GO&MAKE #88

IN THIS ISSUE

Reluctant Evangelism

Off Limits: How to Approach Hard Topics

Around The Dinner Table at The Holidays From The Nations, To Here Even In Our Suffering

8 10 1412

ABOUT THE COVER

Three years ago, during the height of COVID, our staff prayed about ways that we could create discipleship environments at home within our Bay Area families. This hope sparked the Family Christmas Month Advent boxes. Last year we wanted to grow on this idea by having adults also participate in Advent. Just like chapter a day, we know the power of having your family and friends reading the same scripture passages each day. This year we want to expand on this vision for the entire church body and encourage a spirit of togetherness.

During December we would love to encourage you to reflect on advent collectively with those who you are in community with. Because we know we are better together, we can all learn and grow in our relationship with Jesus as we process the Word together and reflect on the birth of our Savior. Flip to the next page to join in!

EDITOR

Abbie Hoekstra

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Josh (Burgi) Burgin

PHOTO EDITOR

Arianne Teeple

LEAD DESIGNER

Jake Williams

CONTRIBUTORS

Kristin Collins

Allen Smith

Aaron Hixson

Allison Butterfield

Kammi McGinty

Alissa Brandon

Meredith Thompson

Shawn Hart

Rick Conlee

Jay Schramek

Kevin Rimando

Barry Willhite

Bill Smith

Chris Heacock

Don Wiley

Greg Dixon

Greg St. Cyr

John Taylor

Keith Riniker

Ken Gilmore

Kyle Sponaugle

Peter Godfrey

Ravi Waldon

Rich Heath

Roger Ishii

Ron Dutton

Stu Cooper

Tom Dalpini

Tom Hogan

Warwick Fairfax

BAY AREA LEADERSHIP ELDERS MAGAZINE FINANCIALS

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 of Operations – 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

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

ANNAPOLIS

YTD Giving through 10/31/22: $831,032

YTD Budget through 10/31/22: $1,075,733

Actual vs. Budget: –$244,685

ODENTON

YTD Giving through 10/31/22: $65,255

YTD Budget through 10/31/22: $63,505

Actual vs. Budget: $1,750

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.

Below you’ll find our 24 prompts for this Advent season. Starting December 1, read the passage then reflect on what God is saying to you, ask Him what needs to be questioned, and pray for His eternal peace in your life. When you can, do this with a friend or family member so you can experience Jesus’s love together this Christmas season.

Today, set up your wreath and advent candles. The first week’s candle represents HOPE. Light your first advent candle and read Luke 1:27-28

Reflect on the hope that the Lord is with us, and ask God to fill you with His peace all of the Christmas season. Pray that the Holy Spirit will create opportunities for you to share how the Lord has been with you this Christmas.

Read Luke 1:29-30

Reflect on how you have found favor with the Lord and ask for Him to help you not be afraid of what you might be fearing in life. Pray for God's protection over your life and the gift of discernment when it is needed.

Read Luke 1:31-32

Reflect on the many names of Jesus and ask God how you can glorify Him this season and always. Pray for God’s presence to be evident in your life each day.

The second Sunday in Advent represents PEACE. Light your first two advent candles, and read Matthew 1:20-23

Reflect on how Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice and saved us all from our sins. Ask how you can fulfill what the Lord has called you to do, and pray to accomplish His will through your life.

Read Luke 1:33

Reflect on what it means that His kingdom will have no end. Ask God to reign in your life always, and pray He will always be at the forefront of your heart and mind.

Read Luke 1:34-35

Reflect on the holiness of Jesus, and ask God for strength to live your life with holiness. Pray for the Holy Spirit to come upon you as you live a life working towards honoring the Most High.

Read John 8:12

Reflect on Jesus being the light of the world, and ask Him to continue being the light in your life. Pray that His light will shine through you when others are experiencing darkness.

Read Luke 1:37-38

Reflect on how nothing is impossible with God. Ask God for what seems impossible in your life, and pray for ways you can be a servant to the Lord.

Read Luke 1:46-48

Reflect on if your soul magnifies the Lord, and ask God for your spirit to rejoice in Him. Pray for all generations to continue to learn about Jesus and build a personal relationship with Him.

Read Luke 1:49-50

Reflect on the great things God has done in your life, and ask for His mercies to continue to bless the generations to come. Pray for sweet reminders of the many blessings God has given you in your life.

The third Sunday in Advent represents JOY. Light the first three advent candles, and read Philippians 2:5-11

Reflect on how Jesus took the form of a servant, and ask how you can be more servant hearted. Pray for every tongue to confess that Jesus Christ is our Lord!

Read Luke 1:76-77

Reflect on the forgiveness of your sins, and ask God how you can share this freedom with others. Pray for God to put people in your life to disciple and share the knowledge of salvation this season.

Read Luke 1: 78-79

Reflect on the tender mercies from our God, and ask for His continued peace. Pray for a breakthrough of God’s light in the darkness of our temporary home.

Read Matthew 28:19-20

Reflect on how we are all called to make disciples, and ask for ways to teach others that God is always with them. Pray a prayer of thanksgiving that God is with us always to the end of the age.

Read Psalm 16:11

Reflect on your path of life and ask if you are living the path God has made for you. Pray for the fullness of joy through His presence.

