Newsjournal Of Kansas and Nebraska Southern Baptists

www.baptistdigest.com
June 2014 Vol. 58 No. 6
Baptist
igest
Easter 2014 marked the fourth year that Baptists from Juarez, Mexico, have served in south-
west Kansas and the Panhandles of Oklahoma and Texas. The team of 80 people split up
and served at Hispanic churches throughout the region. They shared Christ door to door and
held revival services. Here, Pastor Enrique Arriaga (in the back row at center) welcomed a
group of the Juarez Baptists to Iglesia Bautista del Sur in Garden City, Kan. (Below) Jess and
Darlene Bluvan traveled from Topeka, Kan., to use their skills in making balloon creations in
the Easter outreach block party in a Hispanic community in southeast Dodge City, Kan. Learn
more about their ministry and business at http://bluvanballoons.blogspot.com/
An Easter outreach block party on Saturday afternoon, April
19, targeted a Hispanic community in southeast Dodge City,
Kan. The goal was to start a Bible study there. First Southern
Baptist Church, Dodge City, staged the event with help from
other churches, including Iglesia Bautista del Sur in Garden
City.
Editors Note: Because of budgetary
cutbacks, we are reducing the number
of issues per year from twelve to ten. We
will skip the July edition beginning this
year and the January issue also begin-
ning next year. We will continue to post
news stories on a timely fashion on our
convention website (www.kncsb.org).
Hispanics Hold Easter Outreach Events in Southeast Kansas
Task Force Designed to Address
Declining Baptisms Among
Southern Baptist Churches to
Release its Full Report (see page 3)
After Montana Flood (turn to page 4)
New KNCSB Event Reaches Teen
Boys (see story on page 5)
Emporia State Students Pick Up
WWW.KNCSB.ORG
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GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
INFORM -- Regularly share information about ongoing
training, curriculum, events, support and personnel.
RESOURCE -- Serve as a resource pool for practical
ideas about what is working in KS-NE congregations
and how it relates to all sizes of churches.
GENERATIONAL -- Cast the widest net, providing sto-
ries and information that will appeal to all generations
of Southern Baptists in NE-KS.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY -- Be family-friendly with stories,
regular columns and helps for families and leaders who
work with families.
AGE DIVERSE -- Publish stories that address the
diversity of age, ethnicity, and geographical regions of
KS-NE.
MISSION-ORIENTED -- Publish stories about people
and congregations involved in missions and regularly
publicize ministry opportunities.
PART OF WIDER MISSION - Help congregations
discover that they are part of the larger work of the
Kingdom of God through their ministries.
To give local news:
Local church and associational news may be submit-
ted by mail, phone, fax or e-mail.
Advertising:
Advertising policy and rates are available upon
request Call 800-984-9092 or e-mail:
tboyd@kncsb.org
STAFF
Editor: Tim Boyd, PhD.
Associate Editor: Eva Wilson
Printing Coordinator: Derek Taylor
Robert T. Mills, D. Min.
KNCSB Executive Director
AFFILIATIONS
Association of State Baptist Papers
Baptist Communicators Association
The Baptist Digest
(USPS 018-942)
Vol. 58 No. 6
Leadership Newsjournal for Kansas-
Nebraska Southern Baptists is published
monthly 10 times a year
excluding January and July.
5410 SW 7th Street
Topeka, KS 66606-2398
Phone: (785) 228-6800
Toll Free: 800-984-9092
Fax: (785) 273-4992
E-mail: tboyd@kncsb.org
Web site: baptistdigest.com
POSTMASTER:
Periodical postage paid at Topeka, KS 66606 and
additional entries. Send address changes to: The
Baptist Digest, 5410 SW 7th Street, Topeka, KS
66606-2398.
Walking With the Master
The Thought Occurred to Me
By Bob Mills
KNCSB Executive Director
E-mail: bmills@kncsb.org
Recently, I read a fascinating little book by LifeWay
president, Thom Rainer, entitled, Autopsy of a Deceased
Church. I am convicted, as is Rainer, that we are currently
facing a difficult time in America relative to church health.
Rainer shares a percentage breakdown on church health
that is disturbing. He offers an estimate of the percentage
of churches in each of the following categories: Healthy
churches: 10%; Churches showing symptoms of sickness:
40%; churches that are very sick: 40% and churches that are
dying: 10%. Rainer is quick to indicate that these numbers
are not precise but merely estimates from his perspective.
Based on my experience and observation, I would agree
with his assessment.
What are some of the symptoms of a church that is
showing signs of sickness?
1. When the prevailing attitude is our best days were in
the past. Ask a long time member and ask them to reflect
on the best days of the church and you will hear stories of
the good ole days. No mention is made of current events
or experiences.
2. I hesitate to mention numbers, but they are indicators of
people and can be a portal into look at church health. Decline
in worship service attendance in the past five to ten years is
at least one metric of concern. Lack of baptisms or a reduction
of financial support can also be telltale signs of concern.
3. Often programs and ministries of the church are
directed at church members and not on the community
and the needs of the community. Losing an outward focus
on the community is a strong indicator of the lack of health.
4. One concern that merits attention is when churches get
so busy doing things/ministry that they fail to evaluate the
ministry/evangelistic effectiveness or misssional outcome.
Basically, is what we are doing accomplishing our stated
vision or mission?
5. A sure symptom of lack of health is the lack of an
intentional disciple-making process. This symptom may
not manifest itself immediately, but will be devastating in
the long haul. Too many churches in America suffer exactly
at this point. Disobedience to the Great Commission is a
sure sign of sickness in our churches today.
