Baptisms up in Montana
By Karen L. Willoughby
KALISPELL, Mont. (BP) – As churches are being strengthened and others planted, often with the support of the Missouri Baptist Convention, baptisms are up in Montana.
“I’m delighted to see our baptism numbers improving,” Montana Southern Baptist Convention Executive Director Barrett Duke told Baptist Press. “I’m excited to see all the equipping opportunities that are available to our churches. I’m thrilled to see all the new church plants going in all around our state. I’m humbled by the way our Missouri Baptist Convention partners have come alongside so many of our churches.”
The Montana Southern Baptist Convention gathered Oct. 5-6 at Montana Christian College for the state convention’s 63rd annual meeting. Its theme again this year was Refresh, because “Refreshing, that’s what we aim for,” Duke said. “That’s what we’re trying to accomplish [with this meeting] in our pastors’ lives every year.
“We held our meeting this year in the northwest corner of the state,” the executive director continued. “That meant we were a long way from some of our pastors. Yet many pastors still made a 10-hour drive to be with us. I’m delighted that the opportunity for fellowship and participation in the life of the MTSBC is that important to our pastors.”
Business went smoothly, with no motions except for the budget and elections, and no resolutions. A $975,000 budget was approved, including $160,000 from the North American Mission Board, and an anticipated $650,000 giving from churches. On the expenses side of the ledger, for the 11th year, 25 percent of churches’ giving – $162,500 – was allocated for national Cooperative Program causes.
Registered attendance included a total of 158 people, with 68 messengers from 50 of Montana’s 131churches.
Randall Jackson, pastor at Choteau (Montana) Baptist Church, was elected president. Curtis Crow, pastor of The Bridge Church in Belgrade, was elected vice president.
“We stay anchored to Jesus and grounded in Montana,” outgoing President Greg Payton told attendees. “Why? Because God has called us here. His mercy overwhelms us, and His grace covers us.”
Darren Hales in his Church Strengthening report spoke of Montana’s pastors’ cohorts, Resound Network for church revitalization, regional training networks and denominational partnerships.
“Our team knows that lifegiving relationships extend the longevity of pastors and maximize their Kingdom impact,” Hales said. “These trusting friendships bear burdens and stir one another to remain faithful.”
Because the state is so large, Hales must do a lot of his events regionally, which makes a lot more work for him but helps to ensure that more pastors can participate in the equipping events, Duke said.
“All of Darren’s events are exceptionally well attended. Our pastors want to know how to serve their congregations and their communities more effectively.”
Lee Merck in his Church Planting report spoke of the new Send Montana partnership with NAMB, five planters on the field who anticipate launching churches in the next 15 months, plus 11 in the pipeline now who are serving as planting team members, apprentices, and future planters.
He also noted 14 Send Montana current church plants, and eight Set Free plants, plus the work Darryl Brunson is doing as the Rural Montana Catalyst.
“There are hundreds of towns and places of small populations that have no viable Gospel witness and are void of healthy churches,” Merck reported, adding that together, about 450,000 rural Montanans “call these towns, villages, and hamlets home. Though out of the way and often unknown by the rest of the world, these places are valued by the One who died for them.”
Brad Bennett, the Making Disciples Director for the Missouri Baptist Convention, preached the final message, from Acts 4. He reminded messengers that it doesn’t take many committed believers who are willing to share the Gospel to make a tremendous impact in the world for Christ.
“We’re doing all we can with what we have,” Duke said. “It’s really exciting to see baptisms up by so much. That doesn’t just happen.
“Montana Christian College hosted the meeting on their new Kalispell campus. It was the first time that most of the people in attendance had been on the campus,” the executive director continued. “We’re looking forward to how the college is going to contribute to the continued growth of our churches and ministry to our state and the entire Northwest.”
The 64th annual meeting of the Montana Southern Baptist Network is set for Oct. 3-4, 2024, at South Hills Baptist Fellowship in Montana City.
Dakota celebrates 40 years
By Karen L. Willoughby
RAPID CITY, S.D. (BP) – Dakota Southern Baptists celebrated their 40th anniversary as a two-state convention Oct. 5-6 at South Canyon Baptist Church.
With a theme of The Heart of Christ from Matthew 11:28-30, the program focused on Jesus Christ’s heart for the abused, the church, the world and the lost.
“The meeting was a time of great celebration,” Dakota Baptist Convention Executive Director Fred MacDonald told Baptist Press. “We remembered God’s goodness over the last four decades and looked forward to what He has for the Dakotas in the years to come.”
A major point of business involved adopting a resolution to affirm a DBC Executive Board action authorizing the executive director “to establish a task force that will guide an effort to petition the SBC to make all necessary changes that will allow smaller state conventions such as the DBC to have greater trustee representation on SBC trustee Boards.”
It was a resolution that involved six “whereas” points and five “be it resolved” elements, including a “request that the broader Southern Baptist Convention, of which we are faithful partners, recognize the value and basic fairness of allowing for trustee representation in the governing decisions of the agencies of the Southern Baptist Convention by smaller state conventions such as the Dakota Baptist Convention.”
Two other resolutions followed: One expressed “gratitude and appreciation” to the host church; One challenged pastors to “preach, pray, shepherd, equip, and reach the lost with the heart of Christ.”
All three resolutions passed unanimously.
A $530,000 budget was approved by messengers, including $460,000 in Cooperative Program giving from churches, of which $115,000 – or 25 percent – was to be forwarded to national and international missions causes.
The only other business was the election of officers: Josh Brown, pastor of Redeeming Grace Church in Rapid City was reelected president. Chip Holmes, pastor of First Baptist Church in Wolsey, S.D., was elected vice president. His wife, Karen Holmes, was reelected recording secretary. Debra Page, pastor’s wife at First Baptist Church in Miller, S.D., was elected assistant recording secretary.
DBC’s annual meeting started after lunch Thursday with worship by Joel Harris of the host church and other musicians and vocalists from Black Hills area churches. Josh Brown, pastor of Redeeming Grace Church in Rapid City, brought the DBC President’s message from John 21:15-25 on The Heart of Christ for the Church.
A women’s coffee and men’s conference followed, with Connie Dixon, National WMU president, and Jodee Dorrough of the DBC speaking at the women’s gathering, and four Dakota pastors at the men’s breakout: Paul Young, Gabriel McCormick, James Proctor and Stephen Carson, speaking on The Heart of Christ in preaching, praying, shepherding and equipping.
At the Missions Banquet, with a chicken meal provided by the DBC, a missionary couple from a closed country spoke, as did leaders from other SBC entities.
Paul Chitwood, president of the International Mission Board, spoke during the Thursday evening session from 2 Kings 7:9 about A Day of Good News.
“It was a time of great fellowship and unity,” MacDonald said. “Former executive directors Dewey Hickey and Garvon Golden shared memories from their time leading the Dakotas. Dr. Hickey commended the churches of the Dakotas for all the evidences of maturity that he now sees.”
A dozen church plants are growing in the Dakotas, and “Our goal is three a year,” MacDonald said.
The 161 registered attendees at DBC’s meeting included 71 messengers from 30 of the Dakotas’ 85 Southern Baptist churches.
The 41st annual meeting of the Dakota Baptist Convention is set for Oct. 3-4, 2024, at Cornerstone Church in Williston, N.D.
