GO&MAKE #89

IN THIS ISSUE

Siblingship

ABOUT THE COVER

Marriage is an essential piece of God's plan for humanity. It is a conduit through which God works but it is not the conduit. That is, it is not the only, nor the most important, way that God accomplishes his work in the world. Too often we allow the roles of men and women in marriage to wholly define their role in the church. This trivializes the impact each can have in areas that may seem counterintuitive to their "nature" as prescribed by their marriage roles, and minimizes who they were created to be by God. For example, men sharing their feelings and experiences in a men's Bible study just as women would, or women leading a conference in teaching just as men would. The most important and foundational relationship in the church is that of siblingship (spiritual siblings) with our spouses, our neighbors, our children, singles, widowed, divorced, etc. Anyone in the world can get married with or without a relationship with Jesus, but you can't be a sibling in the church without one. This sets us apart! Our identity and status is not in our prescribed gender roles, but in Jesus. And our role as humans is to be the living, breathing, visible images that continuously point to the new Heavens and the new earth and to our creator. We live in the here and now first and foremost as image bearers and brothers and sisters in Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer says in his book Life Together that, "Christian brotherhood [siblingship] is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate." And then we can see each other as God intended. Read more about this topic and the mission of marriage in the church in Jeff Supp's article Siblingship on page 16.

BAY AREA LEADERSHIP ELDERS MAGAZINE

EDITOR

Abbie Hoekstra

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Josh (Burgi) Burgin

PHOTO EDITOR

Arianne Teeple

LEAD DESIGNER

Jake Williams

CONTRIBUTORS

Brian Hopper

Jay Schramek

Kevin Rimando

Jason Barthelemy

Brendan Cothran

Greg St. Cyr

Jeff Supp

Aaron Hixson

Shawn Hart

Barry Willhite

Don Wiley

Greg Dixon

Greg St. Cyr

John Taylor

Keith Riniker

Ken Gilmore

Kyle Sponaugle

Peter Godfrey

Rich Heath

Roger Ishii

Ron Dutton

Stu Cooper

Tom Dalpini

Tom Hogan

Warwick Fairfax

Allen Smith Missional Communities Pastor – allen.smith@bayareacc.org

Aaron Hixson, Teaching Pastor – aaron.hixson@bayareacc.org

Brian Hopper, Annapolis Campus Pastor – brian.hopper@bayareacc.org

Greg St. Cyr, Lead Pastor – greg.stcyr@bayareacc.org

Jason Barthelemy Odenton Campus Pastor – jason.barthelemy@bayareacc.org

Jeff Supp Executive Pastor – jeff.supp@bayareacc.org

Jocelyn Sacks, Serving Director – jocelyn.sacks@bayareacc.org

Jonathan Madrid Worship Leader – jonathan.madrid@bayareacc.org

Kammi McGinty Care Network & Marriage Ministry Director – kammi.mcginty@bayareacc.org

Kristin Collins, Annapolis Children’s Ministry Director – kristin.collins@bayareacc.org

Megan Heath Women’s Ministry Director – megan.heath@bayareacc.org

Shawn Hart, Global Missions Pastor – shawn.hart@bayareacc.org

For a comprehensive list of all Bay Area staff, elders and deacons, please visit bayareacc.org/ourteam

COVER ARTWORK

Jake Williams (design)

Jeff Supp (quote)

We appreciate your comments and questions. Please email us at feedback@bayareacc.org and a staff member or elder will respond within 48 hours.

FINANCIALS GIVING AT BAY AREA GIVING METHODS

ANNAPOLIS

YTD Giving through 2/28/23: $3,330,000

YTD Budget through 2/28/23: $3,625,000

Actual vs. Budget: –$295,000

ODENTON

YTD Giving through 2/28/23: $229,000

YTD Budget through 2/28/23: $206,000

Actual vs. Budget: $23,000

The financial generosity of our church family helps fuel our mission of making passionate, maturing followers of Jesus from here to the nations. Every gift is used to resource our ongoing ministries at our two campuses, and support dozens of local and global missions partners who are reaching people with the gospel around the world. Want to learn how to manage your finances

God’s way? Read our Philosophy of Generosity at bayareacc.org/give.

If you would like to give, you can do so at bayareacc.org/give, or by mailing a check to our Annapolis Campus (884 Chesterfield Road, Annapolis, MD 21401). Please be sure to include your campus designation on all gifts.

Great Faith

A Planning Preacher’s Paradise: What we’re preaching in the Summer of 2023

Stages of Spiritual Life

LAST WEEK

Mary Kaye (aka Ammy) and I (aka Pops) spent five days watching three of our grandchildren while their parents got away for an anniversary celebration. Five wonderful and exhausting days with 8-year-old Billy, 6-yearold Jack, and 4-year-old Mary! Puzzles, activity books, story time, outdoor play in the cold, the science museum, and Chick-fil-a all played a part in the memories. How quickly kids grow through stages. From infancy to toddler, to child to pre-teen, it’s but a blink.

Our spiritual life passes through stages as well. We come to faith as a newborn in Christ, grow to childhood, move into adolescence, and then on to spiritual maturity (though this side of heaven we never fully arrive). All of us are at different places in our spiritual life. Yet we all share a common goal: to become like Christ.

In Luke 6:40, Jesus utters words that have become my life goal:

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.

The goal of life is to be like Jesus. We are His disciples. He is our Teacher. As we grow, we become more and more like Him.

At Bay Area Community Church, our mission is to make passionate, maturing followers of Jesus from here to the nations . Said another

From here to the nations, GREG S T. CYR

LEAD PASTOR

way, we are about making disciples. We are here to help you grow. Every ministry exists to help you become more like Jesus, and then to help you be part of reaching your neighbors and the nations.

All of us desire a quality of life that is full and rewarding. We all want to have an impact on this world for good.  In light of that, consider this statement:

What do you think? Do you agree?

Having walked with Jesus for over four decades, I can say with confidence that the more a person becomes like Jesus, the greater the quality and impact of that life. To the extent that you become like Jesus, to that extent He will live His life through you, and you will experience His supernatural love, joy, peace, wisdom, and power.

Yet sadly, too many of us get stuck in spiritual childhood or adolescence. How easy it is to have misplaced priorities or become satisfied with lesser things. Our church family is here to help you grow spiritually. But you must take the next step. What is your next faith step to become more like Jesus?

Greg St. Cyr is the lead pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a regular contributor to GO&MAKE.

“The quality and impact of my life is determined by the depth of my relationship with Jesus.”

students come together to be in community with their peers, spend time reflecting on the previous week’s BASM sermon, and focused time in the community groups. We kicked of the fall with over 175 students attending Amplify, and have maintained that as an average since September.

It is in these community groups where our students are discipled by adult leaders. Some of the stories that emerge from those groups are incredible. We have had students who have come to faith, renewed their faith, dealt with hard life issues, and even confronted their own sin issues. Rick, our BASM Worship Leader, instituted

the Generations

the missions focus, and are currently teaching through a series about fighting with God. We wrap up with teaching through the book of Titus.

