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The other day, I just did not feel like getting up out of bed. On my list of things to do was take advantage of the unusually nice weather and work on clearing leaves.
Now, I usually love this kind of work, but I have to be honest—it’s harder now that I’m disabled. With a fused ankle and a prosthetic leg, I simply cannot work like I could in the past. I was dreading it today.
However, every morning before my feet (or foot), hit(s) the floor, I recite to myself the following two Bible verses and ask God to give me a positive attitude and show me things in the day that remind me I’m not disabled, I’m just specially “abled” (I know, cheesy, but it works!).
2 Cor. 12:9 — “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Psalm 118:24 — “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
It makes a big difference when you focus, not on your circumstances, but on the Lord who walks with you in those circumstances. I am far from perfect in my trust in God despite my circumstances. I still get frustrated. I still grieve my missing leg. I still want to ask, “why?”
But through the grace of God, I do not linger in those moments. I look to how God’s grace is sufficient in my weakness and rejoice and am glad that God allowed me to live. I ask God to give me glimpses of His purpose through all He has allowed me to go through.
So, I got up. I started on the leaves and found a tree limb buried underneath. I grabbed my chainsaw, and it occurred to me. Here was one of my disabled-turnedspecially-abled glimpses of joy. I used to always be leery of kickback from the chainsaw and my leg.
Now I just lead with my prosthesis. If there’s kickback and it should happen to hit my leg, I don’t have to worry—I won’t feel a thing!
Ask God to help you focus on Him and not your circumstances. Ask Him to show you glimpses of His love, purpose, and hope in the dark moments and seasons. I’m convinced if you won’t give up trusting Him, He will see you through each season.
We’ve all been there. There’s a momentary lull in your day. At a stoplight. As you wait in line at the store. In between activities.
By force of habit, you reach for your phone, open up an app and start scrolling. It’s not just you and me who do that. Researchers estimate that the average American spends a staggering 7 hours per day of screen time, totaling more than 2,400 hours per year.
Videos, memes, articles, and other content are constantly begging for our attention span. Someone once observed that undivided attention is the single rarest commodity today.
We are sometimes quick to bemoan the habits of young people and their social media habits. We are also quick to see the problem in others, but it’s harder to see it in ourselves.
What can we do about these digital habits that rob us of time, lead us down paths of temptation and fracture our attention away from good things, like prayer and Bible study? Here are some practical tips, using the acronym W-A-T-C-H.
W-ATCH FOR THE CUE
That moment you feel the impulse to check your Smartphone, learn to recognize it for what it is. When that impulse to reach for your phone or digital devices hits, use that as your cue to pray or to do a chore or other activity.
A-SK FOR HELP
Your spouse or friends probably notice if phone time is intruding too much in life. Perhaps it’s at the dinner table that your phone has become a distraction. Or perhaps during conversations or even while watching television shows together, the phone always comes out. Ask someone to keep you accountable, and you’re more likely to see change.
T-AKE AWAY APPS
Consider if your tablet or phone has too many apps. If it’s games that tempt you, delete those apps. If it’s social media, delete those apps and force yourself to have to really go out of the way to access them.
C-HANGE IT OUT
The best way to replace bad habits is with good habits. If you are tempted toward too much screen time, such as before bedtime, take up reading books. Or if you subconsciously reach for your phone when driving or just at your house, learn to put your phone down.
H-AVE A PLAN
Sometimes screen time is not just a waste of time. Sometimes it’s where sin is. I do not need to quote statistics to prove that addictive sinful behavior like pornography or gambling are widespread online. Jesus said, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul?” (Mark 8:36). What does it help for you to have access to the whole World Wide Web but lose your soul? If screentime is leading you to sin, it could be time to move to a non-smartphone and seek further help.
These are just a few ideas for better screen and phone use, as we seek to live all of life for Jesus.
“Watch! Stand firm in the faith! Be courageous! Be strong!” (1 Cor. 16:13).
March 2-3, 2026 Advance Conference Moore, First oklahomabaptists.org/ evangelism/advanceconference/
March 28, 2026 Missions Conference Oklahoma City, Emmaus oklahomabaptists.org/ missionsconference/
Visit oklahomabaptists.org/events/ to view more events happening throughout the year!
