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As Christians, we believe that God is always at work carrying out His purpose ultimately for our good and His glory (Rom. 8:28). We are well aware of verses that speak of God’s never ceasing work in our world today, “My Father is working until now, and I am working” (John 5:17) and more specifically of His work within us, “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).
I have always believed these verses and even preached them, but recently had the opportunity to learn that the hand of God was at work in my life in as vivid and powerful way as I have ever seen before.
Not long ago, I got to meet the two men who were driving behind me when my automobile accident occurred. It was an emotional and powerful moment for me. These men are deeply committed Christians, and I’m so thankful they stopped to help me that day.
The men and their wives were in Shawnee the day of the accident visiting those members. As they were leaving their relatives’ house, they sensed that they needed to turn back and pray with them.
They were unsure why they sensed the need to do this but went back and prayed with their family for about 15 minutes. Because they went back to the house for that length of time, it put them on the trajectory to be behind me when the accident occurred.
I do not believe for one second that any of what I have just shared is coincidence. I believe wholeheartedly it was God at work. There are many hard, painful things involved with this accident, but it simply amazes me to see the hand of God at work in the midst of it all.
God does not always work in a way that we wish He would, but we must trust His hand.
They were unsure exactly how to assist me and surveying the extent of my injuries were unsure that I would actually survive. At that moment, one of the men said he sensed from the Lord that I would in fact live and what he needed to do was apply pressure to a particular spot where I was bleeding badly. My doctors have since told me that action quite possibly saved my life.
Another amazing thing is that these men are related to members of Immanuel Baptist Church in Shawnee where I was pastor for many years. This is how we got connected.
We must believe that He is always good, even in the darkest of times, and is always ultimately at work for our good even when we may not realize or understand it.
“For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
Philippians
2:13
Hope for the Holidays
The holidays are upon us. If your household is anything like mine, a Christmas tree will soon appear, as well as eggnog, a manger scene, all accompanied by continual Christmas music and movies.
Signs of the holidays are all around us. There’s something etched into American society as a whole that reveres— and commercializes—this time of year.
For Christians, holidays like Christmas are our reminder that God sent His one and only Son to Earth to save sinners like us.
Amid this special time, however, our picturesque, Hallmark-like notions of how the holidays ought to be are challenged. For you, it may be strained relationships or finances that could make the holidays lose their glow this year. It could be a health issue, or the very real grief of someone missing who has passed away, that is bringing you down.
It has been said that disappointment can be defined as the distance between your expectations of how things should go and how they are actually going (or at least how we perceive things to be going). There is something about the holidays that brings this out like no other time.
Amid disappointment during the holidays, what can Christians do? From God’s Word, we are reminded that we must dwell, not on only our problems, but look to Jesus, who suffered so much for each one of us (Hebrews 12:2).
We must also remind ourselves that God can use our pain for His glory. As C.S. Lewis once said, “We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists on being attended to. God whispers to us in pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains.”
At the holidays, we can refocus on Jesus. As Lewis also said, “(We) need Christ, not something that resembles Him.”
We all know that, as His followers. But living it out can be much harder. David Jeremiah once related this holiday story that illustrates:
Some time ago, a father punished his three-year-old for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight, and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, “This is for you, Daddy.” He was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found that the box was empty.
He yelled at her, “Don’t you know that when you give someone a present, there’s supposed to be something inside of it?”
The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, “Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty. I blew kisses into the box. All for you, Daddy.”
The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl and begged for forgiveness. He kept that gold box by his bed for years. Whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who put it there.
Sometimes our attitudes during the holidays are a little like that father upset at the empty box. Life has failed us, we say. The Lord has let us down, we are tempted to think.
But whenever a thought like that comes, be reminded of the empty tomb. Not just an empty cave. But the very place where our dear Savior Jesus who loves us gloriously rose from the dead, as He now sits in Heaven interceding for us continually.
If your heart loses hope this year, be encouraged. In Jesus, you always have hope for the holidays.
Brian Hobbs
Oklahoma Baptists Editor
Television Tales
The other evening, I was watching television before my pre-bedtime nap. I don’t remember what I was watching, but I do know it wasn’t making me sleepy fast enough. So, I started looking for the TV remote. Once again, my precious wife had hidden it. I asked her what she had done with it. She looked a little incredulous (that’s not the first time I had seen that look) and said it was right there on the ottoman. I never cease to be amazed at how she can hide things right out in the open like that.