Read Ephesians 5:2

Reflect on how Christ loves us and ask for ways to continue to walk in His love. Pray how your life can be an offering and sacrifice to God.

Read Philippians 2: 1-2

Reflect on how you can be an encouragement to others and ask God for opportunities to comfort and love those in need. Pray to be of the same mind as Jesus in all you do.

The fourth Sunday in Advent represents LOVE. Light the first four advent candles, and read Revelation 21:4

Reflect on what it will be like to have no more mourning, crying, or pain. Ask God how you can patiently wait for this day to come, and pray in celebration for the return of our King.

Read John 15:11

Reflect on the joy that lives inside of you, and ask God to have it shine brightly for others to see. Pray that the words that come out of you will be joyful to others and lead them to Christ.

Read John 15:9

Reflect on how much our heavenly Father loves us, and ask Him how you can continue to abide in His love. Pray for ways to experience His love throughout this Christmas season.

Read Psalm 30:11

Reflect on the ways God has turned mourning into celebration in your life, and ask to continue to be clothed in gladness. Pray that others may experience His miracles in their life, as you have seen Him work in yours.

Read John 13:34

Reflect on the ways you can love others and ask God to help you love others that you are in a difficult relationship with. Pray for restoration and peace in all your past, current, and future relationships.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Reflect on the reasons you had to rejoice in 2022, and ask God for the willpower to pray without casein in 2023. Pray for God’s will in and through your life this coming year.

This final day of advent represents CHRIST. Light all of the advent candles, and read Luke 2:1-11.

Reflect on this advent season. Ask yourself how you have experienced Jesus’ hope, peace, joy and love in 2022. Pray in gratitude to God for sending our greatest gift, Jesus.

LETTER FROM THE LEAD

I love the Christmas season.

Initially it’s because as a kid I loved both the break from school and all the presents. Truth be told, Christmas was more about me than it was about Jesus. Gratefully, with a little maturity and the help of my wife, Mary Kaye, I’ve come to truly celebrate this incredible event in human history: the birth of Jesus.

Christmas is a big deal for followers of Jesus. That is why it is a big deal for us. If you are new to Bay Area, welcome to one of our most celebratory and festive seasons as we focus on the incarnation. If there were just two things I’d want you to know about Bay Area, it is that we are “Jesus people” (by that I mean that we follow Jesus and want to be like Jesus), and that we welcome everyone to be part of our community.

Because we can never plummet the mystery of the birth of the Son of God, we celebrate Advent. The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming.” Advent actually refers to both the first and the second coming. As a church, we’ve just completed a series called, “The King Is Coming.” When He comes in His second Advent, it will be with awesome majesty

From here to the nations, GREG S T. CYR

LEAD PASTOR

and glory. Now our focus is on “The King Has Come.” At His first coming, He came as King in humility and sacrifice to save. At His second coming, He will return as King to reign in glory and to judge. Between His first and second coming, Jesus is still reigning as King. He is the “King in between.” In this in between time, you and I can experience His reign in our life regardless of the heartaches and trials that befall us because His name is Immanuel. Jesus is with us.

If we are transparent, we know that not everyone loves the holidays. For some they represent mourning a loved one, a disrupted stressful schedule for travel, difficult family dynamics, loneliness, and disappointment. If that is you, let me remind you that Jesus is King and He wants to reign in your life. His presence as Immanuel makes all the difference. One of the things that helps you refocus on the King is to enter His presence with others who are celebrating Him. I pray that Bay Area is that kind of place for you this Advent season and beyond.

The King is coming. The King has come. Jesus is the King in between.

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

Reluctant Evangelism

BYALLE N SMITH

olidays are an…interesting time. The season can make you want to share the joy of your faith while also studiously avoiding talks about religion with family members. We all feel stuck on how to bring up the topic of Jesus, but relational boundaries and internal fears can smother even the best of intentions.

I sat down with my friend, Aaron Rosa, a lover of the lost and gifted in evangelism, to discuss how he goes about sharing the gospel during the holidays.

Allen: The Apostle Paul tells us that God has “determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they

should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him” (Acts 17:2627). How does knowing God’s sovereignty in placing you in specific relationships help you share the gospel?

Aaron: The most common description of lostness in the Bible is blindness. Of all the miracles

Jesus performed, the only one that had never been done in the Old Testament was healing the blind–this was a miracle reserved for the Messiah.

As believers, it might be easy for us to see things while others are still groping through life looking for meaning. In an unbelieving family, we are able to take those hands and allow them to “feel” the Jesus they can’t see.

Allen:

How does the nature of lostness as blindness connect with God’s strategic placement of you among the spiritually blind?

Aaron: One of the clearest examples of blindness being healed in the Bible is the Apostle Paul. After being blinded by seeing Jesus, Paul sits in real darkness. Then God sends Ananias. At Ananias’ prayer, the physical and spiritual scales fall from Paul’s eyes, and his life is forever changed.

The thing I love about this story is how reluctant Ananias is to go! He says, “Hey I know who this guy is, I know he's bad. I know his reputation.”

Ananias kept up with the news of how Paul had been persecuting the church. In a lot of ways that's us too. When it comes to our family members, we too keep up with them on Facebook -- some of them have different political viewpoints or annoy us. When God says to us, “Hey, I want you to go and share the gospel with this person,” we react the same way Ananias did.

