by Wayne Guinn
Months of preparation and prayer culminated in a successful church launch service for Riverside Baptist Church in Kankakee, Illinois, on Sunday, April 5. The church, led by NCPO Candidate School alumnus Ben Seyden, has been having Bible studies since November 2008. Their three-stage outreach strategy targeted 3,500 homes in West Kankakee. The first and second stage involved hand-delivering a postcard and then a tract invitation for the first service and Easter service to every home in the area.
During spring break, youth groups from Baptist Temple of Springfield, Missouri, and Grace Baptist Church of St. Charles, Missouri, helped complete the third stage of Riverside’s outreach strategy. They passed out Easter eggs full of candy and invitations to attend the first service. The groups were then treated to a day experiencing downtown Chicago. “We would never have met our outreach goal without those wonderful teenagers and their leaders,” said Pastor Ben Seyden. April 5 was a cold, rainy day. However, this didn’t deter the 51 individuals who attended the day’s events and festivities. Each person in attendance was entered into a drawing for a variety of prizes. The group was also treated to lunch immediately following the morning service. Seyden stated, “We were so encouraged by the Lord’s goodness to us on our big day. God is at work in Kankakee, and we are thrilled to be a part of what He is doing.” Each visitor was personally followed up by Seyden and his wife, Jessica.
Riverside Baptist Church is a plant ministry of Sauk Trail Baptist Temple, Richton Park, Illinois. Pastor Bruce Humbert led his church to purchase the 20,000-square-foot church building with a 280-seat auditorium, ncpo di recto r and asked Ben Seyden to pastor the new work in the spring of 2008.
The Seydens have been supported by churches throughout America. They are truly thankful for the partners in their ministry who have taken them to almost 90 percent of their support goal. If you would like to stand with this new ministry, please contact the NCPO today at 417-889-1017 or by email at bbfincpo@aol.com.
NCPO Candidate School – Winter Haven Baptist Church – Winter Haven, Florida- April 27-May 1.