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October 2013 – Mission Director’s Report

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I am looking forward to our annual meeting to be held at Bethany Baptist in St. Louis October 26. Pastor James Hoffmann and the great folks at Bethany have proven themselves to be wonderful hosts in the past and I know they will welcome us again. It’s a great opportunity for all of us to connect with one another and conduct the Lord’s business. I have been told that there will be representatives from our Seminary and the BMAA Mission Office in attendance. Churches, please make it a priority to send your pastor and messengers to our annual meeting.

This past year I have enjoyed visiting and preaching in our churches across the state. Thank you for the invitations and the opportunities to speak about missions. For the moment, I cannot accept any more invitations. After the resignation of Pastor Tim Boatright at Faith Baptist Church in St. Charles, I have been asked to serve as their interim pastor. Bro. Tim and Connie have served this church for 12 years, and we can only imagine how difficult it will be for this church to transition to a new shepherd. Please be in prayer for them as they search for God’s man.

By Danny Kirk

I’ve Been Bit!!

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by Daniel Wisely, Pastor of Kewanee Missionary Baptist Church

I would like to share a little about my E.I.M (Evangelistic International Ministries) trip with Mike Goodwin and Danny Bullock to Ghana Africa.

We flew out of Shreveport LA. August 13th with the destination of Accra in Ghana Africa. This in it self is a great miracle of God due to the fact that I DO NOT fly. So, placing all my faith in God, after 15 1/2 hours in flight we landed safely in Accra. For lack of time to build an alter and offer a sacrifice of praise for landing safely we hurried to meet Bro. Moses Adjekwei (Pastor of Mission Temple Baptist Church in Accra).
Mission Temple was our host church. Our goal for the next 6 days was teaching Pastors and church leaders Discipleship. Bro. Mike centered his teachings on Church Leadership and Bro. Danny tackled Bible Study. These 2 men and their topics laid the foundation for true Biblical discipleship. My topics centered around our Discipleway curriculum, Prayer – Worship – Giving – Serving and witnessing.

The Pastors and church leaders of the BMA of Africa around Accra supported this conference very well by presenting an average attendance of 40 each day. They couldn’t seem to get enough of God’s Word, they truly and continuously desired more. What a blessing to experience this type of passion!

Sunday Morning Bro. Moses allowed me to preach with the help of an interpreter and 1 soul was saved and there were 2 re-dedications. Bro. Mike preached at another one of our churches that same morning. We give God the glory!
The most exciting portion of the trip, for me anyway, came Tuesday night, August 20th, Bro. Moses set up a large movie screen, run by a generator that night just outside the heart of Accra, (the only true light we had other than a few pen lights), he showed a clip of the movie, (The Passion of the Christ), where Jesus was beaten and crucified on the cross of Calvary. Bro. Moses froze the screen behind me of the picture of Christ hanging on the cross. I was then allowed to preach (as I pointed to Jesus) John 3:16 came alive. “This is truly how much Jesus loves us.” Even though we were outside in a public place you could have heard a pin drop. From there I simply presented the “Romans Road” using my pen light to see the scriptures and an interpreter for the 3 different dialects needed. At the conclusion we had an invitation and 65 souls were added unto the Kingdom. To say that I got excited would be an understatement. Trust me it gets even better, as I watched soul after soul come to Jesus I saw many church members from Mission Temple flock to take individuals aside having a hearts desire and conviction to lead the people to Christ.

Now who is the teacher? My heart was so touched, never before have I seen people so passionate about leading people to Christ. Oh how I wish we (God’s people), (Churches) could be as passionate about His commission. Wow, what we could do for the glory of God!!!

When I got back into the truck that night to go back to the hotel Bro. Mike looked at me with a big- ole- smile on his face and said “you’ve just been bit”, all I could say was “YES, I have!”

Thank you Lord for this moment, place, and time I will never forget and hope to one day experience it again. I would like to thank Kewanee Missionary Baptist Church for supporting me on this trip to Accra. Without their love, prayers, and financial support I could not have gone. I wish everyone could go and experience what I have but be careful…you might get bit!

