ARKANSAS
First Southern Baptist Church in Bryant recently partnered with the missions team from the Arkansas Baptist State Convention to host their first medical/dental clinic of the year.
The ABSC missions team assisted the church by providing equipment needed for the event. The March 5 clinic was staffed and planned by FBC Bryant, while the church provided volunteer medical and dental staff, as well as church members who were able to share the gospel with those in attendance.
The clinicians saw 128 patients, extracted 106 teeth and performed 43 cleanings. Three salvations were recorded. To read more of this story, click here.
FLORIDA
Aware of the difficult, lonely and emotionally challenging times pastors face as they juggle ministry and their own well-being, a team of pastors in Walton County are taking steps to encourage and strengthen their brothers in ministry, reported The Florida Baptist Witness.
The Walton County Baptist Association’s Minister Encouragement Team was created with three local pastors committing to pray for other pastors and uplift them through relationships.
“This gives us close relationships to share our concerns and burdens. I find myself encouraged as I strive to encourage one another. It is an iron-sharpening-iron relationship,” team member Randy Nelson, pastor of Westside Baptist Church in DeFuniak Springs, said.
The West Florida pastors call, send text messages and invite pastors out to eat with the goal of being a blessing to their fellow pastors. In addition to pastors reaching out to pastors, other goals include making sure each pastor has a friend who holds him accountable and that church members participate as encouragers and help meet needs within the church. Nelson also invited his church members to support other pastors in the association by sending cards to let them know someone is praying for them. To read more of this story, click here.
GEORGIA
Becoming a revivalist while he was studying at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1996, Scott Smith has ministered across the country for 26 years. It’s something he still enjoys, though it’s transitioned to a part-time ministry.
Now the communications director for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, Smith continues to tell others about finding an identity in Christ.
He also shares the gospel message through his podcast, “The Sermonators,” with Joel Southerland, lead pastor of Peavine Baptist Church in Rock Spring. Southerland said he and Smith share a passion for using “business tools” for the church.
“Marketing and evangelism are both trying to get a message out,” Southerland noted. “If we can leverage the tools of marketing for the church, it helps us get the message of the gospel out.” Click here to read more.
KENTUCKY
Richard Greene, director of the Freeda Harris Baptist Center, gave 1,432 kids in Pike County backpacks sent from the Georgia Baptist Convention, along with extra Christmas backpacks donated by churches in the Pike Association of Southern Baptists, reported Kentucky Today.
Greene also delivered about 250 backpacks to Princeton to help those impacted by the Dec. 10 tornado devastation in western Kentucky. The backpacks included a Bible, a printed copy of the Christmas story, new clothing items, hygiene products, socks, underwear, toys and nonperishable foods.
“We had some leftover backpacks as well, so we ended up having about 600 to distribute,” Harrell Riley, executive director of HR Ministries and a KMSC missionary, said.
“We took them to First Baptist Church in Dawson Springs, where we had a partnership with a team that did a recovery meeting for those in the community impacted by the tornado.”
Seven people made professions of faith at that distribution. Click here to read more.
LOUISIANA
Last year Riverside Baptist Church in Vidalia — which averages 70 for Sunday worship service — witnessed 10 people profess Jesus as Lord. Six of those already have been baptized, reported the Louisiana Baptist Message.
In early 2020, the congregation moved Sunday assembly from the 1,680-square-foot worship center to the 4,000-square-foot family life center. Since then, members have recreated the space for worship services and Sunday School.
“When we open this up, we are praying and believing that God will send even more folks our way who need to hear about the Good News they have through His Son,” Willie Gillespie, a member of the building committee, said. To read more, click here.
TENNESSEE
The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board hosted a “Blue Oval City Coalition” on Feb. 22 at Brownsville Baptist Church to discuss church planting and church revitalization necessary to meet the massive population increase in West Tennessee due to the Ford Motor Company automobile plant, reported Tennessee Baptist and Reflector.
“Teach your churches to pray for people before they move into the community. Prepare for a harvest,” Kevin Minchey, TBMB church revitalization specialist, said.
In September 2021, Ford Motor Company announced plans to construct Blue Oval City, a $5.6 billion project to produce electric trucks and electric batteries, creating thousands of jobs in Stanton.
It will be the largest automobile manufacturing plant in the nation, according to projections. Click here to read more.
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