50 Stories of Transformation

In this FINAL episode of 50 Stories, BRN Executive Director Dr. Barry Whitworth reflects on the network’s growth and the Kingdom work that is yet to come.

In this episode, Elk Baptist Church Pastor Barry Moyer walks us through his humble beginnings and God's faithfulness through it all, including an unexpected call to ministry.

California University collegiate minister, Kim Carson, shares how she has witnessed God transform college students from one generation to the next.

New BRN church health consultant for south central Pennsylvania, Rev. Steve Sheldon, returns to his roots to mentor pastors and care for churches.

In this week's story, we welcome Pastor Noelson Chery, the BRN’s newest ethnic church health consultant, as he shares his heart for ethnic churches and what pastors can expect from him in this new role. 

The BRN's director of finance and operations Andy Weber, also know as "Mr. Budget," shares his heart for financial ministry as well as some helpful tax filing tips.

SBC Executive Director of Asian American Relations and Mobilization, Rev. Peter Yanes, shares how God led him from caring for ethnic churches at the state level to the national level

In this week's episode, Rev. Roger Manao, lead pastor at Philadelphia Bible Church International, shares the history and heart behind his church's international ministry.

In Story #42, Stuart Redcay, associate pastor of family ministries at Big Woods Bible Church in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, shares his testimony of how God took him from a vocal atheist to a devote Christ follower!

In this episode, Rafael Torres, Chaplaincy Program Director & Volunteer Coordinator at the largest state correctional institution in Pennsylvania, shares how God has changed the hearts of inmates--and fellow employees!

A former church planter, Cliff Jenkins, director of multiplying churches at the Baptist Resource Network and lead church planting catalyst for the North American Mission Board, understands the importance of church planters practicing soul care and pouring into other leaders.

Pastor Ricky Wilson of Christian Faith Fellowship in Downingtown, Pa., takes us all the way to Zambia, Africa, where he has established a global ministry partnership.

Stan Smith, former associate director of the Baptist Resource Network, has witnessed the growth of the network. He shares some of the lessons he's learned along the way.

Bryan McClelland, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church, Williamsport, recently was elected president of the Baptist Resource Network's Executive Board and is excited about serving BRN churches, starting January 2022. Hear about his journey!

"I love that stories like that – of Jesus rescuing people from addiction – prove in tangible ways [that] Jesus is alive and active in our lives, in our church, and in our city.”

Johnny Pons, a former Baptist Resource Network collegiate minister at Penn State University, invites collegians to put 'theory into action' through Praxis: Nashville.

Dewey and Kathie Aiken serve as on-site missions coordinators for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, who graciously sends PA/SJ churches mission teams to assist in all kinds of ministries. 

Joe Velarde doesn't see himself as just the pastor of Riverbend Community Church. He sees himself as the pastor to the Lehigh Valley community, where he seeks to make a difference every day.

Tom Dawson, pastor of SOAR Church in Woodbine, N.J., has led his church to impact his Cape May community through compassion ministries and partnerships with schools, police departments, colleges, the local prosecutor’s office, and other agencies.

It was during college when Stan Williams became a Christian after watching a friend's very devoted Christian life. Now, as BRN Director of NextGen Ministries, Stan focuses on championing the campus missionaries who seek to reach others like him. 

Collegiate Minister Brady Rennix is concerned about the 20 million college students across North America, of which 98% who don't yet know the Lord. So much so, he is serving on several Pennsylvania campuses, including Montgomery County Community College. There, he met Shekinah Mack, who he discipled and is now learning how to lead worship at Hillsong College

Douglas Pilot, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Duncansville, Pennsylvania, shares about the many ways God has provided through the church during the pandemic, including raising thousands of dollars for their new heating/air conditioning system, Operation Christmas Child, and more recently, support for a sonogram for a local crisis pregnancy center. The church collected scrap metal, tithed their stimulus checks, and otherwise sacrificially gave.

The annual summer camp not only creates gospel-sharing opportunities, but also curates an environment for training young leaders within the church.

Heading into his 15th year of pastoring, Hal Hopkins had a healthy relationship with his congregation and his church was doing well, but something was different. He felt the Lord stirring something new within his heart. That restlessness turned into years of mentoring and guiding church planters all across PA/SJ and the nation.

The passion of the congregation convinced Ron Larson to accept the position at First Baptist Church of Delaware, where he has witnessed the hand of God moving in the once declining church.

It was just like any other year at Cross Creek Community Church. Baptism season was on the horizon, and it was time to start reaching out to those who desired to proclaim their faith in Jesus Christ publicly. Then the pandemic happened. As Cross Creek Community reopened its doors recently, 25 people, including several who attended the church's livestream, were baptized.

"You can't hate someone you are praying for," shares Laura Collins, a member of Great Commission Church in Philadelphia, who has seen God transform her community -- and herself -- through prayer and compassion ministries at her church. Now in retirement, her compassion for the lost is increasing. "I don't want to see anybody go to hell. I want more people to come to know who He is and the love that He showers us!"

Denis Sichkar, a Ukrainian youth leader for the Ukrainian Baptist Convention, grew up at First Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Church in Philadelphia, but he had no idea of the national leadership roles God had planned for him. "It's exciting to see young people grow up and take on responsibility," he says.

