March 2026 Digital Edition

DIGITAL EDITION | MARCH 2026

DIGITAL EDITION | MARCH 2026

Annual MVP Pastors and Wives Retreat Encourages Pastors Messenger Staff

OBHC Assisting Churches with Foster Care Ministries Messenger Staff

March 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

OBU Conference to Help Students Know the ‘Why’ of Their Faith Keith Hess

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ANNUAL PASTORS AND WIVES RETREAT REFRESHES, ENCOURAGES MULTI-VOCATIONAL PASTORS FEBRUARY 6-8, 2026 FALLS CREEK CONFERENCE CENTERS

DAVIS—On Feb. 6-8, multi-vocational pastors (MVP) and their wives from across Oklahoma attended the annual MVP Pastors and Wives Retreat at the Falls Creek Conference Center.

For numerous pastors and wives, the retreat has grown into an annual rite of passage—a time set aside for renewal, encouragement and fellowship with others who understand the unique calling and challenges of multi-vocational ministry. The event brought together pastors and leaders from churches and associations across the state, with one pastor and wife coming from the Panhandle and another Oklahoma Baptist pastor from Blackfork, Ark. This was one of the highest attended MVP retreats with more than 200 at the retreat. Multi-vocational pastors and their wives filled all the motel rooms at Falls Creek, highlighting the growing impact of the annual gathering.

“The staff at Falls Creek are absolutely the best, they found a way to accommodate everyone who wanted to attend,” said Philip Jones, Oklahoma Baptists Multi-Vocational Pastors ministry partner.

Derek and Valerie McMurtry, who have attended several MVP Retreats and currently serve at Chattanooga, First, described the retreat as a highlight of their year and an important source of encouragement for their ministry.

“Out of all the all the things that Oklahoma Baptists offer, if I had to choose one event to attend, the MVP Retreat is it,” said McMurtry. “This retreat is our favorite. Being able to connect with other pastors and wives going through the same issues makes this retreat a real blessing. All of the amenities, and the scheduling, there is just no stress with anything. Everything is well thought out, it is just a great time to recharge.”

The retreat also welcomed first-time attendees, including Daniel Litchford, Associational Mission Strategist for the Caddo Association, who attended with three couples from his association.

“This is my first retreat to attend. We had three couples from our association attend,” said Litchford. “Pastor Donny and Ruth Crittendon from Cyril said that they never miss and encouraged others to come. So this being my first time, I can see why it is treasured by those who serve multi-vocationally. The preaching, the breakouts, everything encourages those who serve.”

March 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

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Throughout the retreat, participants engaged in worship services, breakout sessions and times of fellowship designed to strengthen both personal faith and ministry effectiveness. The main speakers for the event were Joe Ligon, Oklahoma Baptists Sr. Associate Executive Director; Alan Quigley, Oklahoma Baptists Associate Executive Director and Church Resources Leader; and Brett Selby, Central Regional Ministry Partner, each bringing messages centered on faithfulness, perseverance and spiritual renewal.

Ligon preached from Hebrews 11, sharing a message about the unnamed servants referred to as “the others.” He emphasized that many who faithfully serve Christ may remain unknown in the eyes of society, yet their sacrifices and service are fully seen and valued by God. Quigley delivered a powerful message from Philip. 3:10, focusing on the importance of truly knowing Christ. He encouraged those in attendance to move beyond simply knowing about Jesus and to pursue a deeper, more personal relationship with Him. In the final session, Selby preached from Isaiah 40:3, highlighting the need for renewal and revitalization within the church. His message emphasized the call for a voice crying in the wilderness, urging God’s people toward meaningful change and renewed commitment for church revitalization.

Worship leadership for the retreat was provided by Xavier Abraham and the worship team from Lawton, First, along with Dustin Searles and the worship team from Durant, First. They led attendees into meaningful times of worship and reflection throughout the retreat.

As the retreat concluded, pastors and wives returned home from Falls Creek encouraged and refreshed by the opportunity to reconnect with one another and with the calling God has placed on their lives. For many, the MVP Pastors and Wives Retreat continues to stand as a treasured time of renewal and fellowship each year.

March 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

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OBHC Assisting Churches in Oklahoma with Foster Care Ministries

by Messenger Staff and Gerald Peters

For many years, Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children (OBHC) has been the largest provider of private, notfor-profit, residential childcare in the state. As affiliates of the Oklahoma Baptists, both work together to assist 1,700 Oklahoma churches with their childcare and family support ministries. In August 2024, Gerald Peters became the Director of Foster Care for OBHC and sought to help churches promote their foster care ministries.

the number of resource families, foster and adoptive families that already exist in their church because those families don’t speak up a lot of times and they don’t ask for help,” added Peters.

