Missionary, Keegan Cullen, who has been collecting winter-themed LEGO village sets since 2009, was enthused to share his collection with others while in the states to rest and rejuvenate before returning to the mission field in 2026. 

“Having an open house for church members was a great opportunity to talk with them and share what we have been doing overseas,” said Cullen. Keegan and his wife, Karmen, shared prayer cards with those who stopped by and had a fun contest for children to search for 10 Star Wars minifigures hidden in the display. The prize for finding all 10 characters being a Christmas-time favorite, a candy cane. 

Also on display was ceramic pottery made by Karmen, something she learned to do in high school and developed a passion for later in college. Her pottery items were works of art with practicality, and included toothbrush holders, spoon rests and travel cups for hot tea or coffee. 

Having been back in the states for six months, the Cullens have enjoyed spending time with family and friends, a welcome opportunity to recover from the homesickness and loneliness that can result from serving in long-term international missions. They have also engaged with the local community by volunteering weekly in the Baptist Collegiate Ministries at the University of West Florida and Pensacola State College. 

As they prepare to return to the mission field, they look forward to “starting fresh with a new set of people who have never heard the gospel,” said Cullen. Going to a city in Spain where around 30,000 unreached college students reside, the Cullens are excited to serve alongside a church plant, where students will have access to a local congregation where they can grow in faith and be discipled. 

Hillcrest Baptist Church already has plans to send summer interns and a mission team to help launch the new college ministry in 2026. “While we expect language barriers and other challenges along the way, we are looking forward to having a great church partnership while we serve on mission in Spain,” said Cullen. 

PACE–“By God’s grace, we aim to push back the darkness and shine the light of the gospel in our city of Pace, Florida,” said Eric Mitchell, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church.

“This journey began more than two years ago with seeking clarity and confirmation of the calling,” said Mitchell. Prayer has remained the focus and foundation for the church plant set to launch in 2026. Mitchell and other leaders meet weekly to pray over one another and seek the Lord for strategic decisions, the development of a core group and understanding how to engage their community in a unique way.

Developing a tightknit group ready for ministry has been a key component in preparing to plant with all core members seeking to understand and develop their spiritual gifts and how they can serve in areas of worship, hospitality, outreach and preschool ministries.

In 2023, Mitchell and Stewart Kirksey, fellow church planter and associate pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church, were brought together through serving their connect group at Hillcrest Baptist Church. Both men, feeling burdened for the local community, began to pray specifically about timing, location, and others to walk alongside them in ministry.

They took steps forward in obedience to the Lord by seeking counsel from mentors and church leaders, practicing discipleship with a micro-group of core members, researching the needs within their local community, and attending the SEND Network church planting assessment and training.

Sending church comes alongside church plant

Every church plant needs a sending church to provide initial support financially and administratively. Hillcrest Baptist Church has a focus on multiplication and a nearly 10-year history of partnering with church plants around the country.

“We have been waiting for the right opportunity to partner with a church in our own state and as it turns out, God was preparing one of our own church members to take a bold step of faith to start a new work in neighboring Santa Rosa County,” said Doug Kimsal, executive pastor, Hillcrest Baptist Church.

“New churches less than three years old tend to create 10 new believers per 100 attenders in a year. Congregations three- to 15-years-old produce five new believers per 100, and those over 15 years old drop to three new believers per 100 attenders each year,” said Kimsal. “Small grows faster than big, and we’ve seen that play out in our small group ministry as well as church plants.”

‘Joy to see God work in and through His people’

Following the biblical mandate to “go and make disciples,” leaders at Cornerstone Baptist Church seek to “encourage and excite” others to reach lost people in Santa Rosa County. The church has developed a solid vision to “be a congregation where every member is Christ-centered, love-oriented, and missions-motivated.”

The mission of Cornerstone Baptist Church is clearly stated “to glorify God by making disciples who are devoted to Christ, His great commandments and His Great Commission.”

“I’m really excited to see the work that the Lord will do through His church,” said Kirksey. “There are so many people moving to Pace, and I’m excited to reach them with the gospel and see more people come to know Christ and grow in their faith. What a joy it is to see God work in and through His people,” said Kirksey.

