Baptist Digest March 2013

7/29/2019 Baptist Digest March 2013

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*Representative of how funds may be used.

A GIFT TO ANNIE*

$1 Pack o door hangers promoting a new church start

$4Hygiene kit or a homeless person

$10One day o ood and shelter or someone who hasbeen rescued rom human trafcking

$15 Bible or a new believer

$20 Backpack ull o school supplies or an inner-city child

$50 Month o transportation or a church planter

$75 Weekly stipend or a summer missionary

$100Facility cost or a month o worshipservices at a new church site

$400 Monthly stipend or a church planting intern

AnnieArmstrong.com

Newsjournal Of Kansas and Nebraska Southern Baptists

www.baptistdigest.com

March 2013Vol. 56 No.3

Baptist

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KNCSB Life

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES:INFORM -- Regularly share information about ongoingtraining, curriculum, events, support and personnel.RESOURCE -- Serve as a resource pool for practicalideas about what is working in KS-NE congregationsand how it relates to all sizes of churches.GENERATIONAL -- Cast the widest net, providing sto-ries and information that will appeal to all generations

of Southern Baptists in NE-KS.FAMILY-FRIENDLY -- Be family-friendly with stories,regular columns and helps for families and leaders whowork with families.

AGE DIVERSE -- Publish stories that address thediversity of age, ethnicity, and geographical regions ofKS-NE.MISSION-ORIENTED -- Publish stories about peopleand congregations involved in missions and regularlypublicize ministry opportunities.PART OF WIDER MISSION - Help congregationsdiscover that they are part of the larger work of t heKingdom of God through their ministries.

To give local news:Local church and associational news may be submit-

ted by mail, phone, fax or e-mail.

Advertising:Advertising policy and rates are available upon

request Call 800-984-9092 or e-mail:[email protected]

STAFFEditor: Tim Boyd, PhD.

Associate Editor: Eva WilsonPrinting Coordinator: Derek Taylor

Robert T. Mills, D. Min.

KNCSB Executive Director

AFFILIATIONSAssociation of State Baptist PapersBaptist Communicators Association

The Baptist Digest(USPS 018-942)Vol. 57 No.3

Leadership Newsjournal for Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptists is published

monthly12 times a year.

5410 SW 7th StreetTopeka, KS 66606-2398Phone: (785) 228-6800Toll Free: 800-984-9092

Fax: (785) 273-4992E-mail: [email protected]

Web site: baptistdigest.com

POSTMASTER:Periodical postage paid at Topeka, KS 66606 andadditional entries. Send address changes to: TheBaptist Digest, 5410 SW 7th Street, Topeka, KS

66606-2398.

By Georges BoujaklyKNCSB State Director of MissionsE-mail: [email protected]

Learning Jesus

Lets start at the very beginning. Its a very good placeto start. When you read you begin with A, B, C. Whenyou sing you begin with Do, Re, Mi. The rst three notesjust happened to be! Thats how the Von Trapp childrenunder Maria Tutelage in the Sound of Music, were learn-ing reading and music.

But where do you startwith learning Jesus? Hisbirth? His forced immigra-tion? His rst miracle? Hiscross? His resurrection? Hiswork in the world today?

We could start at any ofthese points but that wouldnot be at the beginning.

The only place to startwith learning Jesus is beforecreation. Yes before any-thing material existed wasthe Word and the Word waswith God and the Word wasGod. All things were createdby him, and apart from himnot one thing was created that

has been created. In him was life and the life was the light of

mankind (John 1:1-2).But what was the main activity before creation? Who

was there? What was God doing then? Can we know?Is it a mystery that should be left alone? Perhaps thesequestions should not be asked. Perhaps they deserve thisanswer: Making hell for those cheeky enough to asksuch questions! I dont believe we should hesitate to askthe questions. Our faith is always seeking understanding.

John gives us a window into the primary eternal activ-ity before creation in his Gospel. If you read 17:24-26slowly youll get it loud and clear. Before creation Godsactivity consisted of loving the Son in the fellowship of

the Holy Spirit. Earning Jesus starts here.17:24 Father, I want those you have given me to be withme where I am, so that they can see my glory that you gave me because you loved me before the creation of the world.17:25 Righteous Father, even if the world does not know you,I know you, and these men know that you sent me. 17:26 Imade known your name to them, and I will continue to make itknown, so that the love you have loved me with may bein them, and I may be in them.

You see God is love and before anything else existedbesides him he was engaged in a love relationship

Walking With the Masterwith his Son. Before creation the Father was loving hisbeloved Son.

Now were in over our head for sure. What are the im-

plications of this for learning Jesus? What is the signi-cance of learning these truths and this eternal reality thatthe Scripture reveals?

