Baptist

Vol. 59 No. 5

www.baptistdigest.com

igest

Newsjournal Of Kansas and Nebraska Southern Baptists

November 2015

Worship and Praise at 2015 KNCSB Annual Meeting

Blue Valley Worship Team with John Hollan, pastor of worship, at Blue Valley Baptist Church leads worship for the 2015 KNCSB Annual Meeting. (see pages 4-5)

Long Time KNCSB Leader, Doyle Smith, Dies

As The Digest was going to press, we

received word that long-time KNCSB leader
Doyle Smith died on Tuesday, Oct. 20. A
complete obituary will be published in the
December issue.
Smith and his wife, Carol, had served at
First Southern Baptist Church, Great Bend,
Kan., for 43 years. Among his many KNCSB
leadership roles were KNCSB president and
president of the Webster Conference Center
board of directors. He had served as president
of the Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptist
Foundation since May 2000.
The funeral was scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at First Southern Baptist Church, 3301 19th St., Great Bend.
A memorial has been set up at KNCSB. Make contributions out to
KNCSB and designate them for the Judea Fund/Doyle Smith Memorial.
Mail them to KNCSB, 5410 SW 7th St., Topeka, KS 66606.
Bryant Funeral Home in Great Bend was in charge of arrangements.
Visit the funeral home Web site at http://www.bryantfh.net/

Fall Conference for College Students

Campus group time offered participants in

the KNCSB Fall Conference the chance to
discuss what it means to be an adopted child
of God. Pictured here are the groups from
Coffeyville Community College, Coffeyville,
Kan., and Barton County Community College, Great Bend, Kansas.

see story on page 3

Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kan., is

home to one of the newest KNCSB
campus ministries. This group from
Bethany College attended the KNCSB
Fall Conference for college students. It
was held Sept. 25-27 at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kansas.

WWW.KNCSB.ORG

The Thought Occurred to Me

By Bob Mills

KNCSB Executive Director

bmills@kncsb.org

I want to thank Blue Valley Baptist Church for doing

an excellent job in hosting our annual meeting this
year. I am very appreciative of the hard work on the
part of the staff and volunteers in making our time
together comfortable and productive.
Our annual meeting was a time of prayer, testimonies, teaching, singing, preaching and conducting some
business. God is doing some amazing things across
our two state convention. We heard testimonies of new
churches started; partnership missions in Hungary, the
movement of God in our universities and colleges and
the growth of Webster Conference Center just to name
a few.
Kansas-Nebraska is a wonderful place to serve and I
am grateful to God for this journey.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner with family
gatherings and lots of food. I hope you will take the

time to reflect on how thankful we are for the blessings

of God in our lives.
How have you seen him at work in your life this
year? How has he blessed you or your family? Can you
testify to his presence during especially difficult times?
I am asking you to pause and reflect on the blessings
of God.
I would ask one other thing of you, reflect on specific people that have blessed you this year. Maybe
they were with you through the loss of a loved one.
Perhaps, a mentor(pause).
I just received a phone call, that Dr. Doyle Smith
passed away. I am heartsick over the loss of a dear
friend and mentor. In light of what I just wroteI am
thankful to God for the many years of mentoring I
received from Doyle.
Doyle has been the pastor of First Southern Baptist
Church, Great Bend, for more than 40 years. Doyle
loved his family, his church and this convention and

gave his life in service to The Lord Jesus Christ. I am

thankful to God for the life and ministry of Dr. Doyle
Smith.

Bob Mills

The Cross Eyed Life

By Andy Addis

NOVEMBER 2015

KNCSB Convention President

E-mail: andy@crosspointnow.net

I am starting a new adventure here with the

KNCSB Baptist Digest, and with it a thank you to
our new president Joe Stiles.
When I expressed I would miss writing the
Presidents Perspective each month, he responded
with a gleam in his eye
and asked me to keep on
writing.
Thank you, Mr.
President! But, we probably ought to change the
name of the column, so,
lets christen this new
adventure: The Cross Eyed
Life.
I know, what in the
world is a cross eyed life?
Let me explain.
A few weeks ago my
wife and I were making
our way to a missions
Andy Addis
gathering in Salt Lake City
and had to start out early: up at 3 am, on the road
by 4 am, at the Wichita airport by 5 am for a 6 am
flight... that left at a little after 9 am.
Yeah... It was one of those days. We missed our
connection; they misplaced our luggage, and about
100+ people sat in the terminal losing their religion.
What made it worse was the weather. As the sun
came up (which we got to see every minute of), it
was a beautiful day, and it was so nice the clouds
themselves had formed the words zip-a-dee-do-dah.
So, obviously there were no weather delays.
Maybe the plane wasnt there yet? So, I asked the
gal behind the counter... nope, thats our plane sitting right outside the window.
Mechanical problems? Not it, its all good.
I know, the pilot hasnt made it in from a connecting flight yet? Sorry, no go. Hes already sitting on
the plane with a full crew.
So, with a dumbfounded look on my face I asked
the gal behind the counter one more question, So,
can we all get on the plane and leave?

