What comes next?

College is a hard time. You know what’s even harder? Immediately after college. I entered my final year as a Graphic Design major at Southeast Missouri State University in September of 2010, and I began to Alyssa Smiththink of what I might do next. I had recently married in May and my life had changed drastically, as it often does when you decide to unite your life with another, equally complicated human being. I knew that whatever direction I choose to take upon graduation on May 14 (53 days from the writing of this post, but who’s counting?) will drastically affect this other person whom I have chosen to share my life with.

At first we talked about joining Mission Year, a yearlong missionary program that would have, most likely, sent us to either Chicago or Atlanta. Upon the completion of this year we would then move to Philadelphia and attend Eastern University for a year to receive a Masters in Urban Studies and Community Development. I was sold. Then our sites focused on moving to Kansas City, upon my husband’s starting the CREATE program last fall. “That’s it!” we thought, “We will move to Kansas City and start the intentional community that we felt God drawing us to.” We will buy a house, fix it up, and build life-long wonderful friendships with the people in the community around us, and maybe join Mission Year sometime later.” But most importantly, we would get out of Cape Girardeau, where the both of us had been living for the last several years.

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Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

Leslie Limbaugh was the guest preacher at Third Baptist Church, St. Louis, for Martha Stearns Marshall Month. Over the next few weeks, we'll be featuring sermons from Missouri women. 

Rev. Leslie LimbaughIt is an honor to preach in recognition of Martha Stearns Marshall and her ministry. Along with her brother, Shubal Stearns, and her husband, David Marshall, Martha is remembered as a key voice in the progress of Baptist life across the south during the 18^th century. She was a pioneer in many ways – traveling across the countryside, speaking eloquently, praying boldly – and bringing the Good News to many people.

What a privilege to call her a role model!!

Thank you, Pastor Warren and Third Baptist Church, for encouraging me and other women to continue discovering and developing gifts for ministry.

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Sermon: Pass the Salt, Please

Kathy Pickett was the guest preacher at South Liberty Baptist Church, Liberty, for Martha Stearns Marshall Month. Over the next few weeks, we'll be featuring sermons from Missouri women. 

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-20, Isaiah 58:1-9a, Psalm 112:1-9, 1 Corinthians 2:1-12

Kathy PickettThe question I have been asking and exploring in my doctoral work is, “What does it mean to be the church?” It might sound kind of silly that I would be asking this question after twelve years of vocational ministry, but I believe the church is in a season of time that requires us to ask ourselves, “What does it mean for us to be the church in the twenty-first century?” It seems that we are in a time, much like the disciples, where need to step back from what we already know and listen to Jesus.

Jesus has been busy traveling about Galilee inviting the disciples to come join him, teaching, preaching, healing, and becoming quite famous as a result of it all. While traveling about teaching, preaching and healing, Jesus looks around and notices that the crowd following him had grown quite large. So that everyone could hear and see him, Jesus climbed up the side of a large hill with the disciples following close behind.

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The Hard and Necessary Task of Ecumenism

Sometimes, I am not sure we really want to experience ecumenicalism or diversity. We say we do, but maybe we are afraid of being changed.

Kate HanchMost of the ecumenical events I see today seem to bring together persons who are like-minded from the start. They may belong to different churches, but most seem similar in convictions or political alliances (spoken or silent). I notice that some churches in my Baptist fellowship appear more similar to different denominations than other Baptists.It’s interesting to see who’s missing at the table.

What could these missing voices offer?

I grew up in a church wrestling in the middle of the Southern Baptist controversy. Churches that had once partnered in youth and community events did not associate with one another. It seemed that the question of whether women could preach or how monies were to be designated superseded fulfilling the Great Commission.

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Finding a Voice

Jennifer Harris DaultOne hundred plus e-mails, many facebook group posts, and several conversations later, I am becoming a person to avoid. Baptist pastors see me coming and run. That's apparently the life of an organization leader. On the plus side, at last check Missouri had more churches participating in Martha Stearns Marshall Month of Preaching than any other state.