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WE MUST DO THE WORKS OF HIM WHO SENT ME WHILE IT IS DAY. NIGHT IS COMING WHEN NO ONE CAN WORK. —JOHN 9:4

WHILE IT IS STILL LIGHT

DIXIE JACKSON ARKANSAS MISSIONS OFFERING PLANNING GUIDE 2022

DIXIE JACKSON PROMO RESOURCES FOR YOUR CHURCH RESOURCE ORDER FORM Order printed resources for your church including Prayer Guides, posters, offering envelopes, additional Planning Guides, and the DVD of videos. Many resources may also be downloaded online.

PRAYER GUIDE

View an online version of the Prayer Guide designed for use during the Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Week of Prayer, September 11–18, 2022.

TEACHING PLANS

Help your church grasp the vision of the 2022 Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering and encourage your church to be on mission. Tailored for Preschool, Children, Students, and Adults.

DIGITAL PLANNING GUIDE View and download the digital version of the piece you’re holding, the Planning Guide for the 2022 Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering.

Visit our website to download all resources + discover more about online DJ giving:

ABSC.ORG/DJ

PROMO VIDEOS

Eight Dixie Jackson promotional videos ready to show at your church and share on social media

s I reflect on the incredible ministry that takes place every day in our state, I am reminded that it is because of the generosity of Arkansas Baptists! Even in the midst of a hot, dry summer you have shared the Living Water to a world that is thirsty. Because of your prayers and generous giving through the annual Dixie

Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering, churches are being planted,

college students are being discipled, and people in crisis are

being ministered to in these difficult days.

A MESSAGE FROM ABSC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DR. J.D. “SONNY” TUCKER

As we consider this year’s theme verse, “We must do the works of Him

who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work”

(John 9:4), let’s turn our thoughts to the importance of continuing to pray

for those on the front lines of ministry. But let’s also ask ourselves what

God would have each of us to do to shine the Light of Jesus in a dark world.

During the second week in September, you will have the opportunity to pray

each day for specific ministries. We would ask you to sign up on our website (absc.org/dj) for daily reminders. If another week is more conducive to your church’s calendar, we would simply ask that you lead your congregation to pray for and learn about these ministries for a specific time. In the pages of this Planning Guide and on the accompanying DVD you will read and hear about the ways Arkansas Baptists are doing the work “while it is day.” Will you please take time to familiarize yourself with these and the other resources available here and at absc.org/dj to share with your church family? I want to encourage you to make use of the Prayer Guide, the lesson plans, and especially the videos to shine the light on these opportunities for ministry. Thank you for your faithfulness to pray, to give, and to go so that others may know the love of Jesus. Arkansas Baptists are the most generous folks in the world!

WE MUST DO THE WORKS OF HIM WHO SENT ME WHILE IT IS DAY. NIGHT IS COMING WHEN NO ONE CAN WORK.

—JOHN 9:4

ohn 9 introduces us to an

cannot lose sight of the fact that it is not Jesus alone who is supposed to

amazing encounter. As Jesus

accomplish these works. It is His followers as well. That includes us!

and His disciples are walking along, they pass by a man blind from birth. Noticing him,

“Night is coming…”

blindness as an opportunity to

CAN YOU FEEL THE URGENCY? Do you recognize the powerful reality

“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2) We can easily imagine Jesus smiling at the question, knowing the teaching opportunity He’s

about to have.

being presented in these words of Jesus? We, right along with Jesus, must take action and do the works of the Father while there is still time. That time is fleeting. Night is coming. But, for now, it is still light. John emphasizes this reality by going beyond the simple story of the blind man’s healing and showing us what happens to him next. This man immediately declares his belief that Jesus is a prophet sent by God, worthy to be followed and obeyed. He believes this so strongly that

Jesus begins by answering the immediate question: “Neither this man

he stands up to the Pharisees, even to the point of being put out of the

nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works

synagogue.

of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:3) IS THERE ANYTHING GREATER THAN SEEING THE WORKS OF GOD DISPLAYED? This statement is so important, because Jesus is about to get to the real point of the lesson, explaining those works of God and how we are involved in them.

