2023/July

MESSENGER STAFF

>> Brian Hobbs | Editor bhobbs@baptistmessenger.com

>> Chris Doyle | Managing Editor cdoyle@baptistmessenger.com

>> Lori Coats | Subscriptions/Assistant lcoats@baptistmessenger.com

>> Kali Daniells | Art Director kdaniells@baptistmessenger.com

Baptist Messenger columnist and ministry leader Walker Moore died on June 26. Read stories and tributes to Walker in this magazine edition and online at baptistmessenger.com

The Baptist Messenger (ISSN 0744-9518) is published monthly by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, 3800 N. May, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73112-6506. Periodicals postage paid at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Circulation last issue: 37,023. Individual subscriptions are available upon request. When writing for a change of address or a subscription renewal, please include a copy of your mailing label. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Baptist Messenger, 3800 N. May, Oklahoma City, OK 73112-6506.

While the Baptist Messenger attempts to provide advertisers of integrity who furnish quality products, it is recommended that buyers be cautious, do research and get references to any advertiser with which they are not familiar. Publication of an advertisement in the Baptist Messenger does not constitute an endorsement of the products, services or businesses.

Member, Baptist Press News, Christian Newspaper Association, Evangelical Press Association, Oklahoma Press Association.

Positive takeaways from the SBC Meeting in New Orleans

I always enjoy attending annual meetings of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). The meeting affords opportunities of great fellowship, great sermons and worship and observing the unique structure and polity of the SBC that highlights the autonomy and authority of the local church in our organization. As I returned from the annual meeting in New Orleans, four things proved to be major takeaways for me that were encouraging:

1. Seventy-nine missionaries were commissioned by the International Mission Board in the annual meeting. They join the 3,521 missionaries plus their more than 2,700 children already serving in 122 countries. Seeing these missionaries, some silhouetted behind a screen because they are going to countries closed to the Gospel, and briefly hearing about their calling is so inspiring. These men and women sacrifice so much to obey their calling to fulfill the Great Commission. The missionary commissioning is a terrific reminder that missions is at the very heart of who we are as Southern Baptists. The historical reason Baptists decided to partner together in giving and serving in the first place was all about funding and doing missions. This remains at the core of our partnership of churches today.

2. Messengers at the annual meeting approved resolutions and motions strongly supporting our commitment to the authority of Scripture and its key, foundational role in our beliefs and practices as a convention. I am grateful messengers affirmed our belief that the Bible and our Baptist Faith and Message confession teaches a complementarian view of offices in the church. At the same time, I believe it critically important that we value the role of women in ministry and fully affirm that God calls and gifts women to serve in a variety of ministry roles within a com-

plementarian framework. The ministry that women carry out in our local churches is invaluable!

3. Messengers overwhelmingly approved the request of the Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force to have an additional year to finish their work in providing resources to help equip churches in preventing and reporting abuse and caring for survivors of abuse. We must do our very best to ensure that our churches are safe places for people of every age to attend.

4. Oklahoma Baptists’ churches had tremendous representation in New Orleans. There were more than 400 registered messengers from Oklahoma churches plus a large number of registered guests. The reception at the National World War II Museum for Oklahoma Baptists on Tuesday night of the annual meeting had approximately 500 in attendance and was a fantastic time of fellowship. I so appreciate the unity we enjoy as Oklahoma Baptists and our strong commitment to the message and mission God has given us, as well as our support of one another. What a fantastic family of churches we have—we truly do more for the kingdom together than apart.

As we think about our convention, both nationally and as a state, let’s continue to pray and work toward the unified goal of advancing the Gospel together in Oklahoma and across the globe!

Serving Jesus with You,

Todd Fisher Oklahoma Baptists Executive Director-Treasurer

Remembering our friend Walker Moore Sword & Trowel

On June 26, our dear friend Walker Moore went home to be with the Lord. At the age of 71, he had so much to show for his life. Missionary, writer, ministry leader, husband, father, grandfather, beloved friend to thousands—Walker lived all of life for the Lord.

