Deb and I have three children, and one of the fascinating things about each of them were the first words they spoke. The first word for each of them was “bye-bye.” It was not mama or daddy. It was “bye-bye.” They each said it a lot once they learned it. They would see you put on a coat, and you heard, “bye-bye.” I remember one of them saying it to their crib one morning. Another said it to his bottle when they finished. Isn’t it an interesting choice for a child’s first word?
I know it is one of the easiest sounds we can make, but it also strikes me as an especially fitting first word because it is at the very core of what it means to grow and live, isn’t it? Growing means saying lots of goodbyes. It means leaving many things behind. Frederick Buchner said, “To live is to leave, that is all.”
Summer is a season of goodbyes. School stops, and countless friends say goodbye for the summer to one another. Graduates say a more permanent kind of goodbye. Weddings imply a farewell; it is a departure event where parents proudly watch their children go away. Vacation time is full of goodbyes; we leave to see others whom we promptly leave again.
In any given week, how many goodbyes do you think you say? In person, on the phone, by the computer--how many? It is endless until all of it abruptly ends, and last goodbyes get said. I have had too many of those in recent days.
The Bible is full of goodbyes as well, because it is full of living. That is why there are so many benedictions or farewell blessings recorded. The most famous was for the priest to say, “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord’s face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace.”
Sounds a bit churchy, doesn’t it? It is just how we would expect a minister by a stained-glass window to talk. Yet it is a leaving that intentionally leaves people blessed. I sure wish more of our goodbyes could be like benedictions.
Grady Nutt was a remarkable man who was dear to many people. He was a preacher but primarily a humorist. He was a widely popular speaker and even was a regular on “Hee Haw,” a national TV show. He had a great mind and was an exuberant personality. He was a free spirit and was powerfully generous with love and laughter and huge hugs. A special memory I have is that Grady chaired my ordination council and preached the ordination message.
Grady died in a plane crash, and many gathered for his funeral. Several of us started sharing memories of Grady by asking, “What was the last thing he said to you; can you remember?” We were all astonished to learn that the last words any of us could recall were the same words. Grady would say as we said our goodbyes, “Love ya.” Turns out Grady ended his conversations with friends saying, “Love you.”
Each of us recalled his words never sounded like a routine signoff. They sounded warm with genuine delight and real wellwishing as he sent off. To have that kind of benediction wash over you time and again by a special friend is to walk taller and have an expanded spirit. You find it easier to love and to laugh.
Do not ever underestimate the power of a good last word to bless. Benediction means “a good word.” Why not leave one another more often with such a word?
Part of what this means is to make our goodbye a true departure. I think this is one of the kinder gifts we can give to one another, to release others rightly from ourselves. That may sound strange, since our goodbyes should communicate we are still going to be holding each other in our hearts. A goodbye is a letting go, which may mean sending them into their own freedom to grow. The good news is it is not sending them into the freedom alone. Goodbye literally means, “God be with you.” Goodbye is releasing those you love to God.
I have had the honor of serving the BGAV for over 27 years, twenty of them as Executive Director. To say I love BGAV would be a classic understatement. How can you not love those with whom you have lived so fully? Thank you for the gift of your friendships, the gift of your wisdom, your faith, and your trust.
It is time for BGAV to be released with love to grow into its next self. So, at the conclusion of my role as Executive Director, I would like to offer this benediction: “May the God of love and peace be with you. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of the Heavenly Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and forever more.” Love ya!
JOHN UPTON is the recently retired Executive Director of the BGAV.
• Heather Jallad, who joined the Ascent team as Mission Strategist & Trainer for Fresh Expressions US in January.
• Morgan Solorzano, who joined the Ascent team as Coordinator of Training & Special Projects for Fresh Expressions US in January.
• Liahna Woodard, who joined the Impact Missions team as Child Sponsorship Coordinator for Source of Light, Haiti, in January.
• Taylor Terrill, who began working as an event planner and digital content designer for both Kairos and the Ascent Marketing Group in February.
• Gail Mickey, who joined the staff as Receptionist/Welcome Hostess in February.
• Sarah Schepens, who joined the Ascent team as Operations and Events Strategist for Missio Alliance in April.
• Paula Washburn, former Team Operations Administrator for the Impact Missions team, who became the new Database Manager for the Information Technology team in June.
• J.D. Larson, who joined the Ascent team as Coordinator of Community Development for the Dinner Church Collective of Fresh Expressions US in June.
