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May 2020 – News and Views from Camp Garwood

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Colossians 1:15-20 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” ESV

History is HIS story. An appropriate theme for 2020, much better than ‘vision 2020’ because none of us saw this coming. But Jesus did, even this is His story. We don’t know what the LORD is doing with this time in history. There’s a lot of speculation, there’s a lot of accusations. But that’s the thing about history. We can’t really see what’s going on until it has already happened. Is it all a hoax? Will half the population be killed off? Is it an evil plan devised and carried out by a political party, or another country? There are all kinds of ideas floating around, some of them a lot crazier than others.

While we don’t know what the end of the Coronavirus will look like, we do know what THE END looks like. Jesus will be seated on HIS throne ruling over HIS perfect creation, and in that knowledge I find peace.

Just like you, I have more questions than answers at this point. Will we have camp? I don’t know. If we do, what will that look like? I don’t know. When will you know? I don’t know. Even by the time you are reading this report it will still be too early to make a decision. I would like to say, “You know what, It’s not as bad as they say, we are having camp no matter what.” But the reality is, We can’t say that. And that is not a lack of faith.

I was able to watch the Governors Broadcast on FB today. I was actually able to tune in early. It seemed like 15 minutes but was probably only 3-4 minutes of watching closed doors. No movement, no talking, just closed doors. And even at that the angry faces were flying. There were some likes and hearts too, but it was overwhelmingly angry faces. People angry because he is opening the state, because he isn’t opening it fast enough, because he didn’t open it soon enough, because he didn’t close it fast enough, because he is helping this group and hasn’t done anything about this that or the other. Everyone has an opinion and on FB they don’t care to share it. In the midst of the angry faces and the angry comments people were signing in, posting where they are from. Florissant, Jackson, Kennett, Branson, Literally all over the state. When you think about that load, Whether you like him or hate him, that guy has a lot of weight on his shoulders and no matter what he does, a lot of people are not going to like it.

Everyone has an opinion, but that doesn’t make them right. People are failing to realize, this pandemic is not about them. Oh, it involves you in some way. But it is not about you. Even though we can’t see it yet, it is about Jesus. Everything that happens in history will be for HIM. “All things are for him and through Him and to Him.” He will receive glory through this; the question is, will it be by your lips and actions?

When your pastor or your elders or your deacons make a decision during this time remember they didn’t ask for this. They are doing the best they can and trying to glorify the LORD in the process. Their decision may not agree with yours but they don’t need to know that and neither does anyone else. Remember, It’s not about you.

Whatever the camp committee decides about camp this year it will be the right decision because it will be made through prayer and with the desire to please the LORD. Whatever we decide some of you will have other opinions. Remember, It’s not about you. There are a lot of things to factor into our decision. Are there liability issues? We are drawing in people from all over the state and out of state to pack into dorms that are not social distancing friendly. The tabernacle doesn’t have walls but we are normally packed in the pews. Will food be an issue? Will kids practice being sanitary? (That record speaks for itself). Right now it’s early May, How will the numbers be trending at the end of June? There are too many questions that can’t be answered yet. So be patient, we are waiting as long as possible to make a decision.

At this point we have no activities planned at camp, The DEWr weekend and the GMA retreat are on hold. We are continuing to do maintenance at camp and plan to have camp ready to go, hopeful that it will be used.
We have opened a PayPal account for camp to help you support this ministry. The easiest way to find us on PayPal is with our email address. campgarwood@gmail.com It will show up as Baptist Missionary Association of Missouri because that is our official name. But it will send the funds directly to the camp account.

Have a great day and remember to pray,
Chris Polk, Camp Garwood
PO Box 271 • Matthews, MO 63867
573-380-1975 • campgarwood@gmail.com

The Votes are In, and Here are the Results!

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As president of the BMA of America, I want to thank the officers of our association, the department directors, and especially John Merriweather and his BMA of America Service Team for their cooperation in providing the opportunity for our churches to vote on several issues that simply needed to be decided this spring. I also want to thank the churches and pastors of our association for graciously cooperating with us as we navigated through this unprecedented national emergency.

