Kaleo Arkansas brings students, leaders together

Susie Thompson speaks at the Kaleo Arkansas dinner Monday, Jan. 25, at the State Evangelism and Church Growth Conference.SHERWOOD – Despite the activity surrounding the Arkansas Baptist State Convention’s (ABSC) 2012 State Conference on Evangelism and Church Growth, students and ministry leaders found time to come together at the Kaleo Arkansas Dinner held Jan. 23 at First Baptist Church, Sherwood. 

According to the Kaleo Arkansas website, “Kaleo Arkansas seeks to provide resources and support for our churches and associations as they equip those called to ministry in knowing and affirming God’s call to ministry leadership through life-on-life relationships that provide encouragement and opportunities for ministry leadership development throughout Southern Baptist life.”

Kaleo Arkansas is a partnership of churches, associations and the Arkansas Baptist State Convention in cooperation with the North American Mission Board and the National Kaleo Network.

Susie Thompson, Kaleo Arkansas consultant and wife of Concord Baptist Association Missionary Jeff Thompson, said the dinner “was a time for students and leaders to meet and fellowship with others on the same journey, to envision how God is raising up and developing future leaders among Arkansas Baptists and to encourage participation – of both students and ministry leaders – in the opportunities available through Kaleo Arkansas.”

Robby Tingle, team leader for the ABSC missions ministries team, shared about Kaleo Arkansas, saying, “And in essence what we want to do in Kaleo is what you want to do and that’s reach out and touch students’ lives. And also we want to be a network and a catalyst, a conduit, a connector of engaging students in missions, in ministries, in opportunities.”

“We want to serve you,” he said. “Not only do we want to serve the students, but also we want to come along and serve adults, as well, in that area of coaching, developing students in their call.”

Thompson shared with the group about several upcoming opportunities.

“What we’ve found is when we present opportunities through which you can serve and we pair that with mentors who will walk through those things with you, man you can really figure out what God’s doing in your life and you can explore,” Thompson said.

One opportunity is Kaleo: Arkansas ’12, a one-day conference “designed to guide students to discover, embrace and pursue God’s call to change their world,” according to the event’s brochure. The event will take place April 21 at Immanuel Baptist Church, Little Rock, and will feature Jeff Iorg, president of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, as speaker. More information is available at kaleoarkansas.org. 

Thompson also shared about a mission trip to Haiti, which will take place in July, for those age 16 and older who sense they are called to ministry leadership. 

Breck Freeman, missions ministries team member, described another opportunity for sudents: Student Summer Missions/Kaleo Arkansas Summer Ministry Associates (SSM/KASMA). It is a program that allows students to have “hands-on” ministry experience, from preaching a sermon to directing vacation Bible school. Freeman said past participants have described the experience with words like “fruitful,” “motivating,” “educational” and “fantastic.”

James Forbis, a senior at the University of Arkansas who serves at Sang Avenue Baptist Church, Fayetteville, described how God worked in his life through his participation in SSM/KASMA last summer, and Jack McCarty, pastor of First Baptist Church, Huntsville, shared about having interns in his church throughout the years.

Tingle encouraged ministry leaders to take the time to invest in students. 

“Guys, there’s going to come a time when I can no longer speak,” Tingle said. “There will come a time when I can no longer preach, but if I will choose to invest my life into a young man or a young woman, God will continue to expand our ministry. Guys and gals, we need you as seasoned veterans to say, ‘You know, I’ll take some time.’”

Following the event, Thompson said “I hope that we will see many take advantage of the opportunities that are being offered in the next several months. … (and) across the state of Arkansas we will continue to see an increase in the passion for intentionally investing in our current and future ministry leaders – impacting the nation, and the world.”

More information Kaleo is available by calling 479-597-8263 or email kaleo@absc.org.