In This Issue
God Has a Plan (pg. 4)
Knowing Christ / Making Him Known (pg. 3)
Master’s Builders Report (pg. 6)
SOAR Hacks (pg. 8)
Spotlight on Missions (pg. 3)
In This Issue
God Has a Plan (pg. 4)
Knowing Christ / Making Him Known (pg. 3)
Master’s Builders Report (pg. 6)
SOAR Hacks (pg. 8)
Spotlight on Missions (pg. 3)
CBC Honors Nine in White Coat Ceremony
By Sancy Faulk, Vice President for Advancement
The CBC Math and Science Department recognized nine students for their academic excellence by awarding them with white coats in a private ceremony held April 26. This event marked the 10th White Coat Ceremony to be held by the college. Each student achieved academic excellence — completing rigorous academic requirements set forth by Math and Science Department faculty — and were approved as a recipient for her white coat.
“At most institutions, the white coat ceremony is a rite of passage; it is a way of welcoming new students into the medical profession,” said Dr. Gary McAllister, Vice President for Academic Affairs. “At Central Baptist College, the white coat symbolizes the high expectations that science faculty have for their students. This ceremony is intended to impress upon our students the need to excel in their study of science, to love others and show compassion and to pursue their profession with diligence and integrity.”
The 2021 ceremony included a prayer of blessing led by Associate Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Dr. Joshua Kwekel and the recognition of the honorees as their white coats were presented by department faculty and the 2019-2020 white coat members.
The 2021 White Coat Class is listed below according to their major:
• Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences — Holly Allen, Anna Crocker, Alyssa Estrada and Autumn Herring
• Bachelor of Science in Biology — Macey Decker, Madelyn Jameson, Tiffany Knowles, Sara McGee and Lena Srdanov.
CBC Math and Science Department faculty include Judy Gabbard, Math and Science Department Chair and Professor of Science; Dr. Elizabeth Gomez, Natural and Social Sciences Division Chair and Professor of Chemistry; Dr. Joshua Kwekel, Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; and Dr. Mi-Seon Seong, Associate Professor of Biology.
From the Math and Science Department, CBC offers the following bachelor’s degrees: Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Bachelor of Science in Biology, Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biosciences. Additionally, minors are offered in Biology, Chemistry, Math and Science. To learn more about the Math and Science Department at CBC visit cbc.edu or contact CBC Admissions at admissions@cbc.edu or (501) 329-6873.
One of Life’s Most Precious Gifts
By Jeff Swart, BMAA President
One of the important leaders in the early church was a man named Timothy whose name means “one who worships God.” Paul describes Timothy’s mother and grandmother in these words: “I have been reminded of your (Timothy’s) sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (II Tim. 1:5). Paul said that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ “lived” in Timothy’s grandmother and “lived” in Timothy’s mother and now “lives” in Timothy. God wants us to have a “living” faith that is lived out through our lives and passed on to our children (II Cor. 3:2-3).
The Apostle Paul makes the following comment about Timothy: “…from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures…” (II Tim. 3:15). Paul stated that Timothy had learned the Scriptures from the mouth of his mother from the time he was an infant. Later in life, Timothy, whose heart had been spiritually prepared by his mother, was apparently led to Christ by the Apostle Paul (I Cor. 4:17; I Tim. 1:12; II Tim. 1:2).
We have noticed the spiritual training of Timothy and now notice the fruit of Timothy’s life:
• He was an ordained preacher of the gospel (I Tim. 4:14; II Tim. 1:6,7).
• He had the spiritual gift of evangelism (Rom. 16:21; II Tim. 4:5).
• He faithfully served Paul as a companion and fellow worker (Phil. 2:22).
• He became indispensable to Paul’s ministry (Acts 17:14-15; 18:5; 20:4).
• At one point, only Timothy shared the same burdens as Paul (II Tim. 2:3; 3:14).
• He restored the backslidden saints at Corinth (I Cor. 14:17).
• He comforted the believers in Thessalonica (I Thess. 3:2).
• He pastored the church at Ephesus (I Tim. 1:3; 4:12).
• He suffered persecution (II Tim. 1:8; Heb. 13:23).
Tradition says Timothy died as a martyr in Ephesus while attempting to stop a heathen procession in honor of the pagan goddess Diana. I personally believe that Timothy lived a godly life as the result of the godly influence of his mother Eunice. In my opinion, Ralph Waldo Emerson correctly made this observation, “Men are what their mothers make them.”
It was Solomon who wrote, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (Prov. 22:6). Solomon stated a general principle that parents are to teach their children the ways of the Lord and when they are mature enough to make their own decisions, they will make their decisions based upon their previous spiritual training. I have often said that the second greatest gift that God could ever give you is a Christian mother and father. If you have, or in some cases had, a godly mother — please pause right now and thank God for one of life’s most precious gifts.
Happy Mother’s Day, moms!
MOVING with Ministers and Staff
This is only a news column, and the publishing of a person’s availability should not be considered a recommendation by the Trumpet. To view
previous listings from this
column, visit our website at
www.baptisttrumpet.com.
Carter Pearce recently resigned as missionary for the BMA of Arkansas and is available for preaching appointments and pulpit supply. He is a graduate of Central Baptist College, BMA Seminary and Liberty Baptist Seminary and can be contacted at (870) 688-7412 or cpearce_us@yahoo.com.
David Long has accepted the pastorate of First Baptist Church in Mantachie, Miss. He plans to be on the field May 23.
Mother’s Day: Priorities & Joys
By Autumn Wall • Baptist Press
As a mom of three kids under the age of 6, I shift from day to day — thinking I can conquer the world (like when I actually get all three kids dressed and in the car in under an hour and a half) to feeling like the worst mom on the planet (like when my kid has a meltdown during that quiet moment of communion at church).
So, Mother’s Day can make every mom on the planet feel (even for a day) like a huge success.
Whether you’re crushing it as a mom or wishing you knew how to do things better, here are a few of the lessons I’ve learned as a mom:
• Make your relationship with Jesus your #1 priority. Make sure your kids know how much you need Jesus every day. Teach them to seek Him by modeling a dependency and desperation for His presence that they see every morning. Let them see you spending time with Jesus, reading your Bible and praying. Include them in your personal worship time every once in a while. Talk about what God is teaching you throughout the day. You don’t have to be perfect, just make sure your kids see you turning to Jesus in every situation.
• Make your relationship with your husband the #2 priority. So many parents focus so much on their kids that their marriage takes a back seat. My kids know that “daddy comes first” when it comes to my attention. They also know that they will have my full attention in just a minute, but when we’ve been going different directions for the day and finally get home, daddy always gets those first few moments no matter what else is going on. We budget for a weekly date night and protect it with everything we have. The two of us connecting, being on the same page and enjoying each other is the best thing we can ever do for our kids.
