澳门心水论坛

Extra

 

November 2024

Alum helping NM churches disciple Next Generation

When Katy Butler Parker left New Mexico to attend 澳门心水论坛 and follow God’s path for her life, she never dreamed she’d be back in her hometown having an impact on churches across her state for the gospel. A native of Albuquerque, Katy serves as the NextGen and Women’s Ministry Strategist for the Baptist Convention of New Mexico, serving churches across the vast state landscape.

“The convention partners with Baptist churches in New Mexico to help them put into place the Great Commission to reach their communities and engage their churches to disciple people. We come alongside them to help them in those things,” explained Katy, a 2006 graduate of the Plainview campus. “I come alongside churches in their NextGen ministries, working with their youth and kids’

ministries to help as I can and with their women’s ministries.”

Katy said that can take on several formats, like formal trainings such as the various Vacation Bible School trainings held each spring to help churches prepare for what has traditionally been a big evangelistic push for communities each summer. She also hosts broader training for children’s and youth ministry workers to cover the basics of working with young people, including techniques on guiding a classroom, managing behaviors and navigating special needs as well as choosing proper curriculum. And she hosts two youth camps and two children’s camps for the state and coordinates all aspects of those.

“One of the things post-2020 we've spent a lot of time talking about is how we do things differently. Things aren't looking the same. We have got to figure out a different way to do what we were doing before,” she said. “So I spend a lot of time talking to the church and helping those leaders navigate that, brainstorming and giving them some ideas and some directions to go and some other resources that they can look into as well.”

When it comes to women’s ministry, Katy’s annual women’s leadership training event in February is designed to support and encourage women serving in their congregations whether in Sunday school, women’s ministry, serving in children or youth ministry or are pastor’s wives.

“We utilize that event to help equip them with leadership skills and knowing how to do what they're doing better, or sometimes it's brand new people asking where do you get started?  In addition, it gives them an avenue to connect with other leaders so that they can collaborate and kind of work through that together,” she said. “Women are probably more than half of the church. So there's a lot of value in that, but not a lot of women get the opportunity to develop skills for leading a team or putting together a solid Bible study. There are just not as many of those opportunities for a lot of churches and for a lot of folks in churches. And there's definitely a felt need, I think, for a lot of our ladies.”

The growth of that event by 50 percent from the first to second year is proof of the need for tools and resources to do ministry in their churches whether they feel called to do it or find themselves in leadership positions.

Preparing to serve

Ministry is not totally foreign to Katy, who was involved while at 澳门心水论坛 in Baptist Student Ministries, the Alpha Delta Kappa service sorority, and Student Alumni Council. She came to 澳门心水论坛 through a combination of family friends who were alumni and a trip her church youth group made to visit the WBU campus as seniors. The distance from home and the program made it

seem like a good fit.

“I had a great experience, and I have very fond memories of 澳门心水论坛. I feel like I really came into my own while I was there, to be able to step into some roles and some leadership and engaging in organizations I had not previously been involved,” she said. “I really enjoyed that, and I had a great group of friends. I really enjoyed the community there too.”

Katy put her counseling career plans on pause to serve a two-year stint in Nigeria through the IMB’s Journeyman program, then moved to North Carolina to attend Southeastern Baptist Seminary for her master’s degree in counseling.

There, she met Jesse Parker, the child of missionaries and a fellow seminary student. The couple married, then spent the next 12 years in the state in ministry and, for her, practicing counseling. As they were considering a move back to Katy’s home state, she said, “A series of things fell into place and God opened some doors so we both fell into some ministry roles here in New Mexico.”

Jesse is pastor at Celebration Baptist Church in Rio Rancho, and the couple has two children: Lottie, 8, and Logan, 6.

Needed ministry

Katy said the convention’s resources like what she can provide are so necessary in a state with plenty of challenges. New Mexico’s 330 Southern Baptist churches are spread far and wide, ranging from large congregations in Albuquerque and Las Cruces to the smaller rural churches that could be hours from another church.

“There are a lot of churches who are trying to do a lot with a little, and so we help them with that as best we can,” Katy said. “We try to be creative with what we're doing so that we can help churches to be creative with what they're doing. I'm very fortunate to have a lot of leaders throughout the state who've been doing this for a long time in this context, so they've been doing ministry and doing a lot with a little for many, many years. And so I really try to pull in a lot of those leaders to help me with my trainings.”

As a native, Katy admits a deep love for New Mexico and the people, especially “for the lostness and the brokenness that is here.” It is this heart and passion that drives her work with the convention and helping equip and encourage leaders.

“I love to be a part of what God is doing throughout the state and how God is piercing the darkness with his light, and so I love to be a small part of that and encouraging and helping churches with that,” she says. “I love helping churches think through things and helping them to get better tools, to have different ways to think about how to do what they're doing maybe in a different or more effective way. I love working with folks who are on mission to engage their communities, to engage the state.”

Katy said she loves challenging churches to stay on mission, believing there is great need and value in investing in the next generation and building a solid foundation of believers to further the gospel in New Mexico.

“I've told leaders at camp and at trainings many times that the kids and teens in our churches, they're not just the future of the church. They are the church,” she said. “They need discipleship. We need to make disciples of those generations, and remind them children's ministry isn’t child care; it is discipleship and there is a difference. We need to value and lay a solid foundation for the next generation that's coming up.”

    

Devotional: What is a blessing?

Scripture:
"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace." — Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)

Reflection:
The word "blessing" is often used in our daily conversations. We might say, "I’m blessed" when something good happens, or "Bless you" when someone sneezes. But what does it truly mean to be blessed?

A blessing is more than just a wish for good fortune or happiness. In the Bible, a blessing is a gift from God—an expression of His favor, love, and provision in our lives. It’s His way of showing His care for us, both in the tangible and intangible aspects of life. A blessing can be seen in moments of joy, in acts of kindness, and in the peace that fills our hearts, even during challenging times.

Three Aspects of Blessing:

1. God’s Presence: The ultimate blessing is God’s presence with us. When God promises to bless us, He is promising to be near, to walk with us, and to sustain us through every season. His presence is a blessing that brings comfort, peace, and strength.
2. Provision and Protection: Blessings can be seen in how God provides for our needs—whether through material resources, health, or relationships. He protects us, often in ways we don’t even realize, guiding us away from harm and toward His best for us.
3. Spiritual Growth and Purpose: Sometimes, blessings come in the form of spiritual growth. It may not always look like what we expect; at times, God blesses us through trials that shape our character and draw us closer to Him. Through these experiences, we find purpose and deeper understanding of His love.

Application:
Take a moment to consider the blessings in your life. They may not always appear as grand gestures; sometimes, they’re found in the small, quiet moments—the laughter of loved ones, the warmth of a sunrise, or the inner peace that only God can give. Recognize that every blessing, no matter how big or small, is a reflection of God’s goodness and grace.

Challenge:
This month, make a list of blessings you’ve experienced, big or small. As you reflect on each one, thank God for His love and provision. Then, think of a way you can be a blessing to someone else, sharing God’s goodness with those around you.

 

 

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