But here is the best thing, since September, we’ve baptized 27 students! And, just in March alone, there have been 30+ new students who have attended an event in BASM. In fact, since September, we’ve seen the ministry GROWING significantly… not just in numbers but also in spiritual growth.

One story exemplifies what Jesus is doing in our midst. There is an 11th grade guy who had been struggling with his faith through the first half of the school year. He attended our winter retreat and throughout the course of the weekend, was convicted about his behavior and distance from God. This led to him making a serious commitment to Jesus.

There is a lot of momentum right now in our student ministry and the glory goes to God. But I also need to call out the commitment and hard work of our staff team, Michelle Goodacre, Rick Conlee, Rachel Mahaffey, Sandi Smith and Jay Schramek. I couldn’t be more proud and thankful for this team and their commitment to serve and disciple our students. Jesus is using them in some incredible ways and it's been a joy for me to have the privilege to work with them this year. I would have never guessed that our student ministry would be flourishing to the degree that it is at this point.

s you may know, since last spring we have been in a season of transition in our Student Ministry. If you had asked me then where I think our student ministry would be now (9 months later), I can honestly tell you that I would have NEVER anticipated where we are currently. That’s how amazing our Lord is and how much He wants to reach students. Let me tell you about…

Last spring, as the Annapolis Campus Pastor, I jumped in to help provide leadership to our Student Ministry

staff team, leadership and students, but everything that has transpired is a direct result of Jesus working and the hard work and commitment from the team.

Our goal last summer was to bring stability and health to the leaders and ministry. By God’s grace we were able to host our two summer retreats for middle school and high school, in addition to working with leaders and staff to map out the fall.

We kicked off our Wednesday night Amplify, where both middle and high school

a new Third Wednesday Worship where we all go to the chapel and worship for 30 minutes before going to our groups. This has been a game changer. Each week we see students gathered up front, arms held high, singing praises and worshiping our Lord.

In addition to our Amplify Wednesdays, we altered the teaching focus on Sunday mornings to better provide teaching directly from the Scriptures. So we taught for 6 weeks though 2 Timothy, did a four week series on the lessons we could learn from the bad kings in the Old Testament, we joined the church preaching for Christmas, then aligned with

Just this past week he informed one of our staff how he was driving home one evening and passed a car on the side of the road with some people pushing it. He pulled over and helped them push the car - which baffled the people. They asked him why he stopped to help, and for the first time in this student’s life, he told another person about Jesus - that his motivation for helping them and serving them was that Jesus helped and served him. WOW! This sort of faith stretching stuff is happening in all grades in our student ministry.

Which leads me to the obvious question - what about a Student Pastor? Short answer is we are still in our search to find the man God has called. We had two candidates in the fall and made an offer to one of them in January, but he felt the Lord calling him to stay with his current church. At the moment, we have two new candidates in process and are praying that one of these men would be our next Pastor. You can join me in praying for our search.

So much more to share and tell you about. Please pray for our students - they are in a battle like never before and we as a church are as committed as ever to reaching the generations to come with the Gospel as we strive to make passionate maturing student followers of Jesus, from here to the nations!

BYBRIA N HOPPER ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS PASTOR

Brian Hopper is the Annapolis Campus pastor at Bay Area Community Church and is a regular contributor to GO&MAKE.

"There is a lot of momentum right now in our student ministry and the glory goes to God."

Family Matters

BYKEVIN RIMANDO COMMUNITY DIRECTOR

ne of the things we have learned as a church while walking through

1 Peter is that we are “sojourners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11), and that we are called to maintain our exilic mindset through the ups and downs of life. I don’t think it is presumptuous to say that most of us will never have to experience true exile in this lifetime, which means most of us will be guessing what it looks like to live like an exile. To live in a geography that you do not know how to navigate. To be surrounded by people who speak another language. To not know where to obtain food, or even what foods are available.

If you’re wondering where you could go to see what it looks like to live like an exile, it turns out you don’t have to go very far. Since August 2021, over 75,000 Afghan refugees have resettled across the United States 1 , and many have been placed right here in our backyard of Baltimore County.

are here completely alone. This is the background from which refugees try to find employment, transportation, healthcare and help. These Afghan refugees are unknown in a place that they do not know. The life of an exile is one of dependence, to be at the mercy of others.

I asked some of our MCs what kinds of things they are doing to serve their refugee families. Here’s what they said the “normal” day-to-day looks like:

+ Helping apply for government programs like Medicaid or food stamps, and maintain eligibility

+ Enrolling kids in school

+ Driving individuals to ESL lessons or to the grocery store

+ Scheduling and driving people to doctor’s appointments

+ Attending school recitals or concerts

+ Sharing a meal together

+ Financial mentorship

+ Setting up an apartment

some paperwork, then sitting in silence because they don’t speak any English.

One unexpected dynamic that our MCs have encountered was that refugee families were regularly pursuing any and every connection or opportunity to move forward in resettlement in the US. Sometimes this means that a refugee family will reach out with a need and ask for help, the MC would work on finding a solution, then return to the family only to learn that the need had been met through some other connection (often within the Afghan community). The MCs I interviewed had all experienced a version of this dynamic and had to learn to accept that this was simply part of partnering with refugee families.

find themselves in. Survival means relying on any and every opportunity they can find to create stability in their lives. We have the opportunity to not simply tell but show the love of Jesus by partnering with a refugee family and patiently walking alongside them as they work towards resettlement.

refugees have resettled across the United States1, and many have been placed right here in our backyard of Baltimore County."

A handful of our Missional Communities (MCs) have had a front row seat to the exile experience by partnering with Heart For Refugees to sponsor and serve Afghan refugee families. Usually when an MC is looking for a way to love their neighbor, they are looking to serve the neighbor who lives right next door, a co-worker, or even an acquaintance at the gym. Refugee families might not be their neighbors in the “traditional” sense, but they are people very much in need of help. Most do not speak any English. Many refugees came over with only some of their family, while others

That’s a big list, and it hardly describes the experience. To make all these things happen is an exertion of time, energy, and attention. It plays out as long, unexpected phone calls during the work-day. All-nighters at the hospital when a child has fallen off their bicycle and needs stitches, and someone who understands the hospital system needs to be there to help explain what the doctors are saying and make sure insurance forms are properly filled out. Staying for tea when you had only planned on dropping off

Partnering with a refugee family does not mean that MCs are all alone in serving. The barriers and hurdles of resettlement are usually new to the refugee families and the MCs. Heart For Refugees works to pool knowledge and create opportunities for leaders to share when they need help and what they’ve learned. If one refugee family is looking for a dentist, it’s likely that someone has already found a dentist that accepts their specific insurance provider and is passionate about helping Afghan refugees.