Most importantly, we learn that in Christianity God isnot singular. A singular God can only express self-love.He would have no one else to love. But the Scripturesare clear that God is love eternally. He didnt start lovingwhen he created or when he sent out his Son. His verynature, the essence of his identity is love. The nature oflove is to ow toward others in self-giving.

To think of God as singular gives us no language to ap-preciate love and relationship between Father and Son.

There is a huge dierence between describing God as theUncaused and Father. For most of us Father warms theheart but Uncaused ices it.

With the singular God we would end up naming Godon the basis of his works only: Creator. That would makethis God dependent on his creating for his primary iden-tity. But when we start with Jesus, as Christianity must,the answers to the question of Gods activity before cre-ation is a beautiful, ourishing, self-giving, outowingrelationship of love. The outcome of the love relationshipof God and Son is the expression of their love in creation.

The best answers to the question of what was Goddoing before creation are not that God was in love withhimself (selsh and lonely) or creating in order to havefellowship (lonely and dependent) but that Gods mainidentity is that of Father loving his Son. To name God asFather is also to say Son. Without an eternal Son there isno eternal Father. Without an eternal Father there is no

eternal Son.The Father loves the Son and the Son is the beloved

of the Father in a way that is very particular. The love is

shared in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit as the baptismof Jesus demonstrates. The Holy Spirit descends as adove and alights on Jesus as the Fatherly words areheard: This is my beloved Son in whom I delight nowand forever. This throws us back to that rst expressionof the shared love of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in cre-ation: The Father expresses love by speaking the worldinto existence as the Spirit nurtures creation into being.

There is no shortage of testimony in the Scriptureabout God as Father and Jesus as Son and their lovingrelationship (Read John 17, 1 John especially chapter 4).The Father is the loving head who directs the Son and

sends him to us.Now the head of every man is Christ, and the head of thewoman is man, and the head of Christ is God (1 Corinthi-ans 11:3). The relationship of Gods headship of Christcascades like a waterfall of love and drenches humanitywith love. The Son is the head of the church, the specicobject of his love. So Jesus says: As the Father has lovedme, so have I loved you (John 15:9). The love of God isprimary in his relationship with the Son just as the Sonslove is primary in his relationship with the church andthe world (for God so loved the world).

As a Christian, when by faith I seek to understandGod, I must start with Jesus. Learning the identity of Je-sus as the beloved Son of the loving Father in the fellow-ship of the Holy Spirit is the most comforting truth in myown life. Learning that the primary identity of the Trinityis love that gives itself away, without limits, unboundedby anything external to God, is life changing.

Georges Boujakly

The Thought Occurred to MeBy Bob MillsKNCSB Executive DirectorE-mail: [email protected]

I want to thank you for your responses to my articlelast month and I want to continue to address thedesperate spiritual condition of our country and ourchurches. We are not without hope but we must havean absolute dependence on God.

D. Realize the awesomeness of God in our livesand in the life of our churches. When is the last timeyou have seen the awesomeness of God displayed inyour life or in the life of your church? I long for a timewhen we can see the mighty hand of God displayedin our land or in our churches. I think we, as a people,need to consecrate ourselves so that we are able to seethose mighty works. We must not try to impact ourworld without the presence of almighty God. SouthernBaptists for so many years have depended on our own

abilities... how is that working for us?E. Absolute dependence on Prayer. If my peoplewho are called by my name will humble themselvesand pray Every great awakening has always beenpreceded by a great concert of prayer. God wants to

Bob Mills

hear our hearts in prayerand we need to draw closeto God to know Him andto hear from Him. Theanswer to seeing more peo-ple come to faith in Christis prayer. The answer toour countrys condition isprayer. The answer to spiri-tual awakening is prayer.Is there a common themeyes it is prayer.

F. A steady intentionalthirst for the Word of God.I started with a focus onScripture and I will endwith the focus on Scripture.

Have we as Christians become so familiar withScripture that it has lost its holy and dynamic appealin our lives? The Bible is not just a theological manualto be responded to and exegeted. Eugene Peterson, inhis book, Eat This Book, talks about the spiritual read-

ing of the Bible. Digest the words; let the words of theBible become every part of your being. Read the Biblefor instruction, growth and devotion. May we becomemore of what we eat as it is related to Scripture.

What must we do? Repent! We must turn from dis-

obedience to the Great Commission and embrace thecommands of Christ. If we really love Him then we willdemonstrate that love with our obedience. God help us!

Scan image above for

Baptist Digest online.


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Sharing & Strengthening

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By Jon SappKNCSB State Director of Evangelism

E-mail: [email protected]

Easter is just around the corner. Im preparing sev-eral messages I will be sharing for Palm Sunday andmorning devotionals during Easter Week. As I consid-er all that God has done for us in Christ, I am remind-ed of our response to His gift of grace. In Ephesians4:1, Paul reminds us to walk worthy of the calling youhave received.

