Generosity Magazine Fall 2022

HOPE AND ROE V. WADE

ENDING THE CHILD WELFARE CRISIS

PLANTING

IN HARD PLACES

Missionaries like Thomas Sieberhagen are reaching Europe for Christ thanks to one man’s generosity. Your giving can help send others.

GROWING THE KINGDOM IN COLORADO

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Introducing The Fee-Free Donor Advised Fund (DAF)

A Word From Our CEO

ARE YOU REPLACEABLE?

During my 20 years as CEO of WatersEdge, I’ve learned a key truth about leadership: good leaders don’t make themselves indispens able — they make themselves replaceable.

I’ve seen too many churches, ministries, organizations and institutions struggle when a leader stepped away. Why?

Internally, that leader hadn’t effectively nurtured other leaders and had created, whether by accident or inten tion, a workplace culture codependent on his or her presence. Publicly, that lead er’s identity became so inter twined with the organization’s that one could not be separated from the other without harm.

It’s a danger faced by every leader at any level. Maybe you’re not the CEO, but ask yourself — would my depart ment or my team collapse without me? I believe one of the marks of a great leader is how smoothly work contin ues in their absence.

One day I’ll retire from WatersEdge. Though I hope that day is far over the horizon, it will come. The Lord will call me elsewhere and will turn to the next generation to help WatersEdge continue to fulfill its

purpose: financially empowering donors and ministries to transform lives with the Gospel.

What’s most encouraging is that I already see God at work in this area, raising up leaders within WatersEdge who may one day serve in my place. I want you to know these gifted, God-honoring men and women as I do, which is why you’ll be seeing and hearing from them more often. You’ll encounter them speaking in churches, at WatersEdge events and even here in the pages of Generos ity. Starting in the spring of 2023, this column will no longer be titled “A Word From Our CEO” but

“A Word From Our Leadership.”

It will be an opportunity for you to connect with the voices who have shaped what WatersEdge is today and what it will become.

I pray regularly for these leaders and encourage you to join me. Ask God to grant them wisdom that will allow WatersEdge to continue strengthening ministries long after the name Robert Kellogg has faded from memory.

Robert K. Kellogg Chief Executive Officer

Illustration

by

Marissa Crowson

SENT OUT

Culture and Christ clash as two IMB missionary families bring the Gospel to post-Christian Europe. They’re making good on one man’s faithful generosity. PG. 14

WHY I GIVE: WILMA BRADSHAW

Wilma Bradshaw wanted the opportunity to give back. Find out how a part nership with WatersEdge is empowering her to bless others. PG. 12

CONNECTING THE DOTS

Learn how a Christcentered foster care ministry is connecting churches and families to fulfill the biblical mandate of caring for the least of these. PG. 24

WATERSEDGE NEWS

Staff milestones, promotions and more. PG. 33

ON THE COVER

Thomas Sieberhagen serves on the mission field in Belgium thanks, in part, to an endowed schol arship managed by WatersEdge.

HOPE PREGNANCY CENTER & ROE V. WADE

The recent Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade is impacting pro-life organizations like Hope Pregnancy Center. You can help save lives, equip parents and provide hope for those facing unplanned pregnancies. PG. 8

COLORADO CHURCH SHARES THE GOOD LIFE

A radical Gospel message propelled Storyline Church to rapid growth. When the time came to expand, they turned to WatersEdge. PG. 28

Generosity Fall 2022

Generosity is published biannually by WatersEdge. To subscribe for free, request a copy or update mailing information, please call 800-949-9988 or email info@WatersEdgeServices.org

Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.

Contributors

Sheryl Hash

Carla Hinton Kedrick Nettleton

Thomas Sieberhagen

Marcus Wehmuller

Production

Mike Schueler Editor-in-Chief

Anna Dellinger Managing Editor

Marissa Crowson Visual Editor

Jacob Blaze Design

DOWN. SET. IMPACT.

In Del City, Oklahoma, students on Christian Heritage Academy’s high school football team hone their skills during afternoon practice, but they’re being trained to do more than pass, catch and tackle. Founded in 1972, Christian Heritage Academy (CHA) is a holistically Christian institution, committed to producing Gospel-centered leaders who impact all areas of society. #BecauseYouGive, students from kindergarten through high school are learning how to love and live like Jesus in the classroom and beyond. WatersEdge can help multiply your gift’s impact. Support CHA today by contacting us at 800-949-9988 or give@WatersEdgeServices.org. You can also give online at WatersEdgeServices.org/give

Photo by Marcus Wehmuller

RACING TOWARD A BRIGHT FUTURE

A young man and his horse, Chief, round a barrel during the Boys Ranch Town Rodeo, an annual event hosted by Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children (OBHC). Boys Ranch Town provides a family environment and the message of the Gospel for boys in need of a home until they can be reunited with their families or graduate from high school. #BecauseYouGive, OBHC has remained dedicated to the mission of demonstrating God's love since its founding in 1903, empowering children and their families to follow Christ for more than a century. To maximize your generosity, start a conversation with a WatersEdge giving professional at 800-949-9988 or give@WatersEdgeServices.org. You can also give online at WatersEdgeServices.org/give

Photo by Marcus Wehmuller

PREPARING FOR MIRACLES

By Carla Hinton Photos by Marcus Wehmuller

IN THE WAKE OF THE DOBBS V. JACKSON RULING THAT DEEMED THE RIGHT TO ABORTION UNCONSTITUTIONAL, HOPE PREGNANCY CENTER IS CELEBRATING LIFE AND READYING FOR THE WORK AHEAD.