The following results express the will of the churches concerning the issues that were placed before them to consider:

  • Proposed Change to the Amendments to the Statement of Principles of Cooperation Article X (Department of Camp Ministries) — In Favor, 188; Opposed, 1; Abstained, 1.
  • Proposed Change to the Amendments to the Statement of Principles of Cooperation Article XII (Publications Department) — In Favor, 188; Opposed, 1; Abstained, 1.
  • Proposed Addition to the Amendments to the Statement of Principles of Cooperation Article XVII (BMA of America Service Team) — In Favor, 184; Opposed, 3; Abstained, 3.
  • Proposed changes to Reordering the Articles of the BMAA Statement of Principles of Cooperation — In Favor, 186; Opposed, 2; Abstained, 2.
  • DiscipleGuide Board Recommendations — In Favor, 182; Opposed, 3; Abstained, 5.
  • Lifeword Board Recommendations — In Favor, 185; Opposed, 4; Abstained, 1.
  • BMA Seminary Trustee Recommendations — In Favor, 186; Opposed, 2; Abstained, 2.
  • Advisory Committee Recommendations for the Missions Department — In Favor, 182; Opposed, 3; Abstained, 5.
  • Moral Action Board Recommendations — In Favor, 184; Opposed, 3; Abstained, 3.
  • Ministers Resource Services Board Recommendations — In Favor, 186; Opposed, 2; Abstained, 2.
  • BMA Foundation Board Recommendations — In Favor, 186; Opposed, 2; Abstained, 2.
  • Resolution on Beholding the Majesty of God — In Favor, 154; Opposed, 15; Abstained, 21.
  • Nominating Committee Report — In Favor, 182; Opposed, 3; Abstained, 5

I remind you that since Pastor Richard Smith and the people of Farley Street Baptist Church in Waxahachie, Texas worked so hard to prepare for our coming this year, we have decided to allow Farley Street to host the 2021 national meeting which will be held April 19-21, 2021. The 2022 meeting will be held in Springfield, Mo. and the 2023 meeting will at Antioch Baptist Church in Conway, Ark.

Editor’s Note: To review these items go to bmaamerica.org/national meeting and click on 2020 BMA Reports & Recommendations

May 2020 – Mission Director’s Report

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Learning is an on-going part of life. This is so very true at this particular time as our churches and departments, along with most of us as individuals, are learning a lot of things we never thought about before. Many are finding that we can do some things differently than we imagined and sometimes different is better but sometimes it makes us long to get back to where we were!

It is hard to make some decisions, especially those that affect others, and our leaders are doing the best they can with the knowledge they have.
One thing that stands out is that when we have meetings scheduled and must make changes giving people time to make adjustments it is helpful to get the information out quickly.

For this reason I asked our associational clerk about setting up a Facebook page for the BMA of Missouri. He graciously offered to take care of it.

Now that we have a Facebook page you are encouraged to check it from time to time get information that we might post between the monthly editions of the Missouri Missionary Baptist.

Just go to Facebook and type in BMAMissouri to visit our page. We need you to join our group and tell others to check it out.

We also appreciate the work of Bro. Brad Miller who maintains our BMAMissouri.org website. He posted the cancelation of our meetings as soon as we notified him.

We are trying to make sure we keep our people notified of changes that occur.

It has been encouraging to hear about, and sometimes see the many ways our churches have continued to minister in their areas during the last several weeks. The use of technology has enhanced several ministries and has opened doors for future possibilities of communicating God’s Word to the World!

I am sure there are some questions, and a lot of opinions about what to do since we are not having our Missions Symposium and Mid-Year Business Meeting. Those involved in making the decision (the host pastor, our President, our Clerk, and Missions Director) agree that everything can be taken care of at the Annual Meeting in October without causing any problems and only a slight delay in transitioning to a new Missions Director who will be elected in October instead of now.

There was no nominee for the position of Editor so that will be addressed in October.

My resignation as Missions Director was to be effective October 1, 2020, so the committee will have recommendations about extending that until the newly elected Director can make the transition.

All other committees will give their reports and recommendations in October.

Thanks for your patience and prayers!

James Hoffmann

Cancellation of Missions Symposium and Mid-Year Business Meeting

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Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and the uncertainty of the wisdom of meeting together in a confined area, the BMA of Missouri Missions Director, President, Clerk and Host Pastor make the following announcement:

As those who are responsible for planning the Missions Symposium and Mid-Year Business Meeting of the BMA of Missouri, we feel it is in the best interest of all involved that we cancel these meetings that were scheduled May 15 – 16, 2020 at New Testament Baptist Church in Sullivan.

