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Faithful Soldier Called Home

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David Earl Griggs, age 70, of St. Louis, MO passed away Thursday, February 10, 2022. David was born September 29, 1951 in St. Louis, MO. Beloved son of the late John D. and Pearlie M. Griggs (nee Smith). Dearest brother of Delmar (Vicki) Griggs and Darran (Christine) Griggs. Loving uncle of Christopher Drysdale, Eric Griggs, Elizabeth Griggs and John Griggs. Our dear cousin, pastor and friend of many.

David pastored Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church in Lemay, MO for 35 years. Outside his loving family David was a dear cousin, pastor and friend of many. His personality is revealed by some of the comments made by those who knew him best.

A friend said, “Bro. David was a very special person. When he came to Emmanuel, he became part of my family. He was a blessing to all that knew him. I have many fond memories of Bro. David. Always there when you needed him!”

A relative said, “Uncle David was one of the most influential people in my life. He introduced me to GOD, he embraced me as his own nephew. This man was, and still is, the most pure Soul I have ever met!”

And still another friend said,” An outstanding singer, minister, and wonderful personal friend. He was in my college choirs and especially on several European concert tours.”

The funeral service was at Lakewood Baptist Church, near Potosi, MO February 16, with Pastor Mike Jarvis officiating. Interment was at Lakewood Baptist Church Cemetery.

March 2022 – Mission Director’s Report

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Dear BMA of MO Churches:

Wow, we have two months in the book of 2022. The ole speed boat of life is barreling down the lake, that’s for sure.

We have been telling you about the Renewal Retreat for a couple of months, and now it’s decision time! I am asking all our pastors to prayerfully consider attending this special time. Please invite the men of your church also because this is for all the men of the association. This is a free event! Bro. Gavin Hooks will share in four sessions about the need of our churches and individuals to carry out ‘The Core Principle.’

You may ask, “What is the core principle?” Mark 12:29-31 KJV “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”

This is probably one of the most popular or most well-known scriptures in the Word of God. In his sessions, brother Gavin will bring out the connection between these verses, America’s founding, and the desperate need today of the Body of Christ to continue to carry out this principle, which is to be the core of all we do.

Please pray that many of our pastors and men attend, and please pray that we hear from God on this most vital issue. I have had several indicate that they are coming, and I am thrilled and excited. If you could, let us know when you get this paper how many are coming from your church, then we can make food arrangements.

I continue to hear great things from the churches that are taking the benchmark assessment. If you don’t get the result you were hoping for, please don’t lose heart! Remember: this is a twice a year endeavor so please attempt to assess your church every six months. If you have any questions, please contact me. I would love to personally present Missouri missions to your church on a Wednesday night through the summer.

May the Lord richly bless you is my prayer.
Bro. Ben

February 2022 – Mission Director’s Report

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Churches of the BMAMO:

I hope you have enjoyed this Christmas and New year season. It is hard to believe that we have already put a month into the books of 2022.

I want to encourage you to pray for our national Missionary Bro. Juan Fernandez, I know He does His own article, but as your missions director, it is imperative that I encourage you to lift him and his family up, not just for the ministries that He is conducting, but on every level.

One of the most disturbing principles in Scripture is the Golden Rule. Think about it, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

If you were Bro. Juan would you just want someone to pray for you occasionally and then only that you succeed as a missionary? No! You would want the people that populate the churches that support you to pray for every facet of your life. Such as: Finances, health, leisure, family, friends, spiritual health, possessions, as I like to say every facet of life. I know Bro. Juan and his family will be forever grateful if we pray like this for him.

Now what I have just illustrated is the very reason for the benchmark assessment, the assessment addresses how well you as an individual and a church are achieving this type of praying, and the pamphlet that accompanies it helps us get this lifestyle into a discipline. Please use the pamphlet weekly to help you accomplish this discipline. If I can help in any way please let me know.

Pastor, if you would like me to come this summer on a Wednesday, please contact me and we will set it up. May the Lord richly bless you all.

Again pastors please plan to come and bring your men with you to the Renewal Retreat at Camp Garwood March 25 – 26, 2022!

The Retreat is free but you need to register all that are coming from your church with me at 636-629-2526 or by email . We need to hear from you by right away.

Bro. Ben Kingston

Youth Alive 2021

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The Youth Alive Conference 2021 was a great success! Central Collective lead our worship with Bro. Tony Crocker delivering our messages. He challenged us about the Holiness of God and our need for a Savior!

