2024/ March

Managing Stress

Stephen Rummage

Ministry Wives

Amy Petersen

March 2024 · Vol. 113 I No.

MESSENGER STAFF

Brian Hobbs | Editor bhobbs@oklahomabaptists.org

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03

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GREETINGS

SOME GOOD NEWS ON WHAT THE GOOD NEWS IS ACCOMPLISHING

It seems, at times, all we hear is bad news. We watch the news broadcasts on TV, hear reports on the radio, or see posts and articles online that describe much of the negative things that are happening in this world. So, I decided to share some good news about the wonderful things God is doing through our Oklahoma Baptists churches, ministries, and affiliates.

To begin, there are some great signs of growth among our churches. Based on the Annual Church Profile that Oklahoma Baptists churches submitted in 2023 (compared to the same percentage of churches reporting in 2022):

• Baptisms are up 20.3 percent.

• Sunday School/small group average attendance is up 13 percent.

• Worship service average attendance is up 12.1 percent.

• Churches gave the highest amount ever in the history of the Edna McMillan State Missions Offering in 2023.

As I travel and visit churches across our state, I see the difference they are making for the Gospel in their communities.

• One church is doing incredible work with refugees from a war-torn country.

• Multiple churches have seen many people come to faith in Christ through their mission centers meeting physical needs and providing training for families.

• Many rural churches have a very high percentage of the entire youth-aged population of the community in their Wednesday night service.

• I speak at numerous men’s events at churches, and almost every time I hear the testimony of a man where Christ has redeemed his life from the horrors of sin and restored his family.

• On any given week, we have Oklahoma Baptists churches with mission teams sharing the Gospel all over the globe.

These are just to name a very few. God is doing tremendous work in and through our churches!

The ministries and affiliates of our state convention also have many positive things happening for the Kingdom:

• Falls Creek had a record number of students (over 2,600) commit their lives to follow Christ in the eight weeks of camp last year.

• Every board meeting of Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children includes individuals sharing testimonies. Here are some I’ve heard the last year: A single mother with no place to turn who found a home for herself and her young children at OBHC, job training, and hope and salvation in Jesus; a boy who sought to end his life and needed a home came to OBHC, was introduced to a loving church and youth group and now radiates joy when he speaks of his love for Jesus.

• As I write this, Disaster Relief teams are in western Oklahoma and Texas, feeding people, helping those whose homes were destroyed by fire, and DR volunteers are sharing the Gospel.

• I had the opportunity to talk about the authority and historicity of the Bible recently at the BCM at Oklahoma State University. The church where we met was packed with more than 400 students. They eagerly listened and had great questions. Their interest in and thirst for the Bible was palpable.

• OBU is launching an array of new degree programs committed to their vision of educating and training students to live all of life, all for Jesus in all kinds of vocations.

• WatersEdge continues to have strong growth in their Ministry Accounting Service program that offers affordable accounting/payroll services to our churches serving them in a very practical, helpful way.

• Baptist Village Communities has recently purchased a new facility in Enid, broadening their ability to serve senior adults in northwest Oklahoma. I so appreciate the vision of BVC to make the Gospel a central aspect of the services they provide.

I get frustrated when I hear people say that Christianity and the church are in hopeless decline and doing nothing to impact our world. I would argue the opposite. I rejoice that I see up-close so many things that God is doing to transform lives, families and communities through the Gospel. Let’s keep pressing on in reliance on Jesus and for His glory!

Serving Jesus with you,

Written by Todd Fisher Executive Director-Treasurer

FOCAL POINTS

Have you ever seen film footage of a herd of zebras trying to evade a predator? I learned about this recently—how the herd uses their black-and-whitestriped pattern, moving every which way, to confuse the pursuer, who then can have no single focal point.

In some ways, it seems Christians today have become so bombarded by media and cultural conversations that we have lost our ability to focus.

Listen in to the average conversation happening online, and you will hear topics like climate change, social equality, mental anxiety and LGBTQ+. These are just a few of the terms and topics society tells us we must focus on with urgency.

William F. Buckley, Jr. once said that a nation that is having a public conversation about privatizing lighthouses will not be talking about socializing medicine. His point is that social outcomes are determined by what people are talking about. The priority is set by the primary conversations happening.

That is true in the church, as well. One of the great temptations for the church today is to be distracted. If we are not careful, we will spend all of our time and energy focused on secondary topics instead of the main thing.