The process of adopting children is only the first step for most families, after that they have to find ways to provide for the child and programs like those mentioned help out in those areas. As followers of Christ, we are called to support and provide for those in the Church who need help.

“When I stepped into the role and this important work that OBHC and Teri Blanton began, what I decided was I wanted to mobilize local churches,” said Peters. “We want the local church to understand what [foster care] “I think the support from the church is the game changer,” is, and that it’s a statewide need, but it’s also an ‘in your Peters said. “It’s what keeps people fostering. We know that the number of people fostering, when they’ve got church’ need.” support from the church, goes up dramatically. It’s the In the past year, Peters and OBHC have been working to same thing for adoptive families.” raise awareness about the various needs of their families and children and give them ways to address those needs. Every single church has the capacity to contribute to foster care. OBHC is there to help churches with foster “All it requires is that church having that vision and having and family care, all they need to do is ask and have the that heart,” said Peters. “We’ll come alongside them, and willing heart to put in the work. we’ll show them, help them figure out what’s the path and “So however the church wants to serve, tell us what your how can they get there.” vision is,” said Peters. “What is your vision? Who do you Their efforts have been fruitful as numerous churches want to serve? How do you want to serve them? Let us have either started new foster care ministries or have know and we’ll help you get there.” given more attention to previously created programs.

For more information about OBHC foster care programs, Dewar, First was one of the churches that reached out to visit obhc.org/ministries.

Peters and asked about starting a foster care and adoption ministry. During their conversations, one topic that came up was about starting a bed ministry, a program where churches construct beds for families that don’t have them or are unable to afford them. Peters partnered Dewar, First with the ReNew Hope Bed Ministry from Bethel Acres, New Hope to help them create a bed ministry program.

Another church, Goldsby Church, has been heavily promoting foster care through their program, Fostering Hope. This program provides trauma informed training, weekly small groups for foster or adoptive and kinship parents, a clothing closet and other services. The clothing closet, called Blessing Box, has been successful so far with over 70 requests being made to pick up clothing from the ministry.

Most churches have the capability to start these kinds of programs, but they’re just sometimes not aware of how to help.

“They want to help, they’re willing to help. They just don’t know how,” said Peters. “Some churches don’t even realize March 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

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March 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

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OBU Conference to Help Students Know the ‘Why’ of their Faith

by Keith Hess, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Apologetics Oklahoma Baptist University

I believed in Christ at a young age, and grew up in the church. Even so, around 14 years old, I began to question my faith: How do I know that God exists? Did Jesus rise from the dead? Is Christianity true? I kept these doubts largely to myself, but when I did bring them up to Christian leaders in my life, I didn’t receive satisfying answers.

I attended The Masters University out of high school. While there, I started taking classes in philosophy. I found that I wasn’t alone in my doubts, but that Christian philosophers from the past and present asked questions about their faith as well. And many of them provided good answers, as well as good methods for getting at the answers.

As I continued to read Christian philosophers, as well as theologians and biblical scholars, my doubts went away. Christian apologetics – the defense of the truth of Christianity – helped increase my faith that Christianity is true.

In I Peter 3:15, Peter says that we should always be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (ESV). In Genesis, God created us with minds and rational capacities and declared his creation good (1:27-31). Christ commands us to love God with all our minds (Matt. 22:37). The Gospel of John provides seven signs to show that Jesus is the Messiah (John 20:30-31).

Paul reasoned with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks from the Scriptures, “explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead” (Acts 17:3).

With the Greek philosophers, he reasoned about God from natural revelation before offering the resurrection as proof of the truth of Christianity (Acts 17:16-34).

March 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

In my youth, I wasn’t prepared to defend the faith to myself, let alone others. Yet the Bible commands us to be prepared. My professors poured into me and strengthened my faith, setting me on a lifelong trajectory. Who will prepare our youth? Are there students in our youth groups across Oklahoma secretly wondering if Christianity is true?

Do they believe that Christianity can speak to our times?

On March 7, Oklahoma Bapist University (OBU) is hosting the annual Generation “Why” Apologetics Conference, with a theme of “Finding Meaning Amidst the Chaos”. Gen Why exists to help students know what they believe and why, and to see the value of Christianity for addressing the human condition.

