What is Pageant and why is it kicking off?

We have officially transitioned in Pageant time here at FBR. If you are new to Pageant or new to our church, you probably have a few questions like:

What is this Pageant thing I keep hearing about?
To people who attend, Pageant is simply First Baptist Raytown’s annual Christmas play, but Pageant is really a love gift from the members of First Baptist Raytown to the members of the community. Every year we share the story of Jesus from his birth to the crucifixion to His Resurrection. We’re able to share the same remarkable storyline year after year because new characters in new situations share it in a fresh way each year. Last year the cast, choir, and crew performed 8 free performances to over 20,000 people, with 1,488 of those individuals accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior. If that doesn’t convince you to be involved, I don’t know what will!

I don’t like to sing or act, so how else could I be involved?
Just like any theatrical production, it takes a multitude of people with different gifts to pull it off. While we do need people to sing and act, we also need volunteers to help backstage; participate as non-speaking cast members, angels, and solders; take tickets and pass out programs; seat the audience; wash costumes; direct traffic; feed the cast; and more. There is some way for everyone to get involved.

How do I sign up?
You can sign up online at www.firstbaptistraytown.com/serve, at the Registration Station in the lobby, or at Pageant Kickoff on Wednesday.

Is the kickoff something I should attend if I don’t know if I want to be involved?
ABSOLUTELY! Pageant kickoff is a great time to come get acquainted with the behind the scenes stuff, what the story line is, what music we’re doing, and all the different ways to get involved. Even if you aren’t sure if Pageant is for you, we’d still love for you to join us at the Pageant Kickoff at 7:00 p.m. in the Atrium (located by the Gym) this Wednesday, September 7. See you there!

Uniting a Community One Puppet Performance at a Time

You’ve heard it said, “if you build it, they will come.” Well, it can also be said, “if you pray it, they will come.”

Last year, FBR’s Pathway Puppet Team went to Marysville, Michigan to host a Vacation Bible School with just a handful of children, most of whom were related to the pastor. After that mission trip, the team began praying for an opportunity to minister to a larger group of children who needed the Lord, and after this year’s mission trip, the team learned that God is a God who answers prayer in a mighty way.

Thirteen puppeteers, ten sponsors, and a little brother arrived in Okolona, Mississippi
to find a racially divided community hesitant to intermingle in a religious setting, so the team took the “religious” out of the setting to reach a community that needed to be united.

The team began their outreach on Saturday at a carnival-style block party at a centrally located park. About 50-60 people, both white and black, trickled in and out of the park, playing games, jumping in the bouncy house, eating hot dogs, and visiting with Skooter. The team used this opportunity to begin relationships with some of the kids and invite them to Vacation Bible School.

The next day, the team headed to First Baptist Church of Okolona, their host church, where they worshiped and got to know some of the church members. That night, the team had the opportunity to lead the church in worship in a way none of the church members had ever experienced. Skooter shared the gospel through fun songs and illusions, and the puppet team performed several songs ranging from fun and upbeat to slow and meditative. The church was blown away and excited to see what God had in store for that week.

On Monday morning, the team’s prayers had already been answered. The City Auditorium had a good crowd on day one of VBS with 48 kids. The team felt like it was going to be a great week of unifying the community and sharing the love of God with these 48 children. After Tuesday afternoon, several sponsors on the trip were beginning to think they should have been careful about what they prayed for. The team led 76 kids in VBS that day, and the growth didn’t stop there. The highest attendance day was Thursday, when the team shared the story of Jesus with 98 kids, eleven of whom prayed to receive Jesus into their hearts.

In all, the team reached out to 117 children of different races, bringing them together in their community, but the team’s outreach did not end there. The pastor of FBC Okolona organized a lunch performance for the mayor, prominent businessmen, and other city workers. Once again, the team brought together people of different races and socioeconomic backgrounds to share a message bigger than a divided community. The puppeteers began the performance with a fun song to hook the crowd, then hit the audience hard with the Gospel through “Praise the King,” “Blessings,” and “Arise, My Love.” Most of the audience walked away speechless, processing what they had just seen and heard.