Note: The next Barnabus Touch trip is Sept. 3-11 to Kathmandu, Nepal. Mike Goodwin, Danny Bullock Mitch Dulaney and Rocky Goodwin will teach an Old Testament Survey course to about 10 pastors.

When the 2014 trips are scheduled, they will be announced so any who would like to go can begin to make preparation. For more information, contact Danny Bullock at (870) 904-5032 or danbull0550@gmail.com.

US Churches Have Rare Opportunity to become FM Broadcasters

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by Rick Russell, Associate Director, Lifeword Media Ministries
In just a few weeks the FCC will accept new applications for Low Power FM (LPFM) licenses. Any non-profit community organization that has an educational mission may apply for a license to construct and operate a low power FM radio station. This is a great opportunity for a church to launch a broadcast ministry that will serve their community and share God’s love, but you must act quickly. The FCC will accept applications only in a two week window from October 15-29, 2013.
Around the world Lifeword is helping third-world churches start Low Power FM (LPFM) radio stations. Our model uses little 15 watt transmitters that can be heard on any standard FM radio within a 3-5 mile radius of the church. Now, churches here in the USA have an opportunity to do the same thing—with more power. The licenses the FCC will make available next month are for 100 watt stations. These small stations can cost as little as $3,000 to get on the air. (The FCC does not charge a fee for an LPFM license.) This is the first time in 13 years that the agency has accepted new applications for LPFMs.
The FCC has an LPFM Radio Guide at http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/lpfm.pdf, and Lifeword has assembled additional information and links to help your church take advantage of this great opportunity at www.Lifeword.org.

Lifeword Walk for the World

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lifeword walkSunday, October 20, 2013 is Lifeword sign-up Sunday. Lifeword broadcasts the gospel in 48 different programs in 34 languages around the world. But that kind of outreach is expensive. Lifeword’s annual Walk for the World raises much of the money it takes to keep those broadcasts on the air. Will you make the commitment to be personally involved in this year’s Walk? For more information go to http://lifeword.org/walk

VSM Basketball Mission to Philippines Successful

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This year’s BMAA Volunteer Student Mission Basketball team included 8 members from 3 states.
The team worked with EIM missionary Jhun Santos in the Philippines who arranged great opportunities for the team to use its basketball skills to promote the Gospel and make the name of Christ known.
The team held 3 man tournaments, had several exhibition games, ministered in local churches, distributed over 300 Shepherd Bags to children is the mountain region of Negros Occidental and was interviewed for local newspapers and television broadcast. Another highlight of the team was hosting a dinner for all BMAA missionaries serving in the Bacolod region.
Plans for the Summer of 2014 are underway. Students who love basketball, but love God more are encouraged to apply for next year’s team by going to bmaamissions.org and filling out the basketball application in the VSM tab, or for more information call or e-mail Stan Scroggins at 870-234-3595 – stan@fbcmagnolia.com

September 2013 – Mission Director’s Report

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How a Coach Can Help You Move Forward