There was talk everywhere. News agencies and social media were abuzz, pro-life advocates were exul tant and pro-choice proponents were incensed as the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization became public in late June. Gayla White wasn’t sure

BUNDLE UP BABY Village Baptist Church volunteer, Sydney Porter, serves as a facilitator in Hope’s Empowered Parenting program. During this class, Porter teaches expectant parents how to swaddle babies.

from the centers choose life for their unborn child.

how the overturning of Roe v. Wade would impact the pro-life ministry she leads. But the state director of Oklahoma’s Hope Pregnancy Center was sure of one thing — the Lord had prepared her organization for what was to come.

“We didn’t know what to expect, but God did,” she says.

White has served for 15 years with Hope Pregnancy Center, a part of

Hope Pregnancy Center began to receive phone calls from women in Texas soon after what is known as the “Texas Heartbeat Act” was signed into law by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in May 2021. The law bans abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, about six weeks after conception.

“We spoke to a lot of women on the phone from Texas who were afraid to go to Texas crisis pregnancy centers because of the new law,” White says.

The Texas Heartbeat Act sparked the creation and passage of pro-life legislation in numerous states across

Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Chil dren. She began as a volunteer before eventually becoming the organiza tion’s leader. Currently, there are Hope Pregnancy Centers in north Oklahoma City, south Oklahoma City, Edmond, Tulsa and Ardmore.

The centers seek to assist women, men and families as they navigate unplanned pregnancies. White says staff and volunteers discuss three options with clients — parenting, adoption and abortion — with no judgment. Their ultimate desire is that those who seek guidance and support

the country. The Oklahoma Legisla ture passed its own series of pro-life laws, including a law banning abor tion at conception.

At the national level, the Supreme Court ruled on Dobbs v. Jackson and effec tively declared that the constitutional right to abortion does not exist. White, like the rest of the country, knows the ruling has the potential to dramatically alter the pro-life landscape.

She expects to be able to determine how much the overturning of Roe v. Wade will impact Hope soon, when

The state director of Oklahoma’s Hope Pregnancy

Center was sure of one thing — the Lord had prepared her organization for what was to come.

the historic ruling is about six months old. While the number of visitors to the centers remains steady, the minis try has seen a 10 percent rise in clients seeking abortion.

To meet this need, Hope has increased its medical staff so more ultrasounds and pregnancy tests may be con ducted. This is significant because 82 percent of the centers’ clients who have an ultrasound choose to have their baby instead of abortion.

Karen Alley, director of the Tulsa Hope Pregnancy Center, sees a spe cific need for medical volunteers, as well as more men to become center volunteers. Their presence would help Hope fulfill its mission to stand with women and men beyond the point of decision in a crisis pregnancy.

“At all pregnancy centers, we really have a desire to walk a long way with the people who come to us for help,” Alley says. “It’s not just about that crisis moment and seeing them through the crisis. It is about having a relationship with them for as long as they will allow us.”

The centers have also conducted staff training to connect with young par ents through Hope’s Empowered Par enting program. These weekly classes walk individuals and couples from early pregnancy all the way through the first year of the child’s life. Weekly classes are held to prepare expectant moms and dads.

A pilot fatherhood program recently began, which pairs fathers in need of support and encouragement with men from Oklahoma Baptist churches.

While performing a surgical abortion here in

Oklahoma is now illegal, changing the law does not change the heart.”

Hope’s leadership believes this new pro gram is important because about 20 per cent of the centers’ clients are married.

Though White discussed the centers’ preparedness for the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Deborah Young was in a unique position to see how Oklahoma Baptists and other pro-life advocates reacted to the historic ruling and how it translated to support and encourage ment for Hope Pregnancy Center.

Young, who serves as associate vice president of development for Okla homa Baptist Homes for Children, says people began reaching out to

express their support as early as May, when the Supreme Court’s draft opin ion suggesting support for the over turning of Roe v. Wade was leaked.

“The first thing we noticed was friends, donors, businesses and churches who had supported us over the years, saying we’re praying for you,” Young recalls. “And then, once the decision did come out, it was just wonderful. We had people calling and leaving voicemails for us, sending text messages to staff and volunteers.”

But Young cautions against the common misconception that over

turning Roe v. Wade will end abortion.

While legal challenges are an important step in the fight for life, she acknowledges that much work remains to be done.

“While performing a surgical abor tion here in Oklahoma is now illegal, changing the law does not change the heart,” Young says. “There are many women who still feel abortion is their best option. We want to reach them first, before they go out of state to obtain a surgical abortion or before

they order the abortion pill.”

Young adds that donations and pledges of support demonstrate some thing significant about the pro-life community in Oklahoma.

“Often in the media, we hear the mes sage that all we want to do is save the baby, and that’s not true,” she says. “Our mission statement is to help young men and women have hope and choose life. We want to help them think through all of their pregnancy options

Far left : LITTLE LESSONS Empow ered Parenting participants are shown the developmental stages of their child utilizing life-like fetal models. A mother-to-be holds it close to her heart while intently listening to the teacher. Center : MENTORING

FATHERS Warren Pybas, a Hope volunteer from Quail Springs Baptist Church, instructs two young fathers on the importance of being involved in the lives of their children.

and know they have alternatives to abortion. Many times when women choose abortion, it’s because they don’t believe they have the financial capabil ity to raise a child. They are encouraged to know Oklahoma Baptists and others who care about them will walk along side them long after the baby is born.”