I will bet you know the answer. She said no.

It was then that I learned a new term: low ceilings.
Apparently, the weather in Denver was different.
Low clouds meant it was too difficult to land.
Even though everything on our end was perfect,
it would have still been a huge mistake to take off
because where we were going wasnt ready yet.
It was at this point I moved from disgruntled to
thankful. Thankful that someone knew what was
going on and had a better plan than I did.
Its all about perspective. You have to see things
clearly if you are going to move in the right direction.
And thats what The Cross Eyed Life is all
about, seeing things from the right perspective.
As a follower of Jesus, we have to learn to see
things through the lens of the cross.
The cross changes your perspective on love and
passion.
The cross changes your perspective on suffering
and sacrifice.
The cross changes your perspective on everything
in life.
First Corinthians 1:18 says, For the word of the
cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us
who are being saved it is the power of God.
The Baptist Digest

(USPS 018-942)
Vol. 59 No.11
Leadership Newsjournal for KansasNebraska Southern Baptists is published
monthly (except for January and July)
10 times a year.
5410 SW 7th Street
Topeka, KS 66606-2398
Phone: (785) 228-6800
Toll Free: 800-984-9092
Fax: (785) 273-4992
E-mail: tboyd@kncsb.org
Web site: baptistdigest.com
POSTMASTER:

Periodical postage paid at Topeka, KS 66606 and

additional entries. Send address changes to: The
Baptist Digest, 5410 SW 7th Street, Topeka, KS
66606-2398.

How great would it be if every believer spoke

with the grace of the cross? If we felt with the passion of the cross? If we walked with the power of
the cross?
Wouldnt it be great if our vision were constantly
obscured by the image of the cross.
Thats when we would truly start living The
Cross Eyed Life.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
INFORM -- Regularly share information about ongoing
training, curriculum, events, support and personnel.
RESOURCE -- Serve as a resource pool for practical
ideas about what is working in KS-NE congregations
and how it relates to all sizes of churches.
GENERATIONAL -- Cast t.he widest net, providing stories and information that will appeal to all generations
of Southern Baptists in NE-KS.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY -- Be family-friendly with stories,
regular columns and helps for families and leaders who
work with families.
AGE DIVERSE -- Publish s. tories that address the
diversity of age, ethnicity, and geographical regions of
KS-NE.
MISSION-ORIENTED -- Publish stories about people
and congregations involved in missions and regularly
publicize ministry opportunities.
PART OF WIDER MISSION - Help congregations
discover that they are part of the larger work of the
Kingdom of God through their ministries.

To give local news:

Local church and associational news may be submitted by mail, phone, fax or e-mail.

Advertising:

Advertising policy and rates are available upon

request Call 800-984-9092 or e-mail:
tboyd@kncsb.org

STAFF

Editor: Tim Boyd, PhD.

Associate Editor: Eva Wilson
Printing Coordinator: Derek Taylor
Robert T. Mills, D. Min.

KNCSB Executive Director

AFFILIATIONS
Association of State Baptist Papers
Baptist Communicators Association

Sharing & Strengthening

Gods Plan for Sharing

By Jon Sapp

KNCSB State Director of Evangelism

E-mail: jsapp@kncsb.org

Editors Note: Jon asked Brett Yohn to write a review

of the fall student conference. That review is given
below.
For the last
45 years, BSU/
Christian
Challenge collegians have gathered in the Fall for
a weekend retreat
or conference.
This year more
than 550 gathered at Webster
Conference Center
outside of Salina,
KS. Webster has
been home to this
Jim Smerchek
event since the
mid-80s.
Everything has changedthe buildings are now
heated and air conditioned. There is an indoor
sports building and outdoor lakes. Students gather
to loud praise band worship, attend small seminars,
and hear motivational Bible teaching.