‘Let the Word shape you’

Using 1 Peter 2 as a guide, the leaders desire to be “tethered, saturated, controlled and guided” by the Word of God. The preaching and teaching style will be expository with Mitchell stating, “Don’t let the world shape you, let the Word shape you.”

Mitchell and Kirksey hope the church will be a mosaic representation of every tribe and tongue, unified in Christ, and a place where people who may not feel that they fit in can come and be accepted. “We have a vision of a congregation steeped in Scripture, shaped by love and reflecting the beautiful tapestry of nations envisioned in Revelation 5:9-10,” said Mitchell.

As a recipient of the Maguire State Mission Offering, Cornerstone Baptist Church will direct funds to essential costs associated with meeting at Sims Middle School, outreach materials, signage, and sound and media equipment purchases. The church hopes to establish a welcoming and functional space for worship and ministry while utilizing an accessible and visible location within the community.

Crystal Mitchell and Kristy Kirksey will serve alongside their husbands and co-lead the children’s ministry.

Others can help by praying for the leaders and church as they prepare to launch and consider if they sense God is leading them to be a part in some way by giving financially or through acts of service.

These are some of the hard-hitting cultural issues discussed at a recent Truth in Love conference at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Pensacola.

Ben Schettler, president and co-founder of The Center for Truth in Love, equipped believers during the Saturday conference, and from the pulpit on Sunday morning, not only to know the truth, but also to speak the truth in a confident and loving way.

Christians need to know the word of God to have confidence in controversial times, Schettler believes. He turned hot cultural topics back to the word of God, reminding the more than 200 conference attendees that they have all the wisdom and resources they need in the Bible.

“Ben proved that the word of God is reliable and sufficient to handle every issue our teenagers face today,” said Jeremy Weidlich, student pastor, Hillcrest Baptist Church. “He equipped parents and students with the knowledge about how these cultural issues have risen to the forefront and where we should stand as Christians.”

For topics that can feel overwhelming, Schettler gave concise, informative and encouraging insight into the truth of the Bible.

“Parents are scared,” said Dustin Scott, nextgen pastor, Hillcrest Baptist Church. “Parents want to help their families navigate these difficult topics and worldviews attempting to indoctrinate our homes. At Hillcrest, we wanted to provide a space for our church family to better equip themselves to tackle issues with biblical truth in love.”

“I would encourage other churches to make sure they are doing everything in their power to equip those the Lord has entrusted them to lead,” added Scott.

KRAKOW, POLAND–Kelsey Bennett finally felt acclimated to her new role as an International Mission Board missionary in eastern Europe. In a mid-term role, she served with a great ministry team, and her knowledge of the language and culture had grown. Then because of unrest in the area where she served, she had to evacuate quickly to a new location, leaving behind many personal possessions and the relationships she had built.

Suddenly, she found herself serving in Poland, learning another language and culture, and working with a new ministry team. Her home church, Hillcrest Baptist Church in Pensacola, rose into action, packing three suitcases with clothing and other items that were delivered to her by a pastor from the church and his wife.

“What a blessing that was!” enthused Bennett. “That was a really difficult year, and to have the support of my home church to physically help and offer an outside perspective was huge.” Visits from others in her home church also have provided her with an opportunity to introduce the ministry first-hand and to offer suggestions on what they can do to help.

In November, Bennett, along with 48 others, was appointed by the International Mission Board for full-time career service and participated in a Sending Celebration at New Vision Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

‘Called to missions’

Bennett never imagined she would be a missionary until she served as the Baptist Collegiate Ministries associate at a northwest Florida university. Developing a strong affection for ministering to university students, Bennett longed for an experience outside of America. After much prayer and with wise counsel from pastors and other missionaries, she began her journey into missionary service with the International Mission Board.

“As followers of Christ, we are all called to missions in some capacity. Whether it be to a location, to a people group, or in our everyday lives, we are called to share the Good News with anyone we meet,” said Bennett.

‘God is working’

Through missions, she has learned to trust God where He leads. She understands that things can change in a very short amount of time and that challenges abound no matter where you take the gospel.

