SWEET PROSPECT BOY'S SPRING CAMPOUT- MAY 15TH

If you are a boy ages 6 to 18 then grab your camping gear and get ready to head into the great outdoors.  The Sweet Prospect Boy's Camping trip is coming up on May 15th at Sam A. Baker State Park.  This event is open to all boys at Sweet Prospect along with their fathers and grandfathers.  Each boy can also invite a friend to attend.

The church is paying for food and campsite fees, but asked each boy to help with costs by bringing $7.00. The boys may bring an additional $5 for spending money in the camp store if they choose.

The boys will be preparing and cooking their own food over a campfire.  On Friday night we will be having one of the outdoor classics in campers stew.  The boys will take hamburger and cut up potatoes, carrots and onions then wrap it in a foil pack to cook in the coals.  For dessert they will hollow out an orange then fill it with cake mix, wrap it in foil and place it in the coals to bake.  The next morning we will cook eggs and sausage in a skillet, while each boy puts a cinnamon roll on a stick and slowly bakes it over the fire. Lunch will be the easiest meal as the boys grill basic hamburgers and hot dogs.

Gear List  

We will be cooking more than hotdogs!

Ä Flashlight

Ä Sleeping bag & pillow

Ä Hiking shoes, tennis shoes will work

Ä Gloves

Ä Canteen

Ä Pocket Knife, Fishing Pole & tackle box

Ä 1 change of clothes & swimsuit

Ä Coat or Sweatshirt

Ä Tent if you have one

Ä $7 entry & $5 for spending money

Schedule

· Leave at 4:00 pm from Church

· Arrive at Camp by 5:00 pm -fishing after setting up camp

View from top of bluff

· Cook supper at 7:00 pm –Campers Stew & Orange Cake

· Devotion, games & storytelling until 12:00 am –s'mores

· Rise and shine 6:00 am

· Breakfast 7:00 am –Eggs, Sausage & Cinnamon rolls on a stick

· Hike Mudlick trail at 8:00 am 

· Fishing after hike

· Lunch at 11:00 am –Hamburgers and Hot dogs

· Clean up camp and head for home 1:00 pm

· Arrive @ Dexter 2:00 pm

· Parents pick up boys at Church

The beautiful St. Francois River running along Sam A Baker State Park makes it a relaxing place to get away from the hustle and bustle of life. Our Saturday morning hike on Mudlick trail will take us to the top of the bluffs high above the river overlooking the beauty of the Ozark foothills. The boys will have to decide if they are up for the longer 8 mile loop or if the want to take the shortcut and only go for 3 miles.

We will have some time to fish and swim in the river

Be sure and bring your tackle box & fishing pole, but remember to get your fishing licenses if your over 16.  The St. Francois River is know for it's small mouth and google eye fishing.  Shoot, if the boys do good enough we might even be able to fry some fish with our hamburgers and hot dogs! 

We do need to know who is going by May 13th so we can have enough food for everyone.  Please let Rod know at church or you can call or email him at the address below.   

This campout will be tons of fun for the boys and offer a great time of fellowship for the adults as we thank God and enjoy the outdoors He created.  If you have any questions call Rod Jetton at 573-225-4444 or email at rodjetton@gmail.com.    

     We will be at campsites 16 & 17 which are down by the river.

Do you think these boys can handle the long hike?

 

  

      

DEXTER PRAYER CONFERENCE HOSTED BY SWEET PROSPECT GENERAL BAPTIST CHURCH

Ed praying for Pastors in Poland

On Mat 23rd and 24th Ed Kleiman, of Small Cloud Ministries will be leading a prayer conference at Sweet Prospect Baptist Church in Dexter, Missouri.  

Ed, a Messianic Jew, grew up in St. Louis "worshipping & serving the god in the mirror" as he refers to it. From the age of sixteen to forty one he offered up daily sacrifices to this god; of drugs, alcohol, and sexual immorality. Then God granted him repentance (Acts 11:18), and God's gift of eternal life by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8), on October 23rd, 1994.