Sean McDowell, Associate Professor of Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, is one of the plenary speakers. He will speak on the objectivity of truth as well as on finding meaning in Christ. Todd Fisher, Executive Director-Treasurer for Oklahoma Baptists, is also a plenary speaker. He will give a talk called “Staying Faithful in Life’s Worst Moments.”

Breakout topics include technology and human identity, Christianity and science, Christianity and culture, cults and world religions, and evangelism. Bring your youth to the annual Generation “Why” Apologetics Conference so that they will be better prepared to give a reason for the hope that is in them.

For more information about the Generation “Why?” Apologetics conference, visit okbu.edu./events/ generation-why/.

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Lifeway Research Finds Fewer than 1 in 3 Churchgoers Read the Bible Daily

by Aaron Earls, Lifeway Research Senior Writer

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Most churchgoers place a high value on the Bible, but only about a third commit to reading it every day.

BIBLE READING LEVELS

According to the State of Discipleship study, around 3 in 5 Americans who attend religious services at least once The Lifeway Research State of Discipleship study found a month (61%) regularly read the Bible, including 31% who Bible engagement to be one among eight signposts read every day and 30% who do so a few times a week. measuring distinct characteristics for believers progressing Some engage once a week (14%) or a few times a month in their spiritual maturity. On a scale of 0 to 100, the (11%). Few say they read Scripture only once a month average churchgoer scores 69.8 on Bible engagement, (5%), while 1 in 10 (9%) do so rarely or never. placing it fifth among the signposts.

Reading frequencies have remained mostly steady since Among U.S. Protestant churchgoers, most say they read 2019, when Lifeway Research found 59% were regular Scripture regularly, but just 31% say Bible reading is a Bible readers. Personal Bible engagement has increased, daily habit. however, since previous studies. In 2012, 46% regularly read the Bible, including 19% who did so every day. Five “Protestant churchgoers overall report they are engaging years earlier, in 2007, only 36% of churchgoers were the Bible, but on any specific question, as many as 1 in regular Bible readers, with just 16% who read dail 5 say they are not following Jesus Christ in that way,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway “The portion of churchgoers reading the Bible a few times Research. “This reflects an overall pattern in assessments a week or more on their own has leveled off recently of churchgoers where the direction is often good but far after rising dramatically since 2007, but the churchgoer from the standard seen in Scripture.” population was also changing during this period,” said McConnell, “A lower percentage of Americans attend a Protestant church once a month today than when this series of studies began. Clearly, the remnant of Americans attending church each month are more willing to regularly read the Bible on their own than when churches were more populated.”

March 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

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A recent Lifeway Research study found 9 in 10 Americans have read at least some of the Bible, but just 22% have finished the book at least once. Churchgoers were more likely than others to have read larger percentages of the Bible. Even among those who attend church services more than once a week, around 3 in 5 (59%) say they’ve read the entire Bible at least once.

While the State of Discipleship found Bible engagement to be a positive factor for adults’ spiritual growth, previous Lifeway Research studies have shown the importance of Bible reading for the next generation. The biggest predictor of whether a child becomes a faithful believer as a young adult is whether or not they regularly read the Bible growing up.

Additionally, while 66% of churchgoing teenagers stop attending when they become young adults, those who spend time regularly reading the Bible are 1.23 times less likely to drop out compared to those who do not spend personal time in Scripture.

SKIPPING SCRIPTURE When U.S. Protestant churchgoers miss time in their Bible, many say it has a negative impact, but not everyone feels the absence in the same way.

ATTITUDES TOWARD THE BIBLE As expected, U.S. Protestant churchgoers hold Scripture in high regard, but not always in the highest regard.

Around 3 in 4 (74%) say the Bible has authority over every area of their lives, with 15% unsure and 11% disagreeing.

However, only 40% strongly agree, leaving 3 in 5 with at least some doubts about the authority of Scripture.

Similarly, more than 7 in 10 (72%) find themselves thinking about biblical truths throughout the day, while 19% aren’t sure and 10% disagree. Yet just 31% strongly agree that’s regularly the case for them. Those percentages are similar to 2019, when 69% agreed, 20% weren’t sure and 12% disagreed.

“The Bible can’t have full authority in someone’s life if they don’t know what it says or aren’t considering what it says about the specific things they are facing in life,” said McConnell. “The Bible makes the appeal, ‘be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God’ (Romans 12:2b, CSB).”

For more information, view the complete report and visit LifewayResearch.com/Discipleship.