Hope is already preparing to make more changes in 2023, namely increasing after-hours staff who will be available to talk to people seeking guidance on the weekends.

White says that though she doesn’t know exactly what the future holds for the pregnancy centers, she is deter mined that Hope’s committed staff and volunteers will continue providing support to women, men and families.

“I love this work,” she says, smil ing. “I love getting to be a witness to miracles.”

Your Giving Helps Parents Choose Life

Hope Pregnancy Center brings light and life to a world faced with uncertainty by providing solutions to difficult decisions stemming from unplanned preg nancy. WatersEdge can help you multiply your financial gift in support of Hope. You can also be a part of the organization’s mission by praying and volunteering. give@WatersEdgeServices.org | 800-949-9988 | WatersEdgeServices.org

WHY I GIVE

WILMA BRADSHAW

By Kedrick Nettleton • Photo by Marcus Wehmuller

It’s fair to say that Wilma Bradshaw — and her late husband, Truman — turned one of their life’s great trials into an opportunity for ministry. Unable to have children, the couple was determined to make an impact for young people through volunteer work and generous giving. By establishing an estate plan with WatersEdge, Bradshaw is able to achieve her goals even after her passing.

“While I was working to set up my plan, I was thinking, ‘What could I do for children?’” she says, noting that her husband had always felt similar inclinations.

After Bradshaw’s passing, her estate will distribute gifts to several different charitable causes includ ing missions work, her home church, and an endowed schol arship for students at Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children. These ministries reflect varied interests and a profound generosity that’s ingrained in Bradshaw’s character. She’s an energetic woman who’s passionate about her faith and about giving back.

The idea for an estate plan first came to Bradshaw during a tumultuous period of her life when both her husband and her mother-in-law passed away, but it lay dormant until she began traveling. Bradshaw wasn’t fond of flying, and this phobia got her thinking about the future. She wanted

to have a plan in place when she dies, and she knew just whom to contact.

“I didn’t think of anybody else,” she says. “When all this happened to me and I was left alone, I turned to WatersEdge.”

Sometime after Bradshaw had created the initial draft of her estate plan, WatersEdge made a presentation at her home church, demonstrating how she could prepare for the future and give to the causes she was passionate about. She was all in, and began the process of assigning charitable gifts through her plan — a process that was surprisingly painless.

“It was easy, and it helped me put things in order,” she says. “I would definitely recom mend WatersEdge to anyone considering going through the estate planning process.”

Today, at age 85, Bradshaw takes comfort knowing she’s poised to make an eternal impact through her estate.

“I’ve always wanted to help as many people as I could, and that’s my whole goal,” she says. “Now I know I’m making a difference.”

“I’ve always wanted to help as many people as I could, and that’s my whole goal.”

Seeing the Kingdom Manifest

By Kedrick Nettleton • Photos by Marcus Wehmuller and Thomas Sieberhagen

ONE MAN’S EXTRAVAGANT GENEROSITY IS HELPING SEND MISSIONARIES LIKE S NEVER NEEDED THE GOSPEL MORE.

When Thomas Sieberhagen was 9 years old, his father took him and his brother to visit an orphanage in Kazakhstan, the Central Asian nation where their family had been living in the cold and snow for two years as missionaries. These jour neys were about bringing comfort to the least of these — the family would play with the orphans, bring them needed supplies and toys, and attempt to form relationships across cultural and linguistic barriers. They stand out in Sieberhagen’s memory like a neon sign pointing toward the future.

“It was uncomfortable for me,” he says. “This was an orphanage in the former Soviet Union, and those kids had nothing. They lived in extremely difficult conditions. The disparity between what I had and what they had was immense.”

Sieberhagen had been a follower of Christ since early childhood, but

during those trips he began to feel it — to crave an eternal reality that was vastly different from the world’s. “It was those moments where I first started truly longing for a Kingdom where orphans are sons and daugh ters of the King,” he says. “That desire to see His Kingdom manifest on the earth was there early.”

Amy Jones had a similar experi ence. The daughter of a youth pastor in Texas, she was introduced to the Gospel at a young age. But, it didn’t make a tangible impact in her life until she noticed a strange truth: the people who followed Jesus were just plain different.

“I realized I didn’t have the power I needed to do good,” she remem bers. “I could tell there were certain people who had this strength about them — to do good, to love and care for others. I didn’t have that. In my own little kid way, I remember

talking to God and saying, ‘I know I need you.’”

Both Sieberhagen and Jones share childhood moments of clarifying pur pose, but it isn’t the only thing linking them. They both pursued lives as mis sionaries, moving with their families to Europe and planting churches in cultures radically opposed to the mes sage of Christ. They both received theological training at Southwest ern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. And they both benefited from an unlikely source of profound generosity: Richard Estes.

SEEDS OF PURPOSE

When the people who knew Richard Clark Estes use the word “quirky” to describe him, it’s a term of obvious affection. His legacy is undeniable: millions of dollars in charitable giving to train those taking the Gospel to the furthest reaches of the earth. But there are some interesting contrasts between

Left: FAMILY BUSINESS The Jones family — (left to right) Casey, Evie, Claire and Amy — is diving into the local culture in Leipzig as they reach the German people for Christ. Right: UNASSUMING GENEROSITY – Richard Estes, pictured in the directory of Bartlesville First Baptist Church, where he was a faithful member for decades.

