Thursday, May 28, 2026 – The bus left shortly after breakfast. The trip would be one-way, out and back. Our farthest destination was a lunch spot named La Hacienda. Before lunch, we stopped at a place where you can take a basket ride across a gorge to a waterfall on the other side. It was a quick trip and was beautiful.

Our next stop was the Nate Saint House in Shell, Ecuador. This is my second visit, but each time has been a fascinating reminder of what Tertullian once said: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” After touring the museum, we made our way to lunch. Most people had kabobs of either steak, chicken, or shrimp. Others had grilled or fried tilapia. It was a fun lunch.

We started our journey back towards home, but would make two more stops along the way. The first stop was Pailon del Diablo. Amazing. Stunning. Unbelievably powerful and beautiful waterfalls. This country is truly beautiful! I cannot, and so I will not, be able to describe what we were able to see. God is Creator. I do not know how someone can see this world and still believe we are a byproduct of a randomized system which began with a cosmic belch several billion years ago.

Our next stop was the city of Baños. The primary purpose of this stop was to tour the Catholic church there. It’s sad and infuriating all at the same time. Jesus is always depicted in a defeated state. Mary is the primary object of worship. I am currently reading a biography of John Knox, and I’m confident he would call this idolatry. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

We made our way back to camp for dinner. After dinner, we heard from Luis, one of the staff members at Camp Chacauco. His story is fascinating. He has overcome so much adversity, but gives God all the credit for turning his life into something meaningful.

It’s been a great trip. Tomorrow we will make our way back to Quito to fly home on a red-eye Saturday morning. We will get a little time in Quito to visit and perhaps buy some souvenirs. This will likely be the last blog update for this trip. I’m so ready for my bed and to see the rest of my family. I do want to take a moment to brag on my youngest daughter, Brooklyn. (She just turned 12.) She has jumped right in and worked hard this week. She has taken initiative to lead in various ways. She’s not perfect, but I am so proud of her. She even ate fish today that still had eyeballs!

Pray for our church as we begin making plans for future trips. Pray for the Yancey’s. Pray about your involvement – Can you go? Can you give? Can you become a monthly donor? Pray that people will be reached with the gospel. Pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Wednesday, May 27, 2026 – Breakfast this morning consisted of scrambled eggs and something like an Ecuadorian tamale. If you’re not familiar, that’s something like a grit cake. “Grits and eggs” is a great way to start the day in any country. The aji hot sauce I picked up from a local bodega was icing on the cake (figuratively speaking, of course, because anyone who puts something sweet on their grits should be looked at with great suspicion.)

After breakfast, the same two teams from yesterday departed for the local school for Vacation Bible School. Yes, the schools (one private and one public) allow outsiders to come in and conduct VBS. I believe in religious liberty. Baptists were among the first to champion such and have long been proponents of religious liberty. It would probably do many politicians a great deal of good to study actual, historical state-mandated religion to better understand the intent of the US Constitution. (e.g., the Holy Roman Empire or the Church of England) That’s all I want to say about this for now.

Today’s VBS story covered the life of Joseph. Dreams, a fancy coat, jealous brothers, lies, slavery, imprisonment, more dreams, his royal ascension, feast and famine, and finally, reconciliation. (We skipped the part about Potiphar.) What his brothers meant for evil, God meant for good. How easily do we forget this simple truth! God works all things for good. The children paid close attention and answered several questions about Joseph.

After VBS, we came back to camp for lunch. The staff washed dishes after lunch so we gringos could rest before work. There was more concrete to bust, more tables to refurbish, and more bathrooms to paint. I feel like we have to come back next year to see the finished product. I may pack a masonry hammer.

Tonight, after supper, we gathered around a small fire at the center of the amphitheater. We were going to make s’mores, but some of the wood in the fire was presswood and had the smell of plastic. We opted to forgo the roasting of marshmallows. We still ate marshmallows, just pre-roasted ones. Amie shared a devotional, and Robby shared his testimony. Robby and I played guitar and alternated leading some worship songs. Brooklyn sang one song with me. It’s easier when so many team members are part of the choir! It was a great way to finish the day. The weather was perfect.

