J ULY GO&MAK E 1
IN THIS ISSUE 5 LETTER FROM THE LEAD: FEASTING ON SOLID FOOD Lead Pastor Greg St. Cyr unpacks how we are weaned off of spiritual milk and onto solid food by deepening our understanding of Biblical truths.
28 COLLEGE MINISTRY Roanoke College sophomore Bekah Carey shares her story of living out her faith on campus, illustrating the significance of Bay Area’s newly launched College Ministry that’s now meeting this summer.
24 FROM HERE TO THE NATIONS On the heels of a short term mission trip to Southeast Asia, one Midshipman shares how God enlarged her heart for Muslim people and the nations while overseas.
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22 WHY WE WORSHIP If life’s highest priority is cultivating a personal, intimate, growing relationship with God, shouldn’t we be all in when we gather to worship corporately on Sundays?
18 COVER STORY: SOLID FOOD As we dive into a seven-part series on foundational Christian theology, we examine our church and culture’s beliefs and ask, what’s the benefit of being on a meat-andpotatoes diet, spiritually speaking?
We appreciate your comments and questions. Please email us at feedback@bayareacc.org and a staff member or elder will respond within 48 hours.
MAGAZINE CREDITS EDITOR Meredith Thompson ART DIRECTOR Josh Shirlen ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Arianne Teeple ASSISTANT EDITOR Jocelyn Sacks LEAD DESIGNER Josh Burgin GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jake Williams CONTRIBUTORS Andy Smith Brian Hopper Lia Dalpini Michele Rollins Rachel Perry Sam Logan Susan Marble
On the cover: Kyle Sacks Photo by Josh Shirlen
Gathering Times: 8, 9:15, 11:15am
ELDERS David McPeak Don Wiley Greg St. Cyr J. Upton John Battan John Taylor Keith Riniker Peter Godfrey Rich Heath Roger Ishii Tim Dotson Tim Grossman Tom Dalpini Tom Hogan Warwick Fairfax
884 Chesterfield Rd. Annapolis, MD 21401
410.544.2222
BAY AREA LEADERSHIP Brent Squires, Student Ministry Pastor – brent.squires@bayareacc.org Brian Hopper, Missional Community Pastor – brian.hopper@bayareacc.org Casely Essamuah, Global Missions Pastor – casely.essamuah@bayareacc.org Craig Fadel, Easton Campus Pastor – craig.fadel@bayareacc.org Ed Kelley, Executive Pastor – ed.kelley@bayareacc.org Gail Wiles, Children’s Ministry Director – gail.wiles@bayareacc.org Greg St. Cyr, Lead Pastor – greg.stcyr@bayareacc.org Janet Graves, Women’s Ministry Director – janet.graves@bayareacc.org Jerry Shirlen, Financial Administrator – jerry.shirlen@bayareacc.org Jocelyn Sacks, Missional Community Coordinator – jocelyn.sacks@bayareacc.org Josh Shirlen, arts – josh.shirlen@bayareacc.org Leanne Lane, Care Network Director – leanne.lane@bayareacc.org Lynn Dutton, H.R. Administrator – lynn.dutton@bayareacc.org Meredith Thompson, Communications Director – meredith.thompson@bayareacc.org Pat Linnell, Teaching Pastor – pat.linnell@bayareacc.org Rachel Perry, Connecting Director – rachel.perry@bayareacc.org Ron Dutton, Operations Director – ron.dutton@bayareacc.org Tres Cozad, Technical Director – tres.cozad@bayareacc.org
For a comprehensive list of all BACC staff, elders and deacons, please visit bayareacc.org/leadership J ULY GO&MAK E 3
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Feasting on
SOLID FOOD For a week in mid-June, life was a whirlwind in the St. Cyr house. Susan and Kevin (our oldest child and her husband) deposited grandson Billy with “Pops and Grammy” and gallivanted off to hike through Europe. No problem for us though – we’re intoxicated with Billy love. With a name like William Wilberforce Antlitz, surely God has great things in store for him! Billy loves gadgets, books, blocks and slides. He’s not that big on naps or being told “no.” But he does love to eat. There was a day when he couldn’t get enough milk. Now he prefers berries and bananas, peanut butter and jelly, cheese, raisins, peas and bite-size pieces of meat (chicken is his favorite). He’s growing up and quickly moving away from milk to solid food. And that’s a good thing. In 1 Corinthians 3:2, God rebukes His children for being stuck on milk. “I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready.” 1 Corinthians 3:2 “Babies” need milk. “Solid food” is for the mature. How do babies move from milk to solid food? By gradually introducing them – over time – to food of appropriate digestible texture.
Billy and I spent a lot of time together in June. It was lifegiving. And I watched Billy grow. I taught him how to climb stairs by holding onto the handrail. He learned about frogs from my pond and blueberries from my garden. I took him to Chick-fil-A, and introduced him to the Magothy River. He’s growing up. As you spend time with your heavenly Father, digesting more and more of the solid food of the Word, you grow up. Life’s highest priority is maturing in our relationship with Christ. Without regularly feeding on God’s Word, we remain infants. I hope you will join with me in living out one of my favorite axioms: A chapter a day for the rest of my life! You can always read more, but by meaningfully reflecting daily on God’s Word, you’ll be feasting on T-bone steak and Eastern Shore corn before you know it! From here to the nations,
Greg St. Cyr Lead Pastor
Over time, you and I were weaned off of milk onto solid food. Yet, sadly, many of us have not been spiritually weaned. When the Bible mentions solid food, it is not referring to a particular area of doctrine. Rather, it refers to depth of understanding. For example, a child can understand at a basic level that God loves them, they are a sinner, and Jesus died on the cross for them. But who can ever plumb the depths of the atonement or mine the unfathomable truths of God’s nature? God wants to draw us ever-deeper into the infinite depth of His biblical truth. He wants us to digest solid food. So how does this happen? It happens through regular meditation on God’s Word. When we give ourselves to daily Bible reflection, fully surrendered to God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit illumines God’s truth and applies it to our lives. Over time we find ourselves being weaned off of milk and onto solid food, the fruits of which are spiritual maturity and discernment.
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JULY
BOOK AUTHOR
I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH FAITH TO BE AN ATHEIST Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek
part philosophy. I love those topics… and they’re all in one book. YAY!
haven’t been this excited about a book in years. The introduction alone is worth the price of the volume. As you can tell by the title, this book is about Apologetics (the “defense” of the gospel), but it goes much further than that. It’s part theology, part logic and
The book uses a 12-level logic tree that explains why there is evidence “beyond a reasonable doubt” pointing toward the truth of the Christian narrative and its worldview. It maintains that Christianity is right, true and correct based, if on nothing else, on logic and reason, and that to maintain the atheist worldview and perspective actually requires more faith than the Christian train of thought. It focuses on the word “reasonableness” and asserts that belief in God through Christianity is the most “reasonable” position to hold (along with faith, spiritual conversion, etc.).
By Ed Kelley
ow regarding my editorial (which everyone knows is just my own personal thoughts and reflections, many of which you are free to disagree with!) – it’s about Truth, with which the above book deals in the first two chapters quite extensively. You know what I get tired of hearing? The statement, “There are no absolutes.” Really? “Are you ‘absolutely’ sure about that?” is my normal reply. Another one is, “Truth is all relative.” Really? “Is that statement a relative truth as well?” is a good reply to that one. Folks, the bottom line is that Truth is discovered, not created or believed. It exists independent of belief or discovery. It always is. What you believe about something doesn’t matter to the veracity of truth. The truth known as gravity has always been, regardless of whether a guy by the name of Newton discovered it or not. The truth (about anything) will 6 GO&MAKE JULY
While being academic and heady on one hand, it is also full of stories that make it a very readable book and understandable treatise. If you want to know more about why you believe what you believe, this book is for you! If you want to know how the current anti-Christian academia thinks, this book is for you! If you would like to know techniques in answering some of the more common objections to religion and Christianity – this book is for you. It does what great books should do: It makes you think. Seriously, read the first 50 pages, and if you’re not hooked, Greg will buy you a cup of coffee!
