Newsjournal Of Kansas and Nebraska Southern Baptists

www.baptistdigest.com

May 2014Vol. 58 No. 5

Baptistigest

Richard Blackaby (inset) was the featured speaker for the second-annual KNCSB Normative Church Conference. The event was held March 21-22 at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan. It is aimed at pastors and other leaders in smaller-membership churches. (Turn to page 5)

Church leaders need to keep asking God to do a “fresh work” in their lives, Richard Blackaby

INSIDEThe 2014 mission trip marked the 22nd time a Southeast Kansas mis-sion team has served at the Beautiful Feet homeless ministry in inner-city Fort Worth, Texas.

6Featured Videos

8Ever After

By Vicki CourtneyBalanced and Blessed

By Charles LoweryForward From Here

By Allan Taylor

7

Angie Smith to speak at Wonderful Weekend for Women September 12-13 at Webster Conference Center.

WWW.KNCSB.ORGM

AY 2

014

2

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

STAFFEditor: Tim Boyd, PhD.

Associate Editor: Eva Wilson Printing Coordinator: Derek Taylor

Robert T. Mills, D. Min. KNCSB Executive Director

AFFILIATIONSAssociation of State Baptist PapersBaptist Communicators Association

The Baptist Digest (USPS 018-942)Vol. 58 No. 5

Leadership Newsjournal for Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptists is published

monthly 12 times a year.

5410 SW 7th StreetTopeka, KS 66606-2398Phone: (785) 228-6800Toll Free: 800-984-9092

Fax: (785) 273-4992E-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.

By Georges Boujakly KNCSB State Director of MissionsE-mail: gboujakly@kncsb.org

“I wanna be like Mike… Be like Mike… Drink Ga-torade!” So goes the commercial Gatorade thinks that Michael Jordan is the athlete to imitate. The marks of Mike-likeness, his phenomenal jumping power, fitness, awareness on the court, finesse, agility, and energy, and the cool factor can be yours if you “Drink Gatorade!” That commercial sold a lot of Gatorade. But I don’t see many athletes like Mike!

Well, as Mike laughs his way to the bank, we who fol-low Christ have more hope and confidence that we have been given the means of imitating Christ. Paul says to the Christians of Ephesus: “be imitators of God in Christ” (Ephesians 5:1-2). What is commanded in the Scripture is always enabled by the grace of God. Obedience and grace

are never strange bedfellows in the Bible.

The grace of God enables us to have the kind of faith that results in placing our confidence in God. Without the grace-faith-confidence trio our ability to follow Christ can whimper along. The boost comes when we express confidence in God’s work in us is by means of prayer. Prayer is a main path we take in order to seek God. Prayer is also a main way God supplies us

with the power to become conformed to the image of his Son or to be godly. Prayer is the Gatorade of our seeking and growing as followers of Jesus.

Jimmy Agan asks: “In what ways should Christians be like Jesus?” In his Imitation of Christ in the Gospel of Luke, Agan gives four marks of Christlikeness. The first mark is the way Jesus demonstrated his passion about the glory of God. Secondly, Jesus was fervent in doing what is good for others. Thirdly, Jesus was joy-fully willing to deny himself in order to be devoted to God and others. Lastly, Jesus endured hardships with patience. These marks of Christ’s life are available to us by means of prayer (other means being the Holy Spirit, Repentance and forgiveness, faith, and others).

Jesus sought his father through prayer and prayer was the means by which he grew in his relationship with God in a totally Spirit-guided life. Can you imagine Je-sus living and growing in his understanding of his iden-tity and mission without opening to God? I can’t. We shouldn’t. Our seeking and growing in Christ-likeness

By Bob Mills KNCSB Executive DirectorE-mail: bmills@kncsb.org

You cannot do it all…It seems like there is so much that needs to be done and so little time and people resources to meet the demanding needs in the local church. There is an old adage …”It seems that 20% of the people are doing 80% of the work around the church.” - Is that true in your church? What can be done about it?

Stewardship in the local church is a good bit more than monetary considerations. What are you doing to look around and see whom God has placed in your congregation that needs to be challenged, trained,

and mentored into skill or gift appropriate positions? People resources are important to God and to the effec-tiveness and health in a local church.

A helpful hint might be to not make a plea from the pulpit for help with a particular ministry, but go to individuals personally and invite them to engage in ministry.

It has been my experience that most people will not vol-unteer to do a particular ministry, but if asked personally will give prayerful consideration toward that possibility. I think God will hold each of us as leaders responsible for what we do toward calling out and equipping individuals for service.

depends in a major way on prayer (opening to God).If the marks of Jesus are to become the marks of our

lives, the means by which these developed in Christ’s life must also become the means by which they develop in our lives.