Hear Todd Fisher, James Swain and Gayla White talk about the devastating effects of chemical abortion and how churches can best respond today at baptistmessenger.com/podcast or find the Baptist Messenger Insight Podcast program on your
‘Iced Tea’ & Turbulence
When I had the privilege of pastoring Marlow, First, we adopted a community in Ecuador. The church took numerous groups down there to do all kinds of mission work including sharing the Gospel. I had the privilege of going on several of those trips. Those changed my life (for the better) and had a most positive impact on the church.
I was thinking about those trips the other day and it dawned on me: I should share some of that with the two or three people that actually read this thing.
On one particular trip, there were four of us that journeyed to Ecuador. One of the four was a medical doctor because when I am with the group a medical doctor is just a good thing to have along. We had flown from Oklahoma City to Houston and boarded a plane there that was supposed to take us to Quito (just a side note that might be important later: this was back when the Quito airport was one of the most dangerous airports in the world. And if a plane actually made the landing all the passengers always applauded).
When we took off from Houston, we encountered a little turbulence. What else would you expect from Texas? It wasn’t too bad. After all I had the medical doctor sitting next to me. But I noticed an elderly Ecuadorian couple sitting across the aisle were visibly upset and not tolerating that Texas turbulence very well.
That’s when the elderly lady started digging around in her purse. I didn’t know whether to be concerned about what she was about to produce from her purse. But then she pulled out a pocket New Testament. That calmed me down a bit. She and her husband read some of the Bible and, low and behold, the Texas turbulence calmed right down.
We had flown for a while when I realized how good of a pilot we had. Somehow out there in the vast unknown, he had located some more turbulence. It was hard to tell if it was the Texas variety or not.
It wasn’t the worst turbulence I had ever experienced. I mean it wasn’t like a bad deacons’ meeting or something. But it just seemed to continue. In a bit, I noticed the elderly Ecuadorian man push the button for the flight attendant.
The flight attendant soon appeared, had a brief conversation with the couple, and then walked away. It wasn’t long before the same flight attendant approached the elderly Ecuadorian couple and handed them one of those little bottles of Jack Daniels whiskey. You may wonder how I, a Baptist preacher, knew what that was. As I recall, I think my medical doctor friend told me.
The little, nervous Ecuadorian lady finally got the top off of that little bottle of Jack Daniels and swigged the whole thing in one rather lengthy drink. She blinked two or three times and smiled a little smile. I guess if one Spirit can’t help you there is always the possibility that another one could calm you down.
As we approached the Quito airport we were in the tray tables up and seatbacks in the upright position mode. I think I was dozing a little bit. I decided if we were going to crash that night, it would be better for me not to know it.
The first time we landed, we hit the ground really hard, bounced back up into the air, and hit the ground again. It was at that moment, that the little, old Bible reading, whiskey drinking Ecuadorian lady reached across the aisle and grabbed my hand. She kept a death grip on my hand while we finished landing and pulled into the terminal.
By the way, when we landed all the passengers applauded. Soon, the little Ecuadorian lady turned loose of my hand. Had she not put it to sleep, I would have applauded too.
Here’s a couple of things to think about. If you are traveling always consider taking a medical doctor along. They can be a great help. Two, stay out of reach of folks who have been swigging Jack Daniels whiskey. Three, always applaud a good performance. Four, we weren’t responsible for taking Jesus to Ecuador. He was there when we got there.
*If the mention of whiskey offended you, just mark it out and write in “really strong iced tea.”
Joe Ligon
Oklahoma Baptists Sr. Associate Executive Director
2026 ADVANCE CONFERENCE
MOORE—On March 2-3, Oklahoma Baptists will host the Advance Conference at Moore, First. This annual event is for everyone involved in Christian ministry and will provide a time of fellowship, discipleship and worship for those who attend.
The theme for the conference will be M5, based on Matt. 28:16-20. This theme will focus on the five areas that ministry leaders are called to participate in. These include Making Disciples (v19), Marking Believers through Baptism (v19), Maturing Believers (v20), Moving with the Gospel and Magnifying God (v16-18).
Registration is now open, and the first 500 to register will receive a special gift once they check in at the event. Though registration is required this year, it is a quick and easy process, giving attendees one place to choose which meals and breakout trainings to attend throughout their time at Advance.