As I was staring at the TV remote, trying to think of what I wanted to watch next, it dawned on me. We somehow have access to multiple sources of countless TV shows. We Ligons are actually streaming our television. We still only watch about five different channels, but by golly, we are streaming countless more.
Then it dawned on me. It wasn’t that long ago that we had cable TV. I’m not sure where it went. But it was gone, and we were streaming. As amazing as that cable technology was, it required us to have three different remote controls. And that required a child to decipher which remote did what. But we still only watched about five different channels on cable.
As I stood there contemplating that remote control, I thought back to my childhood days. Yes, we had TV back then. There wasn’t as much TV, but we had it.
South of Wewoka, where I grew up, we could usually get three Oklahoma City channels, 4, 5 and 9. We could almost always get channel 10 out of Ada. And if the weather was just right, we could sometimes squeeze in channel 8 from Tulsa. For those of you who are counting, that’s five channels, which is the same number we watched with cable, and that we are watching with streamed TV—or streaming TV, or whatever you call it.
Back in the good ol’ days, we had a TV antenna which consisted of a metal pole attached to the corner of the porch and an antenna on top. Watching different channels in different parts of the state usually required someone (like me) to go out on the porch and turn the antenna until
it was just right and the picture was as clear as possible. That wasn’t the best technology. I was 24 years old before I realized it wasn’t snowing on every episode of Gilligan’s Island.
Actually, going out on the front porch to turn the antenna wasn’t a bad deal. Until, of course, my dad wanted me to go outside and adjust the antenna during a thunderstorm. My dad was smart. He knew that metal pole and antenna could attract lightning. And I am sure he knew if I had a hold of the pole when lightning struck, I would be shocked. But I guess he decided he would play the odds for a good picture during Gunsmoke. I heard a rumor that was why Chester limped. He had been struck by lightning when he was turning the antenna for his dad.
Using all of my intellectual prowess I remembered if there wasn’t a ground to complete the circuit, you couldn’t be shocked. It was an “aha moment.” I decided that next time it stormed and dad told me to go turn the antenna, I would make sure I wasn’t grounded. I would approach the antenna pole, I would jump as high into the air as I could, and while I was airborne, I would grab the pole and turn it. Since I would be in the air and therefore, not touching the ground, I couldn’t be electrocuted. I just had to turn loose of the pole before my feet touched ground.
What I didn’t anticipate was without my feet on the ground, I didn’t have enough torque to turn the pole. So, when I jumped up and grabbed the pole, it just sort of spun me out into the yard where I immediately got soaking wet and muddy. I had to go dripping back into the house where Matt Dillon was just sort of a ghost on the TV. My dad was upset because I didn’t turn the antenna and my mom was upset because I was making a mess in the house. I just stood there thinking: surely somebody could create something where you didn’t have to go outside every time you wanted to change channels. But I didn’t have the remotest idea what that would be…
Joe Ligon
Oklahoma Baptists Sr. Associate Executive Director
This year marks 100 years since the adoption of Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) by Oklahoma Baptists. As a vital ministry of the convention, BCM aims to advance the Gospel on 39 campuses across the state, seeking to reach “every campus, every life,” as their motto proclaims.
In The Two Become One, a history of the state convention, Bob Ross notes that organized Baptist student work began in the United States with the creation of the Baptist Student Missionary Movement of North America in 1914. The Oklahoma chapter formed two years later in Oklahoma City.
By 1920, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) had created an inter-board commission with representatives from the Home Mission, Foreign Mission and Sunday School Boards to direct a cooperative work among Baptist college and university students across the country. The commission hosted regional conferences across the nation. One such conference, hosted in Stillwater in 1924, led to the official adoption of the name Baptist Student Union (BSU) in Oklahoma and produced a motion by the student organization to join the state convention.
Carissa Jones, Oklahoma Baptists collegiate ministries assistant, has researched the history of BCM in Oklahoma. “Baptist collegiate work began in Oklahoma in 1916 on multiple campuses,” said Jones. “These were informal, student-led groups affiliated with the Baptist Student Missionary Movement. The growth of these groups led to the formation of the first official Baptist Student Unions in Oklahoma in 1924 and a resolution to join the state convention that same year.”