“We must do the works of him who sent me while it is still day. Night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light

DIXIE JACKSON ARKANSAS MISSIONS OFFERING 2022

“While it is day…”

the disciples use the man’s pose a question to Jesus.

But there’s more.

of the world.” (John 9:4-5) The works of God are about to be displayed, but the emphasis here is not on the actual miracle Jesus is getting ready to perform. It is, instead, on the statement that “we must do the works of him who sent me.”

How can we do any less? There are needs all around us in our communities, our cities, and our state. Hurting women need hope. Communities without a Gospel witness need churches. Lonely people need relationships and the love of Jesus. People in areas in crisis need physical and spiritual help and comfort. WE ARE THE ONES WHO MUST DO THE WORKS OF THE FATHER BEFORE NIGHT COMES. Do you feel the urgency? Are you ready to respond? On the following pages, you will find examples of ways Arkansas Baptists are already doing the works of the Father. But it’s not just work for them. It’s work for you, too! This Planning Guide, combined with the included DVD and online resources found at absc.org/dj, will guide you through

It’s easy to miss this emphasis as we get distracted by the rather unique

discovering how you can have an active part of the works of the Father

healing that follows, not to mention the reaction of the Pharisees to it all.

while it is still light.

But we cannot lose sight of the works of the Father. We especially

6 /// DIXIE JACKSON ARKANSAS MISSIONS OFFERING 2022 /// PLANNING GUIDE

STEVE AND JOANNA LASITER TOOK IDEAS AND RESOURCES THEY GAINED THROUGH THE STATEWIDE ONE DAY ACTS 1:8 MISSIONS EXPERIENCE AND BROUGHT THEM TO LIGHT IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

ach year in September, churches

But then they discovered that they could bring One Day home to

around the state promote Dixie

Conway with One Day: Serve Local. Equipped with ideas and resources

Jackson Arkansas Missions. A week

provided through the Arkansas Baptist State Convention, the Lasiters

of prayer is observed, stories are

helped spearhead a local event patterned after the statewide One

shared, and the annual offering is

Day event.

taken. This is such an important time of

Christ in their communities, but they just don’t know where to start.

learning, praying, and giving. But

Participating in One Day, whether in the annual statewide event or in a

the best thing about Dixie Jackson

Serve Local event, provides a sense of direction and gives whole families

Arkansas Missions is that it never

a taste of the joy of doing the works of the Father while it is still light and

has to stop with just one week in

there is still time.

September. Nor does it stop with a Prayer Guide and an annual offering. Instead, every Arkansas Baptist

can be an active part of Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions throughout the year!

STEVE AND JOANNA LASITER first discovered this joy of involvement in 2012 when they learned about the annual One Day Acts 1:8 Missions Experience.

This powerful one-day missions trip enables Arkansans to join forces in a single location, spreading the love of Christ in a community through a wide range of mission activities.

HIGHLIGHT COMMUNITY MISSIONS FUNDED BY DIXIE JACKSON ARKANSAS MISSIONS OFFERING

PRAYER WALKING GROUPS CANVAS THE AREA while evangelism teams knock on doors or chat with people out in their yards. Block parties, fishing derbies, and other fun activities draw in children and families. Other teams head to laundromats with bags full of quarters to cover the cost of a load of laundry for customers and strike up conversations while waiting for the clothes to wash and dry. And the list goes on. The Lasiters quickly discovered that this was an opportunity for their whole family to serve together, sharing the love of Christ as a team.

