe
Bible story: Paul Proclaimed Salvation (Acts 16:16-34)
Life application: I can trust God’s plan of salvation and share His love with others.

Day 4: Dare to Stand Strong
Bible Story: Paul Responded Wisely (Acts 21:27-23:11)
Life application: I can trust God to help me have self-control and honor Him with my actions.

Day 5: Dare to Trust
Bible story: Paul Trusted God (Acts 27)
Life application: I can trust God to give me the power to face my fears no matter what comes next.

Backyard Kids Club
LifeWay also is offering the new Backyard Kids Club as a way to use “Colossal Coaster World” in a mission setting. Find more information at http://blog.lifeway.com/vbs/about/vbs-options/backyard-kids-club/

Club VBS®Club VBS® is LifeWay’s second line of VBS curriculum. It offers a two-hour schedule for five days or a one-hour schedule for 10 days. Club VBS® is ideal for use by smaller churches or in mission settings.

In 2013, Club VBS® will be returning to the rainforest with Club VBS® Jungle Jaunt®!

The Scripture passage is Psalm 145:1-2 and the motto is “Praise Him! Trust Him! Follow Him! The One True God!”

Daily content for children is:
Day 1: One Amazing Creator
Bible story: God Created the World (Genesis 1:1-2:3)
Life application: Because God is Creator, I can praise Him and care for His world.
Day 2: One Miraculous Provider
Bible story: God Provided for Elisha and His People (2 Kings 4:1-7, 38-44)
Life application: Because God is Provider, I can depend on Him and share with others.

Day 3: One Powerful Healer
Bible Story: Jesus Healed (Matthew 9:1-8,18-33)
Life application: Because God is Healer, I can thank Him and show love for others.

Day 4: One Living Savior
Bible story: Jesus Is Alive! (Luke 23-24:1-12,36-49)
Life application: Because God sent Jesus to be the Savior of the World, I can trust Jesus as my Savior and Lord and tell others about Him.
Day 5: One Lord of All
Bible story: Peter Visits Cornelius’ Home (Acts 10:36)
Life application: Because God is Lord of all, I can follow Him and show respect to all people.

E-Anytime, Anywhere
LifeWay also offers “E-Anytime, Anywhere,” a series of Bible lessons for preschoolers and children. It offers great flexibility for use in both church and mission settings.
Lessons may be downloaded from the LifeWay Web site for $4.95 per lesson. Each lesson includes:

A Bible story with key verses
Teaching tips
Activities that use easy-to-find resources
A “Fun Page” that can be used during the session or as a take-home page
Preschool sessions

Find more information at http://www.lifeway.com/n/Product-Family/E-Anytime-Anywhere

Progress Continues At Weir Baptist Camp

2013-04-01T06:07:05+00:00

(This article includes information from the Southeast Kansas Association newsletter.)

New construction and other developments are helping to make Weir Baptist Camp even more effective in reaching people for Christ.

The camp is located 12 miles southwest of Pittsburg, Kan.

One of the highlights of the past year was beginning construction on a second new cabin called “Bethel Cabin.” The cabin is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2013 summer camping season.

Plans call for constructing four more new cabins at the camp as money becomes available. The new cabins are being constructed on the plain below the hill where the original cabins are located.

Weir Baptist Camp is now more than 50 years old. Most of the original cabins were constructed during the camp’s early days.

Southern Baptists in Southeast Kansas joined volunteer groups in constructing the new cabin.

Kansas-Nebraska Campers on Mission poured the slab for Bethel Cabin during their April 2012 work project at the camp.

Volunteer Christian Builders, based in Texas, arrived in mid-May 2012 to frame the cabin. Kansas-Nebraska Baptist Builders came later to install the electrical wiring. This was the fourth joint project for VCB and Kansas-Nebraska Baptist Builders.

Summer Camp 2012
Although the 2012 camp attendance of 290 was the lowest in eight years, it was still a great summer. The six camp sessions brought glory to God. Twenty-four campers accepted Christ as their Savior, and 41 other decisions were recorded.

