Baptist

The Missouri Baptist Convention has bought about 970 acres that originally had been part of Windermere Baptist Conference Center. News reports indicate that the purchase includes shoreline on both sides of the current Windermere facilities on the Lake of the Ozarks.

If a lower court decision stands, the Missouri Baptist Foundation faces a debt to the Missouri Baptist Convention that could reach more than $5 million.

The 2014 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting is being held June 10-11 in Baltimore with the theme "Restoration and Revival through Prayer." Programs for both the meeting and the pastor's conference are included on the site. You may access the a live streme of the meeting here. Coverage can be found in the June 19 issue of Word&Way.

Sports Crusaders, a ministry that uses sports as a tool for engaging and evangelizing young people stateside and overseas, celebrated its 20th anniversary May 31 at First Baptist Church of Raytown, Mo.

Jackie Huffman sighed as she pondered what she and husband Keith could possibly do to help their daughter when she is released from prison. Not much, Jackie fears.

Members of University Heights Church in Springfield, Mo., have opened their doors to a refugee congregation from Burma (Myanmar) — Chin Community Church. Since April 27, the group worships each Sunday afternoon in the University Heights chapel. On May 4, UHBC members welcomed the Chin during the congregation’s annual Missions Recognition Service.

Some people have already sent their contact information to The Baptist Home corporate office in hopes of being among the first to move into an adult community in mid-Missouri. While plans for the newest TBH campus are moving forward, the first residents still will have to wait from three to five years before moving in.

Pastor, professor and author David Fitch challenged American Baptist pastors to be “with” the people they serve inside and outside the church. Fitch was the featured speaker at the 2014 Prairie Pastors Conference in Bellevue, Neb., April 28-30. Four ABC-USA regions from Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Kansas and Oklahoma joined to host the three-day conference.

The BR-KC executive board voted at a special called business meeting April 24 to disassociate with Holmeswood Baptist Church in Kansas City and Cornerstone Baptist Church in Lee’s Summit.