Spring Conference 2022 Videos

Videos from our 2022 Spring Conference Sessions can be found on our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/BaptistFaithMissions. Special thanks to Grace Baptist Church of Fairborn, Ohio for capturing these and sharing with us!

[Click here for a YouTube playlist with all conference sessions.]

A brief report on the state of BFM activities, especially over the last calendar year of 2021 to present. Update presented by Directors Dave Parks and Jonathan Turner.
Session #1 from the 2022 BFM Spring Conference featuring Harold Draper, former missionary to Brazil; Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Paducah, Kentucky – “The Commitment to Gospel Purity”
Session #2 from the 2022 BFM Spring Conference featuring an update from Judson Hatcher, missionary to Brazil, and John Patterson – “The Obstacle of CRT/Wokeism”
Session #3, Part 1 from the 2022 BFM Spring Conference featuring a video call with Odali & Kathy Barros, missionaries in Northern Brazil.
Session #3, Part 2 from the 2022 BFM Spring Conference featuring Steve Wainright, BFM Director & Pastor of New Life Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky – “The Obstacle of False Teaching in Churches”
Session #4 from the 2022 BFM Spring Conference featuring Philip DuBarry, BFM Director and Associate Pastor of Addyston Baptist Church in Addyston, Ohio – “The Obstacle of Big Tech”
Session #5, Part 1 from the 2022 BFM Spring Conference featuring a video call with Roger & Julie Tate, missionaries in Kenya, East Africa.
Session #5, Part 2 from the 2022 BFM Spring Conference featuring Pastor Bruce Winner, “The Obstacle of COVID and Mandates”.


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BFM National Conferences Outreach

An Update from Pastor George Sledd

“Sheridan Stanton and I represented BFM at the annual 2022 Founders Conference in Fort Myers, FL over January 20-23. It was a great time of fellowship and hearing the Word of God. We were able to distribute nearly 100 BFM books/outreach handouts to those who came by our display booth. We are hoping that God will lead other pastors and churches to come on board to partner and help us with missions.”

Thank you to those who have given and to those who are giving to help with the expenses for these outreach efforts!

A close-up of the conference display booth
Sheridan Stanton & George Sledd, Directors of BFM, at the National Founders Conference in Fort Myers, Florida

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Spring Conference Recaps 2016

Thank you to all who joined us at our 56th Annual Spring Missions Conference in Lexington, KY! “Every disciple…a disciple-maker!” Matthew 28.19

We had a great time of fellowship and were challenged by 10 speakers over 3 days. You can read some excerpts from each sermon by visiting our Facebook page and searching for #BFMspring2016.

2016 Spring ConferenceMay the effects of this conference be long-lasting and life-changing to the glory of God.


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2014 Spring Conference [Wednesday Evening]

BFMSpringConference2014_squareThe Spring Conference came to a close tonight with a renewed sense that today is still indeed the day of salvation.

The final session opened with two congregationals: O Worship the King and Come Thou Fount followed by two specials: Compassion Hymn and I’m Feeling Fine, and one more congregational: Sweet By & By.

Director Dave Parks reminded us that the real test of whether a conference has been good is what we do when we go back home. He then offered thanks to and for all those who had helped with the conference and to all those who came. [And if she may interject, Phoebe here would like to extend a ginormous special thanks to Bro. Parks for all he gives and does to keep everything running so smoothly and for always doing every single task with such zeal. How blessed we are to have you serve.]

The Keyes also blessed us again in song as the offering was given.

Dr. Jim Scott Orrick, Professor of Literature and Culture at Boyce College, brought the final message from 1 Corinthians 15:12-28 about the necessity of believing in Christ’s Resurrection. If you take the resurrection of Christ out of Christianity, you no longer have Christianity.

Dr. Orrick said he often asks his students “What is the bare minimum we must believe in order to be a Christian?” He said that it is possible to believe all orthodox doctrines and still be lost. Salvation does not come by believing the right stuff, it comes to those who receive the living Christ. There is one doctrine you must believe: the Resurrection. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

If Jesus was not raised from the dead, all we have left is a doctrinal system and ethical system with a smoky smell of Christianity.

I. What if Jesus was not raised? (vs. 14)
A. Then our preaching is in vain. (vs. 15-16)
If Christ hasn’t been raised from the dead, then you’ve got nothing to talk about.
B. Then our faith is in vain.
1. You are still in your sins.
Christ not being raised indicates that God was not pleased with His sacrifice.
2. All that was needed to happen for your salvation was not taken care of with His suffering alone. Your salvation requires the ongoing intercession for you. “Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea, A great high Priest whose Name is Love Who ever lives and pleads for me.” We are forgiven because before the throne of God, there is a living Man.

