Nobody tells you about the sleepless nights, the spiritual warfare, the criticism, the pressure, the hard conversations, or the tears you cry when you are trying to hold everything together while still trusting God yourself.

 

When we first came to BFWC, I honestly thought everybody would be excited, jump on board with the vision, & move forward together. Go ahead & smile with me on that one. We quickly realized ministry was not just preaching sermons. It was a spiritual battle. It was leadership pressure. It was learning how to stand in grace while navigating personalities, problems, disappointments, transitions, & growth.

 

But through every challenge, God was shaping us while He was shaping this church.

 

Over these 27 years, we have watched the Lord transform BFWC into a family centered, multicultural, discipleship driven, leadership empowering church community. We have seen people healed, restored, saved, discipled, trained, developed, & launched into purpose. We have watched generations grow up together in the house of God.

 

Early on, we transitioned the structure of the church from democracy to theocracy, establishing biblical leadership through elders, deacons, ministry coaches, accountability, leadership health, & spiritual alignment. We outgrew buildings, relocated campuses, rebuilt systems, strengthened ministry culture, & continued pressing forward with one heartbeat guiding us through every season:

 

“Maturing in Christ; Reaching in Love.”

 

That phrase was never just a slogan. It is the DNA of this house.

 

The truth is, ministry has taught me things no classroom ever could. There are lessons you only learn in the trenches. There are things you only understand after walking through betrayal, pressure, sacrifice, criticism, loss, leadership strain, & spiritual warfare. Yet through it all, God has remained faithful.

 

I thank God today for the leaders whose feet we sat at. Their wisdom, correction, patience, instruction, & example prepared us for assignments we did not yet understand. Father/Son relationships in ministry matter.

 

Covering matters.

Honor matters.

Accountability matters.

 

One thing I’ve learned is this: if you remain teachable, humble, prayerful, & submitted to God, He will give you the wisdom to navigate difficult seasons with grace.

 

I have also learned that people may misunderstand you, criticize you, celebrate you one season & question you the next. But if you keep the cross before you, it will keep your heart healthy. At the end of the day, this ministry has never been about building a personality. It has always been about building His Kingdom.

 

There were moments when Beverly & I looked at each other in those early years & honestly wondered, “How are we going to make it?” But God sustained us. Through every storm, every transition, every hard season, every attack, & every victory, His grace carried us.

 

After 27 years, I honestly feel like ministry has given us ten degrees worth of wisdom, experience, growth, scars, maturity, & perspective. Some lessons came through joy. Others came through pain. But all of them shaped us.

 

To every pastor, leader, elder, deacon, ministry coach, volunteer, Dream Team member, & faithful servant who has walked this journey with us, thank you. We did not build this alone. BFWC is what it is today because people chose to pray, serve, sacrifice, believe, forgive, grow, & stay faithful together.

 

And to every pastor reading this, let me encourage you: don’t quit. It may get bumpy. There will be warfare. There will be lonely seasons. There will be misunderstandings. But there will also be moments where you stand back & watch God do things only He could do.

 

Keep preaching. Keep loving people. Keep leading with integrity. Keep your family close. Stay humble. Stay teachable. Stay surrendered to Jesus.

 

Because if God called you to it, His grace will carry you through it.

 

27 years later, Beverly & I are still standing. Still believing. Still loving this city. Still loving God’s people. & still convinced that the best is yet to come for BFWC.

 

✨ TO OUR CHURCH FAMILY ✨

• Keep growing in Christ & refusing to settle spiritually

• Stay connected to community, accountability, & healthy relationships

• Continue serving with joy, passion, & humility

• Never underestimate the power of your prayers, generosity, & faithfulness

• The greatest days of your life & family are still ahead of you

 

✨ TO OUR MINISTRY FRIENDS ✨

• Thank you for standing with us through every season

• Your encouragement, prayers, wisdom, & friendship have strengthened us more than you know

• Keep building healthy churches & healthy leaders

• Stay faithful to your assignment even when the road gets difficult

• God still honors integrity, humility, holiness, & perseverance

 

✨ TO OUR CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS ✨

• We still believe revival will sweep through our city

• We believe families will be restored & healed

• We believe hope is stronger than violence, addiction, division, & despair

• We believe Indianapolis belongs to Jesus Christ

• We are committed to loving, serving, reaching, & impacting this city for generations to come

 

✨ THE FUTURE OF BFWC ✨

• We see stronger disciples, healthier families, & deeper spiritual maturity

• We see expanded outreach, missions, & community impact

• We see a multi generational church thriving together in unity

• We see leaders being trained, equipped, empowered, & launched into purpose

• We believe the next season of BFWC will be marked by greater influence, greater harvest, greater healing, & greater glory

​

Every Blessing,
Russell & Beverly 

 

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