The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship introduced its 25 Young Leaders to Know during the CBF General Assembly this summer. Six of them hail from and/or are preparing for ministry in the Southwest. They include…

Jenni Chilton  

• City: Waco, Texas 

• School: Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary; pursuing dual degrees—master of divinity and master of education

• Congregation: Calvary Baptist Church in Waco

What does bold faith look like to you?  To me, bold faith looks like following Jesus and loving others, especially those who may not look or think just like me; for that is a reflection of true worship (Revelation 7:9). Bold faith means tuning in to the guidance of the Holy Spirit rather than simply following what everyone around you is doing or telling you to do. Bold faith means taking steps toward the future, not knowing the outcome, but knowing that the hand of God is with you. Boldness, as opposed to brashness, comes before God in humility saying as Jesus did to the Father in the garden, “not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).

To what kind of ministry/vocation do you feel called?  I feel called to minister to children and families, both inside and outside the church. For me, this looks like combining my passions for ministry and education to partner with schools through reading and after-school programs that are based on faith as a central element. I have a passion for nurturing children in their spiritual walks, equipping families to minister to their children, and reaching out to the community through programs that serve children and families both in the United States and abroad. 

If you were to give a TEDTalk, what would be the topic?  My TEDTalk would likely be on the United States’ education system and its inherent brokenness but also the possibilities we have as the church to partner with schools to be the hands and feet of Christ to children and families in need. As someone who studied education for my bachelor’s and master’s degrees, who grew up in public schools in the United States, and who has partnered with schools through church reading and after-school programs, I can see that our education system fails those who need it most.

How do you think COVID-19 will reshape the church?  Ministering during a global pandemic has been a disorienting and eye-opening experience. In just a few months, COVID-19 has forced us into exile in our own homes, I have seen this virus force churches all over to improve online communication skills. I believe COVID-19 will continue to reshape the church in the days ahead as it forces perhaps the most individualistic society in the world (the U.S.) to think more collectively about how we can love our neighbors by staying home. 

Masyn Evans-Clements  

• City: Leander, Texas 

• School: Hardin-Simmons University’s Logsdon Seminary; pursuing a master of divinity degree

• Congregation: The Church at Highland Park in Austin, Texas

What does bold faith look like to you?  Bold faith looks like speaking truth to power. We’ve had amazing examples in the Bible, like Amos or Micah, and we’ve had them in our recent history as a country, like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. or Greta Thunberg. The common thread between them is the courage to go against the norm and deciding to do the right thing when all the systems around you are trying to force you to do the wrong thing.

To what kind of ministry/vocation do you feel called?  Congregational ministry is really where my heart is. I have gone back and forth over the years, but I think working within a congregation and making personal relationships with the people in the church I’m serving is where I want to be for the long haul.

If you were to give a TEDTalk, what would be the topic?  Why mowing the lawn can totally be a spiritual practice. If not that, then why I should not be getting weird looks when I take my cat on a walk outside.

How do you think COVID-19 will reshape the church?  I pray that COVID-19 will reshape the church in many ways; but most importantly, I pray it reminds us that the church is a place of refuge and hope, whether we are physically together or not.

Madison Harner

• City: Waco, Texas 

• School: Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary; pursuing a master of divinity degree

• Congregation: DaySpring Baptist Church in Waco

What does bold faith look like to you?  Bold faith requires one to both be in a position of giving and receiving, as a host and guest, being called and calling others to journey alongside us. Bold faith is grounded in connection to the Body of Christ, a body of believers. Bold faith acknowledges the trust we have placed in God to surrender our lives in pursuit of God’s call and saying “yes,” even when we aren’t sure what the job, or title, or career will look like at the end of this degree or season of life. Bold faith isn’t blindsided when the path changes course, when the waves come crashing down, or the world turns topsy-turvy. Instead, bold faith empowers us to see the opportunities of change as gifts and find ways to continue being light in the midst of trials. 

To what kind of ministry/vocation do you feel called?  The ministry or vocation to which I am called seems to be ever evolving and continues to form as I walk through doors, though more and more I am certain that I am called to family ministry. We are called to be the church. We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ, and this happens on a daily basis. We ask for our daily bread so that we may care for the needy, the orphans and the least of these, and that doesn’t just happen on Sunday morning! 

If you were to give a TEDTalk, what would be the topic?  If I were to give a TEDtalk, it would be on baking bread as a spiritual practice. The process includes mind, body and spirit in everyday activities. The kitchen is a place that grounds me, that allows me to focus on one aspect of prayer while making something to nourish others, and that is so life-giving. I would love to share this practice so that it may enrich others in their spiritual walk with Christ in new and inviting ways. Ordinary moments can be sacred. As each cup of flour is added, a new family member is prayed over. As the dough rises, so do our prayers rise to God.

How do you think COVID-19 will reshape the church?  There are so many implications, that we’ve only just begun to see and explore by the recent outbreak of COVID-19. From my little corner of the earth, I know that people crave connection and God created us to be in community. This is strongly felt within the church, and people are finding creative ways to keep this happening, even when we are physically apart. The day the church gathers again will truly feel like Easter morning after the longest Friday ever! 

Julianna Marraccino

• City: Costa Mesa, Calif.