That evening, the team was still practicing in the City Auditorium when a woman who had attended the performance came back to ask the team about one of the songs. She had been thinking about Laura Story’s “Blessings” all afternoon. She wanted to know what the team’s interpretation was, so a few members shared with her that even through the hard times, God still blesses; even through the times we don’t understand, He still blesses; no matter what is going on, God is still near. The woman expressed that she hoped that was the meaning of the song. She simply thanked the team for their ministry and went on her way.

Friday was the team’s final opportunity to reach out to the Okolona community through the family night program. They had been told only to expect about 20 kids to return. By the end of the program, there were over 145 children and adults in attendance, who were exposed to the Gospel. That night, three more children prayed to receive Christ as their Savior.

The team packed up their gear feeling overwhelmed by the intense week they had. They prayed for more, and God brought them more. In a matter of a week, this small ministry impacted the lives of over 250 men, women, and children, black and white, in a community that is now a little more united.

Chicago Mission: Day 2 & 3

Days 2 and 3 have not disappointed! I can’t explain to you all how proud I am of our students and adults. There are endless opportunities to witness here, and our group has taken full advantage of them. There have been tons of seeds planted, tons of tracts shared, and tons of one on one conversations about faith in Jesus Christ. Even this afternoon Zack Kujath prayed and led a young boy to Christ that I can’t tell you how many baseballs we had thrown to before getting that opportunity! We’ve had 45-50 community kids that’ve joined our VBS and sports camp each day, and the word has spread all through the community of our ministry there. One of the cool things we’ve seen is the community coming alongside to help us in picking up trash, the parks crew bringing us dirt for flower beds, or kids helping us pack up our stuff. I’ll leave you with this word and then some notable quotes:  We’ve heard over and over when someone hears we’re working in Maywood they say, “ooh, ya’ll be careful.” Last night some of our students spoke in our share time and said it hurts them to know that people around here don’t want to go to Maywood and really want to just stay away from the area. God’s really working on some hearts here in our group, so let’s pray they let it continue!

Notable quotes:

A: do you know who Jesus is?
B: yeah, he’s the one who scares away all the monsters!
(4 yearr old boy at VBS to Sarah Davis)

A: “I really don’t want to be apart of a church that’s just materialistic and hypocritical. I want to know people really care and are out in the community, you know?”
(24 year old that wondered up as our intern John shared the Gospel with him)

A: “Should there be a difference in us working here and going home and working off Troost?”
(During share time)

Keep up the prayer and God bless!

Live the Difference,
Ty Musser

Mission Chicago: Day One

We’ve had an incredible start to our time here in the Chicago metro. God has opened our group’s eyes to how He really does provide and protect. On the way up, we had a blow out on one of our buses. It’s Sunday afternoon. There’s no way to change the tire since it was an inside tire of one of the dual tires in the back. We were calling a tire service with no luck while driving slowly to the next exit when a tire service truck (the very one we were trying to call) drives by. Our other bus sped up and waved him down. We got the tire fixed right there, but now we have to pay for roadside service on a Sunday! Oh wait…no we don’t! The guy asked all about our trip and gave us his service for free!

Provision #2:  yesterday we arrived in Maywood, Illinois for our first day of service through doing VBS in a local park only to find a widespread storm less than twenty minutes away. Our students went ahead and did a neighborhood prayer walk anyway in preparation for our VBS.  Wouldn’t you know it …the clouds parted and not a drop more rain for our time in the park!

Maywood is a rough, poor urban area filled with drugs, crime, and a huge need for the Gospel. Our kids stepped and had one of the most amazing experiences I’ve seen. Relationships with parents and children led to countless opportunities to share the Gospel one on one.  Neighborhood cleanup and evangelism led to some pretty incredible experiences as well (check out the notable quotes below).

Notable quotes from day one:

A: “has anyone ever told you about about what Jesus did for you?”
B: “no, never “
(13 year old…with size 16 shoes!)

A:  “you guys Christian? “
Us:  “yeah we are”
A: “I knew you were.  Ya’ll are the only ones who would do something like this.”
(A man sitting on his porch as we walked through the streets picking up trash an other things we’re not used to seeing)

So many more I’d love to share so check back tomorrow.  Continue to lift us up. God is poised to do something big here! God bless.