• Karin Goude, who moved into a full-time position with the Kairos team in June, taking on their administrative responsibilities. Karin continues to serve as Kairos’ Program and Network Associate, a role that has been part time.
• Emma Hammond, who joined the Kairos team as Associate Director for the Center for Faith and Leadership in July.
• Travis Tyler, who began working as Team Operations Administrator for Impact Missions in August.
• Susan Hughes, who became the new Accountant in the business office in September.
• Tom Stocks, who will join the Congregational Field Staff team as a Field Strategist for the Southside region in October.
• Caitlyn Brown, who resigned from the Kairos team in January.
• Anne Trevett, who resigned as Receptionist in February.
• Dawn Lee, who concluded her service as Accountant in April.
• Gwen Payne, who retired as Administrative Assistant (Kairos) on June 30, 2022, after 25 years of service.
• Carey Sims, who resigned from the Center for Faith and Leadership (Kairos team) in June.
• Sarah Keasler, who resigned from Fresh Expressions US (Ascent team) in July.
• Elice Kim, who resigned from V3 (Ascent team) in July.
• Lori Ruffin, who resigned from V3 (Ascent team) in July.
• John Upton, who retired as Executive Director on July 31, 2022, after 25 years of service.
• Tony Brooks, who resigned as Field Strategist for the Southside region in August.
October Disciples, Disciples,
Dr. Wayne D. Faison currently serves as National Coordinating Officer for BGAV’s Ascent team and has been employed by BGAV for the past 21 years. He is also the senior pastor of East End Baptist Church in Suffolk, VA.
BGAV’s Executive Board voted August 30, 2022, to accept the recommendation to nominate Dr. Wayne D. Faison as the next BGAV executive director. The recommendation, brought by the Executive Director Search Committee, will be presented for election at the 199th BGAV Annual Meeting in Hampton, VA, on November 15-16, 2022, and will become effective at that meeting’s conclusion.
“From the selection of the search committee to the vote today, I’ve found it humbling and affirming to see God’s hand at work,” recalled Executive Board Chair, Becky McKinney. “We are indeed excited that Wayne has accepted the call God has placed on his life to serve as our next executive director. God has been—and continues to be—at work!”
“We were honored and excited to present Wayne to the Executive Board as our recommended candidate,” commented Adam Tyler, chair of the search committee. “He is innovative and forward-thinking and will bring a wealth of relationships and experience to the role.” He affirmed that “God has been at work in this process, and the committee recognizes God’s call on Wayne at this critical time in BGAV life.”
Faison, who currently serves as National Coordinating Officer for BGAV’s Ascent team, has served in several leadership positions on BGAV’s staff for the past 21 years. He has 13 years of pastoral experience, including his current role as Senior Pastor of East End Baptist Church in Suffolk, VA. Prior to his call to ministry, Faison spent 15 years as a leader in the banking industry. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree in Black Church Leadership from the School of Theology, a Master of Divinity degree in Missions, Evangelism, and Church Growth from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a mini-MBA from the University of Richmond, and a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from the University of Florida. He is married to Carmen Clark Faison, and they have two adult children, Andrea and Chasity.
“I’m so excited to be given this opportunity to serve. It is certainly a calling from God to advance His Kingdom,” said Faison. “I’m very grateful for the Executive Search Committee and the Executive Board being obedient to God in this critical moment for BGAV/Ascent.”
“He is innovative and forward-thinking and will bring a wealth of relationships and experience to the role.”
- Adam Tyler, search committee chair DIRECTOR
Some folks refer to the Bible as The Good Book. But no one titles it The Greatest Book or The Awesome Book. Perhaps that is because, even among passages that display “the good, the bad, and the ugly,” the Bible consistently focuses on the good that we find in God. Whether you are a recent convert or were raised in the church, the Good Book should serve as a constant reminder that we all are called not only to be good but also to do good.
The late Billy Graham, evangelist for a worldwide congregation and counsel to generations of US Presidents, suggested that anyone unfamiliar with biblical teachings should start by reading five Psalms and one chapter from the book of Proverbs each day. At that pace, a reader can finish each book in about a month. It’s a good introduction: the Psalms are Hebrew poetry and praise at their best, and Proverbs are, in many ways, a distillation of what is called “wisdom literature,” providing examples of how to live at the highest level of satisfaction.