After campfire worship, Clint, Sarah, Robby, Harold, and Kyle taught me a card game. They are incredible teachers. They did such a good job of teaching me…that I won!

Tomorrow, we will visit the Nate Saint house. If you aren’t familiar with that name, research it along with Jim Elliot. The house we will visit is the same house that was their operational base and is now a museum. I’m not sure if we will get to tour the airfield, but the same strip they used is still in operation today. We will also visit a couple of waterfalls and the city of Baños. The cathedral in Baños is a gross example of Catholicism blended with the animism of ancient Ecuadorian religion. It’s also a gross example of what can happen when the government oversteps and mandates religion…even if said overreach happened 400 years prior. I suppose the period of the Spanish conquistadores would be another good study to help understand the intent of the Constitution.

By the way, the method of Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, and others is far more effective (and biblical) than that of Constantine, the Pizarro brothers, or Muhammad. The tribe they tried to reach, the tribe that took their lives, this same tribe has a thriving church today! The wives of the murdered missionaries continued to serve, and the gospel began to take root. Four missionaries gave their lives, but what was meant for evil, God meant for good. He can do the same in your life.

Tuesday, May 26, 2026 – Today was our first day of Vacation Bible School. Our church was divided into two teams, along with a group from Midway West in Carrollton. Today’s story was about the promise God gave to Abraham to make him the father of a great nation. We had a three-group rotation of Bible story time, recreation, and crafts. Before we started with the rotations, we sang several songs, including “There’s Power in the Blood.”

Full disclosure, I am attempting to write this while the rest of the team is playing cards, because I was called a “dud.” Uno! I won’t say who called me this, but she is the only native Spanish speaker on our team. So, if this blog doesn’t make you got any Jacks? sense, it’s because Jackie is singing and “Marilyn and the fun girls” are trying to recruit me. Furthermore, this might read like a Faulkner novel and stream of consciousness.

[By the way, whatever you read in italics will be words or phrases that I heard while typing.]

My group visited the same school that our team visited two years ago. Some of the teachers and the principal remembered us. The kids were engaged during the telling of the story and answered all of the questions afterward. Several students memorized the scripture verse after just a couple of readings.

After VBS, we came back to camp and ate lunch. Our team then started back to work at the camp. Sarah, Julie, and Marilyn sorted over 470 handmade dresses from a church in Kentucky. These dresses are destined for some ladies at a church deep in the Ecuadorian jungle. They also painted a couple of bathrooms at the camp.

The concrete busting crew kept doing our thing. Will joined us today to sweep up the concrete pieces and dust. Amie, Kate, Harold, Liz, Emely, Jackie, Lucy, Brooklyn, and Heather refurbished some picnic tables, cleared some shrubs from near the walkway, and painted a fence. Also, Sarah claims to have painted this fence. But now that is disputed by Kyle, who says, “Excuse me, Clint and I painted that fence.” Bottom line – the fence is painted and as Abraham Lincoln (perhaps) once said, “It’s amazing how much gets done when no one cares who gets the credit.”

Liz, did you write about the Ecuadorian kids knowing six-seven?, Kate, Brooklyn, and I got to knock off work a few minutes early because we were invited by Chris and Madeline to go to the ESL (English as a Second Language) class in Patate. We met with teenagers who came to learn conversational English. Hey, I just won! No, you didn’t! The Yancey’s are praying this ESL class turns into a Bible study and eventually, a church. So, if you’re reading this, please join them in this prayer.

Whose turn is it? Harold, it’s your bid. After dinner, we prepared for our second day of Vacation Bible School. Jackie was excited to be the brother who shoves Joseph (me) down into the pit. What candy do we have left? She was less than thrilled to learn that later in the story, she would bow down to me. We’ll see how it works out.

Ok, I’m now going to attempt to shed this do we have any Nestle Crunches left? persona of being a “dud” and join in one of the card games.

If you can’t tell, we’re having a great time serving the Lord. I pray that more gospel seeds are planted tomorrow and that God receives all glory, honor, and praise. Good night!

