2022/November

MESSENGER STAFF

Brian Hobbs | Editor bhobbs@baptistmessenger.com

Chris Doyle | Managing Editor cdoyle@baptistmessenger.com

Lori Coats | Subscriptions/Assistant lcoats@baptistmessenger.com

Chris Forbes | Staff Writer cforbes@oklahomabaptists.org

Tori Hamilton | Art Director thamilton@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: 39,579. 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.

Connect: The Baptist Messenger & you

As I have traveled the state, I am continually amazed to hear how God is working among Oklahoma Bap tists. We are truly blessed by the Lord as He continues to use Oklahoma Baptists to advance the Gospel here and around the world.

Through the years, the Lord has raised up some special ministries that are near and dear to the hearts of Oklahoma Baptists.

We think of Falls Creek and the way God continues to save young people and call them into vocational ministry, as well as His work through CrossTimbers reaching children with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We think of our amazing affiliate ministries: Bap tist Village Communities, Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children, Oklahoma Baptist University, and Wa tersEdge—each of these making a difference in the lives of many for Christ.

We hear tremendous testimonies of how God is at work through campus Baptist Collegiate Ministries, which make a Gospel impact every day.

We think of Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief and how these wonderful volunteers are the hands and feet of Jesus, making a difference for the kingdom in times of disaster by meeting physical needs and shar ing the Gospel.

We also think of the Baptist Messenger. This long standing and beloved publication truly is an Oklaho ma Baptist treasure.

Today marks a new era for the Baptist Messenger with the introduction of a full-color magazine. This

print publication will include all the features that longtime readers know and love. It will also include some new content designed to bless and equip pas tors and our churches.

You have heard me say the goal of Oklahoma Bap tists is to serve and support churches and encourage and equip pastors.

It is my prayer and hope that this publication will be a constant source of encouragement to our church es and pastors, with news of missions, theological pieces, Gospel-based human-interest stories, Baptist news, podcast highlights, church news, inspiring arti cles, and more.

I pray the Baptist Messenger will be a great resource to help strengthen and edify our churches, pastors, and all who read it. Please take a moment to look through the pages of this new edition. I hope you will be bless ed by it. Then pass it on to a neighbor or friend.

The Bible says, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” (Isa. 52:7).

In a world that thrives on negative news and divi sion, we are committed to the Baptist Messenger be ing a continual source of Good News, one that pro claims the peace and salvation that only Jesus brings.

Todd Fisher Oklahoma Baptists Executive Director-Treasurer

Sword & Trowel

Welcome to the new Baptist Messenger magazine!

Dear Faithful Baptist Messenger reader,

Since 1912, the Baptist Messenger has been inform ing, inspiring and connecting Oklahoma Baptists, as we seek to advance the Gospel together.

While the mission and message of our publication has remained the same through the years, the pre sentation of it has adapted and changed through the decades.

Today marks a new era for the print edition of the Baptist Messenger—a full color monthly magazine format! The Baptist Messenger, as the flagship publi cation for Oklahoma Baptists, has sought to shine the light on all God is doing for all these decades.

With this edition, the Baptist Messenger print edition is being reintroduced as a monthly magazine, instead of a tabloid newspaper.

In addition to this print publication you hold in your hands, we still offer a breaking news website (www.baptistmessenger.com), a Messenger Mobile app, a weekly podcast program, Spanish language articles, an award-winning blog and more.

Take a few moments to see the new Messenger mag azine. You will find the articles and content you have

come to know and love—such as Walker Moore’s col umn and the crossword puzzle.

The magazine will feature inspiring articles and photos, prayer points and features and more.

Thanks to the leadership of Oklahoma Baptists, in cluding our executive director and board of directors, this change to a magazine format will save tens of thousands of dollars a year in postage alone, money which will be invested in missions and ministry here in Oklahoma.

