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IN THIS ISSUE
18 COVER STORY: ON THE EDGE - YOUR TURN! Will 2017 be the year you say “Yes!” to serving on a short term mission trip? While visiting five of Bay Area’s global partners in January, Greg and Casely took some time to answer questions a first-time missionary might have as we prepare to go On The Edge this year.
22 LEADERSHIP PROFILE: KIM MITCHELL One of Bay Area’s newest deacons shares her story of how the trials she’s faced in life have helped equip her to walk alongside others who are experiencing challenges.
10 BRIAN’S EDITORIAL: WITH, TO BE LIKE Missional Communities Pastor Brian Hopper examines how Jesus modeled discipleship with His disciples, and how we can faithfully continue to make disciples today.
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16 TESTIMONY: KELLI MILBOURNE Faced with a hereditary health condition that progressively restricts her mobility, Kelli Milbourne unpacks how she was able to take her focus off of her circumstances and trust God to use her challenges for good.
26 THERE AND BACK AGAIN Born and raised in India, Bay Area resident Joseph Sharon illustrates how God has been preparing him to return home to lead the ministry his father started.
We appreciate your comments and questions. Please email us at feedback@bayareacc.org and a staff member or elder will respond within 48 hours.
MAGAZINE CREDITS EDITOR Meredith Thompson ART DIRECTOR Josh Shirlen ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Arianne Teeple ASSISTANT EDITOR Jocelyn Sacks LEAD DESIGNER Josh Burgin GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jake Williams CONTRIBUTORS Andy Smith David Hoekzema Sam Logan
On the cover: Greg St. Cyr & Casely Essamuah Photo by Josh Shirlen
Gathering Times: 8, 9:30, 11:15 a.m.
ELDERS Bill Smith Chris Heacock Don Wiley Greg St. Cyr J. Upton John Taylor Keith Riniker Ken Gilmore Roger Ishii Tim Grossman Tom Dalpini Tom Hogan Warwick Fairfax
884 Chesterfield Rd. Annapolis, MD 21401
410.544.2222
BAY AREA LEADERSHIP Brent Squires, Student Ministry Pastor – brent.squires@bayareacc.org Brian Hopper, Missional Community Pastor – brian.hopper@bayareacc.org Casely Essamuah, Global Missions Pastor – casely.essamuah@bayareacc.org Craig Fadel, Easton Campus Pastor – craig.fadel@bayareacc.org Ed Kelley, Executive Pastor – ed.kelley@bayareacc.org Gail Wiles, Children’s Ministry Director – gail.wiles@bayareacc.org Greg St. Cyr, Lead Pastor – greg.stcyr@bayareacc.org Janet Graves, Women’s Ministry Director – janet.graves@bayareacc.org Jerry Shirlen, Financial Administrator – jerry.shirlen@bayareacc.org Jocelyn Sacks, Missional Community Director – jocelyn.sacks@bayareacc.org Josh Shirlen, arts – josh.shirlen@bayareacc.org Leanne Lane, Care Network Director – leanne.lane@bayareacc.org Lynn Dutton, H.R. Administrator – lynn.dutton@bayareacc.org Meredith Thompson, Communications Director – meredith.thompson@bayareacc.org Pat Linnell, Teaching Pastor – pat.linnell@bayareacc.org Rachel Perry, Connecting Director – rachel.perry@bayareacc.org Ron Dutton, Operations Director – ron.dutton@bayareacc.org Tres Cozad, Technical Director – tres.cozad@bayareacc.org
For a comprehensive list of all BACC staff, elders and deacons, please visit bayareacc.org/leadership F E B RUA RY GO&MAKE 3
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Dear Bay Area family, As I write, Casely Essamuah and I are on a six-hour flight from Nairobi to Ghana halfway through our On the Edge trip of visiting five of our global mission partners. On the Edge is about getting out of our comfort zone for the sake of Jesus and the world. As Americans, we resist the edge. We place high value on safety, security, comfort and convenience. Stepping out in faith goes against our desire for safety. We tend to find our security in money and control, but God says our only security is in Him. We move with a gravitational pull toward comfort and convenience, but God calls us out of our comfort zone and demand for convenience. This trip has already been humbling and convicting. All around are examples of people living on the edge. In Uganda we met with Edward and Rosemary. They’re parents of three children, and are both infected with HIV AIDS. They were without hope, outcast from family and friends, living in unimaginable poverty, until Casely’s wife, Angela, Leanne Lane and others from Bay Area brought the love of Jesus to them. That was over 10 years ago. Today, Edward and Rosemary are passionate followers of Jesus, out of poverty, and filled with the joy of the Lord. Currently, Bay Area’s Precious Souls Ministry is caring for over 150 families impacted by AIDS. I’ve never met a more thankful people than those reached through Precious Souls. Here is the Scripture the Lord gave me on the plane ride to Uganda: Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning. … You have turned for me my mourning into dancing. You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, that my soul may sing praise to You, O Lord my God. Psalm 30:5, 11-12 Our time in South Sudan was equally impactful. Pastor Stephen Mathiang lives on the edge like few others. While with him at the Mission Gardens Of Christ (MGC) in Bor, we celebrated the dedication of the building provided through Beyond884, groundbreaking on an orphanage, the successful launch of an elementary school with 151 children, and the
MGC’s 10-year anniversary. War, lack of financial resources, unbearable heat, sickness and separation from family are just a few of the things Stephen has endured. Ever since God birthed a vision within him in 2006 for a center that would be the salt and light of the world, he has been faithful. Faithful to equip pastors, educate the next generation, and provide both vocational training and a medical clinic. Our prayers, support and mission trips continue to provide for the work in South Sudan. When I think of Pastor Stephen, this verse comes to mind: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. James 1:12 As a church, we want to be a people living on the edge for Jesus. One way you can do that is by joining us this year on a short-term mission trip. When you go, you help accelerate the ministry in another country and come back changed. Mission trips are a fast-track to discipleship. Why? Because you step out in faith, experience deep community, minister to the needy, grasp God’s heart for the world, and return more like Jesus. Casely and I are experiencing that right now On the Edge, and we want you to have that blessing as well! If you’ve never been on one, we challenge and invite you to make 2017 the year. From here to the nations, Greg St. Cyr Lead Pastor
Greg St. Cyr is the Lead Pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a monthly contributer to GO&MAKE.
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THE KEY TO A LIFE OF LOVE, JOY AND PEACE BY ED KELLEY
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am not easily stunned. Not easily impressed. Not easily offended (I am often moved, however, by great books, sappy Hallmark movies and cute puppies). It seems I may be an anomaly. I’ve always credited my lack of getting upset about things to being personally sort of superficial. “I just don’t care that deeply” was my thinking. In fact, many times I have been complemented (with some criticism, of course) for being transparent, direct and “unflappable.” But you know, I am just able to “flex” with almost anything, not allowing my emotions to get the best of my actions or words (other than when lousy theology, coffee or philosophy is involved), giving objective analysis to almost any question or situation. I am also a chess player, so I go directly to the correct “line of play” when it’s obvious without the prerequisite explanations and verbal engagements. This can be good and bad, as some folks need to process differently and more extensively than I do. At any rate... People today seem to be more sensitive and more fragile than at any time in history. People are bothered – deeply, mind you – about phrases, looks and word choices. Just look at the most recent political season: It seems like every word, every look, every concept was studied to death, pro or con, and the PC culture has added to this idea that it seems we’re all under a microscope. This is true at the university and the workplace as well. I guess, gone are the days of “shrugging it off,” “letting it go” or “ignoring the ignorant.” Gone also are the days of open dialogue without major halters on all of our ideas and thoughts. Colleges and universities used to be places for exploration for those things, but now it seems caution has taken over to the point of paralysis. As you can guess, if you know anything about bell curves, it forces most everyone to the massive mediocre middle instead of stretching thought and ideas that are important in so many disciplines. When it comes to personal interaction, these offenses can automatically shut off one’s ability to listen to another person’s treatise when they’ve uttered one word that is bothersome. How did we come to this? I listen to all sorts of people who offend my sensibilities, but that’s okay because I am looking for the silver lining of truth that might be good to apply. I don’t think the attitude is helpful to “throw out the baby with the bathwater” just because someone has an idiosyncratic tendency that “bothers you.”
pull myself together and join wholly into the issue at hand. Acquiescence. Team player. Good follower. Selfless. Consider: Eph. 5:21 – Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Eph. 5:22 – Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. Heb. 13:17 – Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. 1 Peter 2:13 – Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority... On and on it goes. Submission, as an attitude, often precludes being upset. It’s not that things don’t matter or can’t improve, it’s just that it reduces the emotional temperature of the person. We can still debate, discuss, engage. We just can’t be intensely offended all the time. Folks, somehow we’ve all lost the power that comes from submitting to the Lord and His will. We are so bothered so often by others, words and situations that we rarely take it to the Lord and allow Him to work it out (in His timing). Rather, we take things into our own hands and become irritated beyond control, becoming passive-aggressive, aggressive, bitter, annoyed or at the very least distracted. Consider James 4: “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James is saying that internally there is a battle. Who is in control? Who is submitting to who? God or you? He argues that the flesh will drive us all to be “unhappy,” and perhaps it starts with our motives. Why are we unsubmissive? Why are we offended? Hurt? Disappointed? Fearful? Submission. It’s key to living a life full of love, joy and peace.