During the 19th Annual Session of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO) held at Chickasha, First on November 11-13, 1924, A.F. Wasson read the resolution on the Baptist Student Union. The motion addressed the need for organized collegiate work, the number of conference attendees and stated in part, “THEREFORE, We, the first Oklahoma Baptist Student Conference, in session at Stillwater, Oklahoma this 18th day of October, 1924, petition the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma… that student work be incorporated in the program of the Convention in our state.” The motion was adopted, and a beautiful partnership began.
The resolution also spoke of the students’ resolve to “lay their lives on the altar for service” and “pledge their best to the cause of Christ” in schools, churches and communities across the state. From the outset, the goal of BSU/ BCM work has been to “increase the spiritual efficiency of the entire student body” on college campuses as J.B. Rounds noted in his column in the October 1924 issue of the Baptist Messenger.
BCM has a history of strong leadership within the convention. For many years, the ministry was headed by a student president and fell under the purview of the convention’s Sunday school director. In 1958, Clyde Clayton became the first full-time BSU secretary for the BGCO. Ten years later, the BSU became its own department within the convention.
Clayton remained in his role as BCM Secretary until 1971. Bob Lee then took over and served from 1971-2004. During his tenure the ministry officially changed its name to BCM (1997) and the position of state associate director was added to the convention’s team. John Burns filled the associate role for several years beginning in 1979, with Denny Freeman serving from 2005 until 2018. Currently, Cris Lowery, Chad Coleman, and Jones serve with the Oklahoma Baptists collegiate ministry team, which now consists of more than 60 BCM directors and staff.
Former BGCO executive director-treasurer, Anthony Jordan, noted in 2017 that “one of the largest mission fields in America is the university campus.” He called BCMs “lighthouses” and “beachheads for biblical truth” in the midst of spiritual darkness. In 2024, just as in 1924, BCM continues its commitment to engaging each campus with the Gospel of Christ, equipping students as disciples of Christ, and training up Christian leaders.
Oklahoma Baptists’ Todd Fisher said, “One of the greatest kingdom investments Oklahoma Baptists make is in its BCM ministry.” From its founding to today, BCM’s commitment to advancing the Gospel continues.
The Legacy Continues
Tony and Sheryl Kennedy Learning Center Groundbreaking
On Sunday, September 1, 2024, a groundbreaking ceremony was held on the campus of Boys Ranch Town (BRT) for the Tony and Sheryl Kennedy Learning Center. The learning center will be used for students needing oncampus education and tutoring. It will also be used for therapeutic needs such as individual and family counseling provided by professional therapists. BRT caseworkers and administration will office in the building and meet with students and their families as they create individual success plans outlining the care and services provided by BRT houseparents and staff.
Psalm 9:1 (ESV) says, “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.”
We are thankful Boys Ranch Town has served over 2,300 young men for over 70 years as Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children (OBHC) provides help and homes to children and their families.
Visit obhc.org to see all of the upcoming events at OBHC!
ACROSS
morning
Where Jesus raised
from
Community org. (Abbr.)
Caesarea to Jerusalem (dir.)
King (Lat.) 25 Caesarea has one
Sneer at (slang)
WORDSEARCH
30 Lazarus “had __ in the grave four days” (John 11:17)
32 Climate watchdog group (Abbr.)
33 “I am the __ of life (John 6:35)
36 Paul, “the __ of sinners” (1 Tim. 1:16 niv)
37 “I saw thee under the __ tree” (John 1:50)
38 “Behold the __ of God” (John 1:29)
39 Toss out 40 What Jesus changed water into
“__ to a Grecian Urn”