Ed Kelley is the executive pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a monthly contributer to GO&MAKE.
always be there; our job as thinking beings is to find it. It is independent of knowledge. Seek it. Discover it. The Truth will set you free… The concept of relative truth is ridiculous and doesn’t work in the real world. Tell the IRS about your “relative” approach to filling out your 1040 and see where that gets you. Can you “know” anything? Well, to the nth degree, no. But that’s where faith comes in. That’s where one examines the facts and comes to a “reasonable” conclusion – about anything, really. One has to have perspective and investigation to “know” something is true, and even then faith is a part of that conclusion process. As Socrates once said, “The unexamined life isn’t worth living.” Agreed. One is always evaluating direction, action and the pathways of life. Well, let’s take that one step further… ”The unexamined faith isn’t worth believing.” That’s what Geisler and Turek say in their book. Take a good,
hard, intellectual (remember the command to love your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind) look at all things you believe. There will always be gaps, and that’s where your faith steps in and fills in things a finite mind can’t quite grasp. But to say everything is just “relative” or ”I’m ok, you’re ok” or ”that’s fine for you, true for you, but not for me” is all claptrap, pseudo intellectual, humdrum, circular logic. It’s to be avoided. The very concept of “Truth” must mean there is a right and a wrong. Let me illustrate:
started the universe out of nothing at some point - an intelligent design, if you will. Hinduism believes (along with other sects of other religions) that the universe has always been. It’s eternal: no beginning, no end.
All monotheistic religions believe in a Creator. Someone
Bottom line (cause I could go on forever on this one):
Well, one of those worldviews (meta-narratives) is right and one is wrong. They’re not “relative” and they’re not “okay for you but not for me” because they have implications that are enormous. Do you follow?
BOTTOM LINE:
TRUTH ABOUT REALITY IS KNOWABLE. THE OPPOSITE OF TRUTH IS FALSE. SECOND BOTTOM LINE:
THERE IS A GOD AND…YOU’RE NOT HIM. Seek the Truth. Use your mind with your faith to come to conclusions. Be confident. 2 Timothy 1:7 is my prayer for us all.
Did you know
we have books in the loft ? * You are welcome to check out books selected by our pastors and ministry leaders. When you’re done reading, be sure to return them to the loft.
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IS MY LIFE
WORSHIP? by Pat Linnell
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“Worship is a posture of life” little about me in no particular order: I was born and raised in the greater Baltimore area. I married my high school sweetheart about 13 years ago, and since then have been blessed with four children ages 2-8. Jesus has been in my life since I was young, but I started to take Him seriously, repenting of sin and putting His will over mine and such, around the age of 21. I went to college for a business degree and started working in sales after graduation. Around that time Kristen and I were very involved with a young adult ministry, which led to a new career direction in vocational ministry. Ever since, my favorite part of the job has been preaching and teaching the Bible. After 9 years on the job, I now serve as the teaching pastor here at Bay Area, and by God’s grace I get to preach and teach a whole bunch, holding steady at the age of 36.
There is a Psalm that I have found very helpful in the pursuit of achieving a worshipful balance in my life, and in understanding what being “worshipful” really means. The psalmist in Psalm 33:1-3 says, “Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.”
One could say that what I do for Jesus at the church is very “worshipful.” Now when we hear the word “worship,” we might think of singing, and worship does include singing, but it is much more. Worship is a posture of life, in all of its nooks and crannies, that loves God back and honors Him in all of the things we do, with all of the hats we wear, in the spiritual things and seemingly nonspiritual things.
Then we read, “Play skillfully on the strings.” While clearly containing instructions for the rest of the Psalm, we also understand that God wants us to praise Him skillfully – with excellence and preparation. I know I put lots of preparation into a teaching, but can I say the same about preparing a family vacation, or story to tell over the dinner table?
In my teaching role, I worship by giving God my best thinking, energy and creativity to that task. In other words, I pour myself out into the ministry of Bible teaching. Because of this I can begin to think of myself as a fairly worshipful person. But as I examine the Scriptures in the context of my entire life, not just my role at the church, I am realizing that I might be a less worshipful person than I thought – that the “spiritual” work is not the only place I should be doing my best for Jesus.
Finally, the worshipper is charged to shout loudly. This must emanate from a joyful heart. A joyful heart is both hopeful for the future and thankful for the present. My joy in Jesus should be felt by those closest to me in the ordinary moments of life, not just the churchy ones.
Have you heard of the “80/20 rule” in churches – where 20 percent of the people do 80 percent of the work? Well it’s not scientific data, but I often live out another “80/20 rule” by putting 80 percent of my worshipful energy into my church job, and 20 percent of my worshipful attention into my other vocations, such as husband, dad or friend. I am not alone when it comes to a segmented life of worship. It is all too easy to do some things really well for Jesus, and let other things slide. So my personal prayer is that I would be a good steward with all of the work Jesus has entrusted to me, and this means that my life outside of “ministry” must become more worshipful – in Paul’s words, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”
Notice the principles in verse 3. “Sing to him a new song.” A new song requires creativity and intentionality. You have to put time into the development of a new song. There is great anticipation and intrigue when you hear a new song for the first time. This makes me ask, am I spending this kind of creative energy on the home front? This could range from changing up the old date night routine to finding new ways to engage the kids. Creativity doesn’t coast.
These principles combine to teach us that to be worshipful is to be creatively, skillfully and joyfully pouring out your time, energy and focus to the glory of God and the good of others. Since whatever we do, we do unto the Lord, ask yourself: Is my _____________ worshipful? Is my accounting job worshipful? Is my parenting worshipful? Is my marriage worshipful? Is my Bible teaching worshipful? Is my recreation worshipful?
Pat Linnell is the teaching pastor at Bay Area Community Church and a monthly contributer to GO&MAKE.
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SEP ARA TION ANX I E T Y: D O N ’ T L E AV E M E by Gail Wiles
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“IT’S NATURAL FOR CHILDREN TO FEEL ANXIOUS WHEN SAYING GOODBYE...” remember starting Kindergarten. Leaving home was a new thing for me since my mom was a stay-at-home mom and I didn’t know anything different. My first day was scary. I didn’t know the kids who sat around me. The teacher was very different from my mom and the rules were new for me. The room smelled and looked different, and the snack was not my t snack. I didn’t like it! So day after day, I would ask my mom if I could stay home. I would beg her to not leave me. I had many different ailments that would pop up right before walking to school each morning. I would give the guilt trip the best I knew at age 5. Yet, I still had to go every day.
Develop a “goodbye” ritual. Rituals are reassuring and can be as simple as a special wave through the window or a goodbye kiss. It’s important to establish this before you arrive at the place you desire to leave them. Be consistent. Consistency helps illustrate to a child that this is now the routine. When your child is away from home, let him or her bring a familiar object. Give a tip to the caregiver about a favorite song they can sing together to pass the time while you are apart. Leave! Tell your child you are leaving, tell them what you expect from them while in their leader’s care (listen to your leader, be a good sharer, etc.) and that you will return, then go—don’t stall. The longer the stalling on the parent’s part, the more it signals to the child that the place might not be safe.
It’s natural for children to feel anxious when saying goodbye; even crying, tantrums or clinginess are healthy reactions to separation. Although it can be difficult, separation anxiety is a normal stage of development. With understanding and coping strategies, separation anxiety can be relieved—and should fade as your child gets older. Sometimes they can pop up again as another child is added to the family, etc. However, if anxieties intensify or are persistent enough to get in the way of school, Children’s Ministry or other activities, your child may have separation anxiety disorder. This condition may require professional treatment—but there is also a lot that you as a parent can do to help.
Do not give in. Give yourself a pep talk before you leave your child. As moms and dads we fall victim to guilt. Reassure your child that he or she will be just fine— setting limits will help the adjustment to separation. Those arrangements should be discussed between the caregiver and parent away from the child so that parent and leader are on the same page.
For some children, even adults for that matter, the thought of trying to acclimate to a new environment can be hard. Avoidance is not the answer, but if you apply these strategies and follow through on what you say and do, these strategies can make all the difference. Remember, your child is taking their cue from you, so if you feel anxious about the dropoff, whether emotionally or physically, your child will pick up on that too. Here are some helpful tips to cope with this stage of development.
In the Deep Blue, we desire to partner with parents to be another spiritual voice in the lives of your children. This involves helping your child adjust to their environment within Children’s Ministry. If this is something your child experiences on a Sunday morning, we are here to help and encourage you through these strategies together!
Practice separation. Leave your child with a caregiver for brief periods and short distances at first. Schedule separations after naps or feedings. Babies and toddlers are more susceptible to separation anxiety when they’re tired or hungry.