For this to take shape in our lives, Agan recommends a regimen of prayer for Christ-likeness that seeks dis-cernment, repentance, grace and adoration.n Discernment

We don’t have enough wisdom to imitate Jesus. Therefore, without the discerning voice of the Holy Spirit in us and in the Scriptures we have no chance of learning how our lives should express the marks of Christlikeness.

Let us then pray without ceasing: “Father, what are you calling me to do today to express passion for your glory as Jesus did?”

We don’t know how to do denial of self well. We are naturally egocentric. Without help from above and opening ourselves to God, a self-denying life will remain a pipe dream for all of us.

And so we pray: “Lord, show us in your Word, by your Spirit, and your providence in our daily circum-stances what it means for us to willingly deny our-selves.n Repentance

We lack the consistency of being like Christ. Like Paul, we confess that “I do what I shouldn’t and what I should I often don’t do.”

So repentantly we pray: “Father, forgive us for failing to demonstrate the marks of Christlikeness. Forgive us for the ways we refuse to pursue the good of other people, and the ways we pursue their good with less than wholehearted passion.”

And when it comes to joyfully enduring hardships, where are the experts? “For the joy set before him he

endured the cross…” He’s the expert who can teach us to be like him.

Prayerfully then: “Merciful God, it is difficult to pa-tiently endure hardship. Forgive us for our sinful attempts to be like Jesus without surrendering our own comfort.”n Grace

Grace is God enabling us to do what we can’t do in our own strength. What a favor God makes us by com-ing alongside of us in our weakness!

We pray: “O God, apart from the power of your Holy Spirit, we cannot grow in likeness to your Son. Pour out your Spirit on us, that we may bear the image of Christ!”

And where does the willingness to endure suffering come from?

“Lord Jesus, strengthen us to meet the costly de-mands of imitating you by giving us a clear vision of the costly sacrifice you made on our behalf.”n Adoration

Without the marks of Christ in our lives there is neither joy nor strength for the journey of our earthly pilgrimage.

Prayerfully then, we ask: “Jesus our redeemer—we stand in awe of the patience and gentleness you dis-played in the midst of so many hardships, and especial-ly at the cross. How we long to honor you by reflecting even a small measure of your endurance in our lives!”

And…“Father in heaven, there has never been a life more

beautiful that that of your Son. What an unspeakable privilege—that the one who humbled himself and took up a cross to save sinners would allow me to take up a cross and follow him!”

I appreciate these prayers of Agan. I trust you will find them helpful on your journey with God. I pray that you find a way to make use of them in your congregation.

Walking With the Master

Georges Boujakly

The Thought Occurred to Me

Bob Mills

Ask God to give you the eyes to see the poten-tial in the people that God has put right in front of you week after week. Challenge them individu-ally to live out the calling God has placed on their lives. All members of the body of Christ are impor-tant to the vitality and health of the church.

Pray to the Lord of the harvest…He will do it.

Sharing & Strengthening

3

MAY 2014

By Andy Addis KNCSB Convention President E-mail: andy@crosspointnow.net

We’ve all done it. Confidently striding up to the door of the building at break neck pace, leaning into it with all your weight only to crumple into your arm under your own momentum.

With frustration, and a little embarrass-ment, you pull back and examine the situa-tion.

You say to yourself, “I know they’re open, I can see people inside. I know I’m at the right place, I checked the address. What gives?”

Then a quick glance at the door and all is revealed... the sign says “PULL.”

Duh?We’ve all been “that guy,” but sometimes

it’s easier than other times to see and cor-rect those moments of limited intelligence. Sometimes, we push on the pull for years and never even know we’re doing it.

Here is one place I have seen this happen in my own life and in the life of many of my fellow ministers: how are you at keeping the Sabbath?

Okay, let’s not do what we do to skirt the issue. Let’s not debate Saturday vs Sunday issues. Let’s not play that game where we say preaching/ministering revitalizes me. Let’s not try to cheat God on what He made a commandment, number four if you’re counting.

The summary of what the Sabbath was intended to be is clear in Jesus’ own words from the Gospel of Mark.

Mark 2:27 “And he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the

President’s PerspectiveSabbath.’”

You were made with a built in need for rest. There is no amount of rationaliz-ing, excusing, denying or shifting blame that will get around the fact that if you do not take a sab-bath you are breaking God’s law.

You’re pushing when you should be pull-ing!

We somehow bought into the culture’s work ethic which, generalized, implies that if you work yourself to death at least it’s an honorable death.

It’s not; it’s sinful and even does damage to what you are trying to do.

It’s called the law of diminishing returns which proves that there comes a point at which more energy expended does no good and even produces less!

