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. 

MARY ESTHER, Fla. — Military men, women and families looking for a home church while stationed along the Gulf Coast are welcomed with open arms at many Florida Baptist churches—whether they are in the area for a few months or several years.

“Our heart is for immediate connection, discipleship and for military members to find a place to use their gifts,” said David Falldine, pastor of Sunrise City Church. The church, located less than a mile from Hurlburt Field, hosts monthly gatherings to help families build relationships and find community quickly.

Military families are often far from home and need a strong support system. Sunrise City Church saw the need and answered the call to serve those who serve by investing in military families and inviting them to “do life together.” One way pastors do this is by working out with service members.

“I’ve committed to working out with some of the military guys, and one of my close friends is an Army 7th Group guy who works out with our worship pastor and me every week when he’s not deployed. Doing life together like this creates natural opportunities for ministry,” Falldine said.

This Thanksgiving, Sunrise City Church partnered with Operation Warm Heart to collect holiday meal necessities for military families. Deployment can take a toll, and the church strives to care for families with deployed spouses. Pastors are also well-connected with other churches in military communities and can help families find a new home church when the military sends them elsewhere.

In addition to family ministry, the church offers a men’s ministry that engages military members through campouts featuring food, fellowship, Bible study and shooting activities. Situated near a military base—and in a town where many servicemen and women choose to retire—the church has “an incredible opportunity to disciple and send people all over the world as gospel lights,” Falldine said.

An estimated 50% of Sunrise City Church’s membership is active-duty military and another 25% is retired military, making the mission field of serving those who serve especially ripe.

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We want to hear from you! Is your church involved in military ministry as well?  Please email communications@flbaptist.org and let us know what you are doing.  

MOLINO–“The field is ready for the harvest,” said Phil Fischer, pastor, Dogwood Park Baptist Church Molino, as he spoke to more than 300 students, parents and community members at the Fields of Faith event held at nearby Northview High School.

The event, sponsored by Fellowship of Christian Athletes, encourages athletes and others to study the Bible, pray, build the church, and use their spheres of influence to encourage one another with the Word of truth.

This year, attendees heard a powerful message from Fischer that tied into the school and community’s agricultural roots of farming and being ready for the harvest.

The youth band from Walnut Hill Baptist Church led worship songs, and several students gave testimonies about the work of Jesus Christ in their lives.

“This event emboldens students to see that it is OK to be visible about their faith,” said Fischer. “They come away energized and ready to live out their faith in front of their friends.”

Six students at the event made professions of faith. Each was connected to a youth pastor at one of the local churches, including Dogwood Park Baptist Church, Walnut Hill Baptist Church, First Baptist Church Bratt, and Highland Baptist Church, for follow up and discipleship.

The event concluded with student-led prayer as attendees stood hand-in-hand circling the football field, a show of unity and solidarity in faith.

“This event was once seen as a youth-only event, but it has become more well-attended throughout the community,” said Ted Bridges, pastor, Walnut Hill Baptist Church. “The spiritual move in the youth across the country is reaching all ages, and in our area, this event helps quicken people to live out their faith boldly among their peers.”

MILTON–Outdoor fun and missions came together at Camp Paquette in Milton as Cora Baptist Church in Jay hosted Children’s Missions Outdoor Adventure. Nearly 70 children participated in the weekend event that included competitions, skill-building activities, and the testimonies of two missionaries who serve with the International Mission Board.

When the missionaries spoke, children were eager to ask questions about serving in the mission field around the world, such as, “What is it like to live far from home in another country and adjust to another culture?” The missionaries shared the importance of developing relationships with locals and prayerfully engaging in gospel conversations that will hopefully lead others to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

“It is vital for children to know that they are important and have a place in God’s kingdom and in sharing the love of Jesus with their friends and neighbors in their own communities and around the world,” said Cindy Bradley, Florida Baptist Convention’s catalyst for women’s missions and ministry/missions education. “God has often used events such as this one to plant missional seeds in children’s hearts that grow into a call to missions as they become teenagers and adults.”

