Our Blog

Women On Mission - August 2022

A Focus on Cooperative Program - Accomplishing More Together

English Baptist William Carey answered the call to carry the gospel to India in the late 1700s. He recognized that to be effective in his efforts, he needed partnership and cooperation. He challenged churches to “hold the ropes” by committing to pray for and give to mission efforts.

In 1845, the Southern Baptist Convention was formed and continued in the spirit of fulfilling the Great Commission. The initial approach was a societal method of giving. Missionaries had to raise their own financial support and devote significant time to cultivating churches and individuals for that support.  As missions efforts grew rapidly, so did the competition for funding. God led Southern Baptists in 1925 to launch a unified channel of giving called the Cooperative Program. It is a lifeline of support that
begins with individual believers in each Southern Baptist congregation. As believers respond in obedience to give to the Lord in the local church, churches, in turn, allocate a percentage of undesignated gifts through the Cooperative Program for state, national, and international missions.

The simple principle that more can be accomplished together than alone is the genius of the Cooperative Program. For almost 97 years, Southern Baptists have supported thousands of missionaries, planted multitudes of churches, and witnesses countless lives profess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Can one local church support more than 4,000 missionaries as well as six seminaries and engage more than 3,000 unreached people groups around the world? By giving through the Cooperative Program, yes, it can. Our Hunger Offering to date is $661.16.

Here is a list of upcoming Women on Mission meetings.
Thursday, August 4th
Thursday, September 1st
Thursday, October 6th
Thursday, November 3rd
Thursday, December 1st
Each meeting begins at 1:00 pm in the Grace classroom across from the Fellowship Hall.  All ladies are invited to attend.

Spare Change - July 2022

Spark Studios VBS has come and gone for another year.  I must say that I really love VBS.  Even with all the craziness of the event, it is still one of the best things we do all year.  This year we had about 150 children each night.  We also did VBS with about 50 kids at the Summer Day Camp.  This means we were able to minister to over 200 kids that week.

VBS or Vacation Bible School is such an amazing program.  For one week we all come together to put on this program full of Bible lessons, games, crafts, snacks, music and more.  The kids love it!  It takes a ton of volunteers to make it all happen.  We had an average of 80 volunteers each night.  The only thing I can say to our volunteers is THANK YOU!  I know it is a sacrifice for everyone serving in VBS.  I hope you know your sacrifice is worth it.  When we serve the Lord in any capacity, we honor Him.  VBS is special because we get to connect with children and families, but we also get to share the life-changing truth of the gospel.  That is why VBS is so important.  That is why I am so grateful to all the volunteers that made it happen. 

We had 22 kids respond to the invitation.  We are currently following up with these children and their parents.  We pray that their decision was real, and they will follow in
baptism soon.

I just wanted to drop a quick word of thanks and an encouragement for all that tirelessly serve in the church in any capacity.  The Bible says in Matthew 5:14-16,

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

This verse comes very early on in the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus wants to make sure His followers understand they are like a light.  We learn from 1 John 1:5 that God is light, meaning that He is pure, righteous, and holy. There is no darkness or stain of sin in God.  Believers are given the righteousness of Christ in place of our sin; we are transformed from beings of darkness to beings of light.  Simply by living the Christian life in a way that glorifies God we are displaying God’s light.

Jesus makes the logical argument that no one would light a lamp and put it under a basket.  That would be crazy.  If you take the time to turn on a light it is because you need to see, it is because the surrounding area is dark.  God has set His people ablaze in the darkness of the world.  I am sure no one will argue that the world is very dark.  The sin that runs rampant in the hearts of people knows no end.  The only hope to combat the darkness is the light of the gospel of Jesus.

Jesus calls us the light of the world.  Meaning that we are to stand in this world displaying God’s light by serving in the name of Jesus and sharing the gospel.  Jesus says that people will see what we are doing and how we are living, and they will give glory to God.  The light cannot help but shine bright, it cannot help but illuminate the darkness.  It should be the same for Christians. 

It should be impossible for us to hide our faith.  It should be impossible for us to stop telling people about Jesus.  It should be impossible for us to stop serving others.

I say all of this as an encouragement to all those that serve in the church and in the community.  You are bringing glory to God’s name.  According to Hebrews 6:10, God sees your works.  He knows that you love Him, and you are working for His name.  Keep up the good work!

If you are not serving somewhere and you identify as a Christian, then you need to get going!  Find a place to serve.  God has given you gifts and abilities to use for His kingdom.  Don’t hide your light, let it shine so everyone can see!