• Enjoy every season. Take in the moments with your newborn, your chattering six-year-old, your quiet teenager who finally took off her headphones or the phone call with your adult child. It’s easy to complain about the diapers, endless nights, irresponsibility or distance, but you can also always find joy in every season. Your kids know when you’re enjoying your job as mom or not. Even when it may not feel joyful in the moment, look for the joy in every season as it comes.
• Find one-on-one time with each of your children. This takes time and energy to plan out, but regularly add to your calendar some focused time with each kid. Find something they love to do and go do it. My six-year-old loves slides. So when I take him out for one-on-one time, we go to a different playground each time that has a cool slide. My three-year-old would rather go downtown to look at flowers and get ice cream. Take your children to a movie they’re interested in, play mini golf, get dinner at their favorite restaurant or just go for a walk or a hike. You don’t have to spend a ton of money to do something memorable. These times of engaging with your children will be times you treasure for years to come.
• Teach your kids to love the church. To be a part of the family of God is an amazing thing. In the church, your kids will learn life lessons that will carry into the rest of their lives. Instead of making church an occasional obligation, teach your kids to love the church. Include them in volunteer opportunities, take them on a mission trip, serve together as greeters. Make being in Sunday worship a priority for your family and show your kids by your presence and your attitude that loving Jesus means loving His bride, the church.
You can read plenty of great books on parenting and still feel like you don’t have a clue. Instead, take this Mother’s Day to enjoy and prioritize your family, and remember that you are blessed with an amazing responsibility to raise little Kingdom builders. “Train them up in the way they should go,” the familiar verse in Prov. 22:6 tells us, “and when they are old, they will not depart from it.”
CBC Rotaract Club Relaunches
The 2020-2021 academic year has been a productive one as the CBC Rotaract Club relaunched under the direction of Advisor Dr. Kateryna Pitchford. Through Rotaract clubs, young people ages 18 and older develop leadership and professional skills, exchange ideas with community leaders and have fun through service. Membership in the CBC Rotaract Club is limited to currently enrolled students at Central Baptist College.
This year, the CBC Rotaract Club held four meetings and participated in two community service projects. The first project, Operation Christmas Child, was held in November 2020. Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse and is sponsored locally by Fellowship Bible Church of Conway. The second service project was with Life Choices. Life Choices is a local pregnancy resource center, and the Rotaract Club volunteered for their annual Spring Soirée fundraising event that was held on April 19-20.
“It has been a pleasure to serve as the CBC Rotaract Advisor,” said Dr. Pitchford.” We have 15 great members who were very active in reestablishing the club this year and serving others in our community. They came up with community service projects and had a strong will and dedication in implementing them. I am looking forward to the next year with this group of outstanding students and, of course, new students!”
CBC Rotaract Club officers for 2020-2021 are: President Brianna Irons, Secretary Lena Srdanov, Service Projects Chair Channing Mitchell and Public Image Chair Colten Wiley. Club members are Marcela Bueno, Madison Cox, Ashleigh Daugherty, Abby Gresham, Alexandria Irons, Josie Jones, Andrew Krisell, Austen Krisell, Jordan Moore, Kelsie Moore and Jaclyn Smith.
Dr. Kateryna Pitchford is an Associate Professor of Business at Central Baptist College, serves as the CBC Rotaract Advisor and is a member of the Conway Noon Rotary Club. The CBC Rotaract Club is sponsored by the Conway Noon Rotary Club.
Bobby Wilkey Retires from CBC
After 39 years of service to Central Baptist College, Bobby Wilkey officially retired on August 14, 2020. Due to COVID restrictions in place at the time, a celebration could not be planned. A retirement reception honoring Bobby Wilkey has now been scheduled for Sat., May 8. This come and go reception will take place in the Childers Dining Hall located in the Mabee Student Services Complex on the CBC campus from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Remarks will be made at 5 p.m.
If you will be able to attend the retirement reception on May 8, please RSVP to Jessica Faulkner at (501) 205-8800 or jfaulkner@cbc.edu. If you are not able to attend in person, but would like to send your congratulations to Bobby, you can email a message to Jessica using the contact information provided, or you can mail a card to Central Baptist College, Attn: Jessica Faulkner, 1501 College Avenue, Conway, AR 72034. A memory book will be compiled for Bobby with all of the messages received. Photos of you and your family, or photos you have with Bobby, can be included as well.
Sports
News
By Erik Holth
Softball
• Oklahoma City, Okla., April 30 — Playing their final doubleheader of the regular season, #18 CBC took on the #2 Stars of Oklahoma City University at Historic Ann Lacy Stadium. #18 CBC (27-11) was swept in the doubleheader by OCU (39-3) dropping game one 3-2 and game two 4-2.
Baseball
• Conway, April 30 — Opening their final series of the regular season at Victory Field, CBC hosted the American Midwest Conference (AMC) leading Cougars of Columbia College. CBC (24-17, 10-12 AMC) split the doubleheader with CC (31-9, 20-6 AMC), dropping the opener 6-1 before winning game two 11-7.
• Conway, May 1 — After honoring the seniors in a pregame ceremony, CBC looked to salvage a split in their AMC series with Columbia College in the final doubleheader of the season at Victory Field. CBC (24-19, 10-14 AMC) did not accomplish their goal, losing game one 18-1 before dropping game two 6-5 in 10 innings.
Men’s Golf
• Cape Girardeau, Mo., May 3 — Playing in their final tournament of the season, CBC opened the 54-hole AMC Championship at Dalhousie Golf Club with the first 36 holes. CBC was tied for third after round one and is in fourth place in round two after shooting a combined score of 614, eight shots behind the leaders, Missouri Baptist.
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Dan Carson
Director
Student Ministry Workers Retreat 2021
It is official. The 2021 Student Ministry Workers Retreat is Sept. 11 from 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and registration is open!
We are very excited about this year’s event. Central Baptist College of Conway will be hosting as we meet live and in-person. We will have giveaways, snacks, worship, break-out groups and some great teaching.
Our featured speaker is Jeff Borton. Jeff is the missions pastor at Long Hollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tenn. He has been in student ministry for over 20 years, has served in both small and large church contexts and desires to see them all thrive. Jeff enjoys teaching, consulting and seeing student ministry leaders develop. He’s passionate about discipleship, missions and seeing students transformed by the gospel. He is the author of Your First 100 Days in Student Ministry and the co-author of Simple Student Ministry. Jeff is married to Jen, and they have three boys. They live outside of Nashville, Tenn. and love the farm life. Together they enjoy football, hunting, fishing and diving.