I think part of this is an attitude. One of the major attitudes reflected in the scripture is the one of submission. We submit our likes, world, plans, family, finances etc. to the Lord. We seek His direction. We trust His dealing of our life’s cards. We live by love, joy and peace, regardless of circumstances or people’s involvement in our world. But we also carry that attitude into our relationships as well. There are 29 different instances of the word “submit” in the scripture (NAS). Submission is that value that says, “Even though I don’t understand or even disagree, I am going to
Ed Kelley is the executive pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a monthly contributer to GO&MAKE.
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n the year 2000 the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl. It was an exciting year for a kid who grew up attending a church a stone’s throw away from where the team plays in south Baltimore. The Ravens were a family affair as the team was always a topic of conversation with my grandfather. From a team perspective, they were not even that good that year. The quarterback, Trent Dilfer, was basically getting paid not to screw anything up for the real star of the team, the defense. The defense that year, led by Ray Lewis, may go down in history as perhaps the best defense of all time. The defense only allowed 10.3 points per game in the regular season. Defense, impressive. Overall team, meh. When I think about the local church, the people of God who gather and share life together in different towns, I often think in terms of the offensive side of a football team. I long to be a part of a church with a killer offense. To me a great offensive team must have three key elements: a great passing game, a great running game and a great coaching staff. Likewise, a great church should also excel in all three. For the local church, great Sunday morning gatherings are like a good passing game. Everyone enjoys seeing the long 50-yard touchdown pass. These are the highly inspiring and motivational plays that pull you off your seat and celebrate. Sunday mornings are for remembering, proclaiming, applying and celebrating the good news of the good work that Jesus has accomplished for us. Gatherings should be highly inspirational and motivating – spurring on passion, excitement and relevance of the gospel in our lives. If church becomes boring for God’s people, something is wrong in the playbook. But as is true in football, a church with a great passing game, without a great running game, will run into problems. When a team can only pass, the pass becomes easy to defend and less effective. The church becomes one sided and shallow. While the running game is less flashy, it requires just as much hard work and play calling to make it all happen. The running game in a church is that church’s discipleship in smaller groups of people. This saying usually proves itself true: the smaller the environment, the higher the accountability, the higher the accountability, the greater potential for better discipleship. This is how it has always played out in my life. Although I am inspired by a great teaching, or a powerful song, no one is going to check in with me to ask if I am living out the promise that so blessed me on that Sunday morning. But in a smaller group of people, I am more vulnerable, more exposed, more known. A good church is going to have a good running game of real life, in your face community that is centered around Jesus, helping you regularly to receive and respond to the Gospel. Five here, two yards there – but this grind-it-out lifestyle makes us tough, stronger, more dependent on each other,
as we celebrate the small wins that add up to big wins along the way. It is often the methodical run game that sets up an explosive pass that can turn everything around. Churches with great running games, without a good passing game, might miss out on high-impact events that can draw many people together all at once. The last aspect to a great offensive church is a good coaching staff. A good coach knows his players and has great vision. In terms of a church’s vision (some may call it mission), this must be the mission or vision of Jesus. Jesus has given His church the playbook in Matthew 22 and 28, in giving us the great commandment and great commission. Jesus tells us to run these plays: 1. Love God above all else, and love your neighbor as yourself. 2. Go make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands. If a church’s mission is not directly derived from these plays, you have a bad coach. A good coach is a Godly coach who cares only to do what Jesus commands His church to do. The second aspect of a good coaching staff is that they know their players, and have the ability to get the players in the game. The coaching staff are the leaders in any church – while the congregation should be the players on the field, executing the plays, having fun, winning souls, and crushing the enemy. All too often, much of the ministry is called and executed by paid staff, or the top leaders themselves – but that is the equivalent of Brian Billick of the 2000 Ravens checking in as linebacker, or Mike Tomlin of today’s Steelers suiting up as the running back, or Bill Belichick taking over for Tom Brady – although some may want to see Belichick get sacked a few times. A good coach helps you live out your God-given ability to build the church and advance the Kingdom – not just remain a spectator on the sidelines. You can win a Super Bowl with great defense alone, but you won’t win many. Those teams who are successful year in and year out, consistently advancing deep in the playoffs are those who excel in a balanced and healthy offense with the help of coaches who empower the players to reach their Godgiven potential. The church is, after all, on the offensive. The church that Jesus is building is one who is rapidly reaching further and further into enemy territory with weapons of mass construction, reassembling brokenness by the power of the Gospel. It is my prayer that you would find yourself on the field, a part of this kind of church, winning – for the Glory of God.
Pat Linnell is the teaching pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a monthly contributer to GO&MAKE.
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WITH, TO BE LIKE by Brian Hopper
Discipleship” means different things to different people today. For some, it means grabbing a cup of coffee with a friend and talking about life. For others, it means an 18-month, in-depth theological/biblical study in a classroom. Modern-day discipleship is all over the place. When Jesus gave the mandate in Matthew 28 to go and make disciples, He clearly had something in mind. It is not as though He gave the command and hoped the disciples would figure something out. Yet, when I look through the Scriptures, I can’t find a single passage where Jesus specifically says, “Here are the steps to making disciples.” There is no prescriptive methodology, only descriptive, which is where the tension lies because we have to look at Jesus’ life with His disciples in order to determine or identify the practices that need to be emulated. For centuries, followers of Jesus have been trying to recreate the pattern of spiritual growth and transformation that Jesus 10 GO&MAKE F EB R UA RY
forged with His disciples. It seems to me we may never truly capture His perfect methodology. But we can glean from the gospel narratives and Acts consistent values to guide our own attempt at making disciples. These would be the ways that Jesus Himself practically lived out what was important for Him and what He expected the disciples to learn from Him. At the heart of the discipling relationship is a “come be with me, to become like me” mindset. In Jesus’ day, the Rabbi/ disciple relationship was based on the idea that one would follow a teacher and learn everything about him. When the disciple had successfully emulated the Rabbi, he would be released to go and train his own disciples with the intent of furthering the practices, life and character of the original Rabbi. Jesus took this process and made it His own. His invitation to the 12 was to come be with Him, so that they could become like Him – in other words, to mold their own lives around the perfect life of Jesus in every way.
Now naturally, this is a tall order for anyone today. Truthfully, I’m not sure I want people to be like me (one of me is enough – says my wife!). But emulating the redeemed, faithful, transformed parts of my life that mirror Jesus might be another story. Being perfect, He molded the disciples to His life. Then after His ascension, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the disciples took what they learned from Jesus and put it into practice by challenging the new converts to “be with and to be like” them. All throughout the New Testament, we see this type of be with/be like me replication. In one of Paul’s earliest letters he reminds the readers of how “Our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. You also became imitators of us and of the Lord” (1 Thess. 1:5-7). In 1 Corinthians he exhorts the believers to imitate him, to be “reminded of my ways which are in Christ” (4:16-17), and to “be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” (11:1). In 2 Thessalonians he indicates that the readers “know how you ought to imitate us.” He reminds them of how he led a disciplined life and worked hard to support himself, “not because we do not have that right, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you that you might imitate us” (3:7-9). To the Philippians he said: “Keep on doing the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you” (4:9).
“At the heart of the discipling relationship is a ‘come be with me, to become like me’ mindset.” He elsewhere reminds Timothy that he had “observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and suffering” (2 Tim. 3:10-11). And in an earlier letter he directed him to “show himself an example to those who believe” (1 Tim. 4:12). The writer of Hebrews counsels his readers not to be sluggish, “but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (6:17). They should “remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith” (13:7). Clearly, being with to become like is a core practice of Paul.
culture, with different demands on our life and our time. Obviously, we can’t just stop everything and go follow Pastor Greg around all day, doing life with him. So we are left to improvise or contextualize these practices. For me, the core of what Jesus (and subsequently Paul) did with His disciples revolved around a few basics. By extension, these should form the basis for all of discipleship, regardless of the context. So, in the absence of being with the physical Jesus, we have the living, breathing Word of Jesus – the Scriptures. In the absence of audibly hearing Jesus’ voice (as the first disciples did), we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And His voice is confirmed through the Spirit-filled community. Lastly, in the absence of asking or talking to Jesus in person, we have His ear through our prayers. Being in His word, Spirit-filled and in community with prayer seems to be, at the very least, what needs to be present to make disciples. As we faithfully live these out, we are called to invite people to “be with us, to become like Jesus in us.” Now, I don’t want to be guilty of boilerplating Jesus’ life and discipleship practices, so clearly there is a lot more involved in the discipling process than these few things. However, if you and I are going to follow in the footsteps of the first disciples and carry on the mission of making disciples ourselves, it must begin with intentionally focusing on these core practices. And through doing these with others, the “with, to be like” influence will emerge. This is why we as a church are committed to helping create environments were a few men or a few women can gather together and commit to the core practices of discipleship. We believe our spiritual growth and transformation best happen in the context of relationships where there is transparency, vulnerability and accountability. What we desire is for everyone to do life together and grow as we are with Jesus and becoming like Him. This is what being a passionate, maturing follower of Jesus from here to the nations is all about. To learn more about discipleship and our plans here at Bay Area, shoot me an email at brian.hopper@bayareacc.org.
