Site Last Updated
June 29, 2006

Twenty five college student, Innovator Summer Missionaries, one Semester Missionary, and four Mission Service Corps missionaries (retired couples) were commissioned at First Baptist Church, West Yellowstone on May 30th, 2004.  These student and short-term missionaries are working and ministering in Yellowstone National Park this summer.   This is our 2nd largest group, but it has made us effective to have at least 4-6 missionaries at the 5 Locations of Mammoth Hot Springs, Canyon Village, Lake Yellowstone, Grant Village and Old Faithful.  This year,  partnerships were formed with Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama and North Carolina Collegiate Ministries along with our NAMB appointed missionaries.

The Innovator Ministry is led by Resort Missionary Brad Lartigue, who lives and ministers at Big Sky, Montana.   The Yellowstone Area Resort Ministry began in 1978 as an outreach ministry to Yellowstone during the construction of Gardiner Baptist Mission. Now beginning its 26th year of ministry to park employees, the ministry relocated in 2000 to West Yellowstone, MT.  Additional staff include 2 retired missionary couples: Butch & Vi Riek of Birmingham, Alabama and Cecil & Kitty Boreing (in their 5th term) of Jonesborough, Tennessee.

 

The Commissioning and Orientation weekend consisted of devotions, testimony sharing, hiking, picnic tour of Yellowstone, job check-in and presentations from the National Park Service and a special tour of the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center! During the Commissioning Service, the Innovators were recognized and they also shared in Praise music.  Pastor Benny McCracken, challenged the ministry team from the word of God in a very unique way! David Howeth, Director of Missions concluded with "Laying on of Hands" for each Innovator through the object lesson of a penny; “we are one (sent) cent.”  The members of First Baptist, West Yellowstone participated in a Sunday Potluck luncheon. The snowy Montana weather took many of the “southern” students by surprise as you will notice in the group photo at the Park entrance!

The title and theme of Pastor Benny’s message was “What Not to Wear” with scripture reference of Colossians 3:1-17. The pastor walked out in full Red Blazer & checkered red bellbottom pants.  An outfit that he actually wore to Arkansas Razorback games! His object lesson was emphasizing the “Not to Wear”  such things of our earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, greed, anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language. But, to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience… and over all virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  We must wear the “good” threads of the Father and we’ll look “smashing” to those seeking truth in Yellowstone Nat’l Park!
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Innovators are Christian college students who participate in short-term mission service while working at secular jobs to support themselves. Like the apostle Paul, students participate in mission ministries without excessive cost to local mission forces.  On your next visit to Yellowstone, stop by First Baptist, West Yellowstone, Montana and see what God is doing through His people at the world's first National Park!