“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (vs. 19) But do we really feel that way? We often love the world too much. We live as if we are creatures of this world when we should be living as sons and daughters of the King who have been reconciled to God! (Matthew 13:45-47; Psalm 73)

Christ is representing. He is the firstfruits, which means more will be raised. (vs. 20)

Since this whole mess was started by a man, this whole mess will be corrected by a Man. His resurrection guarantees your resurrection. (vs. 21-23)

He’s not only representing, He is also reigning. He’s putting down all rule, authority and power. He’s already dealt a death blow to death. Christians still fail physically–they die–but, your spirit will never see death. He is going to destroy the last whimpering remnants of death!

With His resurrection ringing in your ear, hear Him say the following:
“All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

And with these truths, commands, and promises ringing fresh in our ears and taking lodging in our hearts, the 54th Annual Spring Conference came to a close as we sang “Hear the Call of the Kingdom.”

May we be swift to remember that today is the day of salvation and never fail to introduce anyone to our wonderful Savior.


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2014 Spring Conference [Wednesday Morning]

BFMSpringConference2014_squareThe final day of the Spring Conference began in an overcast, chilly Lexington at 9:30 Wednesday morning.

John Hatcher, missionary to Brazil, opened the morning session by sharing some of his experiences in ministry and how the Lord has blessed them and then shared some Scripture. “Through many dangers, toils, and snares…’tis grace has brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home.” 

John 1:1-5, 14; 14:1-2, 36; 1 John 3:1-2-Oh how God loves us.

God will provide and He is still providing.
Romans 12:1-2


Darrell Messer, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Bellbrook, Ohio, brought the second message from 1 Peter 3, mainly focusing on verse 15.

This is the problem: how involved are we in the day of salvation?
1) Sanctification: “But” goes back to vs. 13-14 which is why we are to set Him apart.
2) Preparation: Be ready. Spend time with God. Know how to answer.
3) Presentation: To give an answer. Get in the Word.
4) Anticipation: A hope that transcends this life. Speak with meekness and fear, not with arrogance.

We don’t witness because of fear of men or because our life doesn’t match our witness. (vs. 16)


Larry Fisher, Pastor of Rosedale Baptist Church in Rosedale, West Virginia delivered the final message before another delicious lunch from 2 Corinthians 6.

“Then” working together with Him. All is nothing without Him. “Without Me you can do nothing.” We are not working to win the battle, the battle is one.

“Succoured” in verse 2 means to go to the aid or lift up. He helps us. He has said “do not receive the grace of God in vain.” This must mean we can receive the grace of God in vain. He has given us the time to work. Now is the accepted time, behold now is the time of salvation. Blind Bartimaeus knew the time was now for him to receive his sight.


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2014 Spring Conference [Tuesday Evening]

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The 54th Annual Spring Conference continued this evening at Thompson Road Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky. We were all thankful to be worshipping inside as it was raining and starting to get a bit chilly outside!

♪ Bro. Donnie Hamilton led the congregation in “Love Lifted Me” and in a new song by the Gettys called “Hear the Call of the Kingdom”. [You can listen here.

♪ Shirley Messer and Heather Messer Carrus sang “The Power of the Cross” just before the message. ♪ Took the blame, bore the wrath, we stand forgiven at the cross! 


Bro. Jim Orrick, Director of BFM, gave a history of the beginnings of BFM. Bro. Orrick has been at every Spring Conference since they started in 1961 (except for one when he had fallen off a ladder and broken his hip, but he still received a phone call from the pulpit so his perfect attendance would stay in tact!).

You can’t read the Bible without seeing that God has a heart for missions. In fact, God was a missionary. “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son…” –Galatians 4:4 // John 3:17

 

BFM has been in existence for 72 years. Hundreds of churches have been established and are still functioning all over the world. 

It all began in the land of Brazil. Before BFM came along, at the end of the Civil War, some in the South decided to move to Brazil. A Confederate officer who had moved there with his family ended up returning to the States and wrote an article about the need for missionaries in Brazil. A man named William Bagley read the article and heeded the call, arriving in Brazil in 1881. He also wrote articles about the need for missionaries in Brazil, which were read by E.A. Nelson in Kansas. Nelson went to Brazil in 1891. With the help of Solomon Ginsberg, a saved Jewish man who was a missionary, they organized a church in 1897 and the first Baptist converts were baptized in the Amazon River. In 1900, Nelson organized the First Baptist Church of Manaus.