The day of adventure included tug-of-war, a rope traverse course, sack races, archery, hiking and disc golf. For those wanting a little more adventure, Jay First Baptist Church hosted an overnight campout with s’mores, campfire songs and tents under the stars.

“The day of adventure was a shining example of what happens when churches come together,” said Matthew Dobson, pastor, Cora Baptist Church.

Dobson, who also serves as Royal Ambassadors leader for Florida Baptists’ West region, added, “Children were encouraged; leaders were empowered, and missions was brought to life in the hearts of the next generation. To God be the glory for a day filled with joy, unity and a renewed passion for His ministry.”

The event was a success through much prayer and preparation. Volunteers included leaders from Cora Baptist Church, Pensacola Bay Baptist Association and Santa Rosa Baptist Association, Florida Baptist Convention, and Go Outdoors Ministries.

Bradley added, “It is never too early to involve children in learning about and doing missions. Through Children in Action, Girls in Action, Royal Ambassadors and Mission Friends organizations, children grow in their understanding of God’s work in the world and learn that God desires for them to be part of His work. When children learn early to have compassion and serve their community with the love of Jesus, they will likely grow into adults with compassion who serve their community with the love of Jesus.”

Since then, Duncan has gone on mission to Cuba several more times and was excited to go with her home church this year. The nine-member mission team partnered with the Baptist Seminary of Havana where Mike Orr, pastor, First Baptist Church Chipley, gave an encouraging talk to students during the convocation to begin the new semester.

Training next generation of pastors

Earlier this year, as Orr celebrated 25 years at First Baptist Church Chipley, the church honored his name and service with the Mike Orr Scholarship to provide tuition for students at the Baptist Seminary in Cuba.

“Our pastor has a heart for training up the next generation of pastors,” Duncan said.

While in Cuba, the mission team presented the scholarship to its first recipient. “He was so grateful, and it was very humbling,” Duncan said. The recipient, a man saved out of the practice of Santeria and addiction, burned his idols when he began to follow Jesus and is now attending seminary to become a pastor.

‘Door is open for gospel’

The team also led vacation Bible school and worship services at Iglesia Bautista Salem de Arroyo Apolo. After hearing Orr preach about “renewing your first love” from Revelation 2, several people came to the altar.

“It is exciting to see how God is using the Church in Cuba. The door is open for the gospel there, and He is showing Cubans that true hope is found in a relationship with Christ,” Duncan said.

Orr also preached at Star of Bethlehem Church. There, the mission team provided and served meals for the local community.

The team served with a house church led by a husband and wife who open their home as a place of worship. There are more than 800 house churches in Cuba’s Western Baptist Convention. In this particular home, the wife prayed for 20 years for her husband to know the Lord. When he came to a saving faith, they both were baptized and saw the need for a place to worship in their neighborhood.

As the team shared the gospel of Jesus Christ in the community surrounding the house church, they saw idols from the practice of Santeria and received resistance from families who refused to forsake the idols. The team continues to pray for these Cubans.

First Baptist Church Chipley will continue to invest in spreading the gospel in Cuba through seminary scholarships and future mission trips. Dane Caldwell, missions pastor, Grace Church Bonifay, also joined the team. “I had heard that the church was growing in Cuba, and I couldn’t wait to see it. The leadership structure and plan for sending out the gospel amazed me. God has stirred a revival in Cuba, and Grace Church wants to be a part of it,” said Caldwell. Grace Church Bonifay is currently making plans to establish a long-term partnership with the Church in Cuba.

As a team, we came away spiritually renewed and encouraged by our Cuban brothers and sisters in Christ,” Orr said. “Spending time with them and sharing the gospel with others rekindled our fire for evangelism and gospel conversations.”

