The mission of CBF of Missouri is to serve Christians and churches. We offer a wide variety of resources, networking and expertise to help churches meet the challenges of the 21st century. Our goal is to help each church be the presence of Christ in their context.
Pastor/Staff Search
Perhaps the most critical time in the life of any Baptist church is during pastoral and staff transitions. Harold Phillips or Jeff Langford are available to consult with Search Committees throughout the search process. Especially helpful to many churches is CBF of Missouri's Bridge to an Interim service, which provides four weeks of quality pulpit supply during the tough early weeks of transition. Leader Connect-CBF is the résumé-matching service developed by the Leadership Development team of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship as a part of our reference and referral service
Emerge
An intense leadership training experience for younger and emerging leaders. Consulting leaders are Bob Perry and Marilyn Nelson with Organizational Health Associates. emerge sessions are held over the course of a semester and consist of specific readings, various testing inventories, and 4 weekend sessions with the group. emerge is offered in the spring and in the autumn. Visit our EMERGE page for more information.
Leadership Seminar
Each year, CBF of Missouri hosts a Leadership Seminar in conjunction with its Spring General Assembly. This half-day event, designed for both laity and clergy, features excellent facilitators and lively interaction. Often, topics are built around specific spiritual practices (including practicing sabbath, hospitality, stewardship ) or other relevant issues facing the church (such as holistic mission practices).
Mission Engagement
The Fellowship can move your church beyond its borders to those who are among the most neglected and most marginalized. "Missions" has been defined as those who have something doing for those who have less. The Fellowship's understanding of missions is built around partnership and "walking alongside." The results are many: the credibility of the Gospel is enhanced because it is shared with deeper respect; those who go return with a greater appreciation for those they were with, and the community served has discovered a new sense of its own capacity for addressing spiritual, housing, education, and economic needs.
Mission Education
CBF offers a line of four resources to engage congregations in missions education. The resources are age-appropriate, Biblically-based, and CBF-specific and can be used in traditional missions education classes as well as in Sunday school, around the dinner table or in worship. The stories of CBF field personnel, churches, and individuals working in the world will inspire learners of all ages to live in more faithful, missional ways..
Children's Camp
CBF of Missouri helps coordinate the Camp Connect, a summer missions camp for grades 3-5 at Windermere Baptist Conference Center. This 3-day camp is one way Fellowship churches partner together for a common cause. For more information about the next Camp Connect, contact Janet Hill, Minister to Families at University Heights Baptist Church in Springfield.
New Church Starts
There are several approaches to starting new congregations. None of these is the one right way to start a new church. How can the Fellowship resource your congregation to start new churches?