On May 25th, 2008 I had the opportunity to preach at The Ayore Church in Morrill, KS. Ayore is a church that we've had a relationship with for about six years. In that time we've filled the pulpit, preached at a Bible and missions conference, and helped with two of their annual church camps. The church itself is located in Morrill, KS which is a rural community about forty miles west of St. Joseph, MO.
I preached from Matthew 22 and Jesus' teaching on the Greatest Commandment. One of the greatest aspects and signs of the Christian life of both individuals and churches is the presence and activity of sacrificial love. It might even be that many churches that we visit would claim that I preach on the subject too often. While sacrificial love is the most important aspect of our lives and service to the Lord and our communities, it is also the greatest way that most believers and churches fail!
We've been preaching at Ayore frequently of the past few months as they are without a pastor. The encouraging news is that they have a pastoral candidate visiting in a few weeks. Please remember both the Ayore Church and their pastoral search committee in your prayers as they seek to find the man that the Lord has for them!
Monday, May 26, 2008
GSM Board Meeting - May 24th, 2008
Saturday, May 24th, 2008, the Golden Spur Ministries Board of Directors held its regular quarterly meeting at the home of Cory and Leslie Young in Belton, MO.
During the meeting, I (Cory) gave a report on the ministries that have been completed since the last Board meeting, updated the Board on upcoming ministries, and presented this fiscal year's current financial report.
Other than regular business, I also gave a report on Golden Spur's new website and blog. Our goal with both the website and blog is to create an effective means of giving reports on what the Lord is doing in our ministry and keep our prayer team and supporters up-to-date with our prayer needs and schedule.
The next meeting of Golden Spur's Board was set for August 9th, 2008.
During the meeting, I (Cory) gave a report on the ministries that have been completed since the last Board meeting, updated the Board on upcoming ministries, and presented this fiscal year's current financial report.
Other than regular business, I also gave a report on Golden Spur's new website and blog. Our goal with both the website and blog is to create an effective means of giving reports on what the Lord is doing in our ministry and keep our prayer team and supporters up-to-date with our prayer needs and schedule.
The next meeting of Golden Spur's Board was set for August 9th, 2008.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
First Baptist Church of Cleveland - May 18, 2008
During our ministry at the Cass Midway High School Baccalaureate a few weeks ago Leslie and I were reacquainted with Pastor Henry Green from First Baptist Church of Cleveland, MO. I say reacquainted because, while we hadn't seen each other for several years, Pastor Green was one of the several ordained pastors and deacons who sat on my ordination council in May 0f 2005. Pastor Green gave a devotion later during the Baccalaureate service and after the service asked me to fill the pulpit this Sunday (May 18th, 2008). We were both encouraged by the invitation and gladly accepted.
We were amazed when we actually arrived at the church as there were quite a few members who we already knew. Many were Leslie's coworkers at Hawthorn Bank and others were the leaders of the Pacemakers 4-H horse club that I was a part of in middle school.
This being the first time that I preached at First Baptist, the Lord led me to preach from 2 Corinthians 5:17-20. This is one of my favorite passages to preach and quite possible one of the best missions and evangelism passages in all of Scripture. The passage explains that the change in every believer's life and the reconciling work of Christ demands that we act as His ambassadors in our community and in the world. What an awesome challenge! It is also a great passage that opens the door for us to share how the Lord has changed our lives and what He is doing in our ministry to rodeo and rural America.
Leslie and I had a great time as I preached the Word and got acquainted with many of the members. We look forward to developing a lasting ministry relationship with First Baptist Church of Cleveland over the next few months and years!
We were amazed when we actually arrived at the church as there were quite a few members who we already knew. Many were Leslie's coworkers at Hawthorn Bank and others were the leaders of the Pacemakers 4-H horse club that I was a part of in middle school.
This being the first time that I preached at First Baptist, the Lord led me to preach from 2 Corinthians 5:17-20. This is one of my favorite passages to preach and quite possible one of the best missions and evangelism passages in all of Scripture. The passage explains that the change in every believer's life and the reconciling work of Christ demands that we act as His ambassadors in our community and in the world. What an awesome challenge! It is also a great passage that opens the door for us to share how the Lord has changed our lives and what He is doing in our ministry to rodeo and rural America.
Leslie and I had a great time as I preached the Word and got acquainted with many of the members. We look forward to developing a lasting ministry relationship with First Baptist Church of Cleveland over the next few months and years!
