Standing On the Corner of the Street

Earlier this week I attended the annual Missions Symposium of the BMA of America. As usual, it was quite challenging. The first night, Bro. Grady Higgs, our Director, opened by referring to a song released in the late 70’s that said something about “standing on the corner of the street, watchin’ all the girls go by.” He reminded us that what personal missions is all about is standing on the corner of the street, watching all the souls go by.

The entire time that Bro. Grady talked, I thought of the corner of 8th and Walton in Bentonville. If you’re reading this from some distance, you probably have no idea what happens at that street corner, but if you’re somewhat local, you know the world passes by that streetcorner every day.I live in a town of 27,000 people, but the daytime population is closer to 40,000 for one reason – Walmart. Vendors from all over the country and all over the world have “set up shop” in this community to do business with the world’s largest retailer. I sat there in the pew thinking about the fact that I live right in the middle of one of today’s greatest missions opportunities.

Others have seized the moment as well. The local Southern Baptist Association has planted about 21 new churches in the last seven years here – and I praise the Lord for every one of them! The reality is, the world comes to this little hometown every day, creating a tossed salad of backgrounds, races, nationalities, language groups, cultures, and experiences.

It’s a trendy place where I see more Corvettes driving down the road than in my hometown of Bowling Green, Kentucky (where Corvettes are manufactured!). There are a dozen coffee shops in a five mile radius, and mansions galore around the outskirts of town with new neighborhoods popping up all the time (though it’s slowed down recently due to some harsh economic times).

I sat there thinking about standing on the corner of 8th and Walton, watching all the souls go by. I thought about the emptiness of riches without Christ and I caught a burden to come back to Bentonville to reach out in Jesus’ name like never before. More will follow on some of our specific plans in the near future, but pray with me that this community will be reached for the Kingdom and for the glory of God!