Paul is disoriented, scared, wondering if his blindness is going to last forever. Then Ananias shows up and is present with Paul. He is also willing to share the gospel with him and pray for him. God did all the heavy lifting and Ananias just showed up and watched God work.

Allen:

Let’s talk about how God did all the heavy lifting. Jesus is clear that it’s the Spirit’s job to convict and convert the lost (John 16:8).

Aaron:

Yeah, we forget God softens hearts to the Gospel. Ananias had no way of knowing about Paul’s encounter with Jesus. Imagine his surprise to see the scourge of Jerusalem huddled and blind in a corner! You don’t know the inward moments where your family member has encountered Jesus, but if you have the conviction to witness, that is a desire equally planted by God. Take courage in that!

Allen: What are some ways we might leverage Christmastime to share the gospel?

Aaron: Christmas brings up a lot of countercultural concepts, like Joy to the World. The idea of joy to the entire world, it's not a message we hear often because it's pretty hopeless today. Most people would think of “judgment to the whole world” or “the world doesn't deserve joy in the first place.” This starts framing out

a conversation with someone in gospel terms.

Allen:

It sounds like you’re using the content of a Christmas carol as a bridge to the gospel.

Aaron:

Yeah. And that's a great thing about Christmas, more so than probably any other time of year, it is socially appropriate to bring up scripture–especially in song. Bring up a question about a carol theme, then look for the answer in scripture together.

Allen: If there was one thing someone could do now to prepare for being with our relatives, what would you recommend?

Aaron:

Most people don’t take into account the importance of praying for our relatives, that they would specifically come to know Christ. George Whitefield prayed, “their names are written in your book, now let them also be written on our hearts.” Pray for those family members to be written on your heart and eagerly look for those opportunities.

If you’d like to get better prepared to share your faith, join us at our next Evangelism Workshop in the early 2023. There Allen Smith and Aaron Rosa will co-equip you with Bay Area’s core evangelism tools. After our most recent training, many said they left feeling encouraged and empowered to follow the Spirit’s lead in sharing their faith. To receive more info about the workshop, email Allen Smith (allen.smith@ bayareacc.org).

"...we forget God softens hearts to the Gospel."

OFF LIMITS

How To Approach Hard Topics Around The Dinner Table At The Holidays

BYAARO N HIXSON

the joys of the holiday season – a costume party here, a “Friends-Giving” there (that’s Millennial for “potluck”) –but the greatest part of every holiday party is that moment when someone has a temporary mental lapse and suddenly the room is plunged into a conversation about one of the topics in the Unholy

Trinity of Polite Conversation -  Politics, Religion or (newly added) Sexuality . You get bonus cringe points if someone finds a way to insightfully point out that, “At the end of the day, sexuality is both a political AND a religious topic..” –they’re not wrong, but this conversation will raise the

national security threat level if we aren’t careful. What do you do now?!

Talking about controversial things can either be terrifying or bonding (yes, it’s a thing) depending on your personality. But no matter what, it doesn’t have to produce sweaty

palms, slamming doors or awkward silences.

In light of the Holy Sexuality series we just finished (speaking of awkward conversations), let’s look at a few principles that might keep your holiday dinner from becoming *that* kind of memorable.

Look, I’m a big proponent of research, conviction and careful thinking. I want people to know what they believe and why they believe it . But I also think it’s vital that we be people of kindness and grace who don’t always

Bible says about sexuality and gender, so I’m clearly not asking you to waver on conviction or empty your brain of facts. But I think the more we can lead with questions like…

• Why do you think that?

• Who has most influenced your thinking?

• Why do you feel so strongly about this?

…You’ll ensure that you actually understand the person who is talking rather than the version of this person’s opinion you heard somewhere else . You’re talking to a person made in the image of God – get curious about their views and why they hold them. You just might find out that their hot take on politics says more about their hurts than it does about their economic policy.

Second: Stay Calm

so hot in here?) and our ears open. Once it’s time to say something that’s not a question, just remember that how you say what you say is as important as what you say

Third: Move On

have to have the last word – in other words, we need to balance grace and truth. (Sound familiar?). How do we do that around a table of (ideally) turkey and (hopefully) zero deviled eggs (gross)?

First: Get Curious

While this might be hard to believe, most people who are wrong are not wrong on purpose . And while this is even harder to believe, you might be the person who is wrong! We spent 6 Sunday mornings talking in great detail about what the

It’s helpful to keep in mind that, while your blood pressure might be rising as this conversation continues (is it my mashed potato habit or the conversation?), there will not be a “winner” crowned at the end of this meal. There is no scoreboard! And since that’s true, our goal should not be “winning” but rather pleasing God and modeling Christlikeness. There is a place for passionate pleas, but when it comes to conversations around the dinner table, the calm person wins . Oops. It’s about winning. But I think you get my point – the Scriptures have lots to say about flashy anger, and it’s not good. So let’s keep our collars cool (why is it always

While I’m not normally one to back down from a good old fashioned battle of the wits (inconceivable!), when we’re being honest, most of us would admit that the dinner table or the dessert buffet (amen) is probably not the best venue to hash out our ideological differences. Try to prioritize understanding the other person, and then inviting them to further conversation at literally any time that is not right now. Try this: “Hm, that’s interesting! I’d love to talk more about this sometime. By the way, who decided that chocolatemint chips would be a good idea for these cookies?!” Sure, that’s another controversial topic, but I don’t know a lot of dinner parties that ended because of somebody’s (righteous) hatred for the combination of mint and chocolate.