Taking a break renews, refreshes, restores and resets us for the task.

It seems completely counter intuitive, when there is so much to do and time is so short, to take a break, but isn’t that just like our God?

To be first you should be last, to become greatest you become least, to save your life you must lose it.

I remember hearing that when the space shuttle is in orbit trying to connect with a satellite for repairs, the way it catches up is to slow down. This actually decreases the dis-tance between the shuttle and the satellite... slowing down... huh... who’d have guessed?

This is tough, especially for what Dr. Frank Page, Executive Director of the Southern Baptist Convention, called the ‘ironmen’ of the SBC, you bivocational servants.

There never seems to be enough hours in the day, energy in the week, or money in the month.

But, what if that was the problem? What if we keep working through the Sabbaths try-ing to accomplish more and more, only to see less and less happen.

Ever been there?Maybe denying the Sabbath is our way of

thumbing our nose at God and saying, “We got this.”

Maybe taking a Sabbath in obedience is our way of saying, “We can’t do this without You.”

I nearly crashed in ministry and in life about three years ago. I thought I was being God’s super-servant by never missing any-thing, by shaming everyone with hours put in, and by being the first in and last out every time.

I wasn’t being faithful, I was being arro-gant and it nearly killed me.

Thank God for the Sabbath. It has restored me, my family and my ministry.

My prayer is that you would take a serious look at your life and make sure that you are honoring the Sabbath and keeping it holy.

God made that law for you.

By Jon Sapp KNCSB Director of EvangelismE-mail: jsapp@kncsb.org

I trust your Easter celebration was a meaning-ful event this year. I always enjoy the worship and focus on God’s grace and victory as we celebrate Christ’s resurrection.

This year, in preparation for my Easter, I enjoyed a prayer retreat with church planters and convention staff from across North America Mission Board’s Midwest Region. Some call this type of an event a Solemn Assembly. A Solemn Assembly defines a focused period of prayer with others. A group of believers gathers together in guided prayer for thanksgiving, confession, yielding and returning to our first or primary love or wholehearted devotion to Christ.

This was my first retreat of this nature back here in the states. Claude King and Greg Frizzell facilitated our focused time of prayer. But, the real event was the time to listen, reflect and join in praying with others. I needed a time like this. My schedule and responsibilities can grab my energy and attention. Those urgent appointments, emails and phone calls are often important. But, it was a special gift to expe-rience the quiet and extended moments of prayer.

In beginning a longer and focused time of prayer

God’s Plan For Sharingwith the group, don’t expect a seminar or workshop of presentations and listening to prayer concerns. At times, our listing prayer concerns can become an opportunity for negative reflection or complaining. That shouldn’t happen.

We listened to various passages of scripture and short testimonials to guide to a longer period of praise and thanksgiving for the majesty and wonder of God’s ongoing and comprehensive work. This ele-ment of the retreat can be very encouraging.

Another component of the secluded retreat set-ting was for repentance, confession and yielding of expectations and rights. The confession is for both our personal sins, often done in private, and corpo-rate sin. II Chronicles 7:14-15 is one of the passages that instructs us in cooperate confession. “14 if my people who are called by my name humble them-selves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.”

Claude King, one of our facilitators of the Solemn Assembly has written in his book, Consecrate the People, “The healing of our land is waiting on the

repentance of God’s people. So is the healing of our marriages, families, churches and cities. Sacred assemblies are appropriate times and ways for people, families, churches, cities, and nations to return to the Lord. Now is the right time for us to declare a holy fast, sound the alarm, and call a sacred assembly. Now is the time for us to return to a right relation-

ship with God. Now is the time to renew our cov-enant commitments to Jesus Christ.”

The retreat offers the invitation to take our miss-ing of God’s mark or falling short of God’s holiness to our forgiving and reconciling Heavenly Father. He will forgive and with that forgiveness comes his cleansing and refreshing.

I highly recommend holding a Solemn Assembly as a church or Association. I am available to point those interested toward resources to help lead the event or to help in facilitation. As each of us keeps our attention focused upon Him we experience His presence and that provides our message of God’s Plan for Sharing.

One of my favorite stories in the New Testament is the story of the widow who puts two small coins into the Temple treasury. Christ, observing this, com-mends her for her sacrificial giving. Her offering was greater than that of all the large amounts being put in by the wealthier people because she gave sac-rificially.

Equal sacrifice was a principle that I was taught early on in my understand-ing of the Cooperative Program (CP). All churches were encouraged to give with equal sacrifice to the cause of missions. Church A might give $100,000 to CP and Church B might give $10,000 to CP, but, if they were giving the same percentage of their receipts, they were making the same sacrifice.