The reality of life for Afghan refugees is that they have nothing here. And while they have survived the escape from their home country, they are in a foreign land with almost zero connections or understanding of the language and culture they

This is a tall order, and partnering with a refugee family is not a decision that can be made impulsively. It won’t always look like what you expect, and you will have to learn to offer your time, energy, advice and attention freely without expecting anything in return. But in doing so, you have the opportunity to live in the exact same way that Jesus did. “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

1 www.heartforrefugees.org/our-story

" We have the opportunity to not simply tell but show the love of Jesus"

Sunday in the Life Odenton

Jason

My alarm goes off at 5:15; clothes are set aside, Chapter-A-Day, cup of coffee, prayer and a couple of reps of reading through what I will be sharing during the worship gathering.

Out the door at 6:15, arrive by 6:30 at Arundel High School – there is almost no traffic. Depending on the time of year, the sun is about to show itself for the first time that day, or it is quite dark.

I park far away from the entrance, walk in with the shirt on a hanger I will change into after all the unpacking and

loading up. There are already a few volunteers present breaking down the lunchroom tables and chairs that make this space a cafeteria throughout the weekdays. As early as it is for me, there are volunteers who were at it much earlier getting the two giant trailers from the Annapolis Campus and hauling them here. All told, there is an army of people who contribute to making this mobile campus work.

Brendan

My alarm goes off at 5:00… just a little earlier than Jason… not to brag or anything…

When I show up at the cafeteria, the school custodian is there and has turned on the lights and

unlocked the doors to the rooms we’ll be using that day. I set out the snack box (fruit snacks and poptarts are biggest sellers), some water bottles, and start blasting our Odenton setup playlist to get the energy going.

Jason

The pace as I arrive is not an indicator of the time it is in the morning. We have a job to get done and there is a rush of excitement, camaraderie and drive. Plus there is a huge purpose behind what we are doing.

I help finish tear down tables, meet with the custodian on duty from the school, greet those who are dedicated to being there at the morning’s earliest and

we move our efforts from the cafeteria to the trailers parked in front of the space. We unload the fuzzy cases, chairs, sound equipment, Children’s Ministry, lobby, and heavy materials all carefully packed and placed by people who are gifted at organizing. One particularly difficult piece to wheel out and up the ramp is the Pipe and Drape case; it is long and hard to make the turn up the ramp. Many hands are helping this process. Two of the guys live in the neighborhood next to the school, they walk over and help.

Unloading the trailers transitions into cases being unpacked. I start with the Children’s Ministry space. Check-in station, chairs, tables, Large Group space,

5:45 AM

Trailers leave Annapolis Campus

AM 8:00 AM

Brendan arrives at Arundel HS and meets with custodian on duty

Start table tear down

AM 8:30 AM 7:30 AM

Jason arrives and helps with the three remaining tables

Sean sets up signs and flags to help people find campus entrance

Setup team arrives Alex makes lobby pretty

7:45 AM

Band and Production teams arrive

Hospitality Coordinator arrives and makes coffee

Team finishes setup with chairs

Gathering run-through

Brendan reaches his step goal for the day

BYJASON B ARTHELEMY ODENTON CAMPUS PASTOR

& BRENDA N COTHRAN

ODENTON CAMPUS WORSHIP LEADER

Nursery. Praying for the volunteers and students.

While I am focused on the things I know how to do, there are several different parts of the gathering space, lobby and outdoor signage that are coming together. Cables are being run, curtains are installed, and wayfinding signs are being set up around the high school campus.

Brendan

At this point I’m usually helping on the stageteam setting up speakers, projector screen, lighting, and anything for the band up front. Though I’m responsible for managing the schedule of our setup

teams, at this point in the process I’m just a team member following the lead of one of our setup leads who knows the ropes FAR better than I do. The team moves quickly and efficiently, but somehow there’s always time for some good-spirited sarcasm and dad-jokes. This team likes to laugh.

One thing that is true of our setup team at Odenton is that they are without question, top-notch. God has really blessed us with the people he has brought.

During this time, our production coordinator Ryan Scheerer and the booth-team are in the

back diligently working to get the sound board, broadcast, switcher and lighting computer setup and checked to be ready for our run-through.

Jason

It is clear that this space is no longer the same cafeteria that we first walked into. One of the last things to be set up are the chairs.

We do a run-through to be ready for the morning with transitions, music, cues, etc. We are looking to see if the broadcast signal is strong so we can display the sermon from the Annapolis Campus and we are anticipating

another great Sunday of worship with those who call the Odenton Campus their church home. The smell of coffee is filling the lobby.

Brendan

At 7:30, we have a quick line-check with our audio engineer to make sure all the mics and instrument connections are working, and at 7:45 the band arrives and we get set for our 8:00 service runthrough with Jason and anyone else involved in the gathering.

Jason

After our run-through, we circle up and pray together

for the morning. This is essential as we are able to pause for a moment and recognize what is before us. We pray for our church family, for those who might visit for the first time, for our Children's’ Ministry volunteers.

Brendan

Besides our gathering, this is truly my favorite part of the morning. Odenton is a praying campus. That’s true of our staff and of our volunteer team. Many voices are lifted in prayer and after we’re finished, our resident hype-woman Alex Williams brings everybody in for an allhands-in break.

Jason

Other volunteers start to arrive. Those who will be serving our children and families are meeting with

our Children’s Ministry Coordinator, Sarah. Those who will be greeting and connecting are meeting up with Alex Williams. She is encouraging each of them. They are praying for the morning. They are ready for those who regularly attend the Odenton Campus as well as anyone who might be visiting for the first time.

Before we know it the gathering is starting, seats are filling up, and worship is beginning. You can hear people responding, people singing, it’s infectious.

Brendan

Just have to jump in and shout out our incredible Odenton worship team here. The amazingly talented Ryan Scheerer is leading our production team in the back and I get the privilege of leading the

band. Every member of our worship-team (band & production) is generous, gifted and adaptable. Did I already say we are blessed?

Jason

After our gathering, people are lingering. It’s not because we hope that they will do that, it is just because it is who we are. People want to talk, to share, to catch up.

We start the process of packing up and putting things away and there are other hands helping out. Some of them are smaller hands. Chairs are being stacked, cases are being recovered to their trailer storage form. People are reaching their step goals if they haven’t already.

The final thing we do as a team is pray together once the trailers are loaded and

locked up, giving thanks for protection and the work God did in the hearts of everyone present.

Why do we do this every Sunday morning? Because we are committed to making passionate, maturing followers of Jesus in the surrounding community.

Jesus is the hero of the morning! Without Him, this would just be an interesting way to burn calories. Because of the transformation through the Gospel, the power of prayer, the growth found in community, passionate worship, and people using their gifts to serve the church, we are seeing growth and we are excited to do it again when the alarm goes off on Sunday morning.

Children’s Ministry & Ambassadors arrive and pray

Jason checks (again) to make sure broadcast from Annapolis is working

Gathering starts

"One thing that is true of our setup team at Odenton is that they are without question, top-notch. God has really blessed us with the people he has brought."

eet Kevin. In 1985 he became a founding partner in an automotive franchise business. For almost 40 years he has ridden the ups and downs of the world of business. Through plenty and lean seasons, through expansion and decline, through hiring and firing, what has enabled him to stay the course all these years?

