Lynn Nikkel

We are happy to announce that Dr. George Garner has been called to serve as Interim State Missionary for Evangelism Strategies for Wyoming Southern Baptists. George began his duties Jan. 16 and will serve Wyoming Southern Baptists during 2013 as we continue our planning for the future.

George comes to us from a background of life and ministry that relates well to Wyoming and our churches. He is from Colorado and has spent many years at various times in ministry in the West. He has served as a pastor, church planter, Di-rector of Missions, and in several positions with the North American Mission Board, most recently in the area of Rural Church Ministry and Bi-Vocational Ministers.

All of his experience will be helpful to our churches and he will be available to work with churches in all areas of evan-gelism. George will also lead out for our convention in the areas of Hunger Funds, Disaster Relief, and Mission Team Enlist-ment for churches. We will also use his experience and expertise to develop more

Position filled by interim

GarNer

Online editiOn • February 2013 • VOlume 29 | issue 1

orizonH Sjust another

nikkel’s worth 3

Pat rush

What a success it was! We were in-spired and encouraged with the worship, testimonies, sermons and breakaway ses-sions. The fellowship was great! We had 127 registrations; 36 more than last year. Leadership from the Arkansas Baptist Convention, and Charlie Robinson from the International Evangelism Association were outstanding speakers.

The wonderful praise teams from First Baptist Church, Greenwood, Arkansas and Boyd Avenue Baptist Church led us in worship. Butch and Cindy Hansen from Shoshoni, WY gave their testimony

in three parts. The members of Boyd Av-enue were great hosts, and we thank them for their hospitality.

Conference a great success

e v a n g e l i s m c o n f e r e n c e

photo provided

PraISe — The praise team from First Baptist Church, of Greenwood, Ala., led worship dur-ing the conference. Butch and Cindy Hansen (below) gave their testimony.

See GARNER on pg. 2

MIAMI, Fla. (BP) -- Southern Baptist churches gave three

percent more to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions in 2011 than they did in 2010.

For the year ending Dec. 31, 2011, the offering totaled $56,040,868.

The offering directly pays for missionary salaries and provides field resources for missionaries serving in North America. Kev-in Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board, shared the offering total at the Feb. 8 meeting of NAMB’s board of trustees in Miami.

“I want to thank Southern Baptists for their generosity and for continuing to make North America a priority,” Ezell said.

Funds given to Annie Arm-strong go directly to missionar-ies serving on the mission field.

They are not spent on salaries for staff serving at NAMB’s Alpharetta, Ga., building, and

they are not used for adminis-trative costs.

“We have downsized sig-nificantly in Alpharetta and cut all of our budgets to put even more money on the field for church planting and other work our missionaries are carrying out,” Ezell said.

NAMB promotes Annie Armstrong in partnership with Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU).

Ezell thanked WMU leaders and members for their “tireless efforts on behalf of our mis-sionaries and on behalf of this offering.

“Wanda Lee (WMU national executive director) and WMU are champions for our mis-sionaries and they are the best

partners we could ask for when it comes to encouraging South-ern Baptists to support this offering,” Ezell said.

Said Lee, “It is both excit-ing and encouraging to see the 2011 offering total up from last year as these funds are used to reach North America for Christ.

We are grateful for our strong partnership with the North American Mission Board, the committed missionaries who serve all across North America to make Him known and share His love, and Southern Baptists who give sacrificially each year so that their work might not only continue but flourish.”

The 2012 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering theme is “Whatever It Takes” and spot-lights the work of five church planters serving throughout North America. The offering goal is $70 million.

Downloadable videos, pho-tos and other resources can be found at anniearmstrong.com.

2 NewS February 2013

peter field peck

BaPtIzed — Money given to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering helps support missionaries like North American Mission Board church planter Shaun Pillay (left), who celebrates with new believer Sheri Billits after baptizing her at a special service held by Cornerstone International Church in Norwich, Conn. The Annie Armstrong offering was up three percent in 2011.

Annie Armstrong offering sees increase

e a s t e r o f f e r i n g

NASHVILLE (BP) -- Calls are intensifying for the U.S. to pres-sure Iran to free pastor Saeed Abedini, a U.S. citizen of Iranian descent who is being tortured in an Iranian prison and perse-cuted for his Christian faith.

More than 80 U.S. Congress members from both parties signed a Feb. 12 letter urging Secretary of State John Kerry to “exhaust every possible option to secure Mr. Abedini’s immedi-ate release.”

The letter joins an online peti-tion by the American Center for Law and Justice urging President Obama, Kerry and Congress to “take all available diplomatic and legislative ac-tion to pressure Iran to respect religious freedom and release Pastor Saeed.” The petition had nearly 260,000 signatures as of Feb. 15.

