Newsletter 4 - Blue River – Kansas City Baptist Association

Blue River-Kansas City Baptist Association
MISSIONS & MINISTRY
Vol. 34, No. 5
Visit us at www.blueriver-kansascity.org
In This Issue:
E-mail: [email protected]
May 2015
Easter in BR-KC
2
Churches across the
BR-KC Association
celebrated the
resurrection of our
Savior in a lot of
different ways this
Easter.
WFPF Highlights
Legacy Cohort Spotlight
Anti-Trafficking
Awareness Event
3
DOM Insights
Campus Ministry
Horn of Africa
Partnership
4
Church News
Restoration House
MBTS Dorm Renovations
Financial Report
Calendar
Pastor Joey Candillo
of Grace Church
in Independence
baptizes a new
believer
Pastor Malachi O’Brien of
Pleasant Ridge in Harrisonville
uses a cross for illustration
LifeConnection Church
in Independence
celebrating Easter
This year you will have your choice of general
P
sessions, 4 Disciplines of Execution or Leading
Change. We are excited to have PhD candidate,
Stan Archie as the inspiring keynote bringing to
light ministry and diversity. Workshops include
growing your ministry through social media,
ministry financial wellness, handling ministry
conflict, discipleship and assessing ministry
risks.
BR-KC Baptists
BR-KC_Baptist
“We envision a network of
healthy Baptist churches
partnering together
to transform lives and
communities through the
power of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ at home, in
North America
and around the world.”
GROWING HEALTHY MINISTRIES SUMMIT
Healthy ministries and effective leaders in every place making disciples to
transform the world.
Saturday, May 30, 2015 9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Kauffman Foundation Conference Center
4801 Rockhill Rd, Kansas City, MO 64110
Host:
REGISTER: WWW.U-SHINE.ORG
Stan
Archie
Rodney
Hammer
Alisa
Henley
Karen
Blankenship
Jacquie
Hadnot
Becky
Moyer
Josh
Blankenship
Page 2 BR-KC Baptist Association News
Williams-Farmer Preaching Fellowship
The fourth annual Williams-Farmer
Preaching Fellowship was recently held at
Wornall Road Baptist Church on April
10 with over 40 in attendance.
Pastors from BR-KC, Clay-Platte and KCK
Baptist Associations attended the WilliamsFarmer Preaching Fellowship
Panelists include (left to right) Gregg Boll
(BRKC), Phil Hopper (Abundant Life),
Michael Goering (evangelist), Derrick Lynch
(Blue Valley Baptist) and Dr. Smith
Pastor Vic Borden of Red Bridge
Baptist Church had this to say: “I have
attended this event several years in a
row. I have always found it to be a great
use of my time. On a pastoral level, it
is very practical. This particular event
with Dr. Smith was the best yet. I highly
recommend that all pastors attend the
Williams-Farmer Preaching Fellowship.”
Dr. Robert Smith, professor of Preaching at
Beeson Divinity School, encourages pastors
Human Trafficking Awareness Night
Blue River-Kansas City
Baptist Association News
Jennifer Hutton, Editor
Vol. 34, No. 5
May 2015
(USPS 058-960)
Published monthly for $1.00 per year
by Blue River-Kansas City
Baptist Association
4041 NE Lakewood Way, Suite 260
Lee’s Summit, MO 64064
816-795-1822
Periodicals postage paid at
Lee’s Summit, MO
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
BR-KC Baptist Association, 4041 NE Lakewood Way
Suite 260, Lee’s Summit, MO 64064
Dr. Rodney Hammer...........................Executive Director
Jennifer Hutton....................... Administrative Assistant
Gregg Boll............................................. Associate Director
Luis Mendoza.............. Multi-cultural Church Strategist
Travis Hamm........................................... Student Minister
Carson Conover..................................... Student Minister
Andrew Huesing..........................................People Teams
Russ Tuttle, Cynthia Cordes, September
Trible, Whitney Neal, Alison Phillips, Sara
Zapien, Christine McDonald and Janine
Montgomery
Cynthia Cordes answering question after the
panel discussion
Legacy Cohort Spotlight
- Abiding Love Baptist
Clayton With, Pastor
1. What is your ministry context?
We are in downtown Harrisonville with
the courthouse and City Hall as neighbors.
We currently share our building with a
Hispanic congregation that meets Friday
and Saturday nights. Twice a month,
when City Court meets, we do “Servant
Evangelism” on the street by setting up
tables, giving out drinks and snacks. We
take every opportunity to share the gospel
message, pray, and give out Bibles.
2. What ministry initiatives is Abiding
Love involved in?
As a Pastor and member of the local
Ministerial Alliance we are involved in
Shepherds Staff – Food Pantry, a thrift
store and community-wide worship
services. Our women’s Gleaners Sunday
School have made crafts and collected
items that have been given to the local
women’s shelter, Life Choice Center.
