Del City, Sunnylane Southern baptizes 94
DEL CITY—Over the course of a calendar year, a church that runs just under 300 on a Sunday morning has baptized 94 believers. Pastor Danny Gandara, who has been at Del City, Sunnylane Southern for a calendar year, said the Lord’s work has been mighty, and it’s not because of anything that he has specifically done, rather pure obedience to the Lord’s leading. “At an evangelism tune up I heard the phrase ‘in everything you do, a soul...
ERLC National Conference envisions ‘Cross-shaped Family’
GRAPEVINE, Texas (BP)—Christians have been crucified with Christ, and He liberates them to love their families genuinely, Russell Moore said, during the opening address of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission’s fifth annual national conference. Moore, the ERLC’s president, spoke to nearly 1,000 people gathered for “The Cross-shaped Family,” the SBC entity’s three-day conference (Oct. 11-13) at the Gaylord Texan Resort...
Q&A Focus – Foster care & the Church: Ministry opportunity knocks at Baptists’ door
The Baptist Messenger recently interviewed Teri Blanton, foster care coordinator for Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children (OBHC), and Amy Cordova, women’s missions and ministry specialist of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO), about the Oklahoma’s foster care crisis, discussing how churches can meet the need with the Gospel. Baptist Messenger: In thinking about foster care, can you talk about the One Such Child...
Survey sees mix of orthodox belief, shifting opinions
NASHVILLE (BP) — Six in 10 Americans say religious belief is a matter of personal opinion. For 7 in 10 Americans, such religious beliefs include one true God existing in three persons — Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But an increasing majority of Americans deny Jesus has always existed and many say the Holy Spirit is a force rather than a personal being. Those are among the findings of a new study of American views on...
Langston BCM has new look, drawing interest
LANGSTON—Major improvements at the Langston University Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) building have stirred up excitement around the college campus and in the nearby community. Since July, Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief (DR) trained and equipped volunteers and other ministry leaders spent countless hours giving the BCM building a major makeover. Denny Freeman, collegiate ministries facilities specialist for the Baptist General...
Lawton church plant begins new focus, local relationships
LAWTON—A former satellite location of Wichita Falls, Texas, First has made the transition from the venue of a Texas church to full-fledged Oklahoma church plant. The church, which meets in the Armed Service YMCA, 900 NW Cache Road, in Lawton, began the transition one year ago to become Lawton, Credence. As of this month, the church is now a church plant of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO). Church Planting Pastor...