Something has changed in the last few decades. Frequently, I hear people say, “I know that they don’t give a very high percentage of their offerings to CP, but they give a great number of dollars.”

Who can blame our median and small-er churches if they feel the tug to reduce their percentage to CP? After all, many of our “Flag Ship” churches don’t give a very high percentage.

If you are in a smaller or median size church, let the story of the widow and her two small coins guide your thinking when it comes to mission giving.

I can imagine Christ watching the dol-lars coming in from our churches for the work of the Great Commissions. Do you think He has changed his mind about the widow? I don’t. I think He is still looking for the spirit of sacrifice.

By Tim Boyd, Digest Editor

CP and SacrificialGiving-Does It Matter?

Andy Addis

Jon Sapp

www.kncsb.orgM

AY 2

014

4

It is important to start new groups. A few years ago, I was the catalyst for starting a new young adult Bible study group at Nall Avenue Baptist Church in Prairie Village, Kansas. Armed with a list of young adults who had visited the church during the past six months, our starting team of four set to work. At the end of one year we had reached 15 new people and began plans to begin a second group. Here’s why it was a great experience for them.

They made new friends. Since every-one in the group was new to the church, and many were new to the community, it was easier to make friends. In an existing group, relationships have already been established. It was a joy to watch their relationships bloom and become a source of support during a busy and stressful time of starting careers, marriage and families.

They found opportunities to serve, which also increased their sense of belonging. A new group needs leaders! Jobs were divided into “do-able hunks” and everyone got one “hunk.” Service ranged from calling members to welcom-ing guests to coordinating treat sched-ules to emailing prayer requests. New

opportunities to serve in a new group were opportunities for them to grow.

They enjoyed participative Bible Study. Instead of a large group that is primarily limited to lecture, the small group al-lowed for interaction during Bible study. They grew in their spiritual walk as they discovered how to adjust their life to the biblical revelation.

Finally, many of them experienced spiritual transformation. I’ve already mentioned how the new group helped them grow through opportunities to serve and participative Bible study. In addition, because the group was relatively small, the teacher was able to invest individually in group members. The investment of that teacher has had a continuing impact on their life and ministry.

Groups matter. How about you? Have you grown from being in a new group? Will you be a champion for starting a new group in your church? For addi-tional information or help in starting a new group, contact Marie Clark, KNCSB Bible Study & Discipling Team Leader at mclark@kncsb.org or 800-984-9154. Or go to www.groupsmatter.com.

by Marie Clark

Benefits of New Groups

Nate and Erika Sapp lead worship at the Normative Church Conference at Webster Conference. Nate works with Christian Challenge at Kansas State University.

Participants in the Normative Church Conference worship together in the upstairs chapel in the new Multi-Purpose Building at Webster Conference Center. This year’s Conference attracted three times more than last year’s initial conference.

Bob Mills, KNCSB Executive Director, addresses participants at the Normative Church Conference at Webster Conference Center. Mills stressed the value and sig-nificance of our churches that run under one hundred and fifty.

Editor’s Note: Recently my wife was going through an old family scrapbook and found a clipping from the 1920’s or 30’s that I thought you might find amusing. Apparently, pastoring has always been a difficult proposition in some settings:

A minister in a certain town in Alabama took permanent leave of his congregation in the following manner: “Brothers and sisters, I come to say good-by. I don’t think God loves this church, because none of you ever die. I don’t think you love each other, because I never marry any of you. I don’t think you love me, because you have not paid my salary. Your donations are moldy fruit and wormy apples, and ‘by their fruits ye shall know them.’

Brethren, I am going away to a better place. I have been called to be chaplain of a penitentiary. ‘Where I go ye cannot come, but I go to prepare a place for you,’ and may the Lord have mercy on your souls. Good-by.” – Failure Magazine

KNCSB Goal: $215,000Supporting Kansas-Nebraska Missions Causes

50% to Your Association

50% to KS-NE Missions Causes

LivingTHE GREATCommission

I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. Phil. 4:13

Viola Webb Associational& State Missions Offering

kncsb on mission

5

MAY 2014

By Eva WilsonBaptist Digest Associate Editor

Seek Fresh Work from God — Richard Blackaby

Richard Blackaby (left) was the featured speaker for the second-annual KNCSB Norma-tive Church Conference. The event was held March 21-22 at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan. It is aimed at pastors and other leaders in smaller-membership churches. Blackaby is pictured with KNCSB staff member Jon Sapp, who was one of the conference organizers. (Below left) John Shields was one of the break-out session leaders during the KNCSB Normative Church Conference. He shared about “Tools for Building Health into the Normative Church.” Shields is pastor of Parkview Baptist Church, Lexington, Neb., and is the immediate past KNCSB president.