For example, when the culture is obsessed with talking about topics like the environment, Christians can and should speak up with biblical principles to apply in those conversations and situations. At the same time, Christians do not need to be drawn into every conversation about it or make it our primary focus.

C.S. Lewis said the devil loves it when people are running around with fire extinguishers during a flood. In other words, our enemy doesn’t mind if we are passionate and care about things, as long as it’s the wrong thing.

Thankfully, Oklahoma Baptists recently convened for the annual Advance Conference, where the Gospel was put back in focus. We can use this moment as a springboard to refocus on Jesus. We should steer cultural conversations continually back to the Gospel.

The Bible says, “Let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Col. 4:6). And “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:2).

Let’s make Jesus our focal point; make talking about Him the priority. After all, as his “herd” of followers, isn’t that supposed to be our main focal point?

Written by Brian Hobbs Editor of The Baptist Messenger

Scan here to register and to recieve more information!

EVENTS

MARCH 22-23

Youth Evangelism Conference

Falls Creek Conference Center oklahomabaptists.org/yec

APRIL 5-6

Missions Conference for Everyone OKC, Emmaus oklahomabaptists.org/ gostudents-training

APRIL 12-14

Falls Creek Spring Retreat

Falls Creek Conference Center oklahomabaptists.org/ spring-retreat

43: Training men in the church

Michael Staton, pastor of Mustang, First, shares with Todd and Andy the two-year process they use in developing men in the church for ministry. Listen at www.oklahomabaptists.com/podcast

MARCH 25-27

Directors of Missions/AMS Retreat at Falls Creek Conference Center

APRIL 2

New Pastor & Staff Orientation at Baptist Building

APRIL 4

Singing ChurchWomen at Skiatook, Immanuel

APRIL 11

Singing Churchmen at Grove, First

APRIL 14

Singing and Praising at OKC, Southern Hills

FOR MORE INFO ON OKLAHOMA BAPTISTS’ EVENTS VISIT OKLAHOMABAPTISTS.ORG/EVENTS

GREETINGS FROM BIS0N HILL

“At Oklahoma Baptist University, we equip the next generation of Future Shapers to live all of life, all for Jesus.”

We say this often at OBU. But what does it mean? What exactly is so exceptional about being a Future Shaper?

campus exceed our current capacity, we believe God has a plan for our future. We fully trust in Him and know our deep faith will fortify us as we follow His plan.

Future Shapers have full hearts and serve those in need. When we look out across our world, we see communities in need of people equipped and willing to serve their neighbors. As we recognize the rising demand for healthcare and mental health professionals, ethical business leaders and caring teachers, we have chosen to develop new academic programs to meet these vital needs and serve our world.

At OBU, we equip students in each of these vital aspects of their whole being.

Future Shapers have deep faith. As we work to renew the OBU campus following the tremendous damage caused by last year’s storm, we acknowledge that we are utterly dependent upon God. While we recognize that the financial resources needed to rebuild our

In November, the OBU Board of Trustees approved new undergraduate programs in cybersecurity, actuarial and financial math, data science, family therapy, sport psychology, sports communication, creative media, art, Spanish and theatre education. Also, we will launch four new graduate healthcare programs (pending accreditation) over the next three years, including Doctor of Occupational Therapy, Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology, Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies and Doctor of Physical Therapy.

Future Shapers have strong hands. In the first months after the tornado, our students, employees and volunteers worked many

long hours. We did this because we believe in what God has entrusted to us here on Bison Hill and in what He is doing here. As we work to rebuild and remodel our most critical buildings—Raley Chapel, Shawnee Hall, Thurmond Hall, Wood Science Building and our residence centers—we ask for you to continue to join hands with us to revitalize our campus in a manner of excellence that brings honor and glory to God.

And lastly, our Future Shapers have wise minds. They know how to navigate their world with wisdom and demonstrate a strong work ethic. They identify problems and understand how to solve them. These are the change agents who will shape the future.

Please continue to support OBU as we equip Future Shapers to impact the world around us for God and for good.

May God bless you and may God bless OBU!

Written by Heath Thomas Oklahoma Baptist University President

ON ICE Slipping

Do you remember the January ice storm? In the scale of ice storms, this was closer to a nuisance than it was a storm. But it was enough that we decided our convention staff should work from home. Not only could they catch up on a little work—they would also have a little extra time to drink all the extra milk and eat all the extra bread they had bought in anticipation of an atmospheric catastrophe.