Meet Aiden. A student at Severn high school, he felt the Lord’s nudge to be bold about his faith in Christ during his senior year. What has helped him to walk through ridicule and rejection to make Jesus known?

Meet Robin. In December of 2021, she was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Despite being a non-smoker, suddenly and unexpectedly she and her husband, Todd, faced a dark and windy storm. What has been their anchor?

Kevin, Aiden and Robin all have something in common: Great Faith.

Great Faith is one of our church’s core values. One of the most important discoveries in life is learning to walk by faith. Everything God demands of us can be summed up in the single word, faith. It is faith that pleases Him.

Many a soul has sincere faith. Many believe deeply. Yet if faith is placed in the wrong object, the end is disaster. The object of our faith is the Lord and His promises.

Biblical faith is faith in God and His promises.

Throughout the gospels, Jesus commends great faith and rebukes little faith. Little Faith wavers and struggles. It is a restless and double minded. Little faith says, “I know God can, but I don’t know if He will.” It staggers between trusting and doubting.

Great faith says “God said it. I believe it. That settles

it.” Great faith holds on to the promises of God with confidence. Great faith is a persevering faith. Here is my definition of faith:

Faith is the confident conviction that God is who He says He is and will do what He has promised.

The greater our confidence in who God is and what He has promised, the greater our faith. The less our conviction about who God is and His promises, the smaller our faith.

So, what is the key to great faith? I’ve thought about this for a long time and the conviction I’ve come to is found in Matthew 14. While the disciples are straining at the oars battling rising waves and a head wind, Jesus approaches walking on the water. Peter cries out, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” With a single word, Jesus replies, “Come!” In faith, Peter gets out of the

boat and supernaturally begins to walk on water. What a powerful example of walking by faith and doing the impossible. Then suddenly everything changes.

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”  Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:30-31)

Peter began to sink the moment he took his eyes off Jesus. Thus, the lesson: When we keep our eyes on Jesus, we can do everything He asks us to do. When we take our eyes off of Jesus and put them on our circumstances, our faith falters.

Here is the greatest lesson about faith that I have learned: The key to faith is focus! Everything hinges on what we focus on. If we focus is on God and His Word, we can do anything He asks us to do. Nothing is impossible for Him. If we focus on our circumstances, we will sink and be tossed and driven by the waves of life.

To help me remember that the key to faith is focus, a copy of Gustave Brion’s painting, Jesus and Peter on the Water, hangs in my study.

Brion shows Peter sinking into the waters of the Sea of Galilee because he set his eyes on the waves. Yet the hand of Jesus reaches out as Peter desperately turns back to his Savior. Great faith focuses on Jesus regardless of the storms of life.

For Kevin, great faith means daily calling upon the Lord for wisdom and guidance. It means leading a weekly prayer time for employees who want to pray. It means sharing the gospel with people at work and seeing many come to faith. In his own words, “Bay Area has been a blessing beyond my wildest dreams. The relationships that God put in my life have kept me walking out my faith in the most difficult times. Our church has helped me grow in faith!”

For Aiden, great faith means stepping out to start a bible study on campus. Today, about 20 students attend. It means carrying his bible to class in what he refers to as “the billboard ministry.” Carrying his bible leads to all kinds of conversations. And it means taking a knee on the tennis court to pray before every match. In Aiden’s own words, “Because of His guidance, I’ve seen amazing works in the hearts of students, and I’m looking forward to what God has planned as I finish out my senior year.”

For Robin, great faith is trusting God completely, whether His plan is to heal her on earth or in heaven. It means relying on Him

through chemo, radiation, and various surgeries. It means using her time on earth to boldly share her faith in Jesus with unbelievers and helping believers draw closer to Him. In her own words, “From the beginning of this journey God has taught me to keep my eyes fixed on Him. He reminds me constantly that I need to avoid the distractions of this world and just focus on Him, not looking to the right or the left. Just straight at Him.”

The key to faith is focus. When we focus on God and His Word, our faith becomes greater. And great faith in a great God accomplishes great things

God has called us as a church to be a people of great faith who focus on God regardless of the circumstances around us, the feelings inside us, and the consequences ahead of us.

In the words of Anna Hamilton:

Faith is the grasping of Almighty power; The hand of man laid on the arm of God; The grand and blessed hour in which things impossible to me

Become possible, O Lord, through Thee.

Jesus And Peter On The Water (Jesus Et Pierre Sur Les Eaux), Gustave Brion, 1863

Siblingship,

marriage,

Siblingship

ave you ever noticed that the story of humanity starts and finishes with a wedding?

In Genesis 2:24, God brings Eve to Adam and He calls them husband and wife. In Revelation 19:6 we read, “the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.”

The true church is the bride of Jesus. These two weddings have significant implications for our life on earth and our life in eternity. We are about to see that as powerful and profound as marriage is on earth, there is another human relationship that is even more fundamental for followers of Jesus and that is siblingship.

From the Garden of Eden and until the fulfillment of God’s plan, marriage and family are foundational structures for society.

BY JE F F SUPP EXECUTIVE PASTOR

Consider that the only appropriate expression of sexual intimacy is found within marriage (Hebrew 13:4) and therefore, procreation was designed to be the fruit of marriage. No marriage, no babies! Yes, God forgives and even redeems

inappropriate unions that result in children. These precious children are blessings and used by God in great ways. This is the amazing grace of God! The Bible, sociology and human experience all tell us that a loving and healthy marriage is the foundation for a healthy and thriving family and that such families are the foundation for a healthy society.

not

Now this is no surprise, is it?

The closer any society lives according to God’s original design the more that society will experience the blessings of God. It is that simple. And yet with the fall of Adam and Even in the garden (Genesis 3) marriages and families have been plagued with the challenges that sin inevitably brings. Just look around and you will see our own society moving further and further away from God’s design as a result of sin. The consequences are seen most powerfully in the breakdown of the family and in the confusion and distress of our children.

Well, that sounds rather hopeless! But wait, there is not only hope for YOUR marriage, but God has a mission for your marriage that brings hope to the watching world. Consider this; if you and your spouse are both disciples of Jesus, then you have the Holy Spirit within you, making you more like Jesus. And He is empowering you to love one another, live out the godly design for marriage and impact all the people the Lord has placed around you. Marriage has never been just about companionship, partnership and procreation. There has always been a godly mission.

Mission #1: Model a godly and thriving marriage for your children.

A thriving marriage is the greatest gift you can ever give your children, other than introducing them to faith in Jesus. I know that may be a scary thought and mildly overwhelming but what a privilege it is to show them the love, sacrifice, intimacy, joy and purpose that God has for us in a Christian marriage.

Mission #2: Tell the love story of Jesus and the church by how you love, serve and sacrifice for one another.

