115th Anniversary of First Baptist of Camdenton

S tired Missi state to missions to yeah you just want do ch hey good evening guys hey how are y'all doing tonight it is good to see you here at First Baptist Church we are 115 years old amen hey praise the Lord for that and I'm so thank hey honey amber we're gonna be over here just in just in case we got to make an emergency exit with a child hey it is so good to see you here and to be together tonight and we are here to sing some songs to listen to some fantastic preaching to really celebrate all the things that God has done and of course eat some pie and ice cream because that's what a celebration is all about so wo yeah so anyways thank you guys for being here I'm going to pray over us and then we are going to continue on with the celebration and I'll pass it off to the cousins awesome Lord we are so thankful for this great day that you've given to us we thank you for your kindness and your love I praise you just for all of the good work that you're doing thank you for us remembering the old celebrating the new and Lord help us to grasp a God-sized vision for what you have for us God help us to remember the hard times that have caused us to grow deeper into you and to trust you more and more especially with things like coid and just so many of those defining things even all the way back to our founding God Lord we just give you all the praise for it we thank you for each person that's here we thank you for the families that they represent

And the Legacy that we stand on Lord and we give you all the praise for it God you are the God of Ages you're the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob Lord and you are our God and so we give you all the praise tonight in Jesus name amen if there's anybody here who's not old enough to remember the 60s and 70s that's the era that this group represents these are my Edward's cousins and if you look at the first picture in your thing of what the auditorium looked like we decided all of us all seven of us were baptized in that Baptist Tre Let's Just Praise the Lord praise the Lord let's just our to heaven and praise the Lord Let's Just Praise the Lord praise the Lord let's just lift our voice to heaven and praise the Lord get all ex go tell everybody that Jesus Christ is King get all excited tell everybody that Jesus Christ is King all excited could tell everybody that Jesus Christ is King Jesus Christ is still the King of Kings King of Kings you talk about people you talk about things that really AR important at all you talk about weather you talk about problems that we have here at home and abroad but my friend I'm excited about a solution for the world and going to shout and sing Jesus Christ is still the King of Kings oh get all excited go tell everybody that Jesus Christ is King get all excited go tell everybody that Jesus Christ is King get all excited go tell everybody that Jesus Christ is King Jesus Christ is still the king of kings Because He Lives I Can Face to Because He Lives all fear is [Music] God because I

[Music] know he of future and life is worth the Living Just Because He Lives because I know I know he holds the fut and life is worth the living just [Music] [Applause] because in case you didn't recognize it that was the gor era and that's when most of us came to life to adulthood and then some of us went to college and we learned a few new songs and this is one of them it's called witness it's a who be a witness for my Lord who be a witness for my Lord who be a witness for my Lord will be a witness for my [Music] for [Music] Lord to be T of human s Nicodemus was the man who desired to know Manor Christ Nicodemus a friend you must be born again [Music] heed [Music] witness is a for his he on Earth back in anent times he killed 10,000 of theiles Sam Samson strength found his upon his KNE she said tell me where strength lies if you wife she soir Samson said cut off of my hair shave my head just as clean as your hand and my strength will come like a natural [Music] man is a witness for my Lord there's another Witness wi another witness another

Witness wit another wit another witness for my Lord my soul is a witness for my Lord [Applause] but since we were raised on the hymns we still love them and this is a beautiful arrangement of a different setting of Amazing [Music] Grace sing great How Sweet the s that saved our Rich our rich like me I once was but now am fall I once was but now I see was Grace that my heart to Fe and that same gra I how precious that Grace of the our first through many ders TOs and SN I have already [Music] safely his grace have be save us SP and surely [Music] Sur [Music] will I shall go [Music] when we' been [Applause] there 10,000 years right