Brian Hopper is the missional community pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a regular contributer to GO&MAKE.
But how does the “with, to be like” practice translate in today’s world? We are all so busy. We live in a different F E B RUA RY GO&MAKE 11
FIGHTING FOR YOUR CHILD’S HEART By Brent Squires & Gail Wiles If your kids participate in Bay Area’s children’s or student ministries, hopefully you’ve recognized that our goal within these discipleship environments extends far beyond providing a fun place to be on Sundays and throughout the week. It’s our desire to be another influence in the life of every child and student, partnering with parents to lead them to Jesus. We pray that our Community Group Leaders speak into your child’s life and reinforce the important truths you are teaching them at home. Together, we are two influences fighting for your child’s heart. To help equip you to be disciplers at home, we often recommend a book called “Parenting Beyond your Capacity” by Reggie Joiner and Carey Nieuwhof. This book helps parents see they need to increase their capacity to parent by increasing their influence. In this book, the authors lay out five values that will encourage a lifestyle that will increase the parent’s influence. It does not promise that all parenting struggles will melt away, but that you will move your family in a better direction because of the relationships and rhythms put in place. We’ve outlined each of the five values below, paired with the ways we at Bay Area partner with each family.
FAMILY VALUE 1: WIDEN THE CIRCLE To widen the circle is to find another trusted adult who will encourage, give advice to and invest in your child. Children’s Ministry – Every Sunday at every Gathering, we use a small group model so we can provide an additional influence (Community Group Leader). We keep these groups small so personal relationships can develop between leader and child and child to child. They provide a person and place for life’s questions, and model how to live out that day’s lesson all week long. Our Community Group Leader is a valuable asset to every parent because they pray with your child and encourage their faith walk. Student Ministry – We provide small groups called Community Groups on Sunday mornings during our middle school gatherings and on Wednesday nights for our high school students. Community Groups are lead by godly, caring, trained adult leaders whose primary purpose is to build a relationship with students in order to point them toward Jesus. Brent Squires is the Student Ministry Pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a regular contributor to GO&MAKE.
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FAMILY VALUE 2: IMAGINE THE END
FAMILY VALUE 5: MAKE IT PERSONAL
To imagine the end is to focus your priorities on what will matter most 100 years from now, to leave them a lasting personal legacy, so your child will have their own personal relationship with Jesus to be passed on generation after generation.
Allow your kids to see how you strive to grow so they can understand how to confront their own limitations and pursue character and faith.
Children’s Ministry – Focus your energy and effort on the issues that will make a lasting impact. Every Sunday your child will be sent home with activities so together you can continue the lesson conversation at home. Student Ministry – We provide parents with a weekly “ezine” that contains a summary of our current teaching and discussion questions that parents can discuss with their students. This helps parents be proactive in their discipleship.
FAMILY VALUE 3: FIGHT FOR THE HEART
Children’s Ministry – Within our ministry, we work with kids to strengthen their faith skills. They are personalizing scripture (to memorize it and apply it), learning to dialogue with God, defending and sharing their faith, learning to worship and giving. When your children see these skills lived out in your life, they are more likely to keep them a part of theirs. Student Ministry – We encourage parents to look for three key opportunities to share and teach their son/daughter through regular conversations: when students bring up issues, when life brings up issues, and when parents need to be the ones to bring up issues. Being intentional with conversations from life’s experiences connects parent and student in a more personal way.
Create a culture of unconditional love in your home to fuel the emotional and moral health of your children. Children’s Ministry – Once a year through our Family Map, we offer an event called The Blessing. This event helps parents connect with five elements to pass on unconditional love and acceptance every day. Student Ministry – We encourage parents to build a relationship with their son/daughter’s Community Group Leader so that, together, they can have a greater influence on the student.
We hope these values encourage you in your personal discipleship of your kids at home. There are many other helpful resources out there, and we would be happy to talk with you if you have questions about raising your children to love and follow Jesus. For more info, check out:
bayareacc.org/ parentresources
FAMILY VALUE 4: CREATE A RHYTHM Tap into the power of quality moments together and build a sense of purpose through your everyday experiences. Children’s Ministry – Every fifth Sunday a Take it Home packet is handed to each child to create a family faith time experience at home. We hope this encourages families to create or add to their family time moments.
bayareacc.org/ basmresources
Student Ministry – We encourage parents to be intentional about initiating spiritual conversations with their son/ daughter on key subjects such as driver’s license, jobs, money, college preparation, dating relationships, social media, etc. Gail Wiles is the Children’s Ministry Director at Bay Area Community Church and a regular contributor to GO&MAKE.
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Saturday // March 25 // 2017
BUILDING BRIDGES
TEAR DOWN WALLS • BUILD BRIDGES • CONNECT OTHERS TO GOD’S LOVE
Special Guest Speaker Steph Fink, Founder of Encouraged in Heart
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. $25 // includes lunch Teaching • Workshops • Worship bayareacc.org/womensevents
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THE LOFT BOOK SHELF (
LOCATED IN THE ROOM ABOVE THE CHAPEL, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE LOFT”
)
Feel free to borrow any book on the shelf that isn’t labeled “LOFT COPY” and return it as soon as you can, so that others can enjoy that book as well.
JOIN US
FEB. 11
WHAT IS THE LINE?
WHY GOD ‘N GRITS?
WHEN DID IT LAUNCH?
As men and brothers, we stand in a line, shoulder to shoulder, facing into the wind of everything life hurls against us - not out of obligation for one another, but out of a common drive to live and walk in truth together.
God ‘n Grits is an opportunity for you to meet other men, gather around good food and conversation, and maybe walk out with more than just a full stomach and a few laughs.
Over 100 men gathered on November 12 to share a meal, pray with one another, build relationships, hear from Pastor Ed Kelley, dig into Scripture together and experience genuine community.
LOCATION
REGISTRATION
INFORMATION
Bay Area’s auditorium
bayareacc.org/mensbreakfast
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ome days, Kelli Milbourne is able to walk from a parking lot into a store; others, she can’t walk from her bed to the bathroom. No two days are alike living with hereditary spastic paraplegia, a frustrating neurological condition in which genes in the spinal cord degenerate, impairing signals from travelling between the brain and legs.
God’s love. It wasn’t easy, and her belief faltered, but along the way Kelli came to a crossroad that demanded she make a choice. “When you come to a crossroad, there’s only one way or another: One way is following Jesus, and one is not following Jesus,” she explained. “And the pain of not following Jesus exceeded anything else I was going through.”
Yet, it’s through the challenges of limited mobility that Kelli has grown closest to God, drawing strength from Him and trusting He has a purpose for every part of her life – even the toughest ones.
Kelli shifted her focus off of her circumstances and back onto her Lord, reaching out to friends to ask them to join her in praying over her attitude. She made a conscious decision to follow God no matter how difficult it might become, trusting that if this obstacle had been placed in her life, He had a purpose for it.
Part of the Bay Area family for 13 years, Kelli met Jesus on a retreat she attended at a friend’s invitation in 1999. She had been raised with a church influence and always identified as a Christian, but her friend “could tell the plug wasn’t all the way in the wall – something was missing,” Kelli recalled. Intrigued by how the retreat speaker seemed to talk directly to God, Kelli listened intently. She was the first one out of her seat when an invitation was extended for anyone with anything on their heart to come forward. There, she surrendered bitterness and anger from past hurts and gave her life to Christ. Kelli matured into a radical follower of Jesus, sharing Him with coworkers and friends, but not ten years after giving her life to Him, her faith was rocked as her health turned south. Kelli had noticed some warning signs in her late 20s; in the back of her mind, she knew something was not right. The condition that affected her father, sisters and aunts started to present itself in her life, then went into a state of remission until she was 40. Then, it came on with a vengeance, triggering a downhill slide marked by eight surgeries in a two-year span. “Instead of pressing into God, I wanted to run,” Kelli admitted. “I became like a Jonah; I was running from Him and I didn’t want anything to do with Him. But the harder I tried to run from Him, the more He wouldn’t leave me alone.” She tried to flee, but couldn’t outrun
Countless times, He has proven Himself a faithful provider, whether through allowing Kelli’s house to narrowly escape foreclosure, or through friends who blessed her this past Christmas with the gift of mobility. Over the last two years, walking has taken a painful toll on Kelli’s knees and ankles. She began searching and praying for a scooter. Her friends in her small group in The Well at Bay Area prayed with her, yet nothing was working out. Kelli started thinking God was up to something different, and her hunch was confirmed when she switched neurologists and her new doctor refused to complete the necessary paperwork for a scooter. “It’s really important that you try to walk, even if you have to take shorter distances and stop more, because it’s imperative you keep firing the muscles in your legs or you’ll go downhill,” he told her. “God knew that if I gave in to a scooter, I would become dependent on it,” Kelli realized in hindsight. Still, she needed something for better mobility, noting she gets stranded in large stores that don’t have scooters and is restricted in what she can do. When an opportunity to obtain a wheelchair for occasional use didn’t pan out in early December 2016, she again felt defeated. Kelli shared the hurt with her small group, and they snapped
to action. Their friend’s need for a wheelchair would be met by Christmas. Two of the women were able to secure a chair from the Anne Arundel County Food and Resource Bank, and together the Well group presented it to Kelli on the last day of their fall study – just before Christmas. “They gave me a lot of my mobility back. It’s a wonderful chair, and if I want to go out somewhere now, I feel like I’ve been liberated,” Kelli beamed a couple weeks later. “Those women in The Well are selfless, constantly in prayer. They love women and love to see growth. I was so humbled by their love, that they would do something like that.” Kelli shared she’s discovered that, while no one enjoys going through hardship, God will reveal purpose in it and His strength is made perfect in weakness. She doesn’t define herself by her condition, but asks God, “How do you want to use this in me?” He’s been faithful to answer. People approach Kelli on a daily basis to inquire about her condition and share stories of their own. She views these encounters as opportunities to tell them about Jesus. “A gentleman who was an amputee approached me and said, ‘Aren’t you mad at God?’” she shared as an example. “Through a few months of us talking and me sharing the gospel, he came to know the Lord, and he then turned and said, ‘If it hadn’t been for what I went through, I wouldn’t know the Lord.’” She’s humbled to watch God weave people’s lives together and use their hardships for His glory. “Do I pray for healing? Of course. Do I wish I didn’t have this in my life? Of course. I wish I could be the way I used to know, but I believe there are valuable lessons in this that I probably never would have learned without it,” she said, reflecting on the last several years. “I’m not sure I would be able to know the Lord quite in the same way if I didn’t have a daily reminder of my dependency on Him.”