Imagine for a moment what it would be like if someone would come alongside you and tell you they believe in you and that they believe that God is at work in your life. This person would be skilled both in asking good questions and in listening to your answers. They would encourage you to listen to the Holy Spirit and discover what it is God wants you to do. The conversation would be about you, your needs, and your agenda. At the end of the discussion, you would have greater understanding and insight plus a step-by-step action plan to move you forward toward God’s goals for you. This person would certainly have great value in your life. Who is this person? A coach! The things I have described are what a good Christian coach will attempt to do with you in a coaching conversation.
Despite the benefits of working with a coach, there is often hesitation in getting started. One reason may be due to a misunderstanding of what happens in a coaching relationship. A coach is not a supervisor, a consultant, a counselor, a mentor, or someone who is an expert at telling you what to do. In the professional world, all of those roles exist and are needed. But a coach is none of the above. What, then, is a coach and what do they do? In my training as a coach, I have come across several good definitions of coaching:
“Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance. It is helping them to learn rather than teaching them.” — Timothy Galloway
“Coaching is the process of coming alongside a person or team to help them discover God’s agenda for their life and ministry, and then cooperating with the Holy Spirit to see that agenda become a reality.” — Bob Logan
“Coaching is an ongoing intentional conversation that empowers a person or group to fully live out God’s calling.” –Keith Webb
In these definitions, there are some key words that reflect the goal of coaching: empower, unlocking, learn, discover, cooperating, maximize, and process. The coach comes to the relationship realizing that each person needs to discover for themselves what God wants them to do. Coaches aid in that process, but it’s not about telling others what to do; it’s about helping them discover it for themselves.
When asked to explain what I do as a coach, I often reply that I help people discern where they are, where they want to go, and how they will get there. Everyone can identify with the need for change, the desire to improve, and the dream of moving forward under God’s leading and blessing. The power of coaching will help you accomplish your goals quicker, more efficiently, and with greater confidence.
There are other benefits to coaching that provide great value. Bob Logan, an experienced coach, states that coaching provides the following advantages:
• Provides encouragement for the journey
• Cultivates wisdom and strategic insights
• Discovers breakthrough opportunities
• Maintains focus on the truly important
• Transforms vision into reality
The bottom line is – coaching works. Do you have something that needs to get done? Do you feel stuck and want some forward movement? Would you like someone who believes that God can accomplish His will in you to join you in the journey? Consider getting a coach.
If your church believes that it could benefit from training its leaders to coach others, then I would be glad to come to your church and conduct a 2-Day Coaching Workshop. If you have more questions about coaching, go to my website at: www.youneedcoaching.com and check out the information provided on my links.

Camp Garwood 2013 Heroes of the Faith

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August 2013 – Mission Director’s Report

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I want to share with you this month an article that was written by one of our BMAA church planters in Northwest Arkansas. His name is Brandon Cox and he is planting the Grace Hills Church in Rogers, AR. He also happens to be my son-in-law, but despite that fact, he wrote a great article that really spoke to my heart. As someone who has recently resigned his church after 14 years service, I have wondered what I could have done better to help my church be all that God wanted her to be. After reading Brandon’s article, I realized that there were a number of areas that I should have protected and emphasized in my own life and ministry. I hope this article will help you, Pastor, as you lead your flock!

10 Ways to Raise the Spiritual Temperature of Your Church

By Brandon Cox
There is a cold, hard fact I remind myself of often as a Pastor. No one does more to determine the spiritual temperature of my church than me, the Pastor. It’s part of shepherding. I’m the lid. I’m the limit.

I define passion as the heated desire with us to do or to be something. Paul talked about being on fire (ready is prothumos or “on heat”) to preach (Romans 1:17) and told Timothy to “fan into flame the gift of God within him” (2 Timothy 1:6). I believe Pastors are the primary thermostat when it comes to the spiritual temperature of the church.

That doesn’t always mean a lukewarm church is led by a lukewarm Pastor. There are always exceptions. Sometimes passionate leaders lead apathetic people – just ask Moses. And sometimes apathetic leaders have passionate followers – but usually not for long. But since I’m writing to Pastors and leaders, I’ll simply say that if you’re frustrated that people don’t seem passionate and driven enough, you must start with a check of your own temperature.

When you find yourself in a spot where you’re leading a lukewarm body of people in a mission that demands passion, there are some things you must do to change the game. Fair warning – preaching at people out of your frustration isn’t one of them.