Along with this we do ministry and
services in three nursing care centers.
Our emphasis from the beginning is the
teaching of the Word of God and prayer.
I say often “we will do more than pray
but not until we have prayed.” Every
worship service has at least 5 prayers.
There are always the three prayers, one
at opening, one prayer time in the middle
of the service and one at closing. Add
in prayer for offering, sermon ending
prayer and at times special needs prayers.
It is my belief this represents our day.
We should start with prayer, pray in the
middle of the day, and at the close of
every day.
3. How has the Association’s Legacy
Cohort Church Revitalization helped
you?
One of the great places of assistance
for me is the Legacy Cohort meetings
for pastors and leaders. The sharing of
educational materials, including books,
fellowship and prayer with other pastors
is uplifting. From the sharing of ideas,
open and honest hearts along with prayer,
I personally am encouraged to fight the
good fight, contend for the faith and press
onward. When you hear the triumphs and
trials of other pastors, it is a reminder we
are in a spiritual battle and we are not
alone. This furthers my faith to preach the
Word passionately, boldly, truthfully and
to share the Gospel more readily.
ps
From your Executive Director
Dear Partners in Mission,
WHAT IF THE CHURCH….WAS DIFFERENT? I’m not talking about not fulfilling
the Scriptural mandates of Christ-centered, gospel focused ecclesiology, doctrine,
leadership, and mission. I’m not talking about whether or not we make disciples. I’m
asking if the church should fulfill those Scriptural mandates in a different way. On
average, churches spend a clear majority of their paid staff and volunteer leadership
time preparing for the Sunday services and weekly programs of the church, regardless
of church size. On average, the clear majority of activities, programs, and ministries of
the church are focused on the members. Care and discipling of members of the church
is a clear Scriptural mandate. So is worship. But what if the amount of time spent on
preparing music and other elements of the
worship services was far less. What if
the preparation of programs, conferences,
and activities of the church toook up far
less time? And the amount of programs,
conferences, and activities of the church
were far fewer? Could you still fulfill the
Scriptural mandates of the church? I’m
asking…because I think maybe we could.
But for what purpose? To what end?
What if the schedule, activities and
ministries of the church looked a lot
different? What if the clear majority of time spent by ministers of the gospel was
on the Word and prayer, and the rest of their time “doing the work of an evangelist”
in the community and an “open church building” where the community is invited
in? Where the church building is open and bustling with care ministries, community
groups, before and after school programs, help for the hurting, counseling, life and
job skills training, food for the hungry, mentoring for those with one or no parents,
daycare for kids and seniors, addiction recovery, divorce recovery, and contextualized
to the community? What if the front doors were open instead of locked and screened?
What if anyone could come in and be greeted, welcomed, and heard? What if need
were discerned, referrals made, hope of the gospel given, and the ministerial and/or
volunteer staff and other volunteers “manned” the seniors, children’s, community
programs? What if the youth of the church weren’t entertained and sequestered but
discipled through service and leadership in these ministries of the church? What if the
parking lots were full during the day with those ministering and being ministered to?
It’s worth thinking through.
Walk for the Horn Does it Again!
On a cold Saturday in April, 16 individuals set out from the campus of Drake
University in Des Moines, Iowa at 5:30 a.m. Only 5 would go the distance. Their goal?
Walk to raise funds and awareness for the Horn of Africa Library being built in a
refugee camp in northern Ethiopia. This group, led by Luke Hammer, a sophomore at
Drake, made the 34 mile trek from Drake to Iowa State University in Ames in just over
12 1/2 hours, running the last mile and a half.
So far, Luke has raised $1000. This is Luke’s
second Walk. The first was in 2013 when he and
a friend from Summit Christian Academy walked
28 miles raising a total of $1,500.
If you would like to support Luke in his mission,
you can make a donation at www.blueriverkansascity.org/donate (choose Horn of Africa), by
sending a check to BR-KC earmarked Walk for
the Horn or Luke’s FundMe page at http://www.
gofundme.com/walkforthehorn.
BR-KC Baptist Association News Page 3
Campus Ministry
Travis Hamm, Campus Minister
It’s crazy to believe
God has allowed us to
minister at UMKC for 7
½ years. But He has and
it’s been an unbelievable
journey of trusting Him
through real hardships,
sowing Gospel seed, seeing lives changed,
and making disciples. And you have been
with us in this journey. We are grateful
for the support you have given.
Many of you know that our ministry has
undergone much change in the past two
years. In some ways, things look vastly
different than they used to. We are no
longer the traditional para-church UMKC
college ministry we began as. We are now
planting multigenerational communities
of believers from UMKC, Rockhurst, and
the surrounding neighborhoods who are
living out their identities as God’s people
together and making disciples in this
context.