The theme
this year was
Sons and
Daughters of
God. Mark
Vance, campus
director from
Iowa State, gave
four messages
on our identity in Christ as
adopted children. Nate Sapp
David Schneider
and the KSU
Christian Challenge
band led the worship. Students were able to attend two different
seminars led by various pastors, missionaries, and
lay people.
Did I mention camping? In spite of a huge rainstorm on Friday night, students camped. Some hammockedever heard of that? Its a college fad.
Several older students reflected on what attending Fall Conference has meant to them during their
college years.
Jim Smerchek: KSU
Being at the Fall Conference for the 7th time,
I know a lot of people from other campuses and

feel family with them. The workshop speakers

have played an integral role of my life through the
years.
David Schneider: Fort Hays State University
Im a senior in Biology. As a freshman during
the Fall Conference, I turned my Lutheran head
knowledge into a relationship with God.
Lives are changed in a weekend. New understandings of God and His Word are gained.
Lifelong friendships are made. KNCSB makes
moments like these possible by helping fund collegiate workers on the various campuses.

Many of the students attending the fall conference

live in the Student Village in hammocks and tents.
This year a huge rainstorm rolled in resulting in a lot
of wet students.

Sharing the Gospel with Internationals in the USA

life but never put intentionality to her actions until
an Oklahoma pastor challenged her. I had never sat
down and actually talked about heaven and hell, she
recalled. I expected people to intuitively understand
by watching. It doesnt work that way. You need to be
intentional in meeting people, knowing their needs and
sharing the gospel.
Call your local university. Host an international student.
When Neisha Roberts took a new job in Alabama,
she called the local university to see if there were any
students from Thailand. She had just returned from
serving two years with the IMB and wanted to continue ministering to Buddhists. Reaching out to international students is a great way to impact a lost world.
Most plan to return home and can take the gospel or
a seed planted in their heart back with them.
Jenifer Perkins noticed in their student program at
Washburn University in Topeka, Kan., that students
love to attend church with their host families but not
when its the only thing you invite them to do. The
students feel disappointed and like they didnt really
experience America. Avoid this pitfall by allowing students to see God in all aspects of your life.
Hospitality. Share a meal.
Most of our international neighbors come from cultures where hospitality and relationships are central to
life. When they come to America, they often feel disconnected, isolated and alone. Inviting them into our
homes, serving them and treating them with love is a
vital first step in sharing the gospel.
Teach. Learn. Love.
Learning is a two way street. Let your international
friends teach about their culture while sharing about
your own. Virginians Scott and Rebecca admitted this
can take time and effort but its worth it in the end.

Learning our way into their world provides a culturally

appropriate way to share the Gospel and disciple.
God is moving people to your community so they
may hear and know Him. Will you take up the cross?
Remember, you arent alone. There are people willing
to assist. All you have to do is join the conversation.
by Susie Rain, IMB Senior Writer

Such is the depth of the Christian Scriptures,

that even if I were attempting to study them and
nothing else from early boyhood to decrepit
old age, with the utmost leisure, the most unwearied zeal, and talents greater than I have, I
would be still daily making progress in discovering their treasures.
by Augustine of Hippo

Let us know, then, that the true meaning of

Scripture is the natural and obvious meaning;
and let us embrace and abide by it resolutely.
Let us not only neglect as doubtful, but boldly
set aside as deadly corruptions, those pretended expositions, which lead us away from the
natural meaning.
by John Calvin

Church Seeks Music/Youth Minister

First Southern Baptist Church in Salina, Kansas is
actively seeking a full-time Music and Youth staff
position. Responsibilities will include developing
a weekly blended worship service and developing
a vibrant and comprehensive youth ministry with
students in grades 6th 12th. Please send your
resume and questions to music.youth15@yahoo.
com . You can also visit www.fsbcsalina.com for
more information about the church.

NOVEMBER 2015

Sharing the Good News with the Tibetan people of

the Himalayas has never been easier. You dont have to
trek the worlds highest mountain range to get to them
because some live right here in the United States
Queens, N.Y., to be exact!
Find your international neighbors!
Most of the worlds 6,000 plus unreached people
groups (less than 2 percent follow Jesus) can be found
in neighborhoods throughout the United States, maybe
even yours. This global migration gives the American
church opportunities like never before to reach a lost
world.
Lets be practical, though. These international neighbors usually speak a different language. They follow
another religion. Their culture is not the same. So
where do we even begin to make an impact?
Never fear! Readers just like you answered this
question via social media and offered these tips and
resources:
Start a conversation. Become friends.
Sometimes just opening your mouth is difficult when
you dont have a common language. But lets be honest. Walking up to any stranger let alone someone
from another country can be intimidating. Laurel
Duty, a college student from Mississippi, pointed out,
Everyone just wants a friend and someone they can
trust, especially when you are far from home. We, as
believers, can be that person.
Take the first step and ask a simple question like,
What does the henna (temporary dye art) on your
hand mean? Who knows? Maybe your next conversation will lead to a henna party with women from
Africa, South Asia and the Middle East using patterns
that depict Bible stories.
Be intentional. Share Jesus.
Nikki White spent years showing people Jesus in her

www.kncsb.org

KNCSB Messengers Gather to Worship, Pray and Conduct Business in Overland Park, Kansas

