MEMPHIS (BP) — Born and raised in the “birthplace of Rock ‘N Roll,” Donna Gaines returned 25 years later armed with a background in education and a heart for the county that claims one of the highest rates of childhood poverty. Gaines is a women’s ministry leader and wife to Southern Baptist Convention president Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist … Read More
Evangelism: Our First Priority
Above all else, Gospel ministry should be first and foremost about telling lost people that Jesus died for their sins and that they can have peace with God and eternal life through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Today, many things are called Gospel work. That raises concerns for me, because if everything is about the Gospel, then we have … Read More
Vision Tour 2017
What kind of trip covers 585 miles in two days, includes meals with several people you’ve never met before, makes stops in small rural towns as well as four of Montana’s largest cities, and includes a stop along the interstate to take pictures of five big horn sheep? This briefly describes one of the two Vision Tours that took place … Read More
Next-Gen Parent Workshop in Libby
How much does the Bible really say about parenting? (A lot!) And does any of it apply in our modern age? (Yes) Recently, the congregation at Libby Baptist Church got the answer to those questions and many more during the Next-Gen Parent Workshop. We began on Sunday morning with Pastor Zane Officer opening his pulpit to Next-Gen Director Adam Burt … Read More
Set Free Serves
Jesus instructs us in the book of Matthew to “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men” – Matthew 4:19. That is exactly what the Set Free Churches of Montana are putting into practice. Set Free Church was established to “love those who think they are unlovable.” They minister to those who need it most: the homeless, drug … Read More
Sharing the Gospel Through Literacy
Sharing the Gospel with whomever will listen is the mandate our Lord Jesus Christ assigned to all believers before He ascended to Heaven. He simply stated that as we are going on our life’s journey, we are to be His hands, feet and voice to reach out to whomever He brings across our path. In Mathew 25, Jesus spoke of … Read More
ACP: Churches Up in 2016; Baptisms, Membership Decline
NASHVILLE (BP) — Southern Baptists experienced growth in the number of churches that cooperate with the SBC in 2016, according to the latest Annual Church Profile report (ACP). However, other key measures declined in 2016, including membership, baptisms, average worship attendance and total giving, according to the ACP compiled by LifeWay Christian Resources in cooperation with Baptist state conventions. The … Read More
Programs Optional
In the early years of my church planting experience, I was very frustrated by the many Christians I encountered who wouldn’t consider coming to our church plant because we didn’t have the kinds of programs they were looking for. There was a fledgling youth program, a small choir, occasional community outreach initiatives, and the like, but nothing like many of … Read More
MTSBC Recruits at the 2017 SBC Annual Meeting
For the second year in a row, MTSBC has hosted an information booth at the Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. This years’ meeting was held at the Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The theme for the meeting was “Pray for Such a Time as This.” Over 5,000 messengers attended the convention. Those who helped “man” the booth included … Read More