God calls, we walk. The first three chapters ofEphesians contain an abundance of Gods rich gifts ofgrace and His glory in the person and work of Jesus.

As we listen to Christs words and watch what Hedoes, we begin to see His focus upon what is importantto Him. Jesus notices faith. In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus seesthe faith of those who lowered the paralytic through

the roof. Mark 2:5 records, Seeing their faith, Jesus toldthe paralytic, Son your sins are forgiven. Faith is impor-tant to Jesus. It has value or worth. Faith is worthyof His attention and the faith of those on the rooftopprompted His action. Jesus demonstrates what God isdoing as He forgives the sins of the one on the palate.

Gods Plan for SharingAgain in Capernaum,

Jesus indentifies whatgreat faith looks like. Acenturion came to Jesuspleading for his paralyzedand suffering servant backhome. In Matthew 8, Jesusoffers to come to the homeof the centurion. However,the centurion refuses andsimply tells Jesus all thatis needed is for Jesus tospeak and use the authorityHe has. Once again, Jesusattention is captured. He

tells those following Him,I assure you: I have not found anyone in Israel with sogreat a faith. Matthew 8:10 HCSB. Once again, it isfaith that captures Jesus attention. Faith is of a realinterest for Jesus.

Now, lets connect the dots between Ephesians 4:1,

walking worthy, and what catches Jesus attention.The word worthy has a picture in it. The balance scaleis the picture of something being worthy. A pile offlour is worthy of the lead weight in the other pan.One pound of flour is worthy of the one pound weightin the other pan. Therefore, on one side of the scale wefind all that God has done for us through the giving ofHis Son. His death and burial for all of us that are, orhave been, separated from Him are in one of the panson the scale. Now we are called to live out what we doday by day as worthy or equal to what God has done.What a calling we have received. We are not saved bywhat we have done. No, but all of us are called to liveout our faith. It is living by faith that pleases God. Werecognize His work; we adjust our lives to follow Hisleading and instruction for how we should live. Paulgives us detailed instruction of this obedient and wor-

thy life in Ephesians 3-6.As we celebrate Easter, let us focus on the tremen-

dous gift given for us. Our calling to live worthy ofthis gift should motivate us. As we celebrate Easterand share with others, we are living out and fulfillingGods Plan for Sharing.

Sunday School leaders and pastors attending Life-Ways National Sunday School Director Seminar inApril will receive several user-friendly resources touse when they return home. The one-day format, 8:30am-3:00 pm, is coming Saturday, April 27, to WebsterConference Center in Salina.

The plenary sessions will explore how to instill asense of purpose and mission in your Sunday School,blueprints for growing, and developing life-changingBible teaching. The nal session will guide conferees incustomizing a strategy for their own Sunday Schools.

The registration fee of $35 per person includes theconference and lunch. In addition, each participantwill receive a notebook, a disc with all of the note-book pages and learning activities that can be usedwith church leaders back home, a copy of the How-toSunday School Manual, and a new booklet release, Ex-treme Sunday School Challenge: Engaging Our Worldthrough New Groups.

Another feature will be a display of age-gradeditems from all three LifeWay Sunday School curricu-lum options: The Gospel Project, Explore the Bible,and Bible Studies for Life. At the conclusion of the day,items from the display will be given away to interestedpersons.

Conference materials and lunch are all included foronly $35 per person. To register, go to www.lifeway.com/nssds, or call 800-254-2022. For additional infor-mation, contact Marie Clark at 800-984-9154 or [email protected].

Editors Note: For the past year we havebeen uploading the Digest to an onlinereading and download site. We have testedthis enough now to begin offering our read-ers an option.

If you would like to receive an email notica-tion of the Digest upload to the web eitherinstead of the print copy, or in addition to it,please send your email address to [email protected]. Please note whether you wouldlike to eliminate your print copy. It may takeus several months to eliminate your printcopy if that is what you choose to do. Wewant to make sure that the email noticationis working.

