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Our Commission

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Jesus said, “All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”

Matthew 28:18-20

A Prayer for Help in Hopelessness

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Psalm 88:1-8
by Dennis Baker, BMAMO Brotherhood President

Heman, the son of Korah, was a temple musician during the reign of David. The Psalm begins with pain and perplexity but, unlike other psalms of lament, it closes without triumph. The psalm speaks of darkness (vs.1, 6, 12, 18), life in the depths (vs. 3-4, 6), the immanence of death (vs. 5, 10-11), feeling of drowning (vs. 7, 16-17), loneliness (vs. 5, 8, 14, 18), and imprisonment (v. 8). Heman was a servant of God who was suffering intensely and did not understand why, yet he persisted in praying to God and did not abandon his faith. Not all of life’s experiences have happy endings, but that does not mean that the Lord has forsaken us. From Heman’s experience we can discover instructions to follow when life falls apart and our prayers seemingly are not answered.

Come to the Lord in faith, vs 1-2. Heman’s life had not been an easy one and it seemed like it was getting even more difficult, and he felt that death was very near. Heman spoke as if he was ready to give up. But he did not give up! He still trusted in the Lord of his salvation. Heman prayed day and night believing that God would hear his prayers. No matter how we feel and no matter how impossible our circumstances, we can always come to the Lord with our burdens.

Tell the Lord how you feel, vs 3-9. There is no place for hypocrisy in personal prayer. When we pray, we need to be completely transparent and not tell the Lord anything that is not true or that we do not really mean. Heman confesses that he was “full of troubles” and felt like a “living dead man.” He was without strength and felt forsaken by the Lord. Heman told the Lord that He was responsible for His servant’s troubles! God’s hand put him in the Pit (the grave), and God’s anger was flowing over him like breakers from the sea. Whatever sickness he had was caused by the Lord and made him so repulsive that his friends avoided him He was without health, without light, and without friends. He felt like he was without God! He was a prisoner and there was no way to escape. Like Job, Heman wanted to know why all this suffering had come to him.

Defend your cause before the Lord, vs 10-14. The Scottish minister Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661) who suffered much for his faith wrote, “It is faith’s work to claim and challenge loving kindnesses out of all the roughest strokes of God.” He also said, “Why should I tremble at the plough of my Lord, that maketh deep furrows in my soul? I know He is no idle husbandman; He purposeth a crop.” Heman’s argument was simply that his death would rob God of a great opportunity to demonstrate His power and glory. What service could Heman be to the Lord in sheol? Heman prayed for healing and strength. Heman felt rejected and knew that God’s face was turned away from him. But he kept on praying.

Wait for the Lord’s answer, Vs 15-18. It appears that Heman could not even look back to a time in his life where he enjoyed good health, v 15. The billows that had almost drowned him (v 7) now became fiery waves of torment (v 16) as God’s “burning anger” went over him. The flood was rising, and he felt he was about to drown, and there was nobody near enough to rescue him. He was alone! The darkness was his friend because it hid him from the eyes of those who observed his suffering and may have said (as Job’s friends),“He must have sinned greatly for the Lord to afflict him so much.” He continued to pray and to look to God for help! “Though he slay me, yet will I trust him” Job 13:5. “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage, yes, wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:13-14). The Lord always has the last word, and it will not be “darkness.” When life falls apart and our prayers seemingly are not answered, come to the Lord by faith, tell the Lord how you fell, defend your cause before the Lord, and wait for the Lord’s answer. Not all of life’s experiences have happy endings, but that does not mean that the Lord has forsaken us. No matter how we feel and no matter how impossible our circumstances, we can always come to the Lord with our burdens.

EIM is wanting to help your church

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By: Michael Goodwin, EIM President & Program Director

Evangelistic International Ministries would like to make ourselves available to our BMAA churches. This past summer, God opened up new doors for us since we were limited in doing overseas travel. For over 10 years, EIM teams have traveled overseas conducting Overseas Bible Schools. These are done much like Vacation Bible Schools here in the States. God has laid it on our hearts to begin helping the local churches that may not have the manpower nor the finances to have a Vacation Bible School. EIM is wanting to schedule 3-4 Vacation Bible Schools here in the States for next summer. We would be honored to bring a team of 10-18 to your church to help you reach children and parents with the gospel and to help make new contacts for your church.