This monthly magazine will arrive to your mailbox each month at no out-of-pocket costs to you, Oklaho ma Baptists. Once you are through reading it, please pass it along to a friend, or leave it in a place others can enjoy it and hear about the Gospel.

We sincerely hope you enjoy the new format of the Messenger magazine, along with all of the other con tent and stories available at baptistmessenger.com any hour of the day. It’s a joy to serve Jesus with you.

In Christ alone,

Brian Hobbs

Editor of the Baptist Messenger

Just JoeThe WalMarts and fake jerky

The other day I was sitting in my chair oversee ing my domain which consists of my television. I was watching football or golf or Gunsmoke or something when Gayla came into the room and an nounced she was going to The WalMarts. She said I should go with her.

I said that I would not go. She said I would. I said I would not. As we drove into the parking lot of The WalMarts, I announced I was going to sit in the truck. Gayla said I was going in with her. I said I was not.

As we were walking into The WalMarts, Gayla said she wanted me to push the cart. I told her that I would rather sit in the cart than push it. She said I was too old and plump to sit in the cart, and she wanted me to push it. I said I would not push it.

As I was pushing the cart around The WalMarts grocery section, it dawned on me. A woman was in charge of deciding where everything would go in that part of the store. You are probably wondering how I came to that conclusion. Well… if a man had organized all of that, then the bread, mustard, lunch meat, cheese and chips would all be right together in the same section. So, if you wanted a sandwich you wouldn’t have to wander all over the store looking for stuff. It would all be right there together.

We finally headed toward the checkout line when Gayla announced she had forgotten something. And off she went to get it. I made my way to self-check out section and dutifully waited on my bride to find me. Instead, she called me which was odd because we had just been walking together and we were still in the same store.

She asked me where I was. I said, “The WalMarts.” She was not happy with that answer at all. She asked me to narrow it down a little and I said, “Waiting at the self-checkout section.”

While I was waiting on her to find me, I noticed it. It was in the section of candy and chips and stuff that is put around the checkout area just to tempt you to

buy something else. In fact, it is common for those items to quietly call my name when I walk by. They can put quite the temptation on a man.

I heard my name. I thought it would be Gayla, but when I turned to look, it was a green bag of some thing called “Beyond Meat Jerky.” The description on the bag said, “Plant based, slow roasted, and kettle cooked.” Also included on the package were these three statements: “No GMOs, No Soy, No Gluten.” I have no idea what a GMO is, but I suspect it is tasty. And I am an absolute glutton for Gluten.

But then the picture became clearer. These folks were trying to pass off some cooked grass and proba bly weeds for jerky. In other words, this was meatless jerky which by the way means it isn’t jerky at all. It was just some grass and weeds cooked up that they were trying to pass off as jerky.

Now you could have run that same grass and weeds through some unsuspecting cow and produced some jerky made of meat. But without that natural process ing, this “Beyond Meat Jerky” was so far beyond meat, it wasn’t even close to being jerky. Give me real meat with GMOs, Soy, and lots of Gluten every time.

So, Gayla and I checked out. She said that we needed to make one more stop on the way home. I said that we wouldn’t be making any more stops on the way home. She said we would. I said we wouldn’t. And as we were pulling into the Braums’ parking lot…

Here’s the moral of my story—actually, a couple of morals. One, just do what your wife says the first time. She is going to win any way, and you will have a little man pride left over. Two, appearances can be deceiving. Make sure it is what you think it is before you commit to it.

Joe Ligon

Oklahoma Baptists Sr. Associate Executive Director

Upcoming Events

NOV 20

DEC 4 - DEC 11

Week of Prayer: Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

JAN 15-16 Youth Evangelism Conference

Jan. 15 5:30 p.mJan. 16 3:30 p.m. Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center

JAN 30-31 Advance Conference OKC, Quail Springs oklahomabaptists.org

Oklahoma Baptist Symphony Concert at Enid, Emmanuel

JAN 12

Singing Churchmen Concert at Chickasha, First

JAN 19 Singing ChurchWomen Concert at Tahlequah, First

JAN 22 Oklahoma Student Worship Choir Concert

JAN 26 Singing ChurchWomen Concert Purcell, First

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

Rite of PassageGrandparents’ prayers

One of the things my wife and I have done since we found out we were going to be grandparents is to pray for our grandchildren’s salvation. Since Titus the Honorable was our first grandson, it was a new way for me to pray.