[Music] shining the glor son we to sing God's praise then since the day the day we first be [Music] then since the we first [Music] be [Applause] and as we got older we started to realize how important Our Heritage has been to us through our lives and This song is called Find Us Faithful and it really speaks about what we're here today to remember we learned this just for you all so because we felt it was so appropriate for this setting [Music] we children on the Journey of the narrow road and those who gone before us like the way cheering on the faithful encouraging the weary their lives are stiring testament to God's sustaining gra sounded by a cloud of witnesses let us run the race only for the as those whove gone before us let us to those behind us the heritage of faithfulness passed on through Godly love oy all who come behind us Find Us Faithful May the fire of our deot light their [Applause] way be the footprints that we lead them to and the lives we live Inspire them to oby o all who come behind us Find Us [Music] Faithful after all our hopes and dreams have come and gone and our children sift to all we''ve Left

Behind May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover become the that leads them to the road we each oh may all who come behind us Find Us Faithful May the fire of our devotion might their way May the footprints that we lead them to be and the lives we live Inspire them to oby to oy oh may all who come behind us Find Us Faithful May the fire our devotion theprint we to and the we live Inspire them [Music] toy all who come behind us Find Us [Music] Faithful Lord Find [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Us what an excellent Legacy that this church has helped to promote let's let's give them another round of applause for today it is no small feat to get that larger group of people together for rehearsals let alone just to be here today so we really appreciate you being here I'm going to spend a second getting this set up so sorry there we are now I'd invite you to join me as we sing together of the faithfulness of our God I'd invite you to stand as you're able and join me and singing leaning on the Everlasting [Music] Arms what a fellowship what a joy Divine leaning on the Everlasting Arms what a blessedness what a peace is mine leaning on the Everlasting Arms leaning Le

Leaning safe and secure from all alarms leaning leaning on the Everlasting Arms oh how sweet to walk in this Pilgrim Way leaning on the Everlasting Arms oh how bright the path grows from day to day leaning on the Everlasting Arms leaning leaning safe and secure from all alarms leaning leaning on the Everlasting Arms what have I to dread what have I to fear leaning on the Ed Everlasting Arms I have blessed peace with my Lord so near leaning on the Everlasting Arms leaning safe and secure from all alarms leaning leaning on the Everlasting Arms I forgot to give you the hym number there it was 333 in case you didn't know but this next one is hym number 52 he leadth me oh blessed [Music] thought he leadth me oh blessed thought oh words with Heavenly Comfort fr what I do where I be still is God's hand that leadth me he leadth me he leadeth Me by his own hand he leadeth me his faithful follower I would be for by his hand he leadth [Music] me sometimes mid scenes of deepest Gloom sometimes where Eden's Bowers Bloom by water still or trbl see still it is his hand that leadth me he leadth me leadth Me by his own hand he leadth me his faithful follower I would be for by his hand he leadth me Lord I would clasp thy hand in mine nor ever murm nor re content what my thought I see since is thy hand that leadth me he leadth me he leadth Me by his own hand he leadth me his faithful follow where I would be for by his hand he leadth me and next is number 54 Great Is Thy

[Music] Faithfulness Great Is Thy Faithfulness oh God my father there is no shadow of turning with thee thou changest not thy compassions they fail not as thou Hast been thou forever Willl be great is thy faithfulness Great Is Thy Faithfulness morning by morning new mercies I see all I have needed thy hand hath [Music] provided Great Is Thy Faithfulness Lord unto me pardon for sin pardon for sin and a peace that endureth thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow blessings all mine with 10,000 beside Great Is Thy Faithfulness Great Is Thy Faithfulness morning by morning new mercies I see all I have needed thy hand hath [Music] provided Great Is Thy Faithfulness Lord unto [Music] me you may be seated [Music] m [Music] in [Music] [Applause] every that was Miss Charlotte Green when I heard she was going to play today I was so excited so thank you very much Charla

And I believe now we have H Pastor Kirk Baker coming to say something to [Applause] us I guess I'll say something since I've been commanded to do that I kind of chuckled at I saw some of the advertis that came out for this event and in the very first one I saw I don't know who put it out but it said pastor Kirk will give a short message and so I think the that was subliminal maybe you know that hey keep this thing nice and brief if you would and I can do that by the way but I really appreciate the opportunity to get to come and speak with you and celebrate 115 years with you and just hearing some of the Praises that have already happened the music that has happened the celebration this is good and this is what God wants he has blessed this church over these years and I'm thankful for that I'm thankful that I've had part of this history although it was just a short five years I'm grateful for the things that the Lord taught me and the ways that maybe through me you have learned as well and so I'm grateful for those kind of opportunities and that's just a very small window think of the Praises that have happened over 115 years not just in this building but from the pictures of the older buildings and the other places think of the Praises that have gone up to God in honor of him recently this was few months ago I was sitting with a church in my role I have the opportunity to work with churches that are struggling and I was sitting with a group of leaders from a church and they were talking about their music and how poor it was and how difficult it was to find leaders and to find musicians and one old brother he said you know I'm kind of at the point where we ought to just stop singing all together because it's awful that's what he said and I never I won't forget this because I was kind of amening that but across from the