Gridiron Sunday has become a mainstay for the church over the past seven years. Every fall, winter and spring, the sports evangelism ministry hosts a worship service geared toward athletes and band members in local schools. Students are encouraged to wear their sports jerseys to show team spirit. Each event includes a lunch with giveaways following the worship service.

The most recent Gridiron Sunday welcomed 484 in church attendance, many of whom were athletes and their parents, including 109 individuals who made professions of faith.

Past guest speakers have included leaders from Fellowship of Christian Athletes and evangelist Scott Dawson. “The services have grown bigger each year,” said Dean DeMarra, worship leader, First Baptist Church DeFuniak Springs. “To see teenagers leaving the pews, coming to the altar to worship with hands raised and kneeling in prayer is incredible.” The church has continued to baptize students weekly with more than 20 baptisms in September.

In addition to the three yearly events, church leaders take initiative to develop relationships with coaches and players throughout each sports season, attending games and practices. “We simply build relationships through making connections,” said Tim Burnham, senior pastor, First Baptist Church DeFuniak Springs. “God has made this event very successful, to God be the glory.”

“Rather than focusing solely on bringing people into the church, we work to bring the church into the community by serving needs.”

WASHINGTON COUNTY–Unity within the family of God is on display through the West Florida Baptist Association as local churches come together frequently to pray for and serve the community.

“Being able to lean on other pastors for support, knowledge, ideas and experience, as well as helping one another with resources, such as skills, labor and finances, has made an impact in our church and community,” said Tim Lanham, pastor, Live Oak Baptist Church in Vernon.

Several churches in the association participate in the bimonthly event, Feeding the Gulf Coast, where nearly 200 families are gifted food boxes containing meat, vegetables, fruit, dairy and shelf-stable items.

“Volunteers from multiple churches gather to pack and distribute boxes and spread the gospel, working together as one church serving the same God,” said Shawn Sanders, a member of Eastside Baptist Church in Vernon who leads the event. “Rather than focusing solely on bringing people into the church, we work to bring the church into the community by serving needs,” he added.

During a recent prayer walk, believers from various churches in the community gathered together to pray for God’s protection and blessing over students, teachers and staff of local elementary, middle and high schools.

“Associational ministry has allowed me a time to meet with other pastors to receive encouragement, to have a sounding board and to show our small church that we can come together to do big things for our community,” said Aubrey Herndon, pastor, Unity Baptist Church in Vernon.

Live Oak Baptist Church hosts an annual back-to-school bash. The 2025 event was a success with more than 500 people on campus that day. Volunteers from Shiloh Baptist Church in Chipley, Unity Baptist Church, Ebro Baptist Church and Eastside Baptist Church greeted guests, answered spiritual questions and provided school necessities for families.

“What we have going on in Vernon is really a partnership of churches acting as the Church, demonstrating the love of Christ in a unified way in our community,” said Caleb Duncan, associational mission strategist, West Florida Baptist Association.

OKALOOSA COUNTY–“He would frequently travel around the area counting new homes and praying for each soul moving in, that they would find a church home,” said Wendy Goetzke, ministry assistant, Okaloosa Baptist Association. This is just one of many examples of faithful service that Gene Strickland provided during his 37 years as director of missions in the association.

Strickland officially retired in August and plans to continue being available as pulpit supply and interim pastor as needed.

His wife, Marcia, who passed away in August, served faithfully alongside him in ministry as the Okaloosa Baptist Association’s records secretary for 25 years. She also filled in for local churches anytime a pianist was needed. “Mrs. Marcia was a tremendous helpmate to Mr. Strickland in ministry and marriage,” added Goetzke.

Prior to serving as director of missions, Strickland served at three churches in Mississippi, as well as Five Points Baptist Church in Fernandina Beach and First Baptist Church of Chattahoochee.

Known for his silly sense of humor and exhorting pastors, Strickland has created a legacy of service to the Lord and bringing the Word of God to others near and far. “I encourage pastors to be patient, be kind, be faithful and be deliberate,” said Strickland.