My prayer would go something like this: “Dear God, I thank You that You have blessed us with Titus. I pray that he will be born healthy. I pray for a day in his life when he hears You calling his name and speaking to his heart, ‘Follow Me.’ I pray that from that day for ward, You will use him for Your glory. I pray that his name, Titus the Honorable, will be his character, and he will be known as an honorable, God-fearing man. I asked this in Jesus’ name.”

I was teaching on the campus of Moody Bible In stitute when I received a call. A little voice started to speak but was so choked up that not a word came out. My wife called and told me the story.

Titus went to children’s camp in Disney, Okla. On Monday night, he heard God calling him into a re lationship. Titus went forward to where his dad was and told him, “I want to be saved.”

“When we get back home, Mom and I will sit down and share with you what it means to be a follower of Jesus,” his dad said. Titus went back to his seat.

Tuesday night came. Titus again went forward to where his dad was and told him, “I want to be saved.”

“When we get back home, Mom and I will sit down and share with you what it means to be a follower of Jesus,” his dad said. Titus went back to his seat.

Wednesday night came, and during the invitation time, Titus came to his dad and told him, “I want to be saved.” His dad again repeated what he had said the two previous nights.

Titus looked into his dad’s eyes and said, “WHY CAN’T I BE SAVED?”

Caleb, being a wise dad, realized the Holy Spirit was pressing on his son’s heart to have a relationship with him. That night, Titus asked Jesus to be the boss of his life.

As I have shared this story, I can’t even begin to count how many adults have approached me, telling me it was a grandparents’ prayer that turned their lives around. Grandparents, keep praying for your grandchildren. “Pray without ceasing,” as the Scrip tures tell us (1 Thess. 5:17).

Just recently Titus made his faith in Christ public through obedience in baptism. The smile on his face and the joy that shone forth as he came out of the waters said it all: “I am now a follower of Jesus Christ.”

He wasn’t the only one smiling. For more than nine years, I have been praying that prayer, and God an swered. I don’t know who had the biggest smile: Ti tus, his parents or Grammy and me. Maybe the big gest smile was from Jesus!

One down, two to go. Grammy and I are back on our knees.

Walker Moore

Author

& Messenger Columnist Email | walker@back40.org

TRANSGENDER

TO True Love

Take one glance at Laura and Perry Smalts, and you might only see just an other happy newlywed couple, smitten with each other.

What the Lord did to bring about this mar riage and moment, though, involves years of heartache, followed by answered prayers and near-miraculous moves.

Laura had lived nearly 10 years of her adult life as a transgender male, known at the time to her friends and co-workers as “Jake.”

“I grew up in a Christian home and was raised in the church, but I really didn’t know Jesus,” Laura said. “I had difficult relationships with my mom and other women and did not like myself. During high school I was rebel lious, and I got into a lot of bad relationships. I didn’t feel like I fit in. I began to feel like I had no value or worth as a female. So, at 25 I de cided I was going to become a man.”

Laura began to take hormones and even had surgery, ultimately living in the transgen der male life for nine years.

“I found it to be so fake and empty, and it didn’t resolve any of the problems,” she said. “But it was still too painful to be a woman, so I decided I would live as a man of God, but the Lord pursued me. He didn’t leave me there.”

Laura’s unexpected journey from an unhappy transgender life to a happily married life

had no hope of transformation.But I didn’t understand the healing that God could bring.”