Sometime around midday, after I had labored away for half the day, I decided I would venture outside. I needed to stretch my legs and let my Labrador Retriever out for a while. I stood in my shop watching that goofy dog run around on the ice covered grass.

At some point, I stepped out of the shop building onto the concrete apron at the door. That’s when things began to get sideways. When I stepped out onto that ice covered concrete, I was in complete control. I hadn’t stood there for just a few seconds when I looked down and saw that my left leg was sticking out. It wasn’t sticking out too high – somewhere between the height of a punter’s leg after kicking a football a hundred yards and in a high step I might do if I

thought I was about to step on a coppermouthrattlemocassin.

I remember thinking I don’t remember sticking my leg out like that so why is my leg sticking out like that? That’s when my right leg (the traitor) started to slide. I have never been able to trust my right leg. My left one has generally been trustworthy enough but not my right one. About the only time I can remember liking my right leg was the time I used it to do a perfect leg sweep on my sister.

She hit the ground hard and immediately started crying (big baby). I told mom I wasn’t sure what had happened, and my sister kept crying. It may have been a little more believable if I hadn’t been laughing when I said it. Turns out she broke her tailbone when she fell. But I have never figured out why that was so traumatic. I mean, what do you use your tailbone for anyway? It’s like your appendix or a tonsil. It’s just one of those extra parts the Lord left in you when He made you.

But that’s the only time my right leg has done much of anything for me. And now here I was with my left leg sticking out, and I could feel

my right leg slip sliding out from under me (Stupid right leg). I don’t remember how long it took me to fall. It wasn’t too long. But I didn’t break my tail bone. I thought for a minute that I may have jarred a tonsil loose. But I sure didn’t cry about it. In fact, I jumped up as quickly as I could and scanned the horizon to make sure none of my nosy neighbors didn’t see me.

You know the Bible says if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall. That probably applies to when there is ice on the ground or when your ego is bigger than your foundation.

Written by Joe Ligon Senior Associate Executive Director

Written by Carissa Jones

Any given Monday night at Oklahoma State University (OSU), a group of students can be found in the thirdfloor lounge of Jones Hall studying the Bible together. Hayley Hitt and Wyatt McCune, both active members of the Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM—formerly Baptist Student Union), began this ministry last year for their fellow dorm residents.

“The BCM has really helped prepare me and equip me to lead a Bible study by showing me that I don’t have to be a perfect person to be a leader,” Hitt said. “I always felt called to lead a Bible study, but I was afraid that I wasn’t good enough. My fear held me back for years.”

Becoming active in the BCM and joining the leadership team changed her perspective. “The BCM not only gave me the confidence and community that showed me that I am worthy to do this through God’s grace and kindness, but it also gave supplemental materials to ensure we were successful and biblically sound when leading others closer to Christ.”

“We want to see students living out their faith on campus,” said OSU BCM Director Paul Lewis. “We want to see God’s Kingdom come to Stillwater and His will done in Stillwater as it is in Heaven,” he said.

Hitt and McCune are not the only BCM students working toward that aim. Levi Murphy, a junior, is one of many active members.

“From the first week I stepped foot on campus at Oklahoma State, the BCM made an immediate impact on my life,” he said.

Murphy joined the BCM for their Spring Break trip last year as they participated in Beach Reach. He noted that the evangelism experience he gained on that trip, including leading someone to Christ, emboldened him to be more active in sharing his faith on campus.

“This boldness happens to be just as useful in the business building as it is in the parking lot of a bar in Panama City,” Murphy said.

Likewise, senior Addie Dohnalik has led numerous outreach events on campus, from setting up tables where any student can come and receive prayer or ask questions to giving out flowers to invite students to a ladies’ event.

“The BCM prepared me for ministry by giving me opportunities to do outreach,” Dohnalik said. “Because of the community at BCM, I felt encouraged to take steps of faith and do the uncomfortable things.”

Fellow senior Nate Nuthman said, “God has used the Oklahoma State BCM instrumentally in my college years.”

As a freshman, Nuthman was invited into a oneon-one discipleship relationship. His mentor was on the track team and convinced his coach to give Nuthman a chance at the javelin—something Nuthman had never done before. God used that to open an unexpected door.