The most extensive chapter in the New Testament on marriage, Ephesians 5, is actually all about Jesus and his bride, the church. As husbands and wives fulfill their roles and live according to God’s design, both flourish in the marriage and point people to Jesus. Pause just for a moment to really think about that. God is giving every Christian couple the joy of experiencing their own love story and telling His love story. How can this become reality, you ask? Pursue your personal relationship with

Jesus individually and as a couple. As you do, the Spirit makes you more like Jesus (He would be the best husband or wife), and He fuels things like love, patience, kindness, forgiveness, othercenteredness, sacrifice and other attributes that make for a thriving marriage and well told love story.

Mission #3: Bless others.

Use your relationship, home, abilities and combined gifts to bless others. Who has God put around you? Your kid’s friends, neighbors, single adults, or people in the community, etc.

Your home could be a place of peace, joy, encouragement and so much more. You could bless neighbors by meeting needs, building a friendship, or watching their kids so they can date. Think about single adults whose families are not in the area or are not followers of Jesus, and what a blessing it would be to them if you included them in your family activities, invited them to dinner, and simply built a friendship.

Become a power couple… live out the missions of Jesus together!

o, if marriage is the foundational structure for society, is it for the church too? We see marriage used as a metaphor for the church, with Jesus as the groom and the church, the bride. And one of the great climactic moments in the future is the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6). If the believers in Jesus are part of the bride of Jesus, where does that leave our earthly spouse? Well, I know you might have said something like, “I will love you forever,” on your wedding day and you will in fact love each other for eternity but it won’t be as husband and wife. What!? Yep. In the new age there is no marriage. Check it out in Luke

20:27. Why? Well, because we are part of the church, His people and all together we are the bride of Jesus.

Therefore, I suggest that the more fundamental human relationship in the church and for eternity is spiritual siblings. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. Through faith in Jesus, we all become children of God, and if children, then siblings (Romans 8:14-17, 8:28-29; Galatians 4:4-7; Hebrews 2:11; 1 John 3:1-2).

The implications are rather significant. You are married to your sibling! Let that sink in for a moment. And everyone, everywhere in the world, who has faith in Jesus is a sister or brother. We are a family both in this world and for eternity. We may have conflict and struggle with spiritual siblings just as with biological ones but we also have the joy and blessing of having a great number of siblings that we are called to love and be loved by. Jesus provides an attribute by which the world could identify His disciples: love for one another (John 13:35). So as we cultivate siblingship with one another through selfless acts and sacrifice, mutual support and accountability, we find that our darkest moments aren’t so dark and our most joyous are all the more joy-filled. We receive and experience blessings from God, the family is built up, individual lives are transformed, and the world watches in amazement.

As men invest in relationships with one another, and women with women, couples with singles, couples with couples,

older with younger, and in ways that are appropriate, men with women, no sibling is left alone to feel unloved or estranged from the family unless by their own doing. Most of the New Testament commands regarding how to relate to one another are in this sibling context. Consider the many “one another’s” of the New Testament. These are commands that reveal how we as siblings are to act toward one another. Love, forgive, serve, be devoted to, build up, accept, admonish, encourage, bear burdens, be kind, bear with, comfort, seek good, pray for, and be hospitable towards. Even the great love passage, 1 Corinthians 13, often read at weddings, is not about marriage. Yes, it is a love longed for in marriage but it is actually a love to be cultivated and shared among spiritual siblings.

The nuclear family is foundational, but the spiritual family transcends genetics and is formed by something far more powerful, the love of God in Christ Jesus. Let us pursue our siblings and experience what we all naturally long for, the love of a family, the love of God.

And one final thought for married couples. All those “one another” passages I referred to apply to your marriage. You are brother and sister in a special relationship called marriage. Cultivate the one another’s in this amazing brother/sister, husband/wife relationship and you will experience God’s best and you will bless all those you touch with your life.

"Yep. In the new age there is no marriage."

"We also have the joy and blessing of having a great number of siblings that we are called to love and be loved by."

THE LINK BETWEEN FAITH AND OBEDIENCE

arlier in this issue Greg shared that the key to faith is focusing on God and His word. When we do this, our faith grows, and God accomplishes much of His mission to advance the gospel through us. In this article I want to zoom in a little closer on what happens between the having faith in God and seeing Him show up: our obedience.

We know from the great writers of the Bible like John and Paul that God calls us to a whole life of faith – not just a moment. As followers of Jesus, we live and walk by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). The momentary, daily actions of faith are called obedience. But obedience for followers of Jesus arises from our living union with Him. His death made obedience possible because only Jesus has the power to deliver us from the power of sin. And we know from Paul in Philippians 1:6 that Christ’s work in us will come to completion, and we will see full deliverance from sin and brokenness in heaven one day. But, as the beginning of the verse says, the completed work of heaven starts now. The obedience of faith is choosing to trust God – it’s the “walking the walk” part.

This obedience of faith can look like letting go of something we are holding on too tightly to, or choosing to believe God has a good plan even when everything around you seems very bad. For Carla, a member of our Bay Area family in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the obedience of faith looked like offering to pray for people she was prepping for surgery.

Carla works in pre-op getting patients ready for surgery.

Up until about a year ago, patients couldn’t have people back with them for any kind of surgery. During COVID they had taken a break from elective surgeries and so anyone who came back for her to prep was having emergency surgery, and they were all alone. In her own words, she “started to develop compassion for these people.”

In early 2020 one woman came in for a port placement (the entry point for chemo treatment and other medication related to cancer treatment) and Carla realized the two had a connection through Bay Area. After she left pre-op, Carla thought to herself, “gosh, we should have prayed for her!”

She shared with her Missional Community (MC) that she felt prompted to do something but didn’t know how to get started. Someone said, “why don’t you just say you will pray for them during their surgery?” Then another thing happened when she was feeling the nudge. A friend posted on social media that she had an emergency eye surgery and the ER nurse offered to pray with her. That was it, she knew she had to be obedient.

So, she had this guy come in for brain surgery and was determined to let him know she would be praying for him but every time she would go in the room to do so, someone else would come in. She offered to take him to his MRI, and finally told him there in the elevator that she would pray for him during his surgery.

Later in the day, she is walking down the hall and hears a voice call out that says, “Hey Carla, your prayer

worked! I’m still here!” She felt in that moment that God was saying, “I’m with you –you can do this!”

So Carla started asking more people if she could pray for them as they entered surgery alone. One of the first days on this new mission, she asked this woman who grabbed her hand and started crying in gratitude, and some fear of the unknown. No one said no, everyone said yes. Soon, friends would start texting her saying things like, “my 80-year-old mom is alone in the emergency room; can you go pray with her?”

Thinking back to her decision to be obedient to God’s

that listens to what God is calling you to and chooses to act despite little information on how it will turn out. Anyone could have come in and been offended by Carla’s question, said “absolutely not, don’t do that,” or went so far as asking for another nurse. And maybe someday that might happen! But that shouldn't determine whether or not it’s worth obeying God when he calls. Plus, what if God does the opposite of what you expect?