We are currently working on our breakout groups, worship team and our Friday Night Hangout. Be sure to visit our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts to keep up with information as it becomes available, and also check out our podcast at studentministrymatters.podbean.com for updates.
To register, visit StudentMinistryMatters.com and follow the link. Currently, the first 21 registrants will only pay $21. After the early bird specials are gone, the price goes up to $25 plus fees until Aug. 22. The first 100 registered will get a goody bag. If you have any questions, contact me at info@StudentMinistryMatters.com or (479) 790-7808.
If you don’t work with students, be sure to sponsor the student ministry worker in your church. Pay for their registration and even get them a hotel room for the night before. Make it a special weekend for them.
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Spotlight On
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Stan & Donna Scroggins • Philippines
The picture above on the left is what a city of 22 million people looks like during COVID lockdown. The Philippines has the most stringent travel restrictions of any country in the world. Fortunately, our city of Bacolod is not as bad. We do have evening curfews from 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. The picture above on the right is an inspection point. I have heard of people being arrested for breaking the curfew. We don’t go out that late, so it’s really no problem for us. Other than wearing mask and face shields everywhere we go, we find minimum restrictions.
From Stan — With classes soon to be finished for the summer, I am praying that transportation curfews will be lifted and I will be able to visit our missions. Please especially ask the Lord’s intervention to travel to Leyte. J.R. Suico, our missionary there, really needs an encouraging visit. Our pastors and missionaries on Mindanoa have been requesting a visit, as well as Panay and Guimaras. These islands do allow visitors, but the problem is our island of Negros.
During the summer break we will be doing some maintenance on our buildings and classrooms at the college. I especially want to put air conditioning in the choir room. If you’ve ever seen me direct a choir, you know I need “cooling off.” (stanmusical@icloud.com)
From Donna — In the midst of joy to be back in the Philippines, I am really experiencing “home sickness.” After living near our girls for a year, I really miss them. Our work with Filipinos does help to keep my mind busy, and it is great to be able to video chat with folks back home. If Stan and I can provide you with a short mission update video for your church, please contact us. We love doing it!
Do you need an inexpensive project? Each year we try to provide our students with a Christmas package of essentials. We can buy what we need here. It is a great project for a Sunday School class, GMA and Galilean groups or the entire church. Let me know if you have interest in helping with this. (gojvcrusaders@msn.com)
Michel & Ruth Poirier • Quebec /Haïti /Africa
Thank you for all you have done for us. Your support and sacrifice are not going unnoticed. We pray that Lord will protect you during this time of pandemic and give you open doors to share the gospel.
Quebec
We praise the Lord for letting us gather at church on Sunday, in the number of 25. It is hard to manage who can come and who cannot come, especially the first-time visitors. Until now, God has kept the authorities out of our building, and for some time, we have been over the number permitted! One new visitor has been coming for three weeks and one couple asked for membership. Things are slowly turning around our church. COVID is very real in our neck of the woods. We are not vaccinated yet and we are very careful where we go and who we talk to.
Haïti
The church of Ségur is growing fast. Last month, 12 came to Christ as many young boys and girls gave their lives to Christ. Every Saturday morning, around 160 young people, ages 10-16, come to the church to pray, listen to preaching and sing songs. Because these young ones don’t eat every day, a hot meal is served each Saturday before sending them home.
Clothing, food and Bible distribution is a very good way to introduce the Lord to the Haitians, especially in the mountains. One lady prayed for many months for clothes for herself and her children, and three weeks ago she received a suitcase full of items that only she and the Lord knew she needed. She got all she asked the Lord for — dresses, shoes, a few Bibles, flashlight and many other things. When she shared her story, she was in tears, thanking the Lord for answering her prayer.
On another occasion, the wife of one of our pastors in Onaville did not have a good dress for church, so she prayed to God. Two months before she prayed, we sent a shipment to Haïti in a container for our three churches. When the pastor received the goods that were shipped, he opened the barrels, one after the other, and called his wife in joy and said, “Honey, the Lord answered your prayer! Here are a couple of lady’s suits, a beautiful jacket and dresses.” She was crying and glorifying the Lord. Thank you for giving to the work in Haïti.
There is so much need in Haïti — health issues, clothing, food and Bibles, but mostly the need of salvation is great. Feeding the children on Saturday costs $500. We do what we can, but we cannot do it alone. We need partners who are willing to help. (pasteur.poirier56@gmail.com)
Michael & Laura Strong • Minneapolis, Minn.
“Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge. How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways” (Rom. 11:33).
The last month and a half have been busy. Seth, our newborn twin, has been in and out of the hospital. The world watched as Derek Chauvin’s trial carried the threat of another round of riots and mass looting across the country and here in Minneapolis. Another shooting took place right at the height of the trial, which led to protests and shootings. All the while, my babies needed to wake and eat at all hours of the night. My young children needed potty training and lots of correction and teaching for conflict resolution. We had four children that needed home school. And in the midst of the normal hustle and bustle of trying to keep a household running with eight small children and two very tired parents, God was doing some work behind the scenes.
Each week, we had new visitors to either the Bible study at FreedomWorks or at the Harbor House. The hospital visits greatly slowed my evangelistic outreach push, but God used this to give me a passion to get to know “my guys” better. I work almost exclusively with men, and I am so privileged to have this opportunity.
Attendance in the FreedomWorks Bible studies are down a bit, but steady at around 13 or so men each week. These men are my friends. They care about me and I care about them. God put it on my heart to write down their names, not just a number of attendees, each week so I could notice who was coming and who was absent. I yearn to pray for them. I want to notice when they are gone. I want to check in on them and see trends of when they have been out for a while so I can pursue them or at least check on them. They got me cards for my anniversary and one for our family after Seth had a scare in the middle of the night that included his monitor box going out after an apnic event.
Our Harbor House Bible Study is about the same. We are currently averaging four people each week, but it’s becoming a core group. We’ve also had a new person there almost every week. Our prayers for each other are going deeper. Our texts and meetings in between studies are growing a closer bond of friendship. We are becoming a family.
God was present in those meetings. He helped us walk through His Word and understand His gospel message and what He has done to reveal His glory to His people by sending His Son to die and rise from the grave for God’s good pleasure in saving sinners from His wrath and for their completely demerited benefit (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 1:4-5)!