This was a great experience for our Youth and the fellowship was great among the 250 in attendance. Many of our churches have commented about how their Youth seemed to grow spiritually as they praised the Lord and enjoyed His Word and learned how to apply it to their lives.

Thanks to all the sponsors and to the planning committee for taking the time to make the preparations for the Youth to have a great time of being together!

May God bless our churches with strong, dedicated Youth who will grow up to be great leaders in out churches in the years ahead!

Promotional Guide For World Missions Day

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BMA Missions is thankful for your partnership. Together we see God blessing with more missionaries in more countries making more disciples and planting more churches than ever before. World Missions Day is February 27, 2022, and we are hoping it is an impactful day at your church. Here are some ideas to help you prepare.

PLAN YOUR WORLD MISSIONS DAY EVENT

World Missions Day is an opportunity to rally your church around the purpose for which we exist – to fulfill the Great Commission. During your World Missions Day celebration please include:

  • a reminder that we have a Great Commission mandate both locally and globally
  • a celebration of how your partnership with BMA Missions is changing lives around the world
  • a time of prayer for our missionaries and missions efforts around the world
  • a chance to give to The Jerry Kidd Offering, which goes to supports the continued efforts of furthering the gospel

RESOURCES

To assist in preparing for your event, the following resources are available to every church:

  • Printed materials – donation envelopes, bulletin inserts, and posters
  • Video, digital and printable resources that includes promotional videos, logos, and images
  • Apparel – BMA shirt for every pastor who registers and T-shirts available for purchase
  • Guest speaker – Invite someone from BMA Missions to speak to your church.

Contact Sidney Vines – Items available at www.bmamissions.org/worldmissionsday or contact Sidney Vines (sidney@bmaam.com, 501-358-3848).

PROMOTIONAL IDEAS

Here are some ways to plan ahead, create awareness, generate excitement, and engage people.

  • Set and promote an offering goal for your church through bulletins, announcements, social media platforms, etc. and provide donation envelopes in bulletins, foyers, pews, and classrooms.
  • Create a missions board in high traffic areas with verses, printed materials, missionary pictures, offering goals, etc.
  • Create visibility by hanging posters in high traffic areas and using logos (available for download) in your bulletins, worship visuals, websites, social media, and other printed materials.
  • Distribute bulletin inserts, play promotional videos, and ask your pastor to reference them in services.
  • Present a missions sermon series that culminates on World Missions Day.
  • Incorporate music and songs with a missions theme to compliment your missions emphasis.
  • Contact Sidney to invite a BMA Missions staff member to speak at your church.
  • Promote a week or month of prayer using prayer guide handouts, emails, or social media to guide daily prayer.
  • Have small groups/classes research a country or missionary for a presentation (info on bmaamissions.org)
  • Use quotes or testimonials from church members who participate in or have a special heart for missions.

PRAYER GUIDE IDEAS

  • For evangelism and discipleship to take root in our churches
  • For pastors as they lead our churches during this difficult time in our country
  • For BMA Missions leaders who train, support, and invest in missionaries and missions efforts around the world
  • For North American church planters, which includes U.S., Hispanic, Arabic, and other non-English speaking church plants as well as chaplains ministering to our military personnel
  • For U.S. missionaries overseas that they will be effective in making disciples and raising leaders to carry on the work in their own countries
  • For national ChangeMaker missionaries who are planting churches in their own countries
  • For God to call new missionaries and open doors to new countries and people groups
  • For the people affected by the challenges created by Covid-19 all around the world
  • For the increasing oppression of the gospel at home and abroad

More information on specific missionaries and countries can be found at bmaamissions.org.

Christian Founders of America

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Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

by Dr.John Adams, Executive Dir. Moral Action

The blessing of wisdom is the blessing of God. The invitation of wisdom is the invitation of God. Many believe that God invited the early American founders overwhelmingly to raise Christ as the Leader of America.

That mindset was held by George Washington, John Adams, Daniel Webster, Benjamin Rush, Samuel and on and on.

The Bible

The American Frontier opened up between 1776 and 1850,American colonists first expanded out as far west as Appalachia, then pushed the frontier to the Mississippi River. By 1850, American pioneers pushed the edge of settlement to Texas, the Southwest, and the Pacific northwest,
seeking cheap land and inspired by the belief that they had a “manifest destiny” to stretch across the continent…The Patriot Bible. In 1835, Alexis de Tocqueville, a French historian, traveled America as it was coming is own as a nation. He wrote down his observations in Democracy in America. This classic book provides unique insights into what made America such a rapid success which he clearly believed to be Christianity and the Bible.