Celebrate the win! When you return from your absence share with them how proud you are of them. Take the time to step into the room to reaffirm their progress with the leader of the room and/or caregiver to show that the room is a safe place to be.
Gail Wiles is the Children’s Ministry Director at Bay Area Community Church and a regular contributor to GO&MAKE.
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By Brian Hopper Michele Gish practices sharing the gospel with her husband Andy during the Evangelism Training.
12 GO&MAKE JULY
t first I hesitated ... then I remembered that Pastor Greg had said the fields are white for harvest.” This is how one woman explained her mindset before taking a simple, yet bold step of faith to share the gospel with someone she had just met the day after attending Bay Area’s first Share The Gospel training. Several months ago, Greg St. Cyr, Ed Kelley and I met with an organization called No Place Left. They specialize in evangelism training. As we talked about ways to help people share their faith, one thing they said resounded with us – elevate lostness. This emphasis on the spiritual condition of our city and county lingered with Greg until he asked Trevin Hoekzema, Bay Area’s local outreach coordinator, to research lostness in our county. Admittedly, you would have thought that was something we would have known – but the truth was we couldn’t say for sure what the spiritual state of our county looked like. Trevin came back with some alarming numbers. We estimate that of the more than 550,000 people in our county, only about 20 percent are believers. That means roughly 440,000 people are not yet followers of Jesus. We were astounded. Those numbers represent people who we know and see daily, from family members to neighbors to co-workers. These are not just statistics, but real people, who have real lives, and apart from having an opportunity to respond to the gospel, will face an eternity separated from God. We immediately felt the need to do something and help our body grow in the area of telling others about Jesus. Hence,
our three-week sermon series titled “SHHHHH” that focused on dismissing the voices that tell us to stay silent, and the accompanying training to practically give folks the tools to share their faith. As we prayed about doing this, we were told that on average 10 percent of a church’s adult population would participate in such a training, so we thought 150-200 would be a win (except Greg, who expected it to be a far greater number). But God is on the move in our church family, and we are so excited that over 650 adults came out to learn how to clearly communicate their faith in Jesus! At the end of our training, we encouraged folks to put it into practice and share their stories with us (shareyourfaith@bayareacc.org). I’d like to share with you highlights from one of the first the stories we heard: Today, I was waiting in the doctor’s waiting room. … First, I spoke to a woman who had just been diagnosed with glaucoma. I asked if she was a believer. She said, “You mean in Jesus?” She confirmed that she was, so I prayed for her. She left, and a man walked in. He had just been diagnosed with cataracts, and will need an operation. At first, I hesitated, then I finally asked if he was a believer. He replied, “In a higher power.” I remembered that Pastor Greg had said the fields are white for harvest. I asked if I could share with him the core beliefs of what Christians believe. I said I could draw him a diagram. He was sort of kind of interested. I asked him to tell me if he wanted to me to stop. He didn’t stop me, and I ended up going all the way through the gospel story. At one point I asked if he had ever heard this before. He said, “Never.” He listened
all the way. At the end I didn’t feel right about asking him to pray so I simply said he could keep the diagram. I asked what he thought and he said it made sense. I was shaking at the end! Please pray for him that God would send others to water the seed planted. Less than 24 hours after participating in the training, this woman shared the gospel with someone she just met. We often emphasize that every one is a missionary – she is one! In our training, we spent time learning how to bring Jesus into the conversation. Her question – are you a believer? – is a great question with which she’s clearly comfortable. Having a transition question is one of the keys to initiating a gospel conversation. Regardless of the outcome, she was faithful to what Jesus calls all of us to do – share the good news. Bill Bright says successful witnessing is “taking the initiative in the power of the Holy Spirit to share Christ and leaving the results to God.” That’s exactly what she did! We long to see those near to us but far from Christ come to faith. As we rely on the Holy Spirit, and are fervent in prayer for the lost, we also need to be prepared. Praise Jesus that so many in our church family responded to the call to be better prepared in sharing the Gospel. We are committed to continually elevating lostness and helping each of us become more comfortable and prepared to share the Gospel. We anticipate offering the Share The Gospel training throughout the year in a Learning Community format. If you missed our recent trainings, be sure to sign up for the next one.
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written , “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” - Romans 10:14-15 J ULY GO&MAK E 13
MC SPOTLIGHT
STEVE
& BILLIE
MEISNERE BY SUSAN MARBLE BARR ANCA
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E
very other Monday, Steve and Billie Meisnere’s Missional Community sits around a long, Last Supper-style table at the Meisnere house in Arnold.
“Two years ago – or was it three?” Billie Meisnere looked quizzically at her son, Garrett. “Two,” he answered, hardly looking up from what he was typing on his phone. “I was 14.” Billie laughed, waving the detail away. It was Bay Area’s biggest short term mission team ever – 39 people – and they went to El Salvador. Steve, Billie and Garrett all went together; it changed their lives. The Meisneres, who have been married for 18 years, had never done anything like this before. Steve grew up in a Jewish family. “We were holiday Jews,” he said. “I tell people that I always believed in Jesus. Most Jews don’t deny Jesus, they just say that He was a great teacher. I would say ‘How can He be a great teacher if He’s a liar? Because He says He’s the son of God!’” Steve believed that Jesus is who He said He was. Eleven years ago, he and Billie started attending Bay Area. A few years later, they decided to be baptized. Yet it wasn’t until the mission trip to El Salvador, and the MC that grew from it afterward, that the two felt really connected to other believers. “Before I went to El Salvador, I really didn’t know anyone,” Steve said. “Now when I go to church, I go early and stay late. You become part of the church, and not just a visitor.” Neither Billie nor Steve could explain how or why they particularly felt the call to go to El Salvador. They’d heard about many other mission trips before this one. “Then this one time we both looked at each other and said ‘Yep – we need to do this!’ It had to be God because every other time we just looked at each other and said, ‘Nope. No desire to do that.’” On the trip, Steve experienced what he believes heaven must be like: everybody working together with no arguments or tension. The team did a little bit of everything, including cutting hair. They also learned how to share the Gospel, something Billie was nervous about. “How do you do it?” she wondered. Other team members resonated with the harmonious community that Steve experienced
in El Salvador. They had experienced the authentic relationships often built in MCs before becoming an MC. With the desire to continue connecting, Steve and Billie stepped up to lead a new MC comprised of some others who went on the trip. While the makeup of the group has changed over time, it was that fateful mission trip that enables Steve and Billie to lead others into deeper community. Before gathering on Monday evenings, reply-all emails fly around, arranging details of who will bring what. The group comes together to pray, eat and talk, then read a Bible passage and apply it to their lives and circumstances. As new people come in, they also share testimonies. It brings them together. The group also focuses outward, volunteering at the Lighthouse Homeless shelter in Annapolis. It was an echo of El Salvador, all working together, preparing and serving a Chipotle-type burrito dinner. Their son Garrett, a soft-spoken young man, said he really enjoyed the experience. He likes helping people, which is what he also most enjoyed in El Salvador. What amazed him most were the conditions in which so many lived – some without any shelter whatsoever. The MC was also involved in Winter Relief, providing food for, serving and eating with homeless individuals who stayed at Bay Area for a week during the coldest part of the winter months. Billie talked with one of the women. “She told me straight out that she didn’t want to hear any talk about Jesus!” Billie said, and shared her experience working with Alcoholics Anonymous. In AA, no mention is made of the one God, or of His son, Jesus, but the Gospel message can still be presented. Billie sponsors several women in AA. She and Steve also mentor couples about to be married and several couples they’ve mentored have also joined the MC. The group continues its involvement with global mission trips: one member of the group has just returned from a mission trip to Southeast Asia, and another is headed to Uganda this month. “Steve is really great at bringing it all together,” Billie said of leading with her husband. The more relaxed nature of an MC challenges her prior experience with a more regimented Bible study – something she learned as a leader with Bible Study Fellowship. Steve has been know to tell her, “Relax! It’s not BSF!” She shakes her head and smiles. “He’s right … and it all works out.”