Approximately six years ago, Laura surrendered her life to Christ and then walked away from the transgen der life, embracing her God-given sexuality as female.

Laura returned home to her parents, Paul and Fran cine, who were members of Bartlesville, First. After years of struggle and ruptured family relationships, God began the healing work.

“When I walked away from the transgender life, I honestly thought that I would be miserable for the rest of my life,” Laura said. “I knew the Lord was ask ing me to leave it all, but I had no hope of transfor mation. But I didn’t understand the healing that God could bring.”

Since her radical life transformation, Laura has shared her story in several settings, including at churches and Christian events. She now works with a local ministry called First Stone Ministries that seeks to bring help and hope to families affected by LGBTQ-related issues.

Laura was increasingly content in her role and ac cepted her singleness. Meanwhile, Perry Smalts, who currently serves as worship leader and associate pas tor at Oklahoma City, Baptist Temple, also thought he would remain single.

“I had not dated in six years (neither had Laura),” he said. Through mutual friends, God allowed the cou ple to meet, and they became friends. What Laura and Perry did not realize at the time was that the Lord was bringing them together, and after months of dating, the two would become one.

Many twists and turns in life led up to their wedding day in May, a ceremony which was attended by beloved friends and family who had prayed for Laura for many years.

“This is a testimony to how the Lord has redeemed her life,” Perry said. “Some people ask if I had problems with her past life. No. The person that she once was no longer exists. When she asked Christ into her heart, she became a new person. Her old life is gone, and a new life has begun.”

Perry marvels at God’s grace avail able to every person. “Isn’t that won derful that God’s grace is greater than our worst sin? I think that sometimes we don’t like people who have a different

“I

Laura pursued a transgender life.

Laura found peace in Christ.

Laura and Perry’s wedding day.

sin than we have,” he said. “It makes people uncom fortable, but God’s grace is for all of us. Whether we’ve sinned big or little. It’s just a wonderful testimony that brings God glory.”

God has continued to help each of them work through their personal issues.

“I realized that I had to stop looking at him (Perry) through the lens of my past and choose to trust him,” Laura said. “God has used him to bring so much heal ing. It’s such a reflection of the Gospel and how God begins to reveal Himself to us. We have to stop look ing at God through the lies that we believed in the past and start choosing to believe His Word. This is very powerful to me.”

Today, the couple have made their home in Oklahoma City, as they seek to share in the ministry together. They host a couples Bible study in their home and remain active in their local church. Laura contin ues to speak and share her testimony.

When asked what advice Laura would give to families affect

ed by LGBTQ or other relationship issues, she said, “Never ever give up on your prayers! I know people were praying for me. God may not reveal it for a long time, but God was still working on me the whole time.”

For Laura and Perry, each experienced many sea sons of sorrow, but the Lord was faithful through it all. The couple is living proof that Christ often leads peo ple through unexpected journeys.

In Laura’s case: the jour ney from transgender to transformed to true love.

Theology, ministry leadership & more

Christ & culture: Engaging the culture for the Gospel

Sometimes one feels like Odysseus in “The Odyssey” as he tryied to navigate his ship through the Strait of Messina. On one side he had a six-headed monster called Scylla; on the other a massive whirlpool named Charybdis. Both nautical paths would prove to be a disaster of some kind. If only there was some strait between to avoid the seemingly impossible situation that he found himself.

The strait that we in the 21st century are increasingly finding more and more difficult to navigate success fully is the strait of culture. The Judeo-Christian world view that was once generally accepted, then tolerated, is now under assault. Those of us who hold a high view of Scripture, believe in absolute truth and adhere to a moral and ethical standard derived from the Bible are considered more than just old-fashioned. We are now considered mentally ill, enemies of progress, even evil.