Bible Study Seminarto Provide Multiple

Resources

Its Celebration Time - Baptism ServiceBy Diana Davis

When a new believer is baptized, its a momentousevent. A lifes been changed for eternity! Try these

fresh ideas to make baptism a true celebration:n Smile. Express true joy. Baptism is a holy ordi-

nance, but its also a joyful event. I love it when thechurch breaks into spontaneous cheers or applause.n Get personal. One church invites their entire small

congregation to walk to the front and gather around thebaptistry. Its very touching (and makes great photos!)Some churches invite family or friends to stand duringbaptism.n Invite everyone. Create a Facebook event. Provide

printed invitations so the new Christian can inviteeveryone he or she knows! Make an e-invitation they

can forward to friends using NAMBs www.bap-tismcelebration.org or www.evite.com. Put a notice onthe church website. Remind their Sunday School classto attend.nAssign members with dcor talent to update paint

color, art, towels, hair dryer, etc., to assure the baptismdressing area is nice enough for a new child of theKing.n Prepare mementos. Take a quality photo to post

to the church website so they can forward to friends.Present a photo and baptismal certicate in a nice

holder. Their small group might buy a personally im-printed Bible; each person writes a note and highlightsa Scripture. Someone in the congregation could snapa panoramic photo and send it with a note to the newChristian.nAudiovisuals can display names during baptisms.

Personal testimonies may be communicated with aquestion, brief interview or prerecorded video-clip.Response cards can be used with an evangelistic invita-tion.n Keep celebrating. Encourage their small groups,

family and friends to plan an after-party at home or goout to celebrate. Or plan an all-church fellowship, withstories and Scriptures shared by people who inuencedthe new Christian. Bake a cake. Decorate. Celebrate!!

n Remind the church by creating an ongoing photobulletin board and an annual music video of baptisms.Wait! Youve had no recent baptisms at your church?

Put down this article and go invite someone whodoesnt know Christ to church. Then, get ready tocelebrate.

You will joyfully draw water from the springs of salva-tion. Isaiah 12:3

Diana Davis 2013. For more baptism ideas andinvitation links see www.dianadavis.org

Communications Group LeaderReports to Executive Director-Treasurer (Full-Time)Primary Function: Responsible for planning, coordi-

nation, development and implementation of the overallcommunications eort including marketing strategiesand public relations activities, both external and inter-nal, for the Executive Board of the Tennessee BaptistConvention.

Qualications: Minimum of 5 years experience incommunications or public relations with demonstrated

success, preferably with a state Baptist convention, SBCagency and/or a not-for-prot or association sector orlike-minded ministry.

Bachelors degree in public relations, marketing,communications, journalism or equivalent from accred-ited institutions. Graduate degree in related elds isdesirable, such as a Masters degree in the above areasand/or Masters of Divinity from a Southern Baptistseminary.http://www.tnbaptist.org/page.asp?cat=jobs&subcat=tbcstaf

T e n n e s s e e C o n v e n t i o n S e e k s

C o m m u n i c a t i o n s L e a d e r

A new annual stewardship emphasis titled,Motivations: Living with Heartis available forcongregations by visiting www.stewardshipdi-rect.com This new resource is based on thebook of Philemon.

In the biblical account we fnd the apostle Paul

appealing to Philemon to receive back hisrunaway servant/slave as a brother instead ofa runaway servant/slave. The runaway namedOnesimus was much more valuable now withChrist than he ever had been without him.

This four-week stewardship study with gradedlessons, dramas, song and sermon startersoffers congregations a way to see value in whatChrist can do in others.

N e w S t e w a r d s h i pR e s o u r c e A v a i l a b l e

Jon Sapp


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easter offering 2013

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Annie Armstrong Easter Offering

for North American MissionsWho was Annie Armstrong?

Every year Southern Baptists honor the life and work of Annie Walker Armstrong (1850-1938) when we give to the annual oer -ing for North American missions named aer her. Annie Armstrong led women to unite in mission endeavors that ultimately ledto forming Womans Missionary Union. She served as the rst WMU corresponding secretary. WMU began the oering in 1895and named it aer Annie Armstrong in 1934.

What is the Annie Armstrong Easter Oering (AAEO)?

The Annie Armstrong Easter Oering gives major support for reaching lost people in the United States and Canada. It provides49 percent of the North American Mission Boards income.

National oering goal for 2013:

$70 million

Amount of oering used to support missionaries and their work:

100 percent

And then I heard the voiceof the Master:

Whom shall I send?

Who will go for us?

I spoke up.

Isaiah 6:8

The Great Commission tells us to go to the whole world to make disciples. I

have tried to live that out in my own life. I have traveled to a variety of placesin the United States and around the world sharing the gospel. But, as I drivearound Nebraska and Kansas, I am struck by how underserved and gospel-needy so many areas in our convention are.

What a responsibility we have to fulll the Great Commission right in our ownback yard. I am so glad that God led me so many years ago to minister in Kan-sas and Nebraska. I am also glad that there has been a long history of missioncommitment in our two-state convention.

One of the keys in helping us impact our two states with the gospel is theViola Webb State and Associational Mission Offering. This year we will raise

funds together to touch our whole convention. One half of the money raisedwill go back to your local association for mission work. The other half of the

money will go to strategic needs across our two-state area.

