I hope that this article has helped you see why I think church camp is important for children and students. When you think about it, a person only has so many opportunities to go to church camp. I will say that it is also a blessing to go and serve as a sponsor as well. Does it wear you out? Yes for sure, but it is a blessing as well. I’ll end with these ways you can be a part of camp while not attending:  Read More

Do you know the number one evangelism tool the church has today is VBS? Number two is camp. We are in the middle of the harvest season for souls. As the church sends children and youth to camp and hosts day camp and VBS, many will be challenged with the claims of Christ. That those who know Christ will be challenged to embrace Christian principles and grow in their walk.  Read More

In our culture to be in silence is not a common thing. In fact, many would say that that being in silence is uncomfortable. When we think of the discipline of solitude, it’s probably not practiced today many the masses. Solitude in Scripture is disconnecting from the chaos around us to be alone with God. We see Jesus do this all through the Gospels. If it were important for Him, shouldn’t it be important to us as followers of Him?  Read More

Whether her husband serves as the Lead Pastor, Worship Pastor, or any other pastoral role in the church, a pastor’s wife is a special calling.  Read More

What an AWESOME responsibility it is to teach children! Here are 10 reasons why I love working with children.  Read More

It is sunrise on Sunday morning and three women, Mary the mother of James, Mary Magdalene, and Salome bring spices are going to the tomb of Jesus to anoint the body for proper burial. They did not have time on the day of Crucifixion to complete the burial process because the Special Sabbath started at sundown. The women were probably the last to leave at the Cross at Golgotha and the first to come to the tomb on Sunday. There were discussing how are we going to move the stone? The stone was at least 2000 to 3000 pounds and was in a groove that sloped downward to help to seal the tomb. They were on a mission but it was going to be impossible for the three of them to move the stone!   Read More

Every day is a good day to talk about Jesus but the Easter season is especially easy to introduce others to Jesus because most everybody is already thinking about the season. The conversation starter can be as simple as "Do you have any Easter plans? How do you and your family celebrate during the Easter season?" Their answer can provide you with a wealth of information to continue the conversation and point it to Jesus.   Read More

March is always a busy time for us here at First Baptist Joplin. Easter is coming up, then the end of school, and before you know it - Summer. Summer is a season of travel, relaxation, and lots of activities. With many people taking time off from their regular routines, it can be challenging to stay connected with their church community. Fortunately, technology can help bridge this gap, and downloading our church app is an excellent way to stay connected during these busy months.  Read More

Here are some of the ways that YOUR GIVING to First Baptist Joplin has resulted in THANKSGIVING to God over the past year!  Read More

Manhood:  strength, fearlessness, bravery, protectors.
These words are what we as men think of when we consider what is expected of us.  We carry ourselves as figures who are always in control and never stymied by any situation or person. We persevere; we are the epidemy of strong and courageous at all times.  And that’s why we struggle so much with being real and genuine.  Because no one can be all of those things all the time.  But we can’t let anyone know, right?  That would give a perception of weakness and that is something men cannot tolerate.  But what if the perception of weakness was just that – a perception?  What if true strength was found in weakness?  In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul quotes Jesus who said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  Being labeled as weak, I believe, is what often keeps men from saying things that need to be said.  Here are four common admissions men struggle with:
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For my blog this time I am using a couple of devotionals from A. W. Tozer. As we pray for revival and spiritual awakening in our community, it starts with us personally in our personal life.   Read More

A lot of what I learned about leadership development was because I fell into it. It was accidental, if I could call it that. I would have a young man in the church talk about the call of God on their life and before long we were meeting together and talking through things. We didn't have a curriculum or anything. After a season they would be given more responsibilities and then BOOM! they were on their own.   Read More