We are not, however, the first generation to wrestle with a hostile culture. Seventy years ago, a seminal book was written by Richard Niebuhr titled “Christ & Culture.” The book was intended to be a contribution to ethics but has come to be regarded as the standard for any dis cussion on how the Christian faith relates to the culture. Niebuhr shows Christians historically have taken differ ing positions on how to relate to the culture in which they lived.

One way is the Scylla called “Christ Against Culture.” Niebuhr describes these Christians as those who view culture as evil and are against culture in the sense that they seek to separate themselves totally from it. These are sects that have moved through the years to mon asteries or set themselves apart from culture. I call this a Scylla because this separatist mentality runs contrary to the cultural mandate found in passages like Matt. 5:13-16. The church cannot respond by gathering in holy huddles and trying to simply hold the fort until Jesus comes.

Another way is the Charybdis called “Christ of Cul ture.” Niebuhr describes these Christians as those who view culture positively and are of culture in the sense

cultural trends. These are going to be represented by what is often referred to as liberal Christianity. These are Christians who openly accept the modern cultural views of gender identity, sexuality, and abortion, just to name of few.

Though this Christianity might be easier to hold within the culture, I call it a Charybdis because it is a blatant rejection of Bibli cal revelation. Sometimes it is claimed that this is done in the name of love, but it is most certainly an unbiblical love if it is void of truth.

The safe path for us to seek to travel is called “Christ Transforming Cul ture.” Niebuhr describes these Christians as those who understand the ten sion of living in a world that contains many ac cepted cultural norms that are contrary to the Kingdom of God. At the same time, this Christian does not seek to abandon culture or accept it but rather seeks to penetrate and engage it with the Good News of the Gospel. It is not the easiest path, but it is the Biblical one.

Vern Charette

Senior Pastor at Coweta, First

Greetings from Bison HillAll of life, all for Jesus

A friend recently asked me why I am still doing what I am doing. After all, higher education is facing chal lenges within and without: cultural erosion, increas ing costs, diminishing demographics and loss of hon or in our society. These are real challenges, indeed!

However, I told my friend the why of what we do. We do not need to be dissuaded from our calling. Our purpose is clear: we exist to equip the next genera tion of future shapers to live all of life, all for Jesus.

If today’s challenges determined our tomorrows, then neither Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) nor the church would exist. For the church fac es similar challenges as our university. But these challenges do not give us reason to abandon our God-given mission.

Together we are called to learn the way of Christ in all of life and to live it out loud in our world. We be lieve God continues to be faithful to this mission. And we see fruit of God’s faithfulness on Bison Hill!

We have engaged our future to ask where we might add positive value in our communities and in our re gion. Considering strategic work with our faculty and staff, as well as with state and community partners, we have leveraged our resources to launch key initia tives for growth and value. Let me mention just a few:

1. Beginning fall 2023, OBU will offer three new bachelor of science degrees in mechanical engineering, systems engineering and electrical engineering. Key meetings with leaders of Boeing, Tinker Air Force Base and other industry partners have proven the programs are vital for the good of our students and Oklahoma’s future engineering workforce.

2. OBU recently completed the renovation of the Sarkeys Center. This houses digital photography, media and film technology, journalism and mass communica tions. This key transformation supports the digital media platforms necessary to engage well in today’s world.

3. OBU has received a $3 million lead gift for the renovation of Shawnee Hall, which will begin in May 2023. This gift will help us remodel and restore the crown jewel of OBU’s campus, which houses class es in education, biblical and theological studies, sociol ogy, psychology, counselling, language and literature, theatre and other key classes.

4. Beginning May 2023, OBU will renovate a portion of Bailey Business Center. This will include a fi nance and data lab that will equip our students with current industry equipment, software and research. This will provide our students with the same equip ment and research that finance managers use in ma jor stockbroker firms, preparing our students to enter the workforce ready for the future.

5. Next summer, OBU will begin renovating a portion of Wood Science Building to update lab space. This will be the first step in a more comprehensive ren ovation plan to support our STEM investment at OBU.

