“Oppressed, hurting women continue to look for help and safety, but there is a disconnection between their need and provision. Women are seeking help. Pastors love their flock. Church leaders, many of whom are volunteers, want to help. Individuals are concerned. Why, then, are women failing to find help in local churches? What prevents our churches from effectively helping women who are abused by their husbands?” 

Get refreshed and motivated in prayer!
Join us on February 1-2, 2019 at

Spring Valley Bible Camp
2858 180th St, Muscatine, IA 52761

2019 Men’s Prayer Advance with Rand Hummel
Cost: $30 (includes lodging, Friday supper, Saturday breakfast, and Saturday pizza lunch)
Please sign up in advance by clicking the link below. Bring payment to the camp lodge check-in desk when you arrive.

Check-in begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday, February 1, 2019. Friday evening supper starts at 6:30 p.m.

We will be using the Spring Valley Lodge, a facility which includes a 2000 sq. ft. great room featuring a stone gas fireplace, an outdoor deck, a warming/staging kitchen, 3 private queen suites (sleep 2 each), and 8 cabin-style bunk bed rooms (sleep 12 each).  Outdoor recreational activities (weather permitting) includes the use of mini golf, bb guns, archery, low ropes course activities and campfires. The game room includes ping pong, fooseball, and air hockey tables. Bring your own towels and bedding.

For those who are interested, we will also host a skeet shoot and small arms firing range session Saturday afternoon after the conclusion of the retreat on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

Speaker: Rand Hummel, Camp Director at The Wilds of New England
Sessions on Prayer
Friday evening 7:30 p.m.
Saturday morning 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

https://www.walnutparkbaptistchurch.com/events/prayeradvance

By Craig Logemann

First Baptist Church of Guthrie Center did a great job of hosting the Men’s Retreat this year.  Our special speaker was Russ Crowe from International Falls, Minnesota.   In addition to be a gifted speaker, he is well known for his skills as a fisherman.  He is the founder of Fishing for Men Ministries.  His messages focused on ways to care for the local church.  We were challenged to have a servant’s heart when serving in our churches.   We were instructed on the importance of being purposeful in how we assist our Pastors, by encouraging and praying for them.  I was especially challenged to consider to how I become Christ-like in my attitudes, appetites and actions.

Fun (interesting) things that happened during the retreat:
One of golfers from Carroll hit a hole in one during the golf event on Friday.
We experienced a tornado warning on Friday prior to the evening session.

Recently, in conjuction with the Des Moines Area Pastors’ Fellowship monthly meeting, an ordination council was held for Jared Segerstrom at Soteria Des Moines: A Baptist Church. In addition to his faithful ministry in his local church, Jared has been a speaker at youth events at IRBC and has been an encouragement to teens and kids from around the state. We received the report below on the event from Pastor Mike Augsburger. Congratulations Pastor Segerstrom!

On Tuesday, October 9th, Jared Segerstrom was ordained at Soteria Des Moines. Jared has served faithfully at Soteria for over eight years in many capacities including middle school ministry, director of high school ministry, and on staff as a pastoral assistant. On Sunday, October 14th, we voted to call Jared as a pastor/elder/bishop of Soteria Des Moines. We are thankful for all the ways God has used Jared in the life of our church to make more and better disciples who learn, grow, and serve. We are privileged to have him as one of our pastors.
–Pastor Mike Augsburger

Last month, over 500 women from around (and beyond) the state of Iowa descended upon IRBC for a weekend of RENEWal! From sessions to snacks, crafts to coffee, and so much more: there was encouragement to be found all weekend in a variety of ways at the IARBC Women’s Renew Conference 2018.

The Ministry of the Word

Through the sessions and workshops, attendees were provided Biblicial instruction and help in several areas. Friday workshop topics included contentment (with Pastor Dave Callison) and prayer (Jen Burman). On Saturday morning, Professor Andy Stearns presented back-to-back workshops on the basics of Bible study. In the main sessions with Jen Burman, ladies were encouraged to love God, “Above All, With All, and For All.”  You can listen to any of these sessions here.

The Ministry of Women to One Another

The format of the Renew weekend, the lovely IRBC venue, and the atmosphere lovingly and purposefully created by Jill Blunk and her Renew Committee, provided lots of opportunity for women to develop deeper relationships with one another. Marcia Johnson shared this testimony…

The Ladies of Calvary Baptist, Grinnell had a wonderful time at Renew!  The testimonies shared on the Sunday night following Renew were filled with thanksgiving for the time of fellowship (both at camp and on the ride up and back in the church van), walking the new trail and checking out the new decks along that trail, and learning more about “Loving God with all your Heart, Soul, and Mind.”  The workshops on “Prayer” and “Contentment” were really appreciated too. We took lots of walks, did some shopping at the Faith Bookstore and Camp Gift Shop, talked and laughed a lot and even stayed up late Friday night playing a game! Thanks to all who helped plan and organize the Renew Conference!  It was a blessing!

It is our prayer that God used His Word and the Renew weekend to encourage individual women and will continue to use the effects to strengthen church families as a result. If you haven’t been to Renew, please consider coming next year, and bringing women from your local church with you! We are excited to have Faith Taylor back with us next year. Mark your calendars for September 6-7, 2019!