Photos provided

him and those he’d eventually fund.

Estes lived a life on foot, spending his evenings strolling the sidewalks in his hometown of Bartlesville, Okla homa. He worked in the research and development department at Phil lips Petroleum Company until 1986 and maintained a strong connection to Bartlesville First Baptist Church. Music was among his passions; he played the piano and organ and sang in the church choir.

Estes, who never married, kept a close relationship with his parents, and it’s fair to say it was his mother, Myra, who first planted the seeds of generosity within his heart. She was passionate about mission work through the International Mission Board (IMB) and the North Amer ican Mission Board, and had spent much of her life working in various capacities with the Woman’s Mis sionary Union. So when WatersEdge,

then The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma, held an estate plan ning seminar at Estes’ church in the 1990s, a light bulb went off — what if he could find a way to support mis sions through his estate, ensuring his money would continue to make an impact even after his passing?

The idea stuck, and Estes began working with WatersEdge to make this dream a reality. He learned

ON THE FIELD The Sieberhagens’ church plant is based in the city of Namur, the capital city of the French-speaking southern region of Belgium with a population of about 112,000.

ALL SMILES

(left to right) Thomas, Ransom, Primrose, and Holley Sieberhagen pose for a family photo on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where they’re currently serving as missionaries-in-residence during stateside assignment with IMB.

about the possibility of leaving a lasting gift through an endowment — a giving mechanism designed to multiply a donor’s contribution many times beyond its original value, providing a nonprofit minis try or organization with a perpetual stream of revenue. Estes decided his endowment would fund a scholar ship for students at Southwestern Seminary that were heading to the mission field. He began building the endowment while he was still living, making gradual donations that grew through investment. It was a modest account at first, with an initial gift of $1,000, but it didn’t stay that way for long. Today, his endowment — which Estes named in honor of his mother — is worth almost $5 million. Since 2014, it has distributed over $1 million to more than a hundred Southwestern students, including Thomas Sie berhagen and Amy Jones.

For his part, Estes was always humble about his giving. To him, it was a way to honor his mother’s legacy and her Kingdom impact. But for those who’ve benefited from the scholar ships, it’s nothing short of radical.

“Some of the others in my program at Southwestern spent four or five years getting through,” Sieberhagen says. “Because I had the Estes scholarship, I was able to take full loads and do the coursework in two years in order to get to the mission field quickly, which was key.”

The scholarship was a validation of the calling felt by Sieberhagen and Jones, a divine provision to help them take the Gospel to a lost world.

PAVING THE WAY

Jones never lost sight of that call ing, even throughout her early life and education. When she went to the University of Tennessee to study music, the idea of mission work was never far from her mind.

“While I was deciding what I was going to do in college, I thought, ‘I’m called to missions. What does that look like in my life? I’m a missionary, but what’s my job title going to be?’” she remembers.

After graduation, Amy pursued her master’s degree in missions at New Orleans Baptist Theological Semi nary, and the timing coincided with Hurricane Katrina. She dove into the relief effort after the storm, thinking that maybe this could be her calling — a lifelong, Gospel calling.

“I really thought my life was going to be helping replant churches in New Orleans,” she says.

It turned out she was right about church planting, just not in New Orleans. A mission trip to Moscow during the last year of her master’s program reminded her of the Gospel burden that existed abroad, and it reignited her passion. “Every day, I shadowed a different missionary there,” she explains. “They had dif ferent daily lives, different strategies, but they were all on mission, and the lostness I saw broke my heart.”

Once she completed her master’s degree, Jones served as a mission ary for two years in Vienna. While there, a mentor encouraged her to pursue a second advanced degree,

and Jones started looking at options. Southwestern Seminary wasn’t even on her list until she visited campus for an expo.

“I was pleasantly surprised,” she says. “Both with the programming

and with how open they were. They treated me like a colleague.”

She trusted her instincts and made the decision to attend, and that decision paid off tenfold — lit erally, via the Myra Cross Estes

Top : SPREADING THE WORD

As missionary-in-residence, Sieberhagen has the chance to encourage others on the path to the mission field at Southwestern Seminary, as well as report on the growth his team is seeing in Belgium. Bottom : GOOD NEWS GALLERY By using their location as an art house during the week, IMB’s Namur church plant gives curious people a chance to explore Christianity in a low-pressure environment.

Memorial Scholarship. In addition to receiving the financial freedom that came with the funding, Jones met her husband, Casey, and had two children — Evie and Claire.

By the time she finished her mas ters in theology, the family’s plan was clear: they were off to Leipzig, Germany, to plant a church through the IMB.

NOT ON EARTH

For Sieberhagen, the call to missions didn’t necessarily include leaving home, mostly because “home” was always a nebulous term. He was born to South African believers, but he didn’t stay there long. His parents moved twice during his childhood — once when he was 5, to pursue ministry in the United States, and again when he was 8, to Kazakhstan as missionaries.

Looking back, he’s grateful for the transient childhood because it serves as a reminder of a difficult biblical truth.

“We have so many indications in Scripture that our citizenship is not here on Earth,” he says. “That ‘home’ feeling is only going to click 100 percent in Heaven. In many ways, this freed me to be able to accept the call to missions much more easily,

because I didn’t have strong roots here in the States.”