Each of these investments are offerings, prayers we of fer to the Lord. We lift them up to Jesus with the faith that what is done in these places and spaces will help our fac ulty equip our students to leverage all of life, all for Jesus!

Heath Thomas Oklahoma Baptist University President

ACROSS

1 10 grams (abbr.) 4 Pop 8 “Thou art as a ___ in the seas” (Ezek. 32:2) 13 Theatrical part 15 Boy’s name 16 Brown 17 “Mine ___ hath done them” (Isa. 48:5) 18 To incite

27 God’s provision is __ ___ (2 wds.) 29 Pumpernickel made from this 30 Spots 31 Wrote most of New Testament (2 wds.) 32 Sarah was Isaac’s 33 Similar 34 Cipher 35 Lad 36 “He that hath no ___” (Prov. 25:28) 37

19 Bees’ cousins 20 Heavy coats 22 Expression 24 “He shall give thee ___” (Prov. 29:17) 25 “For the ___ is red” (Matt. 16:2) 26 Constellation created by God 28 “Thou ___ come into the hand” (Prov. 6:3) 30 Group (abbr.)

“The rod of his ___ shall fail” (Prov. 22:8)

Gets up

“The ___ of the sea” (Est. 10:1) 56 “Oh that I had given up the ___” (Job 10:18)

31 Subject of parable worked here (Luke 15:15) 32 “Seest thou a ___ that is hasty” (Prov. 29:30) 35 “That they teach no other ___” (1 Tim. 1:3) (var.) 38 Paul: a ___ of the Law 40 Saul was ___ Paul 41 Drones 42 Rascal 43 David hid ___ caves

Word Search

Animal stomach 58 “A ___ look, and a proud heart” (Prov. 21:4) 59 “___ soul shall suffer” (Prov. 19:15) 61 Drop heavily 62 Bum 64 “___ not the poor” (Prov. 22:22) 66 “The ___ that mocketh at his father” (Prov. 30:17) 68 “Things which are ___ wonderful” (Prov. 30:18)

44 Fighter’s rst name 45 Florida west coast city 47 African country 48 Cat 49 “___ eateth, and wipeth her mouth” (Prov. 30:20) 50 Ca. university 52 Monkey 53 “Faithful witness will not ___” (Prov. 14:5) 54 Set up 57 Samson fought with a ___ bone (Judg. 15:16) (var.) 60 Speed 63 “When the wicked ___” (Prov. 11:10) 65 Range of hills 67 Naaman was ___ to obey Elisha (var.) 69 Capital of Norway 70 Awry 71 Double-reed instrument 72 “There was a swarm of ___” (Judg. 14:8) 73 “Better is a dinner of herbs ___ love is” (Prov. 15:17) 74 “The ___ is hated” (Prov. 14:20) 75 Superfast aircraft

DOWN

1 Rain ___ similar to contentious woman (Prov. 27:15)

2 Film maker 3 “It is his ___ to pass over a transgression” (Prov. 19:11)

4 “Day and night shall not ___” (Gen. 8:22) (pl.) 5 Bolus

6 Jesus died in ___ of me 7 Holding temporary position (abbr.)

8 Sidon to Ramah dir. 9 “Heaviness in the ___ of man” (Prov. 12:25)

10 Niche 11 “He that refraineth his ___ is wise” (Prov. 10:19)

12 “He caused an ___ wind to blow” (Ps. 78:26) 14 Deer relative 21 “Lest thou ___ be like unto him” (Prov. 26:4) 23 “They that ___ me love death” (Prov. 8:36) 27 God’s provision is __ ___ (2 wds.)

29 Pumpernickel made from this 30 Spots 31 Wrote most of New Testament (2 wds.) 32 Sarah was Isaac’s 33 Similar 34 Cipher 35 Lad 36 “He that hath no ___” (Prov. 25:28) 37 Discharge 39 O cial 43 “___, I am warm” (Isa. 44:16) 45 Measure (abbr.)