Senior High Camp — The Senior High Camp theme was “Changed!” Ben Scott of Cherokee was camp director. There were 46 campers and 11 sponsors, plus the camp staff and college team. Monday night featured a concert with three bands. Jason Taylor of Joplin was camp pastor. Chris Bolen of Bellevue, Neb., was the worship leader. Worship workshops involved each camper in music and drama.
Junior High Camp —This camp featured a theme of “The Deadliest Warriors.” Valerie Richardson of Columbus was camp director. Attendance was small with only 22 campers. But nine decisions were recorded and eyes were opened to the enemy’s deceit. The Summies and their leaders had been working since October on the lessons, team building and worship. Kevin McCloud of Liberal, Kan., was camp pastor and the Summies were the worship leaders.
Pre-Teen Camp— “Surf for Souls” for the theme of Pre-Teen Camp. The directors were Kris and Becky Smilko along with Ricky and Dana Davis, all of Sedan, Kan. Kevin Fitzgerald of Oklahoma was camp pastor and the Travis Lee Band from Missouri led worship. One of the week’s highlights was a luau on Wednesday night complete with roasted pig and all of the Hawaiian side dishes. Six campers were saved with a total of 19 decisions.
Children’s Camp — New camp directors were Randy and Darla Dirrim from Westview Baptist Church, Chanute, Kan. There were 52 campers, 12 sponsors and lots of helpers from Westview Baptist Church. “Awesome God” was the camp theme. Jim Hoipkemier from Oklahoma was camp pastor. The Haiti mission team from Cherokee taught missions. Twelve campers accepted Christ and 13 other decisions were recorded.
Kingdom Kids Camp — “Best Friends with Jesus” was the theme for Kingdom Kids Camp for first and second graders. Alyson Bailes of Neodesha and Lori Oldweiler of Altoona were the first-time camp leaders. Luke Oldweiler of Oklahoma was camp pastor. Amanda Perry, a member of the Haiti mission team, led missions. There were 66 campers and 21 sponsors.
Children’s Day Camp — The last 2012 camp session was Day Camp. Leaders were Stephen and Heather Heslip and Karen McCord. There were 40 campers, 24 sponsors and 18 staff. Children rotated among five different stations including Bible story, crafts, missions, recreation and music. The theme was “God Made the World,” and each rotation emphasized that truth.

Fall volunteer groups
Fall 2012 saw return visits from Volunteer Christian Builders and Kansas-Nebraska Campers on Mission.

Kansas-Nebraska Campers on Mission held their fall rally at the camp along with a two-week work project.

Campers on Mission projects at the camp included working on Bethel Cabin. These projects included installing knotty-pine paneling and ceramic floor tile and texturing the ceiling and walls.

Part of the COM group worked on remodeling an older cabin to be used by camp pastors and cooks.

The Campers on Mission ladies painted playground equipment, building trim and the sign at the camp entrance.

Three of the COM men worked on constructing cabinets to be installed in Bethel Cabin.

Work will soon be underway on constructing a new addition to the camp kitchen. The slab was poured in November. The new addition will include a complete clean-up station, a bathroom and a storage closet.

For more than 50 years, God has been using Weir Baptist Camp to reach people for Christ and disciple them. New cabins and other development will help make the camp even more effective in reaching people.

Never Give Up The Pursuit

2013-04-01T06:06:16+00:00

There are days when I wonder if I ever do anything right, but then once in a while, through the action of another person, God sends me a sweet message of love and encouragement. I received one of those this morning as I was urging my body out of bed while it was still dark.

Some time before 6:00 God put it on the heart of my oldest son to text me these words of encouragement, and with his permission I am sharing it with you exactly as he sent it. “Mom…Thank you for instilling fitness into my life at a young age. God being number one. Number two is fitness. It releases the things that hurt me in my own mind. I am very thankful for your endurance and perseverance in your walk with Christ and fitness. Love you, your son.”

If you are a parent I don’t have to tell you what a boost that gave me not only for the day, but will help to carry me through the entire year! It is so easy to get discouraged in our work, even when we have a passion for it.

Being beautifully transparent, my son described what it was about his workouts he was thankful for.…”it releases the things that hurt me in my own mind”. This benefit is known as the release of mental anxiety and is something important to take note of.

Bob Philips, Christian author and counselor writes, “Anxiety is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.”

Anxiety and depression are the two most common emotions that plague people. According to statistics by The National Institute of Mental Health approximately 40 million Americans, ages 18 and older, have an anxiety disorder such as panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress, generalized anxiety, and phobias.

Exercising yourself into a good sweat helps by releasing the “feel-good” brain chemicals (neurotransmitters and endorphins), reducing the “bad” immune system chemicals that can worsen depression, it takes your mind off worries and gets you out of the cycle of negative thoughts that feed the anxiety and depression, it gives you the chance to socialize with others, and teaches you healthy coping skills. What great benefits! Why aren’t we all sweating more?