Think about it this way: your main message to your family member (friend? Both?) is I want you to know that I love you, more than I want you to think I’m right. You’re essentially saying, you are more important to me than expressing my view.

You > My View. It’s math.

Everyone’s other favorite thing, right alongside family holiday political debates.

Here’s to a holiday season with many lovely gatherings where Jesus and His love shine brighter than that weird smelling candle your great aunt loves so much.

"...our goal should not be 'winning' but rather pleasing God and modeling Christ-likeness."

Kabul, Afghanistan

FROM THE NATIONS, TO HERE

Annapolis, Maryland

BY ALLISON B UTTERFIELD DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCER

n August 15, 2021 the world watched as the Taliban overtook Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, subsequently causing the government to collapse and hundreds of thousands of people to flee the country fearing for their lives. We all remember the heartbreaking footage of

people crowding the tarmacs, clinging to planes in the hopes of escape. Of the roughly 123,000 people who were airlifted out of the country during the evacuations, 76,000 have come to the United States seeking refuge and resettlement.

Putting aside any opinions we may have on these events, as followers of Christ I believe we get to have a unique approach towards welcoming our Afghan brothers and sisters - that in the same way God calls us to the nations, God has now brought the nations to us.

Shara Steele and April Holden, two volunteers for Heart for Refugees, have answered that call. When our Global Missions Pastor Shawn Hart invited them to serve the refugees through the Annapolis food pantry, they were deeply impacted by their time together and the stories that were shared. So many of the families were separated during the evacuations, and there were children, parents and loved ones who were left behind. When asked what prompted the desire to get involved in the efforts surrounding the Afghan refugee community, April quotes Deuteronomy 10:18, “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.” April and Shara both felt compassion and conviction to step out of their comfort zones to be Jesus’ hands and feet to their new Afghan friends.

Whenever we serve those in great need there will always be a level of sacrifice required of us, whether it’s our time or finances or emotional energy.

For April and Shara, some of those sacrifices look like re-prioritizing their days in order to make phone calls for different needs the families have and taking them to medical appointments even when it affects homeschooling schedules and time with their children. There have been feelings of overwhelm, frustration, sadness and inadequacy when employment falls through or health issues arise or language barriers feel impossible to navigate.

And yet amidst the valleys, there have been so many peaks to celebrate. One of which happened this past summer when April hosted the Afghan family they serve at her house. It was a hot day, and despite not having swimsuits or knowing how to swim, everyone ended up sitting around the pool splashing each other and having a blast. Eventually they ended up in the water fully clothed! When reflecting on that afternoon Shara says, “Communication is a challenge, but laughing and playing together bridged that barrier and it was a beautiful thing.” Another time, Shara and her family visited the home of their Afghan friends and got to experience their culture and hospitality. She was told by a family member that when guests come into their home, they view them as “friends of God,” and that’s exactly how they were treated.

This is the heart of God for His people, to be a blessing to others because of the

amazing grace we ourselves have received. When asked what characteristic of God has been revealed most through their time with their Afghan friends, Shara and April share that it is His faithfulness and love. The medical needs for the refugees have been great, but even in the moments of uncertainty in how to help or unavailability to give rides, each time God has provided and been faithful to meet

those needs. “I know I just need to obey, because He will be faithful each time to help me do what He's called me to do,” April shared.

In the same way God calls us to the nations, God has brought the nations to us right here in Anne Arundel County and we have the responsibility and privilege to respond in Christ’s name. It’s the reason Heart for Refugees’ came together: to love on the Afghan refugee community, connect the refugees with volunteers and support those who are helping families. If you’re reading this and feeling ready to take a step of faith in getting involved, you can visit heartforrefugees.org to learn more and connect with the team!

"...in the same way God calls us to the nations, God has now brought the nations to us."

Even In Our Suffering

hen I was asked to write this article about the struggle we endure when God seems silent, the first thought that came to me was the familiar verse in Psalm 46, “Be still and know that I am God.”

As I thought about that instruction in context of the times when I have been longing for an answer from God, it seemed so unnatural. We are so programmed to try to fix, to just do something, to press the go button, that being still seems so foreign. Yet I am sure if you are like me, there have been crises in your life that you have tried to rectify, just to find that your resources were depleted before the crisis was resolved. This is the case especially when we walk through a season of loss and pain.

How do you wait in stillness when your heart is shattered in a million pieces? How do you endure sleepless nights and endless tears when your hopes and dreams vaporize right before your eyes? How do you answer the question, “Why did God allow this?” when you are so confused and questioning how a God who is so loving and kind could allow me to hurt so deeply?

And how do you do this when moments turn into days and days turn into months and still the pain is pulsing through your body with every breath? I wish I could say there was a pill to take or a quick remedy to apply or a simple prayer to recite but there is no simple cure. So what do we do when we are experiencing the deep pains of life and God appears silent?

journaling so they can visually trace the fingerprints of God through their suffering. Others pour into personal study to focus on the aspect of God’s character they most need at the moment. Others still focus on praying the very promise they want God to fulfill until He breaks through in answer to their prayer. And as they personally seek, they invite caring friends into their pain to pray and journey with them.