46 Excuse me 47 Israel celebrated David with ___ (1 Sam. 18:6) 51 Zero 52 “The rod of his ___ shall fail” (Prov. 22:8)

54 Gets up 55 “The ___ of the sea” (Est. 10:1)

56 “Oh that I had given up the ___” (Job 10:18)

Psalms

57 Animal stomach 58 “A ___ look, and a proud heart” (Prov. 21:4)

Sarah Lagerquist Simmons

59 “___ soul shall su er” (Prov. 19:15)

61 Drop heavily 62 Bum 64 “___ not the poor” (Prov. 22:22)

66 “The ___ that mocketh at his father” (Prov. 30:17) 68 “Things which are ___ wonderful” (Prov. 30:18)

Lagerquist Simmons

Good News Hur ting

The Cooperative Program is the everyday, everywhere, every-church plan for comprehensive missions support. Learn more at OklahomaBaptists.org/CP

FOR THE

Singing ChurchWomen offer backpacks of love

The Singing ChurchWom en of Oklahoma (SCW) started an outreach project this year called Backpacks of Love. The project supplied more than 350 backpacks full of class room resources, notes of en couragement and more. Every SCW gave a backpack to an educator, and the response was well-received. To learn more about the SCW including performance schedule visit oklahomabaptists.org/scw.

Hooker, First honors longtime member

Ruth Elliott was recently honored by Hooker, First for her 51 years of service. She taught 3-year-olds in Sunday School along with her hus band for many years. Ruth has served on mission trips and has a passion for serving in Hispanic ministry and leading Hooker, First to have an impact in the Hispanic community.

Ruth, center, is pictured with her daughter Rasonya and her son Ron.

Buddy Hunt

East Regional Ministry Partner Oklahoma Baptists

CONGREGATIONAL NEWS

NEW CONGREGATION. Muskogee, Iglesia Bautista Hispana is now meeting. Alexander Montero is pastor.

Sans Bois Association holds 63rd Annual Meeting

Keota, Unity hosted Sans Bois Associ ation’s 63rd Annual Meeting with more than 90 people attending, including 54 messengers. The theme for the meeting was “Rekindle,” based on 2 Tim. 1:6-7. Reports were shared on the asso ciation’s involvement with Operation Christmas Child, Bella Pregnancy Center and Kiamichi Baptist Assembly.

Elected officers for Sans Bois in 2022-23 include, from left, Vice-Mod erator Keota, First Pastor Mike Newberry; Moderator Wilburton, First Pastor Paul Brady; and Historian Lequire member Susette Gibson.

Around the State

The eastern region of Oklahoma, where I serve, is comprised of 10 associations and around 450 total Oklahoma Baptist church es. My region goes from the state lines of Kansas, Arkansas, Tex as and the associations in which Highway 69/75 passes through.

We have some amazing evangelistic revivals taking place in eastern Oklahoma. In the Black Fork River Valley area, 10 church es participated in the River Valley Revival. Members of Big Cab in in Craig-Mayes Association made up the planning team, and several other churches assisted. The tent revival meetings aver aged 400 people a night with 40 people making professions of faith in Christ.

This past summer, East Central Association sponsored an “Up With Jesus” crusade at the Stilwell High School gymnasium. An average of 700 people attended each of the six nights. Forty-six people trusted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. At least 19 church es were involved in the planning.

Each October, the Native American churches in the Kenwood area host a revival in the Kenwood School gym. This year, Pas tor Vern Charette of Coweta, First preached, and there were sev eral commitments each night. More than 21 Native American churches and pastors were involved.

I praise God for what He is doing in the eastern region of our state.

Amy

Petersen Ministry Wives Ministry Partner Oklahoma Baptists

The life of ministry is filled with amazing blessings. But min istry is also filled with unique challenges. The impact not only lands on the minister but also on his wife and family.