Monday, May 25, 2026 Whenever I lead mission teams, I try to remind the team that flexibility is key. In fact, I have a quasi-Latin phrase I like to use: Semper Gumby – Always Flexible. Today tested that a bit. Last night, I wrote that we would do some light construction and repair work. To begin, we carried tables and chairs from the cafeteria to the gymnasium. Many hands make light work. This wasn’t so bad, as it was downhill.

Our team split into three major parties with three major projects. One team was outside and hand-sanded and stained several picnic tables. Another team sorted supplies in a huge supply closet. That’s about all the details I have from those two teams. I was on a team with Clint, Robby, Kyle, and Harold. I started out removing baseboards from around the cafeteria. Soon enough, all of us were using short-handled 2-pound sledges and chisels to bust up the concrete. We just needed to puncture the concrete about every 6 inches or so, creating divots, so that a bond will form for the new tile. I didn’t count them, but my best estimate is that I took 2,340 swings in about an hour and a half…Some while leaning over, some from my knees, and some from the seated position. (And yes, I multiplied the number of divots times the number of swings per.) For lunch, I had ibuprofen.

Actually, lunch was incredible. It was a strange combination that actually worked really well. We had a fried egg, a sausage link, guacamole, two potato cakes, rice with aji sauce, corn on the cob, some kind of beans, a slice of cheese, and blackberry juice. Very filling and very delicious. I don’t know if everyone did, but the concrete busting crew all took showers after lunch. I should mention that we did have two hammer drills. The corded one was used by the camp staff. The other one was battery-powered. Since it was brand new and the batteries weren’t fully charged, they ran out pretty quickly. We have more concrete busting to do tomorrow.

Around 2:30 pm, we left for the Bible club. It wasn’t far away, just a 10-15 minute drive. We met under a pavilion with a basketball court and a little enclosed room on one side. Kids just started showing up from the neighborhood. Some parents came, stayed, and watched. Some younger kids were brought by their older siblings. We sang and danced…I mean to say, we sang with some interpretive movements, because after all, we are good Baptists. Then we told and reenacted the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. (We cleaned it up a bit and didn’t mention that he was a eunuch.) I told the story, Liz interpreted, Brooklyn was the Ethiopian, and Amie was Philip. After the Bible story, another church from Carrollton led a few recreation games while some from our church led crafts. It was a rewarding afternoon in which the gospel was shared. We also distributed gospel tracts and copies of the gospel of John to every parent or adult who stayed. Every kid took home a New Testament provided by Harold and the Gideons International.

Before coming back to camp, we stopped at the town square in Patate where there seemed to be a small festival happening. We walked around for about 30 minutes and had our choice of snacks: ice cream, a bakery, candy, soft drinks, etc. We came back to the camp and had a cheeseburger and fries for supper. Honestly, lunch was so much better than supper, and it wasn’t even close.

After supper, we divided up and made final preparations for VBS tomorrow. We have two teams and will leave tomorrow morning for two different schools. The teams are not divided like we thought they would be or had prepared to be. But, you know…Semper Gumby! Anyway, tomorrow’s story is about Abraham and God’s Covenant Promise. How apropos! God is in control. Like Abraham, I can either trust God or try to take matters into my own hands. “Lord, help me to learn to simply trust you.” Amen? Amen!

We have a great team that supports each other. There is a camaraderie that sometimes looks like siblings with good-natured ribbing, and I believe that’s a natural part of the bonds of fellowship that happen when Christian brothers and sisters serve together. You don’t have to leave the country to witness this, though. This seems like a great time to mention that VBS at FBC Senoia is just two weeks away!

So, it’s Patate VBS in the morning. After lunch, I may be back on the floor making divots. We’ll see, but one thing’s for sure: I will not be predicting “light construction” work. As I write this, I’m sitting outside. The weather is beautiful, and I can hear crickets while looking at the Southern Cross. The temperature is perfect, but it’s getting late and time for more ibuprofen. Buenos noches!