J ULY GO&MAK E 15
L E A D E R S H I P
P R O F I L E
RAY
WILES By Sam Logan
One of the most famous country songs written by Johnny Cash is “I Walk the Line.” That song inspired teaching at Bay Area that together with Chris Tomlin and God’s own voice sparked a change in Ray Wiles that has kept him running after Jesus ever since. He knows, after having tried, that we cannot serve two masters. Ray Wiles was five or six when he came to know the Lord, growing up primarily in the small town of Charlotte Hall, Maryland. Raised in a Christian household that was close to the man and the music of Chris Rice, Ray’s life changed when his parents divorced at 14. “It really changed the dynamic of our family. And from that point forward, I didn’t follow Christ. I followed myself,” he said. Ray remained on that path, which took him through Chopticon High School, driving a blue 1976 Mercury Cougar and dreaming of playing football for the Pittsburgh Steelers. This path continued through his college years, first at Charles County Community College then at West Virginia University, where he focused more on playing basketball than going to class. On May 21, 1990, Ray decided to join the Air Force. He remembers a lack of maturity and loss of direction that led him to that decision. He moved to San
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Antonio, Texas, and within a year completed aeromedical school. He was then stationed in Minot, North Dakota. During a summer softball game in Minot, Ray walked by a college student. “When she got close enough I winked at her and it was all over,” he recalled. He had met his future wife, Gail. The two were married and eventually moved to the Annapolis area. Back in Maryland, Ray joined the Air National Guard to complete his military career and began working at the Naval Academy. Ray and Gail joined Bay Area Community Church in 2003. “There was something different about Bay Area. We loved the clear, concise teaching by Lead Pastor Greg St. Cyr. You could feel the Holy Spirit’s presence, [and] a sense of community and fellowship,” he said of their church home. Soon, both Ray and Gail were heavily involved in serving in the Children’s Ministry, which Gail would eventually be hired to lead. Four years after joining Bay Area, a moment during a Chris Tomlin concert at James Madison University in 2007 sparked a change in Ray’s life that took several months to complete. It was a re-start for him after several years of wavering between following Jesus and doing what he wanted to do. Soon after, Pat Linnell preached a sermon couched in the theme of “I Walk the Line,” a tune about Johnny Cash’s devotion to his wife. The message illustrated that we cannot walk the line between God and sin, and that we should create margin or moral boundaries to prevent us from eroding our most important relationships when we slip-up. It was another moment when Ray felt like God was speaking to him. Finally, in a dream Ray felt like Jesus spoke to him directly: “I remember in my dream that I was cold and lonely in a dark place. Then a pin of light came from out of the darkness, and it got bigger and I could feel warmth and love,” he recalled. “Jesus was there and He said, ‘Ray why don’t you follow me? Why do you resist?’ And that was extremely powerful - to have that type
of dream [was] like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.” From that point, he said, “I was off to the races.” Ray and Gail were baptized together in 2008. As they continued to serve at Bay Area, Ray noted he was “amazed by all the hard work and dedication it took to make each and every Sunday a successful place of worship. … Over the years, my wife and I have grown and matured in our relationship with Christ. We have had our children baptized, [and have] encountered and been mentored by some incredible Godly people within the Bay Area church community.” When Jarvis Bellamy nominated Ray to become a deacon, Ray said Jarvis “saw something in me that I didn’t see myself.” He became a deacon in 2014, and though it has been challenging, messy, hard and rewarding, Ray finds strength in Ephesians 6:10 – “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” – a line that proceeds Paul’s presentation of the Armor of God. He feels grateful and blessed to work with such a strong team, serving his church family. “When someone is struggling, and they’re serving two masters, partying and drinking during the week but praising the Lord on Sunday, there’s more to it than that. God has such a bigger purpose and mission in your life, if you just allow Him,” Ray said, conceding that this was his story. God would say to him, “You’ve tried all these other things in your life, but where has that gotten you?” As Pat preached the sermon that touched Ray, Johnny Cash’s line was one that represented what we step across when we say yes to temptation, or a second master, and no to God. Hearing that message, Ray chose to step back from that line and focus on serving Jesus, the one master he serves as a deacon at Bay Area. “Once you commit to Him, once you choose Him, it’s phenomenal. You see Him work in your life. It’s divine intervention. I know I made the right choice, and I wish I had made it sooner,” Ray said.
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y o j n E
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A
pologies in advance to my vegan friends, but this is a meat-and-potatoes kind of topic. Like marbled brisket and sweet-potato fries, or pork chops and mashed baby reds… We’re talking this month about Solid Food.
BY MEREDITH THOMPSON
A S W E M AT U R E A N D G ROW ST RO N G O N T H E SOLID FOOD OF G O D ’ S WO R D , WE BECOME MORE LIKE JESUS.
In late June, we kicked off a seven-part series titled Solid Food that is designed to help us become more like Jesus as we grow our theological roots deeper. Hebrews 5:1314 tells us, “For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” So Biblically speaking, what does it mean to enjoy solid food? As we mature in our faith, we grow beyond an elementary comprehension of what Scripture teaches. Consuming solid food involves cultivating an everdeepening understanding of Biblical truth. When we are new to having a relationship with Jesus, we may only have an infantile grasp of salvation. As we get to know Him more, particularly through studying the Word, our minds are renewed as our roots grow deeper. (Even so, salvation through Jesus is something so wondrous that none of us will ever fully comprehend it.) Our menu throughout this Solid Food series offers entrées including revelation, the trinity, the church and others. Try to answer the following: What is your view of Scripture? Who is the Holy Spirit? How do we obtain salvation? What will happen when Jesus returns? How would you explain the trinity? What is the primary function of the church? What sets mankind apart from the animal kingdom? These questions touch on seven of the foundational theological beliefs of Christianity. Curious as to the church and our culture’s understanding regarding these things, I asked a sampling of friends and family who call Bay Area their church home and some who are from different denominational or faith backgrounds these same questions. For simplicity’s sake, we’ll call these groups of respondents Group A and Group B, respectively. Here’s a taste of what they had to say: J ULY GO&MAK E 19
WHAT IS YOUR VIEW OF SCRIPTURE? “It is the Holy written narration of the One we ought to believe, proclaim, follow and trust,” one individual in Group A said. Another spoke to its function: “It is the inerrant, God-breathed Word of God, useful for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness.” In Group B, one person responded that Scripture is the written word of God; another defined it as “history and guidance,” suggesting the New Testament supersedes the Old.
WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? Group B’s views of the Holy Spirit varied, and included “God’s earthly spokesperson.” Group A’s responses pointed to a singular dwelling place of the Holy Spirit: within believers. As for the Holy Spirit’s role? Explanations included “The One who calls non-believers to Himself,” “The propeller and the force behind our deepest and honest desire to walk next to Jesus,” and “Helps us, convicts us and guides us.”
HOW DO WE OBTAIN SALVATION? All of Group A responded that salvation is obtained through belief in Jesus Christ. The majority added that trusting Jesus as savior involves repenting of sin. Some in Group B echoed that repentance was key, though none named Jesus in their explanation. “By following the word of God through our actions and beliefs,” one replied. “However, one can still achieve salvation without necessarily being a Christian.”
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN JESUS RETURNS? “This assumes he existed and is capable of returning,” one respondent in Group B said. Another answered, “Like Passover, the good and the believers will be saved and join God in heaven and the bad and non-believers will die.” In Group A, two indicated He will reign on earth for 1,000 years. Others said that at His return He will judge the living and the dead, and it will mark the beginning of an eternal life in heaven with Him for believers.
