BaptistLIFE Online

They may interpret the Bible differently and perhaps vary in their worship, but churches in Keyser, W.Va., are setting divisions aside, breaking down denominational walls and uniting in their commitments to share the Gospel of Jesus. Jody Bean, pastor of First Church Keyser, regularly meets with other pastors and church leaders for prayer, Bible study, fellowship, and for planning special events. John Johnson, pastor of Keyser Assembly of God, started the group about five years ago. Since that time, it has expanded and now includes Assembly of God, Baptist, Methodist and non-denominational churches. Pastor Jason Whitlock, who is a missionary for Youth With A Mission (YWAM), also participates and Bean said YWAM has been a huge blessing, bringing in teams from all over the world to pray for the city and for the body of Christ. The partnership of pastors has blossomed, growing in friendship and trust. The unity of churches is making such a difference in their neighborhood that the community is taking notice.

Jamie Robinson wants to know what it would take to convert a mall-sized department store into a Christian concert venue.

Who could have imagined that a cockfighting ring could turn into a medical clinic? By U.S. standards our medical clinic would have been shut down due to uncleanliness, but by Haiti standards anywhere you can corral and control the crowd is a good place. So there amid those crowing roosters, cooing pigeons, quacking ducks and whining dogs we began our day of treating the sick and wounded. They asked me (Mike) to blog today because of my unusual experience with a young lady named Emma.

Thane Barnes has resigned as executive director-treasurer of the Nevada Baptist Convention to accept a call as senior pastor of Faith Church in Glen Burnie, Md. Barnes has led the state’s Baptists since 2002.

White Marsh Church members recently discovered that one of their elderly members had been going without heat for the last two years because she didn’t have money to replace the heat pump in the home. Fred Dyer, senior pastor, asked the congregation for a special offering to meet this need. The response was a generous $3,000 in one day.

I’m so thankful that, through the Cooperative Program, we can give our tithes and offerings to the church and know that a portion of the money will go to support missionaries for their basic needs with the extra offerings for special projects. It gives the missionaries a freedom so that when they come home on furlough they can share their experiences and their appreciation without begging for money in order to return to the mission field.