“We know that international pressure works,” ACLJ Executive Director Jordan Sekulow and Matthew Clark, an ACLJ attor-ney, wrote on the group’s web-site. “We saw that with the case of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who was released for a second time earlier this year after be-ing sentenced to execution for apostasy (converting to Christi-anity). His freedom is the direct result of immense international pressure.”

The ACLJ’s European arm has called on the United Na-tions Human Rights Council to intervene. The nonprofit ACLJ is representing Abedini’s family in the U.S., where his wife Nagh-meh and mother of their two sons has expressed fears that she might not hear from Abedini for eight years, the length of his current sentence. Abedini has been held since September 2012 in the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran, where he is reportedly being tortured, beaten and psy-chologically abused.

Call to release Iranian pastor

“I want to thank Southern Baptists for their generosity..

- ezell

meaningful ministry support and resources to our bi-vocational pastors and churches. George will be on site and in the state at least two weeks per month – both in the office and available for consultations to churches. And he will be available

by email and phone at any time a church needs his assistance. We introduced George to everyone at the Evangelism Conference Jan. 28-29 at Boyd Avenue Baptist in Casper. Feel free to call the office to connect with George, and if he is not in the office when you call we will give you contact information to reach him and visit with him.

GARNER continued from pg. 1

At 61 years old, what I really want to do is go back to school.”

Can you imagine a more ridiculous thing to say? Well, I said it, and I’m doing it. It’s crazy, I know, but I am enrolled this semester as a new student at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. I’m finding that that statement is probably more ridiculous than I ever thought it was.

But, enough of my lament. But, what I really wanted to say to you does flow out of this experience of mine.

You see, I am reminded of several things by going back to school and getting involved again in classwork and all that is part of the experience.

First, I am reminded that in our Christian life we are never meant to stop learning, stop growing.

We are meant to keep fresh in our approach to our faith. School causes me to study things I wouldn’t normally consider at this stage of my life.

All of us must be careful not to become too comfortable with what we already know about Christ and

the Scriptures, and we must push ourselves to discover more and more of what God would say to us, and do in us.

Second, I am reminded that things change. I am doing my studies totally in online classes, logging in to seminary and class, having to do my reading of lectures rather than sitting in a classroom listening.

That is a wonderful thing to be able to do, for convenience, but also a whole new experience that requires adapting. You know what, life and the world is changing all around us and we, as Christians and as churches, had better learn to adapt or we will languish away into insignificance and irrelevance.

Third, I am reminded of how different people are. I am an old

fogey that just wants to go get what I need online, read my material, turn in my assignments and get on with the rest of my life.

But I am in “class” with young people who are used to social media, and online chatting, and keeping in touch with each other through forums and chat rooms and email and text and on and on I could go.

Frankly, there is more online interaction involved in all of this than I care for, or than I am interested in. However, they are not wrong and I am not right, we are just different.

Honestly, I need adapt to those other people and learn to communicate on their terms, rather than insisting on my own way.

An important lesson for all of us is this is — God loves all kinds

of people, and all kinds of people make up God’s family. If we don’t embrace that truth He will not be able to use us effectively in Kingdom things. What would happen if we were willing to change more to meet other people’s needs than asking them to change to meet ours?

What would happen if we would step outside the comfort zone of our rituals and traditions to intentionally interact with and engage people even though they are different than us? Good questions, I think.

We have a great example to follow after all: “Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing as God did not consider equality with God something to be used for His own advantage. Instead, He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on human likeness as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself…” (Philippians 2:5-8a).

It continues to be my great joy to serve the Lord by serving our churches. Let’s be sure we are all focused on the Lord, his leadership, and his task as ministers of reconciliation in this world.

Stay in touch and let me, and us, know how we can better serve you.

Other ways you can connect with me include: @lynnnikkel on Twitter, and my blog at lynnnikkel.com.

3edItorIaLFebruary 2013

“It continues to be my great joy to serve the Lord by serving our churches. Let’s be sure we are all focused on the Lord, his leadership and his task as ministers of reconciliation in this world.”

- nikkelNIkkeL

Never stop learning or stop growing

just anotherNIkkeL’S

worth

2012-13 Cooperative Program Allocation Budget

$188,000,000

72.99%World Missions MinistriesInternational Mission Board (50.20%)North American Mission Board (22.79%)

22.16%Theological Education MinistriesSeminaries (21.92%)Library and Archives (.24%)

3.20%SBC Operating Budget

1.65%Christian Ethics & Religious Liberty MinistriesEthics & Religious Liberty Commission

4 NewS February 2013

5NewSFebruary 2013

CaLeNdar of eveNtS

Teamwest Sunday School Team, Boise, Ida.

