Today I'm at Northeastern University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. I've never been to this university, but I'm excited to meet some of the young women who attend. Tonight our office is hosting a special Girls Night Out event with speaker and author Marian Jordan.
I was first introduced to Marian two years ago when a friend called me from Houston and encouraged me to hear a young woman from his church who was beginning her writing and speaking ministry. When I hear the words, "Seriously, she's the next Beth Moore", I just chuckle. For now, at least, Beth, seems to be the "standard" by which other women speakers compare themselves.
What I have discovered is that Marian is not another Beth Moore. Which is really good thing. Because Marian is herself. She has an incredible testimony of God's grace and redemption on her life. She shares passionately from God's word and she has a calling on her life to reach college-young women with the Gospel.
Tonight college women will have the opportunity to hear Marian speak from her first book, "Sex and the City Uncovered." She reveals the lies that our culture has fed to women and presents the truth of God's word with conviction. Please pray for girl's hearts to be touched and tender towards the Holy Spirit.
Also pray for mid-October when we're bringing Marian back to the University of Oklahoma for two Girls Night Out events. One will be focused on sororities and the other will be geared towards the non-Greek crowd.
Who else is reaching college students? Look no further than Baptist Collegiate Ministries that are on every campus in our state. These ministries provide a vital outreach and discipleship for students. We're excited to be partnering with our BCMs to bring these events to college campuses.
For more information about Marian, go to her website at www.redeemedgirl.org or visit our website at www.bgco.org/women.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Praying for Students and Schools
There's been a positive and negative to not having a teenage driver at our house. The negative is that Courtney needs me to make sure she gets to and from school every day. The positive is that Courtney needs me to make sure she gets to and from school every day.
Each morning on our way to Putnam City North High School, we get about five minutes to just make sure we're on the same page with our schedules. I really do love time in the car when there are no distractions. I also love that I get a visual every morning of the students that walk the same halls with my daughter. If you haven't been to a high school in a long time, it's worth a trip just to see what students wear--including piercings and hair colors!
This morning as we approached the drop off area, I couldn't help but notice a young man who was talking with two women. He was weeping into the shoulder of one of them. I have no idea what was going on in this young man's life, but the mom in me just wanted to make sure he was going to be o.k. Think about it. It's not often you see high school boys sobbing and no less in front of hundreds of other students who were walking past him on their way to class.
So what can we do? We can pray. I prayed all the way to work this morning and just asked the Father to comfort this young man in whatever is going on in his life. I may never know his name or his circumstance, but I have the great honor to bring him before my Heavenly Father who knows it all.
Our children and our schools need our prayers. I think one of the greatest prayer organizations in the world is Moms In Touch. They are incredible pray warriors and they are holding the ropes for our schools. If you've never participated or you'd like to find out how to start one for your school, visit their website at www.momsintouch.org.
Our children also need to pray for their schools and for each other. One of the greatest prayer events of the year is coming in two weeks. Encourage your student to participate in See You At the Pole. Students will gather at their flag poles on Wednesday, September 23. They will pray for lost students, for teachers, administrators and more.
Let's do more than just think about praying today. Let's make it an integral part of our daily life.
"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Eph. 6:18
Each morning on our way to Putnam City North High School, we get about five minutes to just make sure we're on the same page with our schedules. I really do love time in the car when there are no distractions. I also love that I get a visual every morning of the students that walk the same halls with my daughter. If you haven't been to a high school in a long time, it's worth a trip just to see what students wear--including piercings and hair colors!
This morning as we approached the drop off area, I couldn't help but notice a young man who was talking with two women. He was weeping into the shoulder of one of them. I have no idea what was going on in this young man's life, but the mom in me just wanted to make sure he was going to be o.k. Think about it. It's not often you see high school boys sobbing and no less in front of hundreds of other students who were walking past him on their way to class.
So what can we do? We can pray. I prayed all the way to work this morning and just asked the Father to comfort this young man in whatever is going on in his life. I may never know his name or his circumstance, but I have the great honor to bring him before my Heavenly Father who knows it all.
Our children and our schools need our prayers. I think one of the greatest prayer organizations in the world is Moms In Touch. They are incredible pray warriors and they are holding the ropes for our schools. If you've never participated or you'd like to find out how to start one for your school, visit their website at www.momsintouch.org.
Our children also need to pray for their schools and for each other. One of the greatest prayer events of the year is coming in two weeks. Encourage your student to participate in See You At the Pole. Students will gather at their flag poles on Wednesday, September 23. They will pray for lost students, for teachers, administrators and more.
Let's do more than just think about praying today. Let's make it an integral part of our daily life.
