Indiana Baptist Fall 2026

Indiana 2026 ⬤ Volume 2 ⬤ Issue 3

Executive Director's

MESSAGE Dr. Nicholas Clark tel: (317) 481-2400

email: nclark@scbi.org

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hank you, Indiana Baptists, for the warm welcome I have received from so many parts of this great state. I am honored to serve you and our cooperative work as we make Jesus known in our communities. In these first three months, I have met pastors, leaders, and faithful church members who care deeply about the local churches that dot the landscape of the Hoosier state. A common refrain I hear is a desire for churches to become healthier and equipped to advance the gospel here and around the world. Such aspirations require two preliminary commitments that Indiana Baptists ought to make.

First, Indiana Baptists must summon ourselves to prayer. The treasures we seek to store in heaven must be sought in a fervent season of petition before the Lord. We often pray to effect some change in our circumstances, but prayer has a way of changing us—bending our hearts and desires to the things of God. I pray that the Lord will knit our souls together when Indiana Baptists commit to seek the Lord in prayer.

Second, Indiana Baptists must resolve to work together to reach our neighbors with the gospel. Every Indiana Baptist church has a role in reaching every Indiana community. When we cooperate, a small rural church and a large suburban church become partners in one mission.

Together we can plant churches across Indiana, send missionaries around the world, and respond wherever God opens a door. Our gospel cooperation has a multiplying effect when we work together.

Indiana Baptists who pray and work together for gospel proclamation will begin to see healthier churches take shape. Healthy churches are the means by which God advances His kingdom. Healthy churches make disciples, strengthen families, raise up leaders, send missionaries, plant churches, and faithfully proclaim Christ to the next generation.

As our churches grow healthier, our collective witness throughout Indiana grows stronger.

My prayer is that the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana will be known as a fellowship of churches that love one another, pray earnestly, cooperate joyfully, and proclaim Christ boldly. The days ahead present tremendous opportunities. More than six million Hoosiers need the hope of the gospel, and God has entrusted that mission to His church.

May we be faithful stewards of that calling.

Thank you for your partnership in the gospel. It is a privilege to serve alongside you. Let us seek the Lord together, labor together, and trust Him to accomplish far more than we could ever ask or imagine for the glory of God.

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2026 — Issue 3 — Fall

State Convention of Baptists in Indiana Executive Director Dr. Nicholas Clark President Dr. Larry Lewis Chairman of the Board Tami Hubler Communications Committee Chairman Tami Hubler Josh Singleton, Chairman-elect Convention Partnerships and Communications Vika Chykyrenda Creative Director Greg Cooper Copy Writer Nikki Hurt State Convention of Baptists in Indiana The State Convention of Baptists in Indiana is cultivating the pathway to vibrancy for churches to be faithful in the Great Commission.

Subscriptions The Indiana Baptist tells of the amazing things God is doing through His Church in Indiana and around the world. It is provided exclusively online free of charge. To read past issues, visit: indianabaptist.org Creative Design The Indiana Baptist is created exclusively for the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana by Innovative Faith Resources.

Designer Patti Spencer, Graphic Designer

ON THE COVER

SCBI Fusion Kids Camp—campers experienced engaging worship, biblical teaching, recreation, and conversations that pointed them to the hope of the Gospel.

Contents

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FEATURE STORIES A Bright Finish; A New Beginning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Introducing the Dave Wilson State Mission Offering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Missions at Graceland: A Unified Approach. . . . . . . . . 17 SCBI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 SERVE: ANNUAL SUMMIT 2026 / SCHEDULE . . . . . . 10-11 STORIES OF WHAT GOD IS DOING The After Church After the Tumbling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 City View Church: A Home for Congolese Believers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 From Tragedy to Glory: The Story of The Pathway Church. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Growing Hope through a 24/7 Community Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Harvesting Fruit with the Restore Church Network and Metro Baptist Center Partnership. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

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A Bright Finish; A New Beginning

What an incredible week

we experienced at SCBI Fusion Kids Camp!

Centered on Jesus' call in Matthew 5 to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, children from across Indiana were challenged to live boldly for Christ and shine His light wherever God has placed them.

Throughout the week, campers experienced engaging worship, biblical teaching, recreation, and meaningful conversations that pointed them to the hope of the Gospel.

