December 24, 2025
In Its Time
Amy Storms reflects on her daughters' performances in the Nutcracker ballet and how God brings everything about in its right time.
Articles for tag: Joplin
June 19, 2024
News Briefs for June 19
A Not Too Old one-day conference will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., June 29 at Villa Heights Christian Church in Joplin, Mo. David Faust will present at the conference, designed to inspire people 55 and older to continue to walk with the Lord and each other as faithful servants of the Lord as they age. Faust is the author of the recently released book Not Too Old: Turning Your Later Years into Greater Years, from College Press Publishing, a conference sponsor. Registration is $25 ($40 for couples), which includes a copy of the book as well as lunch. Learn more and register at collegepress.com.
May 29, 2024
News Briefs for May 29
A "Not Too Old" one-day conference will take place in Joplin, Mo., on June 29 . . . also briefs from Great Lakes Christian College, Point University, and a new book by Rusty George.
December 4, 2023
Ozark’s Preaching-Teaching Convention Set for Feb. 19-21
Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Mo., will host its Preaching-Teaching Convention Feb. 19-21. The gathering, which is designed “to help leaders lead better longer,” will feature main sessions, worship, and workshops. This year's theme: “Among the Lions: Trusting in God When You’re Trapped in Babylon.” . . .
18 Christian Colleges Have Closed Since COVID’s Arrival (Plus News Briefs)
Eighteen Christian colleges have closed since the arrival of COVID-19 in early 2020, Christianity Today reported. They include denominational and Restoration Movement-affiliated colleges. Plus additional news briefs, including the upcoming celebration of American Rehabilitation Ministries' 50th anniversary.
October 19, 2022
News Briefs for October 19
News briefs about ICOM, a new preaching resource from e2, a new campus for Redemption Christian Church, upcoming women's events at Ozark and Manhattan Christian colleges, and Bob Russell's take on Halloween.
October 12, 2022
Bob Scott, 95, a Longtime Minister in Midwest, Dies (Plus News Briefs)
Robert A. “Bob” Scott, 95, of Joplin, Mo., who ministered in Christian churches for decades, died Sept. 19, 2022. Mr. Scott is the father of Mark Scott, who writes our weekly Lookout Bible lessons, and four other sons: Dan, Phil, Tom, and Tim. Also briefs about Restoration Appreciation week at GLCC, the Midwest Ministers' Retreat at LCU, Homecoming at Point U, and more.
CIY Returning to ‘Full Steam,’ but Facing Inflation Pressure
Christ In Youth could see record attendance at its conferences this summer after suffering two lean years because of COVID-19. But inflation pressures—including the price of diesel fuel for the tractor trailers that transport its gear to various venues—mean that challenges remain.
March 30, 2022
CMF Working Through Church Partners in Ukraine (Plus News Briefs)
News briefs about CMF International, Great Lakes Christian College, Sunnybrook Christian Church, the 2022 Stone-Campbell Journal Conference, and more.
January 5, 2022
DeWelt Retires from Ozark but Not from Ministry, Missions
Chris DeWelt is moving on to the next chapter in his life. But he’s not going to slow down—at least not much. “There’s always plenty to do,” said the longtime director of intercultural studies at Ozark Christian College, who retired from that position at the end of 2021.
June 7, 2021
June 13 | House of David Shaken
Just when the house of David had reached its zenith, the situation was about to implode. In the spring, when kings go back to battle, David stayed home . . .