After attending Covenant Theological Seminary Ed preached for the first time on November 16th, 1997. In 1999 he began preaching at Sunshine Mission, a homeless shelter in St. Louis.  During his 16 years of ministry at the Mission God has granted new life to some of the most down-&-out, through their trust and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. In 2000, Ed became part of, and now serves full time with the mission’s organization, International Messengers.

Ed has ministered to thousands of people here in America and all over the world by leading prayer initiatives and teaching on prayer. Before they head to places in Poland, Hungary, Romania, the United States, Germany, Slovakia, and the Ukraine, Ed trains new missionary students at the Training Center for International Messengers in Libby, Montana. In addition to his teaching and preaching here in America Ed has gone on several mission trips to teach and minister to missionary’s and lay leaders in other cities in Poland, Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia. 

Like all great historical revivals in the past, Ed believes prayer continues to be a crucial, and still often missing element. Since 1999 the Lord has been using Ed to preach on the importance of the local church, God's design for the family, especially the role of men, the call for missions, while always emphasizing the power, priority, and purposes of prayer. Ed will be teaching Christians how to add zeal to their Christian life and transform their prayers into a powerful force that brings down God's grace on Dexter, Missouri. 

Pastor Ray Rowland added, "We are grateful the Lord has allowed Ed Kleiman to lead a prayer conference in Dexter, Missouri and want to extend an invitation to other Christians in our community.  Our church will host a breakfast and 2 hour prayer and teaching session starting at 8:00 am on Saturday with an evening session starting at 7:00 pm that night.  Then Ed will deliver the Sunday message on the 24th titled 'Our Hearts Desire & Prayer'.” 

Ed stressed the following about prayer, "FrancisSchaeffer said, 'If we are a community built on

prayer, and we're not a praying people, then this is the end of the world.' Well, this may not be the end of the world but most of us can clearly see that the church is not having the impact on the culture it should. I believe Francis Schaeffer was right. The presence and power of God is not manifestly dwelling among His people, and we are not seeing the Lord work simply because we are not asking, seeking, and knocking in prayer (Matthew 7:7). Yet, I have seen the Lord work powerfully in response to the faithful prayers of His believing children. I have seen it in different parts of this country, and in many other parts of the world." 

"Please pray for Ed’s visit to Dexter and ask God to move mightily so that Christians will begin to pray for the lost in our community. The Lord has used Ed’s ministry to rekindle a passion for Jesus Christ in many churches throughout the United States, we ask you to join us in thanking God for what He will do during this prayer conference, concluded Sweet Prospect prayer coordinator Rod Jetton.

  

PHIL DAWSON MAKES GIDEON PRESENTATION AT SWEET PROSPECT GBC

Phil Dawson of the Dexter Gideon Camp was at 

Sweet Prospect General Baptist Church explaining how

 the International Gideons spread God's Word around the world. 

DEXTER, MO- Phil Dawson is a long time member of the Dexter Gideon camp and attended Sweet Prospect General Baptist church last Sunday where he explained how the Gideons passed out over 85 million copies of the Bible in 2014.

He shared testimonies of serverl people who had become Christians after receiving their copy of God's word.  Phil talked about work by Gideons all over the world, but he also covered the efforts being make right here in Stoddard County.  

The Gideons place bibles in all the local hotels, nursing homes, medical clinics and first responder offices.  He reported that over 200 bibles were handed out in the Stoddard County jail resulting in many decisions for Christ.  Additionally, Gideons have handed out almost 300 bibles at the monthly Smiles of Hope free dental clinic at the Lighthouse Church on Hwy. 25.


Mr. Dawson said, "It takes $1.25 to print a New Testament and change a life, or $5.00  to print a hotel Bible." He closed by asking the members to consider making a donation to help purchase bibles.  
As Mr. Dawson was leaving a member of the congregation stood and shared a personal testimony.  He recounted how five years earlier he was in the Stoddard County jail when the Gideons came by singing praise songs, praying with prisoners and handing out bibles.  He said he rededicated his life to Christ that night and was so thankful for that Bible and what the Gideons did for him.