God knows our pain and suffering and He is not indifferent to it, but He also knows that even in our darkest trails, we need each other to pray and encourage one another to hold onto hope and wait for God to answer.

In my personal experience and in walking with others through trials, it varies, because suffering and loss is unique to the individual walking through the pain. But the common element that I have seen in everyone I have walked with is that they continue to seek, even in the silence. Some seek in

BYKAMM I MCGINTY CARE NETWORK & MARRIAGE MINISTRY DIRECTOR

I am convinced that some of you reading this right now are in that kind of season. It seems doubly hard at this time of year when everyone is celebrating and you are hard pressed just to put one foot in front of another. If you are saying, “Yes, that is me,” may I encourage you to reach out to someone on staff to seek support and help as you wait for God to break through. You do not have to suffer alone. We are better together even in our suffering!

"So what do we do when we are experiencing the deep pains of life and God appears silent?"

FirstStep

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JoinusintheArundelHighSchool cafeteriatohearmoreaboutwhoweare asaChurchandfindouthowyoucanbe moreconnected.

MinistryPartner

Orientation

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our gatherings to 9 and 11 a.m.

This issue of GO&MAKE featured a double cover, with SIDE B printed upside down and in reverse order. So when holding a magazine, you could flip it over (shown below) and start SIDE B from the back cover. The following has been flipped around from it's original orientation for online viewing.

SIDE A SIDE B

IN THIS ISSUE

Room For Community

6

Faith, Serving & Baptism: One Student's Experience Of Finding Confidence In Jesus

8

Built To Withstand

The Call To Lead

1210

ABOUT THE COVER

On a trip to India in April 2022, Greg, Shawn and the rest of their small team from Bay Area, had the opportunity to travel to the southern country of Kerala. Here they encountered pastors and coordinators that work alongside our Global Partner Joseph Sharon and in ministry called International Cultural Bible Ministries (ICBM). On third of the world’s unreached people groups (people who have not heard of Jesus and the fact that He died for their sins) are in India, on of the most heavily persecuted places on earth. In other words, over 2,400 tribes, villages and groups do not have access to the gospel, and even when they do, their choice to follow Jesus can have life-threatening consequences.

This year at our annual SOULS Conference, we will take a deeper look at the persecuted church, even hearing from Joseph at the conference. Head to bayareacc.org/souls-conference to learn more.

ROOM FOR

COMMUNITY

ast September, Greg shared God’s vision for our church for the next ministry year. He summarized it with the phrase, and one of our values, “Better Together.” Breaking open this vision a little more for us, he said the following: “You will not become all God intends you to be apart from spiritual friendships. You become more like Jesus by being better together.” One of the exciting ways we can experience this is in the context of a missional community (MC), an environment designed to function as an extended family providing encouragement, growth, fellowship and even fun events!

BYKEVIN RIMANDO WORSHIP DIRECTOR

That all sounds great on paper, but reality is that often we have to create room in our lives in order to have Christian community. How do you have community when you are balancing a spouse or significant other, family, work, extracurricular activities, meals, and other ministry and community commitments? If you do find a way to fit community into the rhythms of your life (and a big congratulations to you! That is not easy!), what do you do with your kids? If an MC is designed to function as an extended family, shouldn’t our kids be involved?

The first thing that comes to my mind with all these

questions is the story of Jesus in Matthew 19. He had just finished outwitting some Pharisees when some of the people had the bright idea of shuffling a few kids to meet Him. Naturally, His disciples jumped into a perfectly coordinated zone defense to keep the kids away. But Jesus tells them to stop and to let the kids through (Matthew 19:14). He takes the time to pray and be with the kids, and then He goes on with His teaching and healing of the crowd.

When we ask the question, “What do we do with our kids?”, Jesus gives us the answer: Let the little children come.

Ok, Jesus, that’s a great answer. But have you actually tried having meaningful conversation with twelve kids running around your basement yelling? Maybe certain kids can come, but if you met my kids you might not be so inviting! (Disclaimer: I do not have any kids (yet). But I’ve heard on good authority that they are very talented at interrupting). It would have been so convenient if Jesus had said, “Let the little children come, and here’s how you do it…”. While we know that there is no perfect solution, we have the benefit of being able to learn from other families here at Bay Area who have found ways to make it work

"We integrate our children into our MCs and communities because they are also a part of God’s Kingdom."

and are continuing to explore new ways of bringing the whole family together in missional communities.

Greg Seward and Bixia Pan are one of several MCs that make children an integral part of the group. They start their MC with a potluck and spend time enjoying each other’s company and talking about what Jesus is doing in their lives. After the meal they break up into separate adult and child groups. Bixia has professional experience in childcare and development and uses those skills to teach a lesson or do an activity with the children, while Greg would facilitate the conversation amongst the adults.

But integrating children into their MC did not end with simply sending an adult off with all the kids. Over time, Bixia also taught the kids how to lead discussions and activities. Now when they meet for MC, Bixia can stay with the adults and the older children are leading the younger ones in learning about Jesus and the Bible. They do activities with them, encouraging them in healthy, loving interactions.