Live the Difference,
Ty Musser

Israel Mission Report: Day 13

Thank you to all who donated to our Israel Mission Trip!

On Friday, upon arriving in Jerusalem, all of the donations were sorted. The baby and children’s clothes were given to Christ Church staff, the needy from Christ Church, and a center for unwed mothers. The toiletries were donated to the staff and volunteers at Christ Church Guest House. Children’s school supplies were separated for 2 Messianic schools and the Sonshine Preschool as well as Makor ha Tikvah, the school for older children. We also had enough to donate to 2 church Sunday schools and a school for refugees.

Finally, we had such an abundance of Beanie Babies that we split them into many destinations. Hadassah Hospital, gifts for the Fair, a fundraiser for Christ Church charities, and a ministry called Shevet Achim- Unity Brothers for Life, which brings Arab babies with severe heart defects to Israel for free heart surgery.

We were also able to perform our Heart to Heart concert in Maga’an on the Sea of Galilea as well as at Christ Church in Jerusalem. We also had to opportunity to bless people with music at Hadassah Hospital. We led worship for Christ Church on Sunday and had many opportunities to read scripture on many significant biblical sites and worship through songs at many of these sites as well.

The group also had an incredible time worshipping together and learning so much from Rich and our guide, Yehuda. Truly an experience that none of us will forget. We have enjoyed being able to share with all of you who are reading this. And we also know that many of you contributed to make this trip happen for many of us and we want to thank you for that as well!

We will see you soon!

Israel Mission Report: Day 12

First off, I want to say that we will have video of our concert when I get back. The Internet has been a little touchy here, so it has been hit or miss trying to get the files back to Raytown. Secondly, I want to tell you about the great day of ministry we had today. We collected hundreds of Beanie Babies, and today we visited Hadassah Hospital. Our goal was to give every child we saw a Beanie Baby. We had to split up into 3 groups. The first group stayed in the lobby with Jackson Brooks and Larry Jones while they played a grand piano and the trumpet. The second group visited the 4th floor of the hospital while the last group visited the 5th floor, the oncology ward, and visited children suffering from various types of cancer.

The children were incredibly sweet and so thankful to receive a small stuffed animal from us. I’m sure it was a brief moment where these children weren’t thinking about what their physical illness was doing to them. The smiles on faces and the joy in their eyes was such a blessing for us. It is almost as though they were ministering to us while we were there to minister to them. It got me thinking of how the things we consider insignificant, such as a small stuffed animal, can brighten someone’s day like it did today. I inherited a huge assortment of stuffed animals after my mom passed away. I never was sure what I would ever do with them. Today, I had the chance to pass them on to some children and it was such a huge blessing.

Tomorrow is our last day in Israel so there will be one last update before we leave. Part of me is sad that I won’t be sending blogs from another country that folks will want to read. I have been told several times lately that I should think about writing more. My typical response is “I don’t know about that.” I don’t mean that to be self-deprecating, only to say that here in Israel, I have something to write about. I have a bunch of stimulus around me that is making me think about life and the lessons that Christ taught. I instantly think that, back home, no one will want to read things from my everyday life. Not only that, but what would I have to write about?

Really?

I was shocked that I felt this way. I mean, go back and read Jesse’s post. You don’t have to be here in Israel to see God at work in your life and in things around you. Why did I think that I only had something worth writing about here in Israel?  Why can’t I open my eyes to the lessons around me in everyday life?  Am I too busy?  Am I just blind to the truth that Jesse wrote about?  Maybe I am, or was. I hope to not be anymore. Will you continue to not see what is in front of you? Will you begin to realize that the things we have written about and experienced here, at least, the lessons of life that we have written and challenged you about, are right in front of you no matter where you are?  I hope and pray that I will start to see that in my everyday, and that you will too.

Israel Mission Report: Day 11

From Jesse Land:

We started the day by dropping off school supplies to an Anglican school that is run by CMJ (a Christian ministry to the Jews)- this is also the organization that runs Christ Church and the guest house where we’ve been staying in Jerusalem. Our tour groups have brought different supplies to this school over the years depending on their needs at the time. We then headed to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum here in Jerusalem.