We conducted two VBS’s here in the States this past summer. We were able to work with Bethel Baptist Church in Clayton, Texas, as well as New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Eugene, Oregon.

Here is what Pastor Chris Price said after we had worked with him and his dear church, “Since EIM came to Bethel, the hearts of our members are full of joy again. Jesus used EIM to restore hope to a people who have been hurt and were halted because of it. With the hurt gone, hope restored, and hearts healed, we have new faces and new families we are ministering to.”

Pastor Clint Perdue had this to say, “There was one key element that stood out to me above all the rest that made the week with EIM special, that was the LOVE that was on display. Each of the team members loved Jesus, and it was obvious. It was shown in the love for the Gospel, for the people that attended the VBS, and it was shown to the Church, as well.”

If you would like more information on how EIM could help, please contact me at mgoodwin@eimworldwide.org or call 870-234-5319. You can also go to our website at www.eimworldwide.org and see what God is doing globally through the ministry of EIM.

EIM is a partner of BMAA Missions and Lifeword. We are a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization which began in 1998 and is sanctioned and endorsed by First Baptist Church of Magnolia, Arkansas.

September 2021 – Mission Director’s Report

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Dear Missouri Baptist churches,

It is quite possible that this will be the last article before our annual meeting at Faith Baptist Church on October 9, 2021 convening at 9 AM, so I want to use this opportunity to prepare you for what you’re going to hear and what “I believe” God is asking us to do as an association to prepare for a missions reset in our state.

This began in May at the mid-year meeting, where I shared with you the BMAMO missions assessment and the resulting pamphlet that guides someone wanting to raise the bar of our missions awareness.
Why would we start here? Well, let me answer that question by my own experience. As Bethel’s pastor I am striving to do a better job of educating and guiding our church in the area of missions, what we are currently doing as a national association, and how we should be involved on all association levels. The blunt reality of it is that we are under-performing as an association when it comes to missions efforts even within our own churches and certainly when it comes to planting churches. My vision if you will, and the vision that I’m striving to cast starting last May and now in October and beyond, is to raise the bar of awareness in our own churches as to what we are already doing as an association and then to raise the bar of action in our participation and great commission skills.

About 20 some odd years ago now, I heard perhaps one of the greatest messages I have ever heard by Charlie Holmes and it was called “the three prayers that God always answers,” that are found in John 14, 15, and 16. Each verse ends with “ask anything in My name and My Father will do it.” That is a rough paraphrase but that’s essentially what is stated, however the context for each verse is different.

John 14:13,14 “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”

John 15:16 “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”

John 16:23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.”

These are the three verses that Charlie went on to expound upon and this is the long and short of that message and honestly the impetus of what I’m striving to do!

When you go by the context of these three chapters, the context of all three statements is different.

Statement #1 in John 14 – the context is the work of the kingdom

Statement # 2 in John 15 – the context is the fruit that is to be bore by believers

Statement #3 in John 16 – the context is the spirit of God

So we have these three summations of these three chapters and these three statements: ask whatsoever ye will in my name and I will do it.

These are not in the order that they are presented here in scripture.

Prayer #1 based on John 16 – the prayer that God will always answer is GOD HELP ME TO KNOW YOU.

If you and I are soaking in the spirit of God and the word of God, the spirit of God is going to speak to us through the word of God and we’re going to know him. This is the most basic element and none more important for the repentant sinner than for him to be inextricably connected to his Savior and his God!

Prayer #2 found in John 14 – LET US IN ON YOUR KINGDOM WORK

As you grow in your relationship with God, you’re going to want to bless God, you’re going to want to serve him. The only way to effectively serve God is to get involved in his kingdom work. What is his kingdom work? Sharing his gospel, living a holy life, growing in the gospel as a disciple, and ultimately reaching other people for the gospel’s sake.