Living in the Shenandoah Valley, I easily relate to notions like this from the Psalms, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.” Here, the hills are alive with the sounds, sights, and signs of both the Creator and Creation. Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Christians there were asked if they continued having worship services. They not only responded in the affirmative; they noted that they had sung “Count Your Blessings” while hearing the sounds of explosions outside. When I heard that, I looked unto the hills and thanked God for little things like breathing air not mixed with the smell of spent ammunition.
One proverb says, “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” In our often uncivil environment that could translate as, “Debate, but don’t berate!” or “Discuss, but don’t ‘dis’ or ‘cuss’!” Jews and Christians alike have covenanted to model righteous and godly lifestyles, and the covenant is still in force. Are we reflecting God’s will?
The Psalms and Proverbs are only parts of the Good Book, though. We need to renew our understanding of the evolution of our faith as described in Hebrews. There, the message is clear: from the animal sacrifices performed by priests to the self-sacrifice of the High Priest Himself, we learn that our familial re-connection with God the Father depends upon the gift of the life of God’s Son! It is love that is unimaginable except in the context of a grand—indeed, divine—plan. That plan includes God’s desire that each of us will proclaim Him as Lord and live with Him forever.
Matthew recounts Jesus teaching that, while practicing our faith, we should be mindful of God’s—not man’s—approval: are we meek, do we strive to be righteous, do we practice mercy, do we pray for and work toward peace, are we truly pure in heart? In similar fashion the Apostle Paul, after a reminder that, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,” explains what that looks like in practice: through the presence of the Holy Spirit, we experience love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Come what may, the Good Book teaches that “all things work together for good to them that love God.” The message never changes; we are enjoined to be good and to do good. The question that remains is this: can we do even better?
RON GRAVATT is the 2022 BGAV President.
Photo courtesy of AFP via Getty Images
In March 2022, BGAV met with other members of the global Baptist family to initiate a plan for helping refugees fleeing the crisis in Ukraine.
On Thursday, February 24, 2022, tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalated into a military invasion of the Ukrainian nation by Russian troops. Within 24 hours of this attack, BGAV—working with the European Baptist Federation (EBF)— committed $20,000 in emergency aid to assist Ukrainian Baptists in serving those fleeing the conflict. These funds were used to purchase necessary items such as food, hygiene items, medicine, generators, gasoline, blankets, pillows, and necessary items for the internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees and the shelters set up for them.
In April 2022, BGAV partnered with the global Baptist family to provide approximately 52,000 beds in 600 Ukrainian churches and 12 additional shelters in neighboring countries for those who are fleeing the conflict. In addition to a safe place to sleep, our brothers and sisters in Christ are providing hot meals, fresh water, warm showers, listening ears, and caring hearts as refugees find shelter in churches, schools, seminaries, shopping centers and individual homes.
As the conflict in Ukraine continues to ravage the country these many months later, our brothers and sisters in neighboring countries and in Ukraine are still working tirelessly to make sure those who are fleeing the conflict experience the love and hope that can only be found in Christ.
As of August 2022, BGAV has received more than $450,000 from individuals and congregations, which will continue to provide direct aid to those in need. Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters across Europe, that this conflict will end soon with a stable and peaceful outcome for Ukraine.
Visit EBF.org/Ukraine for the latest updates on EBF’s Ukraine response.
Anyone wishing may donate to BGAV’s ongoing response efforts with EBF and Ukrainian Baptists by designating your online gifts to “Aid for Ukraine.” Additionally, Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia (WMUV), one of BGAV’s partners in ministry, is also seeking donations for its Project Ruth ministry in Romania that is currently assisting Ukrainian women and children along with other refugees during this period of unrest. Funds for WMUV’s Project Ruth should be designated as “Aid for Ukraine - WMUV Project Ruth” when giving online.
If you would prefer to make a donation by check, please make checks payable to BGAV (“Aid for Ukraine” in the memo line) and mail to BGAV, 2828 Emerywood Parkway, Henrico, VA 23294.
This church in Poland converted its sanctuary into a shelter for Ukrainians seeking safety.
For more information, visit BGAV.org/Ukraine-Response
A church in Kiev, Ukraine, performs a wedding for a young couple in March 2022 (left).
Ukrainian refugees seek help during their country’s invasion in Spring 2022 (right).