Church leaders need to keep asking God to do a “fresh work” in their lives, Richard Blackaby said.

Blackaby was the featured speaker for the second-annual KNCSB Normative Church Conference. The event was held March 21-22 at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan. It is aimed at pastors and other leaders in smaller-membership churches.

“The smaller church is the norm in Southern Baptist life,” KNCSB Executive Director Bob Mills said as he opened the conference on Friday night, March 21.

Blackaby is the oldest son of Henry and Marilynn Blackaby. He is president of Blackaby Ministries International. Rich-ard Blackaby has co-written numerous books with his father and written other books on his own. His latest book is “The Seasons of God: How the Shift-ing Patterns of Your Life Reveal His Purposes for You.”

Blackaby stressed the need for church leaders to keep growing.

“The greatest thing you could do for your people is to grow,” he told pastors. “Cry out to God and say, ‘God, please do a fresh work in my life’.”

Blackaby cited the crucial need for good leadership in ministry. “I believe ministry hinges on leadership. Leader-ship makes all the difference.”

During the Friday night session, Blackaby focused on Numbers 20 and how Moses made a devastating mistake

that kept him from entering the Promised Land.

“This is one of those passag-es that leaders need to regularly come to,” Blackaby said.

Moses “had a great run, but he didn’t end well.” So Blackaby stressed the need for pastors and other church leaders to strive to end their ministries well.

Leaders need to model what they want to see hap-pen in the people they lead, he continued. The same is true in families. Blackaby told how he has a book club with his three young-adult children. He wants his children to see his desire to keep learning.

“What are you modeling for your kids right now?”

Blackaby also focused on how God builds character so He can give greater assignments.

“We’re all in a hurry. We want to get to the ‘doing’ not ‘being’,” he said.

He challenged his listeners to focus on:n “What must I add to my

life?”n “What must I subtract from

my life?”Concerning what to subtract

from your life, Blackaby cited pride. He called pride “one of the greatest single deterrents to becoming a good leader.”

Pride keeps pastors from admitting they need help, Black-aby continued.

Fear and unforgiveness are other attitudes that leaders need to subtract from their lives.

“Would you rather be a me-diocre minister or face the pain and go to the next level?”

Concerning what lead-

ers should add to their lives, Blackaby stressed the need for reading.

“If you’re not reading, chances are you’re not going to grow as you ought to.”

“Find people that can men-tor you” — not just one person but several people who have strengths in different areas.

Blackaby stressed the need for pastors to cultivate leaders in their churches. That is key to helping a church grow, he said.

“Don’t just be a ‘leader of followers’.”

Blackaby also gave an update about his father, Henry

Blackaby. Henry caused a social-media stir last fall when he went missing for 29 hours.

Henry Blackaby suffered a mild heart attack while driv-ing in Atlanta on Sept. 19. He became disoriented and could not find his way home.

The situation hit social media, and thousands of people around the world started pray-ing for him.

Eventually police were able to track his movements as Hen-ry used his credit card. He was found 150 miles from home.

“Doctors discovered that the main arteries to his heart

were severely blocked. It ap-pears he must have suffered an earlier heart attack, perhaps five year before. His arteries were blocked from 70 percent to 100 percent,” according to the Blackaby Ministries Interna-tional Web site.

Henry Blackaby underwent quadruple-bypass surgery. He is still recovering and is not able to travel and speak. Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptists are asked to keep praying for his complete recovery.

Read more at http://www.blackaby.net/support-the-min-istry/

Save the Date for 2015 Send ConferenceThe North American Mission Board is developing plans for its third Send North America

Conference set for Aug. 3-4, 2015, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.The conference encourages, equips and mobilizes lay leaders in local congregations to

penetrate lostness in North America.The 2015 Send North America Conference will have capacity for more than 10,000 par-

ticipants. Many of the breakout and workshop sessions will focus on God’s call for mobiliz-ing lay leaders through the Send North America strategy. See www.sendconference.com

KNCSB ON MISSIONM

AY 2

014

6

Team Joins God’s Work in Fort Worth

The Southeast Kansas mission team recently returned to inner-city Fort Worth to serve at the Beautiful Feet homeless ministry. 2014 marked the 22nd year the team has served in Fort Worth. The team performed a wide array of ministries and maintenance tasks. Here, a group works on installing an air conditioner at the Beautiful Feet headquarters. (Below left) The Clothing Team tackled the massive task of sorting and sizing clothing donated to Beautiful Feet. Team members cleaned and sorted the Clothes Closet and restocked it with jeans, coats, shoes and blankets. (Photos by Chris Wyan)

The 2014 mission trip marked the 22nd time a Southeast Kansas mission team has served at the Beauti-ful Feet homeless ministry in inner-city Fort Worth, Texas.