6. Failure to recognize, by and large, churches in America
no longer live in a churched culture. When I was a young
boy, my family and I went to church because that was the
thing to do. In todays world that is just not the case. The
church in the 21st century
must go beyond its walls into
the community so that the peo-
ple of the world can observe
Christ Jesus. Generally speak-
ing, people will not attend
church just because the church
is on the corner.
7. The lack of prayer in the
church is another symptom
of sickness. How is it possible
to show spiritual vitality and
a connectedness with God
without prayer being a central
ingredient in the life of the church?
This is not an exhaustive list but merely some of the symp-
toms I have personally witnessed and that are mentioned by
Dr. Rainer. How is your church doing? Is the church healthy,
beginning to show signs of sickness, really sick or are you
dying? My article next time will respond to steps we can
take in responding to the lack of health in the church. There
is hope. Church health is something, through the work of
the Holy Spirit, prayer and strategic intervention that can be
realized. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus and his Commission.
Preparing to Pray
I discovered one day that Pierre Elliott Trudeau, the prime
minister of Canada, was going to be visiting the University of
Calgary where I was a student. Trudeau was a colorful, capri-
cious, edgy, charismatic leader whose presence was weighty.
I was an admirer and like many I decided to go meet the
Prime Minister.
But I was trained as a child that when we go to meet impor-
tant people to be the best I could be. I showered, shaved, and
put on my best clothes. I prepared myself for the encounter. I
took my place in the line, made sure I was poised to respond
in case the Prime Minister of Canada addressed me.
The elevator doors opened and suddenly I became aware
that I was in the presence of someone of importance.
His charisma was evident: penetrating eyes, infectious
spirit, somewhat playful,
and extremely welcoming
demeanor. Will he acknowl-
edge me? Will I be myself in
his presence or pretend to
be more than I am and try to
impress him?
Before I knew it he stood
still when he came to me,
took my extended hand and
shook it. Then he spoke to
me. Our eyes locked and any
pretense I had of showing off
disappeared from my mind.
Im not sure what I said or
what the question he asked
me was. Im sure whatever I
rehearsed in my mind as potential words I would impress
him with, flew the coop. I was in the presence of someone
who demanded trust and honesty.
I did my best to be prepared to encounter the man who
was at the helm of Canada. A picture was snapped just
when he shook my hand and I was given it, a treasure I
still cherish. We see it in the news all the time. Royal visits,
presidential encounters, papal presence demand a kind of
soul preparation other encounters dont usually elicit from
us. The more important the person we encounter the more
we tend to pretend.
I have often reflected on this experience in relationship
to prayer. It has informed aspects of my prayer life. When
we pray we enter into divine territory where no one should
go without preparation or reflection on who we are and
who God is. We are about to meet the Maker of Heaven
and Earth. In this encounter we are opening ourselves to
God, which engages our whole being. Any pretense of self-
importance is just that.
Often we jump into prayer without much thinking or
preparation on what is actually happening when we open
ourselves to God.
I want to suggest that preparation is not as easy as we
might think. In order for me to be myself with God who is
totally present to me is daunting.
First, I must place myself in a position of openness,
which demands deep trust in God. When Jesus prayed he
approached God with full openness, completely confident
in the total goodness of God. This level of openness to God
is an awkward and unnatural posture for us human beings.
Ever since the fig leaves cover up, humanity has found it
difficult to be open to God and to others. What if we are
seen exactly as we are? David Benner says in Opening to
God that God invites us to come in faith that expresses
itself in vulnerability and brutal self-honesty.
When we come to God closed hearted or half-hearted we
show mistrust and deep-seated lack of faith in his good-
ness. If God were not totally good we should fear him and
cover up. But nothing hes ever done and has been record-
ed for us besmirches this perfect goodness.
Without this trust in the goodness of God (faith) it is
impossible to live or pray pleasingly before God (Hebrews
11:6). Even when our faith is battered by life, a few
moments of reflection will help us realize that even the
mustard seed of faith that remains in us is a gift of the
Good God we address in prayer.
Human beings cannot but pray. The soul demands a
chance to be open to God (whether we recognize this or
not). The soul, the naked self, is what we must bring before
the one who breathed into us.
Whatever faith we might have when life knocks us
around, when we offer it to God with an openness of spirit,
it is accepted by God. It is God working through his gift of
faith to connect with us. Benner says, All that is required of
us is the openness to receive what we can and then act on it.
But we must act on what we have and be where we, in real-
ity, are. No pretense, no gritting our teeth, only the open-
ness to receive. We are in the presence of pure goodness.
Then there is honesty that springs from deep-rooted
trust. Have you noticed that you cannot be honest with
people whose trust of you or yours of them is in doubt?
Brutal candor before God is necessary preparation for
divine encounter. Brutal candor is only possible if we are
swimming in a sea of trust when we pray. The Psalmists
teach us that lesson 150 times, if not more.
We must be prepared to come to God with the true
self we are before we can encounter the true God he is.
Transformation happens at the intersection of this trust, the
naked self and honesty. Easier said than done!
This is scary stuff. Would we even still like ourselves
afterward? Will we retain any self-dignity? The answer is
yes because the mercy and grace we encounter in our open-
ness to God preserve the true self, diminish the false self
in us, and strengthen us to remain whole. Though we are
people of unclean lips, when we present ourselves to God
in honesty, the Spirit of God takes the purifying fire of God
and touches us in ways we didnt know were possible. Any
preparation less than that cannot be easily defined as true
prayer or openness to God.