At the same time, I have been grieved to hear that some of the visitors who have come to study groups fell back into addiction just days after I shared the gospel with them. This, I am told, is part of the new life I am called to as I “feast with the poor.” I pray the Scripture I sent them home with and the gospel message I tried to plant will grow in the darkness they may be living in despite Satan’s attempts to choke out any hope of the kingdom manifesting in their hearts.
Neighbors are also opening their doors and hearts to us. God is giving us more territory, which means more responsibility. I have spent time asking God what He wants me to do since I have found myself more constrained with the frequent hospital visits and their implications. The time with God seems to be the answer to the prayer, so I have been praying more. That is a gift. I’ve also been falling asleep in prayer. I’ve been spending a lot of time in prayer the way I used to pray back when I felt it was pure and undefiled. Just talking with God and really wanting to know Him and share myself with Him. I want to listen to Him and be led by Him so there is more time sitting quietly also. I don’t mean I am in a quiet place. That doesn’t happen much here, but my heart and head are quiet. That is a gift from God. In it all, God is giving me a passion to serve, to pour myself out, for others.
We have people who need help. I desire to see day care started for single moms, financial planning started for families and singles and biblical manhood and womanhood classes started. I want to teach Purpose Driven Life classes and classes on Marriage and Parenting. I even spoke with a man about a desire I’ve had for some time to see a Celebrate Recovery group start in our church after talking with others about a desire to see a food shelf and a blessing closet start.
But in all of this, the most important part is the gospel. I want to see the gospel going forth in power, changing lives and those changed lives being discipled and cared for by the church. I want to pour my life out for my family and for God’s family. As I’ve had to sit and wait, the hunger and passion has only grown. So I’ve prayed, dreamed and begun working in my house and with the few God has given me.
Thank you for your prayers, support, calls and cards. We appreciate each of you and you are growing more and more dear to us as we get to know you over the months and years of gospel partnership. God has been grafting us together. I look forward to announcing some coming events on the horizon and new open doors with partners God is giving us. Pray for us as we make some big decisions and take steps of faith in this way as well.
Healthy Church Solutions
Knowing Christ and Making Him Known
In Philippians 3, Paul states that the goal is to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. Knowing Christ is everything, but that goal is incomplete if you are not also making Him known to others in your sphere of influence. Every believer is called to be a disciple of Christ (Luke 9:23) and every disciple of Christ is called to make disciples (Matt. 28:20). The Great Commission was not given as a choice for us to decide upon, but rather a command to obey. Charles Spurgeon said, “Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter.” Jesus said we would be fishers of men.
In Life on Mission, Dustin Willis and Aaron Coe state, “The gospel moves forward on the shoulders of men and women willing to do the difficult work of making disciples!” In your spiritual growth journey, there are always three influences at work — your personal involvement in the process (Phil. 2:12), the providential work of God in your life (Phil.2:13) and the pastoral element, the equipping responsibility of your church (Gal. 4:19). If you are not growing spiritually or being fruitful, you can rest assured that God is always doing His part.
When you fall short in the area of your spiritual goals, the problem lies in one of the two other areas of influence. It is either an unwillingness to obey God’s clear command (it’s personal) or it is a lack of clear Biblical training (pastoral). In no way am I implying that this all falls upon the pastor, but only using the term to summarize the responsibility of every local church (Eph. 4:11-12). Are you willing to surrender to what God is calling you to do? Is your church providing the necessary training and guidance in how to build relationships with people who are far from God and how to present the gospel clearly and concisely?
Accepting Jesus’ command to make Him known requires that you accept your personal responsibility. Mark a dot on a map where you live, then prayerfully begin to develop a strategy to share the love of Christ with those who are far from God. It may not be a geographical dot but a relational dot because of your interests, hobbies and daily activities. It means adopting the mentality that you have a work to do in representing Christ well by living on mission. Every believer is called to live as a missionary right where God has placed you. Who do you need to have a gospel conversation with?
Everyday missionaries are those who practice life on mission daily in their zip code. It requires an all-hands-on-deck mentality, but it does not call for adding something to your already busy schedule. This should intersect with your current daily rhythms as you live daily as ambassadors for Christ. Willis and Coe refer to this as, “Driven by the truth of the gospel and defined by the mission of God.” It means that we accept our role as everyday missionaries who are committed to introducing people to Jesus. No matter what you do, whether you are white collar, blue collar or have no collar at all, tell people about Jesus.
Thankfully, the entire weight of this endeavor does not depend entirely on your efforts. Our missionary God is not waiting on you because He is already at work. He is inviting you to join Him in His mission of redemption and reconciliation. Believers are expected to be disciples, and disciples are expected to make more disciples. As you follow Him, you should be looking for where He is at work and as Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God has said, “Join Him there.” You are asked to join Him right in the middle of the greatest rescue mission ever given — the mission of God. We are to be like Paul — passionate about persuading men and women to Christ.
God has provided His salvation to all, and He has called you to join Him on His missionary endeavor to all. As the ultimate missionary, Jesus is asking you to represent Him and join Him in His heart and passion, reconciling more and more people to Him. God has always been about forming a gospel people with a gospel mission. Leighton Flowers, in His Soteriology 101 podcast, states a firm belief in the truth that God provides salvation for everyone (Titus 2:11). He believes that God is more interested in providing salvation to all than in controlling who receives Christ and who does not.
He quotes A.W. Tozer: “God sovereignly decreed that man should be free to exercise moral choice, and man from the beginning has fulfilled that decree by making his choice between good and evil. When he chooses to do evil, he does not thereby countervail the sovereign will of God but fulfills it, inasmuch as the eternal decree decided not which choice the man should make but that he should be free to make it… Man’s will is free because God is sovereign. A God less than sovereign could not bestow moral freedom upon His creatures. He would be afraid to do so.”
God is sovereign, and He decided that man would have the ability, the choice, to follow Him or not. The gospel is the good news to those that are without Him and provides real hope to all in the redemption Jesus offers to all. Your efforts as His messenger do make a difference, and making Him known glorifies Him. No matter how bad things may appear, all is not lost as long as His redemption is available and offered. May all of us press toward the goal of knowing Him and making Him known.
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Larry barker, Director of Operations North America
BMA of America Missions Department
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Greetings Arkansas BMA!
Mother’s Day:
Like a Permanent Marker
By Sarah Dixon Young • Baptist Press
“What is on your shirt?”
“Um, permanent marker.”
Every mother hates those words from the lips of her small child. Not only does she see the evidence as it appears on the offender, she also envisions the room, furniture, floor, toys and siblings that also might have been targeted.
Permanent markers, as you know, are permanent. There’s hardly a soap, detergent or magic eraser that can erase whatever marks they make.