Andy Addis,
President, KNCSB

Andy Addis and Derrick Lynch pray

with Frank Page, President & CEO
Exec Comm SBC

Bob Mills,
KNCSB Executive
Director

Derrick Lynch,
Pastor of host
church leads
bible study

Casey Ingold, Pastor,

Covenant Baptist Church,
Topeka, KS delivered
Annual Sermon

Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptists were urged to increase their

sending capacity to reach and disciple more people for Christ. This
was only one of the challenges that came during the 70th annual
meeting of the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists.
One Mission was the theme of the meeting held Oct. 12-13 at
Blue Valley Baptist Church, Overland Park, Kan., in the Kansas City
area. The meeting drew 287 registered messengers and 80 visitors.
In his sermon on Monday night, Oct. 12, outgoing KNCSB President Andy Addis focused on Proverbs 14:4, Without oxen, a stable
stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest. Addis is
pastor of CrossPoint Church, Hutchinson, Kan. He urged KansasNebraska Southern Baptists to prioritize the harvest. Clean stables
arent doing a hell-bound world any good.
During business sessions messengers approved the 2016 KNCSB
budget of $4,827,852. This is a decrease of 1.3 percent from the 2015
budget. Giving to the national Cooperative Program was increased
by one half of 1 percent to 24 percent. KNCSB Executive Director Bob
Mills cited financial challenges the two-state convention is facing.
But he expressed faith: Our God is faithful. Im not distressed. Im
just waiting for the new thing Hes doing to do. Mills urged KansasNebraska Southern Baptists to:
l Be a people that focus on the Lord Jesus Christ.
l Focus on evangelism, missions and discipleship
l Recapture a cooperative spirit
New officers elected were:
l President -- Joe Stiles, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church,
Lawrence, Kan. He previously served two years as vice president.
l Vice president -- Derrick Lynch, pastor of the annual meeting
host church
Other officers were re-elected:
l Recording secretary - Bryan Jones, pastor of Tyler Road Southern Baptist Church, Wichita, Kan.
l Assistant recording secretary - Susan Pederson, member of
Prairie Hills Baptist Church, Augusta, Kan.
l Historian - Tony Mattia, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church,
Wamego, Kan.
Messengers also adopted two resolutions that:
l Expressed appreciation to the host church
l Reiterated support for the sanctity of life and biblical marriage
consisting of one man and one woman
Future KNCSB annual meetings will be:
l 2016 - Oct. 10-11 at LifeSpring Church, Bellevue, Neb., in the
Omaha area
l 2017 -- Oct. 9-10 at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan.
l 2018 October (dates to be announced) at First Southern Baptist
Church, Pratt, Kan.

CrossOver Prayer

Each session of the meeting began with times of directed prayer

focusing on various topics. Small groups prayed together.
Andy Addis, KNCSB president, encouraged everyone to be in
continuous prayer. People came forward to pick up small stones,
which Andy had provided, as a reminder to pray.

Jason Degenhardt, seated,

and Mike Inman, Worship
& Youth Pastor,
Covenant Baptist Church.

Help with Church Libraries

Bill Shiflet,
Worship Pastor, & Kerri
Shiflet, Lenexa
Baptist Church,
Lenexa, KS

The KNCSB Leadership Conference is held prior to the KNCSB

annual meeting. This panel from Pleasant Valley Baptist Church,
Liberty, Missouri, discusses and answers questions about collaborative leadership. From left to right: Merle Mees, pastor; Cheryl
Kohlsteadt; Bryan Nelson; Jerry Conner; Tim Overby.

Georges Boujakly, Starting Team Leader, 2nd from right, introduced , from left to right, Auturo
Nunez-Church Planter, Kansas City; Andrew Huesing-People Groups, Blue Valley Baptist
Association; Dallas Powell-Church Planting Catalyst, East and Central Nebraska; Craig Liscom, far
right, Church Planting Catalyst, East and Northeast Nebraska. Each man explained how they are
reaching people groups in their area.

Bob Mills, KNCSB Executive Director, presented the officers elected for KNCSB 2016. Pictured left to right
are Joe Stiles, President; Susan Pedersen, Assistant Recording Secretary; Tony Mattia, Historian; Derrick
Lynch, Vice-President; Bryan Jones, Recording Secretary.