WHAT IS THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH? “To proclaim the gospel to the nations and to serve one another in unconditional love,” and “To glorify God and serve him forever” were among Group A’s descriptions of the church’s functions. Some offered that the church’s role also includes facilitating teaching, worship and prayer. “Assuming you are using church interchangeably with mosque, synagogue and temple, it is both the physical worship place and the organizational
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structure of a religion,” one person in Group B replied. “The Church’s job is to perform good in the world while spreading the word of God,” another believed. What can we conclude from all of this? Both our culture and the church espouse varied beliefs about foundational Christian theology. We aren’t entirely on the same page. For the Christ-follower, does it matter? A.W. Tozer is famous for asserting, “What you believe about God is the most important thing about you.” John MacArthur contends that theology trumps psychology and doctrine trumps experience. Christianity is not a blind faith; it’s an intellectual faith. There is a singular truth to be obtained about each of the above pillars of theology. Therefore, what we believe about these things matters – it’s what sets followers of Jesus apart from the rest of the world. We don’t want to remain infants in our understanding, as the author of Hebrews calls those who solely consume milk. Instead, we want to mature on a steady diet of solid food. What’s the benefit of being on a meat-and-potatoes diet, spiritually speaking? We are more effective in defending our faith and sharing the gospel message of Jesus when we have a proper understanding of theology. When we are filled with solid doctrine, we are sustained and have strength to endure hard seasons, because we know truth about God. We find our satisfaction in Him rather than the things of the world. And, as Hebrews 5 illustrates, we can discern between good and evil. Most of all, as we mature and grow strong on the solid food of God’s Word, we become more like Jesus. We are transformed into His image. The Bible renews our minds, corrects our faulty worldly thinking and transforms us as the Holy Spirit applies it to our lives. As Greg stated in his letter from the lead this month, maturing in our relationship with Jesus is life’s highest priority, and that happens when we deepen our understanding of Biblical truth. So belly up to the table and chow down on some solid food. Remember, you are what you eat…
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why we Worship d enyin g i d olat ry t he o p p o r tu n i ty to r o b u s o f th i s g r ace By Greg St. Cyr
Some of life’s most inspiring, convicting and life-changing moments happen when God’s people gather for corporate worship. Yet, there is a tendency for some to minimize the importance of worshiping together. Our leadership is burdened by this, so I’d like to share with you about our philosophy of worship and why we place a high value on our gatherings. The Bible uses the word “worship” in at least three important ways: All of life is to be worship. Everything we do, think or say is to be an expression of worship to God (Romans 12:1,2). Worship can refer to our personal times 22 GO&MAKE JULY
of prayer, praise or Bible reflection when we focus on God. David worshiped as he prayed, praised and sang to the Lord (Psalm 63). And finally, worship can refer to times when believers gather corporately together (Hebrews 10:25; Psalm 111:1). When we gather corporately at Bay Area, we focus on six main New Testament commands. They are:
Preaching God’s Word (2 Timothy 4:2) Prayer (1 Timothy 2:1) Singing and music (Colossians 3:16) Reading Scripture (1 Timothy 4:13) Financial giving (2 Corinthians 8-9) Baptism and Communion (Matthew 28:19; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34) God has given us biblical principles and practices for church gatherings.
However, He has not given us a prescription to follow. Every church must seek the Lord’s mind regarding her own liturgy. For us, God’s Word is central to our gathering. We are committed to reading and preaching God’s Word, singing songs based on God’s Word, praying prayers grounded in God’s Word, giving generously according to God’s Word, and following God’s Word in baptism and communion. The planning for our gatherings is bathed in prayer by Spirit-led pastors and staff. Sometimes people ask, “Why is my participation in the Sunday gatherings such a big deal?” Great question. Worshiping together is a privilege and a grace. It’s a privilege that millions around the world don’t have. It’s a grace designed to draw us into God’s heart and into the love and unity of the family of God. In contrast to a boring obligation,
worshipping God together is part of the life-changing sanctification process. Have you ever been deeply burdened and troubled over something, and then as soon as you began to sing songs of praise or hear God’s Word preached, the Spirit imparted peace and perspective? That’s because God often moves powerfully when the church gathers. And yet, according to recent Barna research (March 24, 2014 survey), regular church attendance has declined from 43 to 36 percent over the last 10 years. “Regular attendance” means people who said they attend their church at least every four to six weeks. Why the decline? There are many reasons including online availability to watch services; weekend trips for recreation; the stressful pace of life leads some to want a “break” from doing anything on Sunday; the competitive nature of children’s sports can trump church attendance; and a diminished societal view that Sunday is the Lord’s day results in many having to work. We make time for what we value. In some cases, we simply value other things more highly than gathering together for worship. The same holds true for our personal devotional life or sharing life in a Missional Community. We make time for that which is a priority; and sadly, cultivating our relationship with God isn’t at the top of the list. Here is a conviction that I want to challenge you to consider: SOMETIMES PEOPLE ASK, “WHY IS MY PARTICIPATION IN THE SUNDAY GATHERINGS SUCH A BIG DEAL?” GREAT QUESTION. WORSHIPING TOGETHER IS A PRIVILEGE AND A GRACE.
Life’s highest priority is cultivating a personal, intimate, growing relationship with God. Is that true of you? If so, you’ll order your life accordingly to worship with other believers. Let me give you one very practical reason why you should be “all in” on Sundays. It is because: You are prone to idolatry.
Idolatry is putting anything in God’s rightful place. And we regularly displace Him with a thousand things such as money, possessions, careers, sports, vacations, kids, hobbies and recreation.
elevate your commitment to our weekly gatherings. Specifically, to do the following:
Tim Keller says that “the primary way to define sin is not just the doing of bad things, but the making of good things into ultimate things. It is seeking to establish a sense of self by making something else more central to your significance, purpose and happiness than our relationship with God.”
There will always be competing tensions. But if life’s highest priority is becoming more like Jesus, then we should make connecting with Him through corporate worship a high priority.
In contrast, corporate worship is a God-centered experience. When we collectively focus our minds and hearts on God, we realign our life according to His ways. Rather than drifting downstream into the waters of idolatry, we are called to submission and renewal. You see, the benefits of worshiping together are massive. Here are just a few:
We experience the presence of God with His people Our hearts connect with the Lord through song and praise God’s Spirit convicts and applies His Word through preaching Our view of the greatness and glory God is expanded We gain His heart and vision for the lost and for the nations Prayers are brought before the throne of grace Families are built up in their faith Burdens are lifted Our mind is renewed with truth and our worldview becomes more biblical We are convicted of our sins and called to repent We are challenged to connect in community, give of our finances, and serve others We witness changed lives through baptisms The Lord’s Supper is celebrated If other priorities are taking precedence, my challenge is to
Commit to being a worshiper of God who prioritizes the Sunday gathering.
Prepare your heart for the gathering ahead of time. Sign up for and read the weekly email update that is sent on Thursdays – it lets you know the topic and passage for each Sunday. Spend time before the gathering reflecting on the Scripture.
Come on time. We are notorious for being on “Bay Area time.” Coming late can be distracting for others. Every aspect of the gathering is important for your spiritual growth. Connecting with God through song and prayer prepares our hearts for Him to speak specifically to us through His Word.
Be an active worshiper. Fully engage in singing, times of prayer, and attentively listening to the sermon. I encourage you to take sermon notes for further reflection and application.
Participate in the offering, even if you are not giving at that time. Whether you give online, monthly or through direct debit, every Sunday is an opportunity during the offering time to thank God for His provision and ask Him to “give you your daily bread.”