“I became a member of the track team and have been able to live out my faith and give all glory to God in my successes as an athlete,” Nuthman said. “The BCM has provided me with friendship and mentorship that has pushed me closer to Christ and shown me what it looks like to live out the Gospel.”

Lewis said Nuthman is one of 150 students who are currently engaged in one-on-one or focused discipleship that is geared toward “authentic, transparent relationships.” BCM also has 175 students participating in community groups and an average of 350 students at their weekly worship gathering—a number that is typically even higher during the fall semesters.

Oklahoma Baptists are currently raising funds for a new BCM building to strengthen this thriving ministry, as the former building was sold several years ago. Lewis noted that local churches have been extremely helpful during this extended transitional period, but the prospect of a new building is exciting.

“We’re probably going to have to find a new place to meet next semester,” Lewis said. “We’ve been at overflow capacity, having some of our leaders sitting in the lobby.”

Last year, the OSU BCM impacted more than 1,200 students and had 700 evangelistic encounters. The new building will accommodate their current group while allowing room for continued growth.

Cris Lowery, Collegiate Ministries Director for Oklahoma Baptists, noted that this building project has been highly anticipated, but COVID-19 and other external factors caused significant delays. In discussing how the BCM has outgrown their current space, Lowery said, “They don’t have a home, but need one.”

Lewis said he does not want the new building to just be a Christian hangout space.

“My dream is that the new building will serve as a launchpad for ministry—not something that takes

students away from campus,” Lewis said. “Instead, I hope this building will prepare them to go live missionally on campus, and they will be prepared for the rest of their lives to do ministry. It should be a place where we can equip them, challenge them and send them out.”

Junior Randall Pruitt is another example of how the BCM is already doing this. Pruitt approached the BCM leadership about his desire to explore overseas missions. “They helped connect me to the right people, helped me raise support, helped train me and then sent me overseas,” he said.

With a new building, even more students like Pruitt, Hitt, Murphy, Dohnalik and Nuthman will have the opportunity to learn about Christ, experience true discipleship, strengthen their leadership, evangelism and outreach skills. They will be equipped for missions and ministry both now and in the future – in Stillwater and to the ends of the Earth as it is in Heaven.

To give to the OSU BCM building campaign, please visit oklahomabaptists.org/donate and select “OSU BCM Building Project” for the ministry area you would like to donate to or send a check to the address below, noting in the memo line or included with the check that it is for the “OSU Building Fund.”

MISSIONARY Prayer Guide

Join us throughout the year in praying for our missionaries, serving locally and around the world!

How to Pray...

Ryan Deatherage

OKLAHOMA

Ryan serves as state associate director of Disaster Relief

How to Pray...

Ryan & Brea McMillan

GERMANY

Ryan is a church planter in Germany. He and Brea teach people to read the Bible and follow Christ

• Pray Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers bring help, hope, and healing to victims of disaster.

• Pray for protection of those serving in disaster areas.

• Pray Oklahoma Baptists would pray and seek where and how they can serve through Oklahoma Southern Baptist Disaster Relief.

How to Pray...

Gary Dempsey

OKLAHOMA

He is associational mission strategist in JohnstonMarshall Association

• Pray God will provide wisdom, resources and leaders for Oklahoma churches.

• Pray for the health and well-being of Gary, his wife, Shelia and their three grown daughters.

• Pray God would provide a space for the church plant currently meeting in the McMillan’s home.

• Pray players from the local football club would repent and believe the Gospel and have a desire to read the Bible for themselves.

• Pray the McMillan’s five kids would believe that the hope of the Gospel is also for them and that they would grow in godliness and have good friendships.

How to Pray...

American Peoples

Pray for Oklahoma Baptists who are serving in Central & South America

• Pray God would open the eyes and hearts of people living in the Americas and help missionaries as they convey the truth of the Gospel.

• Pray for the health, safety, and well-being of missionaries and their families as they serve in the Americas.