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n January, Lead Pastor Greg St. Cyr and Global Missions Pastor Casely Essamuah traveled to five countries in four weeks to visit several of Bay Area’s global partners. They went not only to serve our missions partners, but also to give you, our church family, a glimpse of what living life On The Edge as short term missionaries looks like in the hope that you’ll be encouraged to get involved this year. (You can look back at videos of their adventures at bayareacc.org/ontheedge.) GO&MAKE’s editorial team asked them a few questions a potential short term missionary might have about their experience and what living On The Edge means for us as a church family. Here’s what they had to say:
YOUR TURN Q: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE THIS PAST MONTH ON THE EDGE? Greg: In a word, life-changing. That word can be overused, but that’s really the way I feel about it. Every time I set foot in another country, every time I see God working in a fresh way, my faith gets stretched, God becomes bigger in my eyes, and I see His faithfulness. Casely: My word would be grateful – really grateful to God for the vision of Bay Area, that we don’t keep the gospel to ourselves, but that we take it to the nations. As Greg said, we serve a God who is so big to encompass many people in His Kingdom, and to have us be part of that – I’m just grateful for the role that we have to lock arms with other brothers and sisters. Q: DO YOU HAVE A STORY THAT CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF THE TRIP SO FAR? Greg: We’re in South Sudan, and school is out, they’re on holiday, but Pastor Stephen had invited about 40 of the children to come back just to meet with us. I shared with them the vision that God had given Abraham from Genesis 15 about the stars and about them being descendants of Abraham. And then, as
Pastor Stephen was asking different ones to make commentary, he looked over and said, “This one is Abraham’s son.” The reason that’s so significant is because in 2013 Abraham was killed. Abraham was Pastor Stephen’s right-hand man, and during the war of 2013, in trying to defend the compound of the Mission Gardens of Christ, Abraham was killed. It was very devastating; it just crushed the whole faith community. We as a church helped provide for Abraham’s family, and now to see his son there being educated free of charge was such a picture of God’s faithfulness in the midst of such difficulty, such trials. Casely: Yesterday we met 20-25 volunteers who are faculty patrons of Scripture Union groups in schools and they were all sharing what they do, what their vision is, what they’re praying for. One of them said, “I have 700 people who graduate from my school every year, and my prayer is that I’ll touch the lives of 100 of those – so 1 out of 7 should either be a committed Christian or have the right foundations for them to make a lifelong commitment to Christ. In 10 years, I will have touched the lives of 1,000 people.” That was his prayer. He was as ordinary looking as any person, he’s not a church worker, he’s just doing his work, but he’s looking for opportunities to touch 100 lives each year. That was not only
encouraging, but also motivational for me in terms of asking God for big things and giving your life to that. Q: YOU’RE BOTH PASTORS WITH LOTS OF TRAINING AND TRAVEL EXPERIENCE, SO OF COURSE YOU WOULD TRAVEL OVERSEAS. WHY WOULD SOMEONE LIKE ME GO ON THE EDGE THIS YEAR? Greg: That’s like saying that the great commission only applies to pastors. Regardless of where you are in your relationship with Jesus, all of us are called to step out in faith, get out on the edge, and be about helping fulfill Matthew 28:18-20. Yes, it’s true that some have more experience. We all have different gifts. But all of us are called to go. And when you go, you see God showing up in supernatural ways. Don’t limit God working through you by your own limitations. God is unlimited. So, step out in faith and be amazed at how God will use you. Casely: Going really is a great opportunity to grow. There’s something about getting out of your comfort zone that makes you prioritize reading the Bible and praying just because you realize you need God more. Whatever puts us in a place where we see our need for God more and we call on Him more and He shows up in a big way grows our faith. F E B RUA RY GO&MAKE 19
Q: YOU KEEP CALLING SHORT TERM MISSIONS THE FAST TRACK TO DISCIPLESHIP. WHAT DO YOU MEAN? Greg: It’s the fast track because it’s all about the environment. An environment is forged that forces you to step out in faith, to get outside your comfort zone. That’s done in the context of community. So you have communities on mission serving together. You’re able to totally devote yourself in an unencumbered way to the mission of serving in another country. You also get in touch with God’s heart for the nations. The way to experience the fact that God’s a global God is to get outside of the United States, the areas we’re familiar with. When you hear other believers praying in a foreign tongue, when you hear testimonies of people whose lives have been changed, it resonates with you and you see just how big God is.
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Q: CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHY THAT MAKES ME A DISCIPLE?
Jesus seriously for the first time or come forward and give their lives to Christ.
Casely: The fact that you’re outside your comfort zone forces you to be more open when you’re in prayer, because you realize that God has to come through for you – for you not to be worried so much about, “What am I going to be eating? What is the weather going to be like? What am I going to be doing? Can I really make a difference? I don’t speak the language or know the culture. I don’t know the Bible enough.” You’re wrestling with all of that, and yet at the same time God uses you to bless others. The more challenged and stretched our faith is, the better we grow as followers of Christ.
Greg: Serving is the life of Jesus flowing through us, touching others. So we go as servants. Whatever our preconceived notion is of how God is going to use us is probably not going to happen. God has an agenda, so we go fully surrendered, fully available, and we go with a servant spirit. And while we’re there, we love people we come in contact with, we pray for them, we share the good news with them, serve any way the Lord would lead us to, and as a result, the ministries there, our global missions partners and their staff, they feel so encouraged, so loved. It’s a catalyst for their ministries.
Greg: It’s about faith – when we step out in faith, we experience God in new and fresh ways and we’re changed. In many ways, a short term mission trip simulates Missional Community of UP-IN-OUT together, but when you think about a Missional Community, you meet together say every week for an hour or two hours. Here, you’re together with a team stepping out in faith 24/7 for a week or more. Q: WHAT CAN I REALLY DO OR ACCOMPLISH IN A WEEKLONG TRIP? Casely: The posture really is one of, “What can God do through me?” Everywhere we go we are joining ongoing ministries; we are not starting something fresh. We are sensing God is already working there and we are coming alongside. But when we come, God does something through us that is always beyond what we would have expected or planned. So yes, God can use you to speak a word that will make an eternal difference in the life of somebody. It might be that it will make them consider the claims of
This year, Bay Area will send short term mission teams to 10 of our global partners, and we’re inviting you to go On The Edge with us! Read on to learn more about each of our partners and the ministries we will work alongside in 2017. Pick up an On The Edge Field Guide for detailed trip descriptions, dates, FAQs, and more. You can also visit bayareacc.org/stm to learn more and apply to join a team.
TRIP DESCRIPTIONS
Alongside Genesis Church, the Bay Area team ministers at a Family English Camp near Poznan, Poland. Our multigenerational teams use the Bible as a textbook and engage with families in a relational, camp-like setting.
In El Salvador, we partner with the San Salvador Great Commission Church to minister to children and their families in areas affected by poverty and gang violence. This year, we’ll also send a team of high school students to minister to their peers in the local high school.
In India, our teams spend most days at the headquarters of International Cultural Bible Ministries in Hyderabad, sharing Jesus’ love with children and engaging with pastors from all over the country.
Our local partner in Ghana, Scripture Union, has a foothold in 95 percent of high schools throughout the country. Our teams will connect with students in large- and small-group settings, worship together, and have meaningful faith conversations.