It is our opinion that any business necessary can be taken care of by the proper committee subject to approval by the messengers in our annual meeting 9:00 a.m. October 10, 2020, at Zion Baptist Church in St. Louis and until then we should be able to operate in all areas without any problems.

Our clerk will mail the 2019 Minutes to the churches in the quantities you marked on your annual church letter. If you did not include a number on that form and just picked up what you wanted at the meeting you need to contact Bro. Burke to let him know the quantity you want. This needs to be done as soon as possible. If you have any other questions please contact any of those listed below.

Please continue to pray for all our churches and their leaders as we look to the Lord for guidance and healing, as we pray for worldwide revival and look forward to the Return of our Savior.

Respectively Your,

James Hoffmann, Missions Director 314-277-8644 or email

Ben Kingston, President 636-629-2526 or email

Don Burke, Clerk 573-210-6493 or email

Joshua Wright, Host Pastor 636-249-3395 or email

BMAA Missions Debuts New Broadcast

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by Holly Meriweather

Yalanda Merrell

World Missions Day 2020 (Feb. 23) at 8 a.m., a new BMA Missions broadcast was introduced. Hosted by Yalanda Merrell, the monthly show is called mission:world.tv and will feature BMA missionaries and what they are doing around the world. An extension of mission:world magazine, it can be viewed on BMA Missions’ Facebook page and will be downloadable to share updates with your church.

The four-minute-long episodes will highlight a missionary and country each month, giving viewers an inside look at BMA Missions. Sign up to receive the videos by email (and become a mission:world magazine subscriber if you’re not already) by going to missionworld.tv.
Yalanda Merrell

Although she had walked the aisle at the age of seven, she wasn’t saved until her freshman year of college. But another eight years passed until she fully surrendered her life to Jesus, then three more until she began intentional discipleship. It’s a familiar story for many, and one that Yalanda Merrell doesn’t mind telling, especially if it will point someone to Jesus.
Telling stories is what Yalanda is all about, and she has done that professionally – first as a reporter and anchor for KAIT in Jonesboro. Then after eight years, she left the world of broadcasting and television, to work as a recruiter for University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).
Yalanda came to the attention of the LifeWord team in 2018 after Director of Operations Luis Ortega and Executive Director Donny Parrish visited the church that she and her husband, Shawn attend in Northeast Arkansas – Herman Baptist Church in Bono.

It Turns out that Yalanda is not only a talented broadcast journalist but a writer as well.

The Lifeword Cloud had just been implemented and print content was needed, so Yalanda was asked to join a team of writers. Her daily devotionals and blogs have been published on lifeword.org ever since. After enthusiastically offering to do more, anything that was needed, BMA Missions took her up on the offer, and the new broadcast is a result!

DiscipleGuide Changes Explained

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by Paul White, Chairman
BMA of America Coordinating Council

I am sharing the following information to try and explain what will be proposed for consideration at this year’s national meeting concerning the breakup of the various DiscipleGuide ministries. Although several recommendations will be presented this year, we have been blessed to experience exceptional cooperation from everyone who is involved.
While change is often difficult to understand, it is sometimes necessary for the good of the whole. One of our greatest challenges is to keep you, the people, informed about what is actually taking place.

At the national meeting in April, we will be voting on recommendations concerning five areas of ministry. The areas that we will deal with are Publications, Daniel Springs Camp, Conferences, News Services and the BMA Service Team. Please keep in mind that this explanation is a synopsis, and is by no means exhaustive or an exact wording of the actual recommendations.

Publications & Daniel Springs

When we, as an association, step out on a new and untried venture, it is normal to have reservations in doing so; but what will be recommended concerning Publications and Daniel Springs Camp is something we lived with for many years before the formation of DiscipleGuide. In fact, if you go back to the 2004-2005 Statement of Principles of Cooperation, you will find that this year’s recommendations concerning our Statement of Principles of Cooperation for Baptist Publishing House and Daniel Springs Camp are nearly the same as they were back then. If the recommendations presented concerning the first two are adopted by the body, it will not be something new. It will be going back to a tried and proven way that will serve us well into the future. These were stand-alone departments then, and certainly can be again. For these departments to stand on their own will not weaken nor diminish their ministries’ structures, nor change their core values.

Conferences & News Services

Last year, the association voted to move the responsibilities of these two entities to the BMA Service Team (formerly referred to as the LLC) for one year. After visiting with the department leaders involved, their overwhelming conclusions were that the BMA Service Team was the perfect location for these two important ministries. Therefore, there will be a recommendation for these two ministries to be placed under the BMA Service Team.

