People & Church News

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CrossTimbers staff working hard, NEWS & CULTURE as camp sees many decisions

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>> by Chris Doyle

MANAGING EDITOR

DAVIS—CrossTimbers Children’s Mission Adventure Camp started strong this summer. After three sessions at the Davis encampment, with 964 campers attending, CrossTimbers reported 233 total spiritual decisions made with 123 professions of faith in Christ.

CrossTimbers program director Charlie Gatton is excited about these results, especially since camp did not occur last year.

“Everything is going wonderfully,” Gatton said. “Camp has been sitting for two years, and when you turn on everything, and there’s been a freeze, and everything needs to be repaired, you can expect some things to go wrong, but we rejoice because kids are getting saved.

“The devil doesn’t like what we do, and he may pick on us, but God will still make Himself known. And it’s apparent with how receptive and responsive kids have been this summer.”

Gatton said more than 20 percent of the kids attending in the first session made professions of faith.

“Several kids understand that God must increase and they must decrease,” he said. “That goes along with our theme this summer which is ‘I MUST’ based on John 3:30, which says, ‘He must increase, but I must decrease.’”

Like every summer at CrossTimbers, the summer staff makes it possible for camp to go smoothly. It has been said they are the “secret sauce.” Gatton concurred this summer’s staff is making an impact despite being a smaller group.

“Staff is small but strong,” he said. “We joke that we call them Gideon’s army. We would like to have 75 people, and we have 37. But they make the difference, and God is using them to speak to kids just as He uses our camp pastors. We continue to see campers make decisions at target sports and with staff members connecting with them on the ropes course. The Gospel is advancing all throughout camp.”

Gatton also appreciates the work of Bear Toninka who serves as CrossTimbers operations supervisor.

“Bear is doing a great job recovering from not having camp last year,” Gatton said. “If something needs fixed, he takes care of it right away. We would not have been able to start camp without him, and he’s got several people who worked hard to get camp ready.”

CrossTimbers Davis will have six sessions completed by the end of June, but CrossTimbers Grand Lake will begin its first session June 28. Now in its second summer, Grand Lake will feature five CrossTimbers session.

For more information visit crosstimbers.org.

>> PHOTO: CHRIS DOYLE

CrossTimbers summer staff members connect with campers while sharing the Gospel, whether that is done at the ropes course (1), target sports (2) or through leading music in worship times (3).

CLASSIFIEDS NEWS & CULTUREOBU presents awards to Dilbeck & Manner

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>> PHOTOS: COY CYPERT

1) Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) President Heath A. Thomas, right, presented the J.M. Carroll Award to Hance Dilbeck during the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tenn. June 15. The J.M. Carroll Award is given in recognition of outstanding denominational service in the state of Oklahoma. It is named for J.M. Carroll, who served as OBU’s first president, helping establish the foundation upon which OBU’s tradition of excellence has been built. Dilbeck has been serving as the executive director-treasurer of Oklahoma Baptists. In July, he will become the president-elect of Guidestone Financial Resources.

2) Thomas also presented the Herschel H. Hobbs Award for Distinguished Denominational Service to David Manner during the SBC Annual Meeting June 14. The award is named to honor the noteworthy Southern Baptist denominational service of Herschel H. Hobbs, a prolific author, Oklahoma Baptist preacher and radio program host. He is also the namesake of OBU’s Herschel H. Hobbs School of Theology and Ministry. Manner is an OBU alumnus and serves as the executive director for the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists. He recently released “Better Sundays Begin on Monday: 52 Exercises for Evaluating Weekly Worship.”

CHURCH NEWS

PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

SPRIGGS DEATH. Delbert Spriggs, BAPTIST ARCHIVETHE OKLAHOMA 72, died June 4. Funeral service was Monday, June 14 at Earl M. Temple Memorial Chapel. He was the pastor of Oklahoma City, Faithworks. He is survived by his wife Phillis, his daughter Ajeenah and his son D.D. WELTON DEATH. Agnes Welton, 87, died June 12. Funeral service was Thursday, June 17 at Greenwood, Ark., First. She retired in 1998 as the ministry assistant for the director of state missions for Oklahoma Baptists. She is preceded in death by her first husband Samuel Ellenwood. She survived by her husband Boyd Welton, a retired prison chaplain; her son, Drew Ellenwood; her daughter, Jill Ellenwood; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

VICARS RETIRES. Russell Vicars will retire July 11 after serving 57 years in ministry. He is currently pastor of Seminole, Harvey Road. “We thank God for His faithfulness and salute Bro. Russell for almost six decades of serving the Kingdom of God in Oklahoma Baptist churches,” said Tim Green, director of missions in South Canadian Association. Vicars and his wife Bettye will be moving to St. Louis, Mo., to be closer to their children.

CHURCH STAFF CHANGES

CHAD THOMPSON is pastor of Skiatook, First.

CONGREGATIONAL NEWS

REVIVAL REPORT. Muldrow, Short, May 2-6; two professions of faith in Christ. Evangelist Kim Schmidt; Eugene Mooney provided music; Vance Mooney is pastor.

COMING EVENT

JULY 31. Christian Ministers Alliance (CMA) is hosting the 13th annual Saving Our Kids-Legends Banquet, 6 p.m., at Downtown Doubletree Hotel, 616 W. Seventh Street in Tulsa. Bob Green, retired pastor of Broken Arrow, Arrow Heights, will be honored at the event, as CMA will be naming its Education Facility after Green and other honorees. For more information, contact W.R. Casey, Jr. at 918/951-7407 or 918/902-1374.

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FoNAC meets in Nashville

>> PHOTO: ROBIN JACKSON

About 70 Fellowship of Native American Christians (FoNAC) members and guests met for the group’s annual meeting at Music City Center, a day prior to the start of the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in the same location.

Pictured above, Warren “Jr.” Pratt’s son takes a break from dancing at FoNAC’s annual gathering. Pratt leads the Tribe of Judah dance ministry.

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