The day we returned from our honeymoon we began this endless adventure of ministry. That day I started as the local outreach pastor at Grace Community Church under John MacArthur. It was an incredible role, doing what I loved, connecting a vibrant church with the unbelieving world. While we loved being a part of the pastoral team, we were convinced God was directing us to eventually plant a church where it was needed most. At the same time we had so much to learn in other areas of church leadership. Pastor Steve Lawson knew what we needed and in 2006 graciously invited us to join his staff for several years at Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama. That experience gave us so many skills and resources to advance Christ’s work.
Then the call came in 2008 asking if we would move to Naples, Florida and help plant Grace Bible Church. What an epic adventure as over the course of almost four years, we saw Christ build, protect and provide for His church. Today it is just about 12 years old and continues to faithfully proclaim Christ to all who will hear.
In 2012 God opened the door to step into the vast world of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Although I grew up in the seminary context given my father’s work at The Master’s Seminary, the size and scope of Southern was incredible to experience. The heart of my work there was two fold, mobilizing students for local and international missions and at the same time, raising funds to underwrite the cost of education. Combined, those two roles introduced me to a world wide network of missionaries, evangelists, pastors, professors and generous donors who represent the best of the Southern Baptist Convention and Southern Seminary. Our home and hearts were endlessly filled as students came over for “family dinner” and fellowship. It was a total joy to serve with the world class team and grow under the leadership of Dr. Albert Mohler.
Then came the pandemic. Southern Seminary made hard decisions in effort to prepare for the unknown, laying off a number of faculty and staff. As Proverbs 16:9 says, “The mind of man plans his way but the Lord directs his path.” Our plans for a lifetime in Louisville came to an end that day, but yet at the same time, God was directing us to a path of His perfect design.
That new path did not start during the pandemic. It actually began years ago when Pastor Todd Smith from Crossroads Community Church in Santa Clarita, California began recruiting me to serve as their Outreach Pastor. For several years I resisted since we deeply loved our ministry and role in Louisville. However, in February the church made their strongest recruiting appeal. Again I resisted, but when God moved my former role out of the way, His calling was clear. Crossroads struck the match that lit the fuse God placed in my heart. I am always driven toward to the front lines of gospel ministry. As C.T. Studd, “some want to live in the sound of church or chapel bells, I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.” One yard from hell, pulling people back from that eternal step.
We have loved Crossroads Community Church for many years. Their love for Christ, faithful exposition of His Word, joyful affection for one another and fearlessness to reach the world resonates with every beat of our hearts. Mobilizing and equipping Crossroads for global gospel ministry is God’s calling on our lives and we are going! Your prayers are what we need the most as our three daughters transition into a new high school and the work begins.
So California, we are coming home. Not because the west is familiar, but because it is the gospel frontier. Press on!
Stitzinger Family 2020