Some UK dwellers
46 Manna came with it
Wood nymphs
Toddler 50 See 44 Across
Payment option
Tempter 60 Lazarus’s tomb, probably
DOWN
1 Many Holy Land dwellers
2 Law-giver of old
3 Scribes and Pharisees in Jesus’ time, e.g.
4 Old Testament ship builder 5 Easter play sections
6 Sepals of a flower
7 Red, white, and blue nation (Abbr.)
8 What Peter did three times
9 Measuring instrument
10 “If he...ask an __, will he offer him a scorpion?” (Luke 11:12)
11 What Peter would do after 8 Down 12 Conger 15 Empty
20 Sinai descriptor
22 Carry off (with “away”)
26 Be suitable for 27 Speak your mind
28 What a storm does
29 Little bit
30 Terrible
31 Monumental gateway
33 “Born, not of __...but of God” (John 1:13)
34 Meteorologist’s tool
Note: The word clues are chosen by Messenger staff, while the puzzles and letters surrounding the clues are computer-generated at
63 “He that is without sin...let him first cast a __ at her” (John 8:7)
64 Ointment brought to Jesus’ tomb
65 Not women’s
66 “__ of this body” (2 Peter 1:13 niv)
67 Jesus’ mom
68 “Or __ believe me for the very works’ sake (John 14:11)
35 Nail filing board
36 Ace
39 One of three on Calvary
40 “Wonderful!”
42 Salt addition
43 They “left their __, and followed him” (Matt. 4:20)
46 Jesus rode into Jerusalem on one
48 __ -garde
49 Certain choir member
50 Belly feature
51 Makes fair
52 Brief
54 First man
56 Jesus healed many who were this
57 Former fast flier
58 What they did at the Last Supper
59 2,000 pounds
61 Pie __ mode (2 words)
LAST
WORDS
DISCIPLES
ENGAGING
COLLEGIATE STUDENT CHURCHES
UNIVERSITIES BAPTIST UNION
LEADERS NATION ORGANIZED WORK
PARTNERSHIP
COMMUNITIES
CONVENTION
ADOPTED MISSION
CONFERENCES
CAMPUS GENERAL RESEARCHED OKLAHOMA INFORMAL FORMATION
Church NEWS
OKLAHOMA BAPTISTS’ STATE CONVENTION COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS:
The following individuals were appointed to serve on various committees for the 118th Annual Meeting at Moore, First.
CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE
Luke Holmes, Chairman, Duncan, Immanuel
Major Jemison, Oklahoma City, St. John Missionary
Owen Nease, Oklahoma City, Emmaus
Justin Sampler, Inola, First
Justin Turney, Pawhuska, First
Justin Villines, Warner, First
Tiller Watson, Tulsa, Turn Church
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Michael Taylor, chairman, Ponca City, First
Jon Bawden, Sayre, First
Mark Boyd, Soper, First
Terry Buxton, Oklahoma City, Emmanuel
D. J. Carney, Bristow, First
Greg Davis, Cashion, First
Richard Forney, Tulsa, New Joy Fellowship
Shea Gordon, Goldsby
Deanna Huff, Oklahoma City, Capitol Hill
Kelly King, Oklahoma City, Quail Springs
Whitley Lent, Cheyenne, First
Garry McNeill, Durant, First
Ginger McPherson, Tulsa, First
Kenny Mossman, Carnegie, First
Chase Rosado, Buffalo, First
TELLERS COMMITTEE
Craig Towery, chairman, Sentinel, First
Josh Boles, Frederick, First
Pup Rogers, Okemah, First
Jordan Stowe, Sand Springs, Angus Acres
Oklahoma Disaster Relief (DR), along with other volunteers from the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) network, were busy in the months of September and October responding to damage caused by various hurricanes. Work began for Oklahoma DR in mid-September following Hurricane Francine. In total, Oklahoma DR teams provided nearly 410 workorders and prepared 25,000 meals, did 300 loads of laundry and provided 750 showers. In addition, DR recorded 65 Gospel conversations, 8 professions of faith, 800 contacts made and 30 Bibles distributed in La. On Oct. 7, Oklahoma DR volunteers arrived in North Carolina and Georgia to help respond to damage caused by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. As of Oct. 25, the SBDR network continues to operate 40 sites across multiple states.
Ryan Taber, Piedmont, First
David Treadaway, Pocasset, First
Scott Watkins, Kingfisher, First
Ryan Yount, Hulbert, First
BRUCE PERKINS
MINISTRY In Focus
Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) Director of the OBU Prison Divinity Program
Can you share about your ministry calling and career?
