By Sharon Mager

MIDDLETOWN, Md. — Following a report of over 700 women at the Revive Women’s Conference and multiple decisions for Christ at January’s Reboot Youth Evangelism Camps, Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware Executive Director Tom Stolle was smiling as he told General Mission Board Members (GMB), “I’m excited about what God is doing in and through this convention of churches.” The board met at Skycroft Conference Center on March 11. For several members, it was their first time on the “Mountain for the Master.”

GMB President Byron Day told the mission board, “A cheetah can run an amazing 70 miles an hour but for short periods of time. That’s because it has a very small heart. It gets tired very quickly, and sometimes, it just must end the chase because it can’t keep up. It can’t go any further. Day said,” Sometimes Christians faint and can’t seem to go any further. He emphasized the church’s need for “staying power.” (Photo by Sharon Mager)

GMB President Byron Day, in his opening devotional time, encouraged board members to endure, even in the many challenging times in the life of a pastor. Day emphasized walking in the Spirit of Truth. “It’s the Spirit of God, who is the one who convicts, to transform lives.” He emphasized walking in love, even when it’s difficult. “The Great Commandment says I’ve got to love people as Christ loves the church… as Christ loved me.” And finally, Day stressed watching — keeping our eyes on God’s Word. There’s a lot out there, but the focus must be on God.”

Staff Reports

Several BCM/D Staff members shared updates on new ministries and upcoming events.

• Mark Dooley, Associate Executive Director, introduced BCM/D’s new Missional Impact Team, which will focus on disability, BCM/D Ready, and protection of children, youth, and vulnerable adults through the CARE Team, formerly the Sexual Abuse Taskforce, which is now focused on crisis response, advocacy, resourcing, and educating churches. The Missional Impact team also assists churches in their compassion ministries, such as food and baby supply pantries, and ministries to those experiencing homelessness.
• Somer Phoebus, BCM/D Women’s Missionary and Communications Director, reported that 732 women attended the Revive Women’s Conference on March 7-8. “As much as I love all of those numbers, the number that I love the most is that we had 180 different churches represented in this event, which, for our two-state convention, is huge.”
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  Somer Phoebus explained that when planning an event, BCM/D leaders strive to create an event that is simple, easy, and fun for church leaders to engage with and invite their people, that sends church leaders, their teams, and church attendees back stirred up and on fire for the Lord, excited to do what God has called them to do, and that creates an environment and an atmosphere where the Holy Spirit is invited to, and he can move and change lives. “This past weekend, that happened, and it was an incredible time!” (Photo by Sharon Mager)

  Skycroft Conference Center Director Emily Reedy, reporting on Reboot, BCM/D’s winter youth evangelism camp held over three weekends in January, shared that 47 students made first-time professions of faith, 34 students expressed to their youth leaders that they would like to take the next step of obedience with baptism, and 35 expressed a desire to “step up their game” and serve in their churches.

• BCM/D Church Strengthening Team Director Jeremy Dickson shared about the upcoming men’s conference, “A Man After’s God’s Own Heart,” on May 17. Dickson said he’s excited about what happened at Revive and hopes to capture some of that excitement: “Many of you know we had close to 600 men attend our men’s conference last year, and we’re looking for that this year.” Dickson said the conference is a great opportunity to bring men together for a time of worship and encouragement to deepen their relationship with God and live with purpose and integrity.

 Executive Director’s Report
 Stolle told board members, “When I look at an event of 730 women, and when I think about all the salvations and commitments to Christ that happened at Skycroft, and what’s going to be coming in men’s ministry, and the other things that are happening, I continue to be reminded about our current theme, which is found in Luke 1:37: For with God nothing will be impossible.

“God is moving our collective work forward — and I mean “collective work.” All of us are in this together. All of our churches are on mission. The overall mission of the BCM/D is this: We equip and resource churches to make disciples. Stolle said, “We are attempting to not just communicate to our pastors and lay leaders but to connect with them, uniting with a common purpose: to advance the Kingdom of God!”

BCM/D Executive Director said, “We didn’t achieve 730 at a women’s conference because we’re great. It’s because God’s great.” Photo by Sharon Mager

Stolle highlighted the BCM/D Values: strengthening, formation and health, mobilization and planting, and missional impact. This is what we are all about! Note that each of our values is directly reflected in our team structure.”

