OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE ARKANSAS BAPTIST STATE CONVENTION
Pastor
Staff
month
out about all things “Annual Meeting” at absc.org/annualmeeting
information on registering as a messenger from your church, visit absc.org/messenger
Begins at 12:00 noon with lunch and will continue with afternoon and evening sessions. A fellowship lunch for pastors and staff members will be served in the Family Life Center/gym at First Baptist Church, Hot Springs. There is no cost, but registration is required: absc.org/pclunch.
Tuesday and Wednesday, October 25–26
Messages by Jamie Dew, Larry D. White, J.D. “Sonny” Tucker, and Brad Lewter.
Master’Singers in concert.
Cooperative Program ministry reports from ABSC leaders.
Messages by Arkansas Baptist pastors: Ronnie Deal, Kim Bridges, Roderick Rogers, and John McCallum.
Panel discussions featuring Arkansas Baptist pastors will touch on relevant, practical subjects.
Worship led by First Baptist Church, Greenwood.
Begins at 11:30 a.m. with lunch at First Baptist Church, Hot Springs and continues with afternoon sessions.
Keynote speaker will be Dr. Tara Dew, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Moving worship will be led by Tyler Lee, First Baptist Church, Hot Springs.
Meet and connect with other ministers’ wives from around the state.
Real-life panel of ministers’ wives sharing their hearts and experiences.
Registration is required because space is limited: absc.org/mwc
Sexual Abuse Task Force report.
Election of officers.
Connect and fellowship with other Arkansas Baptists from around the state.
Hispanic worship service Sunday night at Iglesia Bautista Nueva Esperanza, Hot Springs.
Meet church planters from Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, New York, and the Americas (IMB) to find missions opportunities. Sign up for personal meetings at absc.org/missionconnection
Seminary alumni will gather for annual fellowship meals on Tuesday. Preregistration required.
Chaplains and Kids Ministry leaders meals Tuesday.
Young Leaders lunch on Tuesday. Register at absc.org/youngleaderslunch
Pastor & Church Leader Church-Driven Foster Care and Adoption Info Meeting/Dinner on Tuesday. Register at arkansasfamilies.org/fam-info
November 5
Are you a healthcare professional, student, or a church leader or member who is interested in healthcare missions? This event is for you! Join us to learn about the International Mission Board’s commitment to healthcare missions and how you can get involved. absc.org/events/medicalmissions-one-day-event
December 4–11
Giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering supports missionaries as they share the hope and grace we have in Jesus Christ with the world. Read stories of Gospel transformation and discover ways you can join us in praying for missionaries and the nations. imb.org/lottiemoon
January 2023
As Arkansas Baptists, we begin every year in prayer together. Join us in January as we set our minds on things above! We will kick off 2023 by diving into God’s Word, hearing devotionals from pastors around the state, and spending time fasting and praying. absc.org/prayfirst
ECON
January 23–24, 2023
Make plans to join us at Geyer Springs First Baptist Church in Little Rock for the 2023 Statewide Conference on Evangelism + Church Health. We will have powerful worship and dynamic speakers that will encourage you. absc.org/econ
IMB
CHURCH PLANTING ACCESS THE MONTHLY CHURCH PLANTING PRAYER CALENDAR AND OTHER RESOURCES AT ABSC.ORG/CHURCHPLANTING
CHURCH HEALTHABSC
I want to encourage your church to participate in Pastor + Ministry Staff Appreciation during the month of October. Your pastor and ministry staff need encouragement more than ever before. They need to know that you are lifting them and their families up in prayer. Pray for their health, for wisdom, discernment, courage, daily needs, spiritual blessings, and anything you would pray for your own family.
Church members have a great opportunity during this month to tangibly express their love and commitment to pastors and ministry staff members who give of themselves in a sacrificial way to serve our Lord and His church. Many churches focus on expressing appreciation throughout the month of October. Follow the suggestions below or come up with other creative ways to show your appreciation.
Preschoolers and children can create handmade cards or collect snacks to make a snack basket for your pastor/ministry staff.
Students might initiate a workday to wash windows, wash cars, or do yard work at a time that is convenient for the pastor/staff and their families.
Arrange childcare and provide restaurant and theater gift cards for a date night.