Sunday, May 24, 2026 After breakfast, we loaded up and headed to church, Palabra Eterna, in Ambato, Ecuador. It’s about a 45-minute ride from the camp. This is the same church where previous mission teams have worshipped and helped with construction. The church looks great! The people there are so friendly. We sang Because He Lives in Spanish, and for a moment, the veil between heaven and earth was awfully thin. I stopped singing at one point and just listened. Is this heaven?

Lucy and Amie shared their testimonies. Both did a fantastic job. Lucy spoke about how she has learned to trust God through difficult life circumstances, especially with medical situations. Amie shared about her background of Catholicism during her childhood and how she came to realize salvation by grace through faith. Robby played guitar while Amie, Emely, Brooklyn, and Kyle led us in “Goodness of God.” I preached a sermon from 2 Corinthians 4:7-18. We also heard from the children who recited a scripture verse from memory.

We concluded the service by partaking of the Lord’s Supper. I was very blessed by the manner in which the elements were distributed. Each baptized believer came forward to receive the elements, but they then returned to their family or friend group. Each group prayed with and for each other and took the elements together. I was blessed to pray with my daughter, Brooklyn, and then she and I did this in remembrance of Jesus, together. That was special.

After church, we walked over to the local mall. For those who might not be from the 1900’s, a mall is a fascinating place, with various stores, including a food court, all under one roof. Brooklyn and had fun ordering our food in Spanish. Can you go wrong with pollo y papas fritas? And by the way, I have lived my entire life in Georgia, so I know good fried chicken. What I ate today rivals any I’ve ever had. Sunday worship and fried chicken…Am I even in Ecuador?

We had a little time to walk around the mall. I think most of our team bought coffee (or some beverage with a hint of coffee), ice cream, chocolate, and/or other unhealthy snacks. We then loaded the bus to head back to Camp Chacauco. I took a nap. I’m not really sure what the rest of the team did.

A little after 5:00, we met Chris and Madeline at their newly constructed house. What a blessing! They have three kids and one on the way. This house is such a blessing for them. Madeline treated us to empanadas and arepas. We all gathered in the living room, which has an enormous window with an incredible view of the beautiful valley and volcano. Chris shared more about their ministry. It was a great time of fellowship.

It was then time for dinner: Grilled chicken with mushroom gravy, rice, green beans, carrots, and 1/2 peach. After dinner, we washed, dried, and put away the dishes. Then we cleared the tables and chairs out of the way and learned…er, ran through once each…the songs for VBS for this coming week. Lots of movements. More movement than rhythm in many cases.

We also learned that tomorrow, instead of VBS, we are working with a Bible club that Chris and Madeline began two years ago. Tomorrow is a federal holiday, which means no school, which means no VBS at the school. We will tell the story of Philip and the Ethiopian, play some games, build some crafts, and eat some snacks. But that’s tomorrow afternoon. Tomorrow morning, we will do light construction and repair work on campus. I think we’ll work on completing their new playground as well as laying some tile in the cabins.

It’s been a great day. This is a beautiful place with beautiful people. God is good.

Saturday, May 23, 2026 We left the church on Friday, a few minutes after 10 am. Thank you, Adam and Will, for driving us. The team of 17 made it to the airport and through security with relative ease. Lunch was interesting. One guy had security called on him, and Burger King took 33 minutes to prepare 2 combos, but I digress.

Security Guy (the same one from above) was, of course, at our gate and also bound for Ecuador. A few minutes before boarding, we learned that the Captain didn’t like something about one of the engines, and we would be delayed. I learned that captains inspected engines. Anyway, it was right about then that Security Guy announced to everyone at the gate that he had tarot cards and invited anyone to join him. We eventually got bumped to another gate with a different plane and a few seating reassignments. Amie and Kate drew the short straw and got a row with Security Guy. We landed safely in Quito, albeit much later than planned, but the Holiday Day Inn left the light on for us. I didn’t need to be rocked to sleep. Oh, and Kyle got pulled aside by immigration and questioned as to why so many people were headed to Patate. They profiled him as the leader of the group. Kyle handled it beautifully with all the suave and composure of Jason Bourne.