21-22

FeBruary

NOBTS, Life Beyond Seminary25-27

3-10Week of Prayer for North Amer-ican Missions/Annie Armstrong Easter Offering

7-9OASIS, Casper, Parkway Plaza

15-16Vacation Bible School, Casper, First So Baptist Church

17Planting New Congregations Sunday

18GGBTS Ministry Jobs Fair, San Francisco

18-21WSBC STAFF IN OFFICE WEEK

21-22Servant Leadership Team, WSBC Office

22-24Future Study Group meeting, WSBC Office

22-23Youth Evangelism Event, Casper, Ramada Plaze River-side

25-28Southwestern Seminary, Church Planting Week Son Share Interviews

31EASTER

1WSBC Office Closed

12-13Hispanic Laborers Confer-ence, Rawlins, First Southern Baptist Church

14Cooperative Program Sunday

15-18WSBC STAFF IN OFFICE WEEK

18Executive Board Administra-tive Team, WSBC Office; 3 p.m.

19Executive Board Meeting, WSBC Office; 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

19-20Developing and Managing People, Casper, WSBC Office

22-24Transformational Church Trainer Certification, Okla-homa City

12Mother’s Day

15-17State SS Directors Association Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland

18WSBC CLD Seminary Gradua-tion, Denver

20-23WSBC STAFF IN OFFICE WEEK

22Day of Prayer and Fasting for World Evangelism

23-24Servant Leadership Team, WSBC Office

Call to prayer: How to pray in a second languageart toalston

NASHVILLE (BP) -- To speak and pray in a “second” language, you don’t need Rosetta Stone.

Everyone has an opportunity to think, speak and pray in God’s language -- Scripture, the foundational language of the universe.

Scripture carries God’s revelation and message to mankind, setting forth His forgiveness and grace among those who turn to Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Then, through the Holy Spirit, Scripture has the power to extend deeply into our souls, into the parts of our earthly existence from which all language and human behavior arise. All other languages are but conduits for Scripture, the heart language of God.

Every word in the Bible, in one

way or another, is part of the sus-tenance that God can supply for an adventurous yet tender faith that can be wondrously wholesome and fulfilling, stretching forward from this point in your life throughout eternity.

Consider, for starters, the follow-ing brief passages from Scripture as potential prayers. Or select some from your own reading of the Bible. Pick one and patiently begin to memorize it, ponder it, absorb it into your soul. Quote it (as best you can) whenever it comes to mind, especially when you and God come together in prayer. After a couple of weeks or longer, pick another in response to the Holy Spirit’s lead-ing. Then another and another in the weeks and months ahead. Whenever they fade from memory, venture back to them via review and re-memorization, which often leads to a new level of precious rejuvenation.

Consider:-- Romans 10:9: “... if you confess

with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God

raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” If, by the Holy Spirit’s stirring, Jesus becomes the heart cry of your soul, move forward by surrendering your life to Him. Usually, “surrender” is a term of defeat but, with God, it is a term of victory over the confines of earth.

-- Galatians 5:22-23: “... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, pa-tience, kindness, goodness, faith-fulness, gentleness and self-con-trol.” More than a series of words, this is an important picture of a person who yearns to reflect the qualities that God imparts through the Holy Spirit. Both you and God will take pleasure as these godly traits become increasingly evident in your life -- evident to you as well as to others.

-- James 3:17: “... the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure; then peace-loving, consider-ate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” At first glance, this may seem like a perplexing description of wisdom. And perhaps so, because it origi-nates with God, not human philos-

ophy. So try this: The next time you face a significant decision, repeat this verse to yourself several times. Quite possibly, you will begin to gain insight into ways that your decision can be made with godly wisdom.

--30--Art Toalston is editor of Baptist

Press. EDITOR’S NOTE: Frank S. Page, president of the SBC Execu-tive Committee, has issued a call to prayer for revival and spiritual awakening for our churches, our nation and our world during 2013. Baptist Press will carry first-person articles during the year encourag-ing Southern Baptists to pray in specific areas and for specific needs as we petition the Father for spiri-tual awakening.

This article is adapted from “When I Meditate,” an ebook by Art Toalston available at eBookIt.com (http://bit.ly/PjrCgz), Ama-zon, Barnes and Noble and other online sites.

For an earlier article new birth, go to http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=17467.

toaLStoN

MarCh

aPrIL

24Administrative Professionals Day

May

24-25Future Study Group meeting, WSBC Office

24-25Summer Missionary Orienta-tion, Casper, WSBC Office

27Memorial Day, WSBC Closed

6 NewS February 2013

don whalen

I’ve noticed that most of life happens behind the scenes, out of the limelight and in those common places of life.

There isn’t a crowd to be wowed; there isn’t a multitude looking over our shoulder; and the throng just isn’t interested in the small things of our lives.