The sacrificial lifestyle of Sieber hagen’s parents proved valuable in another way, too, helping to personify a life lived in obedience to the Great Commission. Mission work wasn’t just his parents’ job — it was a calling for the entire family. And that calling stuck. When the time came to attend college, Sieberhagen chose North Greenville University in South Car olina. There, he met his future wife, Holley, who had grown up with simi lar ministry goals.

“She was baptized when she was 10, and the Lord radically spoke to her and said, ‘I want you to be a missionary,’” he explains. “She barely even understood what that was, but she was obedient.”

The couple moved to Fort Worth immediately after college, and Sieber hagen received the Estes scholarship while studying for his Master of Divinity. Afterwards, he and Holley moved to Namur, Belgium, where they’re part of a church plant with another IMB couple.

PLANTING IN HARD PLACES

In many ways, both Sieberhagen and Jones are dealing with the same cul tural challenges in Namur and in Leipzig — a post-Christian culture that’s not even sure how to talk about the spiritual realm, much less engage with the Gospel. Less than 1 per cent of Belgium’s population could be classified as evangelical Christian. Germany’s numbers are higher, but

there’s another cultural challenge in Leipzig: history.

“In our area, the Soviet regime was incredibly damaging,” Jones explains. “Anybody over 50, if you try to have a spiritual conversation, they may physically flinch, because they’re that nervous about talking about eternal things.”

This pain doesn’t mean the German people aren’t interested in these ques tions, though — Jones believes they are desperate for truth.

“Most Germans are spiritually hungry, and they have absolutely no idea how to feed themselves,” she says. “If you ask somebody what they

For his part, Estes was always humble about his giving. To him, it was a way to honor his mother’s legacy and her Kingdom impact. But for those who’ve benefited from the scholarships, it’s nothing short of radical.

believe, they’ll say, ‘I don’t believe in anything.’ But if you ask if they have spiritual practices, they’ll say, ‘Well, I’ve studied astrology, I do tarot cards, I’ve practiced yoga ...’ You can tell they’re seeking; they just don’t know how to connect those activities with their soul.”

A similar hunger exists in Namur, along with the same trepidation for broaching spiritual conversations. “The people we talk to, their grandparents stopped going to church,” Sieberhagen explains. “They themselves are many generations removed from any kind of biblical literacy whatsoever. The first hurdle you have to jump, then, is to convince them that spirituality has a place in their lives at all.”

Either field could be discouraging for a missionary, but that’s not the case with these teams. Sieberhagen acknowledges this is simply the real ity in 2022. “It’s a hard context,” he says, shrugging it off. “You know, the IMB says there are no easy places left. If you want to go as a missionary

or to plant a church, there are only hard places.”

But given a few years’ time and the movement of God, both Sieberhagen

Left: FIRST STEPS The Jones family enjoys a reception following their appointment as missionaries at the 2017 IMB Sending Celebration in Richmond, Virginia.

Right: COVERED IN PRAYER Sieberhagen and other IMB missionaries meet together during Southwestern Semi nary’s Global Missions Week to pray over their respective countries and people groups.

and Jones are excited about the fruit they’ve seen through their respec tive church plants. The Namur team rents a space to use as an art center, getting people in the door through exhibits, Gospel choirs, and other events throughout the week; on Sun days, they host church gatherings. In Leipzig, Jones’ team rents a storefront

as a church building in an especially challenging neighborhood — they’re literally across the street from a Com munist compound.

After exciting Gospel breakthroughs during the COVID-19 pandemic, both the Joneses and the Sieberhagens returned to the States earlier this year. Over the coming months, they’ll spend time resting, planning and preparing for the next phase of their ministry.

Thomas and Holley are currently serving as missionaries-in-residence at Southwestern Seminary, a kind of full-circle moment that seems divinely ordained. Amy and Casey are living with family in Tennessee and trav eling to Baptist churches across the country to give updates about their work in Germany.

Men and women will give their lives to Christ at these church plants, never knowing they can track part of their spiritual lineage to a singular man in Oklahoma, quietly doing what he could.

Photo provided

Both couples are grateful to see God working in difficult places, and pessi mism isn’t an indulgence Sieberhagen or Jones allow themselves. They’re young, passionate about the work, and excited to see the Spirit continue to move when they return.

“Yeah, it’s not thousands of people coming to know the Lord in Namur,” Sieberhagen says. “But it’s tens of people, which is more than Belgium has seen in decades, really.”

Jones echoes this ethos: slow, consis tent growth by engaging with people’s questions. “They’re hungry, and they want to do something, but nobody has taught them,” she says. “We can’t wait to dive in again with our church plant.”

Legacy can be a fascinating concept, especially in matters of faith. The Sieberhagen and Jones families are building spiritual legacies, a foundation

of faith they pray will stand strong for decades to come. Richard Estes built a legacy, too. He’ll never walk the streets of Leipzig or converse with someone in a Namur art house, but the generosity behind his endowed scholarship will continue to make an impact in both of these places, and other mission fields around the world, for generations

to come. Men and women will give their lives to Christ at these church plants, never knowing they can track part of their spiritual lineage to a sin gular man in Oklahoma, quietly doing what he could.

They won’t know, that is, until Heaven.