Table this older lady said now brother we're commanded by God's word to sing his praises and I don't want to stop that because it says we ought to make a Joyful Noise it says we ought to praise him and bring glory to God even if we sound bad now you all don't sound bad you're wonderful there's Talent here there's awesomeness here and I'm thankful for that opportunity that this church has put forward to be able to praise God times do change right all kinds of stuff changes around us I had to chuckle in the bulletin that you've put out in 1908 you could order a house from the Sears catalog for $652 could you imagine the UPS truck coming down your road now knocking on your door hey I've got your delivery it's your house and it's right out there doesn't happen today a lot of things don't happen today a lot of stuff is different but one thing continues to be true and remain true the Gospel still saves the good news of Jesus Christ still goes forward he never fails his word doesn't return void it says and I'm thankful that we can carry that message forward to the people in our communities and keep preaching the Good News of Christ and so I want to encourage you today this is how I want to give you three keys and I will be brief we'll keep this moving right along I want to give you three keys on how you can last another 115 Years you'll find this in Acts chapter 18 if you brought your Bible I didn't get any slides put together and stuff like that but you'll be able to understand this very well and you'll see these particulars about this passage of Scripture I'll read it to you it says in Acts 18 verse1 it says after these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth and he found a certain Jew named Aquilla born in pontis who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius the emperor had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome and he came to them so

Because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked for by occupation they were tent makers and he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and persuaded both Jews and Greeks when Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia Paul was compelled by the spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ but when they opposed him and blasphemed and he shook his garments and said to them your blood be upon your own heads I am clean from now on I will go to the Gentiles and he departed and there from there and entered the house of a certain man named justice one who worshiped God whose house was next door to the synagogue then Crispus the ruler of the synagogue believed on the Lord with all his household and many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized now the Lord spoke to Paul in the Night by a vision do not be afraid but speak and do not keep silent for I am with you and no one will attack you to hurt you for I have many people in this city and he continued there a year and six months teaching the word of God amongst them here's number one keep following the leadership of the Holy Spirit in order to keep going forward God will lead you and His Holy Spirit will speak to you and lead you as to where you need to go in particular look at verse five when Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia now let me take a break there for just a second if you want good friends these guys were bringing back a gift to Paul it was a monetary thing if you want to stay friends and keep being friends bring monetary gifts it's always a good way to go people invite you to come over for dinner right and you hey what can we bring just tell them just bring your pocketbook and we'll be all right so that's a caveat that really has nothing to do with this message but it says Paul was compelled by the spirit and testified to

The Jews that Jesus is the Christ keep following church for the next 115 years keep following the leadership of the Holy Spirit God himself will lead you his spirit is true his spirit is our counselor his spirit is God himself you realize you have the Holy Spirit God himself alive within you if you're a believer in Jesus Christ you have been sealed with this Holy Spirit God himself keep listening I encourage you don't try to witness and be an evangelist without following the Holy Spirit first God will lead you to Divine appointments and I often talk about this wherever I go because because there are Divine appointments that happen in camton maybe today maybe after you've had ice cream and Pie and stuff like that there may it be a Divine appointment that happens at the gas station as you're filling your car with fuel but see if we're not in touch with the Holy Spirit we're going to miss some of those opportunities so Paul he goes back into the synagogue after he'd been driven out in another town he finds his way back into the place where he's very comfortable he's listening to the leadership of the Holy Spirit this says he was compelled by the spirit now are you in tune with God himself enough that the Holy Spirit compels you to do anything it was a little difficult this morning because the chiefs were playing at 9:30 and I looked around in the place where I was worshiping this morning a lot of guys are sitting there looking at their phone like this you're and then they're looking back you know you're thinking what are you compelled by what are you doing are we listening to God are we listening to the Holy Spirit as he leads us out into our community secondly though look at verse six as we move along it says when they opposed him now that means this is a great word which means they lined up as in battle against them it was a military