As with previous years, there will be five distinct worship events in the main hall at Moore, First. Worship will be led by Lance Gibson, worship pastor at Oklahoma City, Quail Springs. Each will include a short pre-session equipping opportunity, followed by a worship set and sermon. In between sessions, attendees will be able to explore the exhibit hall or visit with other pastors.
Advance Conference invites pastors and church leaders from around the country to speak at the event. This year, those confirmed scheduled to speak this year are as follows:
• Monty Patton, Executive Director of the Arizona Mission Network—Patton has worked with the North American Mission Board in Arizona for numerous years and is the founding pastor of Glendale, Mountain Ridge, Ariz.
• Connor Bales, senior pastor at Oklahoma City, Quail Springs—Bales has authored two books, Counted Worthy and Gospel in the Home. He served as pastor for Prosper, Texas, Prestonwood North Campus, from 2019 to 2025 before beginning his service as pastor at Oklahoma City, Quail Springs.
• Mark Croston, Director of Black Church Ministries at Lifeway—Croston has served as pastor for over 26 years and has been on mission or preached in over 40 countries
• Robert Smith Jr., distinguished Professor of Divinity at Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School—Smith served as professor of Christian preaching at Beeson for more than 25 years and held the Charles T. Carter Baptist Chair of Divinity. Previously, he served as the Carl E. Bates Associate Professor of Christian Preaching at Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
• Zack Randles, pastor at Washington D.C., Waterfront— Randles has served on staff at multiple churches in Texas before moving to Washington D.C. in 2014 to found Waterfront Church.
The exhibit hall will be a place to find some new, exciting ministry tools and discipleship and evangelism resources that span all ages and needs. While there, attendees can also hear more about Oklahoma Baptist affiliates and programs.
On Monday, Mar. 2, lunch will be sponsored by Send Oklahoma and will feature Christian comedian Jason Gray. Registration for this event is required.
Oklahoma Baptists invite everyone involved in ministry to attend the 2026 Advance Conference which will provide the opportunity to be inspired by the Word, equipped for the work God has set before us and encouraged to spread the Gospel.
Pre-registration for the Advance Conference is requested. For more information formation and to register online go to: oklahomabaptists.org/evangelism/advance-conference/.
SESSION SPEAKERS
SESSION 1: MAKE | Reach the Lost MAKE (vs19)
Dr. Monty Patton Executive Director, Arizona Mission Network of Southern Baptists
SESSION 2: MARK | Connect to the Body BAPTIZE (vs 19)
Dr. Connor Bales Senior Pastor, Oklahoma City, Quail Springs
SESSION 3: MATURE | Grow Together in Christ-Likeness TEACH (vs 20)
Dr. Mark Croston Lifeway, Director of Black Church Ministries
SESSION 4: MOVE | Advance the Gospel GO (vs 16-20)
Rev. Zack Randles
Sr. Pastor, Washington DC, Waterfront Church
SESSION 5: MAGNIFY | Rely on the Lord AUTHORITY/WORSHIP (vs 16-18)
Dr. Robert Smith Jr.
Distinguished Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School
DRAW NEAR: TO GOD AND TO ONE ANOTHER
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…” Hebrews 10:22.
Scripture does not present drawing near to God as a demand rooted in performance, but as a gracious invitation extended by a faithful God. That invitation stands at the center of the 2026 Oklahoma Women’s Retreat, happening April 17–18, at Falls Creek Conference Center.
The retreat theme, “Draw Near,” is intentionally two-fold: to God and to each other. Rooted in Hebrews 10:22–25, the weekend will guide women toward confident closeness with God through Christ and connection within the Body of Christ. Together, these movements reflect God’s design for spiritual growth, hope and community.
Hebrews 10:22–23 invites believers to draw near to God “with a true heart in full assurance of faith,” not because of personal perfection, but because hearts have already been cleansed through Jesus’ finished work on the cross. The Women’s Retreat creates space for women to release striving and respond to God’s invitation. Through biblical teaching and Christ-centered worship, women will be encouraged to pursue a consistent, growing relationship with the Lord.
Hebrews 10:24–25 reminds believers that drawing near was never meant to be a solitary pursuit. Scripture calls the church to stir one another toward love and good works, to meet together and to encourage one another. This call carries weight in today’s culture. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General declared loneliness an epidemic, warning that its health impact can rival smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Chronic loneliness increases the risk of heart disease, dementia, depression and premature death. Strong, meaningful connections are essential to overall well-being.