Georges Boujakly
Bob Mills
Sharing
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By Andy Addis
KNCSB Convention President
E-mail: andy@crosspointnow.net
Serving as the President of the Kansas Nebraska
Convention this year has been one of the most exciting
and meaningful things I have done in ministry.
No kidding, thats not even preacher talk.
From writing these
articles, to meeting with
amazing people about the
mission and vision of our
two state convention, to
representing our tribe in
other places I love every
minute!
One of those opportuni-
ties to represent you took
place on a national task
force to study declining
baptisms in the Southern
Baptist Convention.
Youll see an article
detailing our report on this
page as well.
While the subject matter was anything but fun, it
was a very worthwhile endeavor and I am pleading
with you to take seriously the challenges offered in
those findings.
Decreasing baptisms is not just discouraging, its a
warning sign on par with the railings of the prophets
who cried out for Gods people to listen before it was
too late. Baptism problems mean discipleship prob-
lems, which mean evangelism problems, which simply
means our churches have problems!
The reality is that baptism rates have been on a
downward trend for 6 years now, compounded by
the fact that we have remained stagnant for decades
before that while the population exploded around us.
The downward trend now means we are losing ground
faster than ever.
President s Perspective
The stats speak for themselves from the 2012 Annual
Church Profile:
n 25% of Southern Baptist churches reported 0 bap-
tisms
n 60% reported no youth baptisms (age 12-17 brack-
et)
n 80% reported 0-1 young adult baptisms (age 18-29
bracket)
n The only consistently growing age group in bap-
tisms is age five and under.
Friends, we cant ignore this.
We must embrace the reality, trust our God and
throw ourselves into the Great Commission. We arent
called to build buildings, win worship wars, or suffer
death by business meeting.
We are to (1) go and (2) make disciples (3) baptiz-
ing them and (4) teach them everything we can. Then,
those we have reached can join us on this very same
mission, just like it says on the shampoo bottle clean,
rinse, repeat.
Thats why the report we have offered all Southern
Baptists isnt just doom and gloom statistics and self-
deprecating warnings. It includes recommendations
because we know God is still good and we are still His!
In the report we acknowledge the problems we dis-
covered. Its a spiritual problem. We are the ones who
moved, not God.
Its a leadership problem. Pastors have spent the
time, energy and prayers on putting out fires in the
church instead of fighting the fires of hell.
Its a discipleship problem. We have created system
and structures designed perfectly to give us the results
were getting, but the results are not disciples.
Its a next generation problem. We will lose the next
generation if we do no reach them now!
We have a celebration problem. Not that we dont
celebrate, we just pick the wrong things to highlight.
For example, attendance is not as important as conver-
sion.
So, its time we get in the fight! We need to call our-
selves and others to heartfelt, honest and broken prayer
that God would use us once again.
Pastors and leaders need to be sharing Jesus person-
ally everyday and telling those stories.
We need to leave behind the broken practice of
church growth and embrace a culture of disciple mak-
ing. Showing up is not the key; transformation is! We
need a new plan.
We must prioritize the next generation. This is not
giving the youth group more space, or budget. It is
changing your church culture, and giving up your pref-
erences for the gain of the next generation.
We need to celebrate baptism, those who lead others
to Christ, and transformed lives. Its messy, risky and
exactly what Jesus has called us to
The report is in and the situation is clear. We are not
perfect people. We do not have perfect churches. We do
not have a perfect plan.
But, we do serve a perfect God and this is the perfect
time.
Its got to start with you.
ALPHARETTA (BP) -- A task force designed to
address declining baptisms among Southern Baptist
churches plans to release its full report later today
(May 12).
An urgent, immediate call for spiritual renewal
and personal commitment to evangelism and dis-
cipleship are the common threads among five rec-
ommendations made by the Pastors Task Force on
Evangelistic Impact and Declining Baptisms. The
national task force, aimed at addressing the contin-
ued decrease in baptisms among Southern Baptist
churches, was convened last year by the North
American Mission Board (NAMB). Most task force
members are pastors.
Southern Baptists downward spiral in baptisms
is the fruit of our spiritual lukewarmness, task force
member Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church
in Pensacola, Fla., said. I am greatly encouraged by
the stirring I see among us toward spiritual awak-
ening and the need for the resurgence of the Great
Commission. This task force work and report gives me
hope.
The group was formed, in part, because the 2012
Annual Church Profile (ACP) reported a drop of
5.52 percent in the number of baptisms in Southern
Baptist churches, confirming a two-decade down-
ward trend.
Al Gilbert, vice president for evangelism at NAMB
facilitated the groups meetings. LifeWay Research
president Ed Stetzer assisted the task force with
Task Force Report on Baptistism Decline
research support.
Recognition and ownership of the issue are keys to
reversing the decline, Gilbert said.
The task force identified five key areas, described as
problems, that pastors and churches must address to
reverse the baptism decline:
Spiritual -- With urgency, we must join together in
fervent and effective prayer for spiritual awakening in
our churches and our nation.
Leadership -- As pastors we must intentionally
model and prioritize personal evangelism while pro-
viding clear pathways for our congregations to fol-
low.
Disciple-making -- As pastors we must create a
disciple-making culture -- focusing on multiplying dis-
ciples who know how to grow in Christ and lead others
to Christ.
Next generation -- As pastors we must leverage our
influence, activity and resources to reach and make dis-
ciples of the Next Generation.
Celebration -- As pastors we must celebrate new
life in Christ as people publicly profess their faith
through baptism. We must establish an ethos of joy that
celebrates the practice of personal evangelism and its
fruit.
Task force member Manpoong Dennis Kim, pastor
of Global Mission Church in Silver Spring, Md., said, I
am grateful for this endeavors commitment to renew
the passion for evangelism that ultimately begs the
question, How then should we proceed?