The first stop we made at the complex was to the Valley of the Communities, a huge stone labyrinth with the names of over 5,000 communities annihilated by Nazi Germany carved into the rocks. We toured the Hall of Remembrance, which recalled the concentration camps, and then the building to remember the names of the over one and a half million children lost in the genocide. The names and ages of the children are spoken aloud 24/7 in many different languages so they aren’t forgotten. Chilling, to say the least. Then we headed to the main part of the museum that recalled the whole story: from Hitler’s rise to power after Germany lost WWI, to the end of the war when the Jews that survived Hitler’s genocide tried to find a place of safety somewhere in the world. It’s hard to fathom the utter depravity of a soul such as Hitler, and how the enemy could have used him to deceive so many in Germany and cause so much destruction. As we made our way through the museum, Jesus’ words in John 10:10 kept replaying in my mind.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Hitler had one objective: to kill and destroy an entire race of people that he deemed inferior, a danger to the German people. Even if he lost the war, he wanted to eradicate Jews from existence. Today I found myself thanking the Lord that He came that we might have life. All of us. Life to the full. Here’s the thing- we also have the power of life and death to those around us. It might not be physical life or death, but we seldom really think about how our words and actions can impart damage to those around us. We can build up, or we can tear down. The power of life and death is in our hands, blessing or cursing. How are you imparting life to those around you today? Are you building up or tearing down? Are you blessing or cursing? Jesus is the ultimate giver of life. Reflect that life to others today.

From James Harding:

So, we had a great time tonight as we performed the Heart to Heart concert at Christ Church. We weren’t sure if anyone was going to show up because it was almost 7 p.m. and hardly anyone was in the church.  As we started, people began to file in, and eventually the place was almost packed. It was a great time sharing with the Jewish folks that came as well as ministering to the volunteers of Christ Church. It made me think about what a huge blessing we can be to others. Here we were sharing our talents and our time with these people we didn’t even know. We do the same thing as a church every year through our Christmas Pageant. It’s something we put a lot of effort into and we are doing it as much for the joy of blessing others as any other reason.

So, I don’t think that’s good enough. Let me explain. Earlier this week, I felt the need to encourage a fellow staff member – actually the staff member that is receiving our blogs and photos and videos and posting them here for all to see. If you don’t know who that would be, it’s Alyson Browning – someone that our church would be lost without her incredible servant spirit. Without this crucial link in the chain, you all would have no idea what’s happening over here except for TV news reports. I just sent a quick email, took maybe 5 minutes to write if that. I wanted her to know how much we appreciated her as our link to home and all that she’s doing for us. Even before we left, her department was working like crazy to get flyers and posters made for us to advertise the programs we were doing here. They even did a quick program the day before we left because we had a last minute opportunity to perform in another venue.

Like I said, it took me 5 minutes to write a genuine, sincere email to express gratitude and appreciation. I didn’t know what response I would get if any. I didn’t do it for a response, but I indeed got one. It made her cry. It was an encouragement and knowing that it was, just made it that much sweeter to me that I had the chance to express my gratitude for my sister in Christ and her contributions to my life. How often do you just stop and take a moment to be kind and encouraging for no reason at all? If you’re like me, you eat that stuff up. But how often do we love on those around us in that way? Maybe we should all take a few minutes a day and write an email, send a card or something you know someone would enjoy (eh-hem, I prefer ice cold Dr. Pepper if you are taking notes ). Seriously, take a few minutes each day to encourage and love on those around you. It is always worth it, even if you don’t get a response. It’s worth it to those around you.

Video and/or pictures coming soon!

Israel Mission Report: Day 10

From James Harding:

I would like to start this blog post out by calling it “A Different Perspective.” It would be nice for me to say that we had another adventure-filled learning day and we were out all day long and just exhausted and could barely write this… That’s just not true. We had a late start to the morning (compared to a 6:30 a.m. start) and a very short drive to a location where we were able to sift through rocks to find artifacts from the part of the old city of Jerusalem that the Muslims are excavating. It was neat to be able to be a junior archaeologist for a few hours. I found a game piece made of glass from the Mameluke period, and Jesse found a coin. His find was so rare that his name will forever be linked to that coin. My find was worthy of being set aside in a plastic bag, not just tossed in the sort buckets like most of the rest. Then it was off to the City of David where it all started. This is the city ruin where David started it all. It was a brief tour through the ruin and then a 3D movie depicting the story. Here is where I have to rat myself out. We didn’t finish the day with the group. I could make all kinds of legitimate excuses. I mean, we needed to do laundry and since we are here in the midst of all the holidays, we can’t find a laundry place open when we get back for the day. I could also say that we had some medical reason for wanting to stay back, but that would be completely untrue. The truth is, my wife and I were just tired. Yes, we did laundry and got some rest because we are fighting head colds. But we were just plain tired and needed rest. Do you ever feel like that?  Do you ever feel like you need a break from life and just need to take a moment to breathe?

Today I learned that it is important to have breaks. We have a marathon runner as our tour guide and sometimes it’s hard to keep up. But in the spirit of adventure and the incredible learning opportunities we have, it’s worth the speed walking. Our trip has been filled with such learning and ministry experience that I don’t want to seem like I am complaining. I certainly am not. But, we have been go, go, go since we got here and it’s been great, but today, we needed rest. We went to a restaurant for lunch. Get ready to laugh… We went to Israel to go to an Armenian tavern and have Italian food?  It was nice to sit with a few folks and enjoy a good meal, then off to get the laundry done. Following lunch and laundry was a stroll through the city market streets and then a wonderful nap. It was a break, a relaxing moment in the midst of all the “busyness.” How often have you ever just decided that you were going to take the time to stop?  I am reminded of Psalm 46:10 – “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” How often do we fear we will miss something or something won’t get done if we take a moment to stop and relax? Well, this has been a very long prologue as my friend reminds me so I am going to “cease striving” to capture your attention and let someone with a different perspective on today share.

 And now… thoughts from Jesse Land:

Hi friends. Let’s rewind a bit to the dig from this morning. As James mentioned, we were sifting through dirt and debris that’s being excavated from the Temple Mount by the Muslims. We began to understand quickly that unless you know what you’re looking for, it can be a difficult task. I actually found a small ancient coin that I almost discarded because I didn’t have my eyes open to what I was looking for. I’ve had a thought running through my head since we were at the Sea of Galilee several days ago. It’s actually a song lyric that says:

Give me eyes to see more of who You are.
May what I behold still my anxious heart.
Take what I have known and break it all apart.
For You, my God, are greater still.

It’s fairly easy to see the greatness of God when you’re in Israel. It’s abundantly clear that God’s hand is on this land, and has been for thousands of years. But I was reminded today that most of life isn’t like this. We often feel like we’re just sifting through the ruins of life, trying to make sense of it. Or maybe that we don’t have much to offer in life. My challenge to you would be to open your eyes to the small things, where God’s greatness can be magnified. The coin I found was very small, but could be 2,000 years old and have amazing  stories to tell. You don’t have to be in the Holy Land to see God’s greatness, to see His hand. He is in your home, in your relationships, at your work, in the conversations you have with your kids, your spouse, your lost co-worker, your obnoxious neighbor. He is in a sunset, a flower, your favorite spring scents. Maybe you need to open your eyes in the small matters of your life- the everyday ho-hum things- to see the greatness of God more clearly. Don’t miss them because you weren’t looking quite hard enough.

Israel Mission Report: Day 9

I think today is the most excited I have been to write about our trip. We did a lot today, including to the temple mount on the Muslim side of the Western Wall. They allow us in there early in the morning but we have to be out by the first call to prayer for the Muslims. Needless to say, we didn’t stick around very long. After we left we headed towards the gate and ended up on the Via Dolorosa. Pretty significant since Jesus Himself walked there 2,000 years ago. We visited several places today including the site that is believed to have been the tomb where Christ was buried. Obviously, there’s no conclusive evidence to say if it was or wasn’t, it’s just a place that lines up with all the descriptive info we know. It was outside the city wall, just off the Roman road, near the place they consider to be Golgotha (a hillside that bears the resemblance to a skull in the rock face). It is also just on the other side of a rich man’s garden, so all the puzzle pieces fit.