The Women’s Retreat offers a clear reminder that God’s design for the church includes connection with Christ and with one another. The retreat provides intentional opportunities for fellowship and encouragement, helping women strengthen relationships within their churches and communities.
The retreat will feature a great lineup of speakers, including Jennifer Rothschild, Sheila Walsh, Jeff Iorg, Andrea Lennon, Sandy Wisdom-Martin, Angela Sanders, Samantha Decker and Jamy Fisher. Worship will be led by Crescent City Worship. Spanish and American Sign Language interpretation will be available.
Participation options include in-person attendance, digital access, host church gatherings and gatherings of churches, allowing women to engage in a way that best fits their context and location.
An offering will be received to support the International Mission Board (IMB) Eastern Edges Team, providing disciple-making training for leaders serving in rural and underserved communities. Through this partnership, women will have the opportunity to support the work of strengthening churches and leaders in these areas.
Registration opened February 1. Join us for biblical teaching, Christ-centered worship and encouraging fellowship as we hold on to hope in our faithful God. For more information and to register, visit oklahomabaptists. org/women/retreat/.
Amy Cordova
Oklahoma Baptists
Missions & Women’s
MEN’S RETREAT
APRIL
24-25, 2026
FALLS CREEK CONFERENCE CENTERS
2026 MEN’S RETREAT TO CHALLENGE ATTENDEES TO ‘MAN UP’
In 2025, we commemorated 25 years of faithful ministry to men in Oklahoma. As we go forward our prayer remains the same to continue to “honor the Lord, reach and grow men together for the glory of God.” Last year’s theme, “Man Down,” drawn from Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reminded us “life is better with brothers.” The overwhelming feedback after the Men’s Retreat was an appreciation for the concentration on discipleship and brotherhood.
For the 2026 Men’s Retreat our theme will be “Man Up” reflecting on 1 Corinthians 16:13 “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” Our subtheme will be “Act Like Men.” In a culture that has distorted and tainted the meaning of manhood, this message is more important than ever.
Biblical manhood is not simply looking masculine such as dressing or speaking the part like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Chuck Norris or Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson. This oversimplification of manhood leads to immaturity, selfishness, depression and regret. Paul expresses this when he says, “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.”
For believing men, however, “manning up” means pursuing Christlikeness and embracing our God-given roles and responsibilities no matter how difficult it is. This means “being watchful, standing firm in the faith, acting like men and being strong.” It’s not only our ability to do this physically, emotionally, or financially that matters but to protect, provide and lead ourselves and family spiritually.
We are excited about the line up this year. We are also excited to welcome Matt Roberson from Marlow, Connection Church back to lead worship this year. Our main sessions will feature two special guests for our “Man Talks:” Eric Hernandez, former Lead Apologist for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, and Todd Fisher, Executive Director-Treasuror of Oklahoma Baptists. In addition, we are honored to welcome Lewis “Lew” Sterrett, founder and CEO of Sermon on the Mount Ministries and Danny Gandara, Pastor of Del City, Sunnylane.
The Men’s Retreat will once again challenge and equip men through practical, relevant breakout sessions designed to meet men of any age where they are. This year’s breakouts will focus on evangelism, apologetics, men’s ministry, grandparents and more.
Lastly, we will provide multiple activities that are peaceful like fishing, competitive like pickleball, athletic like running a 5K and exhilarating like shooting sports. One of the best parts of the retreat is the down time allowed for activities. We understand that this time is more than just fun—it’s intentional fellowship with godly men. We look forward to seeing you April 24-25, 2026 at Falls Creek. For more information and to register visit oklahomabaptists.org/men/retreat.
Prophet Bailey
Oklahoma Baptists
Young Adult Discipleship / Men’s Ministry
CROSSWORD
Note: Bible translations may vary for clues
ACROSS
Spirit “__ light on one’s inmost being” (Prov. 20:27 niv)
“Blessed __ the poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3)
Some churchgoers, e.g.
“He that ploweth should __ in hope” (1 Cor. 9:10)
John, the voice of __ crying in the
He came from David’s __ line
Length meas. (Abbr.)