Task force member Roger Spradlin, pastor of Valley
Baptist Church in Bakersfield, Calif., summed up the
conviction of the group.
I think all Southern Baptists were aware that our
baptisms were declining, but seeing the actual stats
was both shocking and heartbreaking. Continuing
as we are yet expecting a different result is not an
option. We must address this issue now, Spradlin
said.
From 1950-2011 Southern Baptists baptized an aver-
age of 379,711 people annually. Only twice during that
time did the numbers dip more than 10 percent below
that average. But in 2012 the decline was 13 percent off
the average -- the worst drop in 62 years.
The report itself takes an even more sobering view
of the issue. The report states: SBC baptisms reached
a plateau in the 1950s, peaked in the 1970s, and have
stayed fairly constant since that time ... The problem is
even greater than these numbers indicate. Considering
how the North American population has increased
substantially between the 1950s baptism peak and
today, these figures indicate how much ground we
have lost and are losing.
Gilbert said, The recommendations are unanimous,
but more than that, these men have made this a per-
sonal statement of action and they are hopeful that
every pastor will review the list and see if they can
identify with it. Our hope is that pastors will join us to
make these recommendations personal and take action
to affect change.
Andy Addis
www.kncsb.org
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HAYS, Montana: The land stretched on
for miles and miles. Mountains rose up
to the sky as a backdrop to this remote
ranch near Hays, Montana. A metal
clank flled the morning air, followed by
laughter. The new fence post pointed
out of the ground at an angle.
Emporia State University students
made the fx quickly to the post, teasing
back and forth with the ranch owners.
The Christian Challenge students spent
their spring break cleaning up food
damage from last July in Montana. Alice
Tunks-Jones, a sophomore business
major at ESU, explained that their mis-
sion trip centered around physical acts
of love.
We moved brush, sticks and made
fences, she said. Oddly enough, that
was my favorite part because we were
able to show Gods love in a way that the
people in this area needed to experience
it. They needed help that was uncondi-
tional.
ESU Christian Challenge director
Jason Huebner answered a North Ameri-
can Mission Board request for volunteers
to help clean up in an area where a small
Baptist church was trying to revive. One
of the ways the local pastor thought the
students could make an impact was by
working within the community of ranch-
ers.
Heavy rains put a wrinkle in this plan
for one of the days. The team ended up
stuck in the mud on the side of the road
for fve hours. Freshman Katie Kelly said
that since they couldnt get back out to
the ranch to work, the team decided to
show a little love to the struggling
church that hosted them. The church had
been sitting unused for years until a new
pastor arrived a few months earlier.
We cleaned out the church. We
cleaned the closets. Worked outside the
church, Kelly, an education major, said.
The pastor didnt really know what was
in the church or closets so we helped or-
ganize things. We found a whole bunch
of Sunday school material and books.
That got me really excited because its
stuf they can use in the future. They
dont have money to buy anything like
that and God had provided it all along.
Cleaning the church, piling brush and
building fences provided opportunities
for the students to talk about God and
their own faith experiences.
Emporia State Students Pick
Up After Montana Flood
Setting fences was just one way that
Emporia State Universitys Christian
Challenge students shared Christ.
Through physical labor, they met the
needs of local ranchers and showed that
Christ answers prayers. (Photo by Sue
Sprenkle)
God commanded us to love one
another and you may think that doing
physical labor is an odd way of showing
Christs love but its exactly what they
needed someone to come and help
them, Kelly said. God opened doors to
help the ranchers and church and they
saw our love for them. I learned that
God works in mysterious ways, we just
need to follow His prompting.
Tunks-Jones encouraged other stu-
dents to spend their spring break making
a diference. She said it takes you out of
your comfort zone and thats when God
gets you to grow in your walk.
You have the chance to get outside of
yourself, help others, and make a lasting
impact, Tunks-Jones said. Opportu-
nities like this in one in Montana are
helping to mold me into the adult I am
becoming.
by Sue Sprenkle
Regional Staf Writer
Emporia State University students dig
out of the mud during their spring break
mission trip to Montana. (Photo by Sue
Sprenkle)
Emporia State Universitys Christian
Challenge mission trip 14 to Montana.
(Photo by Sue Sprenkle)
Pounding down a fence post, an Emporia
State University student follows her mis-
sion teams mantra, Serving the least
of these wherever they may be. (Matt.
25:40)
New Groups Require
a Missionary Mentality
Starting new groups is scary. It re-
quires a missionary mentality for folks
to separate themselves from what they
know into an area that is unfamiliar. Just
like God asked Abraham to travel to a
land he did not know, todays leaders
of new groups must trust God and their
leadership to step out. The goal of the
new group is to reach people and engage
them in an ongoing Bible study experi-
ence amid a community of relationships.
This is not an easy endeavor but neces-
sary. Believers are called to Go and
Make Disciples; not to fnd a spot and
squat and sit and soak.
Did you know that for every new
group a church starts, the church will
gain an average of 10 in attendance? Did
you know that churches that start new
groups average more in baptisms? Did
you know that proportionally every new
group a church start yields hundreds of
dollars more in tithes and oferings each
year? Did you know that a lost or un-
churched person is more likely to attend
a new group than an older, established
group?
What if every church in Kansas-
Nebraska started at least one new group
every year? You do the math. In Kansas-
Nebraska we have over 400 churches. If
every one of those churches started just
one new group, that would mean 400
new Bible study groups, approximately
800 new leaders and an additional
4,000 people in Bible study each week.