MANY ARKANSAS BAPTISTS want to be a part of shining the light of

8 /// DIXIE JACKSON ARKANSAS MISSIONS OFFERING 2022 /// PLANNING GUIDE

TORVAC AMOS FOUND A WHOLE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THE SHADOWS, RIGHT IN OUR OWN STATE, AND HE PLANTED A CHURCH THAT BROUGHT THEM THE GOSPEL LIGHT.

s Southern Baptists, we understand the need for church planting efforts in various parts of the United States and around the world. But it can be harder

God is opening the eyes of Arkansas Baptists just like you and me, helping us to see whole communities where people are living in shadows.

light at all. When we come together to give and to serve through

within our own state.

Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions, we can carry that light into these

After all, we live in the Bible Belt where we

to minister in the Central Arkansas area, Pastor Amos began researching the demographics. He discovered a community of around 17,000 African-Americans that had been largely unreached with the Gospel message.

Pastor Amos had served in traditional ministry for years, but God opened his eyes to needs that stretched beyond the existing established

FUNDED BY DIXIE JACKSON ARKANSAS MISSIONS OFFERING

But it’s a reality all across our state.

planting is necessary

stories, it becomes clear just how real the need is. After sensing the call

CHURCH PLANTING

exist everywhere, there are entire communities lacking a Gospel witness.

NIGHT IS COMING when there will be no chance for them to see the

WHEN WE HEAR CHURCH PLANTERS LIKE TORVAC AMOS share their

HIGHLIGHT

It can be hard to believe that even here in Arkansas where churches

to grasp why church

already have a wealth of churches. Is there truly a need for more?

rejected by the rest of society.

churches. Fortunately, he was not alone.

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN SHERWOOD also recognized the need for additional churches in their community and had begun setting aside resources to contribute to church planting efforts. The pieces were in place for a partnership to begin, allowing First Baptist and Pastor Amos to join forces and launch Fresh Start Community Church. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN HOT SPRINGS has seen the need as well. Their vision included church plants in Sheridan, Little Rock, and right in their own city of Hot Springs, all established to meet the needs of people often

communities where it is so desperately needed.

10 /// DIXIE JACKSON ARKANSAS MISSIONS OFFERING 2022 /// PLANNING GUIDE

BEN COULTER HAS DISCOVERED A WAY TO BRING LIGHT TO UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUPS WITHOUT EVEN LEAVING OUR STATE. HOW? GOD IS BRINGING THE NATIONS TO OUR ARKANSAS SCHOOLS.

any Arkansas

relationships with students and professors. Many of them are lonely

Baptists don’t

and hungry for friendships. They need rides, English lessons, or help

realize just how

navigating the differences of our culture.

far their impact can reach. But the truth is that Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions efforts have a worldwide impact, reaching even into places where Christian

missionaries are not allowed to go.

How is this possible? God has brought the nations to Arkansas! PEOPLE FROM 140 DIFFERENT PEOPLE GROUPS FROM AROUND THE WORLD are currently making their home in Arkansas. Some are here for only a few months at a time, taking advantage of short-term student exchange programs in high schools and universities or participating in temporary job assignments. Others are more long-term, choosing Arkansas schools for their education or finding permanent jobs here. An even more powerful reality is that over 80 of the people groups represented are unreached. No Gospel witness has been able to

penetrate these people groups in their home countries. Instead, God has

UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUPS

perfect example of this reality. Over 41 people groups are represented on

HIGHLIGHT FUNDED BY DIXIE JACKSON ARKANSAS MISSIONS OFFERING

brought them to our home, enabling Arkansas Baptists to engage with them right here in our own cities. Magnolia, Arkansas, a city with a population of just over 11,000 people, is a the campus of Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia. BEN COULTER, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Magnolia, recognizes the urgency of ministering to the nations God has brought to his doorstep. Reaching these nations is as simple as forming

WE CAN DO THE SAME IN OUR OWN COMMUNITIES. We can build relationships, sharing the love of Christ with internationals while they are here. Then when they leave, they will be able to carry that love and light back with them to their home countries, even countries completely closed to missions work. While it is still light, we can reach the world simply by befriending internationals right here in our own towns.