This morning started with a hotel breakfast buffet: pancakes, waffles, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, omelet station, yogurt, fresh fruit, coffee, juice, and…fish ceviche and a hot fish stew. The ceviche was especially good, in my humble yet totally accurate opinion. We left the hotel and headed to the Equator monument. Everyone enjoyed reading the notes from our prayer partners. I should probably mention that we are working alongside a church from Carrollton this week. We’ve shared the bus with them today and will coordinate with them for VBS and minor construction projects on campus.

We had about an hour at the monument, which is just enough time to climb to the top of the monument for pictures before securing a few souvenirs, some coffee, an ice cream, and one roasted guinea pig. This weekend is Ecuador’s independence celebration, so the Monument was busier than usual.

The next several hours were spent on the bus. We stopped for lunch, and all shared some pizza. There were two other stops where we could use the restroom and purchase snacks and drinks to prepare us for the next bathroom stop. Oh, and someone, I’m not sure who, purchased some chicharones (Ecuadorian pork rinds that beat the socks off of Mutt and Jeff’s) from a street vendor through the bus window, or maybe it was the door, I was sitting in the back.

When we finally arrived at Camp Chacauco, we staked our claim to beds either in the cabins (where most of the team ended up) or in the dorms (where the best of the team ended up). Kyle, Robby, Harold, and I are in the dorms, where we have an abundance of hot water. I’m told that the cabins may or may not have hot water.

We took a tour of the campus tonight before dinner, which was pan-fried beef, rice, potatoes, slaw, and Jell-O. I got to meet up with a former student, Rebekah, who is serving as a summer missions intern. There’s not much more rewarding than seeing former students serving the Lord! What a treasure! Tomorrow, we go to worship at Palabra Eterna. I’ll preach with a translator. Harold and Lucy will share their testimonies. Hopefully, Robby will play guitar, and we all will lead in a worship song or two. We’ll work out the details of the music in the morning.

At this point, I pray for rest and strength from the Lord. May God’s grace so overwhelm our hearts that it is obvious to everyone we meet. God is good!

The cornerstone on our brick sanctuary says 1900. In case you were wondering, that means it was built without central heat and air. To help the folks stay warm for those cold Georgia Sundays (I estimate 3 times per year), there’s a pit below the sanctuary where, I assume, a coal furnace used to reside. In contrast, to help ease the suffering of the summer heat, the sanctuary has a high, vaulted ceiling and windows that can open to capture a cross breeze. One Sunday over the last 120 years, and only God knows what Sunday that was, those windows were opened for the last time. They’re sealed shut now by several years of varnish and fragile, brass hardware.

My best guess is that the current HVAC system was installed about 50 years ago. It’s been upgraded since then but with an old, non-insulated building, the system struggles in the sweltering summer heat. Our immediate solution has been to keep the largest doors closed until after worship is over and to add a few fans to circulate the air. Beads of sweat still roll down my back as I preach but the air is tolerable for an hour.

I love that old church. I really do. I love the nostalgia. I love the floors that creak and the lights that flicker. I love the old stained glass. I love the idea that, over the last 120+ years, that well-worn pulpit has heard vows of matrimony, soaked up the tears of prayerful saints, and witnessed lives changed for eternity. How many souls have passed through the waters of baptism? Jesus is the focus. It’s his righteousness in which we stand. It’s his blood which covers our sin. It’s his name which we honor and glorify. It’s his mission we seek to accomplish. I love Jesus.

But you know what else I love? The people of FBC Senoia. We are family. We have some folks who have lived in Senoia their entire lives, some who’ve migrated from other parts of the south (an unusually large contingency from Mississippi), and we even have some yankees. I love them all! We are family…and I don’t mean we’re like family, I mean we are family.

Being hot-natured, I typically prefer fall, winter, and early spring. I like to slip on my boots and walk around outside without the worry of mosquitos, wasps, or snakes. A hot cup of coffee just seems to fit better when there’s a crisp chill in the air. The fish are biting, the deer are running, the turkeys are playing, and of course…football. My family also likes to snow ski. So yes, count me among those who enjoy colder weather.