Cleaning the marks gives one adequate time to reflect on the difference between permanent markers and washable Crayolas, and after the frustration ebbs, it’s a good time to consider the difference between things that come to an end and eternal things.
When the Apostle Paul wrote his second letter to the Corinthian church, he contrasted the Old Covenant given through Moses with the New Covenant granted through Jesus. When Moses received the Old Covenant, it was glorious. The mountain appeared to be on fire. There were rumbles and peals of thunder and flashing light. There was no question that God was who He claimed to be, that He had the authority to give law, and that He is glorious.
His glory was so overwhelmingly bright that Moses came down the mountain with a shiny face. The people, intimidated and frightened by this, asked Moses to cover his face, so he used a veil.
But it is interesting how the apostle Paul describes this to the Corinthians. He says the Old Covenant that was written on stone tablets, brings death and condemnation, is being brought to an end, is veiled, and resulted in hardened minds even though it came with a colorful display of God’s glory.
It’s like those washable Crayola markers. The children are happy and excited about them when they’re new and they like to see the pretty colors on the page. However, they are temporary. One day, those markers will dry out, lose their caps or have their tips get frayed from use or snipped off with scissors. The user makes them temporary.
The New Covenant, Paul writes, will be written on people’s hearts, gives life and righteousness, reveals freedom and transformation, and has eternal permanency because it has come through the Holy Spirit. Here’s our permanent marker! What self-respecting four-year-old would use the washable Crayola when a box of permanent markers is near? Don’t we all long to make our permanent mark on the world?
God’s New Covenant offers eternal permanency. As Paul wrote, “For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory” (II Cor. 3:7-11).
Just imagine the glory of what is permanent in comparison to the great glory of what was temporary!
After all this theological reflection, it’s easy for the mother’s mind (and any Christian’s) to get lost in the churchy words and heavy concepts. However, Paul’s point here is that an eternally permanent covenant with the Lord results in permanent transformation in the lives of believers. No longer are our minds hardened or veiled. Now, we have the freedom to be transformed to be more like Him.
Mother, how is God’s permanent covenant with you changing your thoughts, behaviors, speech patterns and attitudes? Author Francine Rivers compares this gradual transformation to that of a glacier slowly carving out the landscape beneath it. “God made us in His image,” she writes, “so that we can reveal His glory through our transformed lives.”
Let’s not continue to live under condemnation of a system that is being brought to an end and results only in our hardened minds and hearts. Let us live as those being daily transformed to wear the glory of the image of Christ in a new promise that even death will not put an end to.
It may even help us have patience in those permanent marker moments! Happy Mothers’ Day!
Journey with Jeff
By Executive Editor
Jeff Herring
God Has a Plan
After over 20 years in student ministry, I have seen many of my former students grow into adults and get married. I have been privileged to officiate many weddings for friends, family or even some I didn’t know directly. In the next few months, three of my former students will be getting married — two to each other!
As I was thinking about the upcoming weddings, I recalled many conversations during pre-marital counseling and also lessons during Wednesday night youth or Sunday School lessons. Whatever situation you find yourself in — marriage, life in general or even in circumstances you would not have asked for in your life — God still has a plan!
I find great comfort in knowing that I don’t have to know everything and, thank the Lord, I am not in charge of everything! That is His job! I would often tell my Sunday School class that I believe one of the greatest promises in all of Scripture is that He will “never leave us or forsake us” (repeated many times). As we claim this promise and learn how it fits into life’s many circumstances, I think there are some things that we should be evident in our lives:
• We should be content (I Tim. 6:6-10). True contentment is founded in the knowledge of who God is, and the fact that He has already done so much for us. Anything else we face in life, good or bad, should not overshadow the greatness of all He has done for us. True contentment is not based on circumstances, but rather a growing personal relationship with God so that we know He is with us no matter what. In marriage, young couples often must learn what contentment is as they begin a new family that may be quite different from the family either of them was raised in — whether that be materialistic, social or even spiritual. Know the truth and find contentment in being who God made you to be.
• We should have “no stinkin’ thinkin’” (II Cor. 10:5). If we are left up to ourselves, we will naturally bend toward the negative. In pre-marital counseling, I try to remind couples to not assume the worst when something happens, but rather show grace to the other person. The same goes for each of us when we face difficult situations or circumstances. Don’t let our negative thoughts convince us of things that are not true. In reality, we don’t know what others are thinking about us, but we are commanded in Scripture to take our own thoughts captive and not allow them to keep us from being obedient to Christ. Sometimes our own minds can be our worst enemy and keep us from walking in the plan God has for our lives.
• We should be willing to share with others (I Tim. 6:17-19). We must realize that we are not just here for ourselves. We are told to be “generous and willing to share.” This is not just talking about financial means, but also our time, talents and knowledge. God blesses you so you can be a blessing to others. When talking with couples, I will sometimes challenge them to look for ways to “outgive” the other person. If each one has a desire to “outgive” the other, then it helps keep your selfishness in check.
Each of these things work together. Our contentment is based on our relationship with God and understanding that He is with us no matter what we face. Because of this, we should not allow stinkin’ thinkin’ to keep us from being obedient to what He asks us to do. When we have this understanding, we should also have a desire to bless others in whatever way we can because we realize that we have been given the greatest blessing — a personal relationship with a God who will never leave us nor forsake us!
Special Emphasis Update
God used the above thoughts to remind me that He is still in control. Along with the truth from Scripture that He will never leave us is that fact that He is in control of everything. I had to remind myself of this as I looked at the total that we have received up to this point for our Special Emphasis funds. These are some questions I asked myself this past week:
• Have we met our goal? No, but I know that this is God’s ministry and not mine. He has a plan for how we can continue to carry out our mission. I know that God owns the “cattle on a thousand hills” (Psa. 50:10), and that He is able to “supply every need… according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).
• Could I have done something different to help us meet our goal? Not that I know of. This is one question where I think the negative thoughts could lead to self-doubt, but I believe that I am doing my best to follow His leading and will continue to trust in the future that He has “prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).
• Do people understand the importance of this ministry? The past two years during our time of Special Emphasis have been very challenging to get the word out about this ministry. We were not able to visit anywhere last year, and this year, even though some were open again, I was not able to visit and share about how I feel God is leading us to “Build for the Future” with this ministry. Again, I have to remember that God is able to share this ministry in His way.
Thank you for everyone that has given. I know God has a plan, and He will not “leave us or forsake us” as we continue to serve Him through the ministry of the Trumpet.