BMA Service Team

Neither the BMA Service Team nor LLC is directly tied to DiscipleGuide. Sometime back, the association voted to create what was then known only as the LLC (Limited Liability Cooperation) to assist in streamlining operations in the Conway office through sharing employees and assets, thereby minimizing costs and maximizing return on investment for support services and functions.

While the term LLC tells of a way of organizing your business, it woefully fails to reveal what it does. So we will be voting on making the BMA of America Service Team, its purpose, governance and special duties part of our Statement of Principles of Cooperation to help inform our people of what it is and what it does. You will be hearing the title BMA Service Team a lot in the future if this proposal passes.

The position of BMA Service Team director is a hired position in cooperation of those executive directors who work out of the Global Ministry Headquarters in Conway. These departments share the cost of the BMA Services Team, and the directors have hired John Meriweather to serve as director of the BMA Service Team and be the go-to man concerning these responsibilities.

How Shoe Boxes Help Our Pastors

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By Angela Rice

Do you ever wonder what happens when our missionaries receive Everlasting Smiles Shoeboxes? Let me share this exciting news with you:
The first shipment of shoeboxes arrived in El Salvador to Pastor Rigoberto Cruz on December 18. The very next day, Pastor Rigoberto and his team began loading trucks and distributing boxes to the different mission churches in their areas of ministry.

Then the churches hold special children’s events for the community where they give them out. Although the shoeboxes bring people to the programs, the pastors focus on the plan of salvation for the children families that come.

December 22, Pastor Rigoberto gathered together his own community of Montelimar for a children’s event to give out shoeboxes. With over 1,200 people in attendance, there was standing room only. The event included clowns, fun games, music, and a drama portraying the life and death of Jesus. The finale was a message of the good news of Christ, and several people accepted Jesus. A fireworks display ended the evening.

While I was celebrating Christmas with family and traditions, Pastor Rigoberto and his team were out in the community each day of the holiday season spreading the love of Christ with the shoeboxes you sent.
Police and delivery truck drivers were given gifts for their children. Gifts were given to children on the streets and to more than 300 children who spent Christmas in the children’s hospital. Nurses and doctors there received gifts for their children and the team spent time in prayer with families of the patients. Gifts were given in mission churches and areas where churches are in the process of being planted.

Every day I received a report of how the ministry was going and how God was blessing the people of El Salvador through your generosity.
5“We are reaching places where the children have never been blessed in such a great way as today” is how Christmas Day was described. “The smiles of the children are priceless.” Our pastors and leadership team in El Salvador spent time in a small village that most would consider poor. They walked from house to house to deliver gifts to the children and to spend time getting to know families in the community better.

Pastor Rigoberto said, “We do not have a church in this area, but we have had professions of faith because we have been visiting for a few months. We want to use the toy boxes and the medical brigade (BMMI) to establish the mission.”

So what happens for our missionaries as a result of giving out boxes? On the Sunday following shoebox distribution, Pastor Rigoberto’s church in Montelimar was packed with people sitting in chairs outside the church. Many new relationships were made, and with each box containing the plan of salvation, people were pointed to Christ and to our churches.

Whether from our friends who packed them in the States or the ministry team that delivered them in El Salvador, each shoebox was given with love and showed the love of Christ to others. Please pray for the pastors in El Salvador as they continue to serve the people in their communities and follow up with those who have begun attending their churches.