Participants in the 2015 KNCSB annual meeting had the

opportunity to tour the library at Blue Valley Baptist Church,
Overland Park, Kan., the host church. The library is located
just off the lobby where registration took place. A colorful
display called Spot a Good Book featured stuffed Dalmatians of all sizes. Fay Hudnall, church library director at
Blue Valley, greeted visitors. Hudnall said she would like to
offer assistance to churches that need help with their libraries. Contact her at fayhudnall@gmail.com. She and her staff
recently helped start a library at Blue Valleys Ridgeview
campus in Olathe.
Hudnall was planning to take a group to the North
Alabama Church Library Conference on Thursday, Nov. 5,
at Central Baptist Church, Decatur, Ala. Nationally known
church librarian Eva Nell Hunter is library director at Central
Baptist Church. The North Alabama Church Library Conference is an annual event, so church librarians are encouraged
to check
with Hudnall about
the possibility of
attending
in 2016.

This colorful display greeted participants in the 2015

KNCSB annual meeting who toured the library at the host
church, Blue Valley Baptist in Overland Park, Kansas.

NOVEMBER 2015

NOVEMBER 2015

Steve Dighton, Pastor Emeritus, Lenexa

Baptist Church; 1st VP, Southern Baptist
Convention delivered Keynote Address
Mari Parker,
Sending
Team Leader,
introduced
the Weatherd
family.
Reagan, Tisha,
and Todd
Weatherd
talked about
how the Lord
blessed their
family mission trip to Hungary. Todd is pastor of Christ
the Lord Community Church, Salina, Kansas. Cecil Dale,
DOM Central Association, 2nd row, was introduced as the
interim coordinator of Disaster Relief.

Crossover is the prayer and evangelism event that

precedes each KNCSB annual meeting. This year
participants in Crossover went prayerwalking in the
community surrounding the host church, Blue Valley
Baptist Church, Overland Park, Kan. This group went
prayerwalking in the community around the Blue Valley Ridgeview campus in Olathe, which is located north
of the Garmin headquarters. Steve Scott (second from
left) is the Ridgeview campus pastor.

KNCSB ON MISSION

Women Challenged to Seek

Face-to-Face Relationships

NOVEMBER 2015

Were more connected than

any other generation in the
world. Yet were lonelier than
ever.
During Wonderful Weekend
2015 Sophie Hudson, the featured speaker, urged participants to seek genuine community and genuine relationships.
WWW, the annual KNCSB
womens retreat, was held
Sept.11-12 at Webster Conference Center, Salina, Kan.
Hudson is from Birmingham, Ala. She is known as the
blogger BooMama. Visit her
blog at http://boomama.net/
Hudsons first book was A
Little Salty to Cut the Sweet:
Southern Stories of Faith,
Family, and Fifteen Pounds of
Bacon. It was published in
June 2013.
Her latest book is Home is
Where My People Are The
Roads that Lead Us to Where
We Belong. It was released in
February 2015.
In a world obsessed with
technology, Hudson urged the
women to strive for face-toface relationships.
Theres no substitute for
face-to-face relationships, she
said.
WWW participants also
learned about several ministries
they can help support.
KNCSB will help stage the
MK Re-Entry Retreat in August

2016 at Webster Conference

Center. The retreat is for missionary kids (MKs) who will be
returning to the United States
to attend college for the first
time. It is designed to help MKs
adjust to life in the U.S.
KNCSBs role in the retreat
will be to provide money to
help fund the event including:
nChartering buses to transport approximately 60 MKs
from Kansas City International
Airport to Webster Confer-

WWW participants
learned about a retreat in 2016 for MKs
(Missionary Kids)
who will be returning
to the United States
to attend college for
the first time.
ence Center in Salina and then
providing return transportation
to KCI.
n Paying for Webster Conference Center costs for the event.
n Buying snacks for the
event and providing gifts for
each MK.
WWW participants also
learned about a new ministry
where Native American women
in Nebraska will make and

sell jewelry to provide income,

fund mission projects and pay
for women to attend an annual
retreat in the Black Hills.
Alfie Goombi and her
husband, Ron, are missionaries
who serve Native Americans in
Nebraska.
A high-end boutique has
donated broken jewelry. The
Native American women will
recycle the broken pieces into
new jewelry to sell through the
ministry. For more information about this project, contact
Goombi at alfiegoombi@cox.net.
Part of the WWW 2015
offering went to the 2016 MK
retreat and the Native American
womens jewelry ministry.
The women also were urged
to attend WWW 2016. It will
be held Sept. 16-17 at Webster
Conference Center.
Danielle Strickland will be
the featured speaker. She is
an author and speaker from
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Strickland is an officer in The
Salvation Army and works in
a marginalized community in
Edmonton. She leads an antihuman trafficking campaign.
Her books are:
n A Beautiful Mess: How
God Re-creates Our Lives
n Boundless: Living Life in
Overflow
n The Liberating Truth:
How Jesus Empowers Women

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions

December is just around the corner and many Kansas-Nebraska Southern Baptists
churches will be collecting the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International
Missions. The offering provides nearly 60 percent of the International Mission
Boards income. The IMB is now facing a serious financial shortfall so the offering
is even more important. Please begin praying about what God wants you and your
church to give to the Lottie Moon Offering.