Pray for the lost in your neighborhood. Look for opportunities to share thegospel message. Give so that we can carry the message to all the corners ofour convention.

Tim Boyd, Ph.D.Love Loud Director, KNCSB

Viola Webb State & Associational Missions Offering


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By Sara SheltonNorth American Mission Board writer

Kay Bennett Fulflls Gods Call in New Orleans

Mississippi native Kay Bennett, a LoveLoud missionary, directs the ministry of the BaptistFriendship House in New Orleans. LoveLoud is a movement that demonstrates Gods loveby meeting signicant human needs while sharing Christ. Bennett is a 2013 North Ameri-can Mission Board Week of Prayer missionary. Week of Prayer for North American Missionswill be held March 3-10. (NAMB photo by Susan Whitley)

North American Mission Board Week of Prayer missionaryKay Bennett (right) meets with a client at Baptist Friend-ship House in New Orleans. (Photo by Susan Whitley)

Several years ago, Melanie

found herself in a desperatesituation. Homeless and strug-gling with substance abuse,she was pregnant and sleepingunder a bridge in OklahomaCity. Life seemed hopeless.A newspaper article caughther eye, emphasizing the cityof New Orleans struggling torebuild aer Hurricane Katrina.Desperate to rebuild her life aswell, Melanie set out for NewOrleans and on the path to adivine appointment with KayBenne, a North AmericanMission Board LoveLoud mis-sionary.

Melanie contacted me andcame into our transitional hous-ing program, Benne explains.She got a job, got into collegeand is working towards her so-cial work degree now. She came

to us because she knew sheneeded help, and we oeredher the support she needed tosucceed.

Melanie is just one ofhundreds of women that KayBenne is reaching through herministry at Baptist FriendshipHouse in New Orleans. With amoo to meet needs throughlove, action, and truth, theBaptist Friendship House existsto serve and support vulnerablewomen and children as theytransition into new lives.

The ministry oers housingto homeless women and chil-dren as well as life-skill training

in areas ranging from literacyand computer skills to GED andcollege preparation.

Most of the women whocome into our transitionalprogram are geing out of a badsituation, Benne says. Theimportant thing to realize is thatthese women oen get stuck invicious cycles of addiction orabuse, and if theres not some-one there to help them breakthe cycle they have a hard timebreaking free. Through BaptistFriendship House Im able tocome alongside them and helpthem get out of the cycle forgood.

In addition to the transi-tional housing program, Benneand her team host numerouscommunity outreach eventsthroughout the year designed

to meet the physical, emotional,and spiritual needs of theircommunity. At the crux ofBennes ministry is a desire toreach the whole person, startingwith their physical and emo-tional needs before ultimatelyseeking to see them spirituallytransformed through the powerof Christ.

We see people that come tous with deep needs, and many

have never even heard whoJesus is. If I walk up to that per-son and start just quoting Scrip-

tures without oering to helpwith their immediate needs,theyll never hear it. When theycome in and see us simply beingChrist to them, that starts build-ing a bridge to share the gospeland see life change happen.

Benne has been reach-ing the hearts of New Orleansthrough Baptist FriendshipHouse for the last 15 years.

Originally from Mississippi,she came to the city more thantwo decades ago to completeher master of divinity degreeat New Orleans Baptist Theo-logical Seminary. She servedas a missionary at the Brantley

Baptist Center for nine yearsbefore taking on her current roleat Baptist Friendship House in1997.

In her time of service, Ben-ne has developed a heart notjust for the women and childrenof New Orleans but also for thecity itself.

New Orleans is such alaid-back city with somethingfor everyone, Benne says. If

youve never t in anywherein your life, you would nd aplace to t in New Orleans.

However, Benne recognizesthat much of what the city isknown for today are the thingsthat give it a darker side.

There is certainly a heavierside to the city. Things like stripclubs, alcoholism, prostitution,

they mark our city as well.The annual Week of Prayer

for North American Missions,March 3-10, 2013, and the AnnieArmstrong Easter Oering,provide support for Benneand other missionaries like herwho serve on behalf of SouthernBaptists in North America. Witha national goal of $70 million,this years oering theme isWhatever It Takes Reachingthe One.

For more than 20 years theAnnie Armstrong Easter Oer-ing has provided for my salary

as a missionary here in NewOrleans, said Benne. I havenot had to worry about raisingfunds to support me while I dothe ministry that God has calledme to do, and this allows me tototally focus on His work.

Benne is boldly ministeringto the needs of those looking tobe rescued from the darker side

of the city. Her latest challenge?Fighting the rapidly growingbale against human trackingthat is dominating the UnitedStates and, in particular, the cityof New Orleans.