By June Newman

Early Friday morning Jan. 17, 2014, the caravans of trucks, trailers, vans, cars and people began the journey to the inner city streets of Fort Worth, Texas. This was the beginning of the 22nd annual winter mission trip to Beautiful Feet Ministries from Kansas.

The team included 87 people ranging from age 10 to 84. There were first timers and faithful forever team members representing 17 churches across southeast Kansas, southwest Missouri, Georgia, Wichita, Lenexa, Kan., and even a couple from Saskatchewan, Canada. There were boys and girls, teens and college students; there were men and women with various talents and skills — some re-tired folks and some who took off from their jobs to make the trek to Texas. All were ready to be the hands and feet of Jesus at the Beautiful Feet home-less ministry in inner-city Fort Worth.

Elijah “Touch” Touchton is leader of the mission team as-sisted by his son, David Touch-ton. They make a dynamic duo in leading the team and placing team leaders in just the right place to complete the jobs. Proj-ects are always varied from year to year and the theme is “Just Be Flexible!”

First, team members un-loaded the trucks and trail-ers loaded with care packs, plastic-bag sleeping mats, more than 1,000 beanies and stocking

hats, clothing galore, and tools and equipment to do projects. Then some of the team went to the homeless shelter and others went to the streets to deliver hot dogs, hot chocolate, and share the Good News of Jesus Christ!

Saturday morning, after a good breakfast from the food team, the groups set out to do their assigned tasks. Some worked on the roof over the second-story classroom; some repaired the ceiling in that class-room; electrical conduit was run in the kitchen, the sanctuary and for the new air-conditioner unit. An exterior platform was installed for the newly donated air conditioner which will be such a blessing this summer at The Feet.

Other construction jobs in-cluded adding more shelves in the kitchen pantry, caulking and painting windows, and flood lights on the west side. At the Hispanic Church eight duplex receptacles were installed and 220 wiring was completed for two convection ovens. Also, a hot-water heater was installed in the Sunday School Building.

Each project had a skilled leader and hard-working team to finish the job. The Feeters and the Hispanic Church were so pleased to have so many needed jobs done.

Also on Saturday, the Street Ministry Team went to pockets of people on the street. They shared a care package which included hygiene items, a pair of socks, a stocking hat, and a tract or Bible. Conversation with

these men and women included prayer and a clear presentation of the gospel. Beautiful Feet is always a comfortable place for the homeless to get a hot cup of coffee, a warm meal, enjoy a hearty conversation and the love of Christ given through the Word of God, acts of kindness, and a bold witness for Jesus.

Jeff Street led the Street Min-istry Team. Seeds of God’s love were planted in many lives.

The Clothing Team sorted, sorted and sorted through a mountain of clothes that had been brought to The Feet during the previous week. We cleaned and sorted the Clothes Closet and restocked it with jeans, coats, shoes and blankets.

There is always a need for backpacks and sleeping bags for the homeless. Unfortunately we were unable to complete the task of sizing and sorting all of the clothes. But we were able to get some of it done.

We thank the people who made the sleeping mats out

of recycled plastic bags. There were about 25 that were taken this year. This is a great project for your church and the home-less appreciate a mat on the ground to sleep on.

The Children’s Ministry

Team was led by Destinie Roque of Webb City, Mo. Saturday morning the team distributed flyers to the housing projects. This gave information and times for the afternoon activities.

The bus picked up the chil-dren and brought them to the

Hispanic Church for a fun time of Bible stories, action songs, games, crafts, and snacks. There were many smiling faces and giggles could be heard com-ing from the small groups led by our teens and teachers. The weather was perfect for January, so the older kids enjoyed a fun game of soccer in the courtyard.

A lot of planning, prepara-tions, hard work, and energetic people unite together for the Beautiful Feet mission trip to Fort Worth, Texas.

Twenty two years of Kan-sas teams going to help with maintenance of the building and building relationships with people all for the sake of shar-ing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You can be a part of this too. Make plans now for Jan. 16-18, 2015, at The Feet! There’s a place for you to serve and you will be blessed!

(June Newman is secretary for the Baptist Area Office, Altamont, Kan. She is pastor’s wife at First Baptist Church, Chetopa, Kan.)