Lori Morrison (left) and Frankie Holleman from Nashville,

Tenn., were the featured musicians for Wonderful Weekend
for Women 2015. Hello was the retreat theme. Retreat
participants were reminded to seek face-to-face relationships in a world obsessed with technology.

Participants in WWW 2015 had the opportunity to support

a new ministry for Native American women in Nebraska.
Missionary Alfie Goombi told about plans to start a ministry
where Native American women will make jewelry for income, to support mission projects and to attend the annual
conference for Native American women in the Black Hills.

Participants in WWW 2015 enjoyed the conference on

How to Encourage and Show Respect to Your Husband,
taught by Gloria Burk from Overland Park, Kan. Burk
shared verses of Scripture and from popular Christian
books including Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs.
She also encouraged the women to try the 30-Day Husband
Encouragement Challenge at https://www.reviveourhearts.com/resource-library/30-day-challenges/30-dayhusband/

WWW.KNWOMEN.COM
Adoption: Buckle Up! Retreat to Minister to MKs
By Melissa Busby
WWW Life Session Leader

As an
adoptive
mom, I am often contacted
by families
interested
in adopting
or fostering
children.
I always
tell people
that adoption
is one of the
most rewarding things
Melissa Busby
I have ever
done, but its
also stretched me more than I ever
thought possible.
I tell people to buckle up and get
ready for a roller coaster of emotions
and experiences that will forever
change you. The good, the bad and the
ugly will all come out in the process.
Here are a just a few of the lessons I
have learned:
n Gods timing is not my timing.
His timing is always perfect and never
late. This may seem like a no-brainer,
but as someone who really likes to be
in control, this one was very hard for
me.
n Nearly every step in the process
involves endless waiting that you
have no control over. I learned (and
am still learning) that we must search
for His purpose in that time. My
whining and impatience does not help
anyone. God will redeem that time
and use it for His glory if I let Him.

God is our great provider

Jehovah Jireh. He will provide the
money, time, people, resources and
energy for whatever task He has
called us to do. I have been left with
my mouth hanging wide open in awe,
time and time again, at Gods provision. Sometimes we just need to take
that first step of faith and follow along
and watch as He provides just what we
need each step of the way.
n In order to adequately love others, I must continually die to my own
selfish desires. Adoptive parents must
love sacrificially a child who has undergone heartache and trauma and whose
behaviors often reflect all of the hurt they
have endured.
I know many adoptive parents who
have had to love and give for years to a
child who has never reciprocated that
love in any way. This love is to me a
beautiful picture of how God loves us
even when we try to push Him away.
n I must let go of my fairy tale notions and let God tell the story through
our reality. I am not the hero of the story.
I am not the one sent to rescue my
child. Instead, I am the one whom God
allows the great privilege to parent these
children.
n I get to point my children to our
great God. He is the ultimate hero of the
story and the one who can mold us into
a family, heal our hearts and give us a
deep love for one another.
You may not ever adopt a child, but
I know God has similar lessons for you
to learn. God uses all of our life experiences to draw us closer to Him. What
is He teaching you today through your
circumstances?
n

Tis the Season!

By Patti Boswell

What is it like to grow up overseas and then be

expected to return to the USA for college? Most of
us cant even imagine taking our children to college
and leaving them on a different continent. Yet Third
Culture Kids (TCKs), or MKs, are comfortable in their
home culture and returning to the USA can be a foreign
place. What part can you play to assist their process?
Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists
will be hosting the annual MK Re-Entry Retreat in
2016. This is what students attend as they transition to
the USA and college.
The KNCSB Sending Office is now raising funds
Priscilla Sapp
to provide a welcoming place for the students from all
around the world at Webster Conference Center and
you and your church can contribute to this event.
Also, you can pray for these students asking that they will celebrate their life
overseas, that God will give them godly and deep relationships stateside and that
God will grant them purpose and calling. You will find a detailed prayer guide on
the KNCSB website under Ministries in upper right corner, then select Downloads and Resources Finally, you should see TCK Retreat Prayer Guide 2016 or
at this link: http://bit.ly/1Go1dt8
Part of the Viola Webb State and Associational Missions Offering for 2015-2016
will go to provide financial assistance to the MK Retreat. This would be one great
way to give! Another would be to send a check to KNCSB for the MK Re-Entry
Retreat at 5410 SW 7th St., Topeka, KS 66606.
Thank you for supporting our missionaries.