God called me to ministry at Falls Creek in the summer of 1968 while attending camp with my home church, Frederick, Bethel. I was blessed with a pastor who found me many opportunities to preach while in high school which served to deepen my call. My first paid staff position was as Minister of Music/Youth at Brownwood, Texas, Central, during my second year of college. I began pastoring a year later and served four churches as pastor over the next 25 years, all of which were in Texas. The last church was Grapevine, Texas, Memorial, which was renamed The Church at the Cross after we relocated from a neighborhood to 47 acres on a freeway. I moved to Arkansas in 2001 where I was President of Shiloh Christian School for five years before returning to Oklahoma as Director of Admissions for OBU. I have served OBU in various capacities since that time including several years on the president’s Executive Cabinet. In January 2020, President Heath Thomas shared his vision of extending the mission of the university into the prisons of our state and asked me to pray about launching the Prison Divinity Program. God confirmed this calling and continues to do so. I am very grateful to serve my university and my home state in this unique way.
Can you tell us about your family?
I am blessed with an incredible wife, Linda, who is a powerful prayer warrior and a partner in ministry in every possible way. We have a blended family of five children, one of whom now lives in Heaven. We have two great grandchildren and 11 grandchildren, all of whom are pretty great themselves!
Please share about the OBU Prison Divinity Program, what it does and the impact.
I believe there is no greater expression of the transformational education OBU offers than that offered in the Prison Divinity Program. What better place for Christian liberal arts to impact culture than in one of its darkest places? I am blessed to witness vivid demonstrations of what it means to be a new creation in Christ on a regular basis. The university offers a fully accredited 4-year, 120 credit-hour Bachelor of Arts degree in Christian Studies through the Prison Divinity Program. All courses are taught face-to-face, year-round at the Lexington Correctional Center. This is a one-of-a-kind educational opportunity in our state prisons. These
courses offer the same rigor as those offered on the Shawnee campus and we expect no less from these students than any OBU student. Sixty students are currently enrolled. Thirty of them are sophomores and thirty are seniors who will graduate in May 2025 as our first graduating class! Many will be deployed by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) to other prisons across the state as Field Ministers – a title given them by the ODOC. Through the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, they will take what they have learned and experienced and begin to accomplish our ultimate goal – the transformation of prison culture within our state! As they depart our Lexington campus, the next cohort of Bison will arrive and begin their studies next summer.
What Gospel fruit have you seen in the OBU
Prison Divinity Program?
Evangelism and ministry are not waiting until our students graduate. Four students currently pastor churches inside the prison. Several others preach and lead worship on a regular basis. Many of our students engage consistently in personal evangelism. Literally, hundreds of men have come to Jesus in the last four years. More than 500 men in the maximum-security unit alone have made life changing decisions to follow Christ! We witness salvations every week – sometimes one or two, often 10 or more. Contrary to the opinion of some, these are not “jailhouse decisions.” There is no worldly advantage to be gained in prison by declaring one’s allegiance to Christ. Quite the opposite is true. Believers are often targeted and persecuted for their faith. Nevertheless, these men stand strong and boldly confess their Lord in word and deed. I am blessed to be doing life with them!
How has this been a great example of Oklahoma Baptists coming together to offer this program?
Truly, the program exists entirely upon the favor of God shown through various entities and individuals. The Prison Divinity Program is an effective partnership between OBU, Oklahoma Baptists and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. The Department has invited us into the prison system and we are continually grateful to be their guests and receive the favor they have shown us. This program is not a line item in anyone’s budget. Everything from payroll to paper clips is made possible through the generous gifts of our donors, one of which is Oklahoma Baptists through the Edna McMillan State Missions Offering. Thank you, Oklahoma Baptists! Likewise, God’s favor is shown through the support of several Oklahoma Baptist churches and many individual Baptists.
Any prayer requests or anything else that the Lord has on your heart?
There is no greater partnership than our partnership in prayer. We know that every wonderful outcome in the Prison Divinity Program is due to the faithful prayers of God’s people. Please join us in prayer for the next cohort. May God raise up the men He desires to be enrolled at OBU. Pray for the continued outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the prison resulting in changed lives. Pray for our students that even in the midst of strenuous academic responsibilities they remain quickened for ministry and evangelism each day.
‘EVERY DOOR IN ‘24 CAMPAIGN’ REACHING BAPTIST VILLAGE COMMUNITIES
Why take time and effort to knock on every door at every Baptist Village Community in Oklahoma to share the Gospel? Isn’t every resident a member of a Baptist church and a Christian?