12 /// DIXIE JACKSON ARKANSAS MISSIONS OFFERING 2022 /// PLANNING GUIDE

KINLEY LARMOYEUX IS HELPING TO LIGHT THE WORLD BY REACHING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP THAT INVOLVES LOCAL CHURCHES AND THE GENEROUS SPIRIT OF ARKANSAS BAPTISTS.

ust as Ben Coulter discovered

engage, using the BCM as an avenue to build relationships with

a connection to the nations

international students.

through students and professors on campus at SAU in Magnolia, other universities all over the state welcome new international students every year. Thanks to the support of Dixie Jackson, there is already an avenue in place for

as the churches and collegiate ministries work together to share the Gospel.

URGENCY before us. College students are only on campus for a short time. An international student’s stay may be even briefer. Night may fall for them very soon if they return to their home countries without knowing the truth of the Gospel.

students involved in the BCM to actively minister to their fellow students

But we can impact them while it is still light. There is still time! Night is

from around the world.

coming, though, so we must act now, spreading the love of Christ to

KINLEY LARMOYEUX, ASU BCM STUDENT VICE PRESIDENT over international ministry, exemplifies this ministry by coordinating a monthly dinner, weekly Bible studies, and more. These events connect her fellow Christian students to the many internationals who are hungering for friendship and community in this strange new country far from home. But the ministry doesn’t all rest on the shoulders of the students. Tyler

FUNDED BY DIXIE JACKSON ARKANSAS MISSIONS OFFERING

This partnership not only maximizes funding, it also maximizes efforts

ministry to these students.

of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, for example, God has spurred

BAPTIST COLLEGIATE MINISTRY

make an eternal impact in the life of an international student.

COLLEGIATE MINISTRY IS A VERY TANGIBLE REFLECTION OF THE

Ministry or BCM. On the campus

HIGHLIGHT

meal, offering a ride, or providing a place to stay during the holidays can

Arkansas Baptists to be a part of

That avenue is Baptist Collegiate

This doesn’t require elaborate activity. Simply visiting while sharing a

Hoffpauir, ASU’s campus minister, knows that partnership with local churches provides the key to successful BCM work. Aaron Flake, college pastor at Word Baptist Church in Jonesboro agrees. He sees this connection as the perfect opportunity for the local church to reach the world. By giving to Dixie Jackson, Word Church joins together with churches around the state to fund collegiate ministry at our many universities. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ARKANSAS BAPTISTS doesn’t end with funding, though. It’s important for church members like you and me to actively

these students and reaching the world through them.

14 /// DIXIE JACKSON ARKANSAS MISSIONS OFFERING 2022 /// PLANNING GUIDE

GREG HUTCHISON IS PART OF THE “YELLOW SHIRT FAMILY” THAT BRINGS LIGHT AND HOPE TO HURTING PEOPLE THROUGH ARKANSAS BAPTIST DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS FUNDED BY DIXIE JACKSON.

hen disaster

pray, they have to know about Disaster Relief! As awareness grows, so

strikes, victims

does prayer support.

very quickly discover that the yellow shirts of Baptist Disaster Relief crews symbolize real help and true comfort.

But many Arkansas Baptists have no idea what it means to be a part of Disaster Relief.

GREG HUTCHISON FIRST LEARNED ABOUT ARKANSAS BAPTIST DISASTER RELIEF during a Dixie Jackson presentation at his church. Greg had been in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995, when the Federal Building bombing occurred, and he hungered for an opportunity to help minister in the middle of that tragedy. But he didn’t have an avenue to do so at the time.