Type word they were opposing they were bringing the troops together they were lining up to fight but when they opposed him and even took it further they used words and blasphemed he shook his garments and said to them your blood be upon your own heads I am clean and from now on I'm going to go to the Gentiles first listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit secondly don't be discouraged in rejection in order to last another 115 years there going to be times that you feel like you're listening to the Holy Spirit you may be going and talking to people and all of a sudden they turn on you and say no that's not for me I hear what you're saying about Jesus Christ and maybe that's good for you and maybe people have told you this before maybe that's good for you but that's not good for me don't get discouraged in rejection just think if every time we turned around when someone turned us down or someone got obstinate against the church if we just quit no that's not how this church lasted 115 years in the first place in order to continue lasting don't get discouraged when rejection happens they're not turning you down they're not turning down your presentation and how slick you are they're turning down the Almighty God who sent his son Jesus Christ who died on the cross for the sins of the world it says in 1 John 2:2 and so I'm thankful that it's not up to me to save anybody it's not up to me to make this great presentation that everybody has to accept no I just continue being a faithful witness I listen and I go where the spirit leads and you don't get discouraged when it looks like people stand against you Paul didn't what' he do he shook the dust out now that was very symbolic because the Jew believed you could just simply walk out on Main Street and come back and you be contaminated you be unclean and so they would symbolically Shake the Dust out they would do the handwashing and make

Sure the water ran down at a certain way and then off the elbows you know in a certain direction a lot of ritual and a lot of routine that had to happen and that's okay it's the way God designed it from the beginning but aren't you thankful that he fulfilled all of that Old Testament ritual through the blood and the offering of Jesus Christ I am thankful for that and so to last another 115 years keep following the leadership of the Holy Spirit don't get discouraged when rejection happens you keep following what God has for you keep using the gifts that God has given you just like the musical cousins that sing and that was outstanding playing the organ singing leading in hymns whatever it looks like for you leading a Sunday school class witnessing through some Community Endeavor whatever it is that God has you doing keep serving in that way and that leads me to the third part of this because look what Paul does when they blaspheme we could go back into Matthew and look at how serious that was you know Matthew tells us that's the sin that can't be forgiven when you blaspheme the Holy Spirit you are saying no Jesus Christ is not the way to Eternity In God's Presence that was a serious thing and so Matthew would say that was an unforgivable sin and I think you realize that and you've probably studied that before but they blasphemed this plan that Paul was putting in place and then what does Paul do well in particular look at verse 7 it says this from now on I'll go to the Gentiles justice was one who worshiped and then verse 8 it says then Christmas the rule of the synagogue believed on the Lord with his whole household where was this he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named justice one who worship God whose house was next door to

The synagogue how far did he go he went next door now if we had long enough if we paused for a moment and I ask you do you know the name of The Neighbor Next Door many of us could not tell who that is I don't that may be right around here or that may be in your neighborhood do you know your neighbors next door I've got a book sitting on the shelf in my office I've got two of them actually one was gifted to me it's the art of neighboring you wouldn't think you would have to write a book about how to be a good neighbor would you but inside of this book it talks about how you can be the best possible witness for Jesus Christ just simply by being a good neighbor Paul says you guys don't want to listen that's fine out of the synagogue he goes and he winds up next door number three in order to last another 115 years keep listening to the Holy Spirit keep following the leadership of the Holy Spirit don't get discouraged in rejection and number three keep getting outside of this building you must take this good news we're commanded to take this good news outside of this building now I'm happy you're here today I love it that you're here today I'm thankful every time we get gather on Sundays in some worship place I'm grateful for that we're commanded again to do that but we're also commanded to go out and make disciples and so what's that look like for you for Paul he just simply wound up next door synagogue ruler comes to Faith it looks like he realizes the right way which is through Jesus Christ I don't know but God may use this group that's sitting right here today to get outside of this building and see something miraculous happen around the world I wouldn't put it past God can do anything but he choose us to use Faithful Servants that come from these seats out into that world to make