Meanwhile, in western Kentucky, a very mission-minded pastor, Boyce Taylor, had founded the Western Kentucky Bible Institute. His brother, WC Taylor, shared with him about “poor old Nelson” who was all alone down in the Amazon Valley. In 1922, WC went to Brazil and upon his return, the First Baptist Church of Murray, Kentucky, organized the Amazon Valley Baptist Faith Mission with the purpose to raise support for E.A. Nelson and any other preacher called to the Amazon. They raised $3,000 to buy a boat they called “The Buffalo”–it was the first oil-burning oil boat on the Amazon River.

In 1936, LM Bratcher (Harold’s uncle) went on a river trip with Nelson where Nelson became very ill and had to return to Manaus. He died in 1939 and all the stores in Manaus closed for his funeral.

The Amazon Valley BFM had sent out 8 missionary couples, but only 2 of them had stayed on the field any length of time. The first was Joseph Brandon who went to Brazil in 1923. He organized the first Baptist Church in all of the Acre Territory, where Bro. Mike Creiglow is now.

Brandon changed sponsoring churches often and ended up losing his support. He met with HH Overbey and ZE Clark and they agreed if Brandon would go back to Brazil, they would raise support for him. HH Overbey promised to print monthly mission letters. This was the beginning of BFM.

There were 30 copies printed of the first Mission Sheet in which the offerings were recorded (a grand total of $14.50 for the first month).

The second missionary was RP Hallum who went to Peru with his family in 1935. They were supported by leftover funds in the Amazon Valley BFM at First Baptist in Murray. In 1937, they organized the First Baptist Church of Iquitos with 11 members, the oldest Baptist Church in Peru.

There have been many missionaries who have served in different countries over the years, including a native missionary in Columbia, a family in Honduras, the Carvers in Korea, 3 families in the Philippines, in addition to our current missionaries who are serving in Brazil, France, Kenya, and Peru.

Our missionary family has not been large, but their service has been long and their faithfulness has been great. 

In closing, Bro. Orrick mentioned four things churches can do to help BFM.
1) Invite the missionaries into your churches when they’re home so you can get to know them.
2) Encourage people to read the Mission Sheets.
3) Promote offerings, special offerings, and projects
4) Give Memorial Offerings when people pass away


 ♪ Following the first message, we sang “Send the Light” and then the conference offering was given as Bro. Stanley & Sis. Emily Keyes from Illinois ministered in song through trombone, piano, and voice.  ♪ O What Love  ♪ (Lyrics)

There was a record number of BFM-associated families who were present and we recognized their years of sacrifice and faithful service. Missionary families represented included the Turners, Lauermans, Bratchers, Hatchers, Creiglows, Adams, Drapers, and Radfords.

Wanda Hatcher, missionary to Brazil, sang a beautiful version of ‘Tis So Sweet, part of which was in Portuguese.


Paul Hatcher, missionary to Brazil, brought the second message from John 17. He started by reminding us that it’s all about sowing and plowing, and sowing and plowing, and sowing and plowing, and eventually, there will be a harvest.

The Gospel has to be put out there and sown day after day. Even in all of our goof-ups and mess-ups, God has taken all of these things and has made it work. The Gospel has been sown and God makes it produce. From Christ to our day, people have been sowing and reaping and sowing and reaping. So here we are, sowing and reaping. And since we are sowing and reaping, there will be another generation who will sow and reap. The work doesn’t depend on us though–our Heavenly Father makes it all grow.

No one will come to salvation without knowing the Son. People have to hear about and be introduced to this wonderful Jesus.

How marvelous that He would choose to dwell in earthly vessels like you and me.

God loves sinners who don’t have anything to return. Our world is reciprocal and the love of the world is reciprocal. Give to them and they give to you. But that is not God’s love. His love is love because He loves. It is His nature to love. 

Our unity, which is a product of our love, is what will convince the world that Christ has come. “I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved Me.” -John 17:21

What do you have that is different? God became a man and lives inside of you!

The day of salvation has arrived because you have arrived. But it’s not because of anything you have–but because HE dwells within you. 


We ended the evening by singing, “Jesus, I am Resting”.

♪ Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings:
Thine is love indeed!
 

We hope you can join us tomorrow! [Schedule]


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2014 Spring Conference [Tuesday Morning]

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The second day of the 54th annual BFM Spring Missions Conference began at 9:30 a.m.

John Divito from the Midwest Center for the Theological Studies shared about why MCTS exists (2 Timothy 2:2), what MCTS is, what MCTS offers, and how God is using MCTS. You can find out more about MCTS at www.mctsowensboro.org.

Christopher Young then shared his burden for the mission field in Cancun, Mexico.