2021 Special Emphasis • Goal - $45,000
Previous Balance (April 21) $16,834.74
Mary Fleming* $500.00
North View WMA, North Little Rock $50.00
Central Arkansas WMA $245.00
Macedonia, Magnolia $500.00
Earnestine Mauldin $25.00
Becky Lattin $140.00
Calvary, Marvell $1,025.00
Center Grove, Cord $175.00
Dewey Kelly $50.00
Calvary, Morrilton* $125.00
Eastside, Lonoke $245.00
Fellowship, Bella Vista $645.00
Anonymous $500.00
Jay & Jana Heffner $100.00
Pleasant Valley, Greenbrier $1,000.00
Ronald Morgan $250.00
Springhill, Greenbrier* $100.00
Total $23,009.74
*Have given previously
DISTRICT CALENDAR
Greenbrier BMA Called Meeting, May 13, 7 p.m., Immanuel, Greenbrier.
Mt. Vernon District Brotherhood, Jun. 7, 6:30 p.m., Central, Hughes.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Hot Dogs and Hot Rods, May 22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; proceeds benefit Water for Christ; LifeSong, Greenbrier.
CBC Scholarship Gala, June 5, 6 p.m., Conway Expo Center. Contact Amy Reed for more info at areed@cbc.edu.
Haley Creek Boys, June 5, Meal-5 p.m., Singing-6 p.m.; Faustina, Hampton.
BMA Camp, June 21-24; Chis Vines, camp speaker, Doug Mickan, worship leader; Budd Creek Camp, Greers Ferry.
National Galilean Camp, June 25-28; Stoneridge Baptist Camp, Smithville, Arkansas.
SOAR 2021, July 6-8; Hilton Anatole, Dallas, Texas; visit soarconference.com for more info.
Fresh Grounded Faith Women’s Event, Aug. 6-7, 7 p.m. Fri., 12:30 p.m. Sat.; Antioch, Conway.
Ark. Ladies Retreat, Sept. 18, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Opportunities For Service
Meadowside Baptist Church in Pittsburg, Kan. is seeking a full-time pastor. Contact Greg Hardister at (620) 704-6860.
Spotlight on Missions
is a column that highlights the
ministries of our BMA missionaries.
Send 300-400 words as a Word document to editor@baptisttrumpet.com. If you include a photo, please make sure it is full size & in jpeg format.
Help us get the word out about your ministry
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Why Christians Need the Poor
By Dr. John Adams, Executive Director
In spite of all our relief and help programs, the poor are still among us. The battle of poverty goes on and on. Most Americans, the world would say, are among the winners. But what should Christians do about the poverty of others?
The country was recently told by the Census Bureau that more than one in every ten Americans must be considered poor. Overseas, the conditions are even worse. “The World Food Council tells us that a third of the children in the world die of malnutrition and disease before they have five birthdays” (Time Magazine). “Each year 100,000 children go blind because of lack of vitamin A in their early diets” (Chicago Tribune report).
Why Do We Have the Poor?
Why are things like that still true today? The Bible seems to say that God allows the poor among us to test our compassion for our fellowmen. Do we really love the poor? Our response to poverty reveals our attitude.
Some have wrongly assumed that to be poor is a sign of God’s disfavor. That is not true. God loves the poor and hears their cry. He sees and judges those who wrong them in their weakness (Psa. 14:6, Psa. 107:41).
The Word teaches us that God will bless those who reach out to help the poor (Psa. 41:1). On the other hand, we invite God’s judgment if we ignore the needs of the poor (Prov. 21:13). We, as Christians, cannot ignore the poor.
How Can We Help the Poor?
Governments contend that we should find some way to redistribute wealth and thus wipe out all poverty. Christ taught that we should share. But nothing in Scripture suggests that Christians can or should change the world’s economic structure. Jesus clearly taught that poverty goes with this present evil world: “Ye have the poor with you always” (Mark 14:7).
Christ’s principle of ministry to the poor is that it be done from a heart of genuine compassion. He would say (in the Sermon on the Mount), “When, not if;” and that it should be done without glory and fanfare. Such sharing demands awareness of need.
Anyone willing to work was assured of food to feed his or her family. The Old Testament story of Ruth and Naomi tells us that they obtained gleanings in the fields, where grain was deliberately left for that purpose. In New Testament times, the duty of giving alms was acknowledged and encouraged. Jesus often spoke of giving to the poor.
Widows without family support were cared for by the church, as seen in Acts 6:1 and I Tim. 5:9,16. Paul mentions the poor in Gal. 2:10, “that we should remember the poor.” Christian churches and God’s saints have always been His channel of mercy to the poor.
Why Should We Help the Poor?
First, the presence of the really poor prompts us to exercise compassion. How selfish and self-centered we become when we think just of ourselves and just of our own (I John 3:17).
Second, the presence of the poor gives us opportunity to prove that Christ has touched our hearts and made them new. Our old sin nature prompts us to look the other way. Compassion is an evidence of an inner work of grace. James spoke of faith and works. Our acts are proof of faith.
Third, the poor give Christians opportunity to lay up heavenly treasure (Prov. 19:17).
Fourth, there is a practical side to helping the poor. The church is to be concerned for the poor among its members — namely, those with inadequate food and housing, sickness which brings great financial crisis, children in need of clothing, someone who desperately needs to see a dentist or be fitted with glasses, etc.
It may be your opportunity to minister and perhaps your chance to win a blessing. Jesus said, “Freely ye have received freely give” (Matt. 10:8). Our first and great obligation is to share the Bread of Life — salvation. But we cannot withhold the bread of material aid to those who truly have a need.
God, please let us be Good Samaritans!
Deaths
Willadean Burroughs, 87 of Damascus, passed away April 27. She was a member of Sand Springs Baptist Church.
Scott & Myrtie Small standing on the new porch built by the Master’s Builders.
The Master’s Builders
Work in Arkansas
By Nelda Malone
On April 12, The Master’s Builders began work at Stoneridge Baptist Camp in Smithville. This project was scheduled for last year but was postponed due to COVID-19.
We had 15 men there to work on this project and enjoyed having Mike Shelton join us again. Mike hopes to become a regular in our group, if the Lord allows. Scott Small, director of Stoneridge, was there every day working, consulting and running to get materials. He and his wife, Myrtie are a dedicated couple who are humble, faithful and hard working. They fed our group two meals a day (except weekends), and we so enjoyed our time with them and their family. We can never express what they mean to us!
While at Stoneridge, the Builders were able to accomplish the following:
• Built a 12x56 back porch on their house with a tin roof, handrails and steps.
• Built a 12x24 storage building with shelves.
• Remodeled one bathroom to be handicap accessible.
• Built a 24’ wall in one dorm to divide it up for summer workers.
• Cut the bottom off of 22 doors.