ACROSS

1 Turn the other one if slapped

6 “In laughter the heart may __” (Prov. 14:13 niv)

10 Keyboard key

13 Be not just this, but 25 Down also

15 Jesus anointed blind man’s eyes with this

16 Golfer’s need

17 Cleopatra’s love

18 “I am the __, ye are the branches” (John 15:5)

19 La Brea pits content

20 Lydia worked with them (Acts 16)

22 “__ us our debts”

24 Thought

26 Record player

28 Mined metals

29 The __ Samaritan

30 Some rest stop rooms

31 Passes at the bull

32 “Pay back what you __ me!” (Matt. 18:28 niv)

33 “We have __ his star in the east” (Matt. 2:2)

34 Deli order

35 Tavern owner

37 Along 43 Across

41 “__ your light so shine” (Matt. 5:16)

42 Sight on 43 Across

Baptist Bible Building Campus Christ

Dohnalik Faith Fund

Lewis Lowery McCune

43 __ of Galilee

44 Psychologist Sigmund

47 He builds his house on sand

48 Jesus’ mom

49 Season before Easter

50 “Let these sayings __ down into your ears” (Luke 9:44)

51 Indiana city

52 How some described Jesus

54 Decorative needle case

56 Female parent (var.)

57 “This night thy __ shall be required of thee” (Luke 12:20)

59 Supple

63 Barely make it (with “out”)

64 Old story

65 A man “shall __ unto his wife” (Gen. 2:24)

66 Take out (Abbr.)

67 Fencer’s need

68 Sharp as a two-__ sword

DOWN

1 Repeated, a dance

2 “Even as a __ gathereth her chickens” (Matt. 23:37)

3 Do this at a feast

4 Worn

5 Safari destination

6 Hovercraft (Abbr.)

7 Dover’s are white

8 Vietnamese capital

9 Ogler

10 Raiment

11 “Beware of the __ of the Pharisees” (Mark 8:15)

12 Mother __ of India

14 Bread choice

21 They will be separated from

23 Down

23 They will be separated from

21 Down

24 Hawkeye State

25 See 13 Across

27 (29) Across took the wounded man to one

29 Lump

30 “Bring forth...fruits __ for repentance” (Matt. 3:8)

31 Ado

33 What the sower sowed

34 Plague woe

36 Clumsy one

37 What thorns did to some 33 Down

38 Russian ruler

39 Ethereal

40 “Now I __ me down to sleep”

42 The Prodigal __

44 Blazed

45 Create again

46 Tooth layer

47 “Go __!”

48 They’re called to the feast (Luke 14:13)

50 Spy

51 Duplicity

53 Caribbean sight

55 Tenderness (Abbr.)

58 Downwind

60 Judas carried one (John 13:29)

61 First Lady

62 Esau’s color (Gen. 25:25)

FEBRUARY ANSWERS

Baptist Bible

Building

Campus Christ

Collegiate

Discipleship

Dohnalik

Faith Fund

Grace Hitt Jones

Kindness

Lewis

Lowery

McCune

Ministries

Murphy

Nuthman

Oklahoma

Outreach

Pruitt State

Stillwater Study

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.

TRIBUTE

Larry Adams, 91, died Feb. 5. Funeral service was Friday, Feb. 9, at Oklahoma City, Putnam City. He was a longtime Oklahoma Baptist pastor and denominational leader. He pastored numerous Oklahoma churches, including Eufaula, First; Shawnee, Immanuel; and Piedmont, First. He also faithfully served Baptist Village Communities (BVC) for many years as campus director at Baptist Village of Oklahoma City and as BVC’s vice-president of development.

WILLIS REVISES MASTERLIFE FOR SMALL GROUPS

Many are familiar with MasterLife, the discipleship resource published by Lifeway in the 1980s. Developed by Avery Willis, MasterLife has been revised by his grandson Matt Willis and Matt’s wife Allison.

Now called “MasterLife Together,” the book retains the key concepts of the original while refreshing it for a new generation of disciple-makers. Matt told North Carolina’s Biblical Recorder that the revised curriculum can be used for individual study, but it’s purposely designed for small groups.

Matt grew up in Oklahoma, was a member of Broken Arrow, First and graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University. He is a fourth generation of Willis men who lived in Oklahoma and served in Southern Baptist vocational ministry.

For more information about the MasterLife curriculum, visit lifeway.com/masterlife.

Presley shares Gospel message at Rose Day 2024

Josiah Presley was the keynote speaker for the Rose Day Pro-Life Rally on Feb. 7 at the Oklahoma State Capitol.

He serves as student minister at Edmond, North Pointe and shared his story as an abortion survivor from South Korea who was adopted by a large family in Oklahoma.

Presley said that his parents adopting him and his adopted siblings into the Presley family is a portrayal of what God did to adopt Christ followers into “His family.” “I know of no better earthly example of the Gospel than this,” Presley said. Visit baptistmessenger.com/roseday2024 for a full report of the event.