Share what you are learning with family and friends. Take the initiative to enthusiastically share what God is teaching you. This is a great way to reflect more deeply and to bless others. God continues to move mightily during our gatherings. May each of us offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and awe! J ULY GO&MAK E 23
FROM HERE TO THE NATIONS:
Southeast Asia A
s a Midshipman, I’ve always had to quiet my mission-loving heart due to a full summer, so I was ecstatic when I realized Bay Area had planned multiple short term mission trips this summer that worked with my training schedule, including one in early May. I was reminded of Greg St. Cyr’s saying that short term mission trips are the fast-track to discipleship when I read the description for the Southeast Asia trip: “English teaching and relationship building.” Let me tell you church family, it’s amazing what Jesus can do with five words like that. Once we started meeting as a team, I learned that we would minister mainly to Muslims, many of whom had traveled to Southeast Asia from their war-torn homes in the Middle East. In team training, my heart for Muslims grew as we learned more about the culture, theology and hardships most of them share (spoiler alert – everyone needs Jesus). As we prepared to leave my excitement mounted, but I realized there was some lingering fear, too. Since I was little, our country has been at war with people who use Islam to introduce evil. That war hurts me as an American, and it gets more real every day as my friends and I get closer to graduating and entering the “fight” next summer. As unreasonable as its claims were, there were many times that the voice of fear would work to instill doubt about the trip. Everything you’ve ever heard about Muslims is true, it would say. Don’t go. In that beautiful way of His, Jesus challenged my fear (and just about everything else). But before we get to the good part, here’s some background: As you may have guessed, proselytizing in Southeast Asia is illegal. Our friends there do the good work via something called BAM – business as mission. The idea is to run a legitimate business, like teaching English, and use it as a means to build relationships that lead to Jesus. So that’s exactly what we did. We ran an English camp for kids at an Arab school. In the process of teaching the children English we worked to show them hope, love, peace and joy in ourselves that would build relationships and show them Jesus. The chaotic and joyous chorus of “teacher, teacher!” still rings in my ears, and I still think every day about the burqaclad women who opened up to me about their life and their struggles, ending with “you are one of us, a sister.” Those are the relationships we poured into and opened up for our friends there to continue to show the love and truth of Jesus. The humanity and love of the Muslim people with whom we interacted were the first things Jesus used to reshape my heart. The rest of the heart-shaping came via observing the permanent missionaries there. A motto of their ministry is “be ready for the war.” It was a beautiful thing to see lived out. Every interaction, every conversation they had was extremely intentional. They encouraged us to seek the Lord’s will like a
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unit listens to its commander, to live with the urgency that a war creates. Now it was pretty easy to emulate this attitude on a short term mission trip. After a long day of teaching in the heat, it was tempting to turn down a dinner with an Arab family (usually a multi-hour event) for a nap instead. But that temptation was quickly overturned every time by the recalling that we had prepared for weeks and traveled 10,000 miles to do exactly that – meet with Arab families. “Well, moments like this are why we’re here. Of course we should go!” we would say to ourselves. I was reflecting on one of those moments when Jesus spoke a real challenge to my heart. This is why we’re here, of course we should. Right now, we’re living between two Jesus events. First He came as the Son of Man, a suffering servant, to love, die, rise and redeem. Some day soon He will come as King, as bright as lightning across the sky with more glory than we can now know, to bring us home. One of the missionaries there shared a beautiful picture of that day for us as we prepared to leave: “You will not know in this life the impact you’ve had. But soon, when we stand before the throne, looking at Jesus, worshiping Him, I’d like to imagine that you’ll get a tap on the shoulder. And you’ll turn to see someone you knew here, and they’ll say, ‘Thank you! You were the one who showed me Jesus. Now we can be here and worship together.’ And they’ll turn and show you a crowd behind them. ‘Look,’ they’ll say, ‘these are all people I told about Jesus, now we are all here.’ And in that moment, you will remember nothing from this world. All that will matter is the kingdom of God, worshiping our Savior forever.” The moment we believed, we were made children of God, adopted into His family. Why not take us out of the world to be with Him at that moment? “Open your eyes and look at the fields!” Jesus tells us in John 4. The Lord has prepared the hearts of those around us in ways we could never know, and equipped us with the Holy Spirit so we can reap the glory that we have not sown. We are still here because the harvest is ripe, and we are invited to join in the good work! Now that we’re home, I am tempted to go back to the old routine and sometimes fall into laziness and pride when opportunities come up to share the gospel. But praise God, my Jesus-worked heart knows better now. It knows why it’s here. So I’d encourage you to live out BAM in your job, to support the Southeast Asia missionaries, to make the trade for a short term trip. My dear family, come and see – you’ll find that it’s not much of a trade at all. Author’s name withheld for safety. For information about short term mission trips, or how to support the missionaries in Southeast Asia, email missions@bayareacc.org.
"I’d like to imagine that you’ll get a tap on the shoulder. And you’ll turn to see someone you knew here, and they’ll say, ‘Thank you! You were the one who showed me Jesus.'”
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ways to give at bay area by rachel perry
hether you’re traveling for work, on a cruise with your family, camping with friends, or in Annapolis or Easton every Sunday, there are multiple platforms to give at church, from your smartphone or on your computer.
DURING THE GATHERING
OUR CHURCH APP
NEW: TEXT TO GIVE
Traditionally, church-goers would bring cash or checks with them every Sunday. Now, fewer and fewer people carry cash, or even have checkbooks, and the demand for digital ways to give has increased. In order to keep up with the ever-changing demand, we want to remind you of all the ways you can give at Bay Area, whether it’s a onetime donation or a recurring gift, and introduce a new way to give as well.
Download our My Bay Area app (search “Bay Area Community Church” in your smartphone app store) to give during a gathering or on the go. If you’ve already set up your account on our desktop platform (bayareacc.org/mybayarea), then use that same login.
Want to quickly give a donation from your smartphone without downloading an app? Then text BACC + the monetary amount to 30131 to give to our General Offering fund (For example: Text “BACC 50” to give $50). The first time you text, you will be asked to enter your debit or credit card number, but after that your number and giving method will be remembered and the donation attributed to your contribution history.
Bay Area Community Church GET
Always stay connected with Bay Area Community Church. Listen to sermons, contact the church, give securely online, and more! Download the app today!
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Some things never go out of style, and giving by cash or check during a Sunday gathering is always a great option when the offering baskets are passed. But if you don’t carry cash or check, there are other options.
Are you a part of the Easton campus? Just text Easton and the monetary amount to 30131 to give (For example: Text “Easton 50” to give $50)!
BEFORE OR AFTER THE GATHERING (ANNAPOLIS CAMPUS ONLY) If you would like to simply swipe a credit or debit card to give, stop by one of our Giving Kiosks in the lobby at Bay Area. There are two located outside of the church office and across from the Chapel.
AT HOME Did you know you can set up recurring donations with an e-check, debit or credit card on our online gateway, My Bay Area? While it’s sometimes more convenient to give with a debit or credit card, to avoid the added card fees and for your full gift amount to be contributed, consider linking your checking or savings account through an e-check. This is a one-time setup at bayareacc. org/mybayarea; afterward, you’ll be able to give from your bank account either online or through the My Bay Area app. To learn more about online giving, go to bayareacc.org/give.
WEST EXIT
CHAPEL
BAY CAFÉ
AUDITORIUM
OFFICE WAREHOUSE
EAST EXIT
have you created a my bay area account yet? My Bay Area is much more than just a way to give online or on your phone. You can access your contact information and make changes for you and your family members as needed. On the app, you can watch or listen to past gatherings and read sermon notes. You can also view or print your giving history and set up recurring donations on the online gateway. Visit bayareacc.org/mybayarea to get started!
As a church, we watch with awe and gratitude as God continues to cultivate faithfulness in giving in the hearts of our church family. Each gift given is an investment in the work He is doing through Bay Area; your generosity enables us to fulfill our mission of making passionate, maturing followers of Jesus both in Annapolis and Easton and around the world. On behalf of the Bay Area leadership team, thank you for locking arms with us and continuing to worship through giving! J ULY GO&MAK E 27
Every Student A Missionary
By Meredith Thompson
Bekah Carey’s Story Illustrates Significance Of Bay Area’s Newly Launched College Ministry “You’re not going to share Jesus if you stay in a bubble of Christian friends. You can’t stay in your room and lock the door and avoid everything,” 19-year-old Bekah Carey said, recapping some of the principles about living out her faith in Jesus on a secular college campus that she gleaned from Bay Area’s Freshman Again Learning Community last summer. These and other truths stuck with her as she packed up and relocated over 250 miles southwest to Roanoke College for her freshman year last fall. The product of a Christian home, Bekah grew up knowing Jesus, yet she was well aware of the temptations that await students when they leave home to pursue higher education. Her first semester, she made a couple friends who were raised to love Jesus, too, though the decisions they made after leaving the nest didn’t always reflect that. A double-major in political science and criminal justice, Bekah credits serving at Young Life camps during high school and getting plugged in with YL and a local church at college as the primary factors that helped her remain grounded in her faith while away at school. “You really need to be with a group of people who can hold you accountable,” Bekah emphasized of the importance of community, noting she sought out her church and YL leaders during a campus visit, well before fall semester began. “Because I got involved so early, it was a nice anchor. I was able to get to know people who shared my faith values. It made it a lot easier to withstand the pull of the culture at college, the worldliness.” She and a few fellow sisters in Christ did more than simply withstand it; they launched a movement to help counter it. When two friends told Bekah they were considering starting a Christian sorority and asked if she would be interested in joining them, she didn’t need many details. “Count me in!” she told them. The girls learned they would need seven people to found a chapter; 14 joined when they launched Sigma Alpha Omega, and many others expressed interest in joining this fall. Bekah said the sorority comprises girls from all walks of life. “The one thing that unifies us is we all love Jesus,” she shared. The sorority sisters, whose motto is “One in Christ through unity in sisterhood,” went on a retreat and shared testimonies soon after forming their chapter. They spent much of spring semester getting to know each other and planning a full slate of campus ministry for the upcoming 28 GO&MAKE JULY
year. “We’ll have Bible studies, campus outreach, maybe worship nights. We’ll have a sisterhood retreat again, and bring new candidates to get to know each other and how God has worked in each others’ lives,” Bekah said of their plans for reaching fellow students with the good news of Jesus. Bekah’s story illustrates the importance of helping college students stay grounded in their faith and equipping them to live as missionaries on campus – two of many reasons Bay Area has launched a ministry for college-age students this summer. Led by College Ministry Coordinator Bryan
“We’re putting the next component in place … to help students transition from high school to the adult world.” - Brent Squires
McFarland, a community group for college-age students began meeting in June, and will gather every other Tuesday evening through August. From 7-9 p.m., students will enjoy food, swimming and fellowship before digging into the Word together for a Bible study. “Our mission in Student Ministry is to help students develop such passion for Jesus and compassion for others that they don’t graduate from their faith when they graduate from our ministry. Without a college ministry, there was a cliff at 12th grade that you fell off of,” said Student Ministry Pastor Brent Squires. “We’re putting the next component in place
… to help students transition from high school to the adult world.” Brent noted that as the ministry grows, he anticipates that several college Missional Communities will form, and students will be able to participate in retreats, conferences and service opportunities throughout the year. This summer’s gatherings for the college community group are slated for July 12 and 26 and August 9, followed by a fall kickoff on August 23. For more information, or to get plugged in, email Bryan at bryan.mcfarland@bayareacc.org.