Nathan Radford, missionary to Kenya, concluded the morning session with Psalm 116:2 and Matthew 9:36-38. He shared about the benefits he was thankful for, their ministries, and also the challenges of the mission field (loneliness, homesickness, cultural fatigue, slander lies, and discouragement).


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Spring Conference 2014 [Monday Evening]

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Our 54th Annual Spring Conference began this evening at Thompson Road Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky.

Bro. Jim Orrick led the congregation in a mission hymn he learned from Bro. Harold Bratcher, “Go Ye Into All the World”.
♪ Far, far away, in death and darkness dwelling,
Millions of souls forever may be lost;
Who, who will go, salvation’s story telling,
Looking to Jesus, heeding not the cost? 
♪. After which, we sang “All Hail the Power”.
♪ “Let ev’ry kindred, ev’ry tribe, on this terrestrial ball to Him all majesty ascribe and crown Him Lord of all. ” ♪


Pastor David Mitchell, who is the teaching pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Hurricane, West Virginia, was the first speaker. His text was from 1 Corinthians 9.

What our churches do at home is vitally important to the effect of missions abroad.

Missionary William Carey told his supporters, “I will go down into the well if you hold the rope.” If we’re not doing missions in our community, we won’t be able to hold the ropes much longer for our foreign missionaries.

Is your church inward focused or outward focused? Does it exist to serve the members or reach the lost?

There are four hindrances to being an externally focused, mission-minded church.
1) Spiritual Hindrances
We must be beholding the face of Jesus for that is where transformation takes place. Our ministry is to be image-bearers of Jesus and to let the world see Jesus in us. (2 Corinthians 3:17-4:1)

2) Personal Prejudices (Acts 10)
Peter was to reach the Gentiles…and it was time to do something different.

3) Cultural & Historical Preferences (1 Chronicles 12:32)
Jesus never told the world to go to church. He told the church to go to the world. Know what’s going on in the world around you and know how to relate to the culture. Paul knew what people were reading and the happenings at Mars Hill. (Acts 17)

4) Generational Gap
Learn to adapt your approach to how people process things.

Can our kind of church reach our kind of world? What are we willing to become to reach coming generations for Christ?

You and I are believers because of foreign missions. 


BFMmondaysong ♪ Following the first message, we sang “At Calvary” and then the conference offering was given as Bro. Stanley & Sis. Emily Keyes from Illinois ministered in song through trombone, piano, and voice.  ♪ He died for me!  ♪ This couple has been so faithful to come and play at the Spring Conference for the past 19 years–and what a blessing they are!

All the Pastors and ministers in attendance stood up to represent their churches, representing churches from Florida, Michigan, West Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, Kenya, Brazil, and elsewhere.

Lydia & Sarah Wainright played a piano and flute duet of “Just Over in Gloryland” right before the second message.


Pastor Jonathan Turner, who pastors Richland Baptist Church in Livermore, Kentucky, brought the second message, from Luke 4:16-30.

It was here that Jesus would publicly declare who He was and define the purpose of His ministry. If this describes the ministry of Christ, does this then describe our ministry? It should.

Who is the audience?
1) The poor. The physically poor, but especially the spiritually poor. This world has nothing to offer but scraps in comparison to the offerings of eternity!

2) The brokenhearted. Those who are crushed under burdens. People are under great burdens just by living in this world, but they’re also under great spiritual burdens without Christ.

3) The captives. Those who have been captured and forced to go with their captors. People are held in bondage by Satan and their sin, but often don’t realize they are in bondage. (2 Timothy 2:26; Ephesians 2:1-3; John 8:3-4)

4) Blind. Those who are spiritually blind, whose eyes have been darkened. (Psalm 82:5; 2 Corinthians 4:4; John 12:37-40)

5) Bruised. Every single human–our very humanity–has been marred by Satan and Christ alone can recreate our image to what it needs to be.

So our audience is made up of everybody, but sometimes we pick and choose. Our message is for everyone. My audience is everyone I come into contact with. My audience is the world.

What kind of message do we have for our audience? Our message is proclaiming the Good News of Christ. Jesus drew people to Himself; likewise, we point people to Jesus Christ. Point people to the cross and the Risen Savior. That’s when their burdens fall away. (Hebrews 2:14-15)

We have a big task, but we have Someone bigger than the task. We aren’t the liberator, deliverer, or healer, but we know Who is!

Tell them about Jesus. Our message is Christ!


We ended the evening by singing, “Just As I Am”.

♪ Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind; sight, riches, healing of the mind, yea, all I need in Thee to find, O Lamb of God, I come. I come. 

We hope you can join us tomorrow! [Schedule]


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