For the ministry wife, one of the loneliest times can be on Sunday mornings.

Serving as ministry wife ministry partner for Oklahoma Baptists, I understand this unique struggle. For more than 20 years, I served alongside my husband on church staffs in Okla homa, Texas and South Carolina. I desire to speak into those broken and difficult spaces with encouragement and the truth of God’s Word.

Every Sunday morning at 7:30 a.m., I post a Sunday Morn ing Prayer for ministry wives on their private Facebook page. These prayers are directed at a specific felt need in ministry life accompanied by scripture. For those not on Facebook, I update monthly the Oklahoma Baptist Ministry Wives web page with the collection. You can find the 2022 list at oklah omabaptists.org/ministry-wives/smp.

If you would like to join our private facebook group, find us at “Oklahoma Baptists’ Ministry Wives.”

For more information or questions, feel free to email me at ministrywives@oklahomabaptists.org.

Pray for Oklahoma Missionaries:

Matt Spann

He is Associational Mission Strategist for Cherokee Strip Association.

In Focus:Rusty McMullen

He is Senior Associate Executive Director for Oklahoma Baptists.

Riley Sowell

He is Baptist Collegiate Minister at Tulsa Community College.

Rusty McMullen has been pastor of McAlester, First since 2018. What makes this a special experience for him is this is where he started his full-time ministry as student minister in 2003.

“This church quickly became a family for Lindsay and me. Many of them attended our wedding, loved and cared for us and nurtured me along in my calling,” he said.

McMullen served other churches before returning to pastor McAlester, First. In 2007, he was student minister at Oklahoma City, Quail Springs, when then-Pastor Hance Dilbeck helped McMullen affirm a calling to pastoral ministry.

“Lindsay and I had no idea that this would be the step that would eventually bring us back to the church where I started,” he said.

McMullen served as pastor at Maud, Trinity, then Sayre, First. All along, God was molding him in his early pastorates. He earned degrees from Southwestern Seminary and Gateway Seminary.

McMullen is a frequent speaker at youth rallies, camps and revivals. He is a strong advocate for supporting the Coopera tive Program (CP).

“Through our giving through CP, we know that we are ful filling our commission to advance the Gospel by helping to train and equip new pastors throughout seminaries, funding missionaries around the world, helping plant churches in the United States and supporting the local and state Gospel initia tives,” he said.

Rusty and Lindsay have been married 18 years and have three sons. They love serving in their church and serving with other Oklahoma Baptists in advancing the Gospel.

Joe Ligon

Oklahoma Baptists Serving in Central Asia

Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief at 50

On November 14, Oklahoma Baptists will gather for the annual meeting at Mustang, First, with plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Okla homa Baptist Disaster Relief (DR).

Longtime Oklahoma Baptist DR director Sam Porter, who is currently serving as interim role as director, sat down with The Messenger to re flect on 50 years of ministry.

OKLAHOMA DR ORGANIZED

A:

Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief has some of the best people you will find anywhere. By God’s provision, our disaster relief organization is one of the largest and strongest in the South ern Baptist Convention. From chaplaincy work to chainsaw work, debris clean up to mud-out, these wonderful people have continually shared the love of Jesus both here in Oklahoma and around the world.

A:Our teams have served in some of the most difficult of disasters, from 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina to the May 2013 Moore tor nadoes, our volunteers demonstrated Christlike love for people in their most desperate hours of need. When you serve people and meet a phys ical need, it opens up doors for the Gospel that might otherwise be closed. As we enter the 50th anniversary year since the ministry’s founding, it’s my hope Oklahoma Baptists will continue to pray, volunteer and donate to this vital ministry.

For more information or to donate, visit okdisasterhelp.org.

HURRICANE HARVEY

JOPLIN, MO TORNADO

Q: Can you talk about what makes Oklahoma Baptist DR unique?

Q: Can you talk about the impact on people’s lives?