Some churches could and should start
more. Some churches will not succeed
in starting any at all. Could you make
a commitment to start at least one new
group in your church? Would your class
be a catalyst to help start a new group
in your church?
Healthy churches grow. Join in starting
a new groups movement in our world.
Decide today and sign up at www.
groupsmatter.com. For more informa-
tion or helps in beginning a new group,
contact Marie Clark, KNCSB Bible Study
& Discipling Team Leader. She may
be reached at 800-984-9154 or mclark@
kncsb.org.
[Adapted from a www.sundayschool-
leader.com blog by Sean Keith, Sunday/
Discipleship Strategist for the Louisiana
Baptist Convention.]
by Marie Clark
KNCSB Goal: $215,000
Supporting Kansas-Nebraska Missions Causes
50% to Your Association
50% to KS-NE Missions Causes
Living
THE GREAT
Commission
I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. Phil. 4:13
Viola Webb Associational
& State Missions Offering
kncsb on mission
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Kansas-Nebraska Campers on Mission are busy serving the Lord in various places this
summer.
The group gathered at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan., for a work project and the
spring rally held May 3-5.
One of the COMs major projects at WCC was to pour a new sidewalk leading from the
parking area to the motel.
After leaving WCC, COM members headed to southeast Kansas for a work project at Weir
Baptist Church, 12 miles southwest of Pittsburg.
Upcoming Campers on Mission events are:
n June 3-5 COM National Rally at Glorieta Conference Center, Glorieta, N.M.
n June 22-28 Work project at New Life Baptist Church, Independence, Kan.
n Aug. 10-16 Work project at Alpha Christian Childrens Home, Perry, Kan.
n Sept. 26-28 Kansas-Nebraska Campers on Mission Fall Rally at Weir Baptist Camp.
New KNCSB Event Reaches Teen Boys
The Challenge, a new KNCSB event, helped teen boys learn
how to become men of character. It was held May 2-3 at
Webster Conference Center. (Submitted photo)
Dont just let God save your
soul. Let Him build you into a
man of character.
That is what Jon Randles
told nearly 80 participants in
The Challenge, a new KNCSB
event for teen boys. It was held
May 2-3 at Webster Conference
Center, Salina, Kan.
Theme verse for The Chal-
lenge was Be watchful. Stand
frm in the faith. Act like men.
Be strong. (I Corinthians 16:13)
Throughout the weekend
Randles urged the group to frst
accept Christ as their Savior and
then to develop a strong faith.
He challenged each young man
to be a life breather.
Wherever you go you are a
life breather or a death breather.
Whats in a man comes out of a
man, Randles said.
A total of 22 decisions for
Christ were recorded during the
weekend:
n Salvation 3
n Assurance of salvation 6
n Rededications 8
n Candidates for baptism 2
n Other decisions 3
Jason Waller led the group
in worship. He is a Christian
recording artist and is worship
pastor at CrossPoint Church
in Salina. Read more at htp://
jasonwallermusic.com/
Breakout session during The
Challenge focused on incor-
porating Christ into outdoor
sports, technology and other
areas of interest to young men.
Casey Ingold led a breakout
session on turkey hunting. He is
an avid outdoorsman and pas-
tor of Covenant Baptist Church,
Topeka, Kan.
Helping young men un-
derstand what becoming a man
is vital in our culture today,
Ingold said. Through a variety
of interests/topics, Challenge
ofers a venue for men to impart
a vision of biblical manhood
to the young men who atend.
I think it is very important to
help these guys understand
manhood is not defned by
what you do but who you are,
how and why you do what you
do.
During his session, Ingold
shared three marks of bibli-
cal manhood from Raising a
Modern Day Knight, by Robert
Lewis:
1. Reject passivity
2. Accept responsibility
3. Lead courageously
That is what makes a boy a
man, Ingold continued.
While at Challenge, Ingold
met a young man who had
recently lost his father.
I was able to connect with
T, encourage him and his
youth pastor who was doing a
phenomenal job. This was a cru-
cial time in Ts life. He needed
to know there were men there
to love him and lead him. He
found that at Challenge. I gave
him one of my turkey decoys
and a turkey hunting DVD and
urged him to contact me if I
could ever take him hunting.
I watched T play and
laugh and soak in a healthy
vision of manhood as he was
surrounded by Christ-following
friends and men, hearing truth
and being loved on the whole
way. If Challenge was just for
T, it was exponentially worth
every minute and every dollar.
Conference participants were
urged to put the 2015 event on
their calendars and invite their
friends. It will be held May 1-2
at Webster Conference Center.
Information will be posted at
htp://justforyouth.com/jfy/
events.
Senior Adult Christmas Event to Be Held in Branson
A Senior Adult Christmas
Celebration will be held Nov.
11-13 in Branson, Mo.
LifeWay Christian Resources
is sponsoring the event. It will
be held at the Chateau on the
Lake Resort and Convention
Center on the south edge of
Branson.
The registration fee will
include admission to such
Branson atractions as the Dixie
Stampede and Jonah at the
Sight and Sound Theater.
James Biesiadecki will be the
featured speaker. He is pastor
of First Baptist Church, Bartles-
ville, Okla.
Wade Daniel will be the
featured musician. He is min-
ister of music at First Baptist,
Bartlesville.
The event also will include a
concert by renowned Christian
musician Guy Penrod.
Find more information at
htp://lfwy.co/1pH7PtK
KNCSB Annual Meeting
Oct. 13-14, 2014
CrossPoint Church, Hutchinson, Kan.