However, I’ve learned to tolerate the summer with trips to the lake or week-long mission trips to colder places. I also like to sit in the air conditioning and cheer on the Braves. But one thing I’ve come to appreciate about the summer are fresh tomatoes. I’m not a gardener myself but we have some in the church who bring me tomatoes in the summer; cucumbers, pears, and other delicacies, too. For a moment, whenever I slice those tomatoes and put them between two pieces of white bread, along with a healthy(?) dose of mayonnaise and a little salt and pepper…life is grand!

God has blessed me and blessed our church. There’s more to this story. There’s more that hasn’t been told, and there’s more yet being written. As I have the time, I’ll tell it. For now, there’s not much better than family, family who shares faith in Jesus and fresh tomatoes.

Quick question: What is the end goal of progressive ideology?

That’s a question we must ask yet it’s a question that doesn’t have a real answer because progressivism has no end. It’s never satisfied. Yesterday’s progressive agenda is not enough today and is laughable tomorrow. Progressive ideology must continue to, well…progress. CS Lewis says something similar regarding pride: “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man…It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition is gone, pride is gone.” Pride is the core of progressivism. There’s never satisfaction. It’s like a cancer that only wants what it does not have or at least wants to push the agenda further than where it is now. Progressivism pushes strange ideologies toward acceptance, then normalization, then celebration. This has been on display for years. Adrian Rogers once said, “The sin that used to slink down back alleys now parades down Main Street.” These strange ideologies have again raised their heads and moved from Main Street to prime time TV with the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Olympic Games.

You are probably familiar with the “artistic” depiction, especially if you are on any form of social media. In case you don’t know, drag queens sat along one side of a long table in such a way that many people naturally assumed a reference to Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. There was a central figure with others flanked to the left and right. I’ve heard (or rather read) two primary arguments that attempt to reason away the indignation felt by many.

First of all, there’s an argument which claims this was not a depiction of The Last Supper but rather a depiction of the Feast of Dionysus. Of course there is some merit to this because of the roots in Greek Mythology and the origin of the Olympic Games. But if it was Dionysus and not Jesus, why did the central figure have a halo? For 2000 years, Christ has often been artistically represented with a halo. At best, this was (to borrow a progressive term) “tone deaf” to Western Culture. And while I may be wrong, I just don’t buy it. The other argument is this was indeed a depiction of The Last Supper, but that Christians shouldn’t be offended. Mocking a painting is in no way the same as mocking Jesus. 1500 years of church history would have no idea what this was about. The painting is one artist’s representation of Jesus, not Jesus himself.

If the first argument is true, then the second one can’t be. Either it was a mocking depiction of The Last Supper or it wasn’t. Truth will not allow for both. Further, if this was a mocking of The Last Supper, then shouldn’t Christians have every right to be indignant? Argue if you must, but the truth is The Last Supper is a representation of Christ and the apostles. To say people should not be offended by this is akin to saying people shouldn’t be offended by the Virginia Battle Flag because it doesn’t truly represent the Confederacy…absurd!

What we saw in the opening ceremonies however, is not the primary issue I wish to address. It’s what is visible right now, but there is a more concerning issue underlying it all. In short, it’s sin. It’s pride. It’s this progressive ideology which must continue to push the envelope. Which means that in the end, I don’t think we, that is Christians, should be angry…at least not angry at people whose moral compass has no true north. What did you expect? If there be anger, let it be with those in the church who have failed to proclaim the truth. Europe, once a bastion of biblical orthodoxy, is filled with churches-turned-museums. Let this be a warning shot to the church in America. We certainly should not be surprised. Romans chapter 1 predicts this behavior. For me, the offense is not that someone made a public mockery of a painting, even one strongly associated with the church. Rather, the offense is the public mockery of the family and sexuality. And don’t tell me the family does not represent Christ because the Apostle Paul says otherwise (Ephesians 5:32). But mockery of the family and sexuality is nothing new. What I am seeing on social media that truly breaks my heart is the fulfillment of Romans 1:32. I see professing Christians who applaud deviant, progressive behavior. That is heartbreaking.