He quickly learned that Disaster Relief would provide that avenue for future disasters and crises, so he signed up for training and became

certified. He never imagined that his first call would be to travel to New

HIGHLIGHT

Disaster Relief crews keep themselves prepared to respond to a disaster

DISASTER RELIEF

in restricted areas. They meet a wide range of needs, including spiritual

FUNDED BY DIXIE JACKSON ARKANSAS MISSIONS OFFERING

York City in September of 2001 after an even larger terrorist attack.

at a moment’s notice. Crews are well-trained and fully equipped to work comfort, damage assessment, meal provision, space for laundry or showers, and a wide range of clean-up and repair tasks. Arkansas Baptist Disaster Relief relies heavily on three things. PRAYER IS THE FIRST AND GREATEST NEED. Before Arkansas Baptists can

Prayer then moves the hearts of Arkansas Baptists to give. The funding provided through the Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering is critical for keeping supplies stocked and tools and trailers in excellent condition. This enables Disaster Relief crews to mobilize quickly without having to take the time to complete inventories or work through maintenance. But there would be no crews without volunteers to man them. As churches become actively involved in sharing information about Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions opportunities such as Disaster Relief, Arkansas Baptists like Greg Hutchison can become aware and recognize that opportunities for ministry abound! When Arkansas Baptists step up and take action, lives are profoundly changed. TRAGIC DISASTERS, whether caused by man or by nature, provide stark reminders that life is fleeting, and night is coming. Stories like Greg’s remind us that God has already given us the tools we need to spread the love and truth of Christ to this hurting world while it is still light.

16 /// DIXIE JACKSON ARKANSAS MISSIONS OFFERING 2022 /// PLANNING GUIDE

ROBIN CALDWELL SHINES A MESSAGE OF LIGHT INTO THE DARKNESS AND DESPERATION OF YOUNG WOMEN’S LIVES THOUGH PREGNANCY CARE CENTERS IN ARKANSAS.

any women in our

THANKS TO DIXIE JACKSON, these centers have prayer support from

state feel like night

around the state as Arkansas Baptist churches join to show care. They

has already come.

have funding through generous giving to the Dixie Jackson Arkansas

Their lives are filled

Missions Offering. They also have volunteers as Arkansas Baptists hear

with darkness and

about the needs and rise to give of their time and energy.

desperation, and they have no hope for light. As Christians, we have the opportunity to show these

desperate women that the Light of the World is still very present and active, and He loves them dearly.

ROBIN CALDWELL, DIRECTOR OF HOPE PLACE PREGNANCY CARE CENTER in Newport, knows firsthand just how powerful this message of light can be in the darkness of a young woman’s life. The simple act of offering a shoulder to cry on, a life skills or parenting class, or a weekly support group can bring unimaginable light into a dark life.

Care centers such as Hope Place focus first and foremost on ministering to young women in crisis pregnancy situations. They joyfully celebrate every woman who chooses life over abortion.

HIGHLIGHT PREGNANCY CARE CENTERS FUNDED BY DIXIE JACKSON ARKANSAS MISSIONS OFFERING

BUT THEY ALSO STRONGLY RECOGNIZE THAT BEING PRO-LIFE isn’t just about preventing abortion. It’s about shining light into the lives of women processing through rehab, re-entering society after serving prison sentences, and struggling through so many other desperate situations. It is urgent that we reach these women with that light. Fortunately, as Arkansas Baptists, we have a fantastic avenue for accomplishing this work. And none of us have to do it alone! As we partner through Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions, we also share the avenue through which anyone can be involved in one of the 43 pregnancy care centers operating throughout the state of Arkansas.

But the needs are great, and the time is growing short. We are all called to do the works of the Father as long as it is still light, and treasuring life is a work of such great importance. Night is coming when the darkness of these women’s lives will become permanent. But there is still time to shine the light of life into their desperate hearts through praying, giving, and actively engaging in the lives of women.