CONGREGATIONAL NEWS

NEW CONGREGATION Drummond, Cross is now meeting. Dale Hamm is pastor.

NEW AFFILATES Howe, The Highway, pastored by Larry Stacy, and Haskell, Mount Zion, pastored by Kenard Johnson, are now Oklahoma Baptist churches.

Matt and Allison Willis

Larry Adams

PASTOR IN FOCUS

Michael Butler

Chickasha, Oklahoma

Pastor of Chickasha, First Baptist

How did you get your start in ministry?

I began serving in full-time ministry at Bethany, Council Road in 2000. Our time at Council Road was a wonderful blessing. The people of that church loved us and left an imprint on our lives that will forever shape our ministry.

In 2011, I accepted the call to pastor Chickasha, First where I continue to serve today. I consider it an enormous privilege to pastor such an incredible church. I’ve had the tremendous joy of shepherding the people of Chickasha, First for more than 13 years now. By God’s grace we strive together to love all people to faith in Christ and to multiply disciples.

You have served Oklahoma Baptists several ways and are in your first year as president. What does it mean to you to lead the convention in this capacity?

Serving as president of our state convention is a tremendous honor for me because I am a lifelong Oklahoma Baptist. My life was personally impacted by ministries such as Falls Creek and BCM. It is such a privilege to now serve as president of the state convention whose ministries molded me.

As president of Oklahoma Baptists, I hope to champion the ways we advance the Gospel together. I am encouraged as I work with our convention staff and many faithful brothers and sisters to maintain a strong state convention. Through partnering together to share the Gospel, our impact is multiplied from our communities to the ends of the earth.

How are you and your church involved in serving the community and advancing the Gospel?

Our primary strategy for reaching our community is to develop a missional mindset among our people and to deploy the members of our church into our community to influence and impact others for the Gospel. I regularly remind Chickasha, First that God has strategically placed our church in our community to reach Chickasha.

Practically speaking, discipleship is a huge part of our approach to reaching our community. We think of discipleship as a directional focus more than a destination. To accomplish this, we work to move people closer to Christ. We multiply disciples by equipping each other to know and obey the Bible, embracing the messiness of ministry and encouraging one another to be more like Jesus.

Why is it important for you and Chickasha, First to support the Cooperative Program (CP)?

The Cooperative Program enables us to do more together than any of our churches could do alone. The beauty of the Cooperative Program is that it allows every church to play a role in supporting missionaries, sending disaster relief, shaping future leaders of the church and the myriad of other ministries funded through the CP. Together we can leverage our resources far beyond what any of our churches—no matter how big or how small—could accomplish on its own.

With the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program approaching in 2025, I think it is important for us to remind ourselves of the impact our churches have made together. For example, Oklahoma Baptists have collectively leveraged more than $1 billion toward advancing the Gospel together over the past 100 years. This is also an important time for us to renew our commitment to the Cooperative Program that we might continue working together to spread the Good News from Oklahoma to ends of the earth!

HOW YOU CAN PRAY FOR OKLAHOMA PASTORS

1. Pray for his family

Ask God to help him love and lead his family well, making the most of his time in the home. Ask the Lord to give him the courage to put off the trivial matters of ministry, so he’s fully engaged as the husband and father God calls him to be.

Ephesians 5:25 and Psalm 127:3-5

2. Pray for his walk with God

Pray that he will devote himself to prayer and Bible reading first and foremost before he begins his day of ministry and family time.

Philippians 4:6 and Psalm 119:9

3. Pray for his schedule

Pastors prepare engaging sermons, have people to visit in hospitals, worry home-bound members will fall through the cracks, and are attempting to follow up with visitors.

Pray that God will help him manage his schedule well to spend time with his family and lead his church family.

Ephesians 5:15-17 and Psalm 90:12

4. Pray for his sermon preparation & delivery

Pray that God gives him focus and perseverance in sermon prep, as well as clarity and wisdom as he aims to rightly handle the Word of God.

Pray God will fill him with passion and conviction as he declares the good news to encourage the saints and lead the lost to love and follow Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:15, Psalm 119:18, Hebrews 4:12, & Mark 16:15

Research.lifeway.com/2022/01/04/5-ways-topray-for-your-pastor-to-start-the-new-year/

Ministry Wive s encouraged at MVP Retreat

On Feb. 2-4, Multi-Vocational Pastors (MVP) and their wives gathered at Falls Creek for the annual MVP and Wives Retreat. MVPs are pastors who serve in Oklahoma Baptist churches that are smaller in attendance. This size church comprises the majority in our state, and their pastors are MVPs (Most Valuable Players). They juggle a lot, and so do their wives. Providing them a weekend away for rest and encouragement is a gift.