I take solace in this: Jesus was mocked and ridiculed. The church has seen millions of martyrs over her history. If there was any offense taken with the display at the Olympic Games, count it as a momentary, light affliction. And remember that even the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. May I take this as one more reason to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. Let me pray for hearts to be transformed. Let me speak the name of Jesus. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing and acceptable to my God. May the words I speak and the life I live bring the hope of Christ to a lost and dying world.

I don’t know who would want to read this. I am mostly writing it for myself. I mean no harm to anybody but perhaps my story can be an encouragement to someone.

January 25, 2019 It was a Friday night and I had a date! Lindsey and I were in a good place, literally speaking. We had just arrived at the Boathouse in Chattanooga, TN. I remember I ordered the grilled swordfish and it was incredible. But what I remember most is excitement tempered with overwhelming peace about our future because, figuratively speaking, we were also in a good place.

We always enjoyed our annual, weekend trips to Southeast Conclave. It was a time to refresh, a renewal for both of us. The seminars were fruitful and we were able to worship together without worry of logistics. We could just worship and rest. Did I mention we never took the kids with us? Anyway, we especially looked forward to the food. We are adventurous eaters and love to try new places. That’s how we ended up at the Boathouse. We had just been through some of the most difficult times of our lives. We thought we were following God’s plan but realized, rather starkly, the path we were on had some unexpected turns. One thing for certain through, I learned that God’s peace is undeterred by my expectations and disappointments.

Over the last few months of 2018, God used various circumstances to convict me of becoming a better disciple maker. I knew that is what God had called me to do and I knew I could do a better job. But how? After much prayer and conversations with Lindsey, we decided I should apply for school to pursue a doctorate of ministry with a specialization in discipleship and spiritual formation. I wanted to avail myself to the best resources and we both thought this was God’s plan. It was a Friday night and I had a date…and an acceptance letter! We had much to celebrate.

April 30, 2019 A couple of months later, I knew just what my project in ministry would be. For those not familiar, this is not a PhD or Doctorate of Philosophy. Those research-based dissertations often require an advanced degree just to read the title. This is a DMin, which primarily involves a project. After finishing my coursework, I would write a proposal for the project, implement the project, and write a report on the project. Since I knew what I wanted to do, develop a disciple-making strategy for Northside Baptist Church, I simply needed to complete my coursework and get on to the project. My plan was to begin my project at the conclusion of year two and graduate, at the latest, in May of 2022. I enjoyed the process. My first seminar was specifically geared toward discipleship. I learned so much in that seminar and took it upon myself to read additional books not assigned to me.

All along this journey, our church was without a pastor. I was serving as the Associate Pastor, primarily tasked with student ministry so in the back of my mind, I kept thinking, “I sure hope whoever we call as pastor is comfortable with my planning this discipleship strategy for the church.” My “worst-case scenario” would be that I would modify my project to a strategy geared for teenagers. So I kept chugging along and after one calendar year, I had completed my first workshop and three seminars. I was on track!

October 20, 2019 Our church called Aaron Hornsby to be our pastor. I will never forget that day. As I announced the 100% unanimous vote, I cried tears of joy. Our church was united and we had a pastor! God is good. Aaron and his family joined us in December. We had a few months together, getting to know each other and how we would work together in ministry. I think we made a great team. Then March of 2020…well, you know. So, yes, my spring workshop was canceled. No worries though. If I was delayed a semester, I was still learning and growing.

Attending on-campus classes has a few perks over online classes: (1) Online classes don’t buy you that cup of coffee with the professor (2) Nor do they allow time for dinner with fellow pastors to “talk shop” (3) Dinner…did I mention dinner? New Orleans is home to some of the best cuisine in the world! So, needless to say, when my May in-person class was transitioned to an online class, I was bummed. But my sweet wife. She’s awesome. My setup for class was in our bedroom on my laptop. She knew how much I enjoyed traveling and eating the good food so she, unbeknownst to me, had prepared red beans and rice with smoked sausage. When she brought up my dinner, I almost cried. I decided to eat instead.