It was encouraging to watch children build friendships, grow in their faith, and discover how God can use them to influence the world for His glory.

Fusion Kids Camp also served as a powerful reminder of what God can accomplish when churches partner together. We are deeply grateful to every volunteer, church leader, parent, and supporter who invested their time, energy, and prayers to make the week such a success. Your faithful partnership made an eternal impact.

As we celebrate what God did this summer, we are also excited about what lies

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the salt of the earth and the light of the world ahead. SCBI is thrilled to partner with CentriKid Camps to host future camps at Highland Lakes Baptist Camp, creating even more opportunities for children across Indiana to experience Christ-centered camp, grow as disciples, and be equipped to live as salt and light in their communities.

Thank you for praying, serving, and partnering with SCBI. We look forward with great anticipation to seeing how God will continue to use this ministry in the years to come. 

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h c r u h C r e t f A The

After the Tumbling

By Pastor Sweh Velilla

Have

you ever used a rock tumbler? My children used one for a recent science project, and the results were fascinating. If you’re unfamiliar with the process, it goes like this: you take a handful of ugly, jagged rocks and place them in a cylindrical tube. Then you add water and grit. You seal it up and place it on an auger that rotates the tumbler constantly, like a cement mixer. After a week, you start the process over. Then you do it for two more weeks. At the end of the process, you open the tumbler for the last time to find gorgeous, polished gemstones where the ugly, jagged rocks once were.

So it is often the case with the children of God. He takes foolish saints with rough edges and puts them through a series of humbling stages before finally revealing the gemstones he has fashioned. This is much like the process of The After Church.

Nearly 12 years ago, my family moved to Indiana and joined SCBI to plant a campusfocused church at Notre Dame. We thought we would move here and immediately see a tremendous outpouring of the Spirit’s power and witness a campus revival. Instead, God knew that we needed to go through the tumbler first. We’ve experienced various levels of darkness and grit as he has refined us. But now it seems the time has finally come for the gemstone to be revealed.

The Velilla family standing in front of Notre Dame's main building, the Golden Dome.

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Since its founding in 1842, Notre Dame has never had an Evangelical church within walking distance of its campus. God-willing, that’s about to change!

Over the years, God has slowly been opening doors for ministry on campus. I’ve been overseeing the Baptist Collegiate Ministry sponsored by SCBI. I have the honor of leading a weekly Bible study with the football team, which we call Fellowship.

And two years ago, I was asked to oversee the Notre Dame Christian Athletes. Now, God has finally answered our prayer to re-plant The After Church within walking distance of campus.

The site we hope to occupy is directly adjacent to nearly 2,000 units of student housing. It is also across the street from the athletics complex, making it an ideal location for the many athletes, coaches, and staff involved in the campus ministries. In fact, it is the closest existing commercial door to campus! Because most students never leave the “campus bubble,” this means the gospel will be more accessible to campus than it has ever been.

We believe that as God changes the campus, he will change the world. Notre Dame prides itself on being a “force for good.” Our prayer is to see it become a “force for the gospel.”

I’m so grateful for the many churches and individuals in SCBI that have been a part of our journey over the past 12 years. If you would like more information about our mission or feel the Spirit’s leading to partner with us, please visit our website at theafterchurch.com/campuschurch. n

The After Church under construction

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Pastor Jonathan Mugadiri and family stands alongside City View's lead pastor Mike Kaye, and Mission Lead, John Horn.

City View Church:

A Home for Congolese Believers

By John Horn, Elder and Missions Team Lead at City View Church

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hen David Livingstone, a young British man, surrendered to the call of missions, he dreamed of going to China, but the Lord led him to invest his life serving in Africa. Upon his death, the Africans, who had grown to love him greatly, removed his heart and buried it by a tree before returning the rest of his remains for burial in England. Livingstone’s life is a testament to following the Lord’s plan despite it looking different from what we had imagined.

In the same way, City View Church has needed to trust the Lord. The church began in Avon in 2014 as a replant. As the church grew, some

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leaders dreamed of planting a church to share the Gospel with an unreached ethnic group in their community. The dream did not materialize at that time, but God was preparing them for something greater that he would begin in April 2021.