Education

In a great culmination of writings and historical opinions, American
schools, colleges, and universities loved the Word of God. Harvard University, founded in 1636 by the Puritans adopted the “Rules and Precepts” of the university that stated: “Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his study to wit to know God in Jesus Christ which is eternal life. John 17:3, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” Most of America’s oldest universities were started by preachers and churches. Harvard, William and Mary. Yale, Princeton, King’s College, Brown, Rutgers, and Dartmouth were founded by Christian preachers and church affiliations. Yale College was established in 1701 with a stated goal that “every student shall consider the main end of his study to wit to know God in Jesus Christ and answerably to lead a godly, sober life.” William and Mary was founded in 1693 to supply the church of Virginia “with a seminary of ministers” that the Christian faith may be propagated.” Princeton had as one of its founding statements:
“Cursed is all leaning that is contrary to the Cross of Christ.”

To be open and correct, all the Founding Fathers of America were not Christians (true believers in Christ): they were not. But the Christian teachings from the Bible were great influences on the culture. Christ’s words had a profound effect on the homes, families and political leaders of
that day.

The Baptists sent out their “farmer-preachers.” As was true of the Mryhodistsk the Baptists developed systems that made it easy for committed lay people to enter the ministry and to be deployed quickly where the greatest opportunities were. Most of their preachers had little education and were poorly paid, but they were in touch with the pioneer’s lives.

With an emphasis for a personal conversion and salvation from sin through faith in Jesus Christ, these ministers spread the Gospel far and wide.

This conviction today that I attributed to Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia is so needed today:

“It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was
founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

World Missions Day 2022

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February 27, 2022

We live in a broken world full of broken people.
We know that.
We see that.
We say that.
Jesus did, too.

Matthew 9:36-38 says, “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, the harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Jesus was moved with compassion for the broken. Missions happens when we are burdened for broken people. It was in our brokenness that Jesus found us, loved us, and saved us.

The story of missions is the story of people – missionaries – who are burdened for people, Burdened enough to go. Burdened enough to sacrifice their lives for the lives of others.

The harvest is plentiful, and we need laborers. But laborers are birthed out of a burdened and broken heart for the lost and weary and scattered.

Our vision and impact in reaching the world will never be bigger than our burden for broken people.

That’s the catalyst to missions.

That’s the heart of missionaries.

We indeed live in a broken world full of broken people, but does that “move us with compassion”?

May we be burdened for broken people during this World Missions Day season and every day.

A BROKEN HEART FOR A BROKEN WORLD

Pandemics • lock downs • Political divide • Poverty • Religious oppression • Persecution

We live in a BROKEN world

  • In a broken world, Jesus was burdened for broken people:
  • The impoverished and oppressed.
  • The helpless and hopeless
  • The lost and weary and scattered

Jesus gave his life for broken people. And He gave the same mission to the church. Take the healing message of Jesus Christ to the nations. We too must be burdened for people.

Each day, 175,000 people die. Each year 60 Million broken and lost people die.

For more information go to www.bmamissions.org

December 2021 – Mission Director’s Report

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Dear Churches of the BMAMO:

Merry Christmas, everybody! It has been a full year plus 2 months since I became your Missions Director and that time has been fruitful and positive in many ways. I could not be more excited about the ministry that Bro. Juan Fernandez and his family are carrying out and the fruit that they are seeing. I beg you to continue to pray and support Bro. Juan in any and every way the Lord leads.

On a State level, I am striving to encourage each church to do the BMAMO assessment and utilize the accompanying pamphlet so that the next time you perform the assessment, the church as a whole will score better and thereby increase their Missions knowledge. These articles over the next few months will lay out specifically the impetus behind the assessment questions and how to use the pamphlet to better prepare yourself for your next assessment. I am hearing positive things from the churches that have made use of the assessment and will be sharing that soon.

Most of us have heard the question, “What do you give someone that has everything?” As Americans, we don’t think of ourselves in that light, yet compared to 2/3 of the world we do have everything. We have comfortable homes, wardrobes to clothe ourselves, refrigerators and freezers full of food, cars, trucks, houses, and lands. You and I know there are lots of people that have more “stuff” than we do. But to get back to the question – what do you give someone that has everything? The answer is to give them something that they cannot provide for themselves. For every man, woman, boy, and girl, that is what Jesus did for us. He gave us the one thing we could never provide for ourselves – His precious salvation. This is why we call ourselves “Missionaries.” It is our mission to take this most wonderful gospel to the world, specifically to the people within your and my sphere of influence.