There are other families that have found similar ways of integrating children by training the older kids to lead the younger ones. They equip their kids with the same tools we adults use every week. Things like preparing good questions in advance, being comfortable with silence when nobody wants to talk right away, and learning to listen to others and ask follow up questions. Some families use the MC guides that Allen writes as a starting

point and pick out pieces that would be appropriate for their kids to discuss. Another MC with very young kids meets virtually every other week after all the kids have been put to bed. We have an MC that splits up childcare between the men and women and alternate weeks. So one week the men and kids are all together and the women are able to meet and talk about what Jesus is doing in their lives and discuss the Bible. And then the next time they meet, the women stay with the kids and the men can meet. Some MCs hire a babysitter and simply split the cost between the families.

Jesus’ invitation to “let the little children come” opens up our lives to all kinds of complications and questions. Every family is different, every child is different, and that means we all have to find appropriate ways to integrate our children into our communities. There is no perfect, single solution, but that’s a good thing! Because Jesus doesn’t end with telling us to let our kids join in. He says, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14). We integrate our children into

our MCs and communities because they are also a part of God’s Kingdom. The work of family integration is Kingdom work.

Where are you in spiritual community these days?  Do you need to connect?  Do

you need to be with other parents to help each other navigate this challenging time of life?  Or do you feel called to lead a new MC for families with children?  We’re here to help and look forward to growing together!

Faith, Serving Baptism

Faith, Serving & Baptism

ONE STUDENT'S EXPERIENCE OF FINDING CONFIDENCE IN JESUS

BYRICK CONLEE

WORSHIP LEADER & GATHERINGS COORDINATOR

Rick:

How long have you been coming to Bay Area?

Riley:

It’s been about a year. I came to a BASM Sunday Gathering because a friend invited me, I loved it, so then I found every possible way to get here when I could. I would ask friends for rides, I’d walk to meet up with friends so I could ride with them here, and I would find rides back home. I just wanted to get here.

The people who go to BASM have made me feel so

welcome. They’ve been so outgoing with me to where I can feel like I can just talk to them and I can make a lot more friends. Especially friends who are followers of Jesus. Also, the staff is so great. They’re like a hug. It feels like a hug to you.

Rick:

Before coming to Bay Area and BASM and starting a relationship with Jesus, how would you describe the difference in your life?

Riley: I started to serve and think of Jesus throughout my daily life. That has become a much bigger influence and impact

on what I do and how I treat others. One of my biggest strengths is being “grateful,” but before, I was never grateful in the ways of God, and now I am. It was just, “oh, yeah, I believe in God,” but I didn’t know what to do with that. Now, I realize that God gave me this, and I want to be grateful in the ways Jesus would ask me to be. And to have Jesus as that influence in that gratefulness. Like, this is all because of Jesus, but it’s also for Jesus.

Rick: Riley, you said this before, that you’ve had this life improvement through the ministries here and that

you’re serving! Where are you serving here and how long have you been serving?

Riley:

I’ve been serving since the beginning of August this year. I have been serving in the kid’s ministry!

I absolutely love it because one: the kids already know a lot, they’re smart, they know stuff. You don’t expect them to, but they do. And two: they are so loving. It just fills your heart with joy while you’re serving them and you also

I just want people to see Jesus in me."

know that it fills their hearts. I like getting to teach them about Jesus and help shape the ways they see Him. It’s so great to see their faith grow. Because seeing their faith in Jesus grow just makes my faith grow.

I think it’s so important for them to hear about this now. I didn’t really have that when I was younger and it was a lot harder for me to get into the church, or Jesus and Christianity. But to give them that head start and that help, when they’re young like this,

it just feels so important. And I just want to keep seeing it, so I’m going to keep serving.

Rick:

Now, you just got baptized! That is so exciting! What were you feeling before you got baptized?

Riley:

Seriously, I was really, really nervous, and I even asked Pastor Brian, “how do you know if you’re ready? Sometimes I don’t feel like a good Christian. I really struggle with myself,” and he just explained to me that Jesus is going to be there for you and with you and He is going to reassure you. I was nervous about the thought that I wasn’t good enough and I wouldn’t be ready, but I had to tell myself not to worry because it’s about what’s inside you.

So there’s the physical thought of, “I don’t wanna slip and die in this tub,” and the emotional feeling of anxiousness like, “what if I’m not good enough?” And I still deal with that. But no one is a “good Christian,” it’s having a relationship with Jesus that helps us be better.

Rick:

So now that you’ve been baptized, how are you feeling?

Riley:

I feel good! I’m really happy I did that. Because I’ve realized it's not about feeling like you have to be this perfect person to be in a relationship with Jesus. It’s about showing that your relationship is growing. Like, “I did that!” And I’m really proud of myself for it. Well really, it’s more like “God did that!’ And, it’s like any other relationship: you want the people around you to know about it because it’s significant.

Rick: What is something that you feel Jesus has been teaching you in this season of your life?

Riley:

Definitely to not be ashamed of the gospel. With my immediate family, it’s an unspoken topic and that’s difficult. At night I wouldn’t want anyone to hear me praying or make them uncomfortable when I’m listening to worship music. But I feel that Jesus has given me more confidence to just be open about what I believe. And with that, my sister, who’s a freshman, came to church. She’s still getting used to it but she’s asking questions and starting to have her own faith and that’s just so exciting.