Check this out. During Covid, someone in Carla’s MC texted her and said her friend was in the hospital and would love to have someone pray with her. So Carla went by her room after she finished working, the two chatted a little, and then she prayed with her before leaving. As she was about to leave, the woman’s nurse (who Carla knew through the hospital’s new grad mentorship program) came in and heard the patient say, “Thanks for coming by and thank you so much for the prayer!” The nurse smiled and said something like, “I’m so glad our paths crossed…”

What I’m getting at here is this: Genuine faith can only be demonstrated by obedient action. Anyone can say they have faith, but you will only know that they live by faith when they act in obedience to God no matter where He leads them. As Greg says, the key to faith is focus. Focus is learned through steps of obedience. You can’t trust in God’s promises if you don’t know what they are, so you need to read God’s word so your faith is focused on the right thing.

Another way we can make sure we are focusing on the right thing and being obedient is in God’s confirmation through our community. We see this in Carla’s story, where she gained the courage to step out in obedience from her MC. The piece of advice she gave when I asked was literally that. She said, “if you’re feeling nervous about doing something, share with your MC or your friends and see what they say.” (We are Better Together, you know)

nudging, Carla said she is so glad she took that little step. She shared that it never stopped feeling awkward, but continued anyway with confidence that she was supposed to be doing this. Another time, she was prepping her friend’s sisterin-law (this patient was not a believer) who was super anxious. Carla offered to pray for her, and the patient grabbed her hand and got teary eyed, and said, “do you do this for all of your patients?” Carla said it was kind of a convicting question!

What Carla is showing here is Great Faith. The kind of faith

Fast forward about a year, and the nurse came in for surgery and was Carla’s patient. As she was admitting her, they realized they shared the same birthday and decided they should get together for coffee on their birthday. “We had a lot to talk about,” Carla said, “and the second time we got together, I was able to share my testimony and the gospel with her.” And they have plans to get together again!

“But that was all God,” she said, “and it started because I told my MC that I felt like I should pray with my patients, and they prayed for me and even prompted me to do it. That’s how God works!”

This is the kind of faith that the writer of Hebrews meant when he said, “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  Whether it’s taking small steps or big steps, any step of faith is a step toward the life God wants for us – the life He has promised for us. The key to faith is focusing on God’s word and promises. But the key to obedience is trusting that God will make good on His promises. Every single one.

" Genuine faith can only be demonstrated by obedient action."

BYAARO N HIXSON TEACHING PASTOR

How are sermon series selected?

It probably doesn’t surprise you that the process of selecting sermon series for our church family is a little more complicated than it might initially appear . Inevitably, it’s a delicate balance between values and priorities which don’t always play nicely together.

and a commitment to putting God’s Word front and center in all of our sermons to produce a yearly preaching calendar that (we pray) reflects wisdom, flexibility and balance.

Alright, enough theory. What’s coming?!

What Series have been selected?

Why did we pick those series?

ESTHER

A PLANNING PREACHER’S PARADISE: OF

For instance, we’re always working to discern (most importantly), what has the Lord laid on the hearts of the leaders of our church that would serve our church family in THIS particular moment? That’s obviously the first and most urgent priority.

WHAT WE’RE PREACHING IN THE

SUMMER 2023

lists, and my spreadsheets have spreadsheets. There’s little I love more than making, shaping and outlining a good plan for the future.

invites, calendar invites with geo-tagged locations, and (finally) the best friend of all planners everywhere (their pièce de resistance): the SPREADSHEET.

If you can’t tell…. I’m one of those planners. My lists have

So if you’re like me (or even if you’re not, you made it this far, so you might as well stick with me), you’ll be excited to know that what follows is an in-depth look behind the scenes for what’s coming on the Preaching Calendar for Bay Area Community Church in the Summer Months of 2023.

QUESTIONS ARE

1. How are sermon series selected?

2. What series have been selected?

3. Why did we pick those series?

However, we are also asking, where have we been (in our preaching) over the last year? Are there any gaps or imbalances that should be “leveled out” by an upcoming series?

But then there’s also that pesky little thing called reality that we have to deal with: Which pastor is traveling when? Which voice is the right one for this message? Are they available that Sunday?

As you can see, once you’ve calibrated for the season of ministry we’re in, the logistics of people’s schedules and the Lord’s leading (and many other factors), this starts to get complex!

Thankfully, we use a blending of Sermon Brainstorm Meetings (where different folks from across our leadership and staff suggest series ideas or books of the Bible to cover), personal burdens from our Leadership

The Creative-Comms Team is going to get their hands on these sermon titles, don’t worry. By the time you hear them for real they’ll be much cooler than I could’ve made them.

Mid-May-June:

A SERIES ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER

We’ll walk through the story of Esther, highlighting the improbable and incredible nature of God’s silent work in the background as he rescues his people from certain death. If you’re not familiar with the story, then get ready for a roller coaster! It’s wild!

July-Early August: A SERIES ON THE QUESTIONS JESUS ASKED

Have you ever noticed how many questions Jesus asks in the Gospels? He seems to do more questioning than answering! Why is that?

What do those questions mean for us today?

This doesn’t cover everything we’ll preach from MayAugust, but these are the main “chunks” of time.

We selected this series for a few reasons. First, it will bring us to the Old Testament for the first time in 2023 – we don’t want to forget about 2/3 of the Bible! Also, this book is a narrative and that’s a nice contrast to the didactic letter of 1 Peter. Thirdly, it centers on a woman as the primary character in the story –women have always been a massive part of God’s work in the world, and we want to highlight that. I’ll do the majority of the teaching in this series.

THE QUESTIONS OF JESUS

As always, there’s a number of reasons this series was picked. First, it lands us in the Gospels (for the first time in a few years). Secondly, this series was suggested at a Sermon Brainstorming Meeting, and the people present mentioned that they’d be intrigued to know more. Third, since this series will mostly be preached by pastors other than me and Greg, it allows them some degree of freedom to pick passages that resonate with them (always helpful as a speaker).    So there ya go – if you’re a planner, then mark it down. If you’re not… mark it down anyway, you could probably use the reminder! Can’t wait to learn and grow with you this Summer at Bay Area!

"What has the Lord laid on the hearts of the leaders of our church that would serve our church family in this particular moment?"

BEYOND GOING

BYSHAW N HART GLOBAL MISSIONS PASTOR

s a church we spend the entire month of February deepening our understanding of God’s heart for the nations and considering what role He would have us play in the mission. We spent a lot of time talking about various short-term mission team options for you to consider joining this year. There is still time to join some of our teams, so I encourage you to visit our website (bayareacc.org/stm), and pray and consider if there is a team you might

Prayer

consider joining. As we continue in our journey of following Jesus, joining a short-term mission team is a great step of faith to take.

However, it is not the only step you can take. So what else can you do to be more involved in Global Missions beyond going? Let me give you some next steps with short-term missions specifically, as well as some next steps in Global Missions generally.