At this time, a small group of refugee believers came to Indianapolis fleeing from persecution in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

They were seeking a church with similar doctrine where they would be welcome to worship. City View’s elders extended a warm invitation for the Congolese to attend their services. Soon, the group brought

family and friends and asked if they could start another service there in their native language. Their group included Pastor Jonathan Mugadiri, a church planter in Congo who moved to the U.S. to pastor Congolese churches. They told the elders they did not want to be a separate church; they wanted to become members of City View and fellowship and proclaim the Gospel together.

City View’s elders saw that God was inviting them to join Him in an exciting new kind of ministry! One that would reflect the dream they had held for so many years. The Congolese group grew to thirty people, who attended the required Membership Classes, where candidates for membership share their testimonies of faith and learn the basics of Baptist doctrine. Then they began their Sunday afternoon service under the leadership of Pastor Jonathan.

Over the past five years, the afternoon service attendance at City View has grown to average seventy people. They join the morning Englishspeaking service quarterly for a combined service (with translators), participate in fellowship and outreach opportunities, and some leaders from both services meet

monthly to coordinate plans. The English-speaking service has provided training for the afternoon service, including theology and preaching classes, training for children’s workers, conversational English classes, and participation in SCBI’s Next Step Certificate classes.

Due to their language barrier, the relationship has not been without challenges, but members also experience many blessings in their fellowship together. City View members learn about different cultures and have opportunities to share the Gospel with many ethnic groups in their community. Networking with other African churches in Indiana and around the world has also strengthened City View's bond as they experience a taste of Revelation 7 now.

Pastor Jonathan said during a recent service, “The leaders of City View come from diverse backgrounds, but they love each other greatly because they share an African heart that loves Jesus.” n

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October 22

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here is something special about gathering with believers from across Indiana for one purpose. Every year, the SCBI Annual Summit reminds us that although we serve in different communities and ministries, we are united by the same mission—to make disciples and advance the gospel together.

Last year, our theme, "Don't Just Sit There, Run!", challenged us to run faithfully the race God has set before us. We worshiped together, heard powerful biblical preaching, celebrated what God is doing through Indiana churches, and were reminded that the Lord continues to write stories of life change across our state.

This year, we invite you to join us as we gather once again—this time around the theme Serve.

On October 22, churches from across Indiana will gather for a day of worship, encouragement, and celebration. We are looking forward to hearing from Dr. Jason K. Allen, Dr. Jeff Iorg, Mitch Tabla, and our SCBI President, Dr. Larry T. Lewis. Throughout the day, we'll also hear ministry updates from SCBI leaders and our ministry partners, celebrating how

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God is working in Indiana, across North America, and around the world through our cooperative efforts.

The Annual Summit is more than a business meeting. It is a time to reconnect with friends, celebrate what God has done over the past year, and be reminded that none of us serves alone.

Every church, every ministry, and every faithful servant is part of a much larger Kingdom story.

Whether you've attended for years or have never experienced an Annual Summit, we hope you'll plan to join us this October. Come celebrate God's faithfulness, be encouraged by what He is doing through His people, and leave with a renewed appreciation for the privilege of serving together.

CELEBRATE HOW GOD IS WORKING Thursday, October 22 Harvest Church, Carmel, Indiana

HEAR FROM: Dr. Jason K. Allen, Dr. Jeff Iorg, Mitch Tabla, Dr. Larry T. Lewis, SCBI President

October 22, 2026 — Thursday *TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

MORNING 8:30 am

Continental Breakfast & Workshop with Dr. Jeff Iorg

10:00 am — Scheduled Start Time

Call to Order: Dr. Larry T. Lewis Scripture and Prayer: Brian White Seat Messengers: Dr. Larry T. Lewis Approve Agenda: Dr. Larry T. Lewis Committee Reports: Dr. Larry T. Lewis Credentials Committee Arrangements Committee Nominations Committee Previous Business Entity Reports • ERLC • Exec Committee • IMB • WMU: Tami Hubler SCBI Teams/Partners Reports • HLBC • SEND Relief: Qusai Mahmud • NAMB: Matt Thompson

Prayer for SCBI Teams/Partners: Jeremy Couture Nominations for President: Don Morris Worship Through Song: Harvest Worship Sermon: Dr. Jeff Iorg Prayer & Dismissal: Cedarville University

