Answered Prayer During Lockdown
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.
Habakkuk 3:17-19
The prophet Habakkuk paints a bleak economic picture of scarcity and pending famine. Yet he still rejoices in God! May we be similarly joyful as we remember the Sovereign Lord, and Jesus, who “loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20)
We praise God for answered prayer even in the midst of a pandemic and a lockdown.
God has continued to provide financially for BALM.
We are planning, praying and strategizing about new BALM initiatives. Stay tuned!
Pastor Craig continues to lead men and women in the Urban Ministry and Church Planting and Renewal tracks at Metro Baltimore Seminary (MBS).
Pastor Stan is Dean of Admissions at MBS, teaches church history, and co-leads Church Planting & Renewal cohort meetings. He also leads renewal efforts at Grace Presbyterian Church.
Webinars on church planting and discipleship are helping us lay the foundation for future church planting.
Leading with Head, Heart, and Hands
The world needs men and women who are spiritually strong, scripturally savvy, emotionally mature, missionally engaged, and cross-culturally competent. BALM takes a three-pronged approach to building such leaders for church planting and renewal.
Head: BALM helps provide local, affordable seminary classes through Metro Baltimore Seminary. Established in 2019, MBS identifies, equips and deploys emerging Christ-centered leaders through classroom instruction, mentoring and practical ministry experience. Craig launched and leads the Urban Ministry track and the Church Planting and Renewal track. He and Stan co-lead cohort meetings, and Stan will eventually lead the Urban Ministry track.
Heart: In addition to mentoring MBS students, Craig, Stan and Maria mentor students through the Institute for Cross-cultural Mission (ICCM), founded by Rev. Dr. Irwyn Ince in Washington, D.C. Craig also coaches church planters in several cities and oversees practicum internships for MBS students who volunteer in youth work, women’s shelters, urban/suburban churches, and other ministries.
Hands: Leaders must follow Jesus' example of showing as well as telling the gospel in our post-Christian, postmodern world. Acting justly and loving mercy is a vital part of walking with God (Micah 6:8). BALM periodically leads mercy-justice projects to extend God’s shalom into needed areas, as we did in our New Song Community Church renovation project. Our next undertaking is to prepare classroom space at Freedom Church in Baltimore as a second site for MBS classes. This has been postponed until July 24/25. Mark your calendar; we’d love to have you join us with a hammer, paint roller, or other tools to bring theological education to northeast Baltimore and beyond.
Finances & Unity
Because we’re committed to unity, Craig and Stan have decided to operate from a “one pot” funding model. While this means that, as God provides they will both be paid, or will share any fundraising deficits. (Stan has not yet drawn a salary from BALM because of Faith Christian Fellowship's six months’ severance pay, which ends in July.)
This approach is not common for ministries that depend on donor support, but this is our conviction. This also provides simpler giving options for donors. The new designation for online giving will be C. Garriott & S. Long. (Maria’s salary continues under a separate designation for now.) Every donation we receive feels like a small miracle—especially in a time of such uncertainty