Information will be posted by mid-summer on the KNCSB Web site at http://www.
kncsb.org/ministry/annual_meeting
KNCSB ON MISSION
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Busy Summer Underway
At Weir Baptist Camp
Bethel Cabin, the second new cabin at Weir Baptist Camp,
was completed in June 2013. The new cabin can accommo-
date 38 people. This brings the camps sleeping capacity to
189 people. (Photo by Sue Marcum) Weir Baptist Camp
continues its long
history of reach-
ing people and
helping them grow
in Christ.
(This article includes informa-
tion from the Southeast Kansas
Baptist Association newsleter.)
Weir Baptist Camp, 12 miles
southwest of Pitsburg, Kan.,
continues to grow and improve
to reach people for Christ even
more efectively.
The past year saw two major
accomplishments:
n Bethel Cabin, the second
new cabin, was completed in
time for Pre-Teen Camp in June
2013. The new cabin can accom-
modate 38 people. This brings
the camps sleeping capacity to
189 people.
n An addition was con-
structed on the southeast corner
of the Dining Hall. It consists
of the clean-up area with a new
dishwasher, staf restroom and
a storage area.
Weir Baptist Camp played
host to seven weeks of camp in
the summer of 2013.
Atendance was up for the
2013 camps with a total of 312
campers registered.
Thirty-seven children were
saved and 12 rededicated their
lives to Christ. Three made
decisions to follow Christ in
baptism and 15 other decisions
were recorded.
Along with the Southeast
Kansas Baptist camps, Weir
Baptist Camp hosted two
other groups in the summer
of 2013.
One of these camps was
the KOAM Encampment,
sponsored by Regular Baptists
in Kansas and Missouri. This
family camp atracted 158
people, making it the largest
Weir Baptist Camp is the home of a new church. Triple C
Cowboy Church began in summer 2013. It meets on Sun-
day nights in the Tabernacle at the camp. (Below) Plans
call for constructing a dock and a shade pavilion at the
boating lake on the east side of the property at Weir Camp.
(Photos by Eva Wilson)
2013 camp.
Champions Running Camp,
a Christian sports camp,
came back for the fourth year
and ended the 2013 summer
camps.
Summer 2013 saw another
signifcant event at Weir Baptist
Camp. Triple C Cowboy Church
was launched and meets on
Sunday nights in the Tabernacle
at the camp.
The church started out
meeting on the frst and third
Sunday nights. It began meeting
weekly in September 2013.
Les Green is the pastor.
First Baptist Church in nearby
Cherokee is the sponsoring
congregation.
Weir Baptist Camp continues
to see more groups coming in
the non-summer months.
Fall 2013 saw a return visit
by Kansas-Nebraska Campers
on Mission. The group held its
fall rally and a two-week work
project there.
Kansas-Nebraska COM also
worked at the camp in late May
2013 and planned a return visit
in late May 2014. Weir Baptist
Camp is on the groups list of
annual work projects.
The Kansas-Nebraska Camp-
ers on Mission 2014 fall rally
will be held Sept. 26-28 at the
camp.
Other fall 2013 and win-
ter 2014 events at the camp
included:
n Carthage, Mo., Hispanic
mens camp
n Southeast Kansas Baptist
Association teen girls camp
n Southeast Kansas Minister/
Spouse Christmas dinner
With two new cabins com-
pleted, atention is now focus-
ing on other improvements,
said Delbert Callaway, camp
manager.
Plans call for fnishing the
dock at the fshing lake and
constructing a new dock at the
boating lake on the east side of
the camp property.
Callaway also wants to con-
struct shade pavilions at both
lakes.
Southeast Kansas Associa-
tion 2014 summer camps will
see some slight changes. Some
age groups will be combined,
and four weeks of camp will be
held instead of fve. Camp dates
are:
n June 9-13 Senior High
Camp
n June 16-20 Junior High
Camp for grades 6-8.
n June 23-27 Childrens
Camp for grades 3-5
n June 30 Day Camp for 4
year-olds and kindergarteners
n July 1-2 Kingdom Kids
Camp for grades 1-2
Thank you for supporting the Cooperative Program
www.knwomen.com
7
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Happy Birthday to
You is usually received
with a huge smile
and glistening eyes.
To Mildred, its just
a reminder that God
has not answered her
prayers to go home...
heaven. May 19
marked 101 years of
her life on earth. We
celebrated her 100 with
a huge party where
she enjoyed seeing her
family and a few remaining friends. But
in this past year she fell, resulting in not
being able to walk on her own, and her
stamina and physical strength has been
lost. But her heart beats on. A couple
times a week she asks why God is not tak-
ing her home. The only answer I have is
that there is still someone who needs to be
encouraged by her, who needs to experi-
ence the love of God through her. I mean,
its what you say when you dont know
what to say, right? During one of our
moments last week, Mildred told me, ...
it just doesnt seem right for litle babies to
Gods Perfect Timing
Debbie Eble
KNCSB Womens Leadership, Fit 4 Him Consultant
The long awaited
summer is here! And
along with it all of
our favorite outdoor
pursuits: gardening,
ballgames, long walks,
swimming, bicycling,
the list is endless.
However, most of
those pursuits take
some level of ath-
leticism. Did you keep
yourself active enough
all winter to be prepared? If not, dont despair,
its never too late to get in shape!
The great thing about summer ftness is you
dont have to belong to a facility to exercise. You
just need to begin! God designed the human
body to move every single day! It doesnt have
to be a gym-style workout, but you need to
MOVE!
Do you have a child or a grandchild? Quality
time out of doors with a child is PRICELESS!
Not only is it an opportunity for building rela-
tionship..because you will be amazed at what
your child may share with you during your walk
or bike ride.but it is an investment in your
own physical, mental and emotional health.