Our partner in Uganda, Precious Souls, ministers to people and families infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. Short term mission teams visit homes alongside local social workers and assist with various ministry needs.
In Brazil, we partner with Bay Area missionaries Mickey and Cherie Counter to spend time with a variety of church leaders, praying together and encouraging them in the difficult task of church planting in the region.
For the first time, this year we will be partnering with the Wade Center in West Virginia to engage in relational ministry though a Vacation Bible School for children and teens. This trip will also address needs here in the city of Annapolis.
We will travel to two countries in Southeast Asia to build relationships with people who don’t yet know Jesus. In one country, our teams will interact with immigrant children and help teach them how to read and write in English. In the other, our team and our local partners with engage with people of peace and have spiritual conversations, possibly sharing business skills along the way.
Working alongside Pastor Stephen, our team is involved in outreach to children, pastors and church leaders. Team members learn the faith and resilience of Sudanese Christians and support the ongoing ministries of the Mission Gardens of Christ.
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KIM MITCHELL L E A D E R S H I P
BY
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P R O F I L E
M E R E D I T H
T H O M P S O N
ften, it’s in our darkest hours that God does some of His deepest work in us. He does not let trials go to waste, but can use everything for good. Kim Mitchell is no stranger to this truth. Reflecting on the trials she has faced, the Severna Park resident recognizes the loss of a child, the near-loss of her husband, the decision to close a successful family business and other challenges have equipped her to walk alongside others facing trials in her role as a deacon at Bay Area. Kim grew up in Northern Virginia in a family that faithfully attended church Sunday morning, evening and Wednesday night each week. She came to know Jesus as Lord when she was a child, but it wasn’t until she was married that she really started to live out and grow in her faith. “David and I married when we were 22. By the time we were in our late 20s, he became really sick. I almost lost him a couple times,” Kim shared. “I had a really strong faith foundation, but it was David’s illness that made me have to rely on that faith – it was a process of going from knowing it to living and trusting it.” Her faith was tested again when she and David lost a baby boy halfway through a pregnancy. They would have had two boys and two girls – the perfect family, Kim noted. Devastated, she became angry at God, telling Him, “I would have loved this baby no matter what. I could have handled it – it didn’t matter if the baby had disabilities or whatever.” An older couple, well into their 80s, pushed their adult son who had a disability in a wheelchair past Kim, David and their three older kids at Disney World not long after, and Kim’s heart broke. Watching such a demonstration of love roll by, Kim asked herself, “Am I cut out for this? Could I have really done this?”
Their fourth child, Mary, was a surprise. One boy, three girls. The perfect family. “Any time you’re going through a trial, you can look at it in two different ways: ‘Why is God putting me through this?’ or ‘This is hard, and bad things happen, but God is with us and He’s always preparing us, He’s always there to give us strength and wisdom,’” Kim explained, quick to admit it was a distinction she came to recognize only over time and after several hardships. “Looking back, I can clearly see where God has woven this tapestry in our lives where there were works that He prepared us to do, but we had to go through experiences in order to be prepared for them.” Today, one of those works is serving as a deacon at Bay Area, helping walk with others through hard times. Relatively new to the role, Kim was nominated and later installed as a deacon in November 2016, roughly a decade after she and her family began attending Bay Area. A couple years ago, Kim and David decided to close their family business. “It was a total reevaluation of life and what’s important,” she recalled, noting it was a grueling decision because they cared deeply for their employees and their children’s future. “We started to pray that God would close every door He didn’t want us to walk through, and make wide open what He did want us to walk through.” Kim viewed her nomination to serve as a deacon as an open door; crossing its threshold was simply an act of obedience. She relies fully on God for the wisdom, strength and grace to serve well. In her few months as a deacon, Kim noted she’s enjoyed working with a team of deacons who are caring and compassionate, gifted with wisdom and discernment. Moreover, she enjoys the opportunity to serve members of her church family who are in need.
“While I might not have travelled the same road that they have, I can have empathy with where they are,” she said, illustrating how her own struggles have better enabled her to relate to others who are facing challenges and be an encouragement. Kim’s service to her church family and community extends well beyond her time spent as a deacon; she and David lead the Walk the Walk Foundation, a nonprofit that blesses hundreds of children in need each year with school supplies, Christmas gifts and other resources. One of Bay Area’s local outreach partners, the WTWF facilitates the church’s annual backpack drive and Gifts for Children initiative. Living just a few miles from the Naval Academy, the Mitchells have served as a sponsor family to many Midshipmen over the years. Kim views building those relationships with young service members as a ministry of its own. Passionate about investing in younger generations, she shared that it’s a joy to give them someone to talk to. The Mitchells have witnessed several of their Mids come to know Jesus, attend church, be baptized – even participate in a short term mission trip. It’s no surprise, then, that Kim’s favorite thing to do is spend time with her Mids, friends and family – preferably playing competitive card games with the latter group. She’s also a faithful Ravens and Caps fan, an avid student of the Word, and a big fan of going on walks. Ephesians 2:10 guides her life. “When you’re going through life and things are easy and good, that’s not work. It’s only work when it comes to the struggles in life. So When God says He prepared good works for us to do, it might not be the easiest, but it’s good,” she said of the verse. “When the struggles come, you can be assured you have to roll up your sleeves and dig in.” FE B RUA RY GO&MAKE 23
WINTER RELIEF BY DAVID HOEKZEMA
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That’s a delightful looking list. “First” can be really nice.
It was this time last year that I was staring out the window of my warm, comfortable home and wondering, “What’s going to happen to me in the months ahead? What is God’s plan for me through this hardship?” I was on the heels of an adverse career transition (aka “downsized” out of a job) and unsure about the future. Perhaps you’re like me in these situations – whether it’s a job loss, a financial set-back, a chronic or unexpected health issue or some other hardship – where your thoughts, actions and even your prayers are “First things first, Lord: How are you going to fix this for me? What about me?” At the same time I was pondering this, unbeknownst to me, a man named Michael, a former semi-pro baseball player who used to coach little league on the Eastern Shore, was starting his day in a local homeless shelter in Annapolis. He was crippled and in pain from horrible sores caused by diabetes, all of his possessions now at his feet in a bag. About 25 others in the homeless shelter, all with similar life stories of demise and situations of despair, waited their turn with Michael to use the bathroom. There are no “firsts” there. As I finished my “What about me?” prayer, I received an unexpected call from my son. My son, Trevin, the local outreach coordinator here at Bay Area, shared about an opportunity to serve with what he called Winter Relief (WR). After our call, as I reclined in my chair and got back into my contemplative state, I received a not-so-subtle prayer response from the Lord. He pointed me to Jesus’ parable of the workers in the vineyard
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in Matthew 20, where Jesus teaches and concludes in Matthew 20:16, “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” “Whoa!” I mentally exclaimed. God was clearly getting my attention with a message just as Jesus had given to the laborers in the vineyard who were most concerned about themselves and how they were being paid. I realized that, even in the midst of my own hardships, I needed to put others first, and I had been given an opportunity to help those who are often last be first instead of me. I quickly texted Trevin, through God’s leading, and accepted the opportunity to serve on the Winter Relief planning committee – and what a monumental blessing it was.
“ Through experiencing Winter Relief for the first time in 2016, God revealed the magnanimous blessings that come from putting ourselves last and serving others who are truly in need first.”
So what is Winter Relief? The program is a highly collaborative and coordinated relief mission with other local churches to serve homeless people in the Annapolis area. It’s organized by the Arundel House of Hope in an effort to get homeless people off the streets during the cold months. Participants can either apply or be recommended for the program. Only 25-35 people from each of three regions in Anne Arundel County can participate at a time due to space limitations. In order to be accepted to the program, people must be clean (not currently addicted to drugs) and adhere to the few, reasonable rules that Winter Relief requires.
Winter Relief is a place where guys like Michael can find refuge as they hit a big reset button on life. Through experiencing Winter Relief for the first time in 2016, God revealed the magnanimous blessings that come from putting ourselves last and serving others who are truly in need first. Many homeless people, like Michael, got to know many of our volunteers and staff at Bay Area and experience Christ’s love firsthand through care and support, meals, words of encouragement, activities, shelter and safety. I had the pleasure of serving with the security team over a few nights at the church, and helped my wife, Tracey, and several others serve breakfast one morning. Throughout the week, I got to know Michael, with all of his physical challenges, and was able to help him get around late at night to our shower facilities and back-and-forth to bed. Whether one was serving an early morning breakfast to our guests in the Bay Cafe, staffing the security desk in the front lobby at 3 a.m., or working behind the scenes to pack lunches or arrange activities for our guests, the blessings of fellowship and the body of Christ’s impact were truly felt through this ministry. Does the opportunity to serve with Winter Relief resonate with you like it did with me? We’re in the midst of planning for the week we host our guests again this year – March 1420 – and we will need help doing it. If you’re in a Missional Community, talk to your MC leader about how you can get involved. If you’re not in an MC but want to help, you can go to bayareacc.org/winterrelief and check out the different opportunities to do so. If you have specific questions, email winterrelief@bayareacc.org.