WORDSEARCH
48 Eden name
Jesus gave people this (Abbr.)
They are “as the early __ that passeth away” (Hos. 13:3) 56 Keyboard key
Graduates
Mary “__ the feet of Jesus” (John 12:3)
Greek second letter
DOWN
1 Jesus, __ of Bethlehem 2 Tel __, Israel 3 Pharaoh’s river 4 Thread holder 5 Ego
6 Fencing sword 7 Snub, for short
8 Risen Christ, “firstfruits of them that __” (1 Cor. 15:20)
9 Supportive friend
10 Christ __ Easter morning 11 Pitcher
13 German article
15 Christ, Prince of __
20 Christ’s gift bringers
22 Christ came to __ us of guilt
25 Hagia __, former Istanbul cathedral
26 Christ came to save the __
27 “They would have repented long __ in sackcloth” (Matt. 11:21)
29 Song of Solomon, e.g.
30 “Mama __!”
Barista specialty
Bay
Comics sound
Work unit
Storybook character
Note: The word clues are chosen by Messenger staff, while the puzzles and letters surrounding the clues are computer-generated at
67 Capital of Senegal
69 Western treaty group (Abbr.)
70 Bible times edible
71 Christ “shall rise the __ day” (Mark 9:31)
72 Flightless birds
73 Bible land tree
74 Jesus laid __ on the sick
75 Apple or peach, maybe
39 Christ restored the high priest servant’s
42 Horse tidbit
43 Southwestern Indian
47 Against (Prefix)
49 Publicist
50 Peter, James, and John, e.g.
52 Fabrication
55 Temple or ark measurement
57 Christ, Lord of __
58 Christ invites us to call our Father this
59 Dregs
60 Salt Lake state
61 Related
62 Gaza to Joppa (dir.)
63 Pat down lightly
64 Decorative needle case
65 Med measurement
68 Expression of surprise
WORDS
LAWTON, FRIENDSHIP CELEBRATES ‘GOD’S GREAT BLESSING’ DURING NOTE BURNING CEREMONY
LAWTON—On Sunday, Jan. 11, Lawton, Friendship held a special note burning service and ceremony. Pastor Walter Wilson and others planned the service, which was called a “Celebration of Thankfulness” for God’s Great Blessing.
The note-burning was a culminating moment of paying off the church’s building debt. A special recognition was presented to the church by Lawton Mayor Stan Booker. Also, Alan Quigley, who serves as Oklahoma Baptists associate executive director, spoke at the event, which featured special music by the Friendship Church Praise Team and Pam Gettens.
Lawton, Friendship has been actively involved in the community, and Wilson, who serves as Oklahoma Baptists African American ministry partner, is a recognized leader in Oklahoma and on a national level with the National African American Fellowship.
TRIBUTES
Tracy Ann Clayton died Jan. 6. She was the wife of Dale Clayton, former pastor of Union City, First.
PASTOR In Focus
DJ CARNEY
Pastor, First Baptist Church Bristow, Oklahoma
PASTOR DJ, THANK YOU FOR SERVING ON OKLAHOMA BAPTISTS’ BOARD AND AS A CONVENTION OFFICER! CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND AND HOW THE LORD CALLED YOU INTO MINISTRY?
I was born in the small town of Slick, where my dad served his first pastorate for 14 years. My dad, Derrick, was called to pastor Luther, First in 1995, where he still pastors today. Being a preacher’s kid, I grew up knowing all the right answers and knew what all the right things to do were. It wasn’t until the summer of 2000 at Falls Creek, that I recognized my goodness couldn’t make me right with God, and it was only by His grace and Christ’s finished work that I could have a relationship with Him. The next summer while at Falls Creek, I submitted to the Lord’s call to ministry in my life. It is easy to look back now and recognize the Lord’s work to develop a heart for the local church through my dad, who is a faithful pastor and taught me how to love the local church and to serve it well.
CAN YOU BRIEFLY SHARE ABOUT YOUR FAMILY AND ABOUT WHERE YOU NOW SERVE IN MINISTRY?
My wife, Lindsay, and I were high school sweethearts and just celebrated our 20th anniversary in December. We have four children – John (30), Dre (18), Kadence (13), and Preston (12).