Through her ministry at

Baptist Friendship House,Benne is able to provide analternative to those vulnerableto tracking as well as directthose already victimized to safehavens in the city.

It is really easy for some-one living in desperation to belured into a tracking situationand then held captive there.New Orleans is an araction

for runaways and runaways arearactive to trackers. We aretrying to intercept these vulner-able girls and bring them intoour program before they getlost. If theyve been trackedand rescued, were able to workwith local law enforcement toget them into a safe house.

Benne continued, In thiswork, I know I am in the centerof Gods will and theres no

safer place to be.For more information on

Kay Benne, visit hp://www.anniearmstrong.com/kayben-ne. To learn how you canget involved in reaching NewOrleans with the gospel, visitnamb.net/NewOrleans. Lookfor Baptist Friendship House onFacebook.

KNCSB on mission


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KNCSB on mission

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Worship Ministers Meet

For Training, InspirationWorship leaders in Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptistchurches were reminded to usethe Scripture in planning wor-ship.

This challenge came dur-ing the recent KNCSB WorshipLeader and Family Retreat heldrecently in Topeka, Kan.

Joe Crider from The South-ern Baptist Theological Semi-nary in Louisville, Ky., was theretreats featured speaker. He isan associate dean and a profes-sor of worship and music at theseminary.

Crider reminded the wor-ship ministers of the crucialroles they play. During theretreats open session on Fridaynight, Jan. 18, Crider discussed

Whats at Stake on SundayMorning?

Whats at stake in our timesof corporate worship? Peoplesview of God. This is an amazing

stewardship that we have.Crider challenged the wor-

ship ministers to study GodsWord so they can have a strongspiritual foundation in theirown lives.

Then plan worship based on

Scripture using the gospel as thecore, he said.

David Manner, KNCSB asso-ciate executive director, was theretreat organizer. He reminded

KNCSB worshipleaders are urgedto attend the Na-

tional WorshipLeaders Confer-

ence July 15-18 inLeawood, Kan.

the group about several upcom-ing events:

n April 22-23 Kansas-Nebraska Singing Men missiontour. The group will be makinga return trip to west-centralKansas to stage concerts atcorrectional facilities, includingEllsworth Correctional Facility.

n

July 15-18 NationalWorship Leader Conferenceat Church of the Resurrection,Leawood, Kan. Contact Mannerfor information about registra-tion discounts plus scholarshipsavailable from KNCSB. Callhim at (800) 984-9092 or sende-mail to [email protected] more information aboutthe conference at hp://nation-alworshipleaderconference.

com/ks/nMarch 7-8, 2014 KNCSB

Youth Worship Arts Camp atWebster Conference Center,Salina, Kan.

Quilts made by the new quilting group at MetropolitanBaptist Church, Wichita, Kan., were on display during thechurchs recent missions banquet. Quilting with a Causegrew out of a quilting class led by Rhonda Davis in thespring of 2012. The class led to a quilting group that quick-ly took on the huge task of making 45 quilts for residents ofa local boys home. The quilts were presented to the boysduring a Christmas party in early December 2012.

Quilting with a Cause, the quilt group at MetropolitanBaptist Church, Wichita, Kan., made 45 quilts for a localboys home. This label was attached to the backing on eachquilt. (Below) Rhonda Davis (right) gives points on quiltconstruction during a work session at Metropolitan Baptist

Church. She urged the women to pray over every stitchfor the boys who would be receiving the quilts.

Three Campus Ministers to RetireThree veteran KNCSB cam-

pus ministers are retiring at theend of the school year in May.

Bre Yohn and Bob Ander-son have served for 40 years.Yohn serves at the Universityof Nebraska in Lincoln whileAnderson serves at Kansas StateUniversity in Manhaan.

A third campus minister Rick Clock at the University ofKansas in Lawrence recentlyannounced his plans to retire

aer 32 years of service.You can help tell the story

of how these three men haveimpacted KNCSB and the worldby sending your tributes to EvaWilson at [email protected].

Please dont forget to tellabout the impact of their wiveswho have stood beside themthrough the years, oen out ofthe spotlight.

If you were a part of one ofthese campus ministries, please

list the year you graduated orthe years you aended. Please

also include your hometownand where you are now living.Photos, especially in digital

format, also are welcomed. Sendhard-copy photos to Eva Wilsonat KNCSB, 5410 SW 7th St., To-peka, KS 66606. The photos willbe scanned and returned.

Thanks for your help intelling the story of these threemens ministries.