Every Door in 2024 is an evangelistic effort to ensure that every resident hears the Gospel of salvation and has a chance to tell their story. For those residents that don’t yet have a story, this mission works to help them create one.
“There’s a myth out there that says you have to be a Baptist or Christian to live at Baptist Village,” said Director of Chaplain Services Chris Finley. “Actually, we have at least 13 denominations at our villages.”
Finley explained, “Senior adults begin to evaluate their life, and they want to know if they’ve done enough. They may have lived a good life, attended and raised their children in church, but the question is do they have a personal relationship with Jesus.” Finley says most evangelistic emphases are geared toward teenagers and young people, and evangelism requires a different approach with senior adults. He added that many older adults are embarrassed to ask about spiritual concerns.
“Statistics tell us that after the age of 65, only about 6 percent of people will be saved. We want to make sure no one comes to a Baptist Village without hearing the Gospel.”
Executive Director of the Bill and Susan Pierce Institute for Transforming Life Expectancies, Greg McNeece expressed, “We need to move the needle to be more effective, more intentional and not assume every person over a certain age is a believer.”
The Bill and Susan Pierce Institute is a ministry of Baptist Village Communities which helps Oklahoma Baptist churches meet the increasing needs of senior adults within the church and to minister to those outside the church.
Bill Pierce, long-time president of Baptist Village Communities, said “Every Door in 2024 is a wonderful opportunity to have a gospel conversation with all residents who live on a BVC campus, as well as an opportunity to share with many of their families and the BVC team members.”
“This effort creates a great deal of joy on campuses. Since the Every Door in 24 mission began, 11 residents have made a profession of faith, and many others have confirmed their salvation experience,” Pierce revealed. “It is such a blessing to see our residents learning to share their testimony with others. The number of unreached senior adults in our state is growing rapidly, and many of them are open to gospel conversations.”
Pierce said, “It’s a mission most people don’t see. We’re hoping this effort catches fire and every senior adult realizes this is indeed a mission field.”
“I keep tearing up when I hear the stories of these senior adults whose lives have been changed,” said Pierce. “God led us to this effort to draw the people who are being saved to Him. I am so blessed by the people who are helping in each village. It’s a lot of people sharing their faith, and it’s very likely the largest evangelical effort in Oklahoma this year outside of summer camps and BCM. It is so worth it.”
The Every Door in 2024 mission has been led by volunteers including Disaster Relief community chaplains, pastors (mostly retired), youth ministers and village residents. It will continue through the end of the year until every resident (approximately 1,650) behind every door in all 12 BVC campuses has heard the Gospel and been able to tell their own story.
Dana Williamson Baptist Village Communities Contributing Writer
Join us throughout the year in praying for our missionaries, serving locally and around the world!
MISSIONARYPrayer Guide
Who & Where Why
Pray for Oklahoma Baptists who are serving in Sub-Saharan Africa. This large area includes the island of Madagascar and all but 10 countries on the African continent. The primary religions are Islam, Christianity and Animism. Though Sub-Saharan Africa has a growing Christian population, it is still home to more than 1,600 unreached people groups. But because of the consistent presence of Oklahoma Baptists and others, thousands of new believers are professing faith in Christ, churches are being planted and leaders trained.
David Moore serves as the Associational Mission Strategist for the Panhandle Baptist Association. He also pastors a church of about 140 people in Guymon. David describes the people in the Panhandle as being very independent, which brings both blessings and challenges. David loves to invest in men, whom he believes need to be strong warriors. He enjoys having conversations about what that looks like, seeing it applied, and then seeing victories in the lives of men.
Though difficult to imagine, there are hungry people in the metropolitan areas of Oklahoma as well as the rural areas. According to statistics, 14.5% of Oklahoma households are food insecure. Children are hungry, and parents are rationing food. Jesus himself took care of this basic need of people, and we are to do the same. Through hunger funds, churches are able to satisfy this basic need, do more evangelistic outreach and impact lives.
Pray for Walter Wilson as he serves Oklahoma Baptists as the African American Ministry Partner. He works to strengthen, encourage and help African American pastors better serve their churches. Walter is very encouraged that, by the help of God, he has seen this ministry grow from 21 to 90 partnering churches. Walter gives God all the glory and attributes the growth to the training provided by the Oklahoma Baptist convention.