For those who read any (or all!) of Walker Moore’s 1,200-plus columns for the Baptist Messenger, there was an instant connection. He exuded the evangelism zeal of Billy Graham, the storytelling ability of Paul Harvey and the humor of Will Rogers.

It was such an honor and joy to know Walker Moore and to work with him so closely for more than 12 years. He was a friend and mentor to me, as well as a prayer warrior. He and his wonderful wife Cathy have a great family. I loved hearing Walker share about his family, especially his sons and grandchildren.

There’s so much I learned from Walker. “I want my life to be about doing Jesus Ministry,” he would say. Walker taught me what it looks like to put Jesus first. He taught me how to love family, how to be a good friend. He taught me what it means to stand firm when life’s trials come.

Most people think Walker Moore worked out of an office at the Baptist Building in Oklahoma City, when in fact he lived and worked in Tulsa, sending his columns by email each week. Sometimes, he would send it to us from his missions travels abroad or unique locations, including from the ancient city of Petra.

Some weeks, I knew his column had showed up to our inboxes simply because I would hear spontaneous laughter coming out of the office of a co-worker.

“People need a laugh, not a lecture,” he told me on many occasions. His stories from here and around the world

cause belly laughter but also make you think. Wherever Walker went, he would brighten someone’s day.

Walker would joke that he was originally recruited to write “just one column” for The Messenger, and we kept asking for “just one more.” Here we are today, with Walker having written “just one more” for 25plus years for which I am thankful.

Perhaps you are someone he connected with in person or through his column. In this edition of the Baptist Messenger, we offer tributes to Walker, as well as the last column he ever composed (see page 6).

As usual, his column is talking about Jesus, life, family and how it all relates to you. We will continue to find a way to publish columns written by Walker Moore through the Baptist Messenger, as his wisdom and legacy lives on.

Today, with a heavy heart, we remember Walker, a godly man who had a way with words. I have every belief that when Walker crossed the river into the presence of Jesus, he heard these words: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into your rest” (Matt 25:23).

To read more about Walker’s life and to access his columns, visit baptistmessenger.com/walker

Please join me in praying for the Moore family in this season of loss.

Brian Hobbs Editor of the Baptist Messenger

Upcoming Events

JULY 21-24

CrossTimbers (Session 11)

CrossTimbers, Davis oklahomabaptists.org/ crosstimbers

JULY 24-29

Falls Creek Youth Camp (Week 8)

Falls Creek Conference Center oklahomabaptists.org/ youth/falls-creek

JULY 30-AUGUST 3

Indian Falls Creek Falls Creek Conference Center indianfallscreek.org

JULY 22

Hispanic Women’s Conference at OKC, Southern Hills

JULY 24-27

CrossTimbers (Session 4) at CrossTimbers, Grand Lake

AUGUST 6-10

Collegiate Week at Falls Creek Conference Center

AUGUST 25-26

Leading Well—Women’s Ministry Leadership Retreat at Pawhuska

AUGUST 26

The Call Conference at Oklahoma Baptist University

FEATURED RESOURCES:

FEEDING

Preparing to preach through a Book of the Bible

One of the joys of expositional preaching is preaching through a book of the Bible.

oklahomabaptists.com/category/feeding-and-leading/ LEADING

Giving strength to and gaining strength from one another

Something powerful happens when people and churches work together.

oklahomabaptists.com/category/feeding-and-leading/

Rite of Passage

Vacation joys

Editor’s Note: Walker Moore submitted this column just days before his passing on June 26. Look for continued columns from the archives in future editions.

My wife and I had not had a vacation in several years. We decided to take six days off and relax on the beaches of Mexico. We boarded a plane in Tulsa, heading toward our connecting flight in Dallas.