Baptist Builders Announce ProjectsUpcoming projects for

Kansas-Nebraska Baptist Build-ers have been announced:

n March 4-8 FirstBaptist Church, Washington,Kan., work on electrical in thechurchs new addition.

n March 18-22 Rebuild-ing in Joplin, Mo., site of the

tornado in late May 2011.Come and join us on these

projects and get a blessing.Come for a day, several daysor a week, said Elah TouchTouchton, team leader for Bap-tist Builders.

Call Touchton at (620)230-9962 or send e-mail to

[email protected] is an electrical con-

tractor who belongs to TrinityBaptist Church, Pisburg, Kan.

Baptist Builders specializesin electrical work. Volunteerswith no experience are wel-comed and on-the-job trainingwill be provided.

Thank you for

supporting the

Cooperative Program.

www knwomen com


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www.knwomen.com

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March2013

As I read about the night Je-

sus and Peter walked on water,I realized there are seven thingsI admire and want in my lifethat Jesus did that night. 1). Je-sus prayed. He sent the crowdso so He could draw near toGod. 2). Jesus left praying tohelp friends. Even though Hewas on the mountaintop withGod, He went down to thewaves to help His disciples.3). Jesus lived the miraculous

without fanfare. He simply walked on water. He did notsay, Hey, look at me! He just did it. 4). Jesus heardand answered. When Peter asked to walk on water,Jesus said, Come! When Peter freaked out at the windand sank, Jesus immediately lifted him up. 5). Jesusspoke truth. Peter needed to know that he lacked faithand still struggled with doubt. He simply stated thetruth because the truth sets us free. 6). Jesus presencestopped the wind and the waves. Creation obeyed Jesus.

Like JesusHis presence is powerful. 7). Jesus presence brought

healing and all who touched Jesus were healed.As I prepared this lesson, I realized that there are two

levels to what I need to learn from Jesus. On one level,I needed to learn how to act like Jesus toward thosearound me, and on a spiritual level I needed to trustthese truths about Jesus. I needed to believe in themand not doubt. Practically, I realized that I needed todraw away from people to pray. My alone time withGod is what enables me to serve others. It is also whathelps me to recognize when someone is in the windand waves of life. This is when I must leave prayer andget involved in the lives of those around me. I cantjust join them, but I need to listen and respond. Thismeans at times that I am to be the helping hand thatlifts someone up out of the waves. Although I cannot dothe miraculous I need to make sure that I do not make abig deal of what God is doing in me or through me. Theaction will speak for itself. It did when Jesus walkedon water. On the more dicult side of things, speak-ing truth in love is not always easy, but it is necessary.Especially if it is a truth that needs to be heard so the

friend will be beer equipped to walk in the places they

are called to walk. Without a doubt, Jesus presence ispowerful, creation obeys Him, and His presence heals.This means that I must make sure that I never forgetthe power of presence and that as a child of God, whenI show up, I represent the presence of Christ. He alonewill choose the outcome of His presence. I just need tobe the open vessel ready and willing to be there. If Hestops the wind and heals then it is by Him alone andnot me.

I am always astounded at how God reveals so muchthrough such a short passage of Scripture. What aboutyou? What aspect of Jesus friendship do you need togrow in? Or on a spiritual level, which character traitof Jesus do you need to simply believe in? Whether it isin belief or in service, pray and ask God to grow theseseven characteristics in you. I know I am!

Father, help me to be more like Jesus in every way!

Simply,Tara

(Feel free to contact me at [email protected].)

By Patti BoswellKNCSB Ministry Wives Consultant

Its hard to believe my husband and I have been inKansas now for over 5 years! I look back at some of the

events that have taken place, and I can rejoice over theseand know they are spiritual markers in my life, andworthy of stones of remembrance. In the Old Testament,the people of God were told to place stones of remem-brance, as a reminder of what God had done for them.

When we built our house, we had some left -overwhite stones, and they were chunked in a pile in thefront owerbed amidst the shrubbery. (My neighborsare probably wondering if this is a permanent dcor! )

These are my stones of remembrance!I will label one of the stones Thanksgiving to remember God selling our

house in another state after 14 months of praying.In these past 5 years, God has blessed our children in ministry, and added

to our number of grandchildren. I will label another stone Blessing, tocelebrate the fact that He sees t to bless and increase our family.

God has also worked in our church, numerically and spiritually to accom-plish His plan in our city. I will name that stone Faithfulness.

HE has provided a job at school for me, and brought many friends into mypath. I will name another stone Goodness.

HE has allowed us, along with our church, to stretch out to other places todo ministry in His name. I will name that stone Praise! I could add MORE

stones as I think of all God has done, but I think we have some kind of neigh-borhood ordinance and that would require some sort of permit, Im sure!

But just let me tell you this! Next to the pile of stone, lies a much olderstone. It is smaller, and worn, and has a story of its own to tell. It onceserved as a cornerstone for my great-grandfathers house. It stands to remindme of my heritage, and I can hear my Dads words call out to me when Isee it: Remember who you are and who you represent. Well, doesnt ourHeavenly Father say those same words to us?