  1. Get alone with God. Absolutely nothing kindles passion within you like time with Jesus. He loves the church far more than you do – enough that He gave His life for it in a way that you never could. HE is the ultimate source of passion for ministry.
  2. When you get alone with God, repent of sin in your life. What I mean is, do a soul-searching, dark-dusty-corner-sweeping inventory of what might be distracting you from the main business of your calling. Whatever you find, repent of it.
  3. Pray more often, longer, and more personally than ever. I don’t believe God is offended by passionate praying. He is offended by flippant prayer that fails to recognize His supreme power and authority over all things. Go boldly and often!
  4. Talk to a mentor or coach. I’ve been encouraged through some of the darkest moments of my life in leadership by some of my greatest heroes on earth. Everybody needs models, mentors, and friends.
  5. Share your vision again… and again. Remember, vision leaks and the tank runs empty every six weeks or so. So cast your vision to key leaders individually, to teams collectively, and speak the language of your vision to the whole body regularly.
  6. Love people. If you don’t love people, you’ll get angry with them for letting you down and failing to help you accomplish your goals. But if you love them, it’s no longer about what they can do for you – you’re suddenly concerned for their own lack of joy and growth.
  7. Diagnose and remove leadership lids. One of the most important laws of leadership that John Maxwell has ever spoken about is the law of the lid. If you’re an 8 on a scale of 10, you’ll never lead others beyond a 7. So grow. Don’t be the lid.
  8. Go first. If you want people to have a servant’s heart, serve. If you want them to be people of prayer, pray. If you want bold evangelists, share Jesus. Never expect others to do what you as the leader have an unwillingness to go first in.
  9. Change the game. Change forces people out of their comfort zones and often provokes new growth, even when it’s painful. The moments when I’ve grown the most in my life have always been times of transition.
  10. Empower other leaders. Moses led well, but his leadership really took off when Jethro helped him get organized. Good churches are led by passionate leaders, but great churches are led by passionate teams of leaders.

It always starts with something spiritual – worship. Nothing stirs the fire of God in our hearts more than worship, praise, and prayer. The best place to start raising the temperature of your church is in your own heart, and the best place to start doing that is on your knees.

Jesus Camp 2013 Richwoods, Missouri

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July 21st – 27th, Jesus Camp 2013 will be held at the Meramec Retreat Center in Richwoods, Missouri. Junior camp will be 21st -24th then teens will come in from the 24th – 27th. The theme will be BEING REAL IN AN UNREAL WORLD.

We welcome you to attend. If you have not already registered please call Bethel Baptist Church in Lonedell at 636-629-2978. For more information visit here.

Please pray for this camp time that God will bless. A busy camp is being planned, May God Bless.

Camp Garwood 2013 is Almost Here!

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July 29 – August 2 is sure to be a great time of worship, fellowship and fun!

Our theme “Heroes of the Faith” taken from Hebrews 11:38 encourages us to live out our faith in trying times and find encouragement in the lives of those who have served before us.
We still need some teachers! Anyone willing to help with these age groups (0-2, 3-4, 5-7) please contact me ASAP.

Remember to select your Disciple In Training (DIT). Each church can send one youth as a representative. The DIT should be responsible, able to provide feedback, and accept responsibilities during camp week. The DITs will meet each night at 11:00 p.m. on the canteen patio.

T-shirts: The deadline for pre-orders is July 17th. Your church can e-mail, message me on Facebook, or call in your pre order. We will only have a few extra shirts made, so to insure you get one PRE-ORDER! T-shirts are $10.

Please go over the camp rules with your group before coming to camp. Be sure to stress modest clothing, including long shorts. You can also encourage your youth to wear a swimsuit under their clothes during recreation time if they intend to get wet.

I can’t express enough the need for your prayers. There is a short time to get things ready. It’s crunch time and we need all the prayers we can get: for energy, encouragement, remembering what we haven’t thought of yet, and for all the camp workers, sponsors, the lost who will be hearing the gospel and for laborers in the harvest and for the safety of the campers.

We are looking forward to camp week and hope you are too!

As always, we do not charge for camp attendance although the average cost per camper to host camp week is about $45. Any help in offsetting that cost is greatly appreciated. Campers can also support Camp Garwood by participating in the DEW program. DEW, Dollar Every Week, is a great way to support camp a little at a time. DEW funds can be brought to camp, sent in monthly, quarterly, or whenever the individual or church group is ready.

One thing every Christian can do for Camp is PRAY! We need YOU as a prayer warrior and need you to pray daily for Camp!

by Chris Polk, Camp Superintendent
P.O. Box 271 • Matthews, MO 63867
cpolk@cablerocket.com
573-380-1975