Called, Appointed, Equipped, Sent: The Call Conference reaches 400-plus Oklahoma students /// PREVIEWED ON COVER >> by Staff SHAWNEE—Moses, Gideon, Isaiah, Paul. The Bible is full of examples of people who were directly called to ministry leadership by God. On August 28, more than 400 young people who have sensed God’s call on their lives gathered for The Call Conference. Meeting at Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU), The Call Conference is an annual conference hosted by Oklahoma Baptists that is designed for individuals who are exploring or pursuing a call from God to ministry leadership. The theme of the 2021 conference was “Appointed,” based on Isaiah 42:6. (“I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness. I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations.”) Brian Baldwin, youth missions and evangelism ministry partner with Oklahoma Baptists, was encouraged by the way the Lord moved through the conference. “We encouraged all middle school, high school, college students, and adults who feel that God may be calling them into ministry to attend. This year, we saw hundreds of young people from churches across Oklahoma take part, and we are so encouraged with the turnout,” Baldwin said. “The conference offered students two largegroup sessions and breakout sessions geared toward helping them recognize and put into practice God’s call on their lives,” he noted. The day-long event included keynote speakers, breakout sessions and more. Among those sharing a keynote address was Gateway Seminary President Jeff Iorg. Iorg—who wrote the book “Is God Calling Me?”— shared biblical precepts with students about discerning their call to ministry. He explained that while all Christians are called to grow and serve, some are called by God to ministry leadership. Offering a definition of a call to ministry leader-
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>> PHOTOS: TONY DILLARD 1)Jeff Iorg shares how Christians can discern their call to ministry;
2) More than 400 young people gathered at OBU to attend The Call Conference. ship, Iorg told students it is “a profound impression from God that established parameters for your life chance for our ministers to invest in them and start and can only be altered by a subsequent supersed- thinking about future ministry leadership.” ing impression from God.” The Call Conference was did not take place in 2020, Other keynote speakers included OBU President due to the pandemic. Attendance increased from 250 Heath Thomas, who talked about growing in their call- at the last time the event took place to 450 this year. ing; and Vedaste Ndamiye, a ministry speaker and lead“Each student went home with books and reer who spoke on how to follow a ministry call faithfully. sources to help them discover and deepen their The conference’s breakout sessions helped at- call even further after they get home,” Baldwin said. tendees recognize and put into practice God’s call “The majority of the attendees had never been to on their lives. Breakout topics included children’s The Call Conference before.” ministry, youth ministry, evangelism, understandNumerous Oklahoma Baptists who participated ing God’s call, missions, “pursuing a call that looks in the event were greatly encouraged by the day. different,” “women & ministry,” worship and more. Matt Wolff, youth minister at Tulsa, South Tulsa, “We have many churches and missions organiza- said, “The Call Conference was powerful for my stutions that are having a hard time finding qualified dents who attended. Bennett, my son, came forward people to fill positions and roles that they need,” on Sunday morning to surrender his life to missions.” Baldwin said. “The torch of missions and ministry “At the conclusion of the event, there was a special leadership must be passed well to the next genera- time of anointing, when each participant received a tiny tion of kingdom leaders. little oil bottle,” Baldwin said. “It was a reminder of the “The Call Conference is a crucial step toward es- experience and that they are anointed and appointed tablishing a ministry pipeline in our state. We had to serve our King and His cause. It was powerful.” another large group of students indicate a call to For those who took part in the 2021 The Call Conministry at Falls Creek (summer youth weeks). The ference, everything indicates this event will have a Call helps them take the next step forward and lasting impact—and on the Kingdom of God as fuequips them for the future. It also is a fantastic ture ministry leaders are called and sent.