God Hears Our Prayers

By Tara Rye
In my distress I called to the LORD;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
My cry came before him, into his ears.
(Psalm 18:6)
I was devastated when I realized that
the ring Greg bought me in Israel was not
on my finger.
Oh no! I lost my ring!
Where?
I have no idea. We have been so many
places today. We went to the Dodds farm
and toured it and we test drove a car.
I thought about the ring Greg bought
me and how it said, I am my beloveds
and my beloved is mine in Hebrew as
Greg searched my car. Memories started to
flood my mind. It wasnt so much the actual ring, but everything special about our
Israel trip that it became a sweet reminder
as I looked at my ring.
Greg asked if we should retrace my
steps at all the places we had been. I didnt
see the point of searching a farm and I really thought if it fell off in the car we would
have seen it as we checked it out. I just
didnt feel it would help.
Silently, I prayed, Father, please give
me my ring back even if it takes a few years
and it pops up at the farm. I then released
the ring in my heart because it is just a ring.
Until this morning (two days later,) as I
put my hand in my face-washing glove my
ring was on the inside of the ring finger.
What is that? And when I realized it
was my ring I was shocked! God returned

my ring! Immediately I praised God!

I know it is a simple thing, but for me it
was a big kiss from my Father because He
heard my cry and answered.
I know this is not the cry of distress from
a serious life crisis, but a cry of personal
want. Yet God heard me! I think this made
it even sweeter because He did not have
to answer this for eternal gain, but only to
bless my heart.
How has God answered your non-eternal prayers and blessed your heart? I would
love to hear.
Father, thank you for caring for even
non-eternal desires of our hearts!
Simply, Tara

NOVEMBER 2015

Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 (ESV)

Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures
forever! Psalm 106:1 (ESV)
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
Psalm 105:1 (ESV)
The fall leaves have ushered in the holiday season as it is commonly called.
Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. Its a time when we
change our routine a bit to spend more time with family and friends. We take
our mind off ourselves awhile and think of others in a way that seems to be more
prevalent than at any other time of the year!
From these Scriptures, its a time for:
n Thanking God daily for His many gifts to us.
n Praising Him for his goodness and love for us!
n Calling on His name and sharing with others what He is doing in our lives!
I wish we could just bottle up this season and live in it all year long. We
should. Every day. Thats where the joy is found!
JesusOthersYourself an old lesson, learned long ago, still rings true.
And we still need to be reminded of it.

By Priscilla Sapp

www.KNCSB.org

Add Pizzazz for

Your Womens Event

NOVEMBER 2015

Are you planning a womens event at

your church this falla retreat, luncheon, conference, mission project, or
awesome weekly ministry? Try adding
these elements to create exciting, Godhonoring pizzazz:
The Buzz Factor. Generate anticipation. Give the event a great title or
theme. Do excellent promotion, using
social media, quality graphics, email,
church website, bathroom walls, church
exterior sign. For your biggest event,
assign your friendliest ladies at worship exit doors to personally give both
a verbal and printed invitation to each
woman. Even better, give them two
invitations, so they can bring a friend.
The Team Factor. Include new people
of varying ages on the planning team.
Our team usually consisted of five ladieseach with a specific major assignment to fit her talents, such as program,
dcor, publicity, tickets, table hostesses.
After an initial meeting, each one
recruits her own separate, large crew to
accomplish that assignment with excellence, intentionally including new and
fringe people. The event coordinator or
staff leader synchronizes.
The First Impression Factor. Every
detail is done as unto the Lord. From
the moment a woman steps from her
car, first impressions count. Directional
signs and greeters simplify her arrival.
Entry foyers are attractive and point to
God. Even if shes early, theres a joyful
atmosphere, friendly ladies and Christian background music as she arrives.
The WOW! Factor. Create the unexpected. Strive for a gasp, Oh, youve
got to see this! Brainstorm your theme
to make one thing very memorable.
A gorgeous entry. A surprise guest. A
unique decor. An amazing dessert...
The Flow Factor. Leaders privately
use a private minute-by-minute schedule, assuring the event begins and ends