September 6, 2020 Aaron and I were standing at the front of the church just a few minutes before worship. I had just reviewed the annual church budget that would be voted on later that evening. Through the worst of the pandemic, God’s faithful people had continued to give. Financially, our church was strong. I looked over the congregation. While we still had some of our most vulnerable staying home, many families had made their way back to regular church attendance. I was smiling, reflecting on God’s goodness. That’s when Aaron informed me we had a few folks lined up for baptism over the next few weeks. The deacons prayed over both of us and I made my way back to my seat. And that’s when it happened. It wasn’t an audible voice and I can’t exactly explain it but somehow, I knew the Lord was speaking to me, and it was just one word, “Ok.”

“Ok?” What does that mean? Ok?”

The best I could discern, God was telling me that everything was ok and that it was ok for me to look at other ministry opportunities.

“But things are good. Lord, you wouldn’t let me leave when I wanted to but now? Why now? Things are good! The church is healthy and growing. The ministries have some great leaders in place. My own kids are just now coming into the youth ministry. Lindsey and I are happy. And what about our kids? If we move…they love their school. NOW? Not now. Three years ago sure, but now?” That’s what I remember from worship that morning.

Sometime later that week, I received my copy of The Western Word, the monthly newsletter of the Western Baptist Association. In the section with open church positions, I saw First Baptist Church in Senoia was looking for a senior pastor. That one caught my attention. Lindsey and I had visited Senoia a number of times, mostly for date nights. There are some nice restaurants in town. The church was across the county. That meant it was far enough from Northside that we felt comfortable yet close enough that the kids wouldn’t need to change schools. Again, Lindsey and I prayed and I felt led to apply.

At this point, it seems appropriate to mention how incredible Aaron was throughout the process. He was supportive and I even listed him as one of my references. I’ve heard horror stories of pastors who treated staff like hirelings, but Aaron is a shepherd and a friend.

April 18, 2021 After a series of interviews and phone calls, lots of 9×13 casseroles, meeting with staff and deacons, and a mediocre sermon, FBC Senoia called me to be their pastor. Wow, what a journey! In many ways, this was the easy part. The hard part would be the week ahead.

April 25, 2021 At the conclusion of morning worship, Aaron called me up and I climbed the steps to the pulpit at Northside. The sanctuary seemed especially quiet to me. I typically use notes when I preach but this time, I had a full manuscript. I cleared my throat, fought back tears, and announced my resignation. It hurt because my family had grown to love Northside, and we still have many friends there today. I told them it felt like home and they were like family. Yet there was a sense of peace because were so confident in God’s guidance.

April 30, 2021 I applied for an emergency withdrawal from my spring workshop at NOBTS…my final workshop before beginning my project. I was on track. If I had kept going, I would might have graduated just as I had intended. But God had other plans. The seminary stipulates that before beginning a project, the student must have been at their current church for at least one year. Had I remained at Northside, I could have continued on. Since was transitioning to First Baptist Senoia, I would take a year off.

This might sound unfair but it’s really for the best. First of all, the project is to be practical within the student’s current context and not a theoretical project for a hypothetical church. Therefore, the students should know and understand the needs of the current congregation. We need at least a year to get this idea. Secondly, in a pastor’s first year, there simply isn’t enough time to dedicate toward a project. Though I would be graduating later than I had hoped, I was grateful for the break.

April 2022 I finally completed that workshop and began working on my project proposal. In February 2023 I reached out to six church members who would become my strategy team. Together, we began working on a disciple-making strategy for First Baptist Church of Senoia. On October 26, 2023 I met with my Academic Advisor and two others for an exit interview. After the interview, I walked back into the room and all three were standing. That meant I had passed the interview! Dr. Hall said, “Congratulations Dr. Cobb.” I graduated about 6 weeks later, in December.

The story of the project itself is hard-bound in the Library of Congress and NOBTS. In a nutshell, the team and I developed a disciple-making strategy based upon various sized groups. Jesus preached to masses, taught small groups, was especially invested in a very small group, and spent time alone with his father. We looked at our church and noticed this very small group was missing. We have called them “discipleship groups” and have now been utilizing them for a year. God is good.