• School: Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary, master of divinity degree, and Diana Garland School of Social Work, master of social work degree

• Congregation: Highland Baptist Church in Waco

What does bold faith look like to you?  Bold faith looks like living into who God is in the spaces around us and who God is through us. It looks like the ability to stand firm in our beliefs and having the humility to listen and learn from other voices at the table. It looks like letting the tears out in response to difficult circumstances and still finding hope in the uncertainty. Bold faith looks like you and me when we open ourselves up to learn, love and live each day in the fullness of who God has called us to be.

To what kind of ministry/vocation do you feel called? I feel called to outreach ministry, whether that is with a local focus or global focus. From experiences in high school to experiences in my current degree program, I have seen the ways in which my love for the local church has grown and the desire to better equip churches in their care and service to their communities. The “dream” job would be an outreach pastor or community engagement pastor.

If you were to give a TEDTalk, what would be the topic?  If I were to give a TEDTalk, it would be on what I have learned about God, community and life through cross-cultural experiences and relationships with others. It would be about how our view of the world and our place in it can be radically transformed by day-to-day experiences with those who may look, speak or think differently than us. There is something beautiful about expressions of faith in other cultures that reveal the fullness of God’s creation to us.

How do you think COVID-19 will reshape the church?  I have been blown away by the ways churches are creatively adapting in response to COVID-19. In such difficult circumstances, we are seeing the churches reach out to their communities, both their members and their neighbors. It is reshaping the way we think about community, discipleship, prayer, worship and service. I think these responses are going to reshape the way the church moves forward in connecting spiritually, physically, socially and mentally. We are seeing COVID-19 impact our minds, bodies and hearts, and the church is learning how to walk alongside brothers and sisters everywhere in grace, patience and boldness. It is reshaping our ministries, our services and our leadership. 

Shelby Nowland  

• City: Fort Worth, Texas 

• School: Texas Christian University’s Brite Divinity School; pursuing a master of divinity degree

• Congregation: Bread Fellowship in Fort Worth

What does bold faith look like to you?  To me, bold faith is having a willingness to having a faith-seeking understanding, one that is willing to go where others haven’t gone. We are all called to unexpected territory. I started my journey toward ministry as an Episcopalian and, by the power of the Spirit, now find myself serving as a Baptist minister. I left Baptist life as a gay youth and returned in a time when the structured tradition no longer had room for me. 

To what kind of ministry/vocation do you feel called?  For me, the ministerial vocation is one that is always being discerned. So far in my ministry, I have served as a campus chaplain, as a prison chaplain while living with an order of Episcopal monks, as a mental health chaplain and am now the pastor of an Emergent Baptist congregation meeting in an art studio. 

If you were to give a TEDTalk, what would be the topic?  It would probably be a toss-up between the gifts liturgy and sacrament have to offer the Baptist tradition, or a long-winded talk on great Texas women such as Ann Richards, Molly Ivins and Ma Ferguson. 

How do you think COVID-19 will reshape the church?  I believe now more than ever we are experiencing what Phyllis Tickle called the “great spiritual rummage sale” that it seems the church goes through every 500 years. Much like the time of Luther, we are experiencing pestilence, war and socio-political change. While these are scary days, the Spirit is at work dreaming new dreams for the church. 

Rebecca Stempniak 

• City: Anderson, S.C..

• School: Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary; pursuing a master of divinity degree

• Congregation: Calvary Baptist Church in Waco, Texas

What does bold faith look like to you?  In my eyes, the words “bold” and “faith” are in direct relationship with one another. It takes boldness to live a life of faith, and as one lives out their faith, they only grow in their boldness. As with many other things, bold faith looks different for each person as they follow the ever-changing calling in their life. I have been able to see bold faith in many of my mentors and people I have had the pleasure of encountering throughout my life. For me personally, bold faith has looked like me changing my major in undergrad to better prepare myself for the redirection of my calling.

To what kind of ministry/vocation do you feel called?  My time in seminary is allowing me to gain a clearer focus of my calling to ministry. I know that I have a special place in my heart for ministry in the church and for students—middle school, high school and college. Outside of that, I know that my calling is still being shaped and molded daily. The time to learn and discern in seminary has been invaluable. I am excited to see my calling take on more clarity as I continue through my education and life.

If you were to give a TEDTalk, what would be the topic?  The focus of my TEDTalk would be on the importance and value that Christian summer camps have on the spiritual, mental, physical, emotional and relational formation of children and students. My time as a camper was extremely important for my own personal growth. Serving on staff has allowed camp to continue to be an avenue of growth for me and enabled me to witness the influence of camp on children and students.

How do you think COVID-19 will reshape the church?  I feel there is potential for many positive outcomes regarding the reshaping of the church during COVID-19. I believe, and hope, that people will have a new longing and appreciation for physical fellowship within a community. This time has encouraged people and churches to learn how to use technology as an avenue for connectivity. While this technological connectivity is a beautiful avenue to unite us during this time, the awareness of the need for physical interaction has also been heightened. I believe, and hope, this awareness will encourage many to hold tight to and be grateful for the time they have in fellowship with others. Churches have been utilizing their own technology or their partnerships with other churches to best reach people during this time.