Aimee Imparato served with Strickland in various missions projects through the years. Noting his impeccable sense of humor, she added, “He was always a cheerleader for supporting missions and service groups, ministries that reached out into the local and distant communities showing the hands and feet of Jesus.”

Ronnie Sells, pastor, Red Oak Baptist Church, added, “Brother Gene has a heart for pastors and churches that makes me glad to serve in association with him.”

“Gene encouraged us to try different strategies and not give up, but to bathe everything in prayer, believe God and simply walk by faith,” said O Randall Jenkins, interim pastor at First Baptist Church Milligan and lead minister of TwoTwentyFive. “He is eager for the cause of Christ and I’m a better minister because he let me sit with him over a cup of coffee many times and ask the hard questions.”

Strickland has been an avid supporter of Florida Baptist Disaster Relief. “With his support, guidance and mentorship, we were able to restore a trailer and equip it with new chainsaws and tools in time to respond to the hurricane season of 2020,” said Rodney Nobles, Blue Hat Unit 121. “We now have a trained response team of 15 to 20 people logging hundreds of hours serving and sharing the love of Christ since 2020.”

For the next associational missions strategist, Strickland has a few words of wisdom: “Be aware of the possibilities for existing churches, new churches, future churches, and be aware of the challenges and possibilities for pastors and church staff. Be prepared to be the ‘model servant’ for them.”

Goetzke shared, “I have known Mr. Gene since my youth and have served with him in ministry for the last 16 years. He has a very unique sense of humor and is always ready to share a few new jokes. Joking aside, he loves the Lord, and getting people to know the Lord, and know Him better, has always been his goal, it seems, in all he does.”

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.

After incurring millions of dollars in damages to nearly every facility on the church property as a result of Hurricane Sally’s landfall in 2020, East Brent Baptist Church moved back into its worship center in 2022, only to experience tremendous water damage totaling more than $1.3 million just two years later.

In 2022, significant thunderstorms moved through the area, bringing wind and rain that revealed faulty tarps installed by the roofing company that was tasked with replacing the roof damaged by Hurricane Sally.

It took two more years and mediation to resolve the issue with the roofing company. During that time, the church mitigated water damage and held services in an older auditorium on campus. Church leaders and members saw God provide exactly what was needed with utilizing every available building and classroom on campus for small groups to meet.

The storm raged on as East Brent Baptist Church had two insurance claims ongoing for more than four years; yet, the church refused to go into debt as it worked to resolve and repair. Staff members rolled up their sleeves to build the stage and pulpit and stain the pews for the new worship center.

“We still grew; many people joined the church, and more came to trust Christ and were baptized­– all while meeting in our old auditorium with partial ceiling boards and a concrete floor,” said Nathan Witter, executive pastor, East Brent Baptist Church.

“Waiting was the hardest part,” said Witter. What they hoped would take a few months to resolve took many years.

“Four years for the hurricane insurance claim and two years for the water intrusion negligence claim were hard on us, and we had to scale back the original renovation project based on the actual money that we received from insurance,” added Witter.

Two houses on the church campus were torn down because damage was too costly to repair. A parcel of land with an older chapel, also too costly to repair, is for sale as the church no longer needs the space.

The new worship center seats 700 and has current audio and visual technology. The building has space for preschool and children’s ministries with secure access. Senior adult classes and women’s classes have all been moved back into the worship center building. A new parking lot for senior members has been created with a ramp to assist those who require mobility assistance. The new entrance leads directly into the classroom area.

“Our congregation showed incredible resilience through it all,” said Rials. The church celebrated its new facilities with a chili cookoff the evening of its first service in the renovated worship center.

A phase two project with plans to complete Sunday School classroom renovations and create larger meeting rooms is in the works as the church prepares for “The Next 75.”

Rials said, “We started this project during our 75^th year, and this entire process has allowed us to reset and prepare these facilities to be used for the next generation.”