Give the Gift of the Gospel

Richard Estes’ gen

erosity started with a single gift of $1,000 and has grown to support missions work around the world. If you’re interested in creating an endowment to support Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary — or to assist another ministry you’re passionate about — our giving professionals can help you mul tiply your gift and maximize tax benefits. Start a conversation with WatersEdge today. give@WatersEdgeServices.org 800-949-9988 | WatersEdgeServices.org

Illustration by Jacob Blaze

Connecting the Dots

ONE OKLAHOMA FOSTER CARE MINISTRY IS BRINGING TOGETHER THE STATE GOVERNMENT AND THE LOCAL CHURCH THROUGH A UNIQUE ONLINE CAREPORTAL, MEETING THE NEEDS OF FAMILIES ACROSS THE STATE.

By Anna Dellinger

W

hat do a washing machine, a car seat and a paid util ity bill have in common? All of these are requests churches regularly fulfill through 111Project’s online Care Portal. The idea behind the non profit’s name is simple: one church, one family, one purpose, all working together to mobilize the church so that every child has a family.

“We have children waiting in offices and shelters, separated from their sib lings, because we do not have enough foster and adoptive homes in every community,” says Chris Campbell, executive director of 111Project. “If one church would recruit one foster family every year, it would end the child welfare crisis. We’re never going to end sin or the cycle of broken fami lies. But our hope is that we could have families waiting on children instead of children waiting on families.”

Launched in Oklahoma in 2016,

CarePortal is an online tool used by 111Project to bridge the gap between resources and opportunities by equip ping local churches to engage directly with the issue of foster care. Churches can view requests that have been vetted by Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) case workers and sign up to meet needs ranging from $50 for a bus pass to a set of bunk beds or a new refrigerator.

These needs haven’t always been met, however. 2011 and 2012 marked the highest numbers of children in the OKDHS foster care system to date, with almost 12,000 children in care. These children were waiting on fam ilies — their own or others — due to issues with their primary caregivers including neglect, socioeconomic tur moil, addiction, mental health disor ders and abuse.

Overwhelmed by need, Oklahoma’s child welfare system was in crisis.

This was the genesis of 111Project. A group of OKDHS workers came together with members of local churches to find a solution that multiplied faith engagement across the state.

Campbell sees the work of 111Proj ect as an opportunity to fulfill the biblical obligation to serve broken

families and follow after God’s own heart, as demonstrated in passages such as James 1:27, Matthew 25:3540 and Psalm 68:5-6.

The idea behind the nonprofit’s name is simple: one church, one family, one purpose ...

“The whole foster care move ment gives us an opportunity to put our faith into prac tice,” Campbell explains. “It’s a great unifier of the church and the community, because kids in need are a rallying point to help people belong and make a difference before they follow Jesus.”

Over the past six years, 111Project has helped OKDHS bring the current number of children in the foster care system down to about 6,600 — almost half of what it was 10 years ago — and CarePortal played a major role in the shift.

Cecil Boydston, bivocational pastor of Union Valley Baptist Church in Cookietown, Oklahoma, and a dis trict director for OKDHS, has led his church to partner with 111Project through CarePortal since its incep tion. With over two decades of expe rience at OKDHS, Boydston helped open Stephens County as the first in Oklahoma to use CarePortal.

“The impact on families is one of the best things I’ve seen in the 24 years I’ve worked for the state,” Boydston says. “We’ve met a lot of needs that we wouldn’t have otherwise.”

Campbell is refreshed by the progress the state has made over the past few years, in large part due to partnership with churches.

go backwards,” he says. “But we have this moment to take a very tangible thing and showcase the church and how the Holy Spirit and the Gospel of Jesus Christ can bring light to something that everyone else would consider to be too dark.”

Many Oklahoma Baptist churches are leading the way in involvement. Kevin Bell, For Ada Director at First Baptist Church, Ada, says congre gations have met more than 30 of the 42 needs requested in Pontotoc County since CarePortal opened there in 2021.

“We have a bad habit of doing things inside the church, but CarePortal gives us an opportunity to get out of

Manita Forney serves as the Tulsa Church Ambassador with 111Proj ect, and she’s passionate about con necting churches to CarePortal because she’s seen its impact in her own church, New Joy Fellowship in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

New Joy Fellowship is a smaller min istry that connected with another nearby congregation, Eastwood Bap tist Church, through a North Amer ican Mission Board project with Send Relief called “Serve Tour.” Area churches made it a goal to fulfill all the requests in CarePortal at that time.

“We coordinated and worked with any church that wanted to be a part of it,”

Forney says. “Since that project, we’ve been doing something together every week. Eastwood is predominantly white and New Joy is predominantly African American. But ministry is

Sharp’s family takes this mission personally and met a request that required sacrifice on the part of his two young sons. They had inherited a dresser from their great-grandfather

real need. It’s made a huge impact on my own family to be a part of some thing that’s bigger than us with stuff that’s expendable.”

These examples are only a glimpse of the partnerships and relational oppor tunities 111Project has created in communities across Oklahoma.

“It’s an exciting time to see the stories and engagement of the local church,” Campbell says. “Southern Baptists are sitting in that front row of engagement and it makes me proud of my heritage.”

not Black or white. It’s about coming together so those who are hurting know that Jesus sees them and loves them.”

Brady Sharp, 111Project’s southwest regional manager, says he loves his role of linking churches and leaders to the ecosystem of foster care.