Gideons International is an Association of Christian business and professional men and their wives dedicated to telling people about Jesus through sharing personally and by providing Bibles and New Testaments. While they are known worldwide for their work with hotels, they predominantly share Scriptures in schools and colleges, prisons and jails, hospitals, and medical offices. To date, they have placed 1.9 billion Scriptures and are on their way to a 2 billion goal.  

WHAT WE BELIEVE AT SWEET PROSPECT

Pastor Ray Rowland

The Bible

We believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are given by God’s inspiration. We believe the Scriptures were written by God through people and therefore speak with the authority of God. They are the unique and final authority on all matters of Christian faith and practice.

God

We believe in one God, creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ

We believe in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. We believe he was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven, and now acts as the only mediator between God and people.

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit, as the third person of the Trinity, is to apply the saving work of Christ. He does this by bringing conviction of a person’s need for the forgiveness of Christ. He regenerates their heart and then permanently indwells them when they believe. His ongoing work is to guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service.

Humanity

We believe that people were created in the image of God for a loving relationship with God. However, people have rebelled against God, actively or passively choosing to go their own independent way. As a result, we’re separated from God and suffer the corruption of our nature because of our sin. The effects of this fall from our intended relationship with God can be reversed through faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins.

Salvation

We believe that Jesus Christ died as the substitution for the death penalty we owed. No amount of good works or human effort can restore us from our state of eternal alienation from God. It is only by God’s free grace that we are saved from this state of alienation, and this grace is appropriated by a change of heart toward God’s leadership in our lives and by faith in Jesus to forgive our sins.

The Church

We believe that there is only one true Church universal composed of all people who have asked Jesus Christ for forgiveness and made Him leader of their lives. The diversity of all believers working together, using their gifts to build up one another, form the parts of the body of Christ, the Church. The scripture commands believers to gather together to devote themselves to worship, prayer, the teaching of God’s Word, using our gifts to build up one another, outreach, communion, and baptism. Wherever God’s people meet in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the church. We believe that Jesus Christ is the Lord and Head of the Church, and that every local church has the right under Christ to decide and govern its own affairs.

Spiritual Growth

We believe that transformation, growth and life change are evidence of a person’s connection to God. As we continue to pursue a real relationship with God He will continue to change us to become more like Christ. It includes loving God, building character, loving people and being in the Body.

WHAT TYPE OF CHURCH IS SWEET PROSPECT GENERAL BAPTIST CHURCH?

Sweet Prospect General Baptist Church in Dexter, Missouri

SweetProspect is a Bible believing, family focused church reaching out to those who need Christ in the Dexter community.  Pastor Ray Rowland preaches how the Biblical principles found in the Scriptures can offer hope and peace to people’s everyday life.  Sweet Prospect’s mission is taken from Jesus’s words in Matthew 28: 19 & 20 - to reach the lost in our community for Christ, and teach them to observe all Jesus’s commandments. 

Sweet Prospect is committed to seeing every person …believing in Jesus, belonging to family, becoming a disciple and helping to build God’s kingdom. We welcome all those who are searching for their true purpose in life.  Come as you are. Especially those who are, tired, broken, poor, addicted to porn, smoker, stressed, drinker, not good enough, busy, messy, alcoholic, questioning God, imperfect, divorced, ashamed, willing, looking for answers, don’t know God, lonely, rich, unhappy, straight, gay, unchurched, raised in church, afraid, judgmental, unhappy, or hungry, and you will be just like us. 

Our purpose as a church is simply to “Love God and Love Others.” That purpose comes from Mark, Chapter 12 when Jesus was asked, “Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, the first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” 

We want to be known as a church where people with all kinds of troubles, issues or problems can walk through our doors. A church where God can heal, restore and redeem our issues for significant life change. A church that draws outsiders in and insiders are known for their compassion and generosity. A church that turns our community upside down!

SweetProspect General Baptist Church was founded in 1910 and moved from rural Stoddard County into our present location at Dexter in 1971.