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Pleasant Prairie Baptist Church's Rodeo Roundup - May 17th, 2008
Saturday, May 17th, 2008, we had the opportunity to help our home church, Pleasant Prairie Baptist Church, with their annual outreach ministry called "Rodeo Roundup."Rodeo Roundup was an outreach that was envisioned by Pleasant Prairie's pastor, Jim Tompkins, as a community event that targets children, teens, and adults with rodeo "events" such as a stick horse barrel race and cow patty toss. In addition to the events the church also had a moonwalk, a Mighty Bucky (a bronc and bull simulator on loan from the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys), cotton candy and all the major components of a local fair.
While we had thirty or so Pleasant Prairie members to help with each station there were probably 50-60 families that visited. While Pleasant Prairie uses this outreach as an opportunity to let local people see our church in outreach action it was, more importantly, an opportunity to present the Gospel to a large group of families.
Our pastor asked me to give a short devotion with a Gospel presentation about halfway through the day's activities. The passage that I preached from was Judges 16 and the account of Sampson and Delilah. This is a message that I preach quite often in outreach settings as it is a great account of a man's weaknesses, his fall, his repentance, and how the Lord was able to use him in his confessed state to achieve a mighty goal. I believe that Samson's story is one that believers and unbelievers alike can relate to and one that can help challenge anyone to develop a strong and healthy relationship with the Lord.
As with many of our outreach ministries, the Lord will show us the fruit (if He wills) over the next few weeks, months, and years. Please continue to be in prayer for those that heard Gospel for the first time and either made a commitment or felt the Holy Spirit's prodding - that they will take a bold step to contact our church as they attempt to develop a relationship with Christ.
For more pictures of this ministry please click here...
Monday, May 12, 2008
Cass Midway High School Baccalaureate - May 4, 2008
I had the opportunity last Sunday to address the 2008 graduating class of Cass Midway High School at their Baccalaureate Service. This was a unique opportunity for us and we counted it an honor to even be considered! Oddly enough, the Lord has given us the opportunity to minister at some of the largest and grandest rodeos in the country but we rarely have any opportunities to reach out in our home community of Cass County. Cass Midway itself is a rural school district located in central Cass County. It is such a small district that all grades in the district are housed in one building.
The service itself was organized by several local Baptist churches. Many of these pastors had a part in the service. For my part, I challenged the students with the text of 1 Kings 18 and the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel. This passage deals with Elijah's challenge to the people of Israel to serve the Lord and deny the worship of the false god Baal and his prophets. From this passage, my encouragement to the students was avoid doing the "cool" thing (wherever you may find yourself over the next few years) and make a stand for the Lord! Elijah was one man who was willing to be faithful in following the Lord's leading and the direct result was that the entire nation of Israel (which would have numbered in the millions) turned their hearts back to the Lord.
That was the result of the Lord's work through only one man! Imagine what can happen in America each one of these students were willing to make the same stand. That is my prayer!
Click here to view pictures from this ministry...
The service itself was organized by several local Baptist churches. Many of these pastors had a part in the service. For my part, I challenged the students with the text of 1 Kings 18 and the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel. This passage deals with Elijah's challenge to the people of Israel to serve the Lord and deny the worship of the false god Baal and his prophets. From this passage, my encouragement to the students was avoid doing the "cool" thing (wherever you may find yourself over the next few years) and make a stand for the Lord! Elijah was one man who was willing to be faithful in following the Lord's leading and the direct result was that the entire nation of Israel (which would have numbered in the millions) turned their hearts back to the Lord.
That was the result of the Lord's work through only one man! Imagine what can happen in America each one of these students were willing to make the same stand. That is my prayer!
Click here to view pictures from this ministry...
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Casting a Vision at Pleasant Prairie
May 3rd, 2008 we had the opportunity to share with our home church, Pleasant Prairie Baptist Church, in determining and casting the church's vision. The Strategic Leadership Team, essentially the core group of our church, met and discussed and argued over who and where our church wants to be in five years. While it seemed, at times, that our discussions were circular and not advancing at the rate that we would have liked, our pastor and the entire team arrived at a conclusion that only the Holy Spirit could have led us to. Pleasant Prairie's five year vision is...
Pleasant Prairie Baptist Church desires to serve Christ as empowered and directed by the Holy Spirit through prayer and His Word demonstrating the reality of Christ through ministry teams reaching our community and beyond.
As our pastor remarked, that is an outward vision. I believe that the Lord is preparing Pleasant Prairie to turn northeastern Cass County upside down for the Lord! Observe and learn!
Pleasant Prairie Baptist Church desires to serve Christ as empowered and directed by the Holy Spirit through prayer and His Word demonstrating the reality of Christ through ministry teams reaching our community and beyond.
As our pastor remarked, that is an outward vision. I believe that the Lord is preparing Pleasant Prairie to turn northeastern Cass County upside down for the Lord! Observe and learn!
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