12:15 pm* — Chick-fil-A Lunch — sponsored by Cedarville University *TIME IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

AFTERNOON 1:15 pm — Scheduled Start Time

Call to Order: Dr. Larry T. Lewis Scripture and Prayer: Mat Shockney SCBI Reports; Executive Director, Dr. Nicholas Clark SCBI Reports: CLM – Scooter Kellum & CLM Disaster Relief Presentation: Butch Porter Vote for President; Nominations for 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, & Recording Secretary: Don Morris Worship Through Song: Harvest Worship Annual Sermon: Mitchell Tabla Prayer/Response Time: Dr. Larry T. Lewis Announcements: Dr. Larry T. Lewis New Business: Dr. Larry T. Lewis

Break 3:30 pm ­— Scheduled Start Time

Call to Order: Dr. Larry T. Lewis Scripture and Prayer: Chris Kellermeyer Worship Through Song: Harvest Worship Sermon: Dr. Jason Allen Executive Board ReportL: Tami Hubler Vote 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, and Recording Secretary: Dr. Larry T. Lewis New Business: Dr. Larry T. Lewis Worship Through Song: Harvest Worship Sermon: Dr. Larry T. Lewis Thank Outgoing Officers: Dr. Nicholas Clark Installation of New Officers: Dr. Nicholas Clark Announcements and End Annual Summit: Dr. Larry T. Lewis Closing Benediction: Gary Vaughn

6:00 pm* — Dismissal Indiana Baptist • Fall 2026 • scbi.org

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State Missions Offering 2026: Relentlessly on Mission The State Convention of Baptists in Indiana seeks to be relentlessly on mission. In light of that desire, we are delighted to honor the life of Dave Wilson by naming the SMO in his honor.

When your church gives to the SMO, you aren’t simply funding programs. You are meeting people with the grace and love of Jesus Christ while caring for the needs of others. What a joyful opportunity we have been given to partner together!

With a goal of raising $70,000, our state will seek to be: Surrendered to God’s Mission, Sent to Plant and Send, and Sent into the Storm through Disaster Relief.

In addition, we will look to: Care for Pastors and Their Families, Revitalize and Strengthen Churches, Train the Next Generation of Leaders, and Grow in our Generosity for the Mission Ahead!

With so many avenues to be on mission, we invite every church and member of SCBI to join together for an exciting week of giving relentlessly to the Lord and His mission on the earth.

scbi.org/smo

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Introducing the Dave Wilson State Mission Offering Remembering a brother whose life was transformed by the gospel and poured out for its advance.

The SCBI named the State Mission Offering in honor of Dave Wilson because his story reflects why this offering exists and how God has worked through our churches.

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he SCBI has re-named the State Mission Offering in honor of Dave Wilson because his story captures exactly why this offering exists and how we have seen God work through our churches. Dave Wilson went to be with His Lord and Savior on December 16, 2023, but he left behind a legacy of faithful gospel ministry. With gratefulness to the Lord for his service, and acknowledging the friend he was to so many, we are humbled to name the State Mission Offering in his honor.

At age 42, Dave responded to the gospel with repentance and faith in Christ at a Billy Graham Crusade in San Antonio, Texas, in 1997. His wife of 29 years, Debra Wilson, states, “Dave credited God with all the successes he had in life because God never gave up on him.” Wilson goes on to explain that Dave’s life and ministry were the result of radical obedience to Jesus and mentoring from other Christian men in his life.

She states, “I don’t know that he would have become the man of God we remember today or that his ministry could have had the impact it did on others [apart from the mentoring of other godly men].”

This mentoring led to many opportunities for Dave to grow in ministry. First, he joined Disaster Relief, where he served as a chaplain, listened to hurting people, and shared the hope of Jesus Christ. Then, he was invited on his first international mission trip to Ukraine with Ray Barrett, former comptroller for SCBI. According to Debra, “After this trip, Dave began to feel restless and wanted to commit more time to ministry.”

He would go on to attend theology classes at Boyce College as well as Way of the Master training with Ray Comfort in California. Eventually, Dave was asked to serve as the Team Leader for Highland Lakes Bible Camp (HLBC), where he made many improvements and caused revenues to nearly

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double. But what Dave loved most was meeting so many SCBI pastors when they came to camp.