This was job #170 for the Master’s Builders.
If you have questions about our ministry, or if your church has building needs, contact: Eddie Sikes at (479) 462-1675, Mike Green at (972) 935-3877 or David Axe at (903) 918-0720.
Keep up with us day-to-day on Facebook! Rose Bittner does a wonderful job with pictures and information on what’s going on each day. So “like us” at “The Master’s Builders” with the church arbor logo.
140th Homecoming, Bluff Springs, Rosston, May 16, 10:30 a.m.; Travis Dillard (devotional); Donnie Dillard (message) potluck and singing; Donnie Dillard, pastor.
New Home, Quitman, May 16, Sunday School 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., message by Don Betts, followed by lunch and singing in the afternoon; J.D. Courtney, pastor.
Union, Rosston, May 23, 10:30 a.m., lunch 12:00 p.m.; Joe Brown, pastor.
Center Gove, Cord, June 20, 10:30 a.m., Velvet ridge Singers (music); Verlon Wood (message); potluck and singing; Barry Anderson, pastor.
Bodcaw #1, Bodcaw, July 25, 10:30 a.m., John Ed Dorman (devotional); Taylor Bruce (message); potluck lunch and singing; Lane Garner, pastor.
VBS
Park Place, Bryant, June 7-9, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.; theme – Rocky Railway.
Bluff Springs, Rosston, June 12 (one day event), 8:45a.m.-3 p.m.; theme - Cosmic Crusade.
Worden, Bald Knob, June 14-18, 6-8:30 p.m.; theme - Rocky Railway.
Antioch, Conway, June 21-24, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; closing-Thur. 6 p.m.; theme – Treasured.
Check Out The Trumpet Archives At
baptisttrumpet.com/archive
Enjoy reading about the history of the BMA through the pages of the Baptist Trumpet, dating back to its origin in 1939!
Reports from the Churches
Banks, Banks welcomed one by letter; Jerry Burress, pastor.
Center Point, Nashville received two by letter; Jaron Tipton, pastor.
Faith Chapel, Flippin added one by letter; Johnny Shew, church-planter.
First, Waldo gained one by statement; David Watkins, pastor.
New Home, Quitman reports one by letter; J. D. Courtney, pastor.
Spring Lake, Texarkana rejoices over one by baptism; Randy Shepard, pastor.
Unity, Hope added one by letter; Nick Flowers, pastor.
Zion, Fordyce welcomed over one by baptism.
Revivals
Temple, Fordyce, May 9-12, 7 p.m.; Jim Moss, evangelist; Lance Hollis, pastor.
Corinth, Rosston, May 17-20, 7:00 p.m.; Rocky Goodwin, evangelist; Mike Goodwin, music director; Petite Ward, pastor.
Union, Rosston, May 24-26, 7 p.m.; David Dillard, evangelist; Joe Brown, pastor.
Parkview, Trumann, May 28-30, 6 p.m.; Paul and Joe Pritcher, evangelists; Wayne Hillis, pastor.
Liberty, Stamps, June 6-9, 7 p.m.; Donnie Edward, evangelist; Adam Rogers; pastor.
Lemonwood, Whitehall, June 11-13; 7 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 11 a.m. Sun.; Neal Clark, evangelist; Ronnie Johnson, pastor.
Bodcaw #1, Bodcaw, Sept. 12-17, 7 p.m.; Jimmy Walker, evangelist; Lane Garner, pastor.
Special Emphasis Time
You should have received your information concerning this year’s Special Emphasis for State Missions by now. I am excited to be able once again to help our missionaries get some much-needed supplies. Last year was a terrible time, especially for those in ministry. A good Special Emphasis will help fill in some of the holes left by the pandemic.
Please begin planning now to have a special service set aside for State Missions. You may want to invite one or two missionaries to come and share their work. They are filled with a passion for sharing the gospel and seeing souls saved.
Again, thank you for your love of lost souls and your systematic and faithful support of this department.
55th Homecoming
I was privileged to preach at Fairview’s 55th Homecoming in Jonesboro Sunday, May 2. Fairview was my first pastorate back in 1988. It was good to be back and to see so many of her members from that time still faithful to the work. With a lot of new faces, the church’s future is looking bright.
From Our Missionaries
Connection Point, Brookland: Chad White writes, “It was a great week at Connection Point. We had a great service Sunday with some first-time guests and a good attendance.
“In our Children’s Worship, we had a young man get saved and come forward for baptism at the end of the service. Also, after service, I spoke to a family who wants to join our church. We experienced God’s presence in a powerful way.
“Sunday night, we restarted our Small Groups and had a good attendance. It was wonderful to join back together in this environment.
“We are looking forward to having our Baby Dedication service next week. It is one of the highlights of our year. We have several other things coming up this month. Please pray for us as we share the gospel and the love of Jesus here in Brookland.”
The Mustard Seed, Cain: Jim Tollison writes, “We had an exciting day at the mission Sunday. The presence of the Lord was felt in the song service, the preaching and during the invitation. The Lord was moving with convicting power and five or more expressed a need to make commitments. Please pray for these folks.
“Becky and I are picking up some chairs and miscellaneous items at the mission in Green Forest this week. We appreciate so much having access to these things. They will be a great help.
“We are having a special Mother’s Day service next Sunday. I am so proud of our mothers here at the mission. Thanks to all the mothers in all our churches of the BMA. God bless all of our supporters.”
Misión Creciendo en Cristo (Growing in Christ), North Little Rock: Juan Carlos Posadas writes, “Sunday’s meeting was incredibly special since we could see how a whole family is taking steps of obedience to God, Delmy dedicated his two babies to the Lord, Josué (2) and Ana (5 months). Also, the other two daughters were baptized, Bella (17) and Emilia (16). Both of the teenagers are part of the Youth discipleship group. They are learning to play guitar and we hope to see them soon serving the Lord. This cute family is the product of the community service program. We thank God for them and pray to our Father to help them establish themselves in faith.
“The community aid program continued this week. In addition to the 200 dinners, 800 pounds of frozen chicken were distributed. On Friday, we received donations from City Serve and have blessed several families with living room furniture, bicycles, air fryers, chairs, diapers, etc.
“Thank you for supporting this ministry. We greatly appreciate your prayers, especially that God helps us to mature in faith, heals the sick and that each brother and sister will commit to stand firm by serving in His work.”
Life Journey, Fort Smith: Darrin Smith writes, “It was great to have our missionary, Clinton Morris, come speak to us this past Sunday. He brought along his family and four others. It was encouraging to hear about what the Lord is doing in his mission, and he shared a great message with us. I am looking forward to having more times like these with his group in the future.