"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Eph. 6:18
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Carry Your Love
I have a particular affinity towards the apostle John. Who can't help but love the apostle who's main theme was the topic of love? Even Jesus called him the disciple He loved.
Church history records that even in the last days of John's life on earth, he encouraged believers to "love one another." For someone who saw God's love demonstrated on the cross and witnessed every other disciple martyred for their faith, John knew the cost of love. He also knew that true love was only an overflow of what God had done in the hearts of those who followed Him.
When our office talks about "echoing His heart", we are saying that love cannot be contained. It must be displayed in our actions. Whether its serving in our local church, giving to missions, or being light in our world, we must carry our love to those who do not have a relationship with Christ.
I have the privilege of helping our state learn how to carry the love of Christ through the Edna McMillan State Missions Offering. Each year, our office begins in January and we think about how we are going to encourage Oklahoma Baptists to give to state mission causes. This year, more than a million dollars will be given to share the love of Christ through 25 various ministries.
I'd like to give you a quick picture of some of the ways your dollars are at work in our state and why it is important to give.
1. We are a state that is seeing tremendous growth in our Hispanic population. Many of the Hispanics are first generation immigrants, which means their English is poor and their work ethic is high. But many of them do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. State Mission offering dollars provide several opportunities to strengthen this work. Ethnic evangelism events are an entry level opportunity for Hispanics to invite their lost friends and families. Church planting is the next step as there is a continuing need for more Hispanic congregations around the state. Finally, there is a need to equip Hispanic leaders for these new churches. The Robert Haskins School of Leadership offers tremendous educational opportunities for these new pastors and leaders.
2. Evangelism is at the forefront of everything our convention is about. The phrase "impacting lostness" is not just a cliche, but a strategic effort to help churches reach their community. In the coming year, the BGCO will be concentrating on a major evangelistic effort called "My 3:16". Part of your mission offering dollars will provide materials and media to spread the Gospel around the state of Oklahoma.
3. Did you know that some of your state mission offering dollars goes to encourage international missionaries with Oklahoma ties? Each year our office has the privilege of sending Christmas gifts to missionaries who are from our home state. While the amount is not much, it is one way to show them how much we appreciate their commitment to reach the nations for Christ.
That's just a few ways your state mission offering dollars are making a difference. Will you help Carry the Love of Christ to Oklahomans?
For more information, please visit the BGCO website at www.bgco.org/smo.
Church history records that even in the last days of John's life on earth, he encouraged believers to "love one another." For someone who saw God's love demonstrated on the cross and witnessed every other disciple martyred for their faith, John knew the cost of love. He also knew that true love was only an overflow of what God had done in the hearts of those who followed Him.
When our office talks about "echoing His heart", we are saying that love cannot be contained. It must be displayed in our actions. Whether its serving in our local church, giving to missions, or being light in our world, we must carry our love to those who do not have a relationship with Christ.
I have the privilege of helping our state learn how to carry the love of Christ through the Edna McMillan State Missions Offering. Each year, our office begins in January and we think about how we are going to encourage Oklahoma Baptists to give to state mission causes. This year, more than a million dollars will be given to share the love of Christ through 25 various ministries.
I'd like to give you a quick picture of some of the ways your dollars are at work in our state and why it is important to give.
1. We are a state that is seeing tremendous growth in our Hispanic population. Many of the Hispanics are first generation immigrants, which means their English is poor and their work ethic is high. But many of them do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. State Mission offering dollars provide several opportunities to strengthen this work. Ethnic evangelism events are an entry level opportunity for Hispanics to invite their lost friends and families. Church planting is the next step as there is a continuing need for more Hispanic congregations around the state. Finally, there is a need to equip Hispanic leaders for these new churches. The Robert Haskins School of Leadership offers tremendous educational opportunities for these new pastors and leaders.
2. Evangelism is at the forefront of everything our convention is about. The phrase "impacting lostness" is not just a cliche, but a strategic effort to help churches reach their community. In the coming year, the BGCO will be concentrating on a major evangelistic effort called "My 3:16". Part of your mission offering dollars will provide materials and media to spread the Gospel around the state of Oklahoma.
3. Did you know that some of your state mission offering dollars goes to encourage international missionaries with Oklahoma ties? Each year our office has the privilege of sending Christmas gifts to missionaries who are from our home state. While the amount is not much, it is one way to show them how much we appreciate their commitment to reach the nations for Christ.
That's just a few ways your state mission offering dollars are making a difference. Will you help Carry the Love of Christ to Oklahomans?
For more information, please visit the BGCO website at www.bgco.org/smo.
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