Wilson accepts God's call into ministry Wilson shares a pivotal moment from their lives when Dave was discerning whether to leave his successful career to pursue the Lord in full-time ministry. He woke up at 3 am with Psalm 32:8 on his mind. He opened his Bible to find the words: I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you (ESV). This verse gave him the assurance that God would be with him and that he was going to be okay.

Thus, Wilson, known as a visionary and a people magnet, left his career to enter the mission field. He would spend 12 years in full-time ministry before going home to be with the Lord. During those 12 years, he served with Pastor Tom Pollack at the Baptist Center and was eventually sent to Ecuador to serve as a full-time missionary in 2015. Many of the pastors Dave met while serving at HLBC went on to bring teams for short-term mission projects in Ecuador alongside Dave and Debra.

While in Ecuador, Dave helped plant a church in El Tambo with Pastor Freddy Neira. The church still meets today in a home built by a man named Cirillo, who has dedicated the home to the Lord and continues to maintain it at his own expense as a ministry to the Lord.

A life lived fully for Jesus In 2019, Dave returned home and brought with him his How to Have a Gospel Conversation, teaching all throughout domestic churches. This is the same content that Dave would teach to missionary teams arriving in Ecuador to share Jesus Christ, resulting in countless people hearing the bold, pure gospel message proclaimed.

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Dave Wilson loved the Lord who saved him from his sins and wanted nothing more than to live his life fully for Him. We rejoice knowing that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Cor 5:8). And while Dave is present with Jesus, the people of Patate, Ecuador regularly walk past The Dave Wilson Missionary House on the side of La Montana which stands as a testament to the life that Dave lived for Jesus.

Investing in Gospel advencement By placing Dave Wilson’s name on the State Mission Offering, we are remembering a brother whose life was transformed by the gospel and poured out for the advance of that same gospel—through Disaster Relief, camp ministry, and international missions. His story stands as a living reminder of why we give, pray, and go: so that more men and women will hear the message of Christ and be made disciples who, like Dave, joyfully serve wherever the Lord sends them.

The Dave Wilson State Mission Offering gives our family of churches an opportunity to invest in gospel advancement across Indiana and beyond.

When you give to the Dave Wilson State Mission Offering, you are facilitating partnership between churches to plant churches in unreached areas of Indiana. When you give, you enable evangelistic initiatives among emerging generations on college campuses. When you give, you help others go to the nations on short-term mission trips that have the potential to redirect lives toward gospel advancement around the world. When you give, you help others become equipped for local church ministry that results in healthier churches across Indiana. We hope you will prayerfully consider how your church can participate in the Dave Wilson State Mission Offering, because when you do, you help Indiana Baptists carry the light of the gospel to a world in desperate need of King Jesus. n

FROM TRAGEDY TO GLORY:

The Story of The Pathway Church

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astor Wayne Wester and his wife, Wendy, have seen miracles abound over the past 11 years since they planted The Pathway Church in their living room in Princeton, Indiana.

Previously an engineer, Wester left that vocation to become a pastor and has witnessed the hand of God providing for the needs of their local church time and again. Relaying the story of growing out of their living room, Wester recounts their first building, “we then moved to a building we

were able to buy for 11 thousand dollars. It was an old, abandoned church that hadn’t been used for about 18 years. It had birds living in it, and the windows were gone.”

The church set to work fixing it up, but soon outgrew the space.

Church Building Acquired Needing space to accommodate the growing congregation, Wester contacted a local businessman. The gentleman was selling a church building that had most

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recently been used as a furniture store, but the small church of bi-vocational pastors had only $40,000 to spend and operated on a debt-free budget. Wester called the owner of the building and proposed a plan, “[I called him and said] There are two things I want to share with you.” One, there's something you can do here that money cannot buy. That’s the reputation you're going to have with everyone in our church about what a blessing you were to our little congregation, and that's priceless. Second, as a businessman, if you sell it to us for $40,000, you can get it appraised, and you can write off the difference between what it appraises for and what you sold it to us for.” Wester goes on to say that this was how his church acquired a 20,000 sq foot building for 40 thousand dollars! cooperation and that they will be used regularly.

God Is Trustworthy And yet, the Lord was not finished revealing His faithfulness to The Pathway Church. After another miraculous event of securing a new roof for the price of the materials and other improvements to the building, the entire structure burned to the ground in one sorrowful day in January of 2025.