After three decades of equipping collegiate ministers and young adults, BRN Next's Robert Turner is retiring. He offers a look back at how collegiate ministry has evolved over the years -- and how it has changed him.

As the oldest Southern Baptist church in the entire state of Pennsylvania, Wrightsdale Baptist Church in Peach Bottom has a long history of impacting its community for Christ. In this interview, Pastor Ryan Day shares some of the exciting ways God has moved over the years -- and how the best is yet to come!

When Mason Dixon Baptist Church Pastor Terry Felton and his wife Amanda were drawn to adopt a son from China, they had no idea the impact it would have on their hearts and in their church.

Dr. David Waltz, former executive director of the Baptist Resource Network, has seen God do a lot of transformative work in his 25 years of service to the churches in Pennsylvania/South Jersey--including in him! He shares how the former Baptist Convention of Pennsylvania/South Jersey changed to the Baptist Resource Network, about the growing diversity of the network, and his gratitude for many godly relationships throughout his ministry. 

Three churches, Millcreek Community Church, Harborcreek Community Church and Edinboro Community Church, in Erie, Pennsylvania, band together to reach Erie. Together, they are impacting their communities and helping the make disciples who make disciples.

As a teenager, Emma Culp Tentarelli first served as a "page" (through WMU's Girls in Action program) for the Baptist Resource Network's first annual meeting and has been serving Southern Baptists ever since. We congratulate Emma on her recent retirement, and we are so very thankful for her service!

The Fellowship CrossPoint Church family in Chesterfield, New Jersey, knew that pouring all of their saved building fund into a new property was not what God wanted them to do. If God had been generous with them, how could they not turn around and be generous with the $100,000 He had provided them?

Pastor Charles Levi Martin, pastor of Unity Fellowship Baptist Church, Willingboro, N.J,. has witnessed firsthand the transformation of a community in Liberia, West Africa, as he has discovered their great needs and have sought to meet them.

For the past 12 weeks, listeners have tuned in to Baptist Resource Network’s “50 Stories of Transformation” podcast, which seeks to highlight the many ways God has transformed churches and individuals across Pennsylvania and South Jersey over the past 50 years. But who is the voice leading this podcast?

Pastor Fernando Downs of Southside Baptist Church in Lumberton, N.J., knows what it means to rely on the Lord for every aspect of his life and ministry. With 46+ years of service, he has seen God's faithfulness as the longest serving SBC pastor in the entire state of New Jersey. With heartwarming care, he shares some of the powerful ways God has shaped his ministry during those years.

Baptist Resource Network directors Dr. Larry Anderson, who oversees healthy churches, and Buff McNickle, who oversees compassion ministries, speak candidly about how God has moved in their roles at the BRN, especially through the recent racial reconciliation efforts in Philadelphia, where participants have come to a point of now having "a level of trust, a level of respect, a level of love" and safety in difficult conversations.

Four generations of women who were involved in missions education have culminated in the commissioning of one as a new missionary to Africa!

Recently retired pastor, Larry Walker, has seen a constant theme throughout his 40 years of ministry: God is always on time! He was on time as he and his wife planted a new church, as they faced critical health issues, and as he mentored his successor at West Hills Baptist Church. Be sure to grab a tissue before you listen!

When Jon Rice attended Drexel University, his interest in God led him to Campus Minister Brian Musser - and to a whole new world in Christ!

Music and ministry strike a chord for third generation pastor, Reverend Paul James of Careview Community Church in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania.

Campus minister Kayla Smith knows her mission field -- Penn State University -- because she was once a part of it! Hear her transformation story and how God is using her to reach students today.

For the past 13 years, Jerome Coleman has served at First Baptist Church of Crestmont, where he has watched God transform the building, the people, and himself.

Pastor Jim Quoss of Freedom Biker Church in York, Pennsylvania, shares his passion for reaching unreached and unchurched bikers by giving them a community and home built upon the foundation of Christ. Listen in as Macala Leigey, a current Communications graduate student at Edinboro University, interviews about how he and other church members

Disasters happen spontaneously and are very seldom planned, Kenton Hunt, state disaster relief director for the Baptist Resource Network (BRN) of Pennsylvania/South Jersey quipped as he thought about how to describe the incredible work accomplished through disaster relief ministry.

“When disasters happen, we’re an organization – Southern Baptist Disaster Relief – that is there at the beginning. A disaster happens today, we’re going to try and be there tomorrow. You don’t necessarily go into a response knowing all the details, so that involves walking by faith.”

Listen in as Macala Leigey, a current Communications graduate student at Edinboro University, interviews Hunt and fellow disaster relief leader, Jeff Slagle.

Today's frontlines are dotted with healthcare professionals, working amidst an unpredictable virus and global pandemic. In Cherry Hill, New Jersey, many of these frontline, medical heroes belong to the Church of the Good Shepherd, a church led by Pastor Darius Nable and affiliated with the Baptist Resource Network of Pennsylvania/South Jersey. Macala Leigey, a current Communications graduate student at Edinboro University, produced this episode.