“We were very encouraged this week with two families expressing interest in joining. They have visited several times and I am thankful for their interest. Pray for us as we continue to go out, invite and witness to those around us.”
Ebenezer, West Little Rock: Ruben Isturiz writes, “May is our anniversary month, and we will have several activities to celebrate it and close the month with baptisms. We had a good time of Sunday celebration, with testimonies, songs, preaching and, as is our custom every first Sunday of the month, the Lord’s Supper. For a week, we have challenged each brother to share lessons from what they have read in a Bible verse. That makes our Celebration Service for our members to participate more.
“The Berean Groups (cells) are doing well. I had to direct on Monday in Chenal, on Wednesday in Bryant and on Thursday via online with the group in Chile. The Baseline group that meets on Thursdays is also doing very well and the testimonies of spiritual growth build me up a lot. The blessing of this group is that it has its own leadership, and I don’t have to lead it. My goal is for each group to have its own leadership. I am praying that each group can be back at 100% of their level before the pandemic hit.
“We thank God that Kory and I have received the two doses of the COVID vaccine, and we are good. God has taken care of us regarding COVID-19, and we have not been infected despite the risks we have in the ministry due to being in contact with many people. Thank you for your prayers for God’s protection.
“Baseball Chapel’s ministry this year is going online. I ask for prayer that God touch the lives of the players and that they may have that desire to connect via zoom.us. We hope that it is not an impediment to be able to share the Word of God with them. To God be the glory!”
Faith Chapel, Flippin: Johnny Shew writes, “Our attendance was back up a little this week as we had some folks feeling better. Thank You, Lord! Thank you for your prayers. We still have a few out due to illness, so please continue to lift them up.
“We added one to our membership this week. He had been attending another church in Flippin, but one of our members brought him to Wednesday night prayer meeting a few months ago and he loved that our main focus was prayer. Then he started coming to our Bible studies as well. He has been coming to most of our services since and Sunday morning he joined us. He is excited to serve with us in Flippin, because, in his words, we have not become complacent. So now we are 20! That may not seem like many to most of you, but to us it is a milestone that encourages and invigorates us to get out and spread the gospel to our community. I have asked you before to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send laborers; please continue, He is answering!
“We thank God for you, your support and your prayers!”
The Table, Springdale: Clinton Morris writes, “It has been a crazy busy week, but that is what happens when ministry begins to take off. Thank you for all the prayers, I do not think I would have had the strength to have made it without them.
“We moved a homeless couple from Jonesboro into our house. DeAnna and I are helping them to get back on their feet. The young man knew me from our ministry in Trumann over five years ago. Two weeks ago, he reached out to me and explained his situation. All my local contacts were buried beneath other situations, and God asked me to think about moving them. Can I tell you something? God is amazing! We moved this couple on Monday and the young woman got saved this week, then the young man got saved and we baptized both on Sunday. All glory to the Great I Am.
“The prospective couple that was thinking last week about joining us, is coming to our Friday Night Bible Study. We are up to 14 people in that study. I am working on starting another study, still deciding on a day/time. Pray for my Monday Night Contacts, we are going to try to invite them to a Bible study. Specifically pray for Manny and Cody.
“There have been so many things that happened this week that I could personally take up the entire page with the stories.
“Drew is working on a website and a logo. The church is officially called The Table. We are working on an event for July 17. Venues for the event have run from $1,200–$2,000. If anyone knows of a place in Springdale/Rogers that we can use or if you want to donate some money to help, please contact me.
“This week feels less busy than last week on the surface, but I know that we still need prayer. Things to specifically pray for us are a second vehicle, an inexpensive meeting spot for our church, spirit leading for the people that God is bringing into this plant and that we will see souls saved. Hey, ‘see souls saved’ did happen this last week — celebrate!”
Mom, When You Thought
I Wasn’t Looking
By Mike McEuen, Pastor • New Beginnings • Ferris, Texas
“She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her” (Prov. 31:26-28).
Have you ever wondered how Mother’s Day began? A day honoring mothers was observed in the early 1800s in England. It was called Mothering Sunday and came in mid-lent. Julia Ward Howe made the first known suggestion for a Mother’s Day in the United States in 1862. Ann Jarvis of West Virginia began a campaign for nationwide observance of Mother’s Day. She chose the second Sunday in May and began the custom of wearing a carnation in 1907. In 1915, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Mother’s Day as an annual national observance.
What a precious treasure to God and to this troubled old world is a praying, Christian mother! What a consolation and a comfort to a family is a mother who prevails at the throne of grace in a time of trial or sorrow!
Consider these copied truths:
When you thought I wasn’t looking
• I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another.
• I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.
• I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned what it means to serve one another in brotherly love.
• I heard you pray over me and kiss me goodnight and I felt loved and safe.
• I saw how you handled your responsibilities even when you didn’t feel good, and I learned what it means to glorify God in all things.
• I saw you give of your time and money to the church and people in need and I learned that God loves a cheerful giver.
• I saw tears come to your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it is all right to cry.
• I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
• I saw you praying and reading God’s Word and I learned to depend on and trust in Him too.
• I looked at you and I wanted to say, “Thanks for all the things I saw… when you thought I wasn’t looking.”
SOAR Hacks
By Chris Vines, SOAR Visionary Leader
We live in a world of hacks. If you are on Facebook, you know exactly what I mean. If this is an unfamiliar term, it probably means you have successfully guarded yourself from most social media platforms. Maybe you know someone who has faced the terrible reality that their bank account has been hacked. Inconvenience quickly turns to a major life disruption when hacking extends to this area of life. In either case, “to be hacked” is never an enjoyable experience. The invasion on personal privacy is offensive, inconvenient and many times destructive.
It’s not all bad in our world of hacks. The term “life-hack” is relatively new and refers to any trick, shortcut or method that increases productivity or efficiency. All human beings do this on some level. In order to save lives in World War II, a woman named Vesta Stoudt created duct tape. In order to stay hydrated without stopping their work, men created the guzzler helmet so they could drink two Dr. Peppers through the same straw!
Well, SOAR has some hacks too! The SOAR leadership team has come up with some great resources that will save our churches and youth leaders a lot of time as they prepare for SOAR21 in Dallas. You can find logos for smartphones, ready-to-go sign-up sheets and a shareable schedule. The leadership team has even included a student leader checklist and a detailed information packet for parents! They have made it easier than ever to get information about SOAR21 in front of your church. You can find it all at soarconference.com/mediakit. SOAR hacks are real, and we hope they are a blessing as you make plans to join us July 5-8 for SOAR21!