Prayer #3 is found in John 15 – LORD HELP US TO BEAR YOUR FRUIT!

As you and I grow in our love relationship with Jesus Christ, and as we ask Him to show us where he is working, we can’t help but to bear the two types of fruit: inner fruit and outer fruit. The inner fruit is the fruit of the spirit, and couldn’t we all do with a good dose of the fruit of the spirit? “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, against such there is no law,” according to Galatians 5:22. And then the outward fruit of soul-winning and discipleship.

Pastor, as you and your church apply the loving challenges that are found in the BMAMO benchmark assessment, you will fulfill these three areas. It is my humble opinion that as we apply ourselves to this approach of raising the bar in our knowledge and awareness of what we’re already doing as an association and then raise the bar in our own lives of being missionaries to our world through prayer and evangelistic action, our churches will grow and we will plant more churches. Isn’t that what we were created for?

I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming meetings.

Bro. Ben Kingston

News From Camp Garwood

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Greetings from Camp Garwood! Since camp week we have continued working at camp weekly. We are getting things cleaned up and put up. Hopefully to give us a little boost on being prepared for next years camp.

We had a great DEWrs retreat mid August. A good turnout and a lot of fun. It was good simply hanging out and enjoying each other’s company. I believe it’s called fellowship and we need it. In today’s society it’s hard to know what to do. When to meet, when to distance, when to wear a mask. Even being an introvert, I know that we need time together. We’re better together. At the retreat we played games, took a train ride, some played on the slide and mini-golf. It was a simple, casual gathering. Bro. Dan Wisely gave a great devotional on Saturday morning, Bro. Jeff Reynolds prepared our meals with help from the Kewanee ladies. We all agreed the weekend was great and that the DEWrs should meet at that time every year. After camp rather than before.

I’d like to have a Fall retreat but finding a suitable weekend is proving to be difficult. Band events, football games, community days, local association meets and hunting season fill the calendar. Maybe we can sneak one in this winter.

I’ll give a full report at the annual meeting, but camp week was great in so many ways this year. However we were lacking in two areas. Our attendance numbers were about half normal. And the spiritual response during camp was not there. We have no professions or decisions to report. That’s hard for us to imagine. We can only guess as to the why. We know seeds were planted and we trust that the LORD will give the increase in His timing.
As I mentioned it was a great week in so many ways. Being half the campers the dorms were not over filled, there wasn’t such a pressure with break downs and problems. We had tremendous services and a great time together in the valley.

Looking to camp in 2022. We have Bro. Jordan Bowen coming from Little Rock AR to speak. Jordan is currently serving as church planter at Hillcrest Community Church in North Little Rock. The committee and I are excited that Jordan will be with us next year. Please join us in praying for him, His wife Sarah, and their sons Brooks and Caden. May God use them to stir our hearts and awaken dead souls.

The Central Collective will return to lead the worship. And we are planning some more great things for Garwood ‘22. Plan now to join us July 25-29th. Only 46 Saturdays away!

Thank You for the continued support. We are a little behind financially due to the lower number of campers and the added expenses from working on the slide. Our focus now is on paying down the tractor debt.

Blessings to all of our churches.
Chris Polk
PO Box 271 • Matthews MO 63867
Cell phone 573-380-1975
E-mail – campgarwood@gmail.com

94th Annual Meeting

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Annual Meeting Reminder: The 94th Annual Meeting of The Baptist Missionary Association of Missouri will meet October 9, 2021 at Faith Baptist Church 2310 Muegge Rd. St. Charles, MO at 9:00 A.M.

It’s A Boy!!

