A legacy of learning
By Alecia Warren
Mary Hall gives a high five to a preschool student after a game of Bingo at Noah's Ark Learning Center. Hall, who is retiring, helped found the preschool and has been teaching there for 31 years. (Photo courtesy of The Coeur d' Alene Press)COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho -- The little girl wasn't quite getting it, but Mary Hall was in no hurry. "Try that, you think?" Mary prompted with an easy smile as the girl fuddled to fit cups together one way, then another. "How about this?" she asked.
A few moments of mismatches, of shoulders drooping in frustration, and suddenly the container puzzle was complete. The preschooler lifted up wide eyes at Hall with a gleeful smile.
It's what Hall, after 31 years at Noah's Ark Learning Center, calls an "ah-ha" moment.
"Good job," the teacher declared, eyebrows raised as she launched into applause.
Annual church updates vital for state records
By Sheila Allen
New seminary graduates and church planters dream big when considering the multitudes needing to hear the gospel in the Northwest. Few think about the more mundane tasks of operating a church within laws and codes of the three states comprising the Northwest Baptist Convention.
But administrative obligations can trip up the most energetic pastor out to change the world. A recent check of NWBC churches with the states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho suggest as many as 20 percent may be out of compliance with the state in which they reside or have unresolved title issues.
In years gone by, churches would often sponsor a “mission” or “plant” and those newly formed organizations operated under the auspices of the sponsoring church, which assumed any liability associated with the mission. Recent trends show few churches start in that traditional way and new churches must file paperwork with the state and to operate as a non-profit organization.
Teens urged to pursue spiritual transformation
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By Cameron Crabtree
VANCOUVER -- Spiritual transformation results from submitting fully to God, a California evangelist and musician told more than 500 Northwest teenagers gathered in Vancouver, WA, April 27-28 for their annual conference.
“Jesus provided a way to fix what’s wrong,” said Curtis Zachery, emphasizing the need for complete devotion. “He doesn’t want 1 percent. He wants all of you.”
The Northwest Baptist Convention conference, using “Renew” as its theme, drew students and adult leaders from Oregon, Washington and north Idaho. For a number of years it’s been the largest NWBC event.
Scholarship set to assist young people on mission
By Sheila Allen
A scholarship recently established by a trust with the Northwest Baptist Foundation is now available for high school-aged teenagers and young adults, according to Steve Brock, NWBF chief financial officer.
Seeking to assist young people up to 25 years old with the financial needs of an international mission trip, the fund is specifically geared toward those engaging in evangelistic mission activities. Applicants must be enrolled in secondary or post-secondary education.
High school students who receive the scholarship must also be a member or regular attendee of a church affiliated with the Northwest Baptist Convention or college students that are active participants of a local Northwest Collegiate Ministry. Those with a parent who is or was an appointed missionary of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention are also qualified to apply.
“This scholarship is intended to give individuals going on an international mission trip a small boost to their fundraising efforts,” Brock said.
Those interested in applying for the scholarship may contact Brock at steveb@nwbaptist.org with basic details about the mission trip and the church or organization that is planning the trip.
Singing tour leads to changed lives
Ubileinji (Jubilee) Concert Hall of Kherson, Ukraine, is packed during a performance of the Singing Men of Texas. Photo by Bobby WatkinsBobby Watkins, worship/church music consultant for the Northwest Baptist Convention, recently completed a two-week tour with the Singing Men of Texas at concert halls in several countries that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. The tour began in Odessa and also included stops in Crimea, which is situated on the banks of the Black Sea, and Yalta, all cities in Ukraine.
Almost 9,000 people attended the concerts and heard the gospel proclaimed, according to Watkins.
“There were 3,998 decisions for Christ reported after our concerts,” said Watkins, who served with the evangelistic team dealing with the response cards that came in each night and was a liaison between the Singing Men and the Ukrainian technical team. “Crimea and Southern Ukraine are highly Muslim and evangelical Christians are the extreme minority. Instead of the normal show put on for passengers, we were able to give a private concert and sharing of the gospel for the staff of the Viking Cruise Line on our final night. Please stop and give praise and thanks to God.”
'A lot of hurt' in Seattle meets with church planter's vision
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By Joe Conway
SEATTLE, Wash. (BP) – “Crazy” isn’t the first description that comes to mind for church planting, but for Keith and Kristine Carpenter the word comes up often.
The couple, married 21 years, moved to Seattle three years ago to start Epic Life Church. The church plant celebrated its two-year anniversary in September 2011, after God used a quiet, direct voice to call the Carpenters to join the mission of churches affiliated with the Northwest Baptist Convention.
"I was sitting in church, minding my own business," said Keith Carpenter, who was a church's college pastor in Minnesota. "I felt like God tapped us on the shoulder and said, 'I want you to go start a church.' And I was like, 'What?'"
One week later, Kristine had "a pretty crazy dream," Carpenter continued. "She'd never been to Seattle, but she said, 'I saw this word, it was just the letters Aurora in Seattle.' So we checked out Aurora in Seattle and found it was a main drag.
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