Lindsay had a difficult pregnancy with Dre, which resulted in developing congestive heart failure after giving birth. The Lord did miraculous things in the events that unfolded as we nearly lost Lindsay and we are grateful for his purpose and work through those things.
Due to the extreme risk of having more children biologically, the Lord opened doors for us to adopt through the last 15 years. That began with John, whom we met at Boys Ranch Town (BRT) while serving as houseparents. John married Caitlyn in 2019 and our granddaughter, Reign, was born in 2020.
At the beginning of 2020, the Lord began to stir in Lindsay’s and my hearts to reopen our home to foster care. Our very first placement was in March of that year, as we welcomed Kadence and Preston into our home. It quickly became apparent that these children were going to be with us a while, which ultimately turned into forever as we adopted them in November of 2021.
We have called Bristow, First home for the last 11 years. I came to Bristow, First as the Student Pastor. When
the Senior Pastor left in early 2016, I sensed the Lord moving me to pursue stepping into that role. The church sensed the same and in 2016, I began my first pastorate here at Bristow, First.
WHAT IMPACT ARE YOU SEEING THE LORD MAKE IN YOUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY?
2025 brought some great opportunities, some challenging moments, and some unexpected blessings to Bristow, First. After a little more than a year without a student pastor or worship leader, our church called some great individuals to come and serve in these roles, and we have seen the Lord bless these two areas of ministry.
In October, our student pastor coordinated Fields of Faith. Caleb and Jeremy Freeman came and shared to more than 400 people, and we saw 40 students and adults come to know the Lord. We hosted the Living Christmas Tree again and saw over 500 people come through the doors to share in the beautiful presentation of the Gospel from an amazing choir under the direction of Brad Butler.
In the Spring, we explored what it would look like to start praying BIG prayers in our Wednesday evening Bible study. Through prayer and God’s provision, we were able to pay off the remainder of our building loan to WatersEdge.
We serve a BIG God who can do BIG things. In the same spirit of knowing we have a God who will do exceedingly abundantly more than we could ask or think, we have come to 2026 with some fresh vision and BIG goals. We cannot wait to see what the Lord does this year!
YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THE FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION CAPACITY. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND HEART FOR THAT?
Growing up with awareness of the foster system through friends and family, my personal involvement began when my wife, Lindsay, worked at BRT. Interacting with the boys there ignited a shared passion in our hearts for advocacy. We later served as house parents at BRT, witnessing firsthand the need for safe homes and adopting our oldest son through foster care during that time. Our journey led us to partner with Anna’s House Foundation, where we specialized in short-term placements for young children, which highlighted the depth of emotional, physical, and spiritual needs these children possess. Over the years, we’ve provided various types of foster care and I now
serve on the Board of Trustees for Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children (OBHC) and as an ambassador for CarePortal (111Project), connecting local churches with foster needs.
While I handle organizational roles, it is Lindsay who truly embodies the heart of this work, sharing the Gospel with many children and parents, including our two youngest children whom we met and adopted through foster care. Adoption has allowed our family to feel whole while helping others in the process. We embrace adoption as a “Gospel word,” a powerful illustration of God’s redemptive love for us as described in Galatians 4:4-5. We view foster care as a “Gospel principle,” answering the call in James 1:27 to look after orphans in their time of need. Through all the highs and lows, our experience with foster care and adoption has consistently revealed the heart of the Father.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHURCH TO SUPPORT THE COOPERATIVE PROGRAM?
I believe that we are better together. It is something that our church believes deeply and practices fully. We desire at our core to lead people to know God and make him known. We, like many churches, have the burning desire to see Acts 1:8 lived out. But like many churches, that would be a daunting task for just our church to approach, logistically and financially. That is why we give through the Cooperative Program (CP). We have a connection with the principle that we are better together, and we have a connection to the people the CP serves. We recognize the CP as an investment in our people and an investment in the work of Southern Baptist here and around the world, and that’s why we will continue to give through the CP.
Jennifer Rothschild Sheila Walsh Dr. Jeff Iorg
Andrea Lennon
Samantha Decker
Sandy Wisdom-Martin
Jamy Fisher
Angela Sanders
Join us throughout the year in praying for our missionaries, serving locally and around the world!
2026 MISSIONARY Prayer Guide
Who & Where Why How to Pray
Joe serves with the Iinternational Mission Board in Colombia and Panama, leading four different teams in the region. In his role, he trains missionaries, and evangelizes and disciples the many displaced and unreached indigenous peoples.