It is a great honor to congratulate John Upton on his 27 years of stellar work with BGAV and to wish him a relaxing and rewarding retirement. I’m sure we all recognize, respect, and appreciate the valuable contributions John has made to our Baptist family—not only in Virginia, but throughout the world. The skills, knowledge, and other positive qualities that he has instilled in us through example have helped shape each of us. It is painful to say goodbye to someone who is not only our Executive Director and leader, but who is also a colleague and a dear friend.
John has spent the last two and a half decades guiding and inspiring the BGAV. Some of us have known him for years, while others have had the pleasure of working alongside him only a short time. Although I have been working under his leadership for the better part of two decades, it feels like it was just yesterday that he was showing me the ropes on building relationships and strategizing for the future. John has given us so much for which to be thankful. I see myself and my colleagues as extremely blessed to have worked under his caring leadership. Words alone are insufficient to express how much we are going to miss him.
Some of us remember well the early days of John’s tenure, when Baptist life faced many difficult challenges. John’s knowledge, professional skills, and ability to make God-inspired decisions allowed us to begin navigating through those days of intense challenge; he brought hope back to BGAV by restoring our viability while some denominations and churches were failing in many ways. The Holy Spirit worked through John to strengthen BGAV and to birth Ascent.
John’s exceptional qualities have inspired us in so many ways, and for that, I cannot thank him enough. I will remember his leadership not just for the things he’s accomplished in his role at BGAV, but also for his tact, care, and transparency. If it were up to me, I would veto his retirement, so we wouldn’t have to face the prospect of carrying on without him at the helm of the ship. It is, however, John’s day to reap what he has sown. He has worked so hard and accomplished so much, and now it’s time for him to kick back and enjoy every day to the fullest. I hope each of us can continue to follow his example long after his departure, until the days when our own retirements finally come around.
I am so very thankful and blessed to have worked under John’s leadership. Not only is he an amazing Executive Director, but he has proven time and time again to be a Christ-filled, loving, and caring person. I remember like it was just yesterday when my parents were ill in Indiana and he counseled me, gave me moral support, and helped me plan to be with them in their hours of greatest need. I will forever be grateful for the time he allowed me with my parents. John helped me in the following days of my gradual return to work, and he stood with me in the darkest hours of my life. During that difficult time, his inspiration, kind support, and words of encouragement helped me get back on track. He prayed for me and with me. John has always had an open door, a listening ear, and a loving heart whenever I have needed to talk and work through things—whether personal or professional. He has been, and still is, my dear friend. I will always remember how he has stood with me and how he has made such an incredibly positive impact on my life.
John’s compassionate support and fearless leadership have put smiles on all our faces throughout the years. The world seems right to us when we hear his incredibly fun laughter in the office hallways. His contributions to the advancing of the Redeemer’s Kingdom are immeasurable. I know I speak for all of us when I say having him as our Executive Director has made working here enjoyable, rewarding, and filled with adventure. John has constantly allowed us to use our God-given talents and abilities to lead and to discern the path of light that the Lord would have us follow. I want to thank him publicly here for creating so many opportunities for BGAV and Ascent and for being so passionate about our calling and the work of the Lord.
What words are there that can sum up all that we feel today in our hearts? What words are there that can convey the depth of our love and respect for John Upton? How can we express our prayers for John and Deb as they launch into the future God has for them—a future that is brimming with goodness and adventure? Perhaps two small, but very important words can sum up the feelings that fill our hearts when words fail us: On behalf of my colleagues and all of BGAV…thank you.
Susan McBride is Team Coordinator for the BGAV Congregational Field Staff team.Clockwise from left: John Upton (far left) enjoys dinner with members of the Executive Team, including Susan McBride (back left); John and Deb Upton smile for the camera; John leads an annual meeting at the beginning and end of his tenure as BGAV Executive Director.
Our ChurchPoint app is now free for any BGAV-participating church to use in their local congregation! After an initial onboarding, the app is designed for the local church to use as they desire. Our support team is available to help as needed, and additional integration and support services are available for a nominal fee.
On a related note, we are happy to announce that BGAV is partnering with Vanco as our recommended giving platform. Vanco is a proven provider of online payment solutions for local churches, so this partnership will help you with your online donation needs. This payment solution will provide both online and in-person digital payment options, and it cleanly integrates with the ChurchPoint app. With this new partnership, BGAV will receive a portion of the transaction expense to support new technology initiatives and workshops for our participating churches. We are happy to have this arrangement in place and will continue to recommend the best platforms available to our churches.