Barnabas Teams

Named after Paul’s companion and encourager, Barnabas teams are groups of people who stand with our Global Partners in prayer and encouragement as the church’s representatives. Barnabas Teams are made up of Bay Area Ministry Partners and regular attenders who are committed to praying for our Global Partners, to seek to know their needs, to offer help and support. The goal is to enable the missionary to serve wholeheartedly, knowing that, although physically distant, they are not alone in their

ministry. Barnabas teams are one of the best ways to get more intimately connected to a Global Partner. Although there is a separate Barnabas team for each Global Partner, not all Global Partners will have a Barnabas team due to various factors.

For more information about Barnabas teams or to learn about joining a team, get in touch with Alissa Brandon by emailing alissa.brandon@bayareacc.org.

On the Ground Support

There are many opportunities to help support the Global Missions efforts at Bay Area when particular needs arise throughout the year.  Some of these opportunities are:

+ Hosting Global Partners

+ Loaning a vehicle when a Global Partner visits

+ Airport transport for short-term mission teams and global partners

+ SOULS Conference Support

+ Helping our Short-Term Coordinator with various tasks through the year

If you want to be added to the list of people who the Global Missions department reaches out to as opportunities to serve arise, email Alissa Brandon at alissa.brandon@bayareacc.org.

Giving

If you want to pray for Bay Area Global Partners then you should consider joining our global missions prayer team.

When: Every 2nd and 4th Sunday from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.

Where: Prayer Room

Email Joan Stefun (joanstefun@gmail.com) with any questions about this group. I also encourage you to reach out to Joan to get on the email list to get updated prayer requests from our Global Partners and other prayer opportunities.

Learn

Whether it is individuals raising support on a short-term team, or Global Partners needing funds for projects, there is no shortage of needs in global missions. If God is calling you to partner in Global Missions financially, would suggest two next steps:

1. Ask around your community and see if anyone you are connected to is raising

support for a short-term mission team. If so, consider how you might partner with them financially.

2. Contact me (Shawn) about your desire to partner with our Global Partners financially and I can share some of the priorities around the globe. Email: shawn.hart@bayareacc.org

I would strongly encourage you to invest your time in learning more about Global Missions by going through the Perspectives course. Perspectives is an inspiring, comprehensive study course that is rooted in the Scriptures. It is a 16-week multifaceted learning experience that looks at the Biblical perspective, historical perspective, cultural perspective and strategic perspective of the world Christian movement. As followers of Jesus, we want to continue

to cultivate a heart for the nations. We do this because in the narrative of scripture we encounter God’s heart bursting with passion for the nations. We want our hearts to be consumed with what God’s heart is consumed with. Perspectives is a great way to do this. There is no course or Bible study like it, and I cannot suggest it enough. Email Alissa Brandon at alissa.brandon@bayareacc.org for more info.

Regardless of where you are in considering whether you can, or should, join a short-term mission team, I hope you have learned that there are many ways you can still be involved in Bay Area’s mission to make passionate, maturing followers of Jesus from here to the nations.

HAPPENINGS

Monday, July 17 - Wednesday, July 19 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Join us for year two of Kid's Con Monday, July 17 - Wednesday, July 19 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for kids who have completed Kindergarten through completed 5th grade. This year's theme is "God is with us in every season." To get you excited for this year, let's celebrate what last year brought us:

60 50 150 5 $250 kids accepted Christ leaders served elementary kids attended uniquely themed rooms tithe given for a child in Belize to go to school

For more information and to register your kid today, head to bayareacc.org/kidscon

First Step

May 7, June 4, July 2 9 a.m. in Room 237

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

If you are new or looking to get connected at Bay Area, join us for First Step. You’ll get a chance to learn about our mission, vision and how to get connected. Find more details and sign up on our website at bayareacc.org/nextsteps.

April 16, May 21, June 25, 10:45 a.m. in Teacher’s Lounge at Arundel High School

ODENTON CAMPUS

Join us in the Arundel High School Teacher's Lounge to hear more about who we are as a Church and find out how you can be more connected.

Ministry Partner Orientation

April 23, 9 a.m. in Room 237

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

Serve 101

Tuesdays May 16 + 23, 7 - 9 p.m. in Room 237

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

Learn how God wired you to serve in His Kingdom, then take next steps to use your gifts here at Bay Area. This class includes two in-person meetings with online learning in between. Perfect for a missional community, couple or group of friends to do together. Register online.

CARE NETWORK MARRIAGE MINISTRY

Meal Train Ministry

A new initiative of the Care Network to provide relief from meal preparation after coming home with a new baby, recovering from a medical procedure, caring for a loved one, or other unforeseen circumstances. If you or someone you know would like to request a meal train, or you would like to serve in providing meals, head to our website to learn more and sign up: bayareacc.org/carenetwork#Meal

Care Coaching

If you are walking through a challenging season of life and would like someone to come alongside you, consider reaching out to a Care Coach to walk with you for a season. To learn more, email Kammi McGinty. kammi.mcginty@bayreacc.org

If you have walked through a significant trial and feel God’s calling to comfort another experiencing similar suffering, please contact me to discuss how we can get you plugged in to serve in the Care Network.  kammi.mcginty@bayareacc.org

Couples Date Night

Friday, May 19 from 7-9 p.m. in the BASM Warehouse

ALL CAMPUSES

Put on your cowboy boots and join us for an action-packed Couples Date Night as the rodeo comes to Annapolis. Competitions for mechanical bull riding, barrel racing, a lasso challenge and husband challenge are just a few of the activities for the evening. Registration coming soon - stayed tuned to bayareacc.org/marriage

Couples Class: Roles in Marriage

Coming in early June!

ALL CAMPUSES

If your appetite was wetted by Pastor Aaron with his sermon from 1 Peter, join Pastor Jeff Supp as he provides further biblical insight into the roles of men and women in marriage. Stay tuned to bayareacc.org/marriage.

WOMEN'S MINISTRY

Spring Conference: She Who Believes

Saturday, May 6 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

We will hear from Keynote Speaker Jamie Adele Wood as she discusses overcoming the barriers of silence and sacrifice to understand God’s truth and calling in our lives. Registration closes April 30. Find out more and register at bayareacc.org/women

Bible Studies

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

Check out our ongoing and upcoming opportunities for our Women’s Bible Studies at bayareacc.org/womenbiblestudies. Registration will open soon for our upcoming summer studies starting in June!

Stitch ‘n’ Chat

Thursday, April 27 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. in Arnold, MD

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

Thursday, May 25 from 6:45-8:30 p.m.

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

Do you crochet, knit, embroider, cross stitch or enjoy another similar craft? Or have you wanted to try and need help getting started? Bring your stitchy craft and join us for fellowship, a devotion and some stitchy fun. Register at bayareacc.org/women

Summer Craft Night

Thursday, May 18, 7-9 p.m.

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

Enjoy an evening of fellowship as we make a fun and easy summer craft! Great for hanging in your entryway or on your front door! More information and registration can be found at bayareacc.org/women

WOMEN'S MINISTRY

Paddleboarding

June 16, July 28, August 18, 6-7 p.m.