1 Peter 2:5 says, you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritualhouse to be a holy priesthood, oering spiritual sacrices acceptable to God

through Jesus Christ.It is for our benet to stop and remember. It you dont have somethingconcrete to help you remember, grab your calendar from last year! Or yourbank statement! Take a look at it! Look back! It strengthens us and it gloriesGod! Praise God for the good and the hard times. Days of sickness and timesof health! Hes in both of them, you know. And He is faithful! Rememberthat! Praise His name! Every day!

Stones of Remembrance

By Sarah SchmidtKNCSB Womens Leadership Childrens Resource Team-

Leader

Are you a mother or grandmother ofa 1st-6th grade girl? Do you work with1st-6th grade girls? If so, you shouldcome to GLOW! GLOW is the annualmother/daughter retreat for girls in therst through sixth grades. Our themefor GLOW 2013 is: Pray for Missionar-ies. The theme verse for this year isLuke 10:2: He said to them, A large

Hey WWW fans! We are excited to bring toyou our special guest speaker for the 2013WWW, Jennie Allen. Check out her website,www.jennieallen.com We are equally disap-pointed that the Geys, whom we thoughtwe were going to have, realized they areexhausted, need a sabbatical, and so are tak-ing one May through October. Please prayfor them as they retreat with God for a timeof refreshment and renewal. We promise

to work on geing them another year, butwe think you are going to love Jennie! Thetheme for WWW 2013 is Chase, where Jen-nie will speak to her book of the same title,geing to the heart of David. Mark yourcalendars now for September 13 & 14 andwe will see all you wonderful women atWebster Conference Center!

crop is in the elds, but there are only afew workers. Ask the Lord in charge of

the harvest to send workers to bring itin.(CEV) This year we will be learningwhy and how to pray for missionaries.Priscilla Sapp, a missionary advocate,will be our speaker. Our worship musicleader is Mandy Horsman, back bypopular demand. GLOW is April 5th &6th at Webster Conference Center in Sa-lina. Registration information is in yourchurch now. Hope to see you there!

Speaker set for WWW

www KNCSB org


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Coming April 19-20, 2013,a conference for ourNormative (under 150 in atten-dance) Churches.

Place:Webster Conference Center

Keynote: Terry Dorsett, author

(Developing Leadership Teamsin the Bivocational Church) andnormative church leader.

Who: Pastors, key leaders, andspouses

The conference will begin Friday evening (19th) and con-

clude mid to late afternoon on Saturday (20th). In additionto Dorsett, there will be breakout session dealing with is-sues facing the normative churches of KNCSB.

The cost for the conference will be $40 per person and $60per couple. This includes one night lodging at WCC and 2meals plus a gift book. To make a reservation, contact JanaGifford ([email protected] or call 800-984-9092).

Nall Avenue Baptist Church, Prairie Village, KS, is searching for a full-timeMinister of Children & Families. We are searching for a passionate candidate

who excels at organization, planning, and delegation. Resumes should be sentto [email protected]. Please visit nallave.org for additional information.

Cooperative Program:

the Heartbeat of Missions in KNCSBWCC Update

n WCC attained debt free status in February 2013 with all debts paid in full.n User Days for January 2013 were very strong, but not a record for January.n Revenue for January 2013 was up $19,873.49 above the 2012 revenues.n WCC recently received a $1,000 Grant from the Greater

Salina Community Foundation (GSCF) for the new Disc GolfCourse thanks to the WCC supporters who voted for this proj-ect in a recent popularity contest held by the GSCF. WCCnished rst among nine projects competing for the prize.n WCC recently received a new 2013 Matching Challenge

Grant from a Kansas family to begin the Dining Hall expan-sion project to increase Dining Hall seating to 500.n Mann & Company, P.A. of Hutchinson, KS was recently

hired as the architectural rm for the Dining Hall expansion project, and the WCCBoard is now evaluating their preliminary concept plans.n An estate settlement gift was recently given to WCC for $162,439.47 for the

Dining Hall expansion project.n Please pray that WCCs greatest numbers for the year will be the number of

lives that are transformed by God through events held at the facility in 2013.n WCC is now available to KNCSB Associations to begin booking their 2015

meetings at WCC.n KNCSB churches may begin booking their 2015 meetings at WCC begin-

ning April 1, 2013.n Thank you for your prayers, nancial support and usage of WCC.TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY!

Thank you for your continued support of this mission facility as wecontinue to reach people for Christ and train believers for the work of theministry!

The WCC Staff

Documents

Baptist Digest March 2013