Landing at DFW’s Terminal A and flying out of Terminal D, we had to hurry. Being the smarter one, my wife said, “Since this flight doesn’t include meals, let’s pick up some hamburgers to take along.” Even in our rush, we took time out to do as she suggested.

Our plane ended up waiting on the runway in a long line of others. A storm was in the area, and the pilot announced that we would have to remain on the ground until it had passed. Soon, we pulled out our hamburgers—maybe a little too soon because we sat there for the next three hours. If you have never sat on a runway for three hours in an airplane packed with families… don’t.

Late that night, we finally landed in Mexico, missing our dinner and part of our luggage. We had packed two small suitcases, and the airline lost the one that held our swimming attire, water shoes and towels.

We spent the first morning of our vacation catching the bus to visit the local Wal-Mart. After purchasing the cheapest bathing suits available, along with a couple of other items, Cathy and I made it to the beach. It took the airline a few days to find our suitcase—in Miami.

Once we had our swimming gear back, we were able to proceed with our plans to go snorkeling off a nearby island. Saturday morning, we got up and caught the local bus again. This time, we traveled not to Wal-Mart, but to the port. There, we took a ferry to the island, renting a scooter to travel to a national park.

At the park, we found just one lonely man at the entrance, repeating in broken English, “I don’t know what is wrong. The park is closed today.” After months of planning, followed by delayed flights and lost luggage, we had arrived at our destination only to find it closed.

As we turned to leave, the gatekeeper pulled me aside, saying, “If you go down this gravel road and pay the guy there $4, he will let you swim in the same bay that would have cost you $25 here.”

Being the skeptical one, I wasn’t too sure about the $4, but we made our way down the gravel road anyway. To my amazement, not only was the price right, but it was a delightful place to snorkel. We saw school after school of the most incredibly colored fish and had a wonderful time. Now, this is the way a vacation should go!

At the end of the day, we rode our rented scooter toward the ferry again. Suddenly, it began to rain. I can’t even imagine what we looked like: two soaking-wet Americans cruising down the blacktop road on a tiny scooter.

We enjoyed just one more day on the beach before our vacation ended. When we arrived at the airport in Mexico, the announcement came: our flight had been delayed. We would miss our connection in Dallas. Once again, our four-hour trip turned into an all-day adventure as we tried to find a flight that would allow us to return home.

As we boarded in Dallas for the final leg of our journey, the pilot announced that the plane had mechanical problems. Ninety minutes and one mechanic later, we were pushing away from the gate. Somehow, we made it back to Tulsa—with all our luggage.

Families are a lot like vacations. Sometimes everything goes exactly as planned. At other times, you lose all control and are left to ride out the storm.

Did Cathy and I have a great time? You bet we did! The purpose of our trip was not having the right clothes or being in the right places but enjoying one another—even amid the storms. Our relationship was the true joy of the trip: we laughed, we cried, we shared every experience . . . together.

Isn’t that the way it ought to be with God? You find joy not in what He can do or fix for you, but in the relationship you have with Him. The apostles understood that. Even though they were imprisoned and beaten, Scripture says that, “They went away rejoicing” (Acts 5:41).

They knew joy doesn’t come from a particular destination or set of circumstances but from a personal relationship with the One who controls all.

Walker Moore

Author & Messenger Columnist Email | walker@back40.org

Tributes to Walker Moore

When news of Walker Moore’s passing was shared, an outpouring of support was expressed, including in the following remarks:

As his youngest son, I got a firsthand look at the real Walker Moore, and for once, it is actually okay to meet your heroes. He was who he said he was. He would respond to every email, every letter, every phone call, and you always felt like you had his undivided attention. I’m thankful that you got to enjoy his articles for so many years because they were a piece of himself. He poured himself out like a drink offering, not only on the pages of the Baptist Messenger, but to all who had the pleasure to meet him. So, on behalf of my family and my father, thank you for being loyal readers and supporters of my father. I look forward to us all rejoicing together in the life to come—Caleb Moore, son of Walker Moore, who serves as pastor