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

Come enjoy a peaceful paddle and great fellowship! Find out more information and register via our new interactive events calendar at bayareacc.org/women

Book Clubs

A Distant Shore by Karen

Kinsbury

Thursday, April 27 from 7-9 p.m. in the BASM Warehouse Attic

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

Believe For It: Passing on Faith to the Next Generation by Cece

Winans

Monday, May 8 from 12-1 p.m. in Room 194

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

Learn more and register for either study at bayareacc.org/women.

MEN'S MINISTRY

Men's Breakfast

Third Saturdays, 8-9:30 a.m.

ALL CAMPUSES

Join the men’s ministry every 3rd Saturday of the month for breakfast in the Student Ministry warehouse and café. To find out more or register you can go to bayareacc.org/annapolis-events.

Men's 1-on-1 Mentoring

Developing 1-on-1 relationships to help encourage men as they grow in their journey with Jesus. We seek to apply biblical principles to everyday life situations, encourage growth in prayer life, Bible reading/study, and pursuit of community with other believers. Learn more and register at bayareacc.org/men

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Preschool Playdate

Tuesday, April 25 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Annapolis Campus

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

We will have crafts and fun for preschoolers and parents. This is a great opportunity to meet other families! Parents and their nursery aged kids are also welcome! Light snacks will be provided. Register at bayareacc.org/annapolis-events.

Family Game Night

Friday, May 12 from 6-8 p.m.

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

Pizza and drinks will be provided. We will have a variety of games, but feel free to bring your own, too. All families with Children's Ministry aged kids are welcome. Register at bayareacc.org/annapolis-events.

Kids Con

July 17-19 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Annapolis Campus

ALL CAMPUSES

We're inviting completed kindergartners through completed fifth graders to join us as we learn about Jesus through fun games, snacks, and so much more! Learn more and register at bayareacc.org/ kidscon.

Pursuing the Heart Workshop

Saturday, April 22 from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

ALL CAMPUSES

This is a unique opportunity to really learn how to make disciples like Jesus did. During this workshop you will learn about biblical heart transformation, how Jesus pursued the hearts of others with his whole heart, and a simple skill to pursue the hearts of others with plenty of time to practice with others. Register at bayareacc.org/annapolis-events.

Spring Evangelism Workshop

April 30, May 7, 14 from 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

ALL CAMPUSES

At this workshop you will learn the true joy and practical tools of effective (and natural) evangelism. This is a place to see the comfort scripture brings to our fears and dispel the myths about practically sharing the joy we have in Christ with your family, neighbors and coworkers. Register at byareacc.org/annapolis-events.

Interested in Leading a Connect Group or MC?

Contact Allen Smith or Mary Anne Mancillas to discuss further at allen.smith@bayareacc.org or maryanne.mancillas@bayareacc.org.

Amplify

Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

ALL CAMPUSES

We will have dinner available for purchase, games and time spent in community groups discussing Sunday's message. The LAST one of the school year will be May 17. If you have questions, email michelle.goodacre@bayareacc.org

Senior Night

Saturday, May 6 from 6-9 p.m.

ALL CAMPUSES

As the year is coming to an end we want to invite our BASM seniors to one final event. This event will be a formal night where we will reflect on your time in BASM as well as vision cast what God has for your future. Dinner will be provided.

Friday Night Hangs

Friday, May 12

ALL CAMPUSES

May 12 will be our last Friday Night Hangs of the school year. Middle & High school students this is a great opportunity to bring a friend and let them see what BASM is all about. Check us out on social media for the times!

BASM Serves Annapolis

Saturday, May 13 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS

Community groups will go around the greater Annapolis area serving people within the community. Registration can be found online.

Open Warehouse

Wednesdays, May 31, June 7, June 14 from 1-4 p.m.

ALL CAMPUSES

The Warehouse will be open to any student already out of school, come hang out with your favorite staff members.

STUDENT MINISTRY

Open BASM Cafe

Wednesdays, June 21 - August 23 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

ALL CAMPUSES

We will have guest baristas, games and community all summer long. Bring your own lunch or purchase lunch like items in the cafe.

Student Leadership 101

June 21, July 6, 13, 20, 27 in the BASM Warehouse

ALL CAMPUSES

Are you interested in growing in your faith? Global Missions Pastor Shawn Hart will be hosting an Apologetics class and Annapolis Campus Pastor Brian Hopper will be hosting a biblical leadership. Check out our social media for more information on how to attend any of these classes.

More events and information can be found on our websites: bayareacc.org/odenton-students bayareacc.org/annapolis-students

ODENTON GENERAL

Cinco de Mayo Dinner party

Friday, May 5 at the Annapolis Campus

ODENTON CAMPUS

Join us for a time of food, fun and fellowship for the whole family.

Cinco de Mayo Fiesta

Friday, May 5, 7-9 p.m. at the Annapolis Campus

ALL CAMPUSES

Join us for a Cinco de Mayo FiestaSurvivor themed! We will have walking tacos and other yummy food and drink, and spend the evening working together to solve puzzles and play games in the theme of the show Survivor. This is a great event to bring a friend to! Learn more and register online.

The BACC Deck

1st and 3rd Fridays, 7 p.m. at the Annapolis Campus

ALL CAMPUSES

If you are between the ages of 25-35, you're invited to join us at the BACC Deck for time of fellowship, hanging out, eating food, playing games, and on 3rd Fridays, worshipping together. Keep up to date with details for each individual event online.

bayareacc.org/youngprofessionals

Editor's Note

Abbie here - Communications Director and Editor of GO&MAKE. Just popping in to say thank you for reading and sharing this magazine. It has always been our hope that GO&MAKE would be a tool to creatively share the gospel and spur one another on in how God is working in our midst.

We tell stories because Jesus told stories. And Jesus told stories to give people a glimpse of the bigger picture they were having a hard time grasping. Jesus told stories that moved people to repent, to sell all they had and follow Him. He told stories that unveiled some of the mysteries of God and revealed the beauty of the gospel.

Any one of us could point to a testimony, a story of coming to faith, that we heard and it changed us a little inside. For some of us, it was a big change - THE change - that led us to run from our former ways and turn to Jesus. Or maybe you were the one sharing your story and someone else decided to follow Jesus because of the transforming power they sensed at work in your story.

What I'm saying is that we wouldn't have any stories to share if not for YOU. And we want to share these stories. How is God working in your life right now? How is he showing up in your communities? With your neighbors? Coworkers? Kids?

However small (or big) you might think your story to be, we want to hear about it.

Send us a few lines, 4-5 sentences, to give us the gist - we'll do all the work of following up and getting a writer - to stories@bayareacc.org.

Hear from you soon, ABBIE H O EKSTRA

DIRECTOR

Hoekstra is the Communications Director at Bay Area Community Church and Editor in Chief of GO&MAKE Magazine.

Abbie