Drink The Melted Ice Cream…

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I’d like to tell you our story from the first week of February.
Friday, 7th, Deekota didn’t have a good ob-gyn visit.
Saturday, 8th, After leaving the Trail Life derby races the church van was rear ended while sitting at a stop sign. While at the hospital, Caleb developed complications. A tic that affected his speech.
By Sunday, 9th, Caleb’s condition worsens to the point his “tic” is non stop. So we spend all night in Cape ER.
We get home 5 a.m., Monday 10th, to find the refrigerator had quit and everything was melted. We had planned to go with Kota to her return ob-gyn visit but Children’s hospital called and scheduled Caleb at the same time as her appointment.
Tuesday, 11th, Caleb’s condition worsens because the meds make him so dizzy he can’t stand up. Through the whole process Caleb is not as worried about his condition as he is of going to the Dr. and hospitals.
Wednesday, 12th, Caleb’s Dr. at Children’s hospital says he will improve but it will take a while. A long while, 3 months would be an optimistic recovery time.
While we were in St. Louis receiving fairly good news with Caleb, Kota in Conway was not. Sadly she lost the baby.
At this point we recognize, OK this is a rough week. But, God is in control. We know this. We never wavered in this. There is much comfort knowing that in all this madness God is in control.
Early in the week there were some posts on Facebook that made it sound like we were struggling. The posts were intended to help and had our best interest at heart, the wording just made it sound like we were loosing it. But we really hadn’t. Oh we’ve cried. We hugged. But we also talked with each other more than we have in a long time.
The week before this all started we had a study on prayer. We certainly prayed that week. We prayed over Caleb like never before. And still my prayer life needs improvement. But our faith has never wavered.
When we got home at 5 a.m. and found water everywhere from the refrigerator, we got a couple hours sleep. Then, when we got up we drank the melted Ice cream for lunch. That night Laura made meatloaf, Caleb’s favorite, with the thawed meat for supper. Looking into the refrigerators problem we unplugged it and plugged it back in and it’s been working ever since. Thank you Lord!
Caleb and I have played video games together. I’ve missed so many opportunities to spend time with him over the years, But, Not that week. He’s not out of the woods and I’m not done spending time with him.
When these things happen in life we can shake our fist at God, or we can look for what God is doing. We don’t always get answers, but, it’s not enough to simply say, sometimes the answer is no. Because, God is always in control whatever is going on is a plan, It’s God’s plan. Not mine, not yours, HIS.
History, In world events and in the events of your life, is HIS story.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Camp Garwood Activities in 2020:
Pastors & Leaders Retreat • March 27th-28th
Paintball • April 17th-18th
DEWr Retreat • June 19-20
State Camp • July 27-31 – History is HIStory; Cor 1:16

Chris Polk, Camp Director • PO Box 271 • Matthews MO 63867
Phone: (573)380-1975 • e-mail: campgarwood@gmail.com

From God’s Word & My Heart

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by Pastor Ben Kingston • Bethel Baptist Church • Lonedell, MO

“Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.” Proverbs 14:4

If you’re reading along on these articles, hopefully you dealt with “bitterness” in January and achieved an attitude of “forgiveness” in February.

Now, I’d like to add some practical advice in life and church life in particular. I hope you will allow me some latitude here, and know that there is no better, nor more dedicated cheerleader of Brad Banderman than myself.

With that said, I have publicly stated many times that 20 years ago when Brad started out, his personality and antics, shall we say, rubbed a few people the wrong way – in particular a few of my pastoral friends. More than once they would say to me “Boy, I am glad you have him.” They would chuckle, of course, and I knew they were not complimenting me or Brad.
But here was the truth: as “obnoxious” as Brad could be, he was an amazing Youth Director. So, after a few years of listening to that and the annoying chuckle that followed, I chose to respond to one of them and I said “I am glad also, because if you had him you would have ruined Him.” Needless to say, that ended the conversation. To that gentleman’s credit, after working closely with Brad a few years later in an associational ministry, he told me, “Ben, I was wrong about Brad; that guy is something and the Lord has blessed you with a real treasure.”

In speaking with my former Pastor, John Smith, he revealed that he had been told the same thing about me years ago. I guess the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree!

Now, what is the point of all this? Look at the verse again: No ox = clean crib; ox = no clean crib. But, did you catch it? There is much strength by the ox…… wait for it….. To get the strength of the ox you must put up with, and yes, shovel some manure.

There it is! One of the most amazing spiritual truths I have ever realized and put to work in the ministry!

It doesn’t matter who they are, if they are a human (ox) they are a sinner and have nuances and hang ups and quirks that will drive you batty on occasion. They also have a spiritual gift: the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, a God-given personality, and a God-given burden for their church and ministry. If we will disciple them, lead them, guide them, and get out of their way, they will grow a great work for and through God.

So, the next time you think, “I am going to ring that monkey’s neck,” remember the verse. Gotta shovel some poop to get the hard work that only the ox can do. May your fields be fruitful and your cribs…well, you get the idea.

BMAA Meeting/Ballot Information

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Baptist Missionary Association of America

The BMA of America national meeting has been canceled. However, we need our churches to vote even though we are not meeting as usual. You can find the ballot and more information at bmaamerica.org/2020ballot.