 ONLINE DJ GIVING

COMMUNITY MISSIONS

CHURCH PLANTING

ONLINE GIVING OPTION AT ABSC.ORG/GIVEDJ

In back-to-back years marked with unique hardships, Arkansas Baptists stood strong and united, continuing to give to state missions through the Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering. State missions continued to

advance with church plants reaching people with the Gospel, Baptist Collegiate Ministries connecting with

students in new ways, Disaster Relief responding to natural disasters, and community missions serving local! The challenges of these COVID years introduced many changes to what is now “normal.” As a result, we are excited to continue offering a new online resource for the Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering that

accepts gifts online! Designed for individual church members, this tool allows anyone to give to state missions through the Dixie Jackson offering and connects the giving records to local churches. If your church needs an online giving option for this year’s Dixie Jackson offering, visit absc.org/GiveDJ.

Online gifts with identifying church information will be included on annual church giving statements provided

at the end of the year. We hope this easy-to-use tool will provide even more flexibility as your church plans for 2022! It’s important to note this tool is designed for individuals to give. Churches still need to send their gifts by mailing a check to the Arkansas Baptist State Convention office as in the past.

MINISTRY IMPACT ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUPS

BAPTIST COLLEGIATE MINISTRY

DISASTER RELIEF

PREGNANCY CARE CENTERS

347

252

140

7,390 1,349 3,497 Students contacted

Total volunteers deployed,

Gospel presentations

at the One Day Acts 1:8

24 Dixie Jackson-funded

more than 70 that are

719 Gospel presentations—

resulting in 43 professions

of faith. Also, 467 babies

Total professions of faith, including 112 salvations Missions Experience.

Total professions of faith, including 134 baptisms at church plants.

People groups represented in Arkansas, including

considered unreached. The Church Planting Team is

evangelistically engaging 10 priority unreached people groups.

through the BCM, plus

all during the first month of college.

making 1,372 contacts and of faith.

resulting in 185 professions were saved from abortion!

WHILE IT IS STILL LIGHT

DIXIE JACKSON ARKANSAS MISSIONS OFFERING 2022 ABSC.ORG/DJ

SOCIAL MEDIA IDEAS

options:

77 Videos are available to accompany each day of the Week of Prayer. You can find these on the DVD in your Planning Guide or online at absc.org/dj. Post these each day, along with the prayer emphasis for that day.

77 Using the 15 Day Prayer Guide for People Groups in Arkansas, commit to spending 15 days posting daily prayer needs for

e all like to look for bright, encouraging posts on

UPGs in our state. This can be an emphasis leading up to

stories that show the light of Jesus dispersing the

emphasis going.

social media. What better posts can we find than

darkness?

Would you like a few additional suggestions? Consider these

the Dixie Jackson Week of Prayer or a follow-up to keep the 77 Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms allow

Social media offers a fantastic platform for promoting the

post scheduling. Consider taking the time to schedule

also provides a wonderful connection point for sharing prayer

Offering and Week of Prayer emphasis, but also throughout

to your congregation.

before church members. This is a great way to post an early

Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering and Week of Prayer. It

posts not only during the Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions

emphases and stories, as well as getting videos and more out

the remainder of the year to keep ministry information

Did you know that you can find a Dixie Jackson Social Media Kit when you visit absc.org/dj?

This kit includes tips for utilizing social media, hashtags and links to include in your posts, and sample posts that you can copy and paste for your own use. You’ll also find logos and images specifically formatted for social media.

Best of all, the kit provides existing Arkansas Baptist social media accounts for you to follow. If you are unsure about

creating original posts, simply follow those accounts and share the Dixie Jackson posts you find there.

The Social Media Kit makes it incredibly easy for anyone to

HOW TO PROMOTE DIXIE JACKSON IN YOUR CHURCH T

hroughout the state, Arkansas Baptists are grasping the

urgency and diving in to do the works of the Father while it is still light. Are you ready to be a part of it all?