Disciples and then look what Paul is encouraged by at the very end of this after he does those three things it says at verse 9 the Lord spoke to Paul in the Night by a vision do not be afraid but speak do not keep silent I am with you no one's going to attack you or hurt you I've got many people in the city and he continued there a year and 6 months it's the longest tenure that he had in Acts teaching and encouraging when you get out of this building God offers you peace he offers you his presence and he also offers you his protection as you go but will you go in order to last another 115 years there will need to be many more people that we go and find that will be willing to listen that we go and make disciples baptizing them just as we're commanded to do and discipling them in their walk with Christ so we're not going to go back to 1908 gas isn't going to be under 20 cents a gallon you're not going to find eggs for that amount of price you're not going to get milk at that's not coming back but the good news is the Gospel hasn't changed so I'm grateful that we still get that privilege of sharing the good news of Christ hey thank [Applause] you I said I didn't want to so that's good I didn't do that first of all before I start my presentation I'd like to thank Cindy Warren and Jack RoR for helping me with the slides and getting my presentation all together so that helped a great deal I'm honored as your church historian to be here today and share with you the history of First Baptist Church many changes have occurred during the last 115 years the slide that you see there is the church at Old Lind Creek and U they organized 115 years ago and in 1908 a small group of members began that church and it was the county seat of Camden County because of the

Construction of Bagnal Dam and the creation of the Lake of the Ozarks in 1929 old ly Creek would soon be covered by water the decision was made to move the church church membership here to camton which was going to become the new county seat and that church was dedicated in 1931 and that part is the door that goes out that hallway into the old Fellowship Hall that's the door that you see there and kind of the side of it throughout the following year several Milestones were achieved in 1940 First Baptist organized the first women's missionary Union and Brotherhood the first Vacation Bible School was held that same year FBC became a member of the lamine Baptist Association in 1972 the Good Samaritan Center was opened in 1974 and that's currently our lamb housee the Weare Center was started in 1977 in 1987 the Deacon family M Ministry was organized and the women's ministry was organized in 2007 because of the continued growth of the church several Renovations and construction projects have taken place over the past decades in 1943 an enlargement of the auditorium was Auditorium was dedicated and in 1954 an addition of a new Auditorium Fellowship Hall and kitchen were dedicated and Jack if you could go back to that first one there that we started right there that's where we are today you don't see a door over here and the big green wall was kind of to the side over there my idea and no one really took to that was after it was taken down to cut it up and sell pieces of It kind of like the Berlin wall but that never went very far in 1971 a two-story education Wing was added to the building which is the wing over here in 1992 the auditorium was renovated and a new

Kitchen Fellowship Hall and classrooms were added at this time the Bell from the original Church in Old Lind Creek was placed in the Bell Tower and beautiful stained glass windows designed by our own Mike Farah were installed in 1998 the church purchased surrounded property with plans to add a Family Life Center to the existing Church church building the camton city council approved the closing of the Street between the church and one of the properties with the stipulation that they would deed the adjoining property when the building started in 2005 the church voted to enter into a contract for a new addition to be built on the existing building the building to build lives campaign began to finance that structure in 2007 after a success uccessful building to build lives campaign a Family Life Center classrooms commercial kitchen staff offices and additional parking were added to the church and there you see the artist rendition but it looks pretty much the same as that this slide is a photograph of the church body outlining where the new building was going to take place and praying over that area and then the next is the groundbreaking ceremony for the property church members also wrote their names and favorite verses on stones and placed them in the foundation so they're over in our new section there in the foundation and there they are placing them and the rocks are there the next Slide the next couple of slides are the gym and the upstairs under construction during this time that's the up and there the gy is in 2021 the church was able to pay off the remainder of the debt for the church construction enabling the church to become debt free yes very good day the church body is now served by a senior Minister youth Minister and minister of