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Barry behind in a hospital bed. During his stay in the hospital, Barry woke up with these three words on his heart to meet a man from Karimnagar. His name was Samuel. So Barry invested. Over the years of his relationship with Samuel, Barry continued to invest in him and his mission in India, which over time grew into the International Cultural Bible Ministries (ICBM). Then a member of Bay Area, Barry brought Greg St. Cyr and others from the church to meet Samuel, beginning a long-standing partnership. Today, ICBM is part of Bay Area’s global missions family. He also brought Samuel’s oldest son Joseph to the United States in 2007 to study at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Joseph accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior at the age of 12; he was baptized in February 2001, when he began a journey of faith with his feet planted in two worlds, one urban, the other distinctly tribal. In the city, he was often the only Christian in his class. “I was often forced to live out my faith, to be a witness,” Joseph said. “God was using me, even when I was a kid, to bring the gospel to people who had not heard the name of Jesus.”
the story of our newest pastoral resident BY SAM LOGAN n a bitterly cold Sunday afternoon in early January, Bay Area resident Joseph Sharon shared a story of faith and obedience to the Lord. This story of there and back again began decades earlier when God laid three words upon the heart of a man in India: Samuel, Karimnagar, invest. That man was Barry Spofford, who had been hospitalized while on a missions trip to India. His team had already left to return home, leaving 26 GO&MAKE F E B R UA RY
At the time, his father was working to bring the gospel to India’s 640 tribal communities, saying the name of Jesus for the first time to these people groups. After school and on the weekends, Joseph would work alongside his father and his mission in the field. In high school, he became a part of Youth with a Mission (YWAM), where he participated in the disciple training school. Joseph volunteered with YWAM and worked as a bridge to build ministry and partnerships for YWAM in the city during his college years. He also worked with youth groups and assisted with vacation Bible school, and hosted the international missionaries and teachers who arrived in India on short term missions. “I helped interpret and create ministry opportunities,” he shared. Through Barry’s continued support, an opportunity to study in the United States surfaced; it was something that Joseph had always had in mind. At the time, Joseph enjoyed a comfortable IT job. “I was making decent money. I
was secure,” he said. Recognizing the calling, however, Joseph prayed over it, as others prayed over him. “I remember one pastor [who worked with my father] prayed Genesis 28:15 over me.” The verse reads, “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” The weeks and months leading up to Joseph’s departure were steps of faith and obedience. Matthew 6:33 rang in his ear: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” It was the first of many times the Lord brought the promise of Matthew 6:33 to his heart. The first step of faith was to leave his comfortable job in India before his U.S. visa was approved. He let go of his job on September 13, 2007. After having been rejected twice for a visa, he finally obtained one on September 15, two days after he let go. During his time in Chicago, Joseph focused on his studies and eventually immersed himself into the troubled communities of Inglewood, where he served as a mentor. He also served young adults in his local church, and met his wife Esther, who was also studying at Moody. The two married and began a life in Chicago, where they had been serving together as young adult ministry leaders. Joseph began working full-time for a nonprofit in late 2014. As his family’s needs increased, he sought counsel with his pastor and decided to take a full time IT job. “I loved this job,” Joseph said. “I loved my boss, and I loved the work in the IT department.” He knew the work, and was comfortable again. Secure in Chicago. Not three months into his new job in late 2015, ICBM began to plan its 10year anniversary. Joseph was given an opportunity to return to India with Esther and their two young children; he had already been thinking about returning to visit, so he jumped at the chance to travel. It would be their first time to India as a family, and Joseph’s first time back to India in close to three years. Joseph asked for and received from his
boss for a 20-day leave of absence, and with tickets in hand was prepared to spend some time with family, friends and Bay Area missionaries, including Greg St Cyr, to celebrate what God had done with ICBM in 10 years of ministry in India. Thinking he would have some vacation time in India, Joseph could have never expected what would happen once he arrived back home. His father, Pastor Samuel, greeted Joseph’s expectation of a vacation with an assignment. He was to organize and manage the 10-year celebration, the whole event. Joseph jumped in, and at a pinnacle moment during the final days of the celebration, in front of invited pastors and their families, and all of the ICBM lay leaders on stage with his father, Greg, and others, Pastor Samuel placed upon Joseph’s shoulders the mantle of ICBM. He was anointed, and appointed as president of the organization. His father charged Joseph with guiding the organization into the future. It was an emotional moment, as the torch was passed from one generation to the next, from father to son. “The ICBM region heads, Pastor Greg, and other senior pastors were there on stage,” recalled Scott Kilpatrick, a Bay Area short term missionary who was present for Joseph’s anointing. “[Pastor Samuel] called Joseph and laid a wreath of honor over his head and gave a great prayer of blessing and passing the torch of ICBM on to Joseph. He said a few words, giving [Joseph] charge of being a leader, and a leader of ICBM. He was speaking to the pastors who were region heads, and also some of the ICBM pastors there to work with Joseph to support him. “It was a solemn moment, and emotional for Pastor Samuel.” As Joseph remembers, it was a humbling moment for him and his wife. “Esther and I were really humbled, and our hearts were really heavy to be back in India; we asked ourselves, and prayed, seeking the Lord over whether or not we should just leave Chicago and come straight back to India,” he said.
asked to have a word with Joseph and Esther. He told them God had laid it upon his heart to be able to extend Bay Area’s residency program as an opportunity for the church to get to know Joseph and equip him to return and be a blessing to the people of India, Joseph recalled. He would need to move to Annapolis and raise all of his own support for the two-year residency program. Greg had made an offer that would again dislodge Joseph from his place of security and comfort with an IT job in Chicago. As a couple, they sought the Lord and after much prayer decided to accept Greg’s residency offer. Matthew 6:33 alighted again upon Joseph’s heart: “Seek first his kingdom and righteousness…” It was a repeat of 2007. Comfortable IT job to be left behind to make a step of faith. On a random radio show, Joseph heard a sermon about position and mission. “God is not concerned with our position in life; God is concerned with His mission because He will change your position to fulfill His mission, not the other way around,” Joseph quoted, recalling how that line impacted him in the weeks leading up to moving his family from Chicago to Annapolis. When Joseph approached his boss to offer his resignation, his boss didn’t understand. It was a hard move, but it was another step of faith to bring him one pace closer to the 2007 prayer, his 2016 anointing, and ultimately, his role in a much larger story of bringing the name of Jesus to the people of India that began when a man of faith obeyed the Lord and needed only three words to know what he was to do: Samuel, Karimnagar, invest. Before entering the cold once more on the official first day of his residency to join Esther to participate in their Missional Community, Joseph shared a final sentiment: “I have tasted and seen, and I know the Lord is good.”
After the ceremony, and before the end of Joseph’s time in India, Pastor Greg FE B RUA RY GO&MAKE 27
WHAT DOES IDENTITY IN CHRIST LOOK LIKE FOR YOUR CHILD?
FRIDAY, MARCH 3 THROUGH THE MORNING OF MARCH 4 $40 PER STUDENT & REGISTRATION OPENS ONLINE FEBRUARY 5 bayareacc.org/deepblueevents
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CARE NETWORK
HAPPENINGS Sometimes life hands us struggles: loss of a loved one, serious illness, parenting difficulties, divorce, addiction and many other challenges. These struggles can feel isolating, yet God never intended that we walk through them alone. He is in the business of comforting, restoring and renewing all things for His glory. Your circumstances are not beyond that; He longs to reach you with His redemption and grace.
BAPTISM
We want to walk with you through this season of life. The Care Network is a free, confidential, Jesus-centered ministry that assists those seeking help. We provide hope and healing through a variety of resources both inside and outside the walls of Bay Area. Let’s partner through these struggles together. Email leanne.lane@bayareacc.org to get started.
Wo u l d y o u l i ke t o b e b a p t i z e d ? For more information... • K-5th: contact gail.wiles@bayareacc.org • 6-12th: contact brent.squires@bayareacc.org • Adults: contact debbie.klimczyk@bayareacc.org
CELEBRATE RECOVERY Celebrate Recovery (CR) is for anyone seeking a richer life through worshipping God and being in community with others. Don’t let your hurts, habits or hangups keep you isolated. Join us on Monday nights at 7 p.m. for community, worship and teaching. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org HOSPITAL/HOMEBOUND INVITATION If you or a loved one is in the hospital or homebound we would love to serve you. Contact us so that we can learn how to be of assistance. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org or 443-837-3718.
CONNECT WITH BAY AREA If you’re new or just have a question, we’d love to meet you and help you get plugged in. Look for a member of our connect team in a black shirt in the lobby after each Sunday gathering or visit us online at bayareacc.org/new.
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NEW GRIEFSHARE PROGRAM AT BAY AREA Have you benefited by attending a GriefShare program after the loss of a loved one? Perhaps you have a heart for those who are in the grief process. We are in the process of starting a GriefShare ministry at Bay Area in 2017 and are looking for those interested in being a part of this ministry. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org CAREER ASSISTANCE Are you unemployed, just starting a career, or trying to discover what God has uniquely wired you for? Partner with expert Jacques Fox and identify a career path that’s right for you. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org.