But often it’s in the obscurity of our daily routines that God breaks through and uses us to touch others.

It’s in the shadows of the everyday events that lives are impacted and ministry takes place.

It’s the quiet conversation, one on one with a hurting friend, the hidden act of loving provision or the indispensable presence in time of need that God uses as opportunities to make a difference and turn a heart to Him.

I’m afraid that personally, I sell those moments short. It is easy to think that those “behind the scenes” moments really

aren’t very important and don’t amount to much. Most of us assume that if God is going to work, it will be in the big cities, the packed auditoriums or in the large venues.

There is no doubt that God is at work in the “big,” but He is also at work in the small cities, the rural settings, on the park bench and over a cup of coffee at the kitchen table and a thousand other small, common places.

Jesus met one woman by the well at Sychar whose life was forever changed, one legalist named Nicodemas in the dead of night who found freedom from the law in God’s grace, a blind man, a terminally ill daughter, a dead son and many more.

Jesus preached to the multitudes, but He also ministered to the individual in those small and common places.

God is looking for ordinary believers who like the Savior, see the potential of divine appointments in those everyday moments of life, those common, intentional moments where we sense God’s leading and purposefully touching a life and become the conduit to God’s transformational power.

God is calling people like you and me to make a difference in our everyday moments.

Don’t sell ‘behind the scenes’ moments short

whaLeN

SaratogaPastor Johnaton Moore reports that First Baptist Church exceeded their Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goal by more than $200.00.

CasperCollege Heights Baptist Church is searching for a Youth Pastor. Resumes can be sent to the church at 1927 So Walnut, Casper, WY 82601. For more information please call the church office, 307-224-4104.

Big PineyFirst Baptist Church called Van Edwards to be pastor. Van and his wife Paula began their ministry in Big Piney on December 1st.

LaramieSnowy Range Baptist Church celebrated a building dedication on January 26th. Wes White serves as pastor.

DuboisWilderness Baptist Church as called David Barker to be Transitional Pastor. David and wife Evelyn have been serving there since October 2012.

LanderLander Valley Baptist Church recently called Shannon Arnold to be pastor beginning January 2013. Bruce and Sandi Snyder retired from the church in September 2012.

Hudson Danny Pryor has been called to pastor Hudson Baptist Fellowship. Danny and wife Sharon will soon be on the field.

churches on mission

7NewSFebruary 2013

George Garner

If we are to plant the presence of the Gospel in every pocket of lostness in Wyoming, we must be committed to evangelism. Effective evangelism will build bridges to people in their setting. In every com-munity where I have planted churches cult groups and other zealous evangelicals had already been “door to door.” However, don’t shy away from any legitimate method to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. While visitation evan-gelism is still very much effec-tive, it may be better received through a presched-uled contact. Whatever method of evangelism you employ it cannot be separated from building a genuine caring relationship.

Experiment with “store-to-store” evangelism. When you go into a place of business as a church planter, pastor or lay leader there is the opportu-nity to introduce yourself and to tell about your new church, Sunday School Class, or church event. The same opportunities come in the Post Office, the grocery store, the bank, the utility of-fices paying your monthly bill. As a church plant-

er, wherever possible I looked for the natural op-portunities of personal interaction. It is amazing how often a reason can be found to visit the local school to check on the children’s progress. Instead of mailing a bundle of letters, I made more trips to the Post Office. Within time opportunities came to meet and greet every clerk and every business owner in town.

We learned not to buy a weekly bill of groceries; rather, we made daily “visits” to the grocery store. Someone suggests that you take the local weekly newspaper and shop every garage sale listed for the week and after conversing with the owner and the other patrons, always spend fifty cents for a “needed” item. Do these encounters result in a “soul-winning” visit? Not at the time, but these encounters built a relationship that bring many fruitful opportunities at a later time.

Among other evangelistic approaches and em-phases that have been useful and relevant in the rural settings and are built off of a relationship base are servant evangelism, family evangelism, marketplace evangelism, lifestyle evangelism, lay (church) renewal events, special events, small groups, and revival evangelism. Finally, none is more relational, incarnational, and personal than when local congregations extend beyond their walls to plant new congregations.

GarNer

Be committed to evangelismBuilding caring relationships important to witnessing

Pray for these churches that are searching for God’s direction for a new pastor.

Mark PorterEnergy Basin • Bairoil Community Baptist Church, Bairoil• First Sothern Baptist Church, Rawlins

Frontier• Frontier Baptist Church, Cheyenne

Joe reynoldsOverthrust • Bridger Valley Baptist Church, Lyman**

Dale BascueWind River • Wilson Community Fellowship, Wilson• Wilderness Baptist Church, Dubois**

* Served by Interim Pastor** Served by Transitional Pastor

PRAYfor the harvest