Provide baked treats or a meal to deliver to the family or to the church staff on a specific day.
Host a pastor/staff appreciation meal on a Sunday after worship.
Take the family out for a meal or to a sporting event.
Find out about a large item that the pastor/staff member has been saving for and collect money as a group to buy it.
A recent study by Lifeway shows that 26 percent of pastors confirm that they currently suffer or have recently suffered from a mental health challenge. Emotional pain and grief are some of the main reasons pastors leave the pulpit. You may find yourself worn out, but don’t lose heart; there is good news!
God is not surprised by our mental and emotional pain. Jesus said, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick” (Matthew 9:12). He created you, and He knows the number of hairs on your head (Matthew 10:30). He is aware of your anxiety, depression, or trauma. As Jesus demonstrated throughout the Gospels, God cares deeply about our illnesses and troubles.
Pastors often feel like they cannot reach out, but we are called to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). Find a fellow pastor or a trusted friend with whom to talk.
Preach God’s Word into your life. You are made in His image and deeply loved. You are His prized possession. These truths are like water to a garden and need to be applied daily.
Contact Living Well Professional Counseling at 877-455-8554 for confidential, Christ-centered support.
Personal finances can be a cause of stress or an example of stewardship. Here are ways to bring order to your finances:
Organize a list of debt in order from unproductive (high-interest credit cards, consumer loans) to long-term debt for appreciating assets (house) so you know what to pay off next.
Create an emergency fund to cover three to six months of living expenses.
Ensure 15 percent of gross income is contributed to retirement accounts (includes employer contributions).
Invest in simple, low-cost funds that diversify broadly.
Save separately for large purchases (furniture, vacations, vehicles) versus buying on credit.
Obtain term life insurance to address specific needs such as debt or income replacement.
Periodically confirm desired beneficiaries are in place on assets, life insurance, and retirement accounts.
Meet with an estate planning attorney to determine potential needs beyond a basic will and beneficiary designations.
Craft a stewardship plan that honors God.
Ben Merritt, LCSW, Harvest Church, Paragould Brad Raines, Principal Advisor, Applied Capital; member, Immanuel Baptist Church, Little RockAs a physician, I find it important to keep myself physically healthy so that I can handle the daily stress of dealing with people who are sick and often not on their best behavior. I have seen that pastors are dealing with the same situations, though the illness may be more spiritual than physical.
I find a lifestyle of discipline and moderation is the most important thing I can do. One should have a daily routine: a wakeup time, an exercise time, a study time, a work time, a relaxation time, and a sleep time. One should also have a daily goal for calories burned, calories consumed, family interaction, and sleep hours. It is also important to have planned short sabbaticals from this routine at least weekly to enjoy an extra nap, that extra piece of pie, or a movie instead of a run.
A disciplined life is a healthy life and much more peaceful. Your physician would like to see you in his office at least yearly, just as you would like to see him in your church on a regular basis.
Mark Martindale, MD, member, FBC, Benton
As a shepherd, you are called to love…love the Lord your God with all your heart, love your family, love the people you shepherd, and love people who are without Christ. Here’s the key: “We love, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). These practical actions can help express that love:
Prioritize your relationship with Christ. Spend time each day in God’s Word and prayer, focusing on His love for you.
Obey God’s instructions—“Husbands love your wives as Christ also loved the Church” (Ephesians 5:25).
Pray daily that God would give you a love for the people in your congregation—especially those hard to love. Tell them often that you love them!
Be intentional in building relationships with people who are lost. Learn to love them with the love of Christ.
Let God’s love for you transform you into a loving shepherd.
Ronnie Deal, Pastor, FBC Greenwood
Every month, get news and information about all things Arkansas Baptist right in your inbox. Plus, follow us on all our social media channels. Get connected at: ABSC.ORG/UPDATES
VISIT ABSC.ORG/CALENDAR FOR COMPLETE EVENT INFO.
November 5 Medical Missions
December 4–11 Week of Prayer for International Missions & Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
January 13 Jail Ministry Training (Missions Team)
January 23–24 ECON
January 27–28 PraizFest
January 28 Block Party Training
PERMIT#1615
LITTLEROCKAR
PAID
USPOSTAGE
NON-PROFITORG
10RemingtonDrive|LittleRock,AR72204