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Our Missionary Family
Juan & Hannah Fernandez & Girls
are expecting a baby boy in October!
Bethany Baptist Church in St. Louis is
Planning an Associational Baby Shower
for them and would love for all our
churches in the BMA of MO and Meramec
Associations to participate.
The date is September 4 at 1:00 p.m.
They are registered at Target and on
Amazon. If you are unable to attend please
feel free to support them by sending cards, gifts,
or monetary support.
Finger sandwiches and cake will be served.
If possible, please let us know if your church or
individuals will be attending.
RSVP to
Mary Hoffmann • 176 Bear Creek Dr. • Wentzville, MO 63385 • 314-488-9055 • jmhoff@charter.net
or
Bertha Blanchard • 11479 Edwards Ave. •
Maryland Hgts., MO 63043-1816 • 314-800-4072

August 2021 – Mission Director’s Report

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A page from my heart…

Unfortunately, I was not able to go to the national Association meeting. I’ve heard nothing but good reports from those who were able to go, and Missouri was well represented. As you know, it’s been a difficult season for meetings since Covid hit in 2020, and date adjustments made it quite difficult for many including myself to attend.

It is my understanding that we were well represented in the missions commissioning service with Bro. Juan being our representative as a national missionary to the St. Louis Hispanic people. It is so exciting to see him and his family do such a tremendous job in that ministry.

As I shared in last month’s edition, I had the opportunity to speak at Ohlman Baptist Church. This past month I was invited to share at Stony Point, where other churches availed themselves of that meeting. It’s a thrill to represent and present the work that we’re striving to do for the BMA of Missouri in the area of missions.

I have been in discussions with the advisory committee of the Meramec Association, and it is their recommendation that we not hire a missions director at this point, but see how the push for the Benchmark Assessments goes with our churches as a whole throughout the state. If the Meramec churches that also are supporting the state association throw in with their support of the Benchmark Assessment approach, we will basically be accomplishing the same thing.

Therefore, I’m asking everyone who reads this article to pray as we continue this push to get our churches to raise the bar of missions awareness, that the Benchmark Assessment will do just that, and that our churches will grow in awareness of our missions program, and we will become better missionaries and see more churches planted in the state of Missouri. That is the end goal that we are hoping to accomplish.

The finished product of the Benchmark Assessment test and pamphlet will be ready by the annual meeting.

I will be contacting those churches that let me know at the mid-year meeting that they would be interested in the pilot group. If you are one of those churches I would appreciate a text or an email to help my memory. I hope to prepare those churches with exactly what they need to do by the annual meeting in October.

Thank you again for this opportunity. May the Lord bless you as you strive to reach others for Him.

PS: A note to Meramec churches: White Oak Grove was the intended destination for this year‘s annual meeting September 24, 2021 but they are not going to be able to host that meeting, so it will be at Bethel Baptist Church on that same date and will begin at 10 AM. We will send a letter to all the MLBA churches, but please help us spread the word.

Bro. Ben Kingston

BMMA IN ST LOUIS: Hispanic Missionary Outreach 7/2021 “Belen”

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May 31st during our home Bible discovery time, the man of the house, Nahum Jeronimo, expressed his desire to be born again. We have started with our second stage of discipleship process, PRAISE THE LORD! Please keep Mrs. Jeronimo, that she follows the lead of the Holy Spirit and the example of Nahum to also become a new born again person. On 6/19/21 a Tree fell on the roof of their mobile home, God protected them, the local fire department had to come and rescue them since the doors were unable to open because the frame received severe damage.

English as Second Language in Bethany Church in Overland: Completed 80 hours.

We celebrated the completion of the first trimester of English Class. We enjoyed the addition of a new tutor for the class in Bethany, sister Sandra. The students Omar, Cecilia and Janeth presented improvement of their language in front of the fellowship and company of Bethany church with Brother Hoffmann & Sister Mary, Sister Tiny, Sister Darlene and Fran & Jeremiah. We enjoyed an authentic Salvadorian delicious meal in the fellowship hall at Bethany.

English as Second Language in Faith Baptist Church in St Charles.

We started with one of the students, Maria who gather 6 more people to become students and potential contacts for our mission in this area of Missouri. We are planning, God willing to resume class on Monday and Friday of the months of August to November. Looking forward to have tutors join us in this mission outreach. We are so thankful for the Hospitality from our fellow brothers in Christ at Faith.