As she serves in a university ministry in Poland, challenges include communication mishaps due to language barriers and cultural differences. Bennett found that in Krakow, Poland, people can come across as blunt and rude to someone who was raised on southern charm in the United States. To smile at or talk with a stranger in Poland is uncommon, she said, but Polish people “are very hospitable and friendly” after you get to know them.

Another challenge is helping Polish people see their need for a relationship with Jesus. Catholicism permeates the culture, with many believing they are “good” because of their religious traditions. “Mostly, they just don’t see their need to be forgiven of sin and saved in Jesus. It is hard soil, but we know God is working,” said Bennett.

She seeks to develop friendships over coffee and evangelism-based activities like karaoke, game nights, movie nights and sports days at a local park. Eventually, those friendships lead to Bible reading, gospel conversations and times of prayer.

A weekly event called Breakthrough Krakow is a time for practicing English conversation skills where topics can be light and fun, but can lead to the deep and spiritual discussions.

Another fun event that Bennett looks forward to is hosting an American Thanksgiving meal for students. Many who attend will have only seen Thanksgiving celebrations in movies and on television shows. It is another way to build relationships and show gratitude to Christ.

Bennett finds discipleship, fellowship and accountability through weekly Bible study with a group of young women at the Polish church she attends. Her mission team is made up of Polish Baptist church members who desire to grow in discipleship, evangelism and sound biblical teaching and preaching.

The goal of university ministry is to connect students with local Baptist churches so they can be discipled by Polish believers in their heart language. “There are many steps to get to that point, but our main goal is getting these students connected to the church. We may not be there for more than a few years, so we want to make sure we pass them to believers who will continue to invest in them,” Bennett said.

PENSACOLA- Excitement filled the worship center as nearly 800 children and volunteers arrived daily for Breaker Rock Beach vacation Bible school at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Pensacola. Amid the fun songs and silly skits that started each morning, Megan Woodham, kids ministry director, gave the children a call to missions.

The boys and girls were challenged to collectively donate $5,000 for a mission team leaving soon for El Salvador. The money would purchase building supplies for a home and provide books, tuition, school supplies and meals for children attending the Hosanna School.

The goal seemed large, but not unattainable, for the more than 500 preregistered children.  “I knew not everyone could give, but I also know that people tend to rise to the expectation that you set for them,” said Woodham.

For an added incentive, if the girls brought in the most donations, Dustin Scott, the church’s next gen pastor, would be turned into a human sand castle at the end of the week. If the boys brought in the largest donation, it would be Woodham who was crowned with sand.

Kids emptied their piggy banks and brought everything from bags of change to $100 dollar bills. “It was the sweetest thing to see

those kids choose others over themselves. They could’ve chosen to spend their money in so many ways, and yet they gave,” added Woodham.

The same week that the children at Hillcrest were raising money, a fire burned two homes in Santa Ana, El Salvador. Materials to repair the two homes would cost about $4,000, and the children were inspired to give more than double the goal set for them. The grand total donated for El Salvador missions was $10,200.57.

“I encourage other children’s ministry leaders to set the bar high, communicate the challenge and celebrate the giving,” said Woodham. “Be clear on where the giving is going and make a tangible connection if possible. We are able to connect our children to the giving with photos that show the result. They can see how they were part of making a difference.”

In addition to the generous giving, 20 children took steps toward salvation decisions during the week and will participate in a class to help them understand the gospel, salvation, baptism and sharing their faith. Upon completion of the class, they will have the opportunity to discuss next steps with church leaders and pursue baptism.

“Kids are the church right now. They can worship. They can understand theology. They can serve. They can give. The Lord has a plan for each of them right now and for all of their days. It is one of my greatest privileges to watch that unfold each week,” added Woodham.

They worked alongside fellow believers from Palabra de Vida (Word of Life) who showed them how to lay a sturdy foundation for a home for missionaries who will lead the first evangelical Christian Bible-based addiction recovery program in the country.