Three in 5 (62%) say they desperately miss the time with God if they go several days without reading the Bible, while 21% are unsure and 17% disagree. Similarly, 3 in 5 (58%) say they find themselves unfulfilled if they go several days without reading their Bible, while 21% aren’t sure and 21% disagree.

Yet even among those who say they notice when they aren’t engaged with the Bible, that sentiment isn’t always strong. Three in 10 (30%) strongly agree they desperately miss personal time with God when they go several days without reading the Bible, and 26% strongly agree they find themselves unfulfilled in that situation.

“Most of those engaging the Bible regularly are doing so because they enjoy what the practice brings to their lives,” said McConnell. “Movement toward more Bible engagement requires intentionality, but movement away from this devotion can start out as a slow drift. However, a moment of reflection among those who have experienced the value of engaging the Bible reminds them of what they are missing.”

Compared to 2019, churchgoers have similar overall attitudes. Seven years ago, almost 3 in 5 (58%) said they desperately missed the time with God when they went several days without reading the Bible, while 22% weren’t sure and 20% disagreed. At that time, however, 33% strongly agreed and 25% somewhat agreed.

March 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

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ChurchNEWS Tributes Albert Quick died Feb. 18. He was pastor of the Sumner Church from 1983-2022.

Jo Richards died Feb. 22. She retired in September 1999 after serving in different areas for 19 ½ years with the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, and was the widow of Vernon Richards, one of Oklahoma’s hosts for mission volunteers in Malawi, who died Feb. 6, 2021 in Lilongwe of an apparent heart attack.

Mary Bauer died Feb. 25. She was a dedicated servant at the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma for 33 years, where she worked in various roles including as executive assistant to James Swain, Equipping Team Leader.

She also served as Oklahoma Baptists’ Executive Assistant to the late Ron Fannin, who had served as Senior Assoc. Executive Director for Oklahoma Baptists. Mary, who also served with the Baptist Messenger, was also a charter member of the Singing Church Women of Oklahoma.

Darlene Riley died Feb. 18. She was the wife of Jim Riley, pastor of Lone Wolf, First.

OKC CHURCH EXPERIENCES LOSS IN CHURCH BUILDING FIRE

In late January, an Oklahoma City church building was devastated by a fire.

On Facebook, Oklahoma Baptists’ Todd Fisher said, “Friends, please pray for Oklahoma Baptists church Faith, Hope & Love Missionary Baptist Church in OKC. Their building burned yesterday and was totaled. We have helped them find a temporary place to worship and will be meeting today with the pastor and leaders to offer encouragement and support.”

TEAM FROM SKIATOOK, FIRST BUILDS HOUSES IN SURINAME Earlier this year, Skiatook, First, took a mission team to Suriname, a coastal country in South America north of Brazil and directly west of French Guiana.

While there, the team built a church deep in the rainforest for the Saramaccan (Saamaka) people and shared the Gospel to them. They also visited a school in a village where witchcraft is still practiced. The children at the school welcomed the team with worship songs, showing the growing Gospel presence in region.

MOORE, FIRST HOSTS ANNUAL ‘NIGHT TO SHINE’ On Friday, Feb. 13, Moore, First hosted the annual Night to Shine, a prom night experience made for people with special needs ages 14 and older. Sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, this worldwide event is complimentary for people with special needs. Each event is unique with its theme and location, but all have inclusive acitives like a red-carpet entrance, hair and makeup station, limousine rides, catered dining and more. The evening concluded with a crowning ceremony where every guest was honored as a king or a queen, just as God sees them every day.

March 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

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Upcoming Events Every other year, family and childhood convention leaders from Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Church Forward (formerly Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists), along with Lifeway Kids Ministry leaders work together to host the Heart of the Child Conference. This training conference, designed for anyone involved in childhood ministry or church leadership, brings together speakers to equip those who attend with skills to minister to families in churches across the nation. Heart of the Child will be held at Broken Arrow, First March 13–14. For more information, visit heartofthechild.net.

WOMEN’S RETREAT 2026

April 17-18, 2026 Falls Creek Conference Centers Davis, Oklahoma

oklahomabaptists.org/women Registration opens February 1 SCAN HERE:

INTERPRETACIÓN EN ESPAÑOL

Falls Creek Spring Retreat (FCSR) is a weekend retreat for those 18-24 years old to come together to worship, learn from God’s Word, fellowship, and have fun. With worship services, numerous breakouts, and several recreation options, there is something for everyone! Registration is open until April 4.

March 2026 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com

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