‘BSU saved my life’
“BSU (Baptist Student Union) saved my life.” The first time I heard that phrase was in an administrative council meeting where I was serving as the interim pastor. Jim Bellah was the chairman of the council, and I was talking about the fact that I had taken on a new responsibility as the state Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) director and would need to be traveling to visit campuses. Without a thought, he responded with, “BSU saved...
Every possible means: Pastoring by text message during a pandemic
“I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some” (1 Cor. 19:22 CSB). When the Apostle Paul wrote this verse around 57 A.D., he was using the best communication technology of his day for sending a pastoral message from his location in Ephesus to the believers in Corinth. Today, Pastor Andy Finch of Choctaw, First and his staff are using every possible means of communication technology to meet...
Oklahoma-native David Manner named new state executive director for Kansas-Nebraska
SALINA, Kan. (BP) — David Manner, a 20-year veteran of Southern Baptist work in Kansas-Nebraska was named the new state executive director for the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists (KNCSB) Oct. 16. He was elected to the post by the KNCSB Mission Board during its meeting held at CrossPoint Church due to the cancellation of the state annual meeting. Manner will assume the role March 1, 2021, and will succeed Bob Mills who...
First person: The recent resurgence of Baptist associations
PIKEVILLE, Ky.—COVID-19 has changed so many of our association’s ministries this year. All of our regularly scheduled events were canceled. No free dental clinic. No VBS clinic. No mission trips. No free basketball camp. No Executive Board meetings. With all of the cancellations, one might think that there was nothing for the association to do. However, that would be a false assumption. As an associational mission strategist, I was...
Messenger Insight 399 – Insights from an Overseas Missionary Veteran
IMB Career Missionary from Oklahoma, Shannon Ford talks about insights from his 22 years of serving the Lord overseas and updates us about his current ministry and prayer needs. https://media.blubrry.com/messengerinsight/p/cdn.baptistmessenger.com/2020/10/13165538/Messenger-Insight-Shannon-Ford.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download (27.6MB) Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | TuneIn | Spotify |...
Socially-distanced Saw You at the Pole rally in Durant draws online crowd
DURANT—An estimated 2,000 students gathered in person and online for the Saw You at the Pole rally Sept. 23 at Durant, First. The annual rally happened the evening after the student-led See You at the Pole gathering earlier that day, as students from around the state met at flag poles of their schools or online to pray for their teachers and classmates. Twenty area youth pastors coordinated the evening event that included worship led...