MercyMe does not exist without Walker Moore! Jim Bryson and I led worship for Walker’s ministry, Awe Star Missions, in Switzerland back in 1993... He made us believe we had a ministry. We flew home and decided to start a band... Our first show ever as MercyMe was one year later back in Switzerland with Walker right by our side. ... Walker always told us we were going to be a part of something huge—Bart Millard, founder and leader of Christian band MercyMe

Walker Moore had profound effect on my life, in particular in my early Christian years. I’m sorrowful, yet rejoicing. This brother ran and finished well. I will miss him so very much—Jeremy Freeman, pastor

Walker Moore was an Oklahoma Baptists treasure. His passion for Jesus, missions, and life were such a bright light. We will miss him tremendously. Please join me in praying for God’s peace and comfort for the Moore family—Todd Fisher, Oklahoma Baptists’ executive director-treasurer

Walker Moore was a great youth mission leader, preacher of the Gospel, and beloved columnist for the Baptist Messenger. His passion for Christ was undeniable. We will miss his humor, wisdom and passion for the things of God. He is with his Lord and Savior—Anthony Jordan, retired Oklahoma Baptists’ executive director-treasurer

When I receive the Baptist Messenger, I always read his article first. I appreciated him—Trish, a Baptist Messenger reader

July 2023

By IMB Staff & Messenger Staff

Alisa’s life began in dramatic and di cult circumstances. Her journey from hiding in the jungle in a Southeast Asian country to having recently worked for Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children is one of God’s divine guidance.

Alisa had lost her father and brother to the civil war in her country. Soldiers burned her village, and Alisa and her remaining family lived in the jungle for several years. At age 10, she and her family were smuggled in an ice cream truck across the border to Thailand.

Her Buddhist roots ran deep and only strengthened in school. She grew up hearing negative words spoken against Christians, and she came to hate Christians.

Yet when she was age 12, Alisa remembers, two women came to their house and spoke about God, and told her God is everywhere. Later in one of her darkest hours, she would recall their visit.

Alisa nished elementary school at age 15 but was not permitted to attend secondary school because she was not a Thai citizen. Her mother and stepfather gave her an ultimatum to marrythe head construction worker where they worked. But Alisa believed there was something bigger in store for her.

Due to these disagreements with her family, she moved into an apartment in the city. She worked as a gas station attendant and began trying to earn a GED.

“As you can imagine, as a 15-year-old girl, I didn’t really know the world,” she said. “I just tried to survive, but I got into many wrong paths and a lot of bad things happened to me.”

“Hurt people hurt people. I got hurt and wanted to hurt people.”

Police hunted her, and extorted money from her in order for her to be able to stay in the country.

She discovered she was unwittingly in a gang after motorcyclists started chasing her and a friend down alleys. Choices were forced on her, and her life was threatened by rival gangs.

Alisa secured a job as a pharmacy assistant selling medication to tourists. She pretended to be a college graduate with a pharmacy or medical-related degree. In reality, she was not yet 18 and still working on her GED. She remembers the whiplash of going from crying in anger and frustration about the circumstances of her life to putting on a customer-service face when customers came in.

“In gang life, friends are very important for us, probably more than family,” Alisa said. “When I read that Jesus was their friend and Jesus can change their life, I said to myself, ‘I want this Jesus’.”

She learned how Jesus calls His followers to turn the other cheek when struck. She said that stood out because in gangs, if someone hurts you, you pay them back with 10 times the force.

The Americans who gave her the book returned. She later learned they were a Southern Baptist volunteer team from Southeastern Seminary.

“When you follow Jesus, you turn from your old ways,” the woman told her. “Yes, that is what I want,” Alisa said.

The Christians provided her with two lifelines—the rst, knowledge of Jesus, and the second, a safe place to crash—she learned while they were visiting that gang members were waiting at her apartment.