The ChurchPoint app will also play an integral part at this year’s annual meeting in November. As we continue to embrace digital methods in our ministry, the ChurchPoint app will serve as a primary engagement point for your use during the events. From your smartphone, you will be able to register for the meeting, answer poll questions, set up your event agenda, see the latest information available, and view the roster of attendees. Remote and online attendees will also be able to engage via this method to feel closer to the in-person gathering taking place in Hampton Roads.
All registrants will need to download the ChurchPoint by BGAV app (available for free in the Apple Store and Google Play Store), and follow the prompts from the home screen to pre-register.
Download the ChurchPoint app and get ready for our 2022 Annual Meeting!
For years, Impact Mission camps have been built around three things: worship, discipleship, and service. The experience begins before camp with devotional resources designed to help students explore their call, their sense of mission, and their worldview. They spend a week making repairs to owneroccupied homes, ensuring they will be safe, warm, and dry, but they also reflect on how the work they do for a week can lead to a lifestyle of mission. And worship is the element that helps them connect what they do during the week with what they will do to answer God’s call once they return home.
This year was both the first time since 2019 that camp had returned to (almost) normal and the third year that COVID limited full participation. There were groups that chose not to return out of caution, and there were groups who couldn’t get enough participants as summer 2022 was for many families a time of taking previously delayed vacations. But for the 300+ participants who did come, what really stood out was the opportunity to worship together as we served.
Impact camps were at six different sites this year, and we had worship in six different environments. We worshiped God in college student center, two churches, a high school auditorium, a college auditorium, a middle school cafetorium, and outside under a tent after a block party. But worship didn’t begin with the opening litany or end with the final song – the entire summer was full of worship experiences. We worshiped on the jobsite as groups shared devotion times together, or spent time with their homeowner, or even just drove nails. We worshiped in our makerspace as we made gifts for homeowners and campers got to express their own creativity. Worship happened at 4:30 each morning as disaster response volunteers got up to prepare breakfast for our participants – and even trained participants to serve in disaster response so they can respond when a future storm strikes. Worship happened in vehicles as groups traveled to their site, to their free-day destinations, and home to their true mission field.
During the block party, one of our camp pastors, Cadance Tyler, shared about a friend who wanted to take communion while staying at a cabin in the mountains but didn’t have access to the usual elements. After some searching, she found a sleeve of saltines and Tropicana grape juice, so those were the elements for her in that moment. What mattered the most wasn’t the elements; it was the experience of remembrance. At its core, that’s what Impact 2022 was – a chance to connect to one another through worship – whether worship through song, prayer, or service. Each night we began our service with a litany.
by Glenn MaddoxMay those words serve as a reminder that God has called us to connect to one another, and that we can worship God anywhere that we are connected to one another.
We gather together as people created by God to work for God’s kingdom in this world. We give thanks to God for calling us
Because God is a god who is love God has created us to Love Because Christ came not to be served but to serve God has created us to Serve Because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the holy spirit
God has created us to Grow Because together we are the body of Christ, and each one of us is a part of it God has created us to Connect Connect with our family Connect with our community Connect with our world
Thanks be to God
Glenn Maddox is BGAV National Missions Director.
Graham Maddox shares during worship time (top); Impact participants work together onsite (left).Leading a church is never easy, and the unexpected adjustments over the past couple years have made it even harder. Livestream worship services, drive-in church, and social media connections have become necessary parts of many church’s weekly offerings. For small- to medium-sized churches where resources and dollars can be tight, getting the most reach with your digital presence can be overwhelming.
Starting this past Spring, Ascent Marketing Group—a ministry of BGAV—began offering free regional workshops called Digital Church Proficiency Workshops to equip local churches with the many tools needed to navigate a digital environment.
These regional workshops were provided free of charge to all BGAV churches and gave registered churches each a custom snapshot of their digital presence and useful tips to improve visibility to online audiences through search engines, social media, and livestreaming.
The first of these workshops took place in Farmville, VA, in March 2022. This inaugural event had 14 attendees representing 10 churches from the Southside area of the state. Our host for the event, Heritage Baptist Church, were very hospitable and allowed for a wonderful environment in which attendees could discuss experiences and seek guidance on improving their church’s digital presence.
Attendees participate in a group discussion with one of the workshop facilitators during the Northern region workshop (top); participants at the Southside region workshop look over their church’s custom digital snapshot (bottom).