The resource you hold in your hands offers the perfect starting point! This Planning Guide is designed to help you accomplish three goals:

EDUCATE

Many Christians feel the urgency to spread the message of

morning prayer emphasis, using phrases such as, “As this

the Kingdom, but they have no idea where to start. As Arkansas

day dawns, let us remember to pray through the day for our…

Baptists, we have an amazing avenue through Dixie Jackson

BCMs, Disaster Relief teams, pregnancy care centers, church

Arkansas Missions.

planters, Unreached People Groups.”

In order to utilize this avenue, though, it’s necessary to

77 Publish personal stories! As members of your church become

understand what Dixie Jackson is all about. Using this guide,

involved in Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions, record short

you can help your fellow church members become aware of

videos of them sharing about their involvement or take their

ministry opportunities around the state and show them how

picture and ask for a short statement that you can write up.

they can become actively involved.

Remember that this doesn’t have to be anything fancy or

COOPERATE

elaborate. The simple act of sharing personal stories can

have a huge impact, igniting urgency and spurring others to

The goal of the annual Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering

action.

utilize social media for Dixie Jackson promotion.

Share Dixie Jackson on social media with these hashtags: #WHILEITISSTILLLIGHT #DIXIEJACKSON2022

Visit our website to download promotional resources + discover more about Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions:

ABSC.ORG/DJ

ACT

The need for action is not limited to one week of prayer

and offering emphasis each year. There is an urgent need

for Arkansas Baptists to actively participate in the ongoing

missions efforts around the state. You are the connection point! This Planning Guide, combined with the online resources found

at absc.org/dj, offer a tool to help you show your church how to become actively involved in ongoing ministries happening in Arkansas.

WHERE DO YOU START?

Here are the steps you can take to utilize this Planning Guide well: 77 Pray. Ask the Lord to guide you as you process through the information found here.

77 Recruit help! We were not meant to do any of this alone.

This is why Arkansas Baptists work in cooperation, and that

cooperation starts within your church family. Pray for God to direct you to a team, then walk through this guide together. 77 Familiarize yourself with all the available resources in

this Planning Guide, on the included DVD, and online at

absc.org/dj. Resources include an exploration of this year’s theme, teaching plans, ministry highlights, promotional

videos, posters and picture sets, and social media tools. 77 Using the suggestions found on the next few pages and

online, make an immediate plan for promoting the Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering and Week of Prayer.

77 Using the information you have gleaned from the ministry

and Week of Prayer is to unify Arkansas Baptists under a

highlights found in this Planning Guide and in the videos online

could ever do alone.

participation in Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions efforts. To

common passion. Together we can do so much more than we This is why participation in the Week of Prayer and Missions Offering is so important. As you encourage your church to

at absc.org/dj, make a long-term plan to encourage active

learn more or find contact information, visit absc.org/ministries. 77 Put the posters from the Planning Guide up in various locations

participate, use the videos, printed material, and more to help

around the church, including main thoroughfares and hallways

all around the state.

posters? Visit absc.org/dj to request additional resources.

them recognize their connection to the work of other churches

as well as every Sunday School classroom. Do you need more

CHURCH IDEAS

f we truly believe in the urgency of Jesus’s command, we

will hunger to respond with action. But sometimes it’s hard

to know where to start! This is the case for so many church

members.

Help motivate your church to act by offering suggestions based on the ministry highlights presented in this Planning Guide. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

77 Purchase small, inexpensive mirrors to hand out along with

the Dixie Jackson Week of Prayer Guides. Encourage church

members to pray each day for the person in the mirror to know how to actively participate in Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions. 77 Contact your local association or the Arkansas Baptist

State Convention offices to learn about hosting a One Day:

Serve Local event in your county. For more information, visit absc.org/ministries/serve-local.

77 The template for One Day: Serve Local events can also work

well for helping a church plant establish connections in their

target community. But church planters typically do not have the manpower or resources to accomplish this on their own.

Pull double duty by coordinating with a church planter in your county when planning a One Day: Serve Local event.