Before they returned to the U.S., they connected her with International Mission Board (IMB) missionaries Kim Ratli and Brooke Ross. When Ratli and Ross asked if she was ready to accept Jesus, she said she didn’t know yet. She had been a Buddhist for so long.

Not long after, Alisa dreamed of someone coming to save her, and she instinctively knew it was Jesus. She committed her life to Christ and was baptized.

The Lord grew in Alisa a desire to share the Gospel with anyone and everyone who would listen. Alisa’s story of moving to the U.S. was also a dramatic one. Stateless and passport-less, her prospects seemed grim, but God paved the way.

Alisa reunited with the Lindleys in Oklahoma and attended Oklahoma City, Northwest (where Rob is now a pastor). She pursued a degree in social work at the University of Oklahoma. Prior to moving out of Oklahoma in June, she recently worked as an administrative assistant for the Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children. Her long-term dreams for her life journey are to start a school for children in her home country and open a non-pro t to help train people in trauma healing.

“What I used to know was hurt people hurting other people, but in Christ, though I had been in so many hurting relationships, God heals and forgives me,” she said. “I’m to love people for who they are.”

Alisa has experienced that God had a hope and future for her all along the way.

To hear Alisa’s full testimony, visit baptistmessenger.com/podcast.

She looked to be cleansed of sin in Buddhism, but nothing helped.

“I couldn’t control my anger,” she said. She had even contemplated suicide

Alisa then remembered the two women who came to her family’s house and told her about God. She knelt in the pharmacy and said, “God, if you are real, come change me.”

Not long after, several Americans came into the pharmacy and gave her a book called “This is My Story.” The author called Jesus a friend, and talked about how He changed her life.

IMB missionaries Rob and Jordan Lindley discipled her, and she got involved in student outreach, discipleship training and a village ministry.

Each week, the Lindleys taught her a Bible lesson that she’d teach in the village.

Undoing years of Buddhist thought and belief was di cult, and she also harbored bitterness about how Thai people treated her. As she grew closer to the Lord, her anger slowly faded away. “It was not me that was doing it, it was that I yielded to God. I was obeying,” Alisa said.

“I lived in a world where I could not nd my identity and didn’t know who I was,” she said. “I know that there was a strong feeling in me that I want to wash away my sin.”

Pastor’s Page

Just Joe: Hilarious moments in church life Theology, ministry leadership & more

So many funny things happen in church life, includ ing things connected to the observance of baptism. My favorite baptism story has to do with baptizing a lady in her 70s.

She had come by my office a couple of weeks earlier, and I had the privilege of leading her to the Lord. That next Sunday, she came forward to make her decision public.

The appointed Sunday came. I had on my baptismal robes (that included waders underneath) and walked pastorally into the baptistery. I looked to where the candidate was waiting and made the pastoral motion for her to come into the water. So far, everything went as planned.

I introduced her to the congregation, reminded them of the lady’s salvation story, and asked her if she was saved. She responded. I asked her to cover her nose with her right hand and hold her right wrist with her left hand. So far, everything went as planned.

I placed my right hand on her back and took hold of her hands and started to lean her back into the water when, with her right hand still pinching off her nose, she said, “Oh, my back.” Somehow, I had forgot she mentioned she had a bad back. In my best pastoral voice, I said to her, “It will be fine. Just relax.” I started a second time and again she said in a somewhat louder voice, “Oh, my back!”

We tried one more time when I realized I was not going to be able to lean her back into the water. So, I began to think about what options I had. One of the first things I thought of is I could take my left foot and sweep her legs out from under her. But then I thought if I tried a leg sweep and was unsuccessful, she might try to leg sweep me or poke me in the nose.

I said, “Hunker down.” She turned to look at me— her right hand still pinching her nose—and asked, “What?” So, I repeated myself, “Hunker down” a little louder than the first time. She asked, “What?” And this time I said loudly, “Hunker down.”