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CARE NETWORK
HAPPENINGS
Sometimes life hands us struggles: loss of a loved one, serious illness, parenting difficulties, divorce, addiction and many other challenges. These struggles can feel isolating, yet God never intended that we walk through them alone. He is in the business of comforting, restoring and renewing all things for His glory. Your circumstances are not beyond that; He longs to reach you with His redemption and grace. We want to walk with you through this season of life. The Care Network is a free, confidential, Jesus-centered ministry that assists those seeking help. We provide hope and healing through a variety of resources both inside and outside the walls of Bay Area. Let’s partner through these struggles together. Email leanne.lane@bayareacc.org to get started.
BAPTISM Wo u l d y o u l i ke t o b e b a p t i z e d ? For more information... • K-5th: contact gail.wiles@bayareacc.org • 6-12th: contact brent.squires@bayareacc.org • Adults: contact deb.shipley@bayareacc.org
CELEBRATE RECOVERY Celebrate Recovery (CR) is for anyone seeking a richer life through worshipping God and being in community with others. Don’t let your hurts, habits or hangups keep you isolated! Join us on Monday nights at 7 p.m. for community, worship and teaching. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org HOSPITAL/HOMEBOUND VISITATION If you or a loved one is in the hospital or homebound we would love to serve you. Contact us so that we can learn how to be of assistance. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org or 443-837-3718 CAREER ASSISTANCE Are you unemployed, just starting a career, or trying to discover what God has uniquely wired you for? Partner with expert Jacques Fox and identify a career path that’s right for you. Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org.
CONNECT WITH BAY AREA If you’re new or just have a question, we’d love to meet you and help you get plugged in. Look for a member of our connect team in a blue shirt in the lobby after each Sunday gathering or visit us online at bayareacc.org/new.
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MARRIAGE MINISTRY TEAM - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Our marriage ministry team seeks to encourage and equip couples to start and stay strong in their marriages. If you have a passion to help strengthen marriages and have been married for ten or more years, come be a part of this ministry. Read more at bayareacc.org/marriageministry or email leanne. lane@bayareacc.org to get involved. PREMARITAL MENTORING - ACCEPTING PARTICIPANTS If you are newly engaged, there’s no better gift to give your future spouse than to participate together in Premarital
Mentoring. We want to partner with you as you establish a strong, Jesus-centered life. You’ll be paired with marriage mentors (couples who have been married for ten or more years) who will help equip you with tools and resources you’ll need to succeed in marriage. Info: premarital.ministry@ bayareacc.org. TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR PREMARITAL COUPLES Occasionally couples who are living together enter our Premarital Ministry. We believe strongly that the best way to honor God before marriage is to remain pure and live separately. We’re looking for folks who have space in their homes that could be used on a temporary basis in order to fulfill this desire. Connect with us: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org
LEARNING COMMUNITIES Learning Communities are intended to strengthen your Biblical knowledge, character and/or practical ministry skills. They are also an opportunity to get to know others at Bay Area on Sunday mornings in an environment of learning and interaction. Sign up at bayareacc.org/learningcommunities. ANGELS & DEMONS & SATAN: SUNDAYS, AUGUST 14 - SEPTEMBER 4 AT 8 A.M. This LC filled up quickly in June, and will be offered again by popular demand. Come hear Executive Pastor Ed Kelley teach about the spiritual realm of angels, demons and Satan. Join us at 8 a.m. in The Docks, room B. Middle and high school students are invited to participate alongside adults. Info: bayareacc.org/learningcommunities
want to miss our July dates: Monday, July 11 at Severna Park Gymnastics and Thursday, July 28 we’ll be picking blueberries and having lunch at Bonnie’s Berries. For more details, follow us at “Wave Riders Play Group” on Facebook or email stacey. burkhardt@bayareacc.org. NATIONAL ICE CREAM DAY The Deep Blue is celebrating National Ice Cream Day on Sunday, July 17 in the Children’s Ministry wing after each gathering. Pick up your child’s free ice cream with their name tag from being checked into the Deep Blue that day. We can’t wait to celebrate this extra sweet day with your children.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES KIDCARE TEAM MEMBERS Our team is currently accepting new applicants. Specifically, we are searching for individuals who have a heart for kids. Our workers are paid and we are consistently looking to add to our team. We provide KidCare to all ministries of Bay Area including various events throughout the year. If you are interested in joining our team, contact KidCare Coordinator Dax at dax.clinkscale@bayareacc.org or visit the Children’s Welcome on Sundays for more info.
CONNECTING MINISTRY
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY MOVE UP SUNDAY We know your children are excited to move up to the grades they will be going into this fall, and our leaders are excited to meet them. The official day to check your preschoolers into the kindergarten room and to check all other elementary-age children into their new grade will be Sunday, August 14. DIVE 45 Our next Dive 45 will be on Friday, August 19 from 7-9 p.m. All rising fourth-graders are invited. Be prepared to be very wet… it is our Summer Splash theme. RSVP online so we know you are coming at bayareacc.org/dive45. RISING SIXTH-GRADERS Current fifth-graders, your last week in Submarine Canyon is July 31. We will have a preview of Student Ministry followed by a party with your leaders that day. You then will be invited to start attending the Student Ministry gatherings beginning August 14. On August 7 Student Ministry won’t have gatherings because they will be away for Big Beach Weekend with the high schoolers. Because of that you are welcome to continue to worship with us on August 7. WAVE RIDERS You’re invited to join our Wave Riders Play Group for some summer fun. We have planned a variety of fun activities for your family and you will not
DISCOVER BAY AREA - NEWCOMER LUNCH New to Bay Area? We’re glad you’re here. You may have questions about who we are or what we believe so join us on August 7 at 12:45 p.m. in the Bay Cafe for Discover Bay Area. Enjoy a free lunch and hear from a few of our pastors and staff about our mission, values and how you can get plugged in. No RSVP necessary, and kids are welcome. Hope to see you there. Info: rachel.perry@bayareacc.org MINISTRY PARTNERSHIP REGISTRATION OPEN If you are part of the Bay Area church family, consider becoming a Ministry Partner. Lock arms with us as we partner together to accomplish the mission of making passionate, maturing followers of Jesus from here to the nations. Start the process by joining us for the Ministry Partnership Orientation on Saturday, July 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hear teaching from Greg St. Cyr and other leaders. KidCare and lunch are provided with advance registration. Learn more and register online at bayareacc.org/ministrypartnership.
ISRAEL TRIP ISRAEL TRIP Walk in the footsteps of Jesus on an 11-day Biblical tour of the Holy Land, hosted by Executive Pastor Ed Kelley. The cost for the trip, which will take place April 24 through May 4, 2017, is $4,200. Info: ed.kelley@bayareacc.org J ULY GO&MAK E 31
MISSIONAL COMMUNITIES
FINANCIALS Annapolis Campus Operating Budget Financial Update As of June 19, 2016 New Fiscal Year Began September 1, 2015 Fiscal Year Giving Goal
$4,417,654
YTD Received YTD Goal YTD Actual vs. Goal JUNE To Date Received JUNE To Date Giving Goal
$3,680,041 $3,654,132 $25,909 0.7% Ahead $246,665 $243,099
For weekly financial updates, go to bayareacc.org/ financials.