MARRIAGE MINISTRY UPDATE T h e B ay A r e a M a r r i a g e Ministry recently partnered with marriedpeople.org, an organization that has developed a marriage strategy for churches. We are implementing this marriage strategy by inspiring large group experiences, empowering small groups, and equipping individual couples. Our Marriage Ministry will host three to four large-group events per year, such as the Great Date Night; three to four small-group events such as marriage-focused Learning Communities or weekend retreats; and three to four events for individual couples, such as date nights that include KidCare. Sign up for Bay Area’s weekly email update at bayareacc.org to stay up to date and receive a link to the MarriedPeople Monthly Ezine. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org
MEN’S EVENING BIBLE STUDY Sundays from 6-7:30 p.m. in room 235 at Bay Area. This study is geared toward helping men draw closer to Jesus while discussing and discovering God’s answers for the challenges men face at home, work and in society. Info: bob.gregory@bayareacc.org
MARRIAGE LEARNING COMMUNITY JAN. 15 - FEB. 19 AT 11:15 A.M. IN THE DOCKS, ROOM A In this 6-week session we will explore the critical topics of love and respect in marriage and focus on the communication styles between men and women to help you experience the benefits of marriage as God intended.
FAMILY MAP EVENT A few spots are left for the Family Map event on February 4. We'll be sharing our family ministry strategy and how we partner with parents. You will also be able to attend breakout sessions and learn about things to be aware of and prepared for in each lifestage. The last day to register your family with guaranteed KidCare is February 1. Info: bayreacc.org/familymap.
THE GREAT DATE NIGHT - FEBRUARY 11 The Great Date Night is Saturday, February 11, from 4-6 p.m. We are excited to have speaker Ted Lowe, the director of MarriedPeople, whose mission is to help churches help marriages flourish. Known for his great sense of humor, Ted will keep us laughing and having fun with engaging videos and activities. Register at bayareacc.org/thegreatdatenight by February 7. KidCare is available for infants - 10-year-olds for $5 per child. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org
SPRING PARENT DEDICATION Our Parent Dedication is more than an event, it’s celebrating your decision as parents to raise your child to follow Jesus. Registration for our Spring dedication opens online Sunday, February 5. To participate parents are required to attend an orientation prior to the event. For more info and details visit bayareacc.org/parentdedication
PREMARITAL MENTORING Are you newly engaged? We want to partner with you as you establish a strong, Jesus-centered life with your future spouse. Through Premarital Mentoring you’ll be paired with trained marriage mentors (couples who have been married for 10 or more years) who will equip you with tools and resources you’ll need to succeed in marriage. Info: premarital.ministry@bayareacc.org MARRIAGE MINISTRY TEAM - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Our marriage ministry team seeks to encourage and equip couples to start and stay strong in their marriages. If you have a passion to help strengthen marriages and have been married for 10 or more years, come be a part of this ministry. Read more at bayareacc.org/marriageministry. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR PREMARITAL COUPLES Occasionally, couples who are living together enter our Premarital Ministry. We believe strongly that the best way to honor God before marriage is to remain pure and live separately. We’re looking for folks who have temporary space in their homes that could be used in order to fulfill this desire. Connect with us: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org
MEN’S BIBLE STUDIES MEN’S MORNING BIBLE STUDY Tuesdays from 6-7:30 a.m. in room 236 at Bay Area. Info: Jim at jlradcliffe@hotmail.com
THE LINE: MEN’S MONTHLY BREAKFAST Men, join us on February 11 from 8-9:30 a.m. in the auditorium for The Line: God ‘N Grits, a men’s monthly breakfast. The Line is an opportunity for men of Bay Area to gather around good food and conversation, and maybe walk out with more than just a full stomach and a few laughs. Register today at bayareacc.org/ mensbreakfast. Info: bob.gregory@bayareacc.org
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY
NURSING MOTHERS Children’s Ministry offers two locations for nursing mothers during Sunday gatherings. If you would like a quiet place to nurse, please come to our Tidal Pool area and you will be directed to a room equipped with glider rockers. If you would like a place to nurse and hear the gathering during the 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. gatherings only, visit our Children’s Welcome desk and you will be directed to our Director of Children’s Ministry’s office. CHILDREN & STUDENT BAPTISMS If you have a child or student who is expressing interest and wants to be baptized we would love to celebrate this milestone with you. Visit the children’s or student web page to read more on how your family can be a part of the baptism celebration on April 1. WAVE RIDERS Hello Preschool Families! Our Wave Riders Preschool Playgroup will meet Monday, February 13 at 10 a.m. for a special Valentine party at Bay Area and Tuesday, February 28 at the Annapolis Mall Play Area. We would love for you to join us and bring a friend with you. The more, the merrier! For more details about Wave Riders, check us out on Facebook by searching "Wave Riders Play Group". Info: courtney.gregory@ bayareacc.org. DIVE 45 Spots are filling fast for this month’s Dive 45 on Friday, February 17 from 7-9 p.m. Kids and leaders will take over the entire building for a night of indoor laser tag and fun activities for your kids to enjoy. Invite a
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friend and bring a few dollars for the snack bar. Cost is $5 per child. Register today at bayareacc.org/dive45. Info: aimee.coyle@bayareacc.org
FINANCIALS
STUDENT MINISTRY
Annapolis Campus Operating Budget Financial Update As of January 15, 2017
CLUB 678 Club 678 is our oncea-month hangout for middle schoolers. Middle school students are invited to join us Friday, February 10 from 7-9 p.m. Students are encouraged to invite their friends and can bring money for snacks. Info: lydia.macbride@bayareacc.org Vertical Weekend – Looking for Host Homes Vertical Weekend, February 24-25, is BASM’s in-town middle school retreat. The event takes place at Bay Area. We are looking for homes that are willing to host a group of students with adult leaders overnight on Friday, Feb 24. Host homes are asked to provide a snack Friday night and breakfast Saturday morning. Groups would arrive to host homes around 9:30 p.m. on Friday and leave around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. Register your student today online or at the Student Ministry kiosk. Info: lydia.macbride@bayareacc.org
CONNECTING MINISTRY
New Fiscal Year Began September 1, 2016 ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS Fiscal Year Giving Goal
$ 4,792,000
YTD Received YTD Goal YTD Actual vs. Goal JAN To Date Received JAN To Date Giving Goal
$ 1,964,593 $ 1,967,772 $ (3,179) - 0.2% Behind $ 230,390 $ 260,997
EASTON CAMPUS Fiscal Year Giving Goal
$
YTD Received YTD Goal YTD Actual vs. Goal JAN To Date Received JAN To Date Giving Goal
$ $ $ $ $
187,000 62,041 71,923 (9,882) - 13.7% Behind 9,333 10,788
Annapolis Campus Outstanding Building Debt $3,435,405.91 (as of 12-31-16) For weekly financial updates, go to bayareacc.org/ financials. Please indicate any designated gifts on the memo line of your check or use the drop-down box online to select your desired giving fund. Note: You will need to donate via check if the fund to which you wish to give is not listed online. All undesignated checks will go toward the general operating fund.
DISCOVER BAY AREA - NEWCOMER LUNCH New to Bay Area? We’re glad you’re here. You may have questions about who we are or what we believe so join us on February 5 at 12:45 p.m. in the Bay Cafe for Discover Bay Area. Enjoy a free lunch and hear from a few of our pastors and staff about our mission, values and how you can get plugged in. No RSVP necessary, and kids are welcome. Hope to see you there. Our next event will be on March 5. Info: rachel.perry@bayareacc.org
LOCAL OUTREACH LOCAL OUTREACH SERVING OPPORTUNITIES Missional communities often don’t know how to get involved with serving locally. We’re here to help. There are many organizations in the Annapolis area that will be blessed by your involvement; we’d love to connect you with them. Go to bayareacc.org/localoutreach to fill out an involvement form. MOBILE BLOOD DRIVE AT BAY AREA Share the gift of life by donating blood on Sunday, March 19, between 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Sign up to donate at mysignup.com/bacc or walk to the Anne Arundel Medical Center Blood Mobile bus that will be outside the center front doors of Bay Area. If you are not able, please encourage someone else to donate blood in your place. 32 GO&MAKE F EB R UA RY
How Can I Participate In The Descendants Project? Pledge cards are available on Sundays at the connect kiosks and online at bayareacc.org. For gifts other than cash, contact our finance team at finance@bayareacc.org. How Can I Continue To Support BAY AREA’s Building Funds? Giving Methods eCheck: Go to bayareacc.org/give to give online through your checking account through a one-time or recurring donation on My Bay Area. Personal Check: Write “Building Fund” on the memo line and drop it in the offering basket on Sunday or mail the check to Bay Area (884 Chesterfield Road, Annapolis, MD 21401). Bank Check: Process through your bank’s Bill Pay service online for a bank check to be sent to Bay Area. Be sure to note “Building Fund” on the memo line.