Back where I grew up, hunker down meant you just sort of bent your knees and got as low as you could. I am not sure where this lady grew up but hunker down had a completely different meaning to her. She bent over at the waist, got her face in the water with her right hand pinching her nose and made a motorboat noise.

After what seemed like 10 minutes of motorboat noises, she stood right up with the most pleased look on her face. Obviously, her bad back issues only kicked in when she was going backward not forward.

All I could to do at that moment was to say, “All God’s people said…” Thankfully, all the congregation could do was to respond with “Amen.” I never did get that lady all the way under the water, but we counted it anyway.

Not long after that we posted signs in the baptism dressing rooms about no motorboat noises in the baptistery.

Let me leave you with a couple of thoughts. One, nothing beats seeing someone getting saved. Two, it is always exciting to see someone who got saved, get baptized. Three, total immersion is a Scriptural model for baptism, but I sure hope the Lord let that one count. Last, if you need to use technical baptism terms like “Hunker down,” make sure the baptism candidate knows what you mean.

Joe Ligon

Oklahoma Baptists Sr. Associate Executive Director

R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S S O U G H T F O R

B O A R D S A N D C O M M I T T E E S

T h e O k l a h o m a B a p t i s t s ’ N o m i n a t i n g C o m m i t t e e i n v i t e s O k l a h o m a B a p t i s t s f r o m a c r o s s t h e s t a t e t o r e c o m m e n d p e r s o n s t o s e r v e o n t h e v a r i o u s b o a r d s a n d c o m m i t t e e s T h e c o m m i t t e e ’ s n o m i n a t i o n s w i l l b e p r e s e n t e d t o m e s s e n g e r s a t t h e A n n u a l M e e t i n g o n N o v e m b e r 1 3 - 1 4 .

For more information, visit www oklahomabaptists org/recommendations

15 Onetime shampoo brand ___, which are yet no ___?”

37 Step

Word Search

41 Jerusalem to Egypt dir.

42 Ice sheet

43 Parsonage

44 New bill is this

45 Pony

46 Mary ____, artist

49 Good and bad fruit in Jeremiah’s vision

50 Bumpy [road]

51 “So they ___ it up” (Mic. 7:3)

52 Bethlehem to Jerusalem dir.

55 Time period

56 Gem State

59 Perfect

61 One of twelve tribes

62 Synthetic ber

63 Dukes

64 “Ask for the ___ paths. . .and walk therein” (Jer. 6:16)

65 Access (2 wds.)

66 Bible, e.g.

DOWN

1 A tide does this

2 Jesus’ ____ was a manger

3 “Call the labourers, and give them their ___” (Matt. 20:8)

4 God’s prophets are often considered this

5 Lower parts of faces

6 “Take the girdle that thou ___ got” (Jer. 13:4)

7 Annex

8 Athens to Jerusalem dir.

9 “The ___ are become brutish,

and have not sought the Lord” (Jer. 10:21)

10 Double star

11 “Behold, I ___ thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand” (Jer. 40:4)

12 “I have ___ thee with an everlasting love” (Jer. 31:3)

14 Accompany

22 Billboards

24 “The nations shall bless themselves in ___” (Jer. 4:2)

25 Cogged wheel

26 “There is but a ___ between me and death” (1 Sam. 20:3)

27 Tyre

28 Fifth book in NT

29 Podium

30 “They ___ up Jeremiah with cords” (Jer. 38:13)

31 “My people hath been lost ___” (Jer. 50:6)

34 List of meals

35 Back talk

36 “I see a rod of an almond ___” (Jer. 1:11)

38 Cut open

39 “To seek and to save that which was ___”

(Luke 19:10)

40 “My people have forgotten me ___ without number” (Jer. 2:32)