MISSIONAL COMMUNITY TASTER Are you new to Bay Area and/or looking to get connected in community? Join us for our Missional Community Taster on July 10 in The Warehouse at 12:45 p.m. Here we will introduce you to our version of mid-sized groups that will help you continually grow spiritually, relationally and missionally. Lunch and KidCare are provided. See you there! RSVP online at bayareacc.org/mctasterrsvp or email us at mc@bayareacc. org for more info.
Please indicate any designated gifts on the memo line of your check or use the drop-down box online to select your desired giving fund.
LOCAL OUTREACH
HOW CAN I CONTINUE TO SUPPORT BAY AREA’S BUILDING FUNDS?
LOCAL OUTREACH SERVING OPPORTUNITIES Missional Communities often don’t know how to get involved with serving locally. We’re here to help. There are many organizations in the Annapolis area that will be blessed by your involvement; we’d love to connect you with them. Go to bayareacc.org/localoutreach to fill out an involvement form. SERVE THOSE IN NEED WITH HOPE Hope For All is a local Bay Area partner whose mission is to provide basic human necessities (i.e. furniture, housewares, clothing, etc.) to families and individuals without sufficient economic resources. They have several ways to get involved: serve at their garage sale, donate furniture or offer your time to help engage new guests. Learn more online at hopeforall.us. Info: outreach@bayareacc.org DONATE OLD/NEW SCHOOL SUPPLIES On Sunday July 3 and July 10, there will be barrels in the lobby for you to drop off new or lightly used school supplies. They will be sent to different parts of the world where children are unable to afford school supplies. Info: outreach@bayareacc.org BACKPACKS FOR LOCAL CHILDREN The Walk the Walk Foundation, a local Bay Area partner, will be at Bay Area on July 24 and 31. We have the opportunity to help bless local children this school year by packing a (or a few!) backpack(s). To participate, donate $20 per backpack then you can fill the backpacks with the appropriate supplies. No need to register or sign up, just show up to church and participate on July 24 or 31. Info: outreach@bayareacc.org 32 GO&MAKE JULY
Note: You will need to donate via check if the fund to which you wish to give is not listed online. All undesignated checks will go toward the general operating fund.
Giving Methods eCheck: Go to bayareacc.org/give to give online through your checking account through a one-time or recurring donation on My Bay Area. Direct Debit: Go to bayareacc.com/give to download the form. Mail completed form to the Bay Area Finance Department and we will debit your checking account directly each month. Personal Check: Write “Building Fund” on the memo line and drop it in the offering basket on Sunday or mail the check to Bay Area (884 Chesterfield Road, Annapolis, MD 21401). Bank Check: Process through your bank’s Bill Pay service online for a bank check to be sent to Bay Area. Be sure to note “Building Fund” on the memo line.
PRAYER MINISTRY Jesus lived a life of unceasing prayer that connected Him to the Father. We too long to be devoted to prayer. Our Prayer Ministry is comprised of individuals dedicated to gathering in prayer for all aspects of Bay Area life: our gatherings, communities, pastors, missions and so much more. Some of these individuals are also available to pray with you on Sunday mornings after each gathering (front and right of the auditorium stage). Read more at bayareacc.org/prayer. Info: pat.linnell@bayareacc.org
GLOBAL MISSIONS
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE
To support any of Bay Area’s short term global mission trips, go online to bayareacc.org/stmgive.
AMBASSADOR TEAM: Serve as an ambassador by helping newcomers get connected. If you have a passion for people and Jesus, and have been attending Bay Area for at least six months, the ambassador role is for you. Info: rachel. perry@bayareacc.org
EL SALVADOR • CHILDREN’S MINISTRY & HOME VISITS • July 23-31 | college & children’s ministry • November 12-20
GHANA • HIGH SCHOOL MINISTRY • August 4-14
SOUTHEAST ASIA • ENGLISH TEACHING & RELATIONSHIP BUILDING • October 7-17 (Fall Trip)
POLAND • FAMILY ENGLISH CAMP • July 20 - August 1
INDIA • August 10-20 | outreach to children and ministry to pastors and local believers
UGANDA • COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT • July 13-23
SOUTH SUDAN • MINISTRY TO CHILDREN AND CHURCH LEADERS • October 1-14
MEN’S BIBLE STUDIES MEN’S MORNING BIBLE STUDY Tuesdays from 6-7:30 a.m. in room 236 at Bay Area. Info: Dennis at dbradylaw@aol.com MEN’S EVENING BIBLE STUDY Sundays from 6-7:30 p.m. in room 235 at Bay Area. This study is geared toward helping men draw closer to Jesus while discussing and discovering God’s answers for the challenges men face at home, work and in society. Info: bob.gregory@bayareacc.org
AUDIO/VIDEO TEAM: We’re looking for a few more passionate, committed people to partner with our Sunday production team. Info: tres.cozad@bayareacc.org CHAIR MINISTRY: Serve on the chair set-up/tear-down team. Info: chairs@bayareacc.org BAY CAFÉ & ESPRESSO BAR: Do you love coffee? Enjoy hospitality? Join our team in the Bay Cafe and/or espresso bar. Info: sherri.raimondo@bayareacc.org CHILDREN’S MINISTRY WELCOME TEAM: Welcome new families on Sunday mornings, assist with checkin and escorte families to their children’s age-specific environments. Info: chyloe.cheetham@bayareacc.org COMMUNION TEAM: Opportunities to serve our church family include baking allergen-free communion bread once a month or assisting with preparation or cleanup during one of the three gatherings on communion Sunday. Info: sherri.raimondo@bayareacc.org GOLF CART DRIVERS: Looking for friendly folks to launch a new aspect of our visitor experience: Sunday morning golf cart drivers. You will pick people up in the back of the West parking lot before gatherings to ease their walk into the building. Those interested must be 21 or older and have a clean driving record. Info: rachel.perry@bayareacc.org HOSPITAL/HOMEBOUND VISITATION: Interested in being part of a team reaching those hospitalized or homebound? Info: leanne.lane@bayareacc.org PARKING MINISTRY: Serve by directing traffic and greeting people as they arrive at church. Info: parking@bayareacc.org SAFETY TEAM: Are you passionate about safety or have experience in security, law enforcement, EMS or First Responders and want to serve in this area? Info: safety@bayareacc.org USHERS: Be a part of creating a welcoming environment by serving during Sunday morning gatherings. Info: Michael at mtabramo1@comcast.net
RESIDENCY PROGRAM SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS We’re excited to launch a residency program this fall to train and equip future church planters and missionaries. One of our participants, Joseph, is looking for a three-bedroom home to rent. If you or someone you know has a home to rent to a missionary family, email casely.essamuah@bayareacc.org. J ULY GO&MAK E 33
STUDENT MINISTRY CLUB 678 Club 678 is a once-a-month hangout for middle schoolers. Middle school students are welcome to join us Friday, July 15 at 6-9 p.m. for a night of games, fun and more. Students are encouraged to invite their friends and can bring money for snacks. Info: lydia.macbride@bayareacc.org ELEVATE Elevate is a weekly summer hangout for middle school students on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., starting July 6. Colossians 3:2 tells us to set our minds on things above, and that’s exactly what we want to encourage students to do during the summer months. Elevate will combine fun games and activities with engaging Bible study and discussion. Students are asked to bring their lunch. Some weeks students may be asked to bring money for pizza. Dates: July 6, 13 and 20; August 10 and 17. Info: lydia.macbride@bayareacc.org BIG BEACH WEEKEND 2016 Don’t miss our third-annual Big Beach Weekend high school retreat. This amazing extended weekend will take place Friday - Monday, August 5-8 at Harvey Cedars Bible Conference on Long Beach Island, NJ. Sign up at bayareacc.org/basmevents or at the BASM info kiosk. Info: lauren.gibeault@bayareacc.org
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EASTON CAMPUS HAPPENINGS DISCOVER BAY AREA New to Bay Area Easton? We’re glad you’re here. You may have questions about who we are or what we believe so join us on July 3 following the 10 a.m gathering for Discover Bay Area. Hear Campus Pastor Craig Fadel share who we are as a church, our story, our vision for making disciples, and how you can get plugged in. No RSVP necessary, and kids are welcome. MISSIONAL COMMUNITY TASTER Get a taste of missional community through our MC Taster event. Join us on July 21 at 6:30 p.m. for information and a taste of community. Dessert and drinks will be served. KidCare is available in most cases upon request. Please RSVP to easton@bayareacc.org.
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