There are a lot of negative stereotypes about Christians and I see that. I hear things like, “she’s gonna judge us,” “she thinks she’s better than us.” Where in reality it’s actually like, “no, this is all out of love.” I just want people to see Jesus in me. Even before all of this I just had so much selfpity and I didn’t want to experience healing because I was comfortable in being broken. But Jesus healed me of that. Without me even asking, it has just happened over time and I’ve gained such confidence in that and reassurance. I feel more content with my life and where He has me and is taking me. And there’s confidence in knowing that everything that has happened in my life, He knows about and He’s turning it for good and using it for His glory. Watching that reason develop has been so encouraging.

"

hen Carly and I lived in South Sudan, we lived in a mud hut, which is quite simply a structure of interwoven sticks filled with mud. Once filled with mud, more layers of mud are slathered on the outside until it becomes smooth. As it is exposed to the elements of sun, rain and wind, it becomes weathered. These mud hut structures are not created to withstand a lot of abuse from the elements. Without patchwork and multiple applications of mud, it will eventually crumble under the weight of the storms.

Compare this to a building like Christ’s Church Cathedral in Oxford, England, which was built in the late 12th century. It is built of stone and stands strong with no sign that it is going anywhere soon as it continues to withstand the onslaught of English rain. How something is built, and what it is built with, determines the strength of the structure. Jesus speaks to this when he talks about building a house on a solid rock foundation or an unstable foundation of sand.

A good creation is one where the builder accounts for the elements the creation will face. A sandcastle built at low tide is shown to be an exercise in futility when the tide comes in. As many of you have probably experienced, a paper straw has a very limited lifespan. What about humans? As emotional and intellectual beings we are

BYSHAW N HART

made with the ability to withstand a lot of challenges, and although we may show signs of weathering, we are built to flourish in the midst of some excruciating circumstances.

Throughout history, God’s people have faced exile, war, famine and persecution, yet God has continued to use His people. Jesus promises His followers that people will hate them, just as they hated Jesus. He says that He sends us out as sheep among wolves. Sheep have no defense against wolves and they don’t even have the hope of outrunning a wolf.

Jesus even prepares us for the persecution we will face when he says, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:11-12). And then Paul writes to Timothy “ Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim3:12).

What does this mean for us? It means persecution is the normal way of life for those who follow Jesus. We should not be surprised when we suffer persecution for Jesus’ sake and God is not surprised by this either. So when God created us, He created us knowing that we would encounter persecution when we stand for Him. God is not calling us to anything that He has not provided the strength to face. Although we may show some signs of weathering, through the power of the Holy Spirit,

we were built to withstand persecution, and as the church, we were also made to stand with those who are suffering persecution.

This is the topic we will be diving into during the month of February for our sermon series, as well as SOULS Conference, Weathered: Built to Withstand Persecution. We have a great month planned as we seek to learn more about the persecuted church around the globe and our place in it all. We will have writer, speaker and past missionary, Stuart McAllister as our keynote speaker for SOULS Conference along with our very own Joseph Sharon from India! During the fourweek sermon series you will hear from me, Joseph Sharon, Stuart McAllister and Greg St. Cyr. I really hope you can make it!

"How something is built, and what it is built with, determines the strength of the structure."

BY MEREDIT H THOMPSON GENEROSITY DIRECTOR

BAY AREA RESIDENCY THE CALL TO LEAD

BAY AREA'S RESIDENCY - WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

n the comfort of a country that enjoys religious freedom, it is hard to imagine a Christian pastor being tied to a tree and beaten up, but in India this type of violence is prevalent. The persecution of the Christian church has become a great burden for Joseph Sharon, who leads International Cultural Bible Ministries (ICBM) in India, a nation of which less than 2 percent of its 1.4 billion citizens know Jesus.

Yet despite a hostile government, Joseph has seen great fruit this year: In 2022, ICBM has raised up 45 new pastors, witnessed

52 people being baptized, and constructed seven new church buildings. God is doing incredible things among the unreached people groups of India.

Three years ago, Joseph returned from America to his home country of India to take over leadership of ICBM from his father, Samuel, who began the organization and helped lead it to impact 66 unreached people groups, train over 3,500 pastors, and plant over 200 churches.

While in the U.S., Joseph participated in Bay Area’s residency program, which exists to train up leaders to be sent out for full-time

vocational ministry. “The residency came about from a desire to be the kind of church that was always pouring into and developing leaders, challenging volunteers and those who are currently using their gifts to continue to grow,” explained Annapolis Campus Pastor Brian Hopper, who facilitates the residency. “We know that the Lord calls everyone to use their gifts and serve, some people to lead, and some to actually transition from leading into full-time vocational ministry.”

With that in mind, Bay Area developed a two-year program designed to run in conjunction with formal education at a seminary that would prepare participants for ordination. The residency focuses on three areas – character, or heart; knowledge, or the head; and skills, or the hands of a leader. Over the years, about a half-dozen leaders have completed the residency and gone on to serve in full-time ministry, including Joseph. And now, after a long pause due to COVID, the residency program is being rebooted and accepting new applicants who want to give their lives to serving in vocational ministry.