October 16, 2020
Church Preserves City’s Apple Butter Makin’ Tradition
By Jim Nieman The annual Apple Butter Makin’ Days festival in Mount Vernon, Mo., was canceled—yet another casualty of COVID-19—but then Mount Vernon Christian Church stepped up. The church participates in the festival each year. In fact, MVCC is one of three organizations that actually makes apple butter on-site during the three-day event at the Lawrence County Courthouse square located downtown. “Our recipe is the best,” MVCC lead pastor Jeff Kruger confided. (It’s the old Stotts City Union Church apple butter recipe that has been passed down through family members.) So, upon learning the three-day event was canceled, MVCC—a church
CIY ‘Rocked Financially’ by Coronavirus Pandemic
By Chris Moon The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a major financial blow to Joplin, Mo.-based Christ In Youth, which hosts dozens of popular student ministry conferences across the country each year. CIY has canceled all of its high school MOVE and middle school MIX conferences this summer—56 events in all—because of the impossibility of holding those large events during the pandemic. The organization also had to cancel dozens of weekend events in March and April because of the outbreak. Those events represented virtually all of CIY’s revenue stream for the year. Ninety percent of CIY’s revenue comes from fees churches pay
January 20, 2020
Lesson for Jan. 26, 2020: The Lord Delivers His People (Exodus 12:21-23, 29-42)
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 1 (weeks 1-4; January 5-26, 2020) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ________ Lesson Aim: Celebrate the Lord’s deliverance. ________ By Mark Scott It has been said that the Lord is rarely early, but never late. At just the right time he sent his Son (Galatians 4:4). And at just the right time God brought his people out of Egyptian slavery. The message of this
October 9, 2019
Rural Church Sees a-Maze-ing Opportunity in Cornfield
By Chris Moon Rinehart Christian Church in Missouri is surrounded by cornfields . . . and that’s a good reason to celebrate during October. “This is a very rural area,” senior minister Kevin Moyers told Christian Standard. But the church of about 200 people has a heart for families. It wants to see them come to know Christ and to spend quality time together. And so RCC created a corn maze on a 10-acre patch of land adjacent to the church property and is hosting a fall festival for people in the surrounding communities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
September 2, 2019
Lesson for Sept. 8, 2019: Get Wisdom (Ecclesiastes 2:13; 4:13; 7:5, 11, 12, 19; 8:1)
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in issue no. 9 (weeks 32-35; August 18—September 8, 2019) of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ________ Lesson Aim: Get wisdom and enjoy its benefits. ________ By Mark Scott School has started. While some schools begin in August, most all are in session following Labor Day. For decades the overriding purpose in going to school was to acquire knowledge. While acquiring skills for future education and the workplace
May 23, 2019
Ozark Christian College Weathers Storm that Kills 3 in Missouri
By Jim Nieman News outlets are reporting that storms and tornadoes injured several people in Carl Junction, Mo., and killed three people in Golden City on Wednesday. Carl Junction is just a few miles north of Joplin, Mo., where Ozark Christian College is located. The storms occurred on the eighth anniversary of tornadoes that killed 161 people in Joplin. Matt Proctor, president of OCC, said, “At the moment, we know of one student’s house in nearby Carl Junction that experienced storm damage (roof damage and blown-out window), but no one was hurt, for which we’re grateful.” Proctor said there is
June 20, 2018
Members Use Homes for One-Another Ministry (plus News Briefs)
By Chris Moon After studying the book of Acts, members of East Win Christian Church in Memphis, TN, were challenged to put what they learned into action. The church hosted a campaign to encourage church members to use their homes in the same manner as the earliest Christians—for meeting together, eating together, and encouraging one another. As a means of measuring progress, the church placed a container in its lobby and asked members to drop a seashell into it for every person they invited into their homes. This was to symbolize that church members had “broken out of their shells”
October 23, 2017
Lesson for October 29, 2017: God’s Covenant with the Returned Exiles (Nehemiah 9:32-38; 10:28, 29)
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the October 22, 2017. issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott More than 500 years had passed since the events of last week”s lesson. The 10 northern tribes had been taken captive by Assyria (722 BC), and the two southern tribes had been taken captive by Babylon (586 BC). But God raised up Cyrus to send the exiles home (Isaiah 45:1). They came home in
June 26, 2017
Lesson for July 2, 2017: Moses (Exodus 3)
Dr. Mark Scott wrote this treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Scott teaches preaching and New Testament at Ozark Christian College, Joplin, Missouri. This lesson treatment is published in the June 25, 2017, issue of The Lookout magazine, and is also available online at www.lookoutmag.com. ______ By Mark Scott One of the great characteristics of God is his interpersonal capacity. He communicates. He called judges to rescue his people (last month”s lessons). He also called prophets to prosecute his people (this month”s lessons). “Prophets don”t prepare messages. Prophets are messages” (Spirit, Word, and Story by Calvin Miller). Moses is often viewed as the great