Make it intentional, schedule time for exercise
Keep Your Eye on the Goal!
every day. Movement is essential to overall
health. Once intentional exercise becomes a part
of your life, you wont want to give it up. So our
goal is MOVEMENT every day, summer, fall,
winter, spring, and to be the best refection of
Jesus that we can be, for the time that God has
alloted to us in this present body.
In Pauls writing about the future resurrected
body, he said, if there is a natural body, there is
also a spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:44 And
since our spiritual body is what never dies, it
stands to reason that we need to pay even more
atention to moving that every day, right? Along
with daily physical movement, we need daily
spiritual movement. Scheduled, intentional time
every day to connect with our Creator, Healer,
Comforter, Savior, the Sovereign God of the uni-
verse creates spiritual movement. Wow.what
a privilege, what an opportunity, what a source
of strength and power! When our hope and trust
is in God we soar on wings like eagles; we will
run and not grow weary, we will walk and not
be faint Isaiah 40:31
Whether it is physical or spiritual, movement is
necessary for health and vitality.
It has been remarked that lifes aim is an act,
not a thought. Act now, move now, glorify God
now. I urge you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, to present your bodies a living
and holy sacrifce, acceptable to God, which is
your spiritual service of worship. Romans 12:1
die, and me live. But Ive trusted God till
now, and I guess Ill just keep on trusting
him. Wow! Simply faith. Maybe Im the
one who needed to be encouraged by her!
One of her favorite passages is probably
one of your favorite too:
The LORD is my shepherd; there is
nothing I lack. He lets me lie down in
green pastures; He leads me beside quiet
waters. He renews my life; He leads me
along the right paths for His names sake.
Even when I go through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your
rod and Your stafthey comfort me. You
prepare a table before me in the presence
of my enemies; You anoint my head with
oil; my cup overfows. Only goodness and
faithful love will pursue me all the days of
my life, and I will dwell in the house of the
LORD as long as I live. Psalm 23
Father, will you continue to use
Mildred in my life as well as all those who
care for her and visit her, until you call her
home. Amen
Shiggaion
Mari
Debra Bonds
WWW Life Session Leader
We have talked about stepping out of our comfort zone. Hopefully
you have begun to take this step. Remember, sometimes we have
to go back to the beginning, dispel some myths and get rid of some
wrong thinking about sex and intimacy that comes from information
we have gathered, both good and bad.
We have to forgive others and ourselves so we can begin to heal and
get to that rightful place in marriage. Then we will begin to enjoy
what God created and intended for us. Satan wants us to setle for
less and ofers us counterfeits. Dont fall for it!
When you think of the male and female bodies and their intricate
make up, we are an awesome creation of God! God made us unique,
male and female, and we ft together as one. God did that for us! For
our pleasure! God created sex to be enjoyed between husband and
wife in pleasure for each other, not as a tool for control or manipula-
tion.
We best be careful to not misuse the tools God has blessed us with.
Give God the glory in everything you do and watch the return he
blesses you with even in sexual intimacy with your spouse!
Now to
who is able to do
H
i
m
MORE
IMMEASURABLY
than all we
OR
A
S
K
IMAGINE
HIS POWER according to
that is at work within us,
GLORY be HIM t
o
i
n
i
n
and CHURCH t
h
e
CHRIST JESUS
for ever and ever!
GENERATIONS
all
throughout
Amen!
By Sarah Alexander
KNCSB Women 4 Him Team
MORE. Have you ever thought about what MORE God has
for you? At WWW 2014, women from across Kansas and Nebraska
will join together at Webster Conference Center in Salina, Kansas, to
celebrate all that God has to ofer. Wonderful Weekend for Women
brings women together to enjoy worship, Bible study, topical break-
out sessions, and tons of wild, wacky, wonderful girl fun!
We are so excited to have Angie Smith leading us as we study Gods
Word, and Camala Nuter leading us in musical worship. Atendees
will also be privileged to hear from a special guest missionary, and
enjoy a variety of amazing breakout sessions, led by women from our
own convention.
Be sure to check out www.angiesmithonline.com for more informa-
tion on our featured speaker. WWW information will be arriving in
churches beginning in June. You will also be able to download con-
ference information and materials from www.knwomen.com
Make plans today for your ladies only retreat September 12-13,
2014, with special Girls Night In activities on Thursday evening.
You wont want to miss this celebration of MORE.
Keeping Intimacy Alive:
Back to the Beginning
www.KNCSB.org
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WCC
Update
n The WCC Board of Directors approved the 2014-2018 Strategic Plan
for WCC at their May Board Meeting.
n Melinda Wolfgang, WCC Offce Mangager, has resigned to move with
her husband to Colorado. Our loss is someone elses gain. We will miss
you Melinda but wish you well in Colorado.
n Emily Goetz has been hired as the new WCC Offce Manager and is
now aboard the team.
n A new liner has been installed and other improvements to the drain
system for the swimming pool. It is now complete and awaiting summer
swimmers.
n Campers on Mission poured a new sidewalk from the parking lot to the
motel units in May.
n Lights along the walkway from the swimming pool to the Dining Hall
are now being installed.
n WCC participated in the Greater Salina Community Foundation Match
Madness Campaign, and WCCs endowment fund was increased by $700
and a matching check of $308 was received for immediate capital improve-
ment projects.
n User Days and revenues are ahead of the 2013 pace for the frst four
months of 2014.
n Please pray for all the children, youth and sponsors who will attend
camps at WCC this summer. Camps run from the last week of May through
the frst week of August.
n The 2014 Matching Challenge Grant for the Dining Hall expansion
project to increase seating to 500 is gaining momentum. As of mid-May
$12,636.51 has been received.
n The Matching Challenge Grant for moving the Picnic Pavilion to a
new location and upgrading this facility is doing well also. As of mid-May
$2,945.00 has been received.
n Send Matching Challenge Grant contributions to Webster Conference
Center, 5410 SW 7th Street, Topeka, KS 66606-2398 and indicate which
grant to which your gift should be applied.
TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY!
Thank you for your continued support of this mission facility as we
continue to reach people for Christ and train believers for the work of
the ministry! The WCC Staff
Kansas and Nebraska Southern Baptists are
in partnership with all Southern Baptists
through the Cooperative Program.
Church Seeks Bi-Vocational Pastor
Mill Creek Baptist Church, McFarland, Kan., is seeking a bivocational pastor.
McFarland is a town of 255 people located between Topeka and Manhattan.
The church has 20 active members and several non-members.
For more information or to submit a resume, contact Sally Morrill at ksmor-
rill@hotmail.com. She is a member of the pastor search committee.
Church Seeks Bi-Vocational Pastor
Calvary Baptist, Clay Center, KS is seeking a bi-vocational pastor for a very
small, traditional, conservative Southern Baptist church. Salary is $1,000
per month; no parsonage. Committee will not accept resumes from any di-
vorced man who has remarried, regardless of circumstances (1 Timothy 3).
Send resume to calvarybaptistclaycenter@yahoo.com or PO Box 83, Clay
Center, KS 67432.
Church Gives Sacrificially
for Native American Work
Our hearts were broken when we
found out that on Dec. 31, 2013, Ron
Goombi was defunded by the North
American Mission Board.
Ron and his wife, Alpha, are on the
front lines of ministry with poverty,
alcoholism and suicide rates skyrocket-
ing among Native Americans in Eastern
Nebraska. The need has never been
more critical to reach Natives with the
life-changing Good News of Jesus Christ.
Something had to be done. But what can
a church do that is really a mission itself?
Gods answer: March Mission Emphasis
Month.
I have to say that at North Park
Church, Columbus, and Fremont its
tough to look into the faces of people
with so much need and talk about giv-
ing. I include that in this article because
like Paul in 2 Corinthians 8:1, I want you
to know and be encouraged by the grace
given to our churches. God seemed to be
saying, Just do it (I think He wrote a
commercial for Nike once).
The missions focus would be All Na-
tions Ministries and specifcally Rev. Ron
and Alpha Goombi. Ron and Alpha are
Native American church planter mis-
sionaries in Eastern Nebraska. Ron is
also pastor of All Nations Baptist Church
in Macy, Neb., a church they planted in
2007.
At each weekend service in March a
few words were shared about Ron and
Alphas work and the challenges Native
Americans are facing. Included in each
weekend worship folder was a tri-fold
North Park Baptist Church, Columbus,
Neb., and its campus in Fremont held
a missions emphasis in March that
focused on the ministry of Ron Goombi
(right) and his wife, Alpha. The Goombis
are Native American church planters in
Nebraska. The North American Mission
Board recently eliminated their position.
During the month-long emphasis, the
North Park churches collected money
to help the Goombis continue their
ministry. With Ron Goombi is Pastor Lyn
Hansen. (Submitted photo)
brochure describing All Nations Minis-
tries and information about Ron, Alpha
and family.
The highlight of missions month came
Friday evening March 21 when Ron and
Alpha personally shared details of their
ministry and brought a moving message.
Alpha led worship and gave a very pow-
erful testimony. God was faithful and
His people were generous: $1,725.32 was
raised in support of their ministry.
by Lyn Hansen, Pastor
A Panoramic Summer Challenge
Walk just outside your front door, and
look slowly in every direction. Youre
viewing a mission feld. God chose it
for you when you moved in. Its easy to
wave at neighbors as you drive by or say
hi when you walk the dog, but will
you make a plan to shine for Jesus with
your actions and words this summer?
See each neighbor with the eyes of
Godas people He loves, who need
to know His loveeven the neighbor
who doesnt mow his grass. Loving our
neighbor is the second great command-
ment (Romans 13:9-10). Try this two-step
panoramic summer challenge.
n Prayer walk your personal mission
feldyour block, subdivision, apart-
ment building or dorm hallway. If you
live in a rural setting, you may need to
prayer-drive! Prayer-walking simply
means you pray silently and specifcally
as you stroll and observe. Do it often.
Make a list of addresses, and add names
as you meet people. Learn pet names.
Discover needs. Involve your entire fam-
ily. Ask God to give you opportunities to
show His love and share about Him.
n Panoramic Neighborhood Grill-
Out. Host a neighborhood barbeque.
Email or hand-deliver an invitation to
each home on your list. Ask them to
bring something to grill, a side dish to
share, and a lawn chair. Create a relaxed,
fun atmosphere with great Christian
music and toys for kids. Use nametags
and enjoy getting to know each person.
Whether its a small or large group, have
a great time. In your conversation, invite
each individual to your church if they
dont have one.
A panoramic grill-out project could be
a great church-wide project, too. Select
a weekend and challenge every church
member to invite their neighbors over
with the intention of getting to know
them and inviting them to church.
Our Southern Baptist Convention has
about ten thousand awesome vocational
missionaries across North America and
in countries around the world, but
youre the missionary God called to your
neighborhood.
Now get out the grill!
Diana Davis is an author and
columnist based in Pensacola FL. Her
husband, Steve, is vice president of SBCs
North American Mission Board, South
Region. www.dianadavis.org