On a very practical level, I believe we can take the same ideology and ask, “What can I do for the people within my sphere of influence that they cannot do for themselves?” That’s the way you make your Christmas list and shed the light of the gospel in their lives. Some of those on your list will have physical needs, some will be spiritual, some will be time that you spend with them, and some will be financial gifts. I encourage you to ask yourself the question as you go about preparing to bless others with a gift.

Lastly, on a negative note, but also positive from the standpoint of potential healing and restoration, our Baptist Missionary Association President Justin Rhodes was relieved of his duties as Pastor of his church because of an unstated moral failure. This is public knowledge, I am told, and I got permission to share this before I included it in this article. You may not know Justin, but I do. This was a shock and a great disappointment. I have nothing but empathy, forgiveness, and love for Justin, and I’m asking you to pray for him, the church that he pastored, and the association, that God will bring healing, restoration, and forgiveness. I love the verse that says God will restore the years the locust have eaten. What Satan means for evil, God will use for good and for a lesson to all of us.

Let’s remember 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

May the Lord richly bless you this Christmas season.
Bro. Ben Kingston

November 2021 – Mission Director’s Report

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Dear BMA of Missouri Churches:

WOW, well, here we are! It is Thanksgiving and then Christmas season. But relax! According to the media, we won’t have Christmas this year because all the “stuff” that makes Christmas Christmas is out on shipping containers in the sea for one reason or another. So, we will not be able to have Christmas the way we are used to … wait for it … GOOD! Now, why would I say that? Because if those folks think that some $50 gadget is the sum total of Christmas, then they truly have allowed the commercialization of Christmas to blind them.

Dear Churches, Christmas has always been a little babe in a manger bringing God’s love to the world. And it still is!I am so glad that the love of Jesus is not dependent on the supply chain of America. (As someone posted on Facebook “Christmas isn’t stranded on ships in either ocean. God delivered Christmas over 2,000 years ago. JESUS CHRIST is Christmas!)
Some of you might be thinking, “Wait a minute, Bro. Ben, aren’t we getting ahead of ourselves? We have Thanksgiving first, don’t we? Yes, no doubt! But I wanted to highlight what the news is cramming down our throats because in their eyes, if we can’t have Christmas the way we are used to, why on earth would we have anything to be thankful for?

Let’s count, shall we? For the moment we still have a free country. We still have the freedom to worship the way we biblically see fit. We still have a representative government. We still have free elections. We can still move throughout the country with freedom. We can still own and sell property. Now, are many of these freedoms being threatened? Absolutely! But we should be thankful that we have them at this moment.

Let’s get personal. We should be thankful for our physical health, at whatever level. We have our families and their health, at whatever level. We have friends. We have our churches. We have the Gospel. We have the Bible. We have the Church we attend. We have our Sunday School or Small Groups class we attend. We have the transcendent cause of sharing the Gospel with our friends, neighbors, and relatives.

My friends, we are a blessed people. Did you notice what is missing from that list? All the stuff that, if we are not careful, we think our life is truly about. But sir or ma’am, please go back over that list slowly and ask yourself, “Are these not the elements of our lives that truly matter?” If we take this attitude into Thanksgiving and Christmas, we will truly have a blessed holiday season.

Now for the real reason for this article. I know, I know! It’s long, please bear with me till the end.

I have done several funerals in October including: a 54 year old man, Jeff Folk from our church, 52 year old Karen Oats, wife of Bro. Eddie Paul (Pastor at Berean, who did the main portion of the service), and 62 year old Sandy Belew, my next door neighbor. If I missed one, please forgive me. My memory is not what it used to be.

These, however, stand out to me because I am 56 years old, so in that respect these are ‘my people.’ I don’t know about you, but my way of thinking is that this is way too young. Bro. Jeff went to sleep one night and never woke up. Sis Karen and Sis Sandy fought cancer for many years.

We are not promised tomorrow. This is the motto that has gone through my mind all month in response to the news of each of these home-goings: “One life to live, soon it will pass, only what’s done for Christ will last.”

If you have gone through the BMAMO assessment, you know that the whole point of the document is to put the emphasis of our lives on people and their eternal souls. That which truly matters is that which will last forever. The stuff on those shipping containers will rot in a matter of years while our souls will last forever. Please make your life about that which Christ made His life about: the lost souls of men, women, boys, and girls.

May the Lord richly bless you is my prayer.
Bro. Ben Kingston

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.