Regarding the heart-wrenching experience, Wester is quick to proclaim, “We want to encourage that

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the Lord is trustworthy. He has a way of taking a tragedy and making it a glorified day.” After working through a tough situation with the insurance company, the church recovered approximately 1.2 million to rebuild their building. While that wasn't enough to rebuild at the same location, the Lord faithfully provided a new option. An old auto store went up for sale, and using his engineering skills, Wester was able to design the space to be used as a church. “[Now] we're right on the main drag of this little town. Fifteen-thousand cars a day pass by our church now. It's incredible; it really turned out that the worst day was the best day.”

A lot has happened in the short history of The Pathway Church, but their future is secure and bright, as their motto states: Go to Church, to Be the Church! n

Missions at Graceland:

A Unified Approach

Because we truly believe that the church is plan A for the redemption of the world and that Christ is expanding his kingdom, we have chosen to unite church planting with our entire vision for missions,” states Dr. Tony Valenti, Executive Pastor of Campuses and Missions at Graceland Church in New Albany.

For twenty years, Graceland has partnered with Kyiv Theological Seminary in Ukraine, but recently was asked to take over its church planting school. This connection runs deep. Joel Ragains, a former worship pastor at Graceland,

founded the school at the seminary, and over the years, Graceland sent pastors and teachers to come alongside through short-term mission opportunities. During those 20 years, they saw more than 100 men from Eastern Europe graduate

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Graceland School of Church Planting is launching

on the campus of Kyiv Theological Seminary. Dr. Tony Valenti stated, “We're taking this same program to all of our missional partners—we have 25 pastors we train in India monthly, and they're going to be starting this program, along with pastors in Honduras.”

from the bachelor’s program and go on to plant churches!

Raigans’ successor retired, which left the school in limbo at a perilous time. Valenti states, “There's a big issue within Ukraine.

When the war began, over 900 pastors either left Ukraine or were sent to the front lines. That left 900 churches without pastors.

They had this urgent need to train up the next generation for all these pastor-less churches.” After speaking with the seminary president, Graceland offered to take over the school and reorganize it from a traditional four-year bachelor’s program to a more accessible two-semester course. They are also making an investment by fully funding the seminary and writing all the curriculum the pastors will use. Thus, the Graceland School of Church Planting is launching on the campus of Kyiv Theological Seminary.

“But we're taking this same program to all of our missional partners,” Valenti explains, “We have 25 pastors we train in India monthly, and they're going to be starting this program along with pastors in Honduras.” We recently connected with pastors in Poland who might also start using this program. We're using it on site with our church planters throughout southern Indiana. Eventually, all church planters through Graceland, whether domestic or international, will take part in the church planting school. Valenti is quick to point to the Lord’s hand in all the logistics, “We were trying to figure out how to unify our church’s vision for missions, and God opened the door for us in this relationship with Kyiv Theological Seminary.” And so,

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we’re building off what we've known in church planting and the history that we have with the seminary to launch the school. It’s been really cool to see how it’s unified our entire missional vision of Graceland, whether it's in Southern Indiana or domestically or internationally.

We're all pushing towards the same goal of training and sending out pastors.”

The INAUGURAL CLASS of Graceland School of Church Planting will launch in the fall of 2027 at Kyiv Theological Seminary in Ukraine. n

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GROWING HOPE

through a 24/7 COMMUNITY MINISTRY

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hrist Missionary Baptist Church of Indianapolis established its 24/7 outdoor pantry during the COVID-19 pandemic to address growing food insecurity and economic hardship affecting the community. As many families faced job loss, reduced income, illness, and uncertainty, the church recognized an urgent need for a safe and accessible way to provide food and essential items at any time of day or night. What began as an emergency response quickly became a permanent ministry as neighbors' ongoing needs continued long after the pandemic.

Today, the church’s 24/7 walk-up and drive-up outdoor pantry, community refrigerator, and garden continue to serve individuals and families throughout the west side of Indianapolis.

As the only church on the west side of Indianapolis offering this type of 24/7 outdoor food access, Christ Missionary has become a trusted place of support, compassion, and hope for people in need.