How to Pray
Pray for missionaries as they serve in this huge area and among so many millions of people.
Pray the people of Sub-Saharan Africa will hear and accept the words of Jesus so His kingdom will grow.
Pray for the well-being and safety of missionaries and the Christian population in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Pray God will protect David’s family from the schemes of the enemy so they can have a powerful ministry.
Pray God will deliver the people in David’s area from apathy.
Pray men will step up as leaders in the church.
Pray Oklahoma churches can continue to partner with local school systems to distribute food to Oklahomans in need.
Pray God will multiply resources, so no Oklahoma families go hungry.
Pray those receiving food will know that Jesus loves them.
Pray Walter will have strength to continue what God has started.
Pray resources would be provided for the convention’s black pastors and churches.
Pray there would be growth in numbers of African American churches.
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Hunger Funds
David Moore
Walter Wilson
Empowering Global Missions
THREE STRATEGIES FOR WINNING YOUR FINANCIAL FREEDOM FROM DEBT
Debt can be an overwhelming source of financial pressure and uncertainty, affecting your overall well-being. Getting out of debt is one of the most impactful financial decisions you can make and a key component in a secure financial future. Decreasing your debt can give you more financial freedom, reduce stress and anxiety and better position yourself for retirement.
The first step to reducing your debt is obvious: Stop taking on more debt.
After that, do a deep dive into your budget to determine the maximum amount you can pay each month toward reducing your balances. Where can you trim your spending (particularly in those nonessential areas) so that you have extra money to put towards a payment? Then, develop a strategy for repayment. Below are three helpful strategies for reducing debt and reclaiming financial freedom.
1. THE SNOWBALL METHOD.
The snowball method is perhaps the best-known and most straightforward strategy for debt reduction. Focus on paying off your smallest debt first while making the minimum required payments on the others. Once you’ve paid it off, take that payment and apply it to the next smallest debt.
As you gradually pay each debt, you create a “snowball” effect, gaining momentum — and motivation — as your list of debts shrinks. This method is not the most cost-efficient in terms of interest paid since your higher balances are still accumulating interest. Still, it can provide the psychological “wins” you need to keep exercising financial discipline.
2. THE AVALANCHE METHOD.
With this method, you target paying down the debt with the highest interest rate first while making minimum payments on the others. Once you’ve paid it off, move to the one with the next highest rate, working your way down to the lowest.
Focusing on high-interest balances first can reduce the overall cost of debt since you’ll pay less interest over time. But you’ll need to stay motivated to keep chipping away since it may take longer to see those smaller debts vanish.
3. DEBT CONSOLIDATION.
Debt consolidation is a strategy to manage multiple
debts by combining them into a single loan. In this case, you’re “simplifying” your debt by reducing the number of payments and creditors. There are three common tools for consolidation:
• Personal loans: You take a personal loan to pay off your existing debts.
• Balance transfer credit cards: Some credit cards offer a 0% interest rate for an introductory period, allowing you to transfer your existing balances and pay them off interest-free during that time.
• Home equity loans or lines of credit (HELOCs): If you own a home, you may be able to use your equity as collateral for a loan to pay off your debts.
Prioritize consolidating the debts with the highest interest rates first. This method only makes sense if you can consolidate at a lower interest rate with a more manageable and shorter repayment schedule. Your credit score will be a factor in the terms available to you.
In more extreme circumstances, two other options may be available.
With a debt management plan, you work with a credit counseling agency that negotiates with creditors on your behalf for reduced interest rates, fees or monthly payments. In turn, you make a single monthly payment to the agency, which then distributes the funds to your creditors. Enrolling in such a plan usually involves a fee, will likely affect your credit score and require you to close existing credit accounts. If you decide to go this route, carefully evaluate potential counseling agencies and preferably select one that is nonprofit and properly accredited.
Debt settlement involves negotiating with creditors, usually with the help of a debt settlement company, to settle your debt for less than the total amount owed. This can be a lengthy process and may not be successful. It can involve a substantial fee to the debt settlement company and severely impact your credit score, which can take years to rebuild.
Each method has its advantages and challenges, and the best approach will depend on your financial situation, preferences and goals, and the types of debt involved.