Sign Up for WCC E-NewsletterStay informed about how God is working at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan. Sign up for the WCC E-Newsletter at http://webstercc.org/wcc/e_newsletter/

www.knwomen.com

7

May 2014

Sometimes when I pick up my Bible for my early morning time with God, I honestly do not expect to hear from God. I know I should have the expectation every time I read to hear from Him, but sometimes I just do not. Recently, as I read, “For this people’s heart has become calloused,” I realized my heart was calloused (Matthew 13:15). I cried out, “O God, how can this be? I do not like calluses! Father, calluses are weird in that you do not even realize you are getting it, but one day you look down and after much hard labor you discover that your hand has

become rough and hard in certain places.” Suddenly, what began as a thoughtless morning filled with ritual suddenly became tragically wonderful.

In all that I do and with all the people I encounter and serve in a day, I realized as I looked at my heart that somehow without realiz-ing it I had places in my heart that had become calloused. It was not the kind of callous that you would notice as you watched me serve. It was the kind of callous that only God and I could see. Where was my tenderness toward another? Or, the grief over sin as it was confessed? I realized that I had heard so many stories and walked so many journeys in just a few short days that I was no longer bro-ken over sin, but apathetic toward sin and our culture. I cannot tell you how long this was in me. I don’t know if it was for a moment or for a season, but I realized that I needed to have the good LORD remove my callous.

Have you ever peeled a callous off your hand? It hurts. It is raw and tender and it hurts when it touches things. The only thing I could do was pray. I bowed in my heart and said, “LORD, cleanse me of my calloused heart. Please make me raw and tender before You and those I serve.” I forgot about my prayer until my first brush with a beloved confessing sin. It hurt. The sin was not against me and it did not affect me, but I discovered that God made me raw to the loss of my beloved’s connection to Him. Initially, I did not like this new grief; it required that I allowed my heart to be raw and to walk alongside another as she returned to holiness. Returning to holiness is hard, but it is rich and rewarding. I soon realized that it allowed me to see, in a greater way, into the heart of God in how He sees us and just waits to heal us.

LORD, make me raw that I might be real as I serve others in You.

Simply, Tara

Raw

Patti BoswellKNCSB Womens Leadership, Ministry Wives Consultant

I watched as a fifth-grade student sat at a computer to take a test. Many of the words were too hard, and she didn’t understand some of the instructions. I watched as she me-thodically prodded along, rather calmly, completing

all the questions, and finished with a smile. Did she have understanding? Was her little mind able to comprehend everything? Probably not. But she did not ask me a thing, as I sat right beside her.

In 1 Corinthians, the scriptures tell us we have the mind of Christ. Is this something you think about much? The fact is, when the Holy Spirit came into our lives, we were given the ability to understand things much higher than we’ve ever known! The problem is, we go on about our daily lives, thinking too much like the world.

We rely on past experience to shape our thoughts and opinions, and this causes us to put limitations and boundaries on the work of the

Are you smarter than a fifth grader?

Sarah SchmidtKNCSB Womens Leadership, Childrens Resource Team Leader

It is that time of year where it is starting to warm-up and kids are getting out of school. How do you plan to keep your kids busy? One idea is to have your children get involved with a summer mission project. There are many ways to get them involved, but here are a few.

Adopt an elderly couple in your neighborhood. Volunteer to mow their lawn, weed flower beds for them, visit them once a week to let them know that someone loves them.

Go visit a nursing home. Take them cards once a week or

Dianna BartelKNCSB Womens Leadership, Women 4 Him Team

When my youngest son was little we had a game that we played together. He would say, usually as we were walking to the bus stop or as I was tucking him into bed, “Mom, I love you” and my response would be, “I love you more…” He’d get this mischievous grin on his face and say, “Not possible!” and off we would go on our pseudo argument about who loved who more. He would say, “Well, I love you more than the ocean”, and I’d follow up with “I love you more than the universe,” and so on until giggles or tickles or leaving on the bus would end it.

A few weeks ago I sat in a church service and the pastor talked about a conversation with a mentor about God. The mentor asked him to describe God, and when he did his mentor said “God is more, more than that. More than what you think He is.” And that reminded me of all those times my son and I would argue about who loved whom more. And I could hear God and I in that same kind of conversation…”God, do you love me as big as the ocean?” and God says, “Bigger” God, do you love me as far as the universe?” and God says “Further” “God, do you love me as much as there are stars in the sky?” and God says, “More”.

More, God is much more than we can ever compre-hend. Every wonderful thing we think He is? He’s MORE.

September 12-13 at WWW we are considering the MORE that God is and does in our own lives and the lives of those around us. Angie Smith is our keynote speaker. Check her out online here at www.angiesmithonline.com and plan for those days now!

Angie Smith to speak at WWWmonth. Go up and see if anyone would like to make a simple craft. If you have musical abili-ty, sing or play for the residents. You could even go up and just listen, some residents just need to know that they have not been forgotten.

Volunteer at a food bank or clothes closet. They may need someone to stock shelves, clean or organize new inventory. They may also need donations, so you can go through your things and see what your chil-dren have outgrown.