The ministry primarily serves low-income families, senior adults, veterans, individuals experiencing homelessness, people with disabilities, unemployed or underemployed individuals, single-parent households, and anyone facing food insecurity or temporary financial hardship. In a community with limited access to grocery resources, the pantry, refrigerator, and garden provide consistent access to food and essential items. The garden further strengthens the ministry by producing fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs, which are shared with visitors.

Open to everyone, the ministry offers assistance with dignity, compassion, and respect.

Since the beginning of the outdoor pantry, the church has learned that hunger is not always visible and that many people carry their challenges silently.

Christ Missionary believes that sharing food is one way to share God’s redemptive love—offering not only nourishment for the body but also hope for the soul. One moment captured the heart of this work. While a church member was restocking the outdoor pantry, a man experiencing homelessness stopped him and said, “You all just don’t know how you saved my life. For a whole year, I’ve been able to eat because of this church!” The member

prayed with him and shared the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.

For Christ Missionary, the food ministry is about more than providing meals. It is about building relationships, listening to neighbors, and gaining a better understanding of the challenges many face each day.

This work reflects the church’s mission to Reaching Up through worship, Reaching In through discipleship and fellowship, and Reaching Out through missions.

The ministry has demonstrated the power of faith, service, and community partnership. Through the dedication of volunteers, church members, and supporters, Christ Missionary continues to meet physical needs and share encouragement, kindness, and the love of Christ.

Guided by its motto, “Loving People Where They Are,” and grounded in the words of Jesus Christ in Luke 4:18 and the Great Commandment, Christ Missionary Baptist Church continues this work under the pastoral leadership of Dr. Ray Gaffney.

The congregation remains committed to being the hands and feet of Jesus—providing nourishment for the body, hope for the heart, and a reminder that every person is seen, valued, and loved. n Indiana Baptist • Fall 2026 • scbi.org

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Harvesting Fruit

with the Restore Church Network and Metro Baptist Center Partnership

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astor Mo Wildey of Restore Church Network, a community of micro churches in improvised areas surrounding Beech Grove, Indiana, traces the Lord’s hand to the planting of the small fellowships of believers. “Our church started out in an inner-city apartment complex where you could buy and sell anything and anybody. That's how we got our start. God has used that to lead us to become a true recovery church: a recovery and restoration church. We focus, for the most part, on people who are on the margins, as I say, and on men coming out of addictions.”

Wildey has seen more than 250 men move into their residential community, which is specifically designed for those coming out of addiction, and has witnessed approximately 25% of them succeed! He defines success as “they've got a relationship with Jesus, they're clean, they have a job, and they want to help the next guy become a disciple of Jesus as well.”

over eight of them, with another elder serving as pastor over two. Regardless, the goal is that the people within each church will truly know one another and operate as a true representation of an Acts 2:42-47-type fellowship. Wildey is quick to add, “What will happen now is we'll meet people and we'll be able to help them physically with their needs, as we always have with the Metro Baptist Center. But then, with the new churches, we can establish real relationships, and prayerfully, those relationships end up being ones that we can disciple to conversion.” With the gospel fruit Restore Church Network has already seen and the faithful foundation Metro Baptist Center has built over the years by caring for the physical needs of its community, the soil seems ripe

and ready for the harvest! n

Meanwhile, the Metro Baptist Center had been faithfully operating a food and clothing pantry for the underprivileged in the same Indianapolis community since 1990. Members of the micro churches were already volunteering their time at the center, and Wildey was asked to become the Executive Director of the ministry upon the retirement of its longtime director, Tom Polack. Sensing that what was working for the men coming out of addiction could also work for those living in poverty, Restore Church Network began plans to plant five more churches in partnership with the MBC. “One of those churches will be planted for men, one for women, another for parents and children, and another for military veterans.” There's a large group of military veterans who use the Baptist Center for food and clothing. The final one will be strictly focused on kids. The churches are slated to begin in July. Already, 190 people have signed up and shown interest in taking part.

This will bring the Restore Network to a total of 10 micro churches. Wildey will officiate as pastor

Indiana Baptist • Fall 2026 • scbi.org

23

Dr. Jason K. Allen

Dr. Jeff Iorg

Michael Wright & Harvest Worship

24 Indiana Baptist • Fall 2026 • scbi.org

Dr. Larry Lewis

Mitchell Tabla