In May 2022, a second Digital Church Proficiency Workshop occurred in Springfield, VA, with 40 attendees representing 20 churches and two organizations from the Northern Virginia area. We were very appreciative of our host, Westwood Baptist Church, and to NorthStar Church Network for cosponsoring the workshop!
If you would like us to host a workshop in your region, let us know! Drop a comment below, contact your field strategist, or email us at bgav@bgav.org.
“What excites me is the opportunity that I’ve been given to serve; I love those people, and I love my God, and whatever I can do to further his kingdom—that’s what I want to do.”— Troy Dickens
As a young teenager, Troy Dickens felt a sense of calling to some type of ministry. He’d been in church since childhood, and he’d professed his faith in Christ several years earlier. As he grew older, though, he encountered other opportunities for education and jobs that led him down a different path. As his life and career unfolded, he remained steadfast in his faith and lived it out as a dedicated layperson and leader in his church— not actively pursuing a call to vocational ministry for many years. “Those doors just didn’t open,” Troy recalled.
In 2020, however, a door opened for Troy.
“As a deacon and feeling a call to ministry, I knew I needed more training and education but was not ready at this point in my life to enter a four-year college,” he explained. “I’d reached a point where I was at kind of a crossroads, when I really needed to figure out how I could learn more, how could I study, and how I could be more beneficial to my church. I was praying about it, and literally the next morning my pastor sent me an email about the programs AXIS offers. It was a gift from God.”
In March 2022, Troy will complete the Pastoral Leadership Certificate through the AXIS Ministry Academy and Training Network, which is designed to meet the needs of today’s church leaders. “The coursework has given me valuable, practical knowledge that I’ve been able to use on a daily basis—in ministry and in my Christian walk,” he said.
AXIS provides high quality, accessible, and affordable practical ministry education for church leaders. Students may choose to take individual courses in any area or to pursue a certificate in one of four ministry areas: Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, Family Ministry, and Pastoral Leadership.
“To provide church leadership today requires creativity and intentionality; and first and foremost, it requires a dedication to our own personal and professional growth and development,” explained Kathy Kruschwitz, Program Director for AXIS. “As a church leader you have been called by God and given spiritual gifts and talents, and what is required of us is to dedicate ourselves to the development of those gifts and talents to the best of our ability.” The AXIS academy and network provides a path for anyone seeking to pursue these kinds of personal and professional goals in their ministry.
Rachel Wolfe had been working as a youth leader at her church, Rhoadesville Baptist Church, and she wanted to get more training and to connect with other youth leaders. “I chose to complete the youth ministry certification so that I could have some formal training in what I was already doing,” she explained. “The coursework helped give me focus on what my lessons and activities should include, and they helped me add meaning to what I was doing with the youth.” Rachel now serves on staff as one of the youth leaders at Alum Spring Baptist Church in Culpeper, VA.
“As a deacon, I started to see the awesome burden—the responsibility to God for our congregation that our pastor was under,” remembered Jim Burns. “I believe the Holy Spirit put some of that same sense of responsibility in my heart to help my pastor more than I had in the past. Within about two weeks of the time I felt that prodding from the Holy Spirit, I attended a training event at a Mid-Tidewater Baptist Association meeting and was intrigued when Brian Williams, BGAV Field Strategist, mentioned that BGAV had a network for training and equipping people to do ministry.” Jim enrolled in a course, and he described his experience as an “awakening.”
“You cannot help someone until you know there is a need for help. Now I not only can see needs, but I have a few more skills to help in more areas—some of which I’d always thought of as the ‘pastor’s job.’” One of his favorite aspects of AXIS is the class size and structure. “It’s like having my own private teacher,” he explained. “They were able to meet me at my knowledge level and go forward at a pace that I could handle.” Jim currently serves as a deacon and also is the Sunday School director at Poroporone Baptist Church in Shackelfords, VA.
“This program is one of the ways I see God’s word being fulfilled within BGAV,” said Jim, who concluded his comments by quoting Ephesians 4:11-13:
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Brenda Armistead started taking courses in fall 2017. She had directed Vacation Bible School at her church and was helping lead youth there, so she wanted more training. By fall 2018, she had completed her Youth Ministry certificate. She found the coursework enjoyable and helpful, so in2020 she enrolled in more. By that summer, she also completed both the Children’s
AXIS has helped develop Jim Burns’ skills and passions as a lay leader in his church.