Over the weekend retreat, ministry wives connected and discussed relevant ministry life issues, rooted in the truth of God’s Word. Being married to MVPs, ministry wives may be the only “staff” their husbands have. They often run sound, designs, print bulletins/newsletters, play the piano, run the nursery, clean up, welcome, decorate for holidays, lead the women’s ministry, take attendance, make copies and so on.

With the multitude of hats MVP wives wear, they also carry many burdens: loneliness, stress, exhaustion, feeling unappreciated and pressure to be perfect. They also are moms, friends, daughters, co-workers and neighbors. MVP wives are amazing, strong and champions of the faith.

Ministry wives had the opportunity to participate in breakout sessions with topics such as Strategies for Ministering to Children in Smaller Churches, The Presents of Presence: Giving from what you already have in Christ, Dot-Connecting Discipleship and The Secret to Loving Broken People without Breaking Your Heart.

Loving broken people is one of the most challenging missions in ministry. Our churches are full of broken people. Each of us has been broken by sin and impacted by someone else’s brokenness. It hurts. Ministry life is no exception.

In the Secret to Loving Broken People without Breaking Your Heart, we circled our chairs and talked honestly about the realities of loving broken people in ministry. Jesus lived His perfect life loving broken people so well. He knew who He was and stood in that truth. He was full of grace and truth (John 1:14, 16-17).

Like Jesus, we can love broken people when we fully know the truth of who we are. Jesus knew who He was and loved from that identity. He empowers us to live and love that way, too. We can reside in a healthy space of loving broken people by following Jesus in grace and truth.

Written by Amy Petersen Ministry Wives Ministry Partner

STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING STRESS IN MINISTRY

I have been in pastoral ministry for more than 30 years and have seen many ministers burn out, quit when they shouldn’t or even disqualify themselves because they never learned how to deal with the inevitable stress that comes with ministry. Serving the local church, or any type of ministry, can become a grind if you don’t adopt some strategies to deal with stress. Here are some essential things I have found to be helpful for reducing my stress as a pastor:

Plan your preaching in advance. I set aside a week every year (usually in late August or early September) to plan my preaching for the coming calendar year. By the end of that planning week, I have all my sermon series, along with working titles and preaching texts for every individual sermon, laid out for the coming year. Annual planning relieves me from the weekly stress of deciding what to preach next. My book “Planning Your Preaching” shows you how to do this, step by step.

Start sermon preparation early. Every Monday I do something (even if it’s something relatively small) to begin preparing for my message on Sunday. Some weeks, that may mean nothing more extensive than reading over my preaching text several times. But anything I do on Monday to get started puts me significantly ahead for the rest of the week and relieves the stress of thinking, “I need to get started on my message.”

Build and trust your team. Effective ministry always involves working with a team of people, whether church volunteers or ministry staff. Gather trustworthy people around you and delegate wisely. Work to build a committed and high-capacity team and then empower team members through training and delegating ministry assignments to them. Resist the opportunity to take tasks you have delegated back into your own hands.

Written by Stephen Rummage Pastor of Oklahoma City, Quail Springs

The “85 percent rule” of delegation is helpful: Effective delegation happens when something is done 85 percent the way you would have done it yourself. Trusting your team decreases pressure and stress.

Prioritize rest and downtime. Getting a good night’s sleep consistently is crucial. Take your day off and vacation time. I am never impressed by pastors who tell me they work 24/7 or never take a vacation. Working all the time is a weakness, not a strength. God created us to live in a pattern of work and rest. Violating that pattern becomes detrimental to you, your family, your relationship with God and your ministry.

Engage in physical activities and hobbies. Find forms of exercise and recreation you enjoy, whether it’s walking, weightlifting, golf, basketball or something else. Regular physical exercise relieves tension, and it also keeps pastors from becoming overweight and unhealthy. I have discovered the most effective exercise is whatever physical activity I enjoy enough to stick with and not quit. Reading, fishing, woodworking or intentionally hanging out with your family, unplugged and undistracted, will also provide the mental and emotional relief you need to reduce stress.