Cambridge Baptist Church Is Growing, Thriving

By Eva Wilson

March 2010

Cambridge, Kan., is tucked in the hills about an hour southeast of Wichita. Like many small towns in rural areas, it struggles to maintain its population of about 200 people.

But Cambridge Baptist Church is thriving and almost out of space. It was one of the founding churches in the Kansas Convention of Southern Baptists that later became KNCSB.

Justin Bates, who grew up in the church, was called as pastor in mid-October 2009. He had served as youth minister for 10 years. His parents are Kenny and Lanye Bates.

Bill Hale previously served as the church’s bivocational pastor. He stepped down as pastor about a year ago when he was laid off from his aircraft industry job in Wichita.
 
In his “day job,” Bates works with his parents on the family ranch 20 miles southeast of Cambridge.

Justin’s wife, April, is the daughter of Terry and Rhonda Horsman of Salina. Terry Horsman serves on the staff at Webster Conference Center.

Justin and April’s four children are Brody, Marshall, Neecie and Colton.

Kenny Bates recalls of his son, “He was saved at the kitchen table.”

Although the Cambridge area is home to more cows than people, Justin Bates is leading the church to take evangelism seriously. He challenges the church to live its mission statement:

“We are committed to living out the teachings of Christ by:

  • Seek out the lost and share Jesus with them
  • Serve our community
  • Disciple every new believer
  • Involve all new believers in ministry
  • Help all new believers establish a Biblical Worldview”

Using such techniques as the “Three-Minute Story” by evangelist Ronnie Hill, church members are learning to share their testimonies. Following Bates’ example, they share Christ through such avenues as distributing cards with the link to the “Three-Minute Story” Web site. Visitors to this site watch a testimony. Then they are allowed to enter a drawing for a free vehicle.

Learn more at http://www.threeminutestory.com/

Bates often takes the church’s youth to area towns to go street witnessing. The group even shares Christ while attending the annual KNCSB In.D.E.P.T.H. conference in Topeka.

In early November 2009, Bates challenged the entire church to share their faith at the district football game in nearby Burden.

The youth group at Cambridge Baptist Church has an average attendance of eight. But the church has commissioned five of these teens as campus missionaries at their school in Burden.

Cambridge Baptist Church also is making a name for itself by staging a block party every August. Free barbecue and live music attract crowds to Cambridge.

“We’ve had close to 500 at one time,” Bates says.

Although the area struggles to maintain its population, Cambridge Baptist Church doesn’t use that as an excuse to sit on the sidelines.

“Any time you’re faithful to open your mouth and share your faith, it’s a winning situation,” Bates tells church members.

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