Tyler planted and now serves as Senior Pastor at Davis Community Church. Along with his wife, Mandy and their four children, Tyler ministers to a congregation that is full of both lifelong Christians and those that are new to the Faith.
Pray for Joe, his wife, Megan, in this season of transition as they begin to send their three children off to college.
Pray for the indigenous peoples of Colombia, that they would hear the Word. Pray for the country of Colombia, as it continues to suffer from intense violence and unrest.
James serves at the BCM Director at Langston University where he ministers to both students and staff on campus. One of James’ ministry focuses is evangelism, and encouraging students to create a culture where “God conversations” are happening naturally and often.
Pray that the Porters and the congregation would continue to develop relationships with those who are without a church home and that they will continue to grow in their love for God, each other and their neighbors.
Pray that the church would continue to be united together in glorifying God in all that we do.
Pray for the students at Langston University.
Pray for those involved with the BCM as they minister to the Langston campus.
Pray for the administrators, professors, and all other staff on and off campus.
Pray for Oklahoma Baptists as they come together to attend the Advance Conference, March 2-3, 2026. During the conference, Oklahoma Baptists will hear speakers who are Oklahoma pastors and leaders as well as national leaders. They will worship and pray together and attend breakout sessions for the many ministry focus groups.
Pray all attendees would feel refreshed, recharged, and equipped as they leave the conference.
Pray all attendees would take new energy home to their churches and their communities.
Pray many fruitful connections will be made at the conference.
Joe Brewster
Advance Conference
Tyler Porter
James Brown
12 THINGS TO DO WHEN YOU GRIEVE A PRODIGAL’S SIN MORE THAN HE OR SHE DOES
By Chuck Lawless
If it hasn’t happened to you yet as a believer, I suspect it will – that is, you’ll face a time when you grieve someone’s sin more than he or she does. When you walk in the footsteps of the father of the prodigal son, hang on to these thoughts:
1. KEEP PRAYING. When you quit praying, your silence is a confession that you’ve given up on somebody— and on God. Prayerlessness leaves prodigals living in sin.
2. KEEP BELIEVING. God knows exactly where your prodigal is. The One who created him (or her) and died for him still loves him; in fact, He loves your prodigal more than you do.
3. KEEP WALKING. Stay faithful yourself. Don’t turn in anger from God. You can’t expect Him to answer your prayers for somebody else when you’re not walking with Him yourself.
4. KEEP STANDING. Here’s my point (and it’s not an easy one): don’t let your prodigal’s departure lead you to redefine what is right and wrong. Sin remains sin, regardless of how much we love the people living in it.
5. KEEP GRIEVING. That means your anguish may not go away entirely, but the minute you stop grieving sin is the minute you also start caring less about your prodigal’s choices. Agonizing over sin keeps you on your knees—the right place to be on behalf of a prodigal.
6. KEEP INVITING. That is, keep inviting others to join you in praying for your prodigal. As we prayed 36 years and 47 years for my dad and mom, respectively, to follow Christ, I invited others–no matter where I was
traveling–to join me in praying for them. I’m convinced their salvation came through the prayers of God’s people.
7. KEEP LOVING. There’s a legitimate place for church discipline, but many prodigals have walked away from the church first because they assume the church will reject them. Love your prodigal even if others don’t seem to—and even if he or she thinks you’ve lost your love, too.
8. KEEP LISTENING. Follow the Spirit’s guide to know when and how to speak into the situation, but be willing to listen more than speak if needed. An open ear might take you a long way with your prodigal.
9. KEEP WAITING. Returning to God is seldom easy for a prodigal. It’s sometimes equally hard to return home. Wait patiently (and then be patient when he or she does come home, as change usually takes a while . . . )
10. KEEP TRUSTING. To be honest, God might allow your prodigal to suffer the pains of disobedience to turn him back toward Him. You might want to try to fix the situation so that doesn’t happen, but trust God. He knows what’s needed.
11. KEEP WATCHING. Keep your eyes on the driveway. You never know when you’ll see your prodigal on his way home.
12. AGAIN, KEEP PRAYING. Leave it all in God’s hands. He can handle it.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The preceding article was originally published on chucklawless.com