While the structure and scope of our
ministry has changed, there are some
things that have remained the same – and
by God’s grace, always will:
1) Our heart for the gospel. The gospel
is the central foundation of everything
we do. The good news of who God is and
what He has done for us shapes our lives
and actions.
2) Our commitment to holistic
discipleship. Jesus’ model of ministry,
and His Great Commission, was about
making disciples who make disciples. He
walked with 12 men for 3 years, teaching
them His ways. We are committed to
discipleship that takes place life-on-life,
life-in-community, and life-on-mission…
intentional, everyday discipleship
encompassing all areas of life.
3) Our desire to see God’s kingdom
tangibly expressed in our context. The
abundant life Jesus promised impacts
life now. We long to see these campuses
and neighborhoods experiencing tangible
expressions of God’s kingdom breaking in
to our world.
We are radically committed to making
disciples…to see the gospel impact all
areas of life…to bring foretastes of God’s
kingdom to our neighborhood…to see
con’t page 4
Page 4 BR-KC Baptist Association News
Periodical
News from the
churches
The next quarterly plantKC event will
be held May 18th at Emmaus Church in
Parkville. The topic will be Prayer and
the Leaders Prayer Life with JR Vasser. 9
a.m. to noon.
Immanuel Baptist Church is celebrating
its 75th Anniversary in October of
2015. They will have a church wide
“Celebration Picnic” on Saturday, June
6th at Santa Fe Park, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Everyone is invited to share in the food,
fun and fellowship.
First Baptist Church of Grandview,
1416 Main Street, will be hosting
Evidence, the student worship team of
Calvary Bible College on May 3 at 11 a.m.
Call 816-763-2200 for more information.
Six Mile Baptist Church will celebrate
their 190th anniversary on June 7th.
Everyone is invited to attend their
services at 9:30, 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
Calvary Baptist Church, 900 NW 22nd
in Blue Springs will host The Messengers
of Faith in concert on May 31st at 6 p.m.
Refreshments and fellowship following
the concert.
National Day of Prayer is May 7th.
There will be a local event at the Liberty
Memorial.
Campus Ministry
continued from page 3
diverse families of believers gathering
around gospel and living as God’s holy
ambassadors in this context. If we are
faithful and obedient to do that, we
firmly believe God will someday birth
a beautiful local church expression right
here.
MBTS Dorm Renovations
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
in Kansas City is getting a dormitory
renovation thanks to Missouri Baptist
Builders. Volunteers are needed, though,
to get the men’s dorm ready by July 1st.
Projects will include cleaning, painting
and some light repairs to the walls. If
you can help, contact Merv Chapman,
Director of Campus Operations, at 816414-3700 or 816-589-0758.
Book Drive for Horn
of Africa Continues
We are helping build another library
for the refugees in northern Ethiopia.
We are again asking for donations of
children’s books such as Dr. Suess,
cartoon books, periodicals/magazines,
“how to” books, teen/young adult
mysteries, etc. We will also accept
academic books, texts, resources on
CD or DVD. If in doubt, donate it.
No romance novels please. Books
can be delivered to LifeConnection
Church at 3883 Blue Ridge Boulevard
in Independence before the end of
May. Call 816-795-1822 for more
information.
Restoration House
News
Awareness and Volunteer
Training Event
May 21, 6 to 8 p.m.
Heart of Life Church
800 SW 150 Hwy, LSMO
Receipts from churches Other Income
Total
Less Expenses
Balance as of March 31, 2015
$38,033.98
48.97
$38,082.95
( 37,289.65)
$793.30 $109,760.06
164.60
$109,924.66
(106,359.83)
$8,564.83
Budget $467,750.00 Annual
$38,979.17 Monthly
Budget Receipts + other income
Receipts compared to budget 94%
$116,937.51
109,924.66
($ 7,012.85)
Restoration House is still in need of the
following items:
Washer & Dryer
Twin Bed & Dresser (white)
Folding Massage Table
Quik Trip Fuel Cards
Other items on registry at:
www.myregistry.com/public/
restorationhousekc
Volunteers, Financial Partners and
Prayer Partners also needed
www.restorationhousekc.com or
816-795-1822 for more info
March Financial Report
Current Month
May
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8
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Calendar
E3, Antioch Sthn, Harrisonville
Spring Golf Tournament
Legacy Cohort, Bales Ave. KC
Ministry Team Meeting
E3, Sec. Missionary, Grandview
Memorial Day (Office Closed)
E3, Oak Tree, Lee’s Summit
4
9
10
Year-to-Date
June
E3, Blue Ridge, Independence
Legacy Cohort, Bales Ave, KC
Finance Committee