42 Unraveling

43 Black and white bird

44 Tulsa time zone

45 Intelligence gatherer

46 Apostle’s Creed

47 Relating to hearing

48 “Who is that shepherd that will ___ before me?” (Jer. 49:19)

49 “The ___ of the battle was against him” (2 Sam. 10:9)

51 Horse command

52 Fiddled while Rome burned

53 “No ___ in Gilead” (Jer. 8:22)

54 “God; there is none ___ beside him” (Deut. 4:35)

57 Tinge

58 Option (abbr.)

60 Audio recording

Note: The word clues for the Word Search are chosen by the Messenger staff, while the puzzles and letters surrounding the clues are computer-generated at random.

Praying for her country

Uap Pi, a member of Tulsa, Zomi, points at Myanmar, her native country, which is featured on a map at one of the stops on the Missions Trail at Falls Creek Conference Center. The Missions Trail features eight wooden pergolas that provide information about different regions of the world. During the summer youth camp at Falls Creek, campers are able to visit the new Missions Trail, located next to the Centennial Prayer Garden. Everyone who visits enjoys an interactive prayer walk experience to learn about international mission work and consider their calling to missions.

CHURCH STAFF CHANGES

KENNETH WITTE is pastor of Miami, Southeast.

CONGREGATIONAL NEWS

NEW CONGREGATION. Tulsa, Church Inside Out at Red Fork is now meeting. Mike Lehew is pastor.

NEW CONGREGATION. Oklahoma City, Iglesia Bautista Gracia De Dios is now meeting. Luis Ruiz is pastor.

NEW AFFILIATE. Oklahoma City, Tabernacle is now an Oklahoma Baptist church. Eric Williams is pastor.

Amy Petersen Ministry Wives Ministry Partner Oklahoma Baptists

As the ministry wife ministry partner, I have the privilege of encouraging and supporting ministry wives in the 1,800 Southern Baptist churches across our state. I was a ministry wife for 20 years, serving alongside my husband in Texas, Oklahoma and South Carolina. I understand the blessing and the struggle of the ministry wife life.

In 2020, I stepped into this role with a passion for strengthening ministry wife healthiness and family wellness. Health is so important in ministry. Our ability to advance the Gospel directly ties to the healthiness of our churches. The church can only be as healthy as the pastor and staff, and the health of our pastors and staff closely connects to their family wellness which is massively dependent on their wife’s health.

One of the biggest struggles ministry wives face is loneliness. “More than 1 in 3 Americans are lonely,” per a Harvard study (2021). Especially in ministry, LifeWay Research (Pastor Spouse Research Study, 2017) states that 69 percent of ministry wives “have very few people to confide in about the really important matters in life.” Loneliness deters a ministry wife’s health, impacting her mental health

TRIBUTES

Doug Baker

Doug Baker, 54, died June 21. Funeral service was June 30, in West Chester, Pa. He served as editor of the Baptist Messenger from August 2009 until November 2010. He also served with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.

Reagan Bradford

Reagan Bradford, 90, died June 17. Funeral service was June 29 at Oklahoma City, Northwest. He served as a trustee for WatersEdge (formerly the Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma). He also served as a board member for Oklahoma Baptist University and Midwestern Seminary. He had a long career serving in many roles with Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.

Dennis Tate

Dennis Tate, 79, died May 8. Funeral service was May 11 at Ada, Homer, where he served as pastor for almost 30 years. After retirement, he served on many international mission trips.

Around the State

and her family’s wellness. Connection is a beautiful solution to loneliness.

Since 2020, I have developed a threetiered strategic approach for connection in the following ways: 1) one-on-one connection, 2) digital connection and 3) large event connections. Large events are excellent ways to capitalize on the natural gathering opportunities by offering something special for the ministry wife.