Let me tell you about my personal experience today. Do you remember when you were saved? Some of us can tell you the exact date and time. I can’t honestly say that I remember that. But I do remember the moment. I was in an Easter Pageant at a small First Baptist Church (not FBR, so it was small). I wasn’t yet a believer and I was asked to sing in the choir. As we had gone through many rehearsals, we were finally at the final dress rehearsal. I can tell you all the details of the moment exactly, but for the purpose of time, I will give you the condensed version. We were at the Garden of Gethsemane scene where Jesus was walking through the garden praying for the cup to pass Him over. The disciples couldn’t stay awake for even an hour to be with their Lord and He walked the garden alone. The ladies of the choir were singing “could you not tarry with me one hour, could you not walk and pray?” It was in that moment that I remember accepting Christ as my Savior.

Since I hadn’t seen the garden until today, I had no idea what it really looked like. I had this vision in my head of what it looked like, but again, I hadn’t ever actually seen it. I guess in the modern age of the Internet, I could have Googled it or satellite mapped it, but I never thought about it. When we walked through the stone wall gate to the garden and I saw what it looked like, I was blown away. It should be said that the garden is most likely a lot smaller than it once was, but what is still there is exactly how I pictured it in my head. There is a church, The Church to All Nations on the site and inside at the location of the altar, there is a stone that they believe is the stone Jesus sat upon as He prayed for God to take the cup from His head. Can you imagine what I felt?  I accepted Christ during a recreation of this scripture and on a makeshift Garden of Gethsemane and here I am, on the real deal!  This was an ultimate experience for me. Even more so than the visit to the tomb, here I was at the place where I experienced my salvation.

Needless to say, it made me think about what I was like after I accepted Christ. I had to stop and think if I am nearly as passionate as I once was. Am I everything I hoped I would be after 15 years of being a believer?  Do I still burn with excitement when I think about my changed life?  I would challenge you to remember your salvation experience and remember what joy filled your heart. Remember what passion and flame you had for God after you realized He had saved you from an eternity without Him. If you, like so many of us, can’t still feel the excitement and passion you had at first, I challenge you to re-experience, if you will, so that you can be refreshed and strong in the Lord once more!

The Garden of Gethsemane

Israel Mission Report: Day 8

Today was an exciting day!  As part of our ministry today, we had the privilege of leading worship for the services this morning at Christ Church. It is the oldest Protestant church in Israel. As we led worship, people kept filing in and eventually we had a full house. We were also able to participate in communion, which was an added treat for most of us. It is done in a very different way than we Baptists are used to. Communal cup of wine to drink from and everyone comes to the altar. It was truly an experience of worship today.

After worshipping with 200+ folks that were from all around the world, we headed to Bethlehem. It is in an area that we actually have to show passports to get in and out of. On the site of the cave where Christ Himself was born stands a church, Church of the Nativity. After touring through the church, we were finally able to get down under the church to the cave and manger. Obviously, from the pictures you will see it is pretty decorated and it clearly wasn’t this way when Christ was born. This struck me today very hard. Here I stood in the place where my Savior was born!  How much did I want to fall on my knees and worship? We couldn’t spend much time there because it is just a constant flow of people in and out of the cave on tours like what we were on. But it was awe inspiring nonetheless. Later we went to the Shepherd Fields and were able to sit inside a similar cave and hear the explanation of the upper room and the animal storage and how Mary gave birth where the animals were kept in the cave.

As I sat there, a song came into my head. It’s a song I heard a number of years back and I wept every time I heard it on the radio. I attempted to lead it in worship for the young singles service at FBR. It’s by Relient K and it’s basically a song about Christ as a baby and child. The part that always gets me is what was in my head to day.

“From the first time that You opened Your eyes, did You realize that You would be my Savior? From the first breath that left Your lips, did You know that it would change the world forever?”

Today, I stood in the place where my Savior took His first breath. I stood in the place where He opened His human eyes the first time. I can’t put into words what that does to a person to be able to experience that. It was an experience that, even in its glammed up state (for the tourists), was still something that made me want to fall on my face and worship my Lord.

“I celebrate the day that You were born to die. So I might one day, pray for You to save my life.”

Church of the Nativity

Church of the Nativity

Location of Christ's Manger

Christ's Birthplace