LEARNING COMMUNITIES Learning Communities are intended to strengthen your Biblical knowledge, character and/or practical ministry skills. They are also an opportunity to get to know others at Bay Area on Sunday mornings in an environment of learning and interaction. Sign up at bayareacc.org/learningcommunities. MARRIAGE JAN. 15 - FEB. 19 AT 11:15 A.M. IN THE DOCKS, ROOM A In this 6-week session we will explore the critical topics of love and respect in marriage and focus on the communication styles between men and women to help you experience the benefits of marriage as God intended. MAN UP FEB. 5 - MARCH 26 AT 9:30 A.M. IN THE DOCKS, ROOM B Learn and apply the Bible to your life as you connect with other men who are seeking to follow Jesus. This time allows us to speak more bluntly to topics that particularly affect men.
COLLEGE MINISTRY YOUNG ADULT MISSIONAL COMMUNITY Our desire is to see young adults connect in community where they are loving God, serving others and growing spiritually together. Missional Communities are a great opportunity for young adults (ages 18-25) to do this weekly. Info: bryan.mcfarland@bayareacc.org. JUBILEE 2017 Jubilee is a conference for college students focusing on how faith permeates every aspect of life. Come join us February 17-19. Register today online or at the Student Ministry Kiosk.
GLOBAL MISSIONS It’s your turn to go On The Edge and sign up for a Short Term Mission Trip in 2017! We’re traveling to Appalachia, Brazil, El Salvador, Ghana, India, Poland, South Sudan, Southeast Asia and Uganda this year - visit bayareacc. org/stm for trip descriptions, FAQs, information session dates, and to fill out the online application. Sign up at bayareacc.org/globalmissionsemail to receive monthly updates about short term missions and what God is doing around the world. To support any of Bay Area’s short term mission trips, go to bayareacc.org/stmgive.
THE WELL At Bay Area, we invite women to join us on a spiritual journey in community with others. Like the woman at the well in John 4, Jesus meets us where we are and invites us into a deeper relationship with Him. For more information go visit bayareacc.org/women/spiritualgrowth. GIDEON BY PRISCILLA SHIRER WED., JAN 11 - APR 5 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Gideon’s story tells about God and His great love for His people, and His strength operating despite, and even through, their weakness. If you’re ever felt insufficient, ill-equipped, incompetent or outnumbered, then this study is for you to help unlock the full experience of His strength working in you. Cost $15. Info: Laurie Gregory at thewell@bayareacc.org THE ARMOR OF GOD BY PRISCILLA SHIRER TUES., JAN. 10 - APR. 4, 7-9 p.m. All day, every day, an invisible war rages around you - unseen, unheard, yet felt throughout every aspect of your life. The enemy’s battle plan depends on catching you unaware and unarmed. If you’re tired of being caught off guard, this study is for you. Find out how you can be dressed with the armor of God and develop a personal prayer strategy for victory. Cost $15. Info: Darby Cate at darby@dougcate.com A BEGINNER’S BIBLE STUDY WED., JAN. 11 - MAR. 15, 9:30-11:30 a.m. TUES., JAN. 10 - MAR. 14, 7-8:30 p.m. God cares about you far more than you realize. So much, in fact, that He wants you to know who He really is. In this group we will read chapters from two books by Bill Hybels: “The God You’re Looking For” as well as looking at Scripture in “Psalms, Volume 1: Encountering God” each week. Order both books from amazon. com and bring to class. Info: Wednesdays, jodyyearwood@gmail. com; Tuesdays, janet.graves@bayareacc.org WOMEN OF LEGACY (55+) We meet on the second and fourth Monday of the month for a time of encouragement, prayer and serving from 10:30 a.m. - noon in The Warehouse. On Feb. 13 we will have special guest, Leanne Lane, our Care Network Director, who will share about the many resources and ways the Care Network comes alongside those in need at Bay Area. On Feb. 27 we will continue with the ongoing process of writing our legacy stories. We will refer to our book "Remembering Your Story." Info: Cedulie Sanchez at luisandcedulie@gmail.com
WOMEN’S MINISTRY QUILTS FOR KIDS Join us to make quilts using donated fabrics for kids in shelters and hospitals. We meet on the third Saturday of the month. Join us February 18 from 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in room 235 at Bay Area. Come and learn to sew or learn to sew a new pattern. Kits will be available. Please bring your sewing machine, sewing supplies and your lunch. If you would like a quilt kit, have a quilt that you would like to donate, or have questions, contact Janet Hogan at annapolisQFK@quiltsforkids.org.
KINGDOM COME: A CONFERENCE FOR WOMEN “Building Bridges” Featuring special guest speaker, Steph Fink, on Saturday, March 25. Teaching, workshops, worship and lunch will be offered from 8:30 - 5 p.m. at Bay Area. Cost $25. Sign up at the Women's Ministry kiosk on Sunday, Feb. 19, 26, March 5 and 12 or online at bayareacc.org/womensevents. Info: Contact Conference Coordinator, k.lucy.byrne@gmail.com
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OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE
MISSIONAL COMMUNITIES
AMBASSADOR TEAM: Serve as an ambassador by helping newcomers get connected. If you have a passion for people and Jesus, and have been attending Bay Area for at least six months, the ambassador role is for you. Info: rachel.perry@bayareacc.org
MISSIONAL COMMUNITY TASTER Are you new to Bay Area or looking to get connected in community? Join us for our Missional Community Taster on February 12 at 12:45 p.m. in The Warehouse. We will introduce you to our version of mid-sized groups that will help you continually grow spiritually, relationally and missionally. Lunch and KidCare are provided. RSVP at bayareacc.org/mctaster. Info: mc@bayareacc.org. See you there!
AUDIO/VIDEO TEAM: We’re looking for a few more passionate, committed people to partner with our Sunday production team. Info: tres.cozad@bayareacc.org CHAIR MINISTRY: Serve on the chair set-up/tear-down team. Info: chairs@bayareacc.org BAY CAFÉ & ESPRESSO BAR: Do you love coffee? Enjoy hospitality? Join our team in the Bay Cafe and/or espresso bar. Info: sherri.raimondo@bayareacc.org COMMUNION TEAM: Opportunities to serve our church family include baking allergen-free communion bread once a month or assisting with preparation or cleanup during one of the three gatherings on communion Sunday. Info: sherri.raimondo@bayareacc.org DEEP BLUE BUDDIES: Have a heart to serve children with special needs? We’re looking for dedicated volunteers to partner with children on Sunday mornings in The Deep Blue. Info: chyloe.cheetham@bayareacc.org ELEMENTARY SET DESIGN TEAM: Do you have a gift with design and decor? Serve through design and setup of our Elementary Large Group spaces with new themes once a month. Info: aimee.coyle@bayareacc.org
PRAYER MINISTRY Jesus lived a life of unceasing prayer that connected Him to the Father. We too long to be devoted to prayer. Our Prayer Ministry is comprised of individuals dedicated to gathering in prayer for all aspects of Bay Area life: our gatherings, communities, pastors, missions and so much more. Individuals are also available to pray with you on Sunday mornings after each gathering (front and right of the Chapel stage). Read more at bayareacc.org/ prayer. Info: pat.linnell@bayareacc.org
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES KIDCARE TEAM MEMBERS Our KidCare team has a need for individuals who have a heart for kids. We provide KidCare for all ministries and various events year-round. Interested in joining our team of paid workers? Visit the Children’s Welcome counter on Sundays or contact our KidCare Coordinator Dax at dax.clinkscale@bayareacc.org.
GOLF CART DRIVERS: Looking for friendly folks to pick people up in the back of the West parking lot before gatherings to ease their walk into the building. Those interested must be 21 or older and have a clean driving record. Info: rachel.perry@bayareacc.org HOSPITAL/HOMEBOUND VISITATION: Interested in being part of a team reaching those hospitalized or homebound? Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org PARKING MINISTRY: Serve by directing traffic and greeting people as they arrive at church. Info: parking@ bayareacc.org PRESCHOOL TEAM: Do you have a heart for sharing the love of Jesus with our youngest at Bay Area? Our Preschool Team is looking for leaders to serve on Sunday mornings. Info: courtney.gregory@bayareacc.org SAFETY TEAM: Are you passionate about safety or have experience in security, law enforcement, EMS or First Responders and want to serve in this area? Info: safety@bayareacc.org USHERS: Be a part of creating a welcoming environment by serving during Sunday morning gatherings. Info: Michael at mtabramo1@comcast.net WOMEN’S MINISTRY: Serve on one of our event planning teams or in discipling other women. We would love to get to know you and see how your gifts can be used. Info: janet.graves@bayareacc.org
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EASTON CAMPUS HAPPENINGS DISCOVER BAY AREA New to Bay Area Easton? We’re glad you’re here. You may have questions about who we are or what we believe so join us on February 5 following the 10 a.m. gathering for Discover Bay Area. Hear Campus Pastor Craig Fadel share about who we are as a church, our story, our vision for making disciples, and how you can get plugged in. No RSVP necessary, and kids are welcome. MISSIONAL COMMUNITY TASTER Come join us on Thursday, February 16, from 7-8:30 p.m. to get a taste of what we do in our Missional Communities. We will share the purpose of these groups that meet throughout the week in people’s homes as well as how you can get connected in one. Light refreshments provided. Please RSVP to easton@bayareacc.org.
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