• Church Strengthening, led by Director Jeremy Dickson: We are committed to strengthening our churches and equipping them to thrive. Through practical resources, consulting, and ongoing support, we help congregations grow in people and purpose, overcome stagnation, and revitalize their mission.
• Formation and Health, led by Director Dan Hyun: We prioritize the holistic health of our pastors and leaders, training them to be intentional about their spiritual, emotional, and physical health so that they can lead with integrity, clarity, and renewed energy.
• Mobilization & Planting, led by Director Jamie Caldwell: Mobilization and multiplication are at the heart of our work. We are committed to helping churches develop new pastors and plant new congregations by providing them with the care, resources, and partnerships they need to thrive.
• Missional Impact, led by Associate Executive Director Mark Dooley: We believe churches should be catalysts for transformation in their local communities and beyond. Through partnerships, we provide training, resourcing, and equipping to mobilize churches to make a lasting impact by meeting needs, building relationships, and serving the marginalized through our compassion ministries.

Stolle shared details about each team. He highlighted new initiatives, including SEND BCM/D. The BCM/D partners with the North American Mission Board to mobilize churches to support church planting, coaching and consulting, planter training and assessment, and prayer meetings where participants seek God’s blessings on planters and ask him for more field workers.

BBA Executive Administrator Theresa Sassard told board members, “Associations need to feel they’re not alone, and I can tell you that the current BCM/D staff has demonstrated that.” (Photo by Sharon Mager)

He also discussed the strong emphasis on the new Missional Impact team, which emphasizes compassion ministries and ultimately focuses on evangelism. Stolle said, “There is no greater compassion ministry than sharing Jesus with the lost! Consider this: Every person on this planet is born with a disability. That disability is one of sin that separates us from God. The only way that disability can be cured is by the affected individual accepting Jesus. Evangelism is the greatest compassion ministry ever known!”

In closing, Stolle said, “May God continue to bless the work of the BCM/D as we seek God’s glory, being obedient to Him and humble before Him.”

You can read Tom Stolle’s entire executive director’s report, which includes more details about ministries and opportunities, here.

Testimonies
Dickson introduced a new addition to the GMB meetings  —  testimonies about how God is working through BCM/D partnerships.” Pre-selected board members who shared at this meeting were Prince George’s Baptist Association Director of Missions Marcus Tillman, Baltimore Baptist Association Executive Administrator Theresa Sassard and Emmanuel Baptist Church, Laurel, and Pastor Byron Day.

BCM/D President Fred Caudle, sharing on Jesus’ words to the Church in Ephesus in Revelation 2, asked board members, “Can I ask the pastors here to flashback in your mind? I give you permission to just take off in your mind for a second. When you got the call to your church, whether it was your first church or second church, you were excited.” Jesus was everything then, he said.

Tillman told the board, “It’s a wonderful thing to have people to call on who are experts. Churches are hungry.” Tillman said that new pastors, older pastors, and some facing troubles in their churches get excited when they get fresh information.

Sassard explained that she was on staff with the BCM/D in the financial office before transitioning to the BBA, suddenly seeing the need for partnership and encouraging churches in associations.  “Associations need to feel they’re not alone, and I can tell you that the current BCM/D staff has demonstrated that.”

Byron Day shared about the help Emmanuel Baptist Church Laurel received through the BCM/D and the Baptist Foundation, which made it possible to get through a difficult time and eventually grow and expand. I’ve been a part of the BCM/D for 34 years. I’ve seen God do great things, not only in our church but for many others.

President’s Address
BCM/D President Fred Caudle, in his address to the board, shared from Revelation 2 and Jesus’ letter to Ephesus. After citing their hard work and good deeds, Jesus has a warning. He says, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love.” (KJV Rev. 2:4).

Caudle said, “I don’t believe Jesus was rebuking in an angry way. I believe it was the whisper, the voice that was trying to remind us of who we are in Christ Jesus.”

Continuing, Caudle said, “As an encouragement to each one of us, let us conquer in Christ our natural desire to love the ministry more than Jesus himself, the natural flesh desire to identify ourselves in our positions or even our identities, whatever they may be. Our natural fleshly desire to put other things, whether it’s a thing or it’s a person, more than Christ Jesus. When we first heard the gospel and believed we were in love with Jesus. We spoke Jesus. We craved Jesus, we moved in Jesus, and we did not leave Jesus. We told everyone about our savior.

Let that be our prayer today. Let that be all we know. But Jesus said to remember to repent and do the works that we did at first. Let that be our cause, the cause for Jesus. But while we were still sinners, Christ Jesus died for us. Praise God.”

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