Spring Conference Recap [Wednesday Morning]
The final morning of the spring conference began at 9:30 on April 4 at Thompson Road Baptist Church.
Bro. Bryan Baggett who pastors Bible Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee and served as a missionary in Venezuela for five years was the first speaker. His wife Kris sang “God Will Make a Way,” and sang the second verse in Spanish.
Bro. Baggett’s sermon was about “The Orchestration of God’s Creation and His Work” as seen in Mark 4:35-41. The same God who orchestrates the plants blooming, the same day works the same in my life. He orchestrates all things.
Baggett reviewed God saving him, calling him, and working through him on the mission field. He had to leave Venezuela when Hugo Chavez came to power.
He exhorted his listeners to remember that God has a plan even when we don’t understand the situation. Keep your focus on the things found in Philippians 4:8-9. This describes Jesus. He is in the boat in the midst of the storm and has all things under control.
Jonathan Parks then ministered in song.
Bro. Donovan Stewart, Lexington Police Chaplain and Associate Pastor of the Baptist Church at Andover, spoke at 10:30 about how “God Has a Calling on Your Life!” as seen in 2 Kings 13:20-21.
He began by telling a story about a news reporter who once asked, “What are the two major problems in the world?” The response was, “I don’t know and I don’t care.” The reporter said, “You are right! Apathy runs throughout.”
God chose sinful man to accomplish His holy work—the highest calling.
There are three things we must be doing:
1)Preach the Word! It’s good news! Pews are cold because polar bears are in the pulpit.
2)Pray fervently.
3)Go soul-winning. Share the Gospel! Witness.
Suzanne Van Meter then ministered in song.
The third and final speaker of the morning session was Bro. Ben Glover who pastors Park Ridge Baptist Church in Gotha, Florida. His text was Romans 10:8-17.
We need God’s Word in our lives. This is the Gospel message: the death, burial, and ressurrection of Jesus Christ to atone for sins. We can be born Jewish, Muslim, or Hindu, but becoming a Christian is something we confess.
Matthew 7:20-23- “By their fruits ye shall know them.” So many people are busy working that they forget to preach the Gospel. Our business is to bring glory to God!
He emphasized verses 14-16, reminding us that we need to get the Gospel out. It is powerful and God said, “Go preach it!” We have the responsibility to tell others. Preach the message and let the Holy Spirit take care of the rest.
We must look to Jesus to be the sustainer of His church, BFM, and all things.
To read a recap of previous conference services, click here.
Read more
Spring Conference Recap [Monday Evening]
The 2012 BFM Spring Conference kicked off Monday evening, April 2 with an encouraging and challenging night of worship at Thompson Road Baptist Church in Lexington, Ky.
The choir opened the conference by singing “Send Me” as a slideshow with pictures of our missionary families played behind them.
Bro. Dave Parks introduced the theme of the conference and reminded us of the purpose. It’s not for the sake of tradition, but for the glory of God. This conference is much like what Paul and Barnabas did in Acts 14 by gathering believers together to report what the Lord had done through them.
Bro. Donnie Hamilton led the congregation in “To God Be the Glory” before we learned about the great things He has done through BFM over the years, as presented in a captivating media presentation by Bro. Randy Jones.
Bro. Joe Collins, Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Versailles, Ky. delivered the 8:20 sermon from Romans 1:1-7, emphasizing that our mission is still missions.
“Our mission is still missions,” Collins said. “The command is not for them to come in—it’s for us to go out.” Following is a brief recap of his message:
“…By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for His Name…” [Romans 1:5]
We have been commissioned. We ought to be committed. All of us should be evangelistic, which is winning others to Christ. But all of us should also be mission-minded, which is baptizing them and teaching them after they’re won.
Attitude: “For obedience to the faith”
-We want to contend for the faith and guard the faith.
-Out of love, not fear. The love of Christ is what sustains you. His love should be your motive.
-“The thing that makes a missionary is the sight of what Jesus did on the cross and to have heard Him say, ‘Go.'” -Oswald Chambers
Assignment: “Among all nations”
-No matter how big or how small you are, you still have the same assignment: go into all nations.
-Love home missions, but don’t do home missions at the expense of foreign missions.
–“Declare His glory among the heathen, His wonders among all people.” –Psalm 96:3
-Press in my heart the woe and put in my feet the go.
Authority: “For His Name”
-There is no greater authority.
-All power was given to Jesus. –Matthew 28:18
-It is according to His will and His purpose.
The evening concluded with an invitation hymn: “I Gave My Life for Thee.”
“My Father’s house of light, My glory circled throne I left for earthly night, for wanderings sad and lone; I left, I left it all for thee, hast thou left aught for Me?”
[You can view a full schedule for the rest of the conference by clicking here.]
Read more