77 Begin to develop an awareness of the needs of Unreached

People Groups within your church. Visit absc.org/articles/howevery-member-can-be-involved-in-reaching-every-nationin-arkansas to learn how you can lead your church to pray

through the 15 Day Prayer Guide for People Groups in Arkansas.

77 Take this a step further by visiting absc.org/arkansas-upgprayer-page and adopting an Unreached People Group in Arkansas.

77 Create an action board for your church, encouraging church members to take on the challenge of missions activities

related to this year’s highlighted ministries. You’ll need a large bulletin board and a stack of index cards or slips of paper. On each card, write one action that an individual or group can

take to participate in the ministry of Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions. Pin these cards to the bulletin board, then have

church members take a card and commit to complete the activity before the end of the year.

Here are a few suggestions for your board, but feel free to add as many ideas as you can come up with:

77 Sign up for either the annual Acts 1:8 One Day Missions Experience or a One Day: Serve Local event.

77 Sign up for Disaster Relief training. 77 Write monthly or weekly letters of encouragement to a local church planter. Ask for specific prayer needs and commit

to pray for those. (Contact your association or the Arkansas Baptist State Convention offices for names and contact information.)

77 Volunteer as a mentor at a local pregnancy care center. 77 Set up a baby shower for the local pregnancy care center. Ask the center for a specific list of needs. Then share those needs with the church.

77 Provide a meal for the local Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) and take the time to visit students while you are there.

77 Make encouragement goody baskets for international students. Partner with the local BCM to distribute the

baskets, interacting personally with the students if possible. 77 Collect some quarters and spend a Saturday morning at a local laundromat. Offer to pay for laundry and spend time visiting with the customers while they wait.

DISPLAY IDEAS

ight is coming.

Do you sense the message of urgency? This urgency is the goal as you promote the Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering and Week of Prayer.

Promotional displays are a great way to share this sense of

urgency with church members. There are so many ways to use displays to express the reality that night is coming and that we must act while it is still light.

Whatever displays you use to promote the Offering and Week

of Prayer, incorporate these ideas and phrases throughout your

77 For a twist on the suggestion above, set up 10 battery

operated lamps or electric candles in a very visible location. Every time you reach a tenth of your goal, turn on one of the lights.

77 Find a map of your county or draw an outline of it on poster board. Contact your associational office or the Arkansas

Baptist State Convention to find out the location of various Dixie Jackson ministries within your county. This would

include church plants, pregnancy care centers, or a college

or university with an active BCM. Stick pins in those locations to indicate ministries that your church is partnering with

through the Dixie Jackson Arkansas Missions Offering. Create

cards that tell a little about each ministry and pin those cards around the map. You might use thread or ribbon to connect the cards to the locations.

77 At the top of a piece of poster board, write: “We must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming

when no one can work. —John 9:4.” Under this header, draw

an outline of the state of Arkansas. In the center of the outline, write: “Night is coming.” Scattered across the state, write the following phrases as a reminder of the work at hand: 77 Hurting people in our community

displays: night is coming, while it is still light, there is still time.

77 Women in painful, difficult, and crisis situations

If you need help getting started, here are a few ideas for setting

77 Communities suffering from disaster

up displays throughout your church:

77 Visit absc.org/dj and use the Resource Order Form to order

promotional posters to place around the church. You can also find this form on the DVD included in your Planning Guide.

77 At the top of a piece of poster board, write the words “While It Is Still Light.” Under the header, draw 10 suns or light bulbs.

Cut out 10 squares of black construction paper, large enough to cover each sun or bulb, then tape them over the lights.

The black squares represent the coming night, but progress toward your goal represents the truth that there is still time!

Every time you reach a tenth of your goal, remove one of the black squares to celebrate.

77 Unreached people groups living in Arkansas 77 International students in need of the Gospel 77 Arkansas communities with no local church to meet their needs

Shine a spotlight directly on the poster to represent the light of Christ shining onto each of these needs.