Ministry and Family Ministry certificates. Later that year, Brenda accepted the call to serve on staff at another church— she now serves in a paid position as the part-time youth leader at Newington Baptist Church in Gloucester, VA.
“My experience has been rewarding,” she explained. “Since I started this new position last year, I have led two people to Christ. I think I’ve grown to be a stronger person and also stronger in my faith.”
Brenda found the class resources particularly helpful. “The books we read are a great resource for me to look back on,” she commented. “Taking these courses has helped me so much in planning events, doing lesson plans and budgets, and knowing how to look for good volunteers.” She added, “I would encourage anyone to take these courses—not just for the certification, but for the relationships you build with your instructors and classmates. I hope to take even more courses in the future to further my education.”
Kim Eskridge, AXIS faculty member, teaches a group of children during Sunday worship at her church.
Kim Eskridge, Pastor for Children and Women at First Baptist Church of Alexandria, VA, is an AXIS faculty member. “I am still learning, but I believe that those who are more experienced in ministry should mentor and encourage those starting out in ministry. I am glad to be able to pass along some of what I’ve learned through years of experience, in the hope that God will use it to help other churches,” she commented.
“I believe that God has worked through BGAV to provide this resource,” Kim said, “and if we are called into ministry, whether full-time, part-time, or as a volunteer, we need to be adequately equipped to serve. The AXIS program provides equipping resources and encouragement for those whom God has called to serve and lead.”
“I really enjoy hearing about what is going on in other churches,” she continued. “Even though I am the instructor, I always learn something new.”
Going beyond the classroom, AXIS provides an established network for its students—keeping them connected to each other and to their instructors, who are experts in their fields of ministry. Those connections form more than friendships; students, ministers, and others are able to share ideas and resources and support each other through challenges on an ongoing basis.
“You are not alone in this, even though sometimes it might feel like you are,” explained Kathy Kruschwitz. “AXIS was designed and developed to support you—whoever and wherever you are.”
“AXIS is a dream,” she surmised. “It provides high-quality, accessible, and affordable training—practical training—the kind of training that you don’t get in seminary and you don’t get in college. AXIS is for anyone who feels they’ve been gifted by God…anyone who has that little nudge within themselves that says, ‘You know, I could really do this; I could provide leadership at my church.’”
Troy Dickens certainly agrees. “AXIS is a quality experience that is very affordable and will give you skills and knowledge that will last a lifetime. For me, it has been a truly life-changing experience.”
“Because of AXIS, doors that I thought were closed for good are opening.”
Learn more about AXIS Ministry Academy and Resource Network and sign up for upcoming courses at AXIStraining.org.
For more information, visit AXIStraining.org
Kim Eskridge, AXIS faculty member, teaches a group of children during Sunday worship at her church. Brenda Armistead leads her youth group in worship.It’s hard enough to cling to faith when times are good. But what happens when life stops you in your tracks? This free video-driven Bible study shares how ordinary people respond to extraordinary challenges. Their inspirational stories show how, with God's help, we can do more than just move forward. We can become unstoppable. STORIES. WEEKS. LIFE-CHANGING SERIES. Claim your free materials at vbfinc.org/unstoppable
• Senior Pastor, Atlantic Baptist Church, Atlantic, VA
• Pastor, Buena Vista Baptist Church, Buena Vista, VA
• Music Director/Song Leader, East Bristol Baptist Church, Bristol, VA
• Pastor, Gloucester Point Baptist Church, Gloucester, VA
• Coordinator of Missions, Concord Baptist Association, South Hill, VA
• Pastor, Greenpond Baptist Church, Chatham, VA
• Youth & Children Pastor, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Roanoke, VA
• Ministry Assistant, Manly Memorial Baptist Church, Lexington, VA
• Music Director, First Baptist Church, Hampton, VA
• Interim Pastor, St Stephens Baptist Church, St. Stephens Church, VA
• Youth Coordinator, Grandin Court Baptist Church, Roanoke, VA
• Youth Minister, Mt Olivet Baptist Church, Beaverdam, VA
• Music Minister, Mt Olivet Baptist Church, Beaverdam, VA
• Pastor, Starling Avenue Baptist Church, Martinsville, VA
• Minister of Music, Black Creek Baptist Church, Mechanicsville, VA
• Pastor, Beth Car Baptist Church, Halifax, VA
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