Annually, the Southern Baptist Convention hosts the Minister’s Wives Luncheon, where ministry wives from all over the country gather for a time of encouragement. It is a beautiful opportunity for connection. Last month, in New Orleans, we had more than 70 Oklahoma Baptist ministry wives who attended the luncheon, sitting together at one of our nine tables! This representation is the highest collective of any other state convention. Many connections were made.

There is power in knowing that you are part of a bigger story, a greater work that God is doing as we advance the Gospel together. I’m so grateful to be an Oklahoma Baptist!

More than 70 Oklahoma Baptist ministry wives attended the Minister’s Wives Luncheon in New Orleans last month, the highest representation of any state convention.

Photo: Shannon Cross

Pray for

Missionaries:

In Focus:Brock Hardin

Brock Hardin has served in full-time ministry since 2005. From 2005-17, he was the student pastor at Heavener, First and has been the pastor of the church for six years.

Hardin enjoys leading worship and has done so at several camps, revival meetings and youth activities over the years. He said his deepest desire is to serve the Lord in whatever capacity He permits.

Heavener, First has developed into a church that is vibrant in sharing the Gospel, and in the past 16 years, this faithful body has witnessed people make professions of faith in Christ. Hardin said a few things have contributed to this spiritual success at the church.

“A desire to pray for the lost is the first,” Hardin said, when explaining Heavener, First’s being effective in evangelism. “We make it a priority to constantly be praying for the salvation of our lost neighbors.

“Second, we stick to the practice of holding two or even three revival services each year,” Hardin continued. “Third, we deliberately make obvious Gospel invitations in our student and children’s ministries. Lastly, we encourage our Sunday School classes to host event and practice evangelism. By God’s grace, we have had success in evangelism.”

Hardin said giving through the Cooperative Program is another method his church can spread the Gospel.

“Through the Cooperative Program, our money supports evangelistic efforts in our wonderful state as well as in remote parts of the world where the majority of us will not have the opportunity to travel,” he said. “The Cooperative Program is essential to the Gospel reaching the ends of the earth and enables us to increase our evangelistic reach.”

Julie Espeland

She and her husband Matthew and their two daughters are serving in Madagascar.

Justin Kunis

He and his wife Winona are serving in North Africa. Their names changed for security purposes.

Sub-Saharan Africa

This is a growing Christian population, but it is home to more than 1,600 unreached people groups.

Chris & Jamie Schilt

They and their five children serve in Malawi.

Oklahoma

Andy Taylor

He serves as regional ministry parter for eastcentral Oklahoma.

Foster Care and the Church

By Aaron Earls

More pastors are encouraging members to adopt and provide foster care at a time when adoptions have declined in the U.S.

A Lifeway Research study found:

Two in five U.S. Protestant Churchgoers

(44%) say their congregation and its leaders are proactively involved with adoption and foster care in at least one of seven ways. A similar percentage (45%) say they haven’t seen other churchgoers or leaders provide any of the specific types of care or support, while 11% aren’t sure.

“Caring for the fatherless is repeatedly prioritized throughout Scripture. But the Bible does not pretend caring for another like your own child is convenient or easy. ”

-Scott McConnell, executive director Lifeway Research

Adoptions and the

prevalence of foster care have fallen among all Americans in recent years.

The number of U.S. children in foster care dropped from 436,556 with 124,004 waiting to be adopted in 2017 to 391,098 with 113,589 waiting to be adopted in 2021, according to a report from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System. Adoptions, both domestically and internationally, have declined as well.

Churchgoers are more likely now to say they’ve seen leaders help in these ways compared to 2017.

Five years ago, 12% of churchgoers said leaders encouraged members to provide foster care; 8% saw leaders raise funds for families who were adopting, and 6% said leaders provided training for foster parents

Churchgoers today are less likely to see personal involvement with adoption and foster care in their churches.

A member provided foster care

A member adopted a child domestically

A member adopted a child internationally

For more information about becoming involved with fostercare, visit www.OBHC.org/foster

Churchgoers split over seeing active support for foster care and adoption in their churches

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