Arkansas
How do you almost triple a church’s missions budget and increase a church’s Cooperative Program gifts by more than 40% over the course of four years? One key is the leadership of a missions-minded pastor. Michael Daugherty, pastor of First Baptist Church Sheridan, said the church “has decided that we are not going to be an earthly investment firm but a Kingdom-investing church. … When God called me to pastor, He laid on my heart the necessity and urgency of using whatever influence He gives me to lead His people to give.” Daugherty believes ongoing education helps members understand the importance of giving generously to help spread the gospel, Arkansas Baptist News reported. The church spends time in its worship services, often through the use of video, providing education on the need to give to support state, North American and international missions. “Lives depend on us understanding that we must destroy our idol of self and steward everything of God’s well,” he said. Click here to read more.
Florida
“We want to help train the American church to become missionaries to the unchurched, unsaved Vietnamese in their community,” said Quang Nguyen, pastor of the Vietnamese congregation of First Baptist Church Jacksonville. Feeling the burden of lost Vietnamese people in the Jacksonville area, Nguyen founded “Nails for Eternity,” a ministry that trains Americans to share Scripture and the gospel in both English and Vietnamese with nail salon techs who work in the 300-plus nail salons in Jacksonville, reported the Florida Baptist Witness. Nguyen understands that by reaching one person, an entire family has been reached, even family still in Vietnam. The process is meant to be slow and deliberate so Christians get to know their nail techs. “First you must have a caring heart,” Nguyen said. It’s important to form a relationship so the nail salon techs are more receptive to God’s word, he believes. “You are successful if you sow the seed of the gospel.” Click here to read more.
Georgia
“Every generation needs revival,” said Baptist Retirement Communities chief executive officer Shannon Watson in response to a tent revival at Palmetto Park Senior Living in Georgia. Executive director Matthew Galyon organized a five-night tent revival for residents, bringing in pastors and worship teams from churches in the community, reported The Christian Index. Galyon understands the importance of igniting a spiritual fire in residents’ hearts. “I want our tenants’ faith to be renewed, know that they are not alone and that God still has a purpose for their life,” he said. Tom Patterson, a retired pastor, explains many seniors “know there’s ‘something’ lacking, and they’re finding that ‘something’ is Jesus.” Palmetto Park leaders plan to expand the outreach once the pandemic is over, giving residents the opportunity “to find a new purpose in not only growing in their relationship with the Lord, but also in serving Him through true community outreach and evangelism.” Click here to read more.
Kentucky
Feeling unsure about being asked to pastor the church where he was baptized as a child, Joey Woods took his family to prayer walk outside Union Baptist Church one evening, reported Kentucky Today. Woods decided he wanted to pray inside the church, and he remembered a “basement door that was faulty. I was able to squeeze my youngest daughter in, and she unlocked the door.” Praying in the sanctuary, Woods sensed the Lord’s peace in the decision. He had no reason to leave his current church where he served as associate pastor, but he could not deny the call. During the pandemic, a deacon from Union asked if he would be willing to preach a few Sundays. Those few Sundays turned into week after week until the church asked him to become its pastor. This November marked Woods’ one-year anniversary at Union. Woods has focused on growing the children’s ministry. “I knew if you do things for kids, the parents will follow,” Woods said. As for that faulty basement door at the church? “Yeah,” he said, “that’s been replaced.” Click here to read more.
Louisiana
Two Louisiana Baptist church plants recently celebrated first baptisms, reported the Baptist Message. SweetWater Church in Abita Springs, baptized two sisters, Natalie and Sarah Cowell, in a horse trough. The girls’ mother watched through tears. In 2019, after her husband passed away from cancer, the mother became angry at God and stopped going to church until she heard about SweetWater. “I knew it was time for us to get back into church and for my daughters to finally take that next step of baptism several years after they had accepted Christ,” she said. Harvest Church in Treme also celebrated its first baptism during its initial service as a congregation. “It was a special and sweet moment,” said Pastor Andrew Hanna. “There were a lot of people who walked with us along this journey, and they were there the day we had our first service.” To read more, click here.
Tennessee
“Off the Grid” is a unique ministry that allows pastors to rest together while hiking on the Appalachian Trail, reported the Baptist and Reflector. This outlet allows pastors to “hike with one another, share with one another, learn from one another and encourage one another,” said Marty Shadoan, pastor of First Baptist Church Rockwoode. Officially launched in 2020 by Kevin Perrigan, camp manager at Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center, the ministry “started as a discussion with a pastor friend … about the idea of a backpacking trip just for pastors, with the purpose of allowing them to disconnect from the stresses of the ministry,” Perrigan said. “Off the Grid” offers pastors the freedom to be vulnerable with each other, which strengthens them and their ministry. To read more, click here.
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