The link between anxiety, depression and exercise is still being researched, but one thing is sure—working out can definitely help you relax and make you feel better. Exercise may also help keep anxiety and depression from coming back once you are feeling better.

That being said, the other part of his text stated that God was number one in importance.

God has so closely intertwined that connection of mind, body and spirit that He instructs us in Mark 12:30 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Seek God first.

Then check with your doctor and try some low-impact activities like swimming, cycling, or using an elliptical trainer (my son’s favorite) to get your heart rate up without compromising the quality of your joints.

Spiritual fitness and physical fitness… never give up the pursuit!

Beautiful Feet

2013-04-01T06:05:45+00:00

“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:15b As a health care professional we have the unique opportunity to bring good news to people in all stages of their life; birth of a baby, the near miss accident, the miraculous recovery from a serious illness. But do we ever give them the “Good News”?
What shape are your feet in? The other day I was putting a race car track on my four year old grandson’s wall. I was barefooted and on my knees, concentrating with all my might. All of sudden I felt his little fingers pulling the dried skin off the bottom of my feet!

That night, knowing I needed to write an article for this paper, Romans 10:15b, kept running through my mind. Were my spiritual feet like the bottom of my physical feet? Had I let them get dried and calloused? When was the last time I had brought someone “good news”? It was a call to let the Healer exfoliate my feet and make them beautiful again.

Are you looking for ways to bring good news? This summer offers just such a venue. Where else can you find a large population of teens and adults in a confined area for a week! Super Summer at Webster Conference Center is just around the corner.

Pray about volunteering to minister at camp as only a health care professional can. To get a list of camp dates and information, contact me, Pam, at teacupofjoy@hotmail.com or Beth Payne at bpayne@kncsb.org

‘Packages’ In Semi Trailers

2013-04-01T06:04:32+00:00

Every time I see a semi truck on the highway I wonder what it’s hauling. Could it be young girls and boys being transported like packages to the next truck stop, where they will be released 2 or 3 at a time to go clean up by begging and/or stealing soap, and then returning to the truck where, during the night truckers will come negotiate with the driver’s for one of his/her ‘packages’ to use for his/her own selfish, ugly, sexual pleasure?

Or when I’m sitting at a restaurant and wonder why the young man taking my food order refuses to look in my eyes, has bruises along his cheekbone and speaks in broken English, if he is being paid a fair wage and if he is being housed with other young men in an apartment with inadequate plumbing and no electricity.

Sex trafficking and human exploitation are in the news every day now. If you read the stories of women who have broken free, you will soon learn that the sex trade business is a huge business with male and female pimps from corporate America to blue-collar America. Sex trade and human slavery businesses are fronted as casino’s, massage parlors, bars, nail salons, restaurants, and more.

At the Wonderful Weekend for Women 2 years ago we learned about ways to identify trafficked people…nail techs at the salon we visit, hotel maids, employees at restaurants. We were told to notice homes or apartments that use padlocks on the outside of the doors, and to be a praying presence at truck stops in our communities.

I remember praying for the women who would attend WWW 2011 that they would be so uncomfortable with the info shared that they could not go home and do life as normal. Including me! And yet, here I am, still pretty comfortable with my normal life. Sure I’ve taken a stand against trafficking on face book by staying offline for one day. I read as much as I can on these issues and even passed info along to you through a variety of social media. I’ve even prayed at truck stops as I’ve stopped to get gas for my car and a nice cold or hot beverage for myself. I buy bags and clothes and shoes from businesses that help free people from the sex trade business.

But let me tell you girls, God is still whispering in my ear…you can do more! And finally, I am. In my city there is an organization that helps get girls and women out of the sex trade business by providing them a safe place to live, skills needed to get work, and an invitation to live a life of faith in a God who will never abuse them, who loves them with open arms and way too much to leave them where they are, and who will guide them to discover the purpose he always had for their lives. I’ve submitted my application and am waiting to be trained as a mentor to one or two of these girls. Please God, give me your eyes and your love and your mercy as I connect with these girls and women through this program. Let them see you through my feeble attempts of being your hands and feet.

“Then he will answer, ‘I assure you that when you haven’t done it for one of the least of these, you haven’t done it for me’.” Matt. 31:45 CEB

Life as normal? Not again!

Shiggaion!

Mari