Send Oklahoma Network encourages church planters and replanters >> by Chris Forbes STAFF WRITER
SAND SPRINGS—A cohort of four new Send Oklahoma Network planters gathered Aug. 28 at Sand Springs, Church that Matters to encourage one another and sharpen their church planting strategies. The group was comprised of two church planters, two replanters and their wives. The Send Oklahoma Network is a partnership between Oklahoma Baptists and the North American Mission Board to plant and replant churches in Oklahoma. The planters and wives at the training event were Cayo and Larissa Cavalcante, who are planting Deepen Movement Church, an international church in Edmond; Scott and Melissa Bryan are serving together to plant Cognizant Church in west Tulsa; Stephen and Lisa Shaw who are replanting Broken Arrow, Sequoyah Creek; and Adam and Grace Mask who are relaunching Coweta, Community. This group had been meeting since early spring through online and in-person meetings, and 1 they gathered for final meeting that was organized by Charles Campbell, director of development equipping for the North American Mission Board’s Send Network Planter Development Team, and Rusty Gunn, Send Oklahoma Network catalyst. “I am excited to partner with Oklahoma Baptist and leaders like Rusty Gunn” Campbell said. ” I am a product of Oklahoma Baptists. Back in the day, I had a youth pastor who walked alongside of me in high school. He gave me opportunities to grow and lead. I love seeing how Send Network Okla-
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homa continues to help train and coach planting couples to plant healthy, multiplying churches.” At the meeting, each planter was given an opportunity to present a “Vision Frame” presentation and practice a presentation they developed for enlisting partners to join them in their ministry work. “The Vision Frame is a tool built by Will Mancini in his book ‘Church Unique,’” Campbell explained. “We got permission to build it into the Send Network Training. It has been a critical tool to help the planters articulate the mission of their church plants, the values of the new works, the strategy to engage their communities to make disciples and send them out. “The training tool also helps participants identify the marks and measures of a healthy disciple,” Campbell continued. “It helps them communicate strategic vision, so thinking five years, three years, one-year focus and a 90-day rhythm of implementation to accomplish the five-year vision.” Each planter was given 15 minutes to present their vision frame, and then the group took 10 minutes to debrief the experience and give feedback to help them improve. At the end of each presentation and debriefing, the group spent time of prayer over the planting couple led by one of the other planters. Campbell said he sees potential for church planting in Oklahoma. “I look forward to the days ahead where we will see more churches catch the vision for developing disciples who go out to unreached people and places of Oklahoma and bring the Good News of Jesus,” he said. Gunn, who is also pastor of Sand Springs, Church That Matters, agreed, “Some things that stand out to me from the gathering are hearing about the clear call that each planter has on their life, the diligence they are showing to prepare for the task ahead, and the broth-
September 16, 2021 | The Baptist Messenger | www.baptistmessenger.com | Features
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>> PHOTOS: CHRIS FORBES 1)Cayo Cavalcante presents his
‘Vision Frame;’ 2)Send Oklahoma planters cohort include, from left back row, Charles Campbell, Stephen Shaw, Scott Bryan, Adam Mask, Cavalcante; from left front row, Lisa Shaw, Melissa Bryan, Grace Mask and Larissa Cavalcante.
erhood being formed through their journey together. “I expect each of these planters to plant fruitful, multiplying churches,” Gunn continued. “They have the vision, have laid the groundwork, are working the plan, and are depending on God. Send Oklahoma is growing with sending churches, partnering churches, and new planters being discovered, developed and deployed at an increasing rate.” At the conclusion of the cohort gathering, Gunn announced that there was a cookout fellowship planned and that the event host church, Church That Matters, was donating $1,000 to each planter present. “Church That Matters is committed to being open handed toward church plants,” Gunn explained about the act of generosity. “We believe the seeds we are sowing into these four church plants will bear much fruit. “I pray this gift and our continued support helps these planters, their wives and their churches know that they have another church who is standing with them, believes in their work and will do what we can to help them accomplish their vision. We instructed the planters to take half of this gift to meet a personal need for their family and the other half to apply to their church’s ministry.”