precisely on time. Anyone who attends

feels it was worth her minutes. Most
announcements are printed in the program to avoid drag. Although flow is
meticulously planned and implemented, the mood is relaxed, with plenty of
fellowship before and afterward.
The Purpose Factor. With each event,
youre creating a church reputation for
fabulous, God-centered events. Plan
every detail to glorify God and make
Him known. Its not a secular club
or performance, so the focus isnt on
entertaining our current members or
cheering planners or performers. Focus
on Him. Convince church members to
joyfully bring many, many unchurched
friends.
The Friendship Factor. Train every
church member to act as a hostess, and
to befriend newcomers. Enhance friendships with nametags. Assure that every
guest leaves with several new friends
invitations to lunch, coffee, small
group, playgroup, golf. Shell have new
FaceBook friends, and emails or phone
calls before the day is over. God will
use those friendships to introduce her
to His grace because your members are
radically intentional.
The Reflection Factor. Plan ahead so
ladies leave with something memorable
in their hands. A separate creative team
could craft hand-made theme bookmarks or keepsakes to fit the theme. For
a walking with God theme, we found
tiny glass slippers that cost pennies.
My little slipper still sits on my counter
as a reminder. For a Luke 12:27 trustthemed event, give each lady a lily as
she leaves.
Add pizzazz and joy to your upcoming event. Ladies outside your church
are waiting to be invited. Theyre dying
to know your Savior.

Diana Davis is an author, columnist

and ministers wife. www.dianadavis.org

EARN
YOUR PhD
FOR THE
CHURCH.
MIDWESTERN SEMINARYS DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE IS
DESIGNED TO EQUIP LEADERS INTERESTED IN BUILDING UP THE CHURCH.
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Webster
Update

1. Three new board members were elected to serve on the WCC Board of Directors
at the KNCSB Annual Meeting: 1) Carolyn Cone of Burwell, NE, Sandhills Association; 2) Nikki Riley, Lincoln, NE, Eastern Nebraska Association; and 3) Greg
Savage, Salina, KS, Smoky Hill Association.
2. Construction continues on the Dining Hall expansion project. Work has begun
on the outdoor patio and the parking lot adjacent to the Dining Hall. Volunteers
are needed for inside and outside work on the new building. Call Bill Cooke for
more information: 1-877-WCC-RESV.
3. Construction on the new sewer system is well underway and it is hoped this
project will be completed by the end of October 2015 if weather permits.
4. User Days are up by 1,839 for the year at 41,485. Revenue is down slightly by
$4,214.37 due to some meetings not serving meals at their events this year.
5. Did you know if you select WCC as you designated recipient, WCC will receive
a cash contribution each time you make a purchase at Amazon and at Dillions? If
you will go the WCC website, www.webstercc.org, on the left hand of the home
page under Support WCC, you can find links to register to make these gifts happen at no expense to you. WCCs NPO Number is 28483 for Dillions.
6. On the same website, you can sign-up for the free WCC E-Newsletter that is
published monthly.
7. Mark your calendars for WCC Sunday on April 10, 2016. In early March 2016,
materials will be available for you to download to share with your church about
how God is using WCC to expand the work of assisting churches to make disciples. This day is for awareness, not fund-raising.

Thank you for your continued support of this mission facility as we

continue to reach people for Christ and train believers for the work of
the ministry! The WCC Staff

Featured Video

Available to churches cooperating with KNCSB by contacting library@kncsb.

org or calling either 785/228-6800 or 800/984-9092. Ask for Barbara Spicer

The Armor of God

by Priscilla Shirer
This DVD series will bring to light the war around you and challenge
you to suit up, stand firm and secure victory in your life. All day, every
day, an invisible war rages around you - unseen, unheard, yet felt
throughout every aspect of your life. A devoted, devilish enemy seeks
to wreck havoc on everything that matters to you: your heart, your
mind, your marriage, your children, your relationships, your resilience,
your dreams, your destiny. But his battle plan depends on catching
you unaware and unarmed. If youre tired of being pushed around and
caught with your guard down, this DVD study is for you.
SESSIONS:
Session 1: Sizing Up the Enemy
Session 2: The Belt of Truth
Session 3: The Breastplate of Righteousness
Session 4: Shoes of Peace
Session 5: Shield of Faith
Session 6: Helmet of Salvation
The Sword of the Spirit
VIDEO STUDIES ARE A MINISTRY OF THE KNCSB LENDING LIBRARY.

Arkansas Church Seeks Full-Time Music Pastor.

Send resumes for FULL-TIME MUSIC PASTOR to EHBC, 703 E. Walters,
Harrison, AR 72601 or email to ehbcadmin@eagleheightsharrison.org