Music and Elders who provide leadership and a true Vision to spread the Gospel to our community although the church body suffered during the coid 19 pandemic First Baptist in loss of members and attendees that we are still growing and prospering throughout the early 2000s and to the present time FBC continue to serve the community the state and internationally by sending members on mission trips members who were not able to travel gave very generously in 2022 FBC was in the top 10% of churches in the state giving to missions and the church was able to sponsor three mission trips in 20123 we thank God for the beautiful building in which we worship today and we pray that we'll be able to continue to minister to the needs of the church members to the community and to the mission field the church mission statement loving God loving each other loving our community and loving our world Live Strong in our members today as they continue to serve now most of my presentation so far has dealt with the church building and the progression of it through the years but of course you know that the church would not exist without the members dedication throughout the years and their love for the Lord I would now like to recognize some of the longtime members and their family families first of all the Virgil Houston family if you would all stand up [Applause] Virgil was a deacon and I believe Norma said our church treasure for 27 years is that right next the John Edwards family if you would stand up or [Applause] way John was also a deacon for many years the AY Whitworth family Rita and [Applause] Lisa and is Joan Osborne here today

She was hoping to come but not but the Osborne Family were longtime members and the Glenn Blair family Glen was also a longtime deacon now those members or those families were all a long time but it doesn't mean that the years of service of just a few years go unnoticed so if you've been a member of FBC for from zero to 10 years would you please stand you'll have to think in your head thank you what about up to or from 10 to 20 years up to and including 30 [Applause] years and 40 years actually I think that would be me too up to 50 years and the MC feeders and 60 years any I think and Rita too I [Applause] think and what about 70 years don't you yeah 70 I think you're our winner anyway thank you all for your dedication and your work through the years and supporting the church and working for the church and I know everyone all appreciates your help so thank [Applause] you well what a joy it is to whoa what a joy it is to be here to celebrate together I'd like us to close today with the singing of the doxology and then John Green is going to pray for us to close I've have also been asked to make a quick announcement which is that as we go down to the gym for pie and ice cream there is there are lots of tables that say different Community groups kind of as a representation of what's going on right now that doesn't mean you have to sit at your community group table but take a look see what is going on in our church the different things that represent the different community communities as part of our

Church praise God from whom all blessings flow Praise Him All Creatures here below Praise Him above above ye Heavenly Host praise father Son and Holy Ghost amen it's been kind of a milestone year for charl and I 50 years ago this year in April of 1973 I attended my first worship service in this church and that was in April 73 and about the first part of May of that same year of 73 we're in a classroom right over here upstairs down this end of the hallway and we had a very good teacher his name was Dr tww Garrison and he led the class in kind of an exercise on sharing your faith and I think he I think him and some other people in that class knew that knew that I wasn't saved there hadd been some seeds planted by some high school class members two or three of them were up here while go on this stage and he made that presentation and I wasn't saved and I knew it wasn't and I accepted Christ as my Savior that day and I've never looked back on that and said that was a bad mistake that's the best thing I ever did in my life and you know as Cody said here this morning if you haven't done that don't wait do something about it you talk to Cody or you talk to one of the elders or one of the deacons or somebody and you get that took care of also so 45 years ago I think on this very day I'm not sure we didn't look it up for sure but charlot and I were married on October 15th 1978 and about two weeks later we came back here she joined here moved her

Membership here and Jean Johnson was playing the orgon at the time and she was ready to retire so Charlotte started playing the orgon so that 45 years to this day and you know in 2009 Charlotte got cancer and those doctors give her up for dead and you know I didn't know what was going to happen on that but I had a pretty good idea that those guys were wrong and she was going to live and she did and she's still here and she can still play that cancer took a little bit of a way if you know I know and she knows it's not what it used to be but it's still pretty good and you know I got a big advantage over a lot of other people I we got a piano in organ in our home and she plays and I listen and I run those old hymns through my head and it's a great thing so if you want to hear a play sometime come over to the house and we'll take care of that all right so let's pray heavenly father I thank you today for this opportunity and I thank you for all the folks that have made this possible for myself and for many other s and I pray that someday somebody would look back on my life and many others here and say I'm glad they did what they did because I wouldn't be what I am without them and we ask that your blessing be upon our fellowship tonight and take us home safe in Jesus name amen