“111Project connects the dots for churches, agencies and families, while CarePortal serves as the vehicle to ful fill the mission,” he says.

who had recently died. Soon after, Sharp saw a new request appear on CarePortal: a grandfather had taken in his grandson and needed furniture for the boy’s room.

“My sons were pretty attached to it,” Sharp says. “But the opportunity to help someone moved them, so we loaded up the dresser and delivered it. There are small things we can do — like giving up a piece of furniture with sentimental value — to meet a

With thousands of children in and out of the child welfare system each year, the work is far from over. In June 2022, CarePortal saw a record number of requests from agency partners due to the current economic climate; unfortunately, some of the needs were not met. But Campbell is not deterred by the enormity of the task before his organization.

“For the first time in my life, I can say I have so much hope because of churches’ engagement in this space. We’re fixing this,” Campbell says.

Care at the Click of a Button

Your church can be a part of ending the child welfare crisis. Contact a WatersEdge giving professional today to max imize your gift and further 111Project’s ministry across Oklahoma. You can also help mobilize your community or church association by hosting an informational event to recruit foster and adoptive families, or by joining CarePortal at 111project.org. give@WatersEdgeServices.org | 800-949-9988 | WatersEdgeServices.org

We’re never going to end sin or the cycle of broken families. But our hope is that we could have families

waiting on children instead of children waiting on families.”

Growing the Kingdom in COLORADO

STORYLINE CHURCH PUSHED THROUGH THE “GOOD-LIFE” ILLUSION TO CULTIVATE A COMMITTED CONGREGATION. THANKS TO A REFINANCED LOAN, IT’S SET TO CONTINUE THRIVING FOR YEARS TO COME.

By Kedrick Nettleton • Photos by Mike Schueler

In the town of Arvada, Colo rado, there are two conflicting pictures. The community’s surface is stunningly beautiful; nestled in the foothills of the Rockies, the area is known for its mountain vistas, neigh borhood parks and prosperous popu lace. But beneath this idyllic image of material contentment lies another — one of spiritual emptiness.

“Arvada is a gorgeous community,” says J.T. English, lead pastor of Storyline Church. “Almost every single Colora doan I’ve met believes they’re here to

live the good life. They think they’ve ‘arrived’ — but the reality is there’s so much brokenness underneath.

“About 90 percent of our commu nity is unchurched, which means our neighbors are largely uninterested in a relationship with Jesus.”

The dichotomy between these two worlds — Arvada above and below — is one the church addresses directly. Go to Storyline’s website, and you’ll see one central message: the good life doesn’t come from Colorado.

SEASON OF CELEBRATION

Storyline members connect in the church’s spacious foyer following Sunday morning services. Since its founding in 2015, the young congregation has experienced rapid growth in Arvada, a bustling suburb near Denver.

“One of our values is that Jesus is the good life,” English says. “What we’re trying to do is awaken people from the slumber of this idea that they’re living the good life because they live in the mountains, or because they have their kids on the right sports

teams, or because they can afford to call a community like this home.”

Despite Arvada’s spiritual vacuum, people are responding to the mes sage of the Gospel. Storyline has experienced significant growth since its founding as a North American Mission Board church plant in 2015. Nearly every week, someone in the congregation makes the life-changing decision to follow Christ.

For Lindsay Acocella, Storyline’s director of strategy and operations, the expansion has been simultane ously exciting and problematic.

“We’ve seen a lot of consistent growth,” she says, acknowledging that Storyline quickly outgrew its original footprint.

“The question then became: ‘Where are we going to put all these people?’” Acocella adds. “So, we had to come up with a solution.”

Eventually, the church decided to embark on a renovation project at its current campus. Storyline leased the building next door as a dedicated place for middle and high school students and transformed the student minis try’s former home into an adult dis cipleship area. With so many young families joining the church, major updates were also made to enhance

emphasizes. “We want every person — young or old — who comes to Sto ryline to feel like this isn’t their par ents’ church or their grandparents’ church. This is their church.”

The need for a revamped space was clear. The harder part? Paying for it. After the COVID-19 pandemic, Sto ryline’s leadership team went through

We want everything about Storyline to be Gospel-focused, even the loan for our building. With WatersEdge, we know that those funds go back toward Kingdom causes.”

the space for Storyline’s children’s ministry. This focus on youth and children’s ministries was intentional.

“We really believe that the next gen eration is not the church of tomorrow. It’s the church of today,” Acocella

a period of searching, balancing Godgiven vision with available resources.

That’s when Acocella got connected with WatersEdge. “We immedi ately sensed such a partnership — a like-mindedness of what we were

Far Left : NEXT GENERATION

Storyline puts a strong emphasis on cre ating a space for everyone to belong, from the church’s oldest members to its youngest.

Left : BOLD VISION In the summer of 2018, the church opened at its new campus, a former grocery store in the heart of Arvada.

Right: SUNDAY MORNING HUDDLE

Storyline pastors, staff and volunteers meet together to pray every Sunday morning before services begin.

wanting to accomplish,” she says. “Not because we wanted to make Sto ryline well known, but to be obedient to what we felt like the Lord was call ing us to do.”

English emphasizes that same word: partnership. “It was clear to me from the very first phone call that this was all about the mission of God and seeing Jesus known here,” he says.

Storyline already had a loan for its orig inal building but decided to refinance at a lower rate through WatersEdge, as well as borrow additional funds for the new space and renovations. The total was significant — $7.1 million — but through refinancing, the church saved thousands of dollars each month. Better yet, the interest that Storyline pays on its loan isn’t going to line the pockets of a bank or traditional lender. Through WatersEdge, it’s funding other churches.