Sitting next to Joseph on his first day of the residency, Jake Wieduwilt had finally finished his support raising and was excited to dive into some heavy theology. He was surprised when Brian instead handed him a blank piece of paper and told him to write out his weekly schedule. Asking them whether they were spending enough time with God and their families, Brian instructed the young residents to rearrange their schedules so that they were using their time in the best way as it relates to ministry.

“Helping me set up healthy boundaries has been the biggest thing from the residency that has affected me in how I function in ministry now,” Jake shared,

explaining that he now serves as the discipleship pastor for a church in Clayton, North Carolina. In his role, he not only oversees adult ministries, but also the discipleship of children and students, as well as local and global outreach.

Similarly, Trevin Hoekzema discovered through the residency that his personal development and time spent with the Lord were just as important as his time spent ministering to other people or engaging in personal study. Trevin knew from a young age that the Lord was calling him into full-time ministry. After working at Bay Area for five years, he began to ask what it would look like to go to the next

Jorge planted Axis Church in Annapolis in the fall of 2019 and soon thereafter had to close its doors due to the pandemic. Growth in these circumstances has been slow, but this past year has borne much fruit. On their third anniversary, Axis installed their first deacons, welcomed new members, and celebrated five baptisms.

While he was expecting to learn about the “nuts and bolts of church planting” during the residency, Jorge could not have anticipated how helpful it would be for him to learn about not only his strengths, but also his weaknesses as a leader. He explained that while he had plenty of hands-on ministry experience serving in El Salvador, his weak spot was formal theological education, which is lacking in Latin America. He gained both biblical knowledge and a better understanding of leadership dynamics while in the residency.

level of his ministry calling. He enrolled in seminary and the residency, where he was deeply impacted by the concept of emotionally healthy leadership. Today, he serves as the outreach pastor of Calvert Grace in southern Maryland, where he oversees not only local and global outreach, but also assimilation, connecting, life groups, and more. Preaching monthly is something he has really grown to enjoy.

Jorge Solorzano has been preaching on more of a weekly basis for the last three years. A graduate of Bay Area’s residency,

Originally from war-torn South Sudan, Theil Theil joined the residency with a vision to help his home country flourish spiritually and economically. Since completing the program, he has started a nonprofit called Undying Hope that focuses on leveraging education for students in South Sudan to help them grow and mature in a way that would help change the trajectory of their country.

As the residency starts up again this year, Bay Area will begin to look beyond its walls into its greater ecosystem for potential full-time vocational ministers to train up. Those within the church family who feel a call to give their lives to vocational ministry are encouraged to have a conversation with Brian Hopper about whether applying for the residency is the next right step of faith for them.

“We know that the Lord calls everyone to use their gifts and serve, some people to lead, and some to actually transition from leading into full-time vocational ministry.”

- Brian Hopper

BOLG A L RELIEF : F UNDS A N D TEEF

BY ALISSA BRANDON

SHORT TERM MISSIONS

COORDINATOR

s hurricane Fiona swept through the Dominican Republic at the end of September our Global Partners, Rose and Miguel, reached out to share with us the urgent needs of people in their community. Two and a half weeks later three Bay Area Ministry Partners had their feet on the ground and were armed with hammers and nails, ready to serve. The ability to provide this rapid response to these requests for relief (and many others around the world) was made possible by the funds given sacrificially by those who call Bay Area home.

Read on to learn about some other ways that the funds and feet of Bay Area have recently provided global relief.

Ukraine

Partnering with World Relief, nearly $40,000 donated by Bay Area supporters went to providing strategic relief, including delivering individual medical supplies near the border. Additionally, we supported a Polish church which had connections in Ukraine and also a family who was making trips across the border from Poland to Ukraine to help friends in need.

Kenya

Purchasing a piece of land immediately adjacent to church that was being sought by a Muslim group prevented the building of a mosque. We were also able to provide relief to people who were

starving as a result of the drought. Two new churches were built, providing a gathering place for the rapidly growing community of Jesus followers in Kenya.

Uganda

Providing computers to the Precious Souls ministry enabled them to broaden their outreach. Soon construction will begin on building homes, maintenance will continue on current houses and improvements will proceed on the hospital that serves many HIV-aids patients.

South Sudan

Passing out food and water containers in the villages served the needs of many families. We were also able to furnish and renovate classrooms for the children who attend school at the Mission Gardens of Christ and begin construction on additional buildings.

India

Providing 5 motorcycles allowed pastors to travel deep into interior villages. 47 people were baptized from unreached people groups. Five church buildings were built among Christians who have no place to gather and two more are currently under

construction. Conducting VBS in all our regions made it possible for many kids to hear the Gospel. Two wells were dug which now provide water to the villages where there was previously no clean source of water. Two more wells are under construction.

Dominican Republic

Partnering with local volunteers, our team replaced and repaired roofs of some of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes coaches. Also they delivered water filters, assisted a family who lost their home, and repaired dugouts which were destroyed on a recently constructed baseball field.

When we read through the story of Jesus’ life, we see Him willing to be interrupted for the sake of others. I am struck by the way that our three ministry partners who dropped everything and went to serve in the Dominican Republic allowed themselves to be interrupted. All their carefully crafted plans and schedules stopped. It is so encouraging to witness passionate followers of Jesus doing the very thing that Jesus would do.

"When we read through the story of Jesus’ life, we see Him willing to be interrupted for the sake of others."

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