These are just a few ideas. Talk with your children and see if they have any ideas. They may surprise you.

Holy Spirit. Then, when God does something totally “out of the box”, we are shocked and amazed. We say to ourselves, “This is so awe-some, I never dreamed God would work this situation out like this!”

Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “Your thoughts are not my thoughts, and your ways are not my ways. “ No, we will NEVER understand everything about our Father on this side of heaven, but if this is our daily mindset, I feel we are cheating ourselves! His word tells us in I Cor. 2:16-“’For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.”

We have the mind of Christ!!! His thoughts and ways are ours for the asking!

Challenge yourself to grow in your knowledge of the Lord. Don’t settle!

Jeremiah 33:3 reminds us, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

Your Helper is not only sitting right beside you, as you try to answer life’s hard questions. He dwells in you. He is ready to guide you, moment by moment. Just ask!Blessings,Patti

Family Mission Ideas

www.KNCSB.orgM

AY 2

014

8

WCC Update

2014 SBC Church Compensation Survey Be part of the largest church compensation survey in the country. • Largest, free survey of its kind • Quick to take — easy to submit • Results are available to all participants • Confidentiality guaranteed

To participate, visit:

www.GuideStone.org/CompensationSurvey Deadline is May 31!

Take the survey for a chance to win a free iPad!

Kansas and Nebraska Southern Baptists are in partnership with all Southern Baptists

through the Cooperative Program.

Church Seeks Bi-Vocational PastorMill 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 atksmorrill@hotmail.com. She is a member of the pastor search committee.

Gladys Belle McDaniel, age 81, went home to be with the Lord on March 16, 2014.Her husband, Pat, was KNCSB executive director from 1970 to 1976.Gladys was born March 16, 1933, to Pratt and Clellia Waggoner in Chickasha, Okla.She was a longtime resident of Weatherford, Texas, and a homemaker. Gladys was

artistic and had a great sense of humor. She was also a wonderful caregiver and mas-ter gardener.

She was a genuine soul who loved and served the Lord. Gladys was a loyal wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and a true friend to anyone with whom she came in contact.

Survivors include her husband of 62 years, James Pat McDaniel of Weatherford; daughter, Tina Berry and husband, Rennie, of Weatherford; grandchildren: Jessica Kemp and husband, Tim of Fort Polk, La., and Jacob Golden of Kansas; a sister, Stella Davis of Weatherford; nieces, Niki and Tracy; and host of lifelong friends.

No service was scheduled.Galbreaith Pickard Chapel in Weatherford, Texas, was in charge of arrangements.

Wife of Former KNCSBExecutive Director Dies

F e a t u r e d V i d e o sAvailable to churches cooperating with KNCSB by contacting library@kncsb.org or calling either 785/228-6800 or 800/984-9092. Ask for Barbara Spicer

Ever AfterBy Vicki Courtney

This kit contains six sessions of video teaching and five weeks of homework. Videos average 20 minutes. Most women have a steady diet of fairy tales and chick flicks they grow up with that can leave us with a distorted version of reality. Marriage and motherhood are hard - this study addresses the difficulties and blessings. The study reflects the hope that Christ meets us wherever we are in the journey and He alone is the answer to the happily ever after we long for.

Balanced and BlessedBy Charles Lowery

This kit includes one DVD with seven 30-minute sessions, four CDs, leader guide and participant book. This kit helps you learn how to experience mar-riage the way God meant it to be. Charles Lowery uses biblical, gifted, and humorous interaction with his audience.

Forward From HereBy Allan Taylor

Includes ten 18 to 20 minute sessions on DVD & CD, workbook, leader guide. This kit will encourage and challenge teachers, church leaders, and group leaders.

n The WCC Board of Directors will take a final look at the 2014-2018 Strategic Plan for WCC at their May Board Meeting. If approved, the plan will begin to be implemented immediately.n User Days are ahead of the 2013 pace for the first three months of

2014 and revenues are almost equal to the 2013 pace.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 first week of August. n WCC has received a 2014 Matching Challenge Grant for the Dining

Hall expansion project to increase seating to 500. The grant will match dollar for dollar all gifts given up to $50,000. As of mid-April $7,309.70 has been received.n A second Matching Challenge Grant was also given to move the Picnic

Pavilion to a new location and upgrade this facility. This grant will also match all gifts given dollar for dollar up to $10,000. This relocation project becomes necessary because of the Dining Hall expansion. As of mid-April $875 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. n KNCSB churches may now begin booking their 2016 meetings at

WCC. Call 1-877-922-7378 to reserve your dates.n Thank you for your prayers and financial support of WCC.

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