“We want everything about Storyline to be Gospel-focused, even the loan for our building,” Acocella says. “With WatersEdge, we know that those funds go back toward Kingdom causes.”

Renovations were completed earlier this year, and Storyline is already seeing the benefits. “I anticipate that the Lord, by His grace, will use this space to advance the Gospel and fur ther the Kingdom of God here in

Arvada,” Acocella says. “We’re excited to be a part of it.”

For English, the renovations are the cap to a time of incredible sweetness and joy. “There are seasons churches go through. And we’re in a season of celebration,” he says. “You can’t man ufacture this. Our church is happy to know Jesus in deeper ways, to be full of His Holy Spirit, and to be known in community.”

Partnering with Purpose

WatersEdge partners with churches of all sizes to provide biblically grounded loans for new construction, renovation, refinancing and other projects. Unlike traditional financing, a WatersEdge loan returns interest dollars to ministry instead of a bank’s bottom line. Visit our website to learn more, compare rates or apply online. loans@WatersEdgeServices.org | 800-949-9988 | WatersEdgeServices.org/loans

Celebrating a People-First Leader

AFTER THREE DECADES OF FAITHFUL SERVICE, SHRYLN TREADWELL ’ S MARK ON WATERSEDGE WILL ENDURE.

By Kedrick Nettleton

At first glance, Shryln Treadwell is all business, and she has the resume, credentials and profes sional polish to back that appearance up. But to those who know her, it’s clear that what matters most are people — both her coworkers and the clients she serves.

For 36 years, Treadwell has been an integral part of The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma, now WatersEdge. She’s seen remark able growth, helped pioneer a rebrand, and followed a career path that’s led her to the role of chief operating officer and president of WatersEdge Advisors. Through the ups and downs of that path, she never lost sight of the organi zation’s purpose — to financially empower donors and ministries to change lives with the Gospel.

“One of my fondest memories here is actually a funeral,” she says. “It was for a trust client that neither I nor any of the staff had known, but he named WatersEdge as representative and left a ministry gift. At his funeral, there were only four people in attendance, and we were all WatersEdge staff: Robert Kellogg, Paul Kersh, John Schantz and myself. It was incredibly meaningful that we could be there to honor him.”

For those who have worked with Treadwell over the decades, that dedication to people is what sets her apart. “She’s been a mentor and friend to many over the years,” says Jerry Vaughan, WatersEdge chief lending officer. “For me, she’s gone from being a coworker to a friend and confidant.”

Robert Kellogg, WatersEdge CEO, echoes this. “Our clients, the WatersEdge team, Oklahoma Baptists — and me, especially — owe Shryln a debt of gratitude,” he says. “I think I had unrealisti cally high expectations of her, and she exceeded them all.”

There are certainly many piv otal moments Treadwell points back to, like when WatersEdge received its first $1 million gift or crossed the $500 million thresh old in assets under management. But as she prepares for retirement at the end of this year, she’s most excited about the future. Tread well plans to move to Lawrence, Kansas, to be closer to her daughters, Katie and Emily, and the true loves of her life: her grandchildren. Whether taking family trips to Galveston or traveling the world for Katie’s marathons, Treadwell’s calendar will remain full — and that’s just fine with her.

NEW CHAPTER Treadwell and her grandchildren (left to right) Henry, Pippa, Ellis and Peyton.

PROMOTION

Sam Youngs

Kyndal Kliewer

Vice President, Trust Administration kkliewer@WatersEdgeServices.org

After two years as WatersEdge corporate counsel, Kyndal Kliewer is ready for her next step. Starting January 1, 2023, she’ll take the role of vice president of trust administration — a natural transition, given her close work with the trust team. “I have a big set of shoes to fill and lots to learn, but I’m excited by the opportunities and challenges of this new position,” she says. “I love seeing the Kingdom impact our work has with ministries and donors.” Kliewer and her husband, Chris, attend Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. They have two children, Cole and Chase, and a daughterin-law, Grace.

Director of Ministry Investments syoungs@WatersEdgeServices.org

Sam Youngs is focused on growth. At WatersEdge, he helps churches multiply ministry funds through investments. But he’s committed to professional growth, too. Youngs recently completed his MBA at the University of Oklahoma, and he’s excited to bring new expertise to WatersEdge. As director of ministry investments, Youngs works hand in hand with churches and ministries, and it’s the personal connection he values most. “Being able to speak with clients is one of the best parts of my job,” he says. “It’s the fact that I’m doing my work for and with ministries that gives it meaning.” Youngs, his wife, Sadie, and their daughters, Annie and Lucy, attend Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, where he also serves as a deacon.

Preston Hudson Trust Officer phudson@WatersEdgeServices.org

Test anxiety? Not a chance for Preston Hudson. He recently passed his Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) exam, a professional designation used to assess and certify a financial pro fessional’s understanding of property law, taxation, trust accounting, investments, trust ethics and regu lations. “Baptists in Oklahoma and beyond put their faith in me to prudently manage their gifts to min istries and administer their estates,” he says. “Each interaction with our donors reminds me that I have a role to play in our mission.” Hudson and his wife, Risa, have one daughter, Mila, and are expecting their second child soon. They are members of Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.

PROFESSIONAL DISTINCTION

PROFESSIONAL DISTINCTION