“Pray without ceasing…” every day of the week 12:00 p.m. join in prayer for this mission.

BIBLE OUTREACH FOR CHILDREN DURING THIS MONTH OF JULY

We are praying for God’s direction and provision of ninos and ninas to come and learn about Jesus, how to read the Bible, how to sing songs and discover their abilities to create crafts and play with us. There are two opportunities we have in mind: reaching out children in Chesterfield trailer park and the neighborhood in Overland MO. We are planning to determine whether we will be in both places or just one depending on parents’ interest and commitment to join for our prayer and discovery Bible time on Sunday 12:00 p.m.

LINDSAY LANE MINISTRY PARTNERSHIP

We had the privilege to bring a ministry update and a message encouraging our brothers and sister to pray for the advancement of the Gospel among our hispanic Families in the area. We had also an opportunity to join Lindsay Lane in the Sports Camp summer event. Victoria our oldest daughter made new friends and become aware of belonging to a team…her team…the blue team. Also I had the privilege to teach a lessons about Jesus and His work among us before during and after his death and the great commission to go and make disciples to all nations.

Baby’s Arrival 10/23/2021

We continue preparing our home for our baby boy to join our family. He is expected to be born by the 3rd week of October. We ask each one of you in our BMAA family of churches to pray for the following:

  • Pray for health and peace for us, especially for Hannah during this preparation and baby growth period.
  • Pray for the place were baby will be born.
  • Pray for Salvation in each contact we connect on a daily basis.
  • For ESL outreach Fall students and tutors to be ready to develop healthy relationship for eternity.
  • Pray that Nahum and Ermilanda complete each one of the steps for a healthy biblical Spirit-led discipleship and each one of their family member’s salvation.
  • That daily prayer time and discovery Bible study continues to be available and a blessing for those who need to hear the Gospel in Spanish.
  • For ESL Fall Outreach, students and tutors relationship for eternity.

Dios le bendiga!
God bless you!

Thank God for His blessings upon this ministry and for those who are willing to give of their time and effort to reach those who need the Lord. Pray for Bro. Juan and his family as they labor among the Hispanic people.

We have met some great people who are searching for peace and joy that is only found in Christ!

Contact Us
Facebook Page: Belen en Overland or Juan Fernandez/ Hannah Fernandez
EMAIL: pastorjuanfernandez@gmail.com
Telephone:(618) 581 8056

July 2021 – Mission Director’s Report

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Dear churches of the state Association of Missouri,

Well, we are roughly three months removed from the semiannual meeting and missions symposium, and a third of the way through summer break. My, how life flies by!

Dawn, Molly, and I were with Ohlman Baptist Church last Wednesday, June 23, with Elaine Stricklin representing Mt. Olive Baptist Church that evening also. The meeting was well attended. I have known Ohlman’s pastor, Bro. Terry Sharpe, for many years and appreciate His love for the Lord’s church and His heart for missions.

I have an appointment set up for July 14th at 7 p.m. at Stoney Point Missionary Baptist Church in Potosi. Any and all churches are invited to attend this ‘Missions Rally.’ Being a full-time pastor and wearing many other hats as well, it is such a blessing if these opportunities can be availed to by more than one church at a time. I have a few more open dates left this summer if you would like to have me come and present our state missions effort. I would also invite you to look at next summer and get an appointment on the calendar.

I relish the opportunity to cover several churches next summer, hopefully rejoicing over what God is doing with our BMAMO benchmark assessment effort to raise the bar of missions awareness and missions effort in our churches.

I would also like to take this opportunity to remind our pastors to please reserve and protect the dates of March 25-26 for our Renewal Retreat at Camp Garwood that had to be cancelled because of COVID last year. More details as it gets closer.

The theme and speaker is Dr. Gavin Hooks on the The Core Principle.

May the Lord richly bless you is my prayer,

Bro. Ben Kingston, Director