BRANSON – Friendly Baptist Church here, a congregation with about 110 average Sunday attendance, had a debt problem – to the tune of $1.8 million. When Monty Dunn became pastor in 2014, the debt had been reduced to $1.35 million, but through practical and some unique circumstances, the church paid off the full debt 96 months later, in August 2022. By Dunn’s pastor anniversary month, the church was debt free. “We’re going to get used to a new normal, and we’re not exactly sure what that … [Read more...]
MBCollegiate conference scheduled for Feb. 24-25
FULTON – The Missouri Baptist Collegiate Conference is set to take place at First Baptist Church here, Feb. 24-25. Highlighting the theme, “Whom shall I send?” from Isaiah 6, the 2023 MBCollegiate conference is focused on training collegiate leaders and students to consider their role in making disciples of all nations. The special guest speaker will be Julius Tennal, who currently serves as International Missions Pastor of the Summit Church in Durham, N.C. Tennal has served in vocational … [Read more...]
Missouri Baptists approach $1 million in MMO giving
JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Baptists gave more to state missions in 2022 than in any previous year, setting a new record of $990,740 for the Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering (MMO), according to just-released preliminary figures. Total MMO receipts for 2022, which are disbursed in 2023, outpaced the goal of $740,000 and shattered the previous record of $824,436 set in 2021. 2022 marked the 10th straight year of MMO receipts above $700,000. The number of churches contributing to … [Read more...]
Jennifer Rothschild awarded honorary doctorate from Southwest Baptist University
BOLIVAR (SBU) – Jennifer Rothschild, author, speaker, and podcast host, has been awarded an honorary doctor of Christian Ministry degree by Southwest Baptist University, an honor presented to her at the 2022 SBU Winter Commencement by President Rick Melson. “One of the highest honors of an academic institution is the awarding of an honorary doctoral degree. At SBU we are deliberate and judicious in the awarding of honorary degrees. A candidate is considered for an honorary degree based … [Read more...]
God had plans for bivocational pastor on court, behind the pulpit
WILLOW SPRINGS – From an early age, David Cox knew what he what he wanted to do when he grew up. But God had a different plan. “My original plan in life was to be a teacher and coach,” said Cox, now the pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, here. Growing up in Indiana, he had Hoosier Fever and was in love with basketball. “I thought nothing else would ever grab me like that,” Cox said. And yet, the Lord kept nudging Cox in a different direction. When he was around 16 years old, Cox began … [Read more...]
GEM event fosters passion for missions
JEFFERSON CITY – Girls Experiencing Missions (GEM) is a two-day event where girls think about missions and pursuing a living relationship with Jesus Christ. Girls experience hands-on missions in praying, giving, learning and doing, and meet with a missionary. This year 57 girls, leaders and staff met at Concord Baptist Church, Jefferson City, to do just that. The girls traveled through six different missions rotations, fulfilling the different objectives of Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) – … [Read more...]
Joyful Giveaway: FBC Kearney cheerfully serves community
KEARNEY – On Dec. 3, First Baptist Church, Kearney, held its annual Joyful Giveaway (a community outreach event) served 165 families, met over 780 people, and gave away more than 400 bags – or 3-1/2 tons – of groceries. The church has presented Joyful Giveaway since 2011. Ken Parker, senior pastor, said the idea came out of his noticing a similar event at First Baptist Church, Branson. “We want to do something that makes people feel really special,” Parker said, “and demonstrate that … [Read more...]
Live Nativity play presented in Springfield by Greene County Association volunteers
SPRINGFIELD – For their 40th year, Springfield area Baptists staged a play of the life of Christ in the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds. Held in early December, the play is a series of scenes of the life of Jesus Christ from birth to resurrection. This year about 2,000 people sat in bleachers to see the scenes enacted. At the end of the three evening run, the organizers discovered there were 84 people saved and 133 who asked for prayer. Local church volunteers will follow up on each of these … [Read more...]
Free Christmas store offered to low-income families at Grand Oak Mission, Springfield
SPRINGFIELD – The Grand Oak Mission Center is offering a free “Christmas store” to their low-income neighbors that participate in the activities of the ministry center. David Jackson, Grand Oak Mission director, said they set aside usable gifts, that people donate and people may “shop” for items for their family members. He said it is a blessing to the community, and they can choose up to three gifts for each of their family members who are registered with the center. Director of … [Read more...]
Journey to Bethlehem attracts 1,700 to FBC Troy
TROY – The “Journey to Bethlehem” walk through nativity at First Baptist Church here had 1,700 people tour the village of Bethlehem last year. Coordinators Heather Lindsay and Diane Campbell said they expect about that many this year, and they have added some new features to the walk-through dramatic reenactment of the first Christmas. The outdoor walk is set up around the church property with guides taking participants through various encounters with people who would have been on the … [Read more...]
‘Adults on Mission’ group ministers at Baptist Homes
JEFFERSON CITY – At the April 2022 Missouri Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) Missions Celebration, Baptist Homes and Healthcare Ministries sponsored a meal for attending conference leaders, board members and guests. As Ron Mackey, Vice President for Community Engagement, shared about the plans for expansion and ministries happening at the various locations around the state, he expressed a desire for WMU groups to return to their campuses after COVID. Linda Graham, WMU director for Blue … [Read more...]
MBU theatre recounts ‘Christmas truce’ of 1914
ST. LOUIS – By the end of 1914, British and German troops had dug themselves into trenches across the European landscape. The nations of Europe had been engaged in warfare since that summer, and bloody years of fighting still lay ahead. But, on the eve of Christmas in 1914, soldiers for a short time remembered Christ’s message of hope and peace. On that day, some British soldiers heard German troops singing Christmas carols on the other side of the battlefield. So, the following day, they … [Read more...]
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