“We bonded closely with our Ecuadorian brothers in Christ and joyfully worked side-by-side in a united effort,” said Jack Rowell. “We were amazed at how much work we could accomplish in such a short amount of time without the modern construction equipment we are accustomed to in the U.S.”

The missionary home is part of the Las Palmas Camp project, a ten-year campus improvement plan to add multiple adult cabins, student cabins and general service buildings, enabling the facilities to be used year-round for camps, retreats and Bible conferences.

An additional challenge was the language barrier. No one on the mission team spoke Spanish, and most of the WOL workers knew little to no English.

“It was amazing to see how quickly we all adapted to having conversations using the translator app. Others sitting around the dinner table or nearby would join in as well, which led to mutual encouragement and helped our groups grow closer,” said Robert Hill.

Mission team member, Jason Dewsnap, shared, “I was inspired by one of the WOL workers who talked about traveling by bus for several hours just to reach people and spread the gospel throughout Ecuador. It enlightened me to how much more I could do with my time.”

Hill added, “Through the conversations and sharing of faith experiences, I could see that our presence gave them reassurance and peace that God is real, in control and loves us no matter where we are, and my eyes were opened to the responsibility we all have as Christians to let others see Christ through us and to share His word. I want to be as free in sharing my testimony and love of Christ as they were. I want to feel the sense of contentment, peace and reliance on God as they do.”

As part of Hillcrest’s strategic missions partnership with WOL, another team including 13 high school students served in Ecuador over the summer, leading a student Bible camp. It was an opportunity to learn each other’s language and culture while finding common ground in Christ.

The Hillcrest team assisted WOL in leading small groups, recreation, large group teaching and worship. During the Bible camp, 506 students attended, with 202 professions of faith and 267 youth rededicating their lives to Christ.

“The greatest blessing was worshipping in two languages. It showed how the body of Christ comes together, separated by language, but united in Christ,” said Jeremy Weidlich, Hillcrest student pastor

PENSACOLA–In its inaugural worship service on New Year’s Day 2023,  Pensacola Chinese Baptist Church welcomed more than 100 in attendance, and four people made professions of faith.

Since that time the young church has continued its gospel outreach, primarily focusing on Mandarin-speaking individuals from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan or Southeast Asia.

“Our goal is to build relationships and attract seekers to the Pensacola Chinese Baptist Church,” said Zhang.

Reflecting on the launch of Pensacola Chinese Baptist Church, Zhang said, “I think it is the Lord’s guidance and blessing for a church-planting ministry in Florida. There are many mission fields from north to south, from west to east in the Sunshine State.”

More co-laborers have become involved in outreach ministry to the Chinese population, resulting in the need for a larger Sunday school classroom. Through the ministry, four new believers were baptized in June.

Brian Nall, executive director of Pensacola Bay Baptist Association, said, “The Chinese community is an under-reached segment of our community. We are deeply grateful for Pastor Dawson and are excited to serve Pensacola Chinese Baptist Church as they advance the kingdom of God in our area.”

Hillcrest Baptist Church has assisted with a room for Bible study on Saturday mornings, and Olive Baptist Church provides a Sunday morning classroom and a chapel area for Sunday evening service. One challenge the church plant has faced is the gap between Sunday school on Sunday morning and worship on Sunday evening. “Some people will not want to come back after a long break during the day, and others are older and limited with regards to driving in the evenings,” said Zhang.

While very grateful for the spaces provided to them, the church is praying for a place to have meeting times without the large gap during the day.

As a recipient of Maguire State Mission Offering funds, Zhang is encouraged and feels God’s grace poured out on the church through the Florida Baptist Convention and Send Network Florida.

The funds received will provide the church with more opportunities to connect with the community and share the gospel through outreach events such as monthly meals to welcome newcomers and build relationships. Additionally, Zhang plans to invite other preachers to share God’s word with the congregation.

Other portions of the funds will help Zhang travel from Montgomery, Alabama, to Pensacola each week. He currently pastors a church plant in Alabama and drives to Florida each week to pastor the Pensacola church. His goal is to eventually pass the torch in Montgomery and move with his family to Pensacola.

As they returned to America, even for a brief time, the missionaries expressed that they “felt caught between two countries, but the gracious care of churches that offer this ministry and support relieves a burden, and it enables us to keep our hearts and minds focused on getting back to the work the Lord has called us to do.”

This missionary family was the first to stay in the newly renovated missions house that has been a dream of church leaders and members for quite some time.

“Several longtime church members had been having conversations with the previous owner of the house and property adjacent to the church for many years. A relationship had been built, and the owner promised that one day she would sell the property to the church,” said Kathy Schultz, missions house hospitality team leader. “It is really exciting to see God work through our church family; the generosity and the ways the Lord has provided are amazing,” she added.

Acting on faith in 2022, the missions leadership team began planning, assembled two volunteer teams and purchased and took ownership of the land and dilapidated old house in January 2023.

In less than six months, 137 volunteers contributed more than 2,100 volunteer hours to transform a neglected house into a warm and welcoming home-away-from-home for missionary families who return stateside for a short-term stay.

The renovations included new water and sewer lines, plumbing, attic duct work, electrical and wiring, new aluminum and vinyl work, new flooring, new heating and air conditioning units, many repairs, paint, and a tremendous amount of cleaning up inside and out.

Goals for the missions house included that it be God-honoring, safe and secure, well-lit, efficient, durable, environmentally and child friendly, esthetically pleasing, handicap-accessible, easy to maintain and suitable for hosting events for bigger groups.

“As work began, we found that missionaries were not the only beneficiaries of this undertaking, but that many people who were not able to go on mission trips were willing and able to support this work using their skills and expertise on repairs and renovations. Others were able to donate items or give financially to help furnish the house. This project enabled our church to experience a new kind of mission work and at the same time brought about a closer bond among the many members who contributed their time, talent and financial support to make it all happen,” said Jack Forbes, longtime Hillcrest Church member and missions house committee leader.

With the main house ready for hosting, the project is entering Phase 2, which includes turning the detached two-car garage into an apartment for one or two missionaries on short-term stays.

“A primary role of Hillcrest is to encourage, develop, equip and send out our members as ministers and missionaries to the world through IMB, the North American Mission Board, and other Great Commission Christian organizations. Numerous missionaries have told us that the most difficult issue for many missionaries who don’t have family or friends who can house them for extended periods is affordable stateside assignment housing. Some missionaries incur debt from paying market value rent. Others are forced to stay in an area where housing is available, but it is not near family, friends, school or home church. Pensacola is located on the I-10 corridor within one-day driving distance to many major southern cities; we are fairly close to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; our cost of living is reasonable; our church is very supportive of missions and there is no charge to missionaries who stay at the property,” Brian Barlow, Hillcrest’s missions and evangelism pastor. “For these reasons, our missionary home will be a great blessing to those who will be our future guests.”

PENSACOLA–Waking up at 2:00 a.m. to prepare meals, sharpen tools, work on administrative duties or wash clothes–these are just some of the tasks associated with Florida Baptist Disaster Relief.

The hours can be long, but no one complains.

Many FLDR volunteers are retired from their careers and have servants’ hearts with time to fill. They are ready to do whatever it takes to deliver a message of help, hope and healing to those who have gone through hurricanes, tornadoes, floods or other disasters.

As the 2023 storm season approaches, Pensacola Bay Baptist Association recently hosted its first annual DR volunteer appreciation banquet, celebrating the faithful service of these volunteers who are always ready as soon as a call goes out.

Gathered at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Pensacola, about 100 people, representing eight churches, received a warm welcome from Pastor Jim Locke, who shared how DR volunteers helped his family after a storm.

Dale Simmons, region one chaplain coordinator for FLDR, commended volunteers on getting up early, cooking, cleaning and serving in a ministry that is “not glamorous.”

Simmons said, “Your rewards are being built up in heaven.”

Brian Nall, executive director of Pensacola Bay Baptist Association, spoke to those in attendance about the great spiritual disaster in the community at large and how the service of DR volunteers brought the light and love of Christ to 70,000 households in the past year, with 25,000 people hearing the gospel and 7,214 accepting Christ as their Savior.

“When the yellow shirts show up, they bring the spirit of Jeremiah, which is hope, and Nehemiah, which is to rebuild broken walls,” stated Nall.

Lewis Miller, Florida Baptists’ catalyst for the West region, encouraged attendees, saying, “Disaster relief volunteers are the hands and feet of Jesus. … You are an opportunity for people to see the gospel in action.”

The need for DR volunteers is great; without volunteers, there would be no ministry. Terry Davis first joined DR as a way to serve alongside her husband, Sonny. “On my first callout to Houma, Louisiana, I planned to pull brush with the team and lose five pounds,” said Davis. When the incident commander asked if anyone knew Excel, Davis quickly found herself in the administrative ministry, calling on the strong work ethic instilled in her by her parents as well as using skills she had honed in her career in accounting and training to deploy power line crews with the power company.

“God can use every life experience to prepare you for where He wants you to be in the next stage of life,” Davis said.

David Coggins, FLDR director, thanked volunteers for their ministry, not just during storms, but also their ministry in churches throughout the state. He shared about a new command trailer being built and a second box truck purchased to serve as a mobile kitchen to prepare food for those who have experienced disaster.

Pensacola Bay Baptist Association plans to rotate the appreciation banquet each year to a different church, with Olive Baptist Church hosting the 2024 event.

On Wednesday, March 16, Hillcrest’s student ministry celebrated the 100^th student being baptized after student ministry leaders had challenged middle school and high school students to have 2,000 gospel conversations with their peers.

Believing that if students were faithful to share the gospel, God would be faithful to bring people into relationship with him, student leaders Dustin Scott and Jeremy Weidlich had the idea for a wooden cross with 100 lightbulbs to stand as a marker for each student who followed in believer’s baptism.

After creating the challenge, student ministry leaders discovered young people show up with fearless faith, sharing the gospel, and God also shows up, drawing students into a relationship with Jesus.

“There have been many times I’ve left conversations with students thinking to myself, ‘Man, I need to learn boldness from these guys,’” said Scott, next gen pastor.

As the 100^th lightbulb was placed in the cross, Student Pastor Weidlich said, “This was a moment we’ve desired for a long time. Every student and every leader played a part in this process. The students were so encouraged by what the Lord has done that they immediately began asking what the next challenge will be. They are ready.”

As the challenge began, students were given different strategies for sharing their faith, including the 3 Circles evangelism strategy, developed by Jimmy Scroggins, pastor at Family Church in South Florida. Students found accountability in weekly connect groups where they shared what worked, what didn’t work and what they learned from their experiences. They were further encouraged to share their personal testimonies, as that would make a big impression on their friends.

From the platform, leaders kept the goal in front of the students, reminded them to stay focused on the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, and celebrated big wins.

“The response each week, when someone comes to know Jesus, gets baptized, or puts a lightbulb in the cross, has been my favorite part of all of this. Our students cheer so loudly and rally together to celebrate this life change. It doesn’t matter if the student is their best friend or a complete stranger, they celebrate their new brother or sister in Christ,” said Corey Young, student ministry associate.

Gospel prevails over COVID

The wooden cross was revealed at a major youth event just one month before the world was hit with a pandemic that closed schools and churches and changed everyday interactions.

Weidlich shared, “Prior to COVID, the excitement for gospel conversations, salvations and baptisms was palpable. Post-COVID, it felt like everyone was slowly dipping their toes back into the water of everyday life, student ministry and gospel conversations included. COVID was a gut punch to our fun challenge, but ultimately the gospel prevailed, and we reached our goal.”

During the course of meeting the goal, Weidlich moved into the role of student pastor as Scott moved from student pastor to next gen pastor, with both ministers still rallying students to have gospel conversations.

Sharpening one another

Weidlich finds the fervent faith of students encouraging and referred to 1 Timothy 4:12, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believer an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

Regardless of age, people often enjoy the community of working together to achieve a goal, both leaders agree.

Scott shared, “Teens will hit the bar you set for them. Good things happen when you have a desire to reach